20 months!

"Oh wow" (Lucy's favorite phrase)!  I don't know if I'm ready to say twenty months old - but I guess I don't have much of a choice.  I really can't believe how fast time flies.  These months are going quicker and quicker and I'm sure December will go just as fast as November did with holidays, outings and activities.  

Lucy had a successful Thanksgiving by entertaining us and making us all laugh.  Over this long weekend Blake and I have been teaching her French words for fun.  She can say bonjour as clear as anything and we're working on some others.  Blake doesn't know French but he likes to pretend to and I hear him throughout the house bellowing "bonjour Lucy".  It's quite cute.  Lucy can say pretty much most letters of the alphabet (repeating them after us) and can count to two.  She's really starting to use her hands and arms when she speaks and is really worked up about something.  I listen intently and try to figure her out.  One day I expect her to just start speaking in full sentences to get me to understand!

Lucy loves being a girl and loves being around her girls.  Lucky for her we have lots in our family.  She loves going to my mom's shop on Thursdays when I pick her up at noon.  She gets to visit with my aunt Kim and aunt Beth and whatever customer happens to be there.  She loves to sit on the counter and jabber while she checks out the products.  The other night we had girls' night with my sister and Ferguson cousins to eat pizza and watch Troop Beverly Hills (a classic). Well Lucy had to be right there with us, putting on a show, dancing and shaking her bum for all!  She was so full of energy and focused on entertaining she slept in the next morning she was so worn out!

And yesterday Lucy went shopping with my mom (gammy), Caitlin and me.  She loves to be with the girls and loves stores.  But before this little princess would sit quietly and smile to everyone.  Now she wants to climb out of shopping carts, squiggle out of seat belts and screech if I don't meet her commands.  But all of this is expected at twenty months so I'm glad to know she's on track!

Baby girl, we love you so much.  You make our days so fun and exciting.  We love your funny laugh and cute smile.  You are so smart and it is so neat to watch you learn.  Thank you for being such a sweet girl.  We love you Luce, happy twenty months.

winter time means - Uggs and little Uggs!

Thanks!

We just returned home from a wonderful thanksgiving gathering at my parents' house.  Aside from Lucy wanting to entertain instead of eat, it was a very nice evening.  I am so thankful for my life.  I am thankful for my wonderful family I love so much, my funny husband, the snuggle pups and my Lucy.  

In the current state of the world I appreciate so much more the things I sometime take for granted, jobs, our home, dependable cars and money to buy groceries.  I am thankful that my family is warm and comfortable.  I know that I need to work harder on finding out what I can do to help others who are less fortunate.

I'm thankful for my health and for being able to walk and not be in pain.  I'm thankful that medical technology is making such advances to help people and I only hope that more advances will soon be made.  

I'm thankful for the friends and loved ones in my life.

And so, so, so much more.

And so is she - but after sweet rolls while watching the Macy's parade, entertaining during our dinner, playing all through gammy's house, unwrapping "thanksgiving" gifts, dancing to the rolling stones, no nap and a piece of pumpkin pie - she's out!

Viva la Coldplay

Blake and I saw Coldplay last night and they were SO good!  I'm not as big of fan as Blake is but now maybe so.  The show was a lot of fun and I've always thought the lead singer Chris Martin was attractive but after watching his dance moves and super stage presence he's now officially a a new crush.  Gwyneth is very lucky.  

Our super-pricey seats were near the back of the arena but the sound was good and the band moved around last night for us to see them pretty well.  At one point during the show the band left the stage to reappear running up the stairs next to our section!  They were literally 5 feet away from us and about ten rows above our seats they did a two song acoustic set - that was one of the highlights.  I read the review in the Trib this afternoon online and it's awful; enough for me to want to register and make a comment to the writer.  He must not have seen the same show as us or maybe Blake and I are easily impressed.  

