Some "firsts" for Rodeo Princess Gracie

My Angel: My Gracie.
My little bug is growing up waaaay too fast.
At 6.5 months, she sits up by herself, she crawls, she pulls herself up, and (sniff!), she stands up!
Apparently, she doesn't need us too much any more.

On this 4th of July weekend, little Gracie experienced some pretty cool milestones.
She attended her First Parade!

Sitting in the shade in her adorable green gingham sunsuit,
Gracie saw all of the usual elements of the parade:
Firetrucks, marching bands, old cars and floats.
She stood with her Mama and Daddy, Nana and Poppie
when the large group of veterans proudly presented Old Glory.
She loved the colors, the noise, and the action.
There were many ponies pointed out to her by Mama and Nana.
There were pony carts; there were children on tiny ponies;
there was one tiny girl (not much bigger than Gracie) on a huge draft pony;
there were real Rodeo Queens and Princesses riding ponies that carried
showy bouquets of flowers behind the cantle;
there were proud vaqueros on dancing horses that shined like new glass;
there were Indians with brightly colored blankets on their ponies;
there were cowboys swinging ropes over the heads of their ponies;
and one of the cowboys threw a lasso so large that his pony was completely encircled.

But with what was little Gracie most entranced?

-The ice cream cart on the sidewalk.
-And sucking on the various parts of her stroller.

Gracie is also learning to eat food with a spoon.

After one particular episode of Nana feeding Gracie her sweet potatoes,
Nana sent Gracie's Mama (who was at work) the following text:
"Feeding your daughter solid food is like loading a wheelbarrow with frogs.
Give me 15 minutes before you try to call me back -
have to "hose off" baby, baby bib, baby chair, dining table, and me."

I am not exaggerating when i say that the kid had sweet potatoes
all over her head and body.
At bath time, Gracie's Mama was a little surprised to find
a bit of sweet potato in Gracie's ear.
This was accomplished by her turning her head to look at something every time
i got the food near her mouth.

I dont know if she actually swallowed any of her lunch that day
- there is no proof of it.
But i would hope that she could get her nutrition in the same way
that plants and flowers get their nutrition
- through osmosis.