Da Funk!

There has been this funk going around Milledgeville (& the rest of America, really from what I can tell on blogs and Facebook).  It's been going around our schools and daycare since before Thanksgiving.  I have tried my darnedest to stay away from it, washing my hands constantly, keeping sanitizer handy, and refusing to touch my students more than I had to. Mean?  Maybe.  But I really didn't want this funk!

I just prayed day for Lucy's health, knowing my odds of her not catching it were slim, with her only being 16 months old, in daycare, and constantly putting her hands in her mouth, swapping toys with peers, etc.

And she did.  She caught it.  5 days before Christmas break.  She threw up at school.  Only once.  But as soon as they called me, I took off running to the office to sign out to get to my baby.  Last time she vomited, she was so scared! I wasn't going to leave her without the comfort of her mama long.  I didn't want her to feel fear like that again.

When I got there, she was fine... Playing with the other children, had eaten snack and drank juice, and was holding it all down like a champ!  We got home, and no real change.  Other than spitting up a few times, she was her regular sweet, playful self!  5 1/2 hours passed...

...and she threw up again!  FIVE AND A HALF HOURS!!!

Only once, and then back to slep.

Although this time of her being sick hasn't been near as forceful, frequent, or fearful, she still needs her mommy.  And I still need to nurture and care for her.  So, we're slumber partying in the guest room, books and all!  She's asleep now, but I'm fearfully waiting 5 1/2 hours until her next due time to throw up. because I want to take her fears.  I want her to feel comforted, loved, and protected.  So I'm passing my time keeping up with what she's eaten and when, the times that she threw up and went to sleep so I can have documentation just in case it's needed.  

I'm fearful for her, but strong for her. 

It's a weird catch 22.  

Having a sick child is the worst part of parenting so far... 

25 Days of Christmas: Days 2 & 3

So, I've already failed on my 25 Days of Christmas Blog Posts, but not by far!  I can still catch up!!

 

Day 2:

 

Yesterday was Sunday, and I had big plans to start going back to church, and even try out the Methodist church again (since I miss traditional church), but got up and read facebook and read WAY too many posts about people having this awful stomach bug that's been going around.  I'm trying my darndest to stay away from it, and I just pray every day that Lucy doesn't catch it from daycare.  I hear it's AWFUL!

 

She slept in until almost 8:30!  I love weekends when she can sleep in, even though I still wake up early -- it's so nice! :)

 

Chris went with his mom to City Wholesale to pick up Big Mama's table and chairs that we used at Marshall Rd. and he brought them back here.  I helped him load them into the house and into the kitchen.  They look pretty good, not ideal, but decent enough.  I hate losing the open space that room provided, but we needed a table there, especially one that Lucy could bang up and us not feel like she was destroying money.  I love the meaning the table has, too though.  We all three sat around it last night and had stew meat for dinner.  It was our first family meal around a dinner table just the three of us.  As Chris & I ate, and Lucy banged her juice cup on the table, Chris smiled and said "Big Mama would be thrilled to know we were using this table and that she was having fun around it."  He is so right.

 

Lucy took an incredibly long nap yesterday -- nearly three hours!  Which was odd, especially for her having slept in... We got a lot done while she slept though.  I had bought a set of three bar stools (for $99!) at Bed, Bath, & Beyond a couple weeks ago and Chris decided to put them together.  No wonder they were only $99!!  They came in a bajillion pieces!!! He finally got the base of one put together, and when he brought it into the kitchen to see how it measured up in height, we noticed it had a terrible rock to it from the pieces being unbalanced in length... so we just packaged them back up.

 

Lucy finally woke up and we went over to visit MaMa & Pop.  It's so nice them being so close.  Lucy wasn't too keen on visiting, wanting to be by herself a lot and not being her usual sweet self.  She has learned how to make some pretty mean faces lately, and she was casting a lot of them at MaMa, although I don't think it was intentional...

 

We came home and played and went to bed.

 

Day 3:

 

Well, it was a typical Monday, starting off by running late!  Mondays are always the busiest mornings for me, because I have to make sure I have all of Lucy's stuff for daycare.  They send home her stuff on the weekends, so I wash it and bring it back on Mondays.  This includes her bookbag that has a change of clothes, boogie wipes, wipes, and diapers (which comes back and forth daily, because you never know when we might run over to Cindy & Smiley's or something...), her lovie, and her sleep mat (although they provide her with a mat and sheet at school, I still want to know, that I know, that I know, that I KNOW that she's sleeping on something clean.  Besides, it's super cute! :)  I take ALL of this, on top of my coffee & lunch, usually her jacket, and sometimes her quart of milk (Dr. Ivey recommends that she drink whole milk until she's at least 2 -- daycare only provides 1%, so I take a quart every couple of weeks).

 

Today was strangely warm for it to be December 3.  It was a high of 75.  So strange, but so appreciated!  I love living in the south!!

 

I had a typical day fighting off cooties, dousing myself in hand sanitizer at every thought of it, and trying to get things turned in on time. 

 

I was extremely late picking up Lucy because of a meeting I had after school.  Bummer. :(  I usually feed her a snack around 4:00 every afternoon.  By the time we got home (4:45) she was starving!

 

Chris came home from the gym with Wesley and they finished the steps.  They can't be walked on for at least 24 hours. Chris is bummed, because that meant he couldn't watch wrestling upstairs.  Because of our wood floors and how big our house is, we have to watch the tv on super low volume at night when Lucy's asleep.  Poor thing!

 

I finished up my research paper for grad school.  I only have one more small assignment to turn in by Thursday and I'll be done for this semester!!!  Then, I'll only have next semester (2 classes) and I'll have my Masters in Library Media!!! :)  Yay, me!

 

I suppose that's all. Until tomorrow... :)

25 Days of Christmas: Day 1

I'm ashamed to look at this blog and see that it has been since the end of September since I've written, but that only means that we have been BUSY! 

 

It's the first day of December, meaning I'm going to kick of a 25 days of Christmas Blog Posts.  Mmmmhmm, to make up for lost time.  Ready, GO!

 

Lucy:

You are 16 months old!!  I know in just a blink of an eye, this blog will be saying "Lucy, you are 16 years old!!"  I'm not ready for that... 

 

You had your 15 month check-up back at the end of October, and you were 21 pounds!  Dr. Ivey said you had the vocabulary of a 2 year old!  You are saying so many words, your Daddy & I can't keep up!  You're not talking and putting together sentences yet, but you put a label on EVERYTHING and love to point out things to us.  You can make all kinds of animal noises (Cow -- moo, Duck -- "duck-duck", Dog -- haahaahaa, Lion -- ROAR!, Monkey -- Aah Aah, Goldfish -- *kissy noises*, Snake -- sssssss), you can even tell us what Santa says (Ho, Hoooooooo).  You're OBSESSED with the moon!  Every time we go somewhere at night, you point to and say "Moon!" over and over and over again until we get there.  The only time you'll stop saying it is if I sing "The Moon Song." 

