A few pictures from Lucy's second birthday.  A big "thank you" to the family who came out to celebrate with us during this busy time of year! 

Lucy is very into "bainbows" right now, so a rainbow cake seemed fitting! 

Watching a video of herself with Grandma

 We thought this year she might "get" the whole present thing... We underestimated the girl! She ran and picked out presents, ripped and tore into them like it was her JOB!  It was a hoot to watch!

Tearing into presents

Checking out her new puzzle from Great Aunt Patty. 

GG Nancy gave Lucy a great book about being a big sister -- great timing! 

Don't let the photo fool you: she was on those presents like white on rice! 

Thanking "Gunkle Yuke" for her new present! 

Kids giving kids presents is about the cutest thing ever! Such excitement on both sides! "Elsa! Anna!"

Shoe break! She loves new shoes! 

 Then it was time for the cake!

Here comes the cake! 

She was so excited about her cake! 

Double fisting! Girl put away some treats!! 

These two crazies! 

 When everyone had left, Lucy crashed for a great nap.  Once she woke up, she went straight for her new toys.  She cooked up a storm in her kitchen (she got new pots and pans -- and some food -- from Auntie and Uncle Brian), read her books, did her puzzles, then crashed to draw on her new Boogie Board from Nana. If you have a toddler (or any aged kid, really) and are reading this, get one of these! They are awesome! And they're cheapest at Costco. ;)

Post-sugar crash! 

The first of many messy (mussy) kitchen photos

Checking out all her new books

 When I was making dinner, I asked Lucy to go clean up her kitchen. She happily clomped off in her new high shoes.  "Keen up didtchen" -- and off she went, and reappeared a few minutes later without shoes. I didn't really think anything of it until I found this after I tucked her in to bed tonight.

I love my tidy girl! 

Lucy at Two!

Happy birthday to our sweet LuLu Bear!  You have brought such joy and richness to our lives.  Who knew two years in she'd wake up so sweetly, singing "Jesus Loves Me" and requesting books so she can stay in bed for a few more minutes with giraffe before starting her day.

Stats:

Height:  34.8 inches
Weight: 27.8 pounds
Head:   19.5 inches

She's begun speaking in sentences and we're racing to keep up with her growing vocabulary and tenacity.  We knew from the start she would have a strong personality, and we haven't been disappointed.  The girl knows what she wants! She is fiercely independent, but still loves to give big hugs, sweet kisses, and sometimes even snuggles that we cherish for their rarity!  

Lucy loves to sing and be sung to, her favorite songs being "Jesus Loves Me", "Put Down the Ducky", and "The Hallelujah Chorus".  At any given point in the day you can hear her singing snatches of these songs to herself. 

Lucy's independence grows each day. She dresses (or attempts to, anyway) each day. She loves to undress herself, and changes her baby's diapers.  She can peel her own oranges, uses a fork and spoon at each meal, and even helps us unload the dishwasher!  She can put her toys away with some direction, and puts her dirty clothes away. She will even go get a fresh diaper for us when she's ready for a change.  She's very close to being ready to potty train.  At this point, we're just waiting for the holidays to be over so we can give her training our full attention. 

She is a very sweet and affectionate child.  She loves to give mama's baby kisses (on my tummy), and throughout the day she'll spontaneously run to Isaac or I while "mmm-ing" for a kiss.  She gives big hugs to all her friends and family, especially when it's time to go bye bye.  

She's always up for an outing - whether it's around the block or to "Big Dintie's house" (Auntie's big house).  She calls "Gunkle Bye" (Uncle Brian) on the phone almost daily, occasionally mixing it up with pretend calls to Nana and Grandma.  

A few of my favorite Lucy-isms: 

Glasses -- agass

Granola - ahnolia

Grapes - geeps or goops

music - immick

Hallelujah - hallelu-lu-lu-lah 

Wash up - wa-waf

Milk - mook

Sock - hock

Song - hong

Kiss - diss

Hot coffee - hot coppee

dog -- woof woof

cat - neow

raisins -- rainies 

Christmas - ki-mas

Last night as a 1 year old

We set up her kitchen while she was sleeping last night so she would wake up to it this morning.  

Last minute adjustments to Lucy's new (to her) kitchen

It was fun to get her up for her birthday and have her kitchen all ready for her to explore!

And then it was time for what will certainly become a tradition: birthday morning donuts! 

She really, really wanted to eat the donut with a fork! 

Working on just the frosting

Getting down to business on her favorite part!

She's spent the day cooking in the didtchen 

A couple days before her 2nd birthday:

Annual Trip to Santa

It's that time of year: when our kids don their Christmas best and we head to downtown Seattle to visit the Nordstrom Santa.  

