March for Lucy!

This past Saturday was the March of Dimes' March for Babies. Team Lucy Bug! had amazing support and is a contender for the #1 Family Team in Salt Lake (we'll find out soon)! We had a wonderful group of friends and family (some friends we met for the first time) who came to support this great organization and Lucy. Our team ended up having 35 walkers and we raised over $2,600.; not too bad for our first year. We got lucky and had beautiful weather and good spirits all around. There is a part of the walk called Ambassador Avenue that has posters created by teams showing their babies. I put Lucy's together the night before and I'm so happy I got it done because it brought tears to our eyes when we came across it on the walk. Seeing how far she has come was so inspiring and showed why we were all there to walk. There were many other amazing miracles presented and also some posters of babies who did not have the happy ending that we did. It made me remember that Lucy is a true miracle and I was in awe at the strength of other parents who were there walking in memory of their little ones.

Lucy's story board I made for Ambassador Avenue

Team Lucy Bug in action!



Team Lucy Bug! All 35 of us!!! Thanks team - we love you!


the fam


Ferguson clan and Beans!

Aunt Kim, Alisa, D and baby Crosby


Megan & Nick (you know, the athletes)


my sister Caitlin and our friend Sabrina - starting their morning off with glaze...as usual!

Abby's crew - Shelby, Sara, Shauna, Abby, T.A., Natalie & Karen


keepin' it real - Virginia & Nikki


Rebecca & me

Karin & Chris - and baby boy who's almost here!


Lacey, Kylee, Luce & me


baby Croz - our youngest team member

Luce relaxing in the sun on a stroll


Thanks to our amazing team and the generous donations we received from our supporters. It was truly a wonderful day and I hope the first of many walks we'll be a part of.

Tags...

I very rarely respond to the tags because my responses aren't that cool or everyone already knows them. But my cousin Alisa tagged me and my friend Lacey...so here you go!

Tagged from Lis:
10 YEARS AGO: I was 20 and in college. I thought I wanted to become a teacher but that plan changed. I was living at home and not doing much else.

FIVE PLACES I HAVE VISITED: 1. San Diego 2.San Francisco 3. Palm Springs 4. LA 5. Southern Utah - wow, that's a tad depresso, I've been to other states but apparently we do love the Cali. Now I know why I normally don't respond to these - boresville.

FIVE THINGS ON MY TO DO LIST: 1. organize everything for the March on Saturday 2. clean my house before the health department comes a knockin' 3. clean Lucy's closet 4. finish my volunteer stuff 5. be a better/more productive cleaner, cooker, mother, worker, friend.

LIFETIME GOALS: 1. see #5 above 2. chill out and not be in constant worry mode 3. travel with Lucy and Blake and experience new things as a family 4. let Lucy be the wonderful person she will be and hopefully be the best mother I can 5. be dependable to as many people as I can

THREE BAD HABITS: 1. laziness 2. spending way too much $ on Lucy's wardrobe 3. reality tv

FIVE THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME...1. I feel braver, stronger, more confident, prettier, more relaxed (at times) and more complete since having Lucy 2. for being an English major I've yet to read many of the "classics" 3. I still daydream about being a creative writing professor at some green, liberal, artsy college 4. I'm obsessed with news and newscasters - Mark Koebel is my favorite local and I have a mini crush on Anderson Cooper. 5. I really love to dance

Now I tag...Caitlin, Lacey, Annie

Tagged from Lacey:
Love Tag
What is his name? Blake Richard
How old is he? 30
How old are you? 30
How did you meet? in 7th grade Utah history class - and hated each other
How long did you date? Um, 400 years? No, we dated off and on (mostly on) for almost 6 years before we got married
Who is taller? He is, by about 1 1/2 inches
Who eats more sweets? I do.
Who sings better? I do but he'd disagree. Every new season of American Idol Blake tells me with a dead serious face "you could be on the episode with all of the singers that suck". But just ask to hear "Desperado" and you can be the judge of that.
Who is smarter? even stevens
Who does laundry? He does, he does everything.
Who does dishes? I'll usually start the dishwasher but I hate putting dishes away
What is his guilty pleasure? crappy movies on TBS with commercials every 3 minutes
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? In bed - he's on the right. Standing and facing the bed I'm on the right.
Who mows the lawn? He does
Who cooks dinner? He usually does - I know I'm lazy but he's a much better cook.
Who Drives the Car? He does
Who is more stubborn? It used to be me but his patience has worn thin over the years and we're both stubborn.
Who kissed who first? He did.
Who asked who out first? He asked me out.
What was your first date? He picked me up at my house, brought flowers and we saw a laser show at Hansen Planetarium. Then we got ice cream at baskin robins.
Who proposed? He did. I was threatening to end things with him because I thought he was going to propose for over a week and he didn't. Come to find out he was waiting for my ring to be engraved but I ruined the surprise or any chance of a romantic proposal by throwing a fit.
Who wears the pants? I guess him lately
What is your favorite thing about him? Blake can make me laugh like no one else - and that is truly the key to our happiness. I can die of laughter of a face or a comment he makes. We have a very similar sense of humor so I think I make him laugh too. He can be sweet and sensitive but take charge too and he balances our my panic attacks with a laid back everything-is-great attitude. He's the best dad ever to Lucy and that only makes me love him more!