 

I see the moon.

The moon sees me.

The moon sees the one,

that I want to see.

God bless the moon,

and God bless me,

and God bless the one I love.

 

You still LOVE Elmo and call him "Mel-Mo."  You've even figured out that the remote to the TV is used to turn your Elmo DVD on/off, and when you want to watch it, you'll go get it and point it to the TV. 

 

You love my phone, mostly to play Elmo games, but occasionally put it up to your ear like you're talking on it.  Instead of saying "hey" though, you always say "Bye!"

 

You love to give hugs and your favorite game to play at night is running back and forth between your Daddy & me giving the best Lucy-Goose hugs in the world!

 

Your teachers at daycare (Ms. Wendy & Ms. Morgan) say that you are very smart and attentive for your age!  You are one of the youngest, and are in a class of about 15 kids.  At circle time, they say that you and only a few others will sit the entire time, singing songs and participating in the movements.  You always clapped to "If you're happy and you know it," but now you'll point your little fingers to your cheeks at the right part.  It's the sweetest to know you're learning while at school!  Speaking of, you also have gotten so grown that when I drop you off, you turn around and tell me "Bye-Bye!" and wave, and then blow me a kiss!  It melts my heart every. single. time.

 

Bath time continues to be your favorite time of the day.  You have gotten to where you could stay in there forever if I would let you.  And sometimes I do.  Nothing brings me more joy than seeing you happy -- and that giggle, oh, it's what keeps my heart beating! 

 

You're still in love with reading!  This makes my teacher-heart so happy!  You have your favorites: Brown Bear, Peek-a-who, The wheels on the bus, My first 100 words, etc.,  You also love books that have things you can feel.  We've ordered you several here lately.

 

You do some really funny things that keep your Daddy & I laughing.  For instance, we've talked about when is the right time to have another baby.  The other day, you & I were playing in your playroom and were feeding your baby doll a bottle, you handed me the baby and I started to "rock, rock" the baby and sing the same songs that I sing to you at night.  You very quickly ripped the baby out of my arms and threw her behind you and didn't play with her again that day.  I suppose now is not the right time... :)

 

You have also started making a "mad face" when you don't get something you want.  Such as today, you were standing up in the fridge, looking for something to eat, and your Daddy moved you out of the way so he could shut the door.  You started walking in circles with a furrowed brow like you were so frustrated!

 

You are the joys of our hearts, sweet girl!  We love you!

 

 

Chris:

I never ever update on us, but one day when I look back, I want to know what we did, too!  So...

 

In case it ever changes, you go to work from 7:30-4:00 every day, and work out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 4:00-5:30 with Wesley.  This puts you getting home around 5:45.  I wish you got home earlier, but I know the gym makes you happy. :)

 

You've been working very hard at finishing the upstairs bonus room of our new house.  It's been a long process, one you hoped would be finished by your birthday, but will be relatively finished by Christmas.  At this point (Dec. 1, 2012), the main room up there is complete, minus office furniture, you had the closet finished with carpet, and you and Wesley installed shelves.  You spent about a week painting the new shelves, and you and I worked on putting in your ginormous collection of DVDS.  The bathroom remains unfinished for now, but today, you and Wesley also started the process of finishing the stairs.  Your dream space is slowly coming together, and you've done it all your way.  I am proud of you!

 

You and I are quite a pair!  We can get things done if we work together, and love to spend time together.  The time we get, just the two of us, is far and few between these days, but I cherish the sweet looks, kisses, and snuggles at night.  You are my better half, and I couldn't imagine being the wife to a better husband.  I don't tell you how much I appreciate you all the time, but I do so much!  You are a strong man, with big dreams for yourself and our family.  You work hard to provide for us, and never make us feel that we have to do without anything.  I love you so much, Christopher Michael! 

 

 

Me: 

I am teaching Kindergarten at Creekside Elementary.  I am loving my year, but wait on pins and needles for each break so that I can be a full-time Mom for Lucy!  I love my time with her, and it is more important to me than ANYTHING in this world!  

 

I am looking forward to Christmas, having spent more money this year than I should have, but I am so excited for Lucy's (first) Christmas.  It's really her second, but poor thing was sick with RSV last Christmas, and so we couldn't go anywhere, and she couldn't really enjoy the festivities of Christmas.

 

I want to start going to church again, now that Lucy has gotten a bit older.  I think that we will try the Methodist church some this season.  I miss traditional church.

 

I don't really know what to say about myself other than how much I love the life that I've been given.  I love my husband, my daughter, my house, my job, and my family.  I am so blessed!

Say What??!?

Oh my goodness!  

I have spoken recently about you growing up so fast, but I didn't mean for you to take it as a challenge, sweet girl!!

Miss Lucy, you are 14 months old and I guess you just decided that this would be the month that you would break free of your baby stage.  You are talking up a storm!  You have always loved to babble in babble-like sentences and a look of distinction like you know exactly what you're talking about, but literally you're vocabulary has exploded!

You now have a vocabulary of about 15 words (& I swear you're learning a new one every day it seems!)

They are:
Mama
Daddy
Teddy
Eye
Bye-bye
Hey
Duck
Book
Cracker
Juice
Uh-oh
Fish
Ball
Night-night
Snack
Noah (Noah Franklin is a little boy in your class.  You talk about him every day and call him "Wowah")

You can tell us what a dog says (well, you hassle), as well as a goldfish (lossy sounds)

You absolutely LOVE reading!  You will bring me book after book after book and
I read them to you every time!

You also decided that this fourteenth month of your life would be the month that you would try your hand (or your foot, rather) at walking! You've been taking steps here and there for a couple of weeks, but September 26, 2012 was the day you decided to really walk!  We woke up that morning and while getting you ready for daycare, you took 6 steps to your daddy.  That afternoon you took 6 more to Kim Harrison.  That evening, we went to see your MaMa and Pop and you took off!  You took several 10-12 step sets back and forth between your dady and I.  You were so excited about your accomplishment, you started trying to run, and would only make it one or two steps before you would fall down laughing!  

You also just got brave enough to climb up and slide down your plastic treehouse climber your daddy and I bought you.  You will sit up there, wait for someone to count and slide down -- then you'll just clap in excitement and pride!

We are so very, VERY proud of you sweet girl!

We love you so much!

Mama

Catching up! :)

Oh, Goose-Goose!