The only down part of the show is that Blake told me at dinner to not bring in my camera because they probably wouldn't let me in.  So I left it and missed some great photo ops of the show (and of the up close set they played by us).  There were nine million cameras in that place so next time I'll know to bring it along anyway.  Instead I have to post these lame mini stock photos.  Oh well, it was a fun night!   

piggy-wiggy lucy-goosey

Today at work I told my friend Lacey that I put Lucy's hair in piggies today and that it looked so cute.  Lacey wondered how long Lucy's hair was getting so I thought I'd post some pics of her locks today.  They're a little longer than the sprouts we did in the summer but Blake still thinks they look goofy.  I think they are beautiful and lovely!  Her hair is almost long enough in the back to put in a pony tail but I'm afraid it would look like a mullet in a pony tail because the sides are still short.  She has some pretty decent curls in the back and I can tell it's getting a little thicker.  It's so fun to have a little girl!

Lucy's new trick is putting on her shoes and socks.  At first I thought she was just playing around and would get bored with trying but she kept at it and now she can put on her own socks!  She's such a big girl - she can do it fast too.  But the second they're on she wants to take them off and put them back on (I promise, she does have toys).  Shoes are a little harder because bug's feet are growing and so most of her shoes are getting a little snug.  Now if she could just put that much determination into her walking skills...

Lucy's PT said she's fully capable of walking but that she's too smart for her own good (her words, not mine) she said she knows the consequence of falling and is trying to prevent it.  She also said Lucy knows everyone will help her and take her around without having to do the work herself.  I'm not 100% sold on laziness but I do know she's not quite sure to be on her own out of fear.  I'm sure she'll come around to it soon; in the meantime isn't she so cute!

Oh and we don't have to worry about her communication skills - her verbal scores from EI came back and she's at the 24 month level - yay for jabber mouths!

BLAST from my past!

Last night was a trip down memory lane.  Memories of: 12 years old and being so in love with Donnie from New Kids on the Block; of Bop magazine and clip outs of the New Kids all over my closet doors; giant pins with the New Kids faces; the first time I saw them in concert with my friend Nikki and crying because we loved them so much; Nikki and I doing voluntary "reports" on the state of Massachusetts (their home state), we'd have charts of the state bird, capital, populations, etc.; and memories of a time when everything seemed like the biggest deal in the world and every lyric to their songs meant SO MUCH to a 12 year old...

Well thank goodness I grew up!  But last night was still one of the best concerts I've been to, really.  When I heard of the reunion tour it sounded fun for a minute but then I doubted they'd come to Salt Lake.  When they announced they were I was intrigued until I saw the tickets were around $70.  I thought I'd bag it at that price but my friend Nikki said we owed it to the New Kids.  Nikki and I have been friends since 2nd grade - we've been through so much together including our infatuation of New Kids.  Well, when tickets weren't selling and the price dropped to $20. I figured I couldn't pass that up.  So we got our tickets and started counting down.  Well a few days ago my sister called laughing uncontrollably saying she got an email that all of the tickets to New Kids were now FREE!  She thought I was ridiculous for going in the first place but she was THREE when they were my everything (and hello Caitlin, but I'm sure you'd pay $100. for lame-o N'Sync).  Since the concert became free and she thought it was funny Caitlin signed up for the free tickets and of course her FREE tickets were the best seats ever and a major upgrade from our $20. tickets - so bonus for me!

The show was amazing!  Kind of cheesy of course and some wonderful people watching but still the New Kids, or NKOTB have such smooth dance moves and their voices sounded really good.  For having to give away free tickets most of the E Center was full and my ears didn't stop ringing until this morning because the screams were so loud.  And I'll admit, I still don't have much of a voice this morning.  

Anyway, it was such a fun night.  Fun to reminisce with one of my closest friends, fun to dance with my sister to songs she's never heard (but she did have a good time) and fun to just not worry about anything for a night and get lost in the craziness of being 12 years old again.  

highlight of the night, Hangin' Tough as an encore and EVERYONE did the arm motions!

thanks for the memories Nik!

still love ya Donnie - even in white pants

yama hama - thanks Jordan

the newly converted fans - Cait & Leslie 

lucky for Caitlin she has a really cool sister

You Got It (the Right Stuff)!!

