My daughter makes the weirdest noises when she's putting herself to sleep in her crib. It's almost a fussing noise, but then she turns it into talking to herself. Make up your mind, already! :o) It's a good thing I'm not one of those mommas that comes rushing in at the slightest peep on the monitor. Most of the time she talks/fusses for a while, then drops off to sleep. It's so funny because she'll be making all kinds of noise, and then it'll stop very suddenly. I'll look over to her, and she's passed out.

Weirdo. :o)

In good news (since there has been much lately), my husband has made board for Chief. This means that he has done well enough on the Chief's exam to go before a selection board to be chosen for Chief. We won't know till August whether he makes it or not, but I am more hopeful this year than last year. It's not that I didn't think he had a chance last year. But last year was the first year he was eligible to make it, and I didn't think they would pick a first-year person. Some guys do make it, but I think most of them have to wait till at least the second year. Also Kurt didn't have Lead Petty Officer at sea yet, and I think that was what really caused them to overlook him as a candidate. Now he's LPO on his ship, so I have a lot more confidence.

Which isn't to say that if he doesn't make it, I will be mad at him. It's a lot just to make it to the board to be selected. Either way I am proud of him. Not everyone gets this far in such a short time (only 12 years), and not everyone gets to put gold on their uniform for 12 years' good conduct.

You just gotta be proud of the guy!

In Gracie news, we have gotten her ears pierced. Our respective parents aren't too pleased about it, but in general they're leaving us alone about it. My parents in particular are so good about their role as grandparents. My stepmom will give me advice, but ONLY when I ask for it. She never gets involved where she's not needed or wanted. And when she was here taking care of me when Kurt was in San Diego right after Grace's birth, she always asked me how I wanted to do stuff. She never took over and bossed me around. It is so nice not to have the added stress of parents who won't let me be the mom. I do so much appreciate Marty and Dad.

Also in Gracie news, she had her 4-month well-baby checkup earlier this week. She is now 15½ pounds, and 25"!! Big baby! It's so wild to think she has nearly doubled her birth weight and grown 5" in the last four months. She's definitely growing like a weed.

My in-laws now want us to buy a camcorder and send them DVDs of Gracie. I guess the mass quantities of photos I send every couple of days just isn't cutting it. :o) I'm not sure how I feel about a camcorder. We actually have one, a JVC model Kurt won at a command Christmas party in 1999. But no one ever watches home movies -- at least, not in our family. And the only home movies I've ever seen of our family all date from 1987, the first year Daddy had a video camera. There's nothing before then of me, and I really don't miss it. I would, however, like a few more photos of me. I have a ton of baby and toddler photos of me, and then there's nothing till I'm a teenager. That's what happens when you're a younger daughter! :o)

Now Gracie is passed out, so I suppose I should stop typing. Eventually it's going to wake her up, even though I have a quiet keyboard. Stay well, all!