I am not going to write monthly-updates anymore, as I feel I have to cut the tie off somewhere (can you imagine -- when you're a teenager "Miss Lucy, you're 204 months old today!"  Ha!).  However, I do solemnly swear to update more often.  You are getting so much more active and interactive and just plain FUN!  I find myself missing you all day long.  I used to long for you all day at work, because I couldn't wait to come home and nuggle you, but since you're not a big nuggler anymore (just sometimes, and oh, how I treasure those sometimes), I find myself thinking about what all we're going to play when we get home. :)

For your birthday, I had several people ask "What can I get her for her birthday?  What does she want?" and you really didn't need anymore toys that played more music, or made more lights blink, but you do love to read, and I want to foster your love for reading, and so I told them books.  You received lots of books -- and really good ones, too!  We keep all of your big toys in a huge brown wicker toy box I got for the living room at Target, and all of your books in a small wicker basket beside it.  You'll go straight to the book box and pull out your favorites.  You seem to favor the smaller board books, because they're easier for you to handle.  You always want to read "The Wheels on the Bus," "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," or "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."  We also still read four books every night before bedtime, too.  You just love to read and are so attentive!

This weekend, Memaw and Nathan came to spend the night.  You and Nathan acted like brother and sister.  At one point, we were reading books, and he wanted to be pesky and put his head in front of you so you couldn't see the book.  You promptly began to push his head out of the way with your finger.  When he didn't move, you tried head-butting him.  It took three tries, but he finally moved!

You crawl everywhere now, and are taking some steps -- but only when YOU want to.

I took you to the park today, and you had so much fun climbing and sliding and swinging -- it wore you out, too!  You came home and took a long nap, and were very cranky when you woke up.  Speaking of sleeping, you're getting harder to put down at night.  We're going to have to start just putting you to bed in your crib, and not waiting for you to fall asleep as I rock you, because you will rock for hours before you close your pretty eyes.  You really like your crib though, and have lots of little stuffed animals and special blankets that you treasure.  You have your purple mongey that Nathan picked out for you when you were still in my belly, the moose your Daddy & I bought for you in Ellijay, GA, the pink bunny your Daddy picked out for you when we found out you were a little girl, your lovey I had made for you, and your Teddy.  You love each one of them.  I also just put a pillow in your crib.  You start off on it, but are off of it by the morning.  I also just put your bumper pad back up in your crib, but weaved it in and out of the slats, because you keep sticking your feet and legs through the slats and wake up squawling!!!

You're standing up and walking the whole time during your bath -- makes it so much harder to bathe you!

At daycare, you're still in the Nursery because you're not walking... but there's a little boy, Connor, in there who can walk and likes to push you down -- most likely accidentally, as he's probably just trying to balance himself, but he also likes to pull your bows out of your hair.  We practice every morning on the way to school saying "No, No, Connor!  No, No!" 

You love The Fresh Beat Band's "Reach for the Sky" song -- we also listen to it on the way to school. 

You eat anything and everything now -- You do love lunchables and hot dogs (healthy, I know).

You love to go strolling, we have the perfect neighborhood for it, too!

Your Daddy & I love you to pieces! :)

Everytime I promise myself I'm going to post more often, I seem to post less often... :-/

I want to remember these days.  I want to remember the swelling my heart feels each day for Chris and for Lucy.  Those two... I could not imagine my life without them.  They are the reason I get up (and not just because he's snoring, or she's wide-awake at 6 a.m.), but they're the reason I am so tired, why I can't get my own lesson plans written (thanks, Kendall!), and why I don't always get to eat dinner every night at 6 (although they do!)

I love them so much and appreciate all the time I can get with them. 

I promise to post more this weekend.  For now, my computer's dying, and my head is wanting to crash on the pillow behind me..........

ONE YEAR OLD!!!

Each month leaves just as quickly as it came, and I am in such shock every month when I write the words "This month, Miss Lucy, you are ____ years old."  However, I honestly cannot believe the words I am about to type....

Miss Lucy, you are ONE YEAR OLD!!!

This month, my sweet girl:

You are 18 1/2 pounds and about 28 inches long!  This puts you at about the 22nd percentil overall -- teeny, tiny little thing!

You are still in size 4 diapers (Parents Choice for the day, Pamper's Extra Protection at night)

You wear mostly 12 month size clothes, although in pants you are still probably 0-3 month (you wear mostly dresses though!)

You wear a coordinating hairbow everyday with every outfit -- even if you're just in your diaper! Ha!

You cruise anywhere you want to go in the house, as long as you can reach from one piece of furniture to another, or use someone's hand to help you out.

You love walking, holding onto someone's hands, but are getting better at balancing and can do it with just holding on to one hand.

Never crawled by your first birthday -- although, at the time I'm finally getting around to typing this, you finally crawled for the very first time at one year and a week!!  Your Daddy & I both witnessed it in our new bedroom of our new house!  Your Daddy & I never imagined we would have a baby that reached their first birthday not having ever crawled or walked!  That's okay, Miss Prissy Pants, I'd carry you forever if I had to! :)

This month...WE BOUGHT A NEW HOUSE! :)  It's in a much more desireable neighborhood, and will allow you to (hopefully) grow up playing with friends down the street.  It's much bigger than our old house, and has a lot more features that we needed and love such as: a pantry in our kitchen, granite countertops and real hardwood floors throughout the house, beautiful shag carpet in the bedrooms, separate shower/jetted tub in the master, high ceilings, playroom/office, and unfinished upstairs to make into whatever we want.  Although it will be your Daddy's office/game room initially, I'm sure you'll make it your bedroom one day! :)  I've worked hard to make your new room as similar to your old room as possible, not only because it was so darn cute to begin with, but so that it would be an easier transition for you, and hopefully feel like "home" for you a lot sooner! :)

I think your favorite part of the new house is the hardwood floors -- we will put you in your walker and you will go all the way through the living room, down the hall, into the kitchen, out the breakfast area, back into the living room, into and out of the playroom, back down the hall, and even sometimes can make it go over the carpet into our bedroom -- you are a professional! :)

You're saying "Mama" and "Dada" as well as "Bye" (every now and then), "Buh" for book, and have occasionally said "Uh-Oh!"  In fact, the other day you were walking around Christy & Korey Sutton's coffee table, and knocked your juice cup onto the floor and looked up and said "Uh-Oh!" It was perfect!  You will also hassle like a dog when you see Sunny, CiCi and Papa's dog.  We tried to teach you to say "Ooo-Ooo-Aaah-Aaah" like a monkey the other day because....

