"Gracie" turns 10 tomorrow!

I remember when Carla found out that Emma Grace was going to be a girl, she gave Kevin a card as part of the surprise that had a dainty, petite baby girl on it. From that picture that stayed on the refrigerator for a few months, I guess I envisioned her to be a tiny, petite, all girl, baby, with bows in her hair. This wasn't the case. She was fat. I actually think Nathaniel is bigger now than she was, but at the time I thought she was the fattest thing I had ever seen. She looked miserable at times, she was so fat. So many rolls. She would have to wear a much bigger size in pants just to get them large enough around the waist and we had to roll up the legs. She wore a lot of those "leggings" and cotton dresses with empire waists as a toddler. She had dimples in her elbows for the longest time. As soon as she could talk she changed her name. Carla intended for her name to be "Emma Grace" and for her to be called "Emma Grace", but Gracie had other plans, and named herself. At around 18 months she decided she no longer liked her position at the kitchen table, one that had been established before she was born. Carla, Kevin and Catherine all had their "assigned" seats. As soon as she was able to communicate, one day Carla noticed that little Catherine was sitting where Gracie once sat and Gracie had taken her place. She is a leader for certain and I admire her fearlessness and tenacity.