Our Week

I have felt kind of bad that I don't have many videos of Lucy, so this week I took at least one a day. I think it captures pretty well what our lives look like these days. We have this precious amount of time between one and four everyday when we try to get out and do something fun. In the mornings Lucy and I go to high school, I'm teaching one class and she stays at their Tiny Tigers child care program. And the rest of the day is filled with naps and working out and chores, so we really love these three hours of fun every day.

Katie's Birthday

I neglected to show off the fun night we had for Katie's birthday last month. She made it difficult, finding a new boy and wanting to spend all her time with him, but we were able to steal her for dinner at Irving St. Kitchen (so good) and dessert at our traditional (4 years running) Urban Fondu.

Lucy's Lexicon

Lucy's language is taking off but I wanted to jot down a few of her favorite words before time slips away and she is quoting Shakespeare.

whatisthis: What is this?

baw: ball

ow ew: I love you

I do it.

no: No!

dow: Put that down so I can do it myself

baaaabyyyyy: baby

mow: more

p: please

daddy: dad come play with me

mom: mom I need something

bubbles

play

elp: help me by picking me up and toting me around

out: lets go outside

bath

daw

shoe

eyes, nose: I'm about to poke you really hard in your eyes and nose

by-by

uh oh: I just threw food on the floor and mom is not going to like it

and my all time favorite...Nigh nigh: Night night or I might look really innocent and sweet and tired right now but I am about to cry for 10 minutes

and I can't leave out hi and this which she has been saying since she came out of the womb

She can repeat a lot words as well. Most one syllable words she can say back. Counting sounds pretty good. She can say names and roles of some family members when prompted.

Animal sounds she is ready for the stage with: the roar of the big cats, smacking of lips for fish, sheep, cow, sticking out the tongue of the giraffe, duck, bird, snake, the elephant is hit or miss, anddespite a lot of good efforts the llama sounds is still weak.

Working Hard Part 2 x 5

When we mentioned to Mike's family that we were going to paint the house ourselves they didn't even hesitate before volunteering to come for the weekend to help. On their drive here from Utah, they probably thought the looming rain clouds meant the weekend would offer some leisure...but after taking down two cedars, uprooting seven smaller trees, weeding, planting, rock transporting, and watching Lucy, little leisure was to be had. That's not to say we didn't have some fun. We did, after all, make it downtown for fried pies.

Working Hard

Once Mike took my sisters and I camping and after us girls took a stroll to a nearby waterfall, Mike had the fire going, tents up, food cooking, and stories ready to spin. We decided we loved camping.

Once Mike was carrying at least seven bags of groceries into the house and awkwardly clinging to a spoon from our Dairy Queen treats. I looked at my empty hands and promptly offered to carry the spoon.

Once (okay, yesterday) Mike power washed our entire house and when he suggested my sister and I mow the lawn we spent at least 30 minutes staring at the machine before we bravely attempted a line down the middle of the yard.

Once Mike married a girl with a sometimes spotty work ethic, but luckily she married a man with patience enough to let her slowly progress and strength enough do it alone with she is not much help.

Don't you think he deserves a little bit of this after all that work?

Laundry Day

16 Months

One year ago, sporting the same look...

It was so much easier then...

Our sixteenth month is all about the precious dichotomy between crazy and delightful. We are running all over the place after this little one and delighted when the moments align that we catch up to her and can regain our breath and take in all the coolness that she is.

All in 10 Seconds' Time

And in the following order, none the less. . .

Mom and Britt Visit

Have I mentioned how lucky Lucy is to have such a wealth of cool aunts and uncles and grandparents to dote on her? And lets not neglect to mention what I get out of the deal as well. When Britt visits she is the practical aunt - dirty diapers, baths, dressings, feedings, diaper bags, she is all over it! And my mom does my laundry and tells me to stay late at work or go shopping and take myself to lunch on my way home. Plus they took video. Why have I not been taking video, I can't get Lucy to sit still for pictures so I really should be embracing the moving picture form.

Lucy loves dipping things and eating the sauce. She can do it for a whole meal. A meal of ranch dressing - awesome!

I love this face - sometimes she looks at me like this and I think how fun our teenage years are going to be.

Mike thinks this picture makes it look like I am just slow. For the record I can actually run faster than Lucy. Not by much, but it had to be said.

She refused to use the stairs to get back up and, of course, we indulged her.

She loves the slide.

Like Mother Like Great Granddaughter

Mom and me

Grandma and Mom

Mom and Me

Great Grandma, Grandma, and Mom

Mike's Mom and Mike

I was talking with my mom today, wishing her a happy mother's day, when I started to see that so many of the traits that make up Lucy have genesis with my mom. She embodies strength and independence and sensitivity and these are clearly traits that Lucy is developing. I wonder too about my mom's mom and how her own classiness and charm have seeped down to my daughter. She is lucky for that. My grandma is really something. And I am so proud that the capableness and wisdom and kindness from Mike's mom are also part of Lucy. I'm grateful today for a chain for women who have traits I feel so proud to see become part of my little girl. I'm grateful for a chain of women who made mothering a priority.