We took you to the Atlanta Zoo for the very first time on your birthday! :)  Your Daddy worked the Saturday before just so he could take your birthday off from work.  We let you eat breakfast and left around 9 in the morning.  We got there about 10:30 and left around 12:30. It was so hot, and most of the animals were laying in what little shade they could find, bless their hearts!  While you couldn't see much, you were able to see the elephants and some different birds and monkeys.  Although you won't remmber that trip, you took lots of cute pictures, and I know you really had fun! We even let you eat the greasy on-site cafe food -- yuck!  You also got a pretty sweet shirt as a souveneir! :)

You had your first (and I think last because I'm pretty sure you can only get it once) bout of Roseola.  You started running fever and having a bit of diarrhea for a few days.  I took you into Dr. Ivey to be sure it wasn't an ear infection and sure enough, he said you were fine and that it was probably just a cold.  After about 3 days though, your fever broke, and you broke out in a full-blown rash from head to toe!  It didn't bother you or itch, it just made you really irritable!  As I've said before, you're a pretty good baby, so when you're irritable it makes me crazy because I'm not used to you acting that way!

You love Yummo Yogo -- we have eaten there several times this summer.  It's such a cool refreshing treat in this hot summer heat!  You almost eat the whole cup by yourself, and sometimes cry when the bowl is empty -- ha! :)

You have 4 teeth now!!!  You have three on the bottom and one on top.  This makes it a whole lot easier to feed you more of a variety of foods. While you still eat your Gerber Pasta Pick-ups a lot, you are now eating some of what we eat for dinner, too!  You love to feed yourself, and are getting a lot better at chewing up big bites before swallowing :)

You love brushing your teeth, taking a bath, and washing your hands -- You're a very clean baby! :)

You can click your tongue, make a fun noise while running your tongue from side to side in your mouth, and smack your lips.

You love pretending to share food with your Daddy & I.  You will hold out your little hand like you have food between your pointer and thumb fingers and smack your lips until we reach down and pretend like we're eating whatever you're offering :) 

You're sweet at giving kisses, and sometimes use the opportunity to practice biting -- uh oh!

You watch "Elmo: Singing with the Stars" at most meals.  It's a video of short music segments with hit music stars singing with the Sesame Street crowd.  Your favorite is the one with Destiny's Child singing "I got a new way to walk."  In the lyrics, they say the words "walk, walk" and every time it comes to that part you hum in the same tune at the same time.  Now, even when we sit you down to eat, you'll hum that part just to let us know that you want to watch the DVD.

You can show us where your tummy is --you show us your tummy when we ask, and are getting to where you point to it when you're hungry. You also can show us where other people's eyes are ("Where are Mommy's eyes?  Where are Daddy's eyes?) but not yours for some reason -- ha!  I guess you're just smart enough not to poke your own self in the eye -- haha!

Lucy, this past year has gone way to fast but has been so much fun!  I think back to what my life was like a year ago, and it was so different!  I was a scared but confident first-time mom, just trying to figure out which way was your favorite way to be held, and thinking of new songs and traditions I wanted to start with you.  I've enjoyed every single last minute of your first year, from your first yawn to your latest smile.  I am so proud of the little girl you are becoming!  We get compliments all the time on how sweet you are, and how precious your smile is.  I beam from ear to ear every time someone says you look just like me, because I think you're beautiful -- and while I tell them "thank you" what I want to do is go off on a tangent telling them how much more beautiful you are on the inside!  You're so sweet the way you share, and the way you timidly smile when you hear a noise you like or touch something new for the first time.  There are so many things that I love about you: the way your nose wrinkles when you smile; the way you love to bounce; the plumpness of your feet, and the roundeness of your belly; the way you suck your thumb, and how much you love your lovie.  I could go on and on and this would be the post that never ended!  You are just the absolute light of our lives, Little Lucy!  The fun has only just begun...

With all of our love,

Mama & Daddy

11 Months Old

Sweetest Lucy,

You are ELEVEN months old!!

It's going by all too fast, doll baby...

This month, Miss Lucy:

You are probably still pretty steady at about 18 pounds.  We don't go back for an official doctor visit until next month, so we'll see then.

You are now in size 4 diapers -- Size 3's were fitting you just fine, except at night you kept wetting through them, so I bought you some 4's to wear at night (all Parent's Choice).  Believe it or not, you kept wetting through those, too!!  So when we ran out of the 3's, I just kept buying you the 4's to wear during the day and went and bought some Pamper's Goodnight's to wear at night -- you've only worn them once, but so far they worked! 

You are basically in size 12 month clothes -- since it's summer, you wear a lot of cute dresses (my favorite part of having a girl!).  It's a good thing to, though, because you can't fit into any shorts.  Bless your heart, you have your Daddy's hips and your Mama's hiney.  The only shorts I can find to fit you (and they're still too big!) are 0-3 months... bless it, baby!

You are insatiable these days!  It finally clicked with you about a month ago that you can eat finger foods and you're loving being able to feed yourself!  You still only have the two bottom teeth though (the one next to your bottom right looks like it wants to come in, but hasn't -- and still no top teeth!), so you eat Gerber's pasta pick-ups for lunch and dinner.  I cut them in half, to help your teeth out some, and they're pretty slimy so they can slide right down your throat if you didn't chew them up enough.  You also eat a helping of diced fruit at each meal, too.  You'll eat anything on your plate, but you do have your favorites that you always eat first.  For instance, for snack I give you Puff's and Fruit & Veggie melts.  You always eat all of your fruit & veggie melts before you eat your puff's.  Same with breakfast.  I've started giving you a slice of ham, a slice of cheese, a carton of mandarin oranges, some puffs, and some fruit and veggie melts.  You will eat all of the cheese first!  Cheese is my all-time favorite, too -- you must get that from me! 

You cruise around this house, going anywhere you want!  As long as you can safely reach from one piece of furniture to another, you will get where you want to go.  You still don't crawl, but you do a pretty impressive lean and stretch.  Then, if you still can't reach it, you must figure you didn't really want it anyways, because you just give up.

When I tell you "no," you turn around and blow your tongue at me.  I'm not sure that you're being ugly, because this is how you tell us no, like when you're done eating, or you don't want to do something (like change your clothes), you blow your tongue at us.  So, I think it's more or less you associating that I'm telling you "no" and you're associating that word with that action.  Does that make sense?

You love to play peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake, & Stelly-O Johnson (with Daddy -- he holds you on his side and runs in really small steps singing this song, and it makes you bounce up and down and you just smile and laugh!).

Elmo is your favorite thing to watch on TV.  I bought you an Elmo DVD, and you watch it probably twice a day.  Your favorite is his bit with Adam Sandler.

You can stand alone by yourself for 6-7 seconds, when you want to.

You wave bye-bye when your Elmo DVD goes off, people leave, or you want to leave somewhere (you've been doing that for a while now), but you've just started actually saying "bye-bye" with it -- it's hit or miss.

You only have to wear your helmet at night now and in just 3 weeks, you'll have it off for good!!!

You are the most beautiful baby I've ever known.  I love you to my heart's greatest reaches.  You are so precious to me & your Daddy.

Love,

Your Mama

10 Months Old!!

Little Miss Lucy, today you are TEN months old!!