Checking out her pretty "dess" 

We were careful to leave Renton by 2pm so that we'd have plenty of time to wait in line, then head over to Pacific Place to eat, and maybe go to the outdoor carousel if it wasn't too wet.  Imagine our surprise when there was no line. There was one family waiting ahead of us and there was a family having their picture taken.  So much for the annual "Noah lying on the stairs waiting" picture. In fact, we had to scramble to get any "waiting" pictures at all.  

The attendants here are so sweet and always offer cookies (or cheerios), water, and hot cider while we wait. 

Lucy and Auntie

Check out that toothless mister looking so dapper in his bowtie and little miss looking TOO grown up!

And just like that -- within five minutes we were at the on-deck bench!

Next in line to see Santa

We decided to let the older kids visit Santa first, thinking it would help Lucy to see them calmly and happily sitting on Santa's lap.  The kids chatted with Santa, telling him what they'd like for Christmas (an RC car and a lego airplane set, respectively).  He's such a kind Santa: he really listens and engages the kids each in turn and never rushes them.  

Then it was time for a cousin shot before Lucy's solo Santa picture. 

This level of snuggling should have been a tip off that she was feeling nervous.  It wasn't. 

To say she wanted nothing to do with Santa when it came down to it was an understatement.

The words you're searching for are ABJECT TERROR. 

"Whyyyyyy?" 

 It took a while of daddy and then mommy holding Lucy to calm her down to the point that we could get her onto a rocking horse. There was no way on God's green earth that she was going to sit on Santa's lap, mommy in the picture or not.

Tears still sparkling in her eyes, but calming down when she realized she didn't have to sit on Santa's lap again. 

 Again, I have to commend the Nordstrom staff and their Santa!  He was so kind: "everyone just look straight forward, don't look over here!"  They broke out the bubble machine, the puppy puppet and the squeaker and actually got her laughing!

Yeah, that's close enough, big man! 

Lucy recovered enough by the end to thank Santa from the safety of mama's arms and to tell him she'd like a baby doll cradle for Christmas.  (Now mama really has to get on it and get it refinished in time for Christmas).

Rewarded for her trauma

By this time it was the late old hour of 3:00.  Now what? It's usually dinner time when we're done seeing Santa. It was raining buckets, we didn't really want to stand in the wet to ride the carousel (although in retrospect there was probably no line there, either), so it was off to wander the mall.  Lucy was a big fan of the Nordstrom makeup department.

Boys caught browsing the ladies' stocking stuffers

My independent girl

 We had a great time wandering around Pacific Place, waving at their Santa from a safe distance of at least one floor between us, peaking into a few shops, waiting for it to be dinner time.

Daddy and his girl headed to the toy store!

Lucy loves "doo doo dains" as she calls them 

"Fancy meeting you here, Dintie. I was just taking my baby for a stroll"

 Apparently my sister and I longed for the same thing when we were kids...  My neighbor had one and it was the envy of my childhood.

All Sarah wants for Christmas... 

Brian and his buddy

This is how we roll for family pictures! 

Twirling girls

Today Lucy was back to telling us all about how she sat on Santa's lap, wanting to look at her portrait with Santa from last year, and acting as if it went as smoothly as satin.  Sure, kiddo, let's pretend that's what happened.  She also informed us that "Oah" sat on "Sita's lap".  Yep, Noah sure did. So did you, but it wasn't quite the same experience.  Oh, memories! It had to happen at least once, right?

My girl is growing up!

I gave Lucy her second ever haircut (first one by me), and boy was that terrifying!  I made it through, though, and it looks pretty cute if I do say so myself.

I took about an inch off the back while Lucy watched Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" on a loop and ate raisins.   

I can't believe this little beauty is going to be TWO in a matter of weeks! 

This is how 99% of the pictures we take of Lucy turn out (if they're not also blurry)

Her hair actually IS straight across the back, it's just curling up crazily 

Look at the concentration! She loves to build with blocks

Later we went to see daddy at work (at McClendon's):
Lucy: "Oh noooooo!"
I turn around and she's grabbing the front of her pants, looking panicked.
Me: "What's wrong?"
Lucy: "PEE PEEEEEESSSS!"
Me: "It's okay to go in your diaper. Let your pee pees out"

Then we get home and walking into the house:
Lucy: "PEE PEES! PEE PEES!"

Someone is ready to potty train NOW and mama just wants to make it through Christmas first...  *sigh* Praying I don't miss the window! Lucy


Earlier this week we were working on counting, and this is how she responded to each finger I held up:

1: "One"
2: "Two"
3: "Free"
4: "Fiii" (five)
Me: "No, try again, what comes after three?"
4: "Fiii" -- as she pulls my thumb out straight and then grins. "Fiii"
I have to give her credit -- she made it five.   After all, who needs four?