Happy Birthday Grace!!

We celebrated Grace's second birthday all weekend. She did a great job and is already asking for "another birthday"!

We started off the day by meeting Tim at McDonalds for lunch and time to play. She is now quite comfortable with the slide and is so cute coming down it!

After dinner (Corn on the cob - her favorite) we had cupcakes and presents!

She got a new "little kitchen" and some play food. Also, she got an apron and oven mitt to match Mommy's! Here she is baking some bread!

Aunt Monica called on the video phone to wish Grace a happy birthday. We were also able to get her on the phone to watch Grace open her gift on Sunday. What fun!

On Sunday we had some family over to celebrate Grace's birthday. Grace loved all her gifts and loved playing with everyone. To name just a few, she is now set to go shopping at Walmart with her new shopping cart, learn to potty train right along with Potty Baby, and play in her "little kitchen" with all her new play food and cooking utensils! Oh, and take pictures of it all on her new camera! Thanks to all who love her so much!!

A little photo shoot with Grandma and Grandpa Cooper.

The Drake girls.

We had our Fall Festival at church on Sunday. The theme was a tailgate party so we pulled out all our Colts gear!

We weren't sure if Grace would ride the train, but by the end of the day, she was doing it on her own, and of course, threw a fit when it was time to go!

On Saturday Tim was with the JV and Varsity volleyball teams as they competed in a tournament at Clinton Prairie High School. Both teams won, and as an "accidental" celebration, on their way home, they somehow got INTO the Tipton County Pork Festival Parade!!! Here they are in their bus, waving from the windows and yelling at the crowds! After a little confusion, (You can imagine! ...Who are these guys?!?!) they were even announced at the grandstand and showed off their trophies! At the end of the parade they just kept right on going out of town and on home! As Grace would say, "Silly volleyball team!"

2 Years ago, Today...

Two years ago today I went into labor with Grace! It was the Saturday before Labor Day, and I thought I'd have my first baby that weekend! Well, I labored all day Saturday, called the doctor on Sunday, went to the hospital on Monday morning, came home from the hospital later that morning, labored more all day Monday, and finally convinced Tim to take me back to the hospital on Tuesday morning to have Grace around 11:00 AM! It was a very long weekend, but OH SO WORTH IT!! Grace will be two years old on Friday! Yea!

We hare having fun building up the day by talking about a party with family and practicing giving and receiving presents. She is such a big girl going potty about once a day and talking about such complex ideas, like how she no longer likes sleeping in her big-girl-bed because it is "frustrating" and that mommy is skinny and beautiful! It's hard to believe she has been in our lives for two whole years! What a blessing she is to us!

Also, on a side note, we'd like to send out a huge Congratulations to the Mahan family (the link to their blog is on the right) as it looks like they will finally get their referral this week for their daughter in China! We can't wait to meet her!

We're keeping busy

Big boy, sitting up now!!!!

Cooper started cereal today.

He wasn't too sure at first, but then went after it and loved it!

Snapping green beans with Grandpa Tim.

A caterpillar!!

Our sand box! While I know it looks pitiful, it can be covered and put away, or taken to Grandma and Grandpas house in an instant!

It's football season! The boys play everyday at recess and after school, and Grace is starting to get into the game, too!

I got Grace's helmet out for her to wear if she goes on a bike ride with Grandma Patty someday, and she immediately got on her motorcycle and asked if she was just like Jason!

Just enough hair for 2 ponies! How cute!

A favorite of ours during the summer is the vegetable grill basket. While our garden was a disaster (what with a newborn and all!) we frequented the local vegetable stand and discovered dicing them up and grilling them in Italian dressing and topping with Parmesan cheese is DELICIOUS! Plus, I just love how pretty it is! (And, Grace loves them too!)


Well, Tim had added about two years to our pool pump in the past, but it finally bit the dust and was unrepairable this week. We closed the pool today, and while we'll miss swimming, I won't miss the upkeep or worry! We'll get a new pump next year and will be investing in solar panels to warm the water - no more cover!! Yea!!

They Grow Up So Fast...

Lot's of changes around the Drake house...

new friends (boys!), new beds, new skills, and just getting older and cuter by the day!!!

Here is one of Grace's favorite friends, Zach, playing hide and seek- she even called him to ask him to come over! Tim is struggling with her interest in boys already!!!!

Two Drakes in the bed, and the little one said...



5 months

We're very excited about Mandi and Michael's adoption process almost being done and posed for this picture for their scrapbook that prospective birth mothers will look at. We are looking forward to Baby Rigney coming to stay with us some day!

We moved Grace into her big girl bed and Cooper to the crib, finally. He insists on sleeping on his stomach, so I feel better having him in the crib rather than the pack and play. And Grace is doing wonderful in her big girl bed! So far she stays in until we go and get her up. I'm sure that won't last forever!

Practicing with scissors!

Always interested in what Grace is doing!
We attended our first volleyball game of the season this week. The kids wore their polo shirts and khaki shorts to match their dad! Cooper did great, hanging out with Grandpa Tim the whole time. Grace pretty much melted down upon arrival. She wanted to be with Tim, but couldn't and with all the people and loudness, just couldn't handle it! I spent the majority of the game in the hallway with her clinging to my leg and screaming as I could find nothing to comfort her. I suppose we'll give it one more try next week before we call it a season!

Summer Draws to a Close

Well, it certainly doesn't feel like summer outside, but with Tim back to school (today!), volleyball in full swing, and the pool unswimmable (79 degrees!!!) we certainly are feeling the end of our "lazy days of summer". The kids and I stopped on our morning walk to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Knight to retirement (I realize mine is only temporary - but I imagine it feels the same on the first day of school!) and are trying to get ourselves into a routine without Tim around. He's going to be busy with school, volleyball, and more classes for his Master's. We are looking forward to starting storytime at the library and maybe even gymnastics to keep us busy, as well. Grace has been such a water-bug that I hope to make it to the White's pool throughout the winter to get her even better at swimming. So, we'll find things to do and before we know it, it will be summer again!! Here are some pictures as we bring the summer to a close!

Cooper's first swim!

Potty Training - Drake style!

Ok, we have actually started it a little when inside and with a potty chair, but when you are outside, this will do! With her 2nd birthday less than a month away (eeek!) we are also talking a bit about moving to the big girl bed! Sooo not ready for her to grow up!

Big smile in the high chair!

After a warm bath.

Dare Devils!!!

Fun with the Camera

Summer Fun with the camera!

We had a little game of Poker ourselves last Monday when Tim went to play with the guys.

Just "Airin' out!"

This would be Cooper at the end of his morning nap after a TERRIBLE night of sleep. As if to say, "That's right Mom and Dad... I'm in charge here and everything is going exactly to plan..."

Grandma and Grandpa Cooper are finishing up in New Mexico today and, after picking up Aunt Toby and Uncle Galen, they will head to Phoenix to see Monica. We miss them!