I know I say it every month... but, I can NOT believe that you are already ten months old -- where has the time gone?

I feel like time is like sand just slipping through my fingers but I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoy each and every day with you!   I find myself at work just watching the clock waiting for 3:15 so that I can leave and get home with you.  I'm constantly showing someone your picture, talking about you, and finding myself being reminded of you by little things throughout the day. :)  You're my heart, little girl!

This month Miss Lucy...

You are about 17 lbs and about 27 inches long (just an estimate, we don't have the official weigh-ins from the doctor)

You are still wearing size 3 diapers and are mostly in 9-12 month clothes.  You don't have any shorts that you can wear.  I bought you the smallest size they had at the store, and they slipped right off your hips -- poor thing has your daddy's hips and your mama's hiney! 

Just this month have you started wanting to get really mobile!  You will cruise along the side of the couch, the bookshelf at school, around your play table, etc. like a champ!  You will even get to the edge of the couch, turn and reach for one of us and step out to us (of course while we're holding your hands!).  You are also really wanting to crawl, but you only get as far as your knees before you start to rock forward and face plant into the carpet.  It's so much fun watching you learn that you can move!

You are still eating Stage 2 foods and you're really making me sweat that you're not eating finger foods yet.  I'm worried that if you don't start soon, you won't be able to eat your smash cake at your 1st Birthday party!    We practice all the time and I think you may be starting to figure it out!

You are going to bed around 8:30 at night now.  For about the first six months of your life you were going to bed around 6:30, then slowly you started staying up until about 7:30.  Just in the last couple of weeks have you started staying up until 8:30.  It's so much fun to have that much more time with you!  

You are so interested in looking at pictures of yourself and the people you love most!  You have (finally!) figured out how to walk around a bit in your walker in the kitchen.  You can't go directly towards your destination -- but you end up there eventually!  That destination is usually the refrigerator, because it holds lots of pictures that you love to get your hands on!  Your favorite has been the picture of me holding you outside at your baptism -- so sweet!  We also have lots of pictures of you and our family up in our living room.  You've always loved looking at them, but just in the last week have you begun to recognize that they're you.  We have several above our fireplace on one side of the room and one of us holding your hands by the front door on the other side of the room.  We'll put you in the middle and ask "Where's Lucy?" and you'll look towards one of the pictures.  We'll then ask "Where else is Lucy?" and you'll turn and look at the other picture(s) on the other side of the room.  It's so smart!  You've also started pointing at the pictures the last couple of days too.  Your pointing is really cute because you stick out your pointer finger and your thumb like a gun -- just precious!

Your favorite thing to do, I believe, is read books at night.  We read the same three books every night and every night we read them the same way and do the same interactive motions with them, and your smart self has really started to pick up on them.  For instance, when we read You Are My Sunshine, you kiss the little boy goodnight at the end, and when we read A Cuddle for Little Duck you can point to the frog that jumps out and surprises Little Duck, and you start to wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, when he's trying to make his friends giggle, and during Goodnight Moon, you eat the mush, pet the kittens, and close the book when we're finished reading!  You are so very smart, Lucy!

You get your helmet off in just over two weeks from now -- Yay!

We put our house on the market trying to look for something a little bigger.  If we want you to have a baby brother or sister one day, we're going to need more room for y'all to play!  It'll be bittersweet if it sells, knowing that we're leaving behind the home that your Daddy proposed to me in, the house that we brought you home to, and the only place you know as "home."  But it'll be sweet to make memories with you in a new house! :)

Your Daddy is your special friend -- when he comes home from work, you want nothing more than to just play with him for the rest of the night!  You think he is so funny, laughing at everything he does, are mesmerized when he does somersaults on the carpet, love when he lets you ride on his shoulders so you can play with his hair, and are thrilled when he tosses you in the air.  The way you look at him is just magical -- it is so special to see your eyes light up when you see your Daddy.  He's taught you how to reach forward and fall for someone to catch you when you want to get off the couch and almost never lets you fall when you're standing along the couch or your play table.  I hope the two of you will always have a special relationship.

We love watching you grow, sweet Lucy.  I can not believe that in just two short months, I'll be writing your One Year post!  Thank you for being your sweet, precious self!  We love you!! <3  

9 Months Old! :)

Lucy Pearl, today you are NINE months old!!


You have officially been here with us for as long as you were in my belly!  So surreal!


So just what have you been up to this month?


Oh....


You hit your 9 month growth spurt and weigh a whopping 17 lbs. 13 oz. and are 26 1/2 inches long!!!


You are still in size 3 diapers and are wearing 9-12 month clothes -- you've always been right.on.track with the clothes sizes!  (Practically perfect in every way, I say!)


And for the FIRST TIME EVER... I can announce you have your very first tooth!! :)  I never imagined I would be as excited as I discovered you had indeed cut your first tooth!  And the best part was, I found it the morning of my 25th birthday -- best birthday present you could have given me!  You love practicing how to use it.   The Easter Bunny even brought you your very first toothbrush/toothpaste set -- so stinkin' cute in the different colored pinks!


You have mastered the art of clapping -- you clap all the time, especially when you're happy and you know it - ;)  Okay, but seriously, you clap when you like something, are excited about something, or are just wanting to hear your little hands make that cool sound.


Speaking of getting excited... when you get really excited, you do the CUTEST thing.  Let's see if I can describe it.  You ball up your little hands into little fists and you put your arms straight out in front of you in a locked position. And then you sort of wave them around in little circles while making the funniest scrunched-up face and squealing.  It's too precious!  My description does not do it justice...


You have learned to make a clicking sound with your tongue just this past week and do it all the time!  You know it's cute, too, because you grin so big afterwards.  At any given time, you can hear one or all of us "clicking" around this house.  It's the new trend.


Ooooh, you've also learned to razz with your mouth and spit flies everywhere!  I think you're doing it because of your teething, but it makes such a mess -- especially when you're eating!  We try to tell you "NO!" very sternly, but your sweet smile and your repetitive ways of doing it again just can't keep us from laughing (on the inside).


You are doing fanTABulous with your helmet!  You wear it like a champ for 23 hours a day.  You don't pull or tug at it.  We take it off for an hour every day so that we can wash your hair (your poor head gets so sweaty!).  As soon as we take it off, your hands go immediately to your hair and you start pulling it.  Sometimes, it really hurts you and you will start to cry and I have to explain to you that you're the one pulling your own hair -- silly girl!  At the end of the hour, you're starting to be able to tell when we're about to put it on, because I have to put your hair up in an elastic band to keep your long hair from getting between your scalp and the helmet (it just makes you that much hotter).  You are starting to fuss a little, but I don't blame you, baby... I wouldn't want to wear it either.  I am so proud of you and how well you're handling it!