I tag...Sandy, Alisa & Annie

our little model...

Yesterday Blake and I took Lucy to her one-year-old photo shoot. I found out about Simplicity Photography from my neighbor Kassi. She had beautiful pictures done of her girls and I thought the photographer would be perfect to capture Lucy at the (just past) one year mark.

Lucy is turning into quite the little diva. We took two wardrobe changes, multiple head accessories and spent over an hour trying to get the little toad to smile. She wasn't interested in baby smiles - she acted like a serious super model! She lounged across a velvet chair with her arm posed just so and gave us the most serious (and beautiful) looks she could. At one point Blake, the photographer and I were all making funny faces and jumping up and down to get her to laugh. Lucy continued to stare at us like we were nuts.

The photographer Angie was wonderful - so easy and fun to work with and when we get the proofs in a week or so I know we'll be agonizing over which ones to chose - her work is amazing. She gave us a sneak peek on her blog. If you want to take a look at our super model bug check out http://photosbyangie.blogspot.com/2008/04/little-lucy.html I know where the attitude came from but how did I get such a gorgeous little girl?!

Randomness..

Okay, so I've had some major pain lately. The doctor said I "hurt my back" (uh, really) but Dr. Internet has diagnosed sciatica (sciatic nerve pain). It really has not been a pleasant week but I'm trying to stay optimistic and tell myself how it could be so much worse. I start physical therapy tomorrow and I'm just hoping and praying that it will help the pain so I can walk in our March for Babies walk that is about 10 days away. Since Lucy has been born I've been an advocate for positive energy, optimism and glass (more than) half full stuff. But this week I've been a major Debbie-Downer. Lying in bed the other day I started making a mental list of things I'd rather be dealing with than excruciating leg/back pain. A few that made the list:

-15 mosquito bites on one hand

-being forced to watch all of the Rambo's, Rocky's and Star Wars

-recovering from a c-section (that was cake compared to this)

-strep throat for two weeks

-not being able to get online for a month (I know it's sad it's that important)

-losing a $100 dollar bill - a couple nights ago this got up to $500

Depresso, right? I even feel guilty for typing out such a post. This is nothing compared to what some people go through but maybe expressing it will move me onto the speedy recovery route. Positive thinking right?!

So to make up for my negativity I'm going to steal an idea from my good friend Annie's blog and list some random, happy things I love. I am so excited when Annie has these posts so I might steal the idea for long-term use.

I love...

I love...finding Lucy curled up like a bug on her tummy in her crib in the morning


I love...summer concerts (James Taylor & Jack Johnson lined up so far)

I love...(parentheses)


I love...hearing Blake call out "Code" when he comes home


I love...laughing with my family about really lame stuff


I love...daylight savings (this end of it)


I love...Lucy craning her head to see me when someone else is holding her


I love...on-location news reports for things that happen every year (day after Thanksgiving sales, people camping out before the 24th of July parade, Tax day at the post office)


I love...going to nurseries to look for trees and flowers (just a few more weeks for this!)

I love...when family (sister, daughter, mom, aunts, cousins) become some of your best friends

I love...banana cream shakes

That's all for now, hopefully this has made up for the waa-waa in the beginning.

California!

We're back from our wonderful vacay in California. We had a great time and Lucy couldn't have been a better traveler. Anyone who knows me know I love TR's (trip reports); a day by day detailed account of a trip. I love hearing about them but no one usually asks to hear mine :). I'll spare you every last detail but if you have some free time and want to hear about it grab a crisp drink and enjoy...

Saturday: Blake booked this trip for my birthday gift and so he made all the ressies and details. Our flight left this morning at 6:20 am which meant we were up at 3:30 am and off to the airport by 5:00. None of us are light packers and I insisted Lucy sleep in her own furniture so we hauled all 800 suitcases and her play yard/bassinet into the airport. Getting on the plane was easy peasy and the flight was great. There were a half dozen other babies and I thought it would be noisy but they all zonked out shortly after their parents (in our case Blake, since I'm terrified of flying and was too busy clutching the armrests during takeoff) forced down bottles to help their little ears pop. We flew JetBlue for the first time and it was so nice having tv to watch to get me easily through the flight.