Night on the Town

On Wednesday night we had a family date night.  The mouse was in town with his ice show and we knew we had to go.  Lucy is at such a fun age now because she likes to get dressed up and we can sit on my bed and do her hair and then my makeup together.  She's starting to figure out lip gloss and has started to give a pucker when she watches me put some on.  So the two of us got ready while we waited for Blake and then we were off.  We took Lucy to dinner at Little America and let's just say our "dream" girl at restaurants is fading fast.  She threw everything in front of her, squished mashed potatoes through the gap in her front teeth and has learned to climb out her high chair.  But she's still friendly and waved and said hi to every person in the restaurant.  This Miss also LOVED her reflection in the glass windows.  It was dark out and she loved the instant mirror.  She had on a sparkly bracelet and waved to herself to see the sparkles shimmer in the glass!  But I must admit growing up I was known to do something VERY similar in the mirror in my grandparents dining room every Sunday during dinner.  

So after dinner and dessert we headed to Disney on Ice.  It was so much fun to see Lucy enjoy the show.  She danced, waved her arms and clapped for the full two hours.  The only minor flip out was during intermission when she wanted to climb and move all around our seats.  But as soon as Blake got back with her $10. snow cone she settled in for the second act just fine.  

We love date nights - who doesn't?!  And it is so much fun with our little princess toad along for the ride.

how did she get so lucky with these eyelashes?  

yummy bug

waiting for the show to start

we love you so much Mickey - we'll see you in October!

at this point Blake was getting a tad creeped out I think

wild night!  after all of that sugar, skating and songs this girl tore out her bow and her buddha belly came out!

sleepy girl ~ we had such a fun night!!

Go Vote!!

19 months!

I'm a few days late on Lucy's 19 month birthday post and not a lot of pics have been taken lately - poor orphan!  But just because I've been slowed down the past couple of weeks doesn't mean Lucy has.  She's into everything and about everything.  Almost everything we say she'll try and repeat some how.  Last week when she was staying with my parents she must have heard my mom on the phone because she's picked up "mommy's okay, mommy's alright".  It sounds so cute!  The other day the three of us were finally all home together and she was so happy to see me getting around and looking like her mom again and she would just smile and say "cheese" through the day.  Then as she played and got into things she would mutter "I know, I know".  It's amazing to see how much of a sponge she is at this stage and just takes it all in.  

I don't think I've posted this yet but a few weeks ago Lucy was reevaluated for Early Intervention.  She qualified for services shortly after being discharged from the hospital and has only needed help with physical therapy once a month.  Well it was time to reevaluate and the initial goal is to get them developmentally at their adjusted age and then shoot for real age.  Well in every category (except physical therapy/gross motor) Lucy tested at her REAL age!  They found no delays and said in some verbal comprehension and cognitive development she tested above her real age.  So she really has no reason to qualify for services but we're working to see if she can still see the PT until she's walking.  They said that they can tell walking is coming soon and there's no concern but I'd like them to help her until she has it down.  That appointment was such good news.

Lucy's a dream.  She's so caring, sweet and funny.  She loves an audience and adapts to any situation.  I've felt so neglectful these past two weeks because I haven't been able to do much for her but she loves her daddy and grandma & grandpa so much and they took over everything and I'm sure for her it's just been a little vacation away from boring mom.  

I love you sweet heart, again and again I will tell you, but you'll really never know how much.  I'm so proud of you and your smiling face can make anything better.  I love you bug.

Little Red Riding Hood's Halloween Night!

little red

a little trick or treating with the neighbor's before grandma's big party

Every year my parents do such a fun party but this year had to be the best: friday night, good weather and lots of spookies dressed up.  I might have been the scariest with my slow-poke walk and drugged out glory but at least I made it!

tin & dorothy (cait & b - always with the best costumes)

young frankenstein clan (clan ferguson)

cute mimes (d, lis & cutest ever crosby!)

vikings (my cousin pat & his friend)

um, not quite sure, my great aunt ida and my nani dressed in a scream mask with a parrott??

punk aerobics...or something (my brother Coleman & Calah)

oh, my parents.  I have been literally begging my mom to dress up like Sonny (my mom) and Cher (dad) for YEARS!  Well, I guess be careful what you wish for!  They looked really great but my dad shaved his beard for the costume and well, let's just say after 30 years seeing him without a beard was kind of fright night.  They're such good sports - thanks for such a fun party!

rough night

oh the little cousin friends - so cute!

jack & sally (nick & sabrina) - i think my favorite of the night!

You'll notice Blake and I are missing.  He was supposed to be the big bad wolf and I was supposed to be the old sick grandma.  I had my part down great but we still bagged our costumes.  Next year I promise!