We still haven't taken you in public with it.  I tried, and was even approached by an ignorant curious woman at Wal-Mart, and I decided that even though it doesn't bother you, and you have no idea how to even feel embarrassment, I wouldn't want to wear a helmet on my head in public, and it's my job as your mother to be your advocate. I may or may not have cried after her ridiculous accusations and so I took it off and you just got an extra hour of helmet freedom that day! :)


You pull up really well by just using my fingers, or by pulling up on my jeans, you're trying to pull up on other objects, furniture, etc.  but it's hard to go from the sitting position to pulling up.  You're not interested in crawling either.  You are finally tolerating being on your stomach a lot better and even can get what you want by doing some pretty impressive stretching and/or rolling.  But, you just won't put knee to hand and crawl there.


You fell of the bed for the first and hopefully only time this month... :(  Unfortunately it was under my care, too.  Poor Me!  I watch you like a hawk all day long, and thought you were safe enough in the middle of the bed with plenty of books and toys around you to distract you as I picked out your clothes you were going to  wear that day.  From what I can figure, as you were sitting you reached in front of you and got into a laying position (which you can do very well), which put you closer to the side of the bed and then rolled.  My heart dropped so quickly when I heard that awful sound.  Thankfully, you only cried for a few seconds and me picking you up and holding you tight made it all better!  Made me feel much better about the situation.


Just tonight, you cruised along the edge of the couch -- it was stunning to see your tiny self moving from one end of the couch to the other by picking up your feet and walking there.  I was and always am in awe of you, Lucy!


You are starting to associate your Daddy with "Da-Da."  The sweetest thing happened today, and it will forever be a memory mark on my heart:  Your Daddy always texts or calls when he's on his way home so we can be waiting for him on the porch when he comes home.  He pulled in the driveway. (No reaction).  He honked his horn. (No reaction).  He got out of his truck -- and you said "Da-Da!" with such excitement and the biggest smile on your face!  It was the SWEETEST moment to witness!  Now, let's get you to figure out "Mama!" :)


You ADORE bath time!  You basically jump up and down every time you hear/see the bathwater running.  It's so funny!  You have the best time splashing in the water and chewing on your squirt toys.  We use L'Oreal Kids Mango-Orange shampoo to help your head not stink so bad (from the helmet), which it does, and it makes it smell so good!!!


You're still loving your friends and teachers at Learning Safari and I am too!  We are so happy where you are.  I love that when I drop you off in the morning, I never know who I'm going to leave you with because everyone wants to hold you -- and the afternoon girl always comments on how sweet you are and how much she loves your outfits (Note to future Lucy: your Mama can dress you with style!)


You still love riding in the car, but since you're a) starting to be awake longer and b) starting to want to be more mobile you don't love riding in the car as long... :)  I think an investment in a DVD player is in our near future.


You love my cell phone -- Well, you love any cell phone really.  But especially mine because it plays your favorite videos (two things I want to make sure I never forget): The Duck Song (Parts 1, 2, & 3 -- but mostly just the first one) & Elmo's Song.  You have a little Elmo doll that MaMa gave you for Christmas, and you just beam every time you see him!  You really love any of the Elmo videos.  We haven't had to buy a bigger cable package to get the "kids shows" yet, or start buying any of them on DVD.  I just pull up the YouTube app on our BluRay and type in Elmo and we just watch video after video after video of Elmo.  


Your Daddy hung your swing on our front porch and you're a fan.  Not in love with it, but you really enjoy it!  We hung it so you can see the road -- you love to watch the cars drive by.  It looks a little ghetto having a bright pink swing hanging crooked (for a better swinging range) on our front porch, but at least people will know there's a spoiled well-loved little girl that lives here! 


You are starting to LOVE reading -- we read three books at night: You Are My Sunshine (I bought it for you before you were born, because that was my favorite song when I was little -- it was also the first song I ever sang to you the day you were born), A Cuddle for Little Duck, and Goodnight Moon.  You're starting to really pay attention and love pretending to eat the "bowl full of mush" when we get to that page.  Your nosey-rosey self also loves hearing me "bzzzz" like a bee when we get to the page of Little Duck playing in the meadow.  Your head quickly turns and you just stare at me like "Whoa."


Like I said before, you've now been here with us just as long as you were in my belly.  And before I typed this I thought to myself which 9 months did I enjoy more?  The 9 months where you were all mine, and your kicks and rolls and hiccups were feelings only I could feel.  Or the 9 months where I've gotten to see you grow into such a fun little girl with a bubbly-never-meets-a-stranger personality, with the most addicting giggle and smile that I get to share with everybody else but also get to proclaim "She's mine!"  


...Yeah, I'd definitely choose the second one.  Mama & Daddy love you sweet girl!


Happy Nine Months!

8 Months Old!

Oh my sweet Lucy...

Today you are EIGHT months old!

Where, oh where, has the first 2/3 of your first year gone???

This month, Miss Lucy:

You weigh about lbs.

You are still in a size 3 diaper and fit well in 9 month clothes.  You also fit well in 12 month clothes -- they just look "comfy" on you 'cause they're a little more baggy.

You are wearing your Plagiocephaly hat like a champ!  You barely know it's even there -- and you rock it with a hairbow that coordinates to your outifts every day! :) You get really hot in it, and so we're able to break out your cute summer clothes a little early and dress you in precious bubbles, rompers, and dresses.

You are still in your same class at daycare but your teacher, Mrs. Ella has retired and Miss Kacie is leaving tomorrow.  You love your new teacher Ms. Lachelle (there's also a new one starting tomorrow) and still love Ms. Mindy.

You are tolerating "tummy time" a lot better but still don't have an interesting in crawling or even scooting.  You have gotten a lot better at rolling over though and love rolling from one way to the other.

You have learned to clap and clap every time that you get excited or we say "clap, clap clap!"

Have just learned how to blow kisses (seriously, like yesterday...).  I started about a month ago trying to teach you and every day your Daddy & I would work with you on it.  We would blow them to you and then take your hand and do the motion for you from your mouth.  Over and over and over again.  So yesterday (3/17) your Daddy was holding you in his recliner and was trying to teach you how to do it and then stopped and was just holding you while we all watched a movie together.  All of a sudden something caught his eye and he looked at you.  You were so sweetly looking up at him and blowing him kisses over and over and over again.  It was honestly the sweetest thing I have ever seen!

You are starting to really enjoy your baths!  You've always liked a bath, but now you're figuring out how to play!  A couple of weeks ago I started letting you play with the water as it came out of the faucet, and you thought it was so fun trying to catch it in your hands.  Then, just this week, you've figured out that you can splash the water with your hands and love for it to splash your face!  You also have a million rubber squirt toys that are shaped like ocean animals.  These are great for chewing on, you think!  They're the perfect size for your little hands and must feel so good to your gums because you have a hard time putting them down.