We arrived in Long Beach early and got our rental and headed to Newport Beach. We went to Newport Pier and got donuts and coffee and introduced Lucy to one of our favorite things the ocean. Surfers were out and it was a beautiful day. She loved watching the waves crash and hearing the birds squawk. We walked in the sand and got acquainted with our surroundings and then checked into our hotel. Lucy loved the linens on the bed. It's so nice when you walk into a lovely hotel room with soft white linens and a balcony door that opens to a view of the ocean and a cool breeze. Normally I'm anti-naps but having Lucy has changed that opinion. We all took a long one and woke up ready for a Saturday night on the town. We went to the Crab Cooker in Newport and had some yummy seafood. This is where Lucy's celebrity status really kicked in. Now I don't mean to be an obnoxious mom but honestly, I have never seen such fanfare for one little girl. Halfway through the trip it was even annoying for Blake and me! We could hardly walk a block without being stopped for people to coo and visit with Lucy. People in restaurants gathered around our table, stopped us on the street, asked to take her home (not as creepy as it sounds) and she got "God bless her" from people from various states and countries. Lucy loved every minute of it. She's now really turning on her charm and waving and smiling and flirting back with her admirers.

Newport Pier

we weren't too sure about the cool ocean temps


let's vacay


lounging with dad - look at that cute smile!


waiting to eat at Crab Cooker



this pic is kind of blurry but look at how old she looks! She didn't eat half of this loaf of bread but about 18 single bites off of 18 single breadsticks.

Sunday: I don't know what my problem is but I'm still having back/leg problems. I woke up this morning in major pain so I scheduled a massage at the spa in our hotel. It was nice but it didn't really help the problem (I start physical therapy Monday). Anyway, I wasn't going to let it slow us down so after my massage we headed over to Balboa and took the ferry to Balboa Island. It's such a cute little island with a street of fun quaint shops and restaurants. We ate a yummy breakfast and Lucy had her own short stack of pancakes. We shopped, strolled and wished we had a cottage on the island. Later that afternoon we took advantage of the nice heated pool at the hotel. Lucy is such a fish! She cannot get enough of swimming. We had most of the pool to ourselves and then I was worried Lucy would get a chill after coming out of the water so the two of them went to nap and I lounged by the pool listening to my OC mix (yes, Blake and I both love the show the OC. I mean, Blake is obsessed with it! And we have all seasons on dvd if you're interested...Caitlin, that means you!) It was so relaxing and once again I have to thank Blake. He always makes sure I have time to myself. He knows I love swimming and pool lounging so he took care of Lucy while I could enjoy myself. And yes, it was his BIRTHDAY! I kind of dropped the ball this year for him. But he said he couldn't have had a better birthday than having the nice day we did. That night we celebrated his birthday at a Mexican restaurant near the hotel, and yes Lucy did her one woman act again much to the delight of half the restaurant.

on Balboa Island

swim champ

Monday: DISNEYLAND! We made it to the park shortly after opening and I teared up as we walked down Main Street USA. Disneyland is one of my favorite places in the world and to be there with Lucy and Blake was amazing. It was a perfect day for the park. Lucy rode on everything that she could which was almost all of the rides. Her favorites were Dumbo with Blake and the Jungle Cruise. She fell asleep on Pirates and didn't seem spooked at all on Haunted Mansion. It was a different experience than when Blake and I went a couple of years ago. We had to ride solo on the bigger rides and they're still fun but Matterhorn is not the same when you are woo-hooing alone. So we did the majority of rides as a family. Peter Pan is so much fun as an adult but watching Lucy's eyes as we flew over the city was such a delight. Lucy had her first churro in the park and the best treat ever, a dole whip while hanging out in the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki room. She only napped once and never fussed, cried or had a freak out. We had so much fun with her and we lasted until just before closing at ten. Blake and I saw the fireworks just outside the park as we waited for the tram but this little tinkerbell finally said goodnight.

on Jungle Cruise


napping after Pirates - look at that bottom lip!


you can't really tell but this is on Peter Pan Flight - Lucy's head was back and forth trying to take it all in


waiting to storm the castle



these two look a little nervous about the carousel

hold on bug girl!

the fave - Dumbo with daddy!

Jungle Cruise - Lucy watching the rhinos splash

this crazy girl had so much fun!

this was at night and all around the castle was dark and it was lit in pink - a nice shot as we prepared to say goodnight to the park

Tuesday: This was our last full day of vacation. We slept in after our busy day before and then got up and drove to Laguna Beach for breakfast. We then went to Aliso Beach in Laguna and spent a marvelous time in the sun and on the sand. Lucy loved the beach and surprisingly the sand in her toes. I'm amazed that she likes everything and isn't afraid of anything. Nothing on this trip from the plane, Disneyland, ocean scared her or made her uncomfortable. It's so nice having such an easy girl but in the future she's going to probably test my nerves on a daily basis because she's going to be a wild child! After the beach we got in some more pool time and then that evening went to our last dinner and some shopping at Fashion Island. We all snuggled together in bed that evening and I was so thankful that we had such an enjoyable, safe, happy trip as a family.

piggies in sand

Laguna beach bums

our little beach bunny

Wednesday: We got up around 9:00 and packed up our 800 bags and stuffed our souvenirs and drove back to Long Beach to catch our flight. Lucy stayed awake for the entire flight but was entertained by Blake and books and didn't make much of a peep. It was kind of hard flying into dark clouds and rain in Salt Lake after leaving mid 60's and sunny skies but we have great memories from our trip and as long as we have such an easy, happy traveler we'll be planning our next adventure soon!