You are still eating Stage 2 foods.  You're interested in what your Daddy and I are eating, but when we put it in your mouth you act like you don't know what to do with it.  Same with the Stage 3 foods.

...this is probably because you STILL don't have any teeth!  Where are you hiding them??

You have started pulling up just this week too (you're doing all your learning and growing this week it seems!).  I was sitting on the floor with my knees pulled to my chest and you were sitting on my feet and pulled up to standing on my jeans/legs.  Pretty soon you're going to be pulling up on things all over this house!

You are still a champion sleeper, sleeping from about 7:30pm-6:30am every night.  You do roll all over your crib at night, though.  You're just a busy body at night!

You baby-babble all.the.time. and love to say "da-da."  I think you may be starting to figure out that it relates to this man you love.  You've started just recently saying "ma-ma" every now and then.  I know you'll say it, soon enough.  It'll be all the more special when you do, because I've waited for so long! :)

You've brought so much sweet joy to our lives, Miss Lucy!  We love you so much!

Daddy&apos;s Girl

I know what it's like to be a daddy's girl. I know the feeling of warm affection when his arms wrap around you. In familiar with the spark that happens in your heart when you see him. And I fondly know the feeling of security when hearing his voice. I love my Daddy so much and I know a lot of that is because he loves me just as much!

You, Lucy, are just as lucky because you have something just as special with your daddy! You're still so young and I love watching the two of you blossom your relationship every day. You look forward to when he walks trough the front door and when he gets down on the floor to play with you, I see that same sparkle in you'd eyes that I get in mine. You love me just as I love my mama, but there's something special to be had between a daddy and his princess and I'm certainly glad my prince charming turned out to be your king! :)

Slick Sleeper

You continue to make me laugh!! For 7 1/2 months now I have laid you on your back to sleep and for 7 1/2 months I've woken you up with you still on your back. Except for last night...

Your Daddy came to bed around 2 because he likes to play his play station with Jonathan Paulish and your uncle Wesley. He told me you had flipped to your stomach and sure enough when I looked at the monitor, you had!! Well, at 6:30 thus morning I heard you talking on the monitor and turned it on to look at you and saw you back on your back! I just had to laugh because we try to get uou to hip and roll on the floor when you're playing and you have no real interest except maybe turning on your side a bit. So you doing it in your sleep just made me smile! :)

Strong-willed baby!

Hahaha. It's Saturday morning and I am currently holding you while you feed yourself your mid morning bottle. (have I mentioned you can hold your own bottle? Even if you drop it, you're able to pick it up and continue feeding yourself! You've been able to do this for at least two months now..) every time we fix your bottle you'll grab it out of our hands to get it.

Anyways just a few minutes ago, shortly after you started drinking it, I noticed you werent sucking on it anymore. So, thinking it may have been clogged, I tried to take it out of your mouth to see. As I pulled on your bottle to take it away, you satellite the way up and yanked it back in your mouth before I could tell anything about whether it was clogged or not! It definitely made us laugh at what a strong-willed baby you are! :)

The Littlest Brick Chick

You went out to eat for the first time in your little life last night!

We went out to eat with Philip, Dena, and Caylin. We haven't been able to get together with them for a while and decided to go out to the brick... Which is if course, your Daddy and my favorite restaurant.

It was packed!! But you and Caylin both did so great waiting patiently. They ended up not seating us until 720 and you aurally go I bed around 730. I was pleased with how well behaves you were considering how late it was for you!

I had to feed you your baby food there, but you were more interested in what I was eating. Too bad I couldn't share with you because it was still too spicy for your tender tummy.

I wiped down the table in front of you as well as the high chair you sat in, because it was only a matter of time before you were trying to chew on both of them. I forgot to pack you any toys in the diaper bag, but thankfully had one in there -- a ring with plastic beads to chew on and manipulate. That was entertaining for a while, but then you just wanted to throw it on the floor.

You lasted until a little after 8 when you wanted to lay your head on my shoulder and I was singing in your ear. Your eyes would be just about closed and then you would pop your head up and let out a little cry like "let's go home!" so we did.

I told your Daddy I felt bad we have not taken you out before. People from all over the restaurant were telling is how beautiful and precious you are!! Made me a proud Mama and made my heart smile! :)

Seven Months Old!!!

Our sweetest Lucy,

You are 7 months old!

I cannot believe that your birthday is in fewer months than you are old.

What are you up to these days? Well...

You are about 16 lbs. and about 26 inches long (unfortunately, we don't have accurate doctor measurements this month)!

You are wearing a size 3 diaper! You just recently switched into them too, like just a few days ago. You also started wearing Parents Choice diapers as you get more in a box and they are $11.00 cheaper! :) Yay for Walmart brand!!

You have started talking (baby talk) a lot more. Mainly da-da but also a lot of ba-da-ga-da-ba-ga :)

Love to give me kisses still! You've also kissed CiCi and Memaw.

Can pick out the color yellow when given two choices. I'll hold out a blue block and a yellow one, tell you the color of both, and ask you "Which ones yellow? Where's the yellow one?" and you will stick out your hand and touch the yellow one every single time! Smart girl!

You have moved up to the next room at daycare. We love Ms. Ella (although she's retiring), Miss Kacie is still your afternoon girl and we still really like her too, but we've also come to love Ms. Mindy too now that she's in your room some afternoons. She'll take y'all outside and play with you on the floor. She's the daytime worker for the next class up -- I can't wait for you to be with her during the day!

You are just getting interested in trying to scoot, but love to bounce and sit up. Your feet finally touch the floor now when you sit in your walker in the kitchen but you only know how to go backwards! :)

Oh and you have AWESOME balance when standing while holding something. In fact, this past weekend at Memaw and Big Daddy's we were all gathered around oohing and aahing at how good you could stand holding onto a chair and you started showing off and took one hand off and held it way far out to the side and just grinned! So sweet!!

You still have ZERO teeth! I have given up on guessing if you're teething because every time I'm sure you are, you get no teeth to show for it... You are drooling a LOT, put everything in your mouth, and bite hard... But still nothing! Oh well!

You were diagnosed with plagiocephaly which is just where your head got flat on one side from laying you on your back to sleep. Thankfully, there's a way to fix it. You're going to have to wear a helmet for a few months but it'll be off by your birthday, and I'm gonna make sure you rock it! I'm planning on putting your name on it with some polka dots or something.

Some fun things we like doing with you are...

Your Daddy has always loved singing the silliest songs with you. The current favorite is the "circus song." It goes something like "LMD Circus is coming to town" and then he sings the classic clown music.

He also likes to put one hand on each side of your head (& you love it cause you'll hold his hands there), and he moves it side to side and says "crazy baby, crazy baby!". And then he pauses and squishes your cheeks together and says "crazy face!"

You also love playing peek-a-boo and seeing people when they come back in from being outside or in another room. You get so giddy and excited -- it's hilarious!

Every morning after I change your diaper, you want to look at yourself in the mirror and I tell you the same thing: "You are beautiful. You are smart. You are kind. And you're important in this world...especially mine!"

We love you sweet girl! Thank you for being so perfect! :)

It won&apos;t be that bad...

Lucy,

A couple of months ago, I noticed you favoring one side of your head when you rested or were laying down. We brought it up to Dr. Ivey and we agreed to watch to make sure your head didn't flatten on one side abs if it did, we would talk about our options later. Well, it did and do he referred us to Children's Hospital in Atlanta to their Orthopedic & Prosthetic center.

We went today and they scanned your head by putting a white stocking type material over your hair. Then, they laid you in this crib-shaped machine that made a scan of your head much like a photo copier. No X-rays, it didn't hurt, and you didn't cry. The results came back and when they looked at the measurements, your measurements the ones from front to back and side to side were perfect! The ones diagonally were higher than we wanted them to be. (They wanted a measurement less than 6 and yours was 16).

So as it turns out, your going to have to wear a corrective helmet for a few months, but it'll be off by your birthday! :). Its no different than any other child having to wear braces ob their teeth, glasses on their eyes or a cast on their leg. I'm just so scared that you won't be able to lay your head on my shoulder when I rock you anymore or that its going to bug the stew out of you... :( you're my baby and I never want you to go through something that brings you frustration or displeasure. This is what is best though for you do we'll have to make the best of the situation.

I picked out a light pink one for you and plan to cut your name out in vinyl letters on my new cricut this weekend to help make it even cuter than you're already going to! :)

I love you sweet girl and I am so sorry you have to do this. Biggest kisses!

Mama

I love Love!

Meet one of my best friends, Kendall!

She is 25 years old and lives in Georgia!

She is a Kindergarten teacher and she rocks at it!

She is honestly one of the funniest people I have ever met.

Like a chocolate-covered pretzel, she is

bluntly honest and incredibly sweet at the same time!

She is a humble, Christian woman seeking a man with a

relationship with Christ just as close as hers.

She is beautiful!

She is VERY organized and finds a strange pleasure in

organizing others belongings.

She is a strong, independent woman, who loves love and and wants to find her special someone to live her happily ever after with -- if you think you're that man, then leave me a comment or email her directly at

Kendall_castillo@hotmail.com

<3

Just January.. :)

I don't think I've posted yet about my new job... I don't think.  So, let me catch up!  I was offered a Kindergarten Position at Creekside Elementary (where I did my student-teaching) here in Baldwin County startin January 3, 2012.  It was an incredibly hard decision to make, because I loved where I was at Learning Safari, loved being so close to home, loved being there with Lucy, loved loved loved the people I worked with... but this job had security, and health benefits, and retirement.  So, I packed up my things in the middle of the year and headed out towards town and became a Creekside Knight! 

The adjustment's been very warmingly welcome, a little nerve-wracking, and mostly as expected.  The class I am "fostering" are a sweet group of children that all love individualized attention!  We're really working on how to gain good attention though instead of negative attention. :)

My new parapro is wonderful!!  Her name is Kathy Deese, she's been doing this forever, and she really puts the pro in parapro.  She's AWESOME!  I could not come back to my job everyday without her.  Honestly.

Lucy has adjusted well with my being gone, too!  She has moved up to a new classroom at Learning Safari (Nursery B on 1/20/12).  The nursery she was in got too full, so they separated the older ones from the younger ones.  Ms. Ella is in there with them in the mornings and Ms. Kacie is in there in the afternoons.  I think she's loving getting to do a little more independent activities (more floor time, exersaucer, bigger toys, etc.).  She looks like such a big girl in that room!  That was the room I first worked in when I first worked at Learning Safari at the daycare.  I remember thinking at the time "I wonder if my baby will ever be in here?" and now I can not believe she is!  It really is mind-blowing! 

She is growing and changing every day!  She laughs a few times more every day and at something new.  She loves anticipating a tickle-fest.  When she's laying down and you pick her arms down and hold them up above her head, she starts giggling because she knows you're about to get her ribs!  It's so cute.  She is equally a Mommy and a Daddy's girl.  She loves playing with her Daddy but cuddling with her Mommy.  At night, I'm the only one she likes to rock with and actually go to sleep.  When Daddy tries, she'll lay her head down on his chest, but will keep picking it up abruptly and look  over at me like "I want to be over there with you, Mama!" 

We went to Newnan this weekend and saw my family.  Nathan is so grown and is so much fun to joke with.  He's really smart and starting to figure out what letter words start with.  I drew a picture of him & I on Kiki's chalkboard wall in her room and asked him how to spell our names.  He spelled his "Nopll" and mine "Lnllnnllnllnl"  Haha -- too funny!  Sallie is a little busy body!  She and Lucy's temperments are so opposite.  Lucy is so laid back compared to Sallie.  I love that they're so different -- makes it easier not to compare! :)  Sallie is scooting around all over the floor, but not yet on all fours.  She is starting to get bashful and will smile at you and then bury her face into the chest of whoever is holding her... so precious!  She is also very much in love with Lucy -- wants to hold her, kiss her, grab her.  Lucy loves her equally as much, just doesn't show it quite as dramatically! :)

Meme's birthday is on Tuesday, so we celebrated with steaks at Mama's & Daddy's this weekend.  They were sooo delicious!  Daddy's a master at the grill!  And Mama did a great job with the sides!  Sara made Meme a beautiful coconut cake -- I'm not really a fan of coconut, but I tasted a little and it was delicious (for coconut cake.. hehe)! 

We got home this afternoon and I went grocery shopping to get a few things, and then late this afternoon/early this evening I had a few friends over: Alecia Martin, Christy Sutton, Dena Stancil (& Caylin!).  Caylin is 14 months and Lucy is 6 months.  Caylin loved Lucy and loved pointing out all of Lucy's body parts "Lucy's eyes. Lucy's ears. Lucy's nose.  Lucy's mouth."  She is so smart -- she knows many animal sounds, can recognize the numbers 1 & 2, and can identify some colors.  It was too cute.  Lucy really enjoyed seeing her, too!  I hope they will be close friends. 

Speaking of smart babies... Lucy, I bought you some soft blocks at Wal-Mart. There are just 4 in the pack, and each one features a different animal, number, and color.  This past week I've been holding two of them up for you (the blue and the yellow) and showing you both of them "Lucy, this one is yellow (and I'll shake it) and this one is blue (and I'll shake it).  Where is the yellow one?" and every single time that I've asked you, you've touched the yellow one.  I used to think it was coincidence, but after doing it so many times and getting it right, I think you're just a downright smart cookie!! 

I love your little self so much, and just beam with pride at our little family! :)