The Weckers

Big Girl Bed

2012-02-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

We started with naps in the big bed as a little treat but she has done so well that we have moved her over officially to the "big girl room". She is really happy in there and has only broken the rules (no getting out of bed and no crying) once. And I'm happy to have a little time away from the nursery before baby #2 hits the scene.

Wrong Side of the Lens

2012-02-04T16:27:00.000-08:00

These days Lucy would rather be behind the lens than in front of it. It has become a battle of wills (and we both have pretty strong ones) when it comes to taking a picture of her. You can see who usually wins...

Spaceship Box

2012-02-02T20:06:00.000-08:00

Remember when playing with a box was really quite the perfect way to spend an afternoon...

2x2

2012-02-02T19:59:00.001-08:00

A day in the life of two two(ish) year olds...

Yoga

2012-01-29T14:20:00.000-08:00

When I first started to get to know Lucy's personality I realized that she was going have a busy mind. She is just made of the stuff that keeps a person on their toes and perhaps a little intense. And even when she was tiny I would plot ways to introduce her to yoga, which was such a help to me during some high intensity times in my own life. She has been doing downward dog for probably close to a year and recently started adding new poses at home. But we stepped it up this month and signed up for some classes. Her most adorable friend Eliza is taking the classes as well and the two of them are funny together. They are smart and you can tell they listen to the teacher and must be aware of others but they are also bouncing on each other's mats and giggling when they "should" be still. They would be acting silly and then spontaneously strike their poses. It was cute to see that they really did get it and enjoyed the process too. It provided a pretty clear picture of her future educational experiences. Social but engaged. Lighthearted but dedicated.

Feeding the Ducks

2012-01-20T12:49:00.000-08:00

I love the days that look like this...

2 years old

2012-01-15T14:51:00.001-08:00

We woke up this morning to snow. What a perfect birthday festivity! We took a morning walk in the quiet snow and it was the perfect time to reflect on the amazing girl lucy is. She is passionate and interested and curious and confident and decisive. I am so lucky to get to spend my time with this wonderful girl.

I had overly ambitious plans of asking Lucy 20 of the same questions each year on her birthday. I thought I stacked my cards right and set aside time right after she was napped and fed with the promise of a cupcake to come and Mike there assisting to keep her happy and interested. But I didn't get much of an overwhelming enthusiasm from the girl. So, basically, aside from the quoted portions, this year it is my interpretation of what Lucy would say if she could sit still long enough to tell me. So here is what I did get in between her bucking like a "bug", although it looked suspiciously like a horse, and pulling books off the shelf

1. What is your favorite color? "PINK" (although we are a tiny bit perplexed over her inability to distinguish between any of the other colors)

2. What is your favorite toy? "WHITE. . . ANIMALS" (she does indeed love her stuffed animals but her favorite toy is probably her nesting doll from Russia)

3. What is your favorite fruit? "AVO. . . BABY DOLL. . . MOMMY. . . AVOCADO"

4. What is your favorite tv show? "NEMO" (I would venture to say she watches more Elmo than Nemo but its a close call)

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? "BIRTHDAY. . . I LOVE TO EAT BIRTHDAYS" (is she referring to all the frosting ingested?)

6. What is your favorite outfit? "SHIRT" (she loves her whale shirt)

7. What is your favorite game? (ring around the rosie)

8. What is your favorite snack? (rice cakes)

9. What is your favorite anima? "BUGS. I LIKE BUGS"

10. What is your favorite song? (Popcorn Popping, I hope they call me on a mission, Child of God)

11. What is your favorite book? (Olivia's Opposites, No No Yes Yes)

12. Who is your best friend? "PEOPLES" (Eliza)

13. What is your favorite cereal? (Cheerios)

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? "PLAY OUTSIDE" (feed the ducks)

15. What is your favorite drink? (Chocolate Milk)

16. What is your favorite holiday? "BIRTHDAY"

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? "ANIMALS!" (and exactly three blankets)

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? (cereal)

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? (Mac and cheese)

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? "A DRESS" (A lot of people are predicting veterinarian though)

Birthday Party

2012-01-15T14:04:00.000-08:00

Two has to be the perfect age for birthday celebrations. Lucy was simply over to moon to have a group of people celebrating her day. She woke up talking about her party and continued through the day to list all of her friends that were coming over. She loved tasting the cake before the guests arrived and then running to the door each time the bell rang. She has a cute set of friends and it was fun watching her play with them. I am thankful that her social network is full of such lovely families. I am thankful for a daughter that enjoys people and has a thirst for new experiences. She has started her venture into the twos with a lot of grace.

Why not eat with your toes?

2012-01-13T20:51:00.000-08:00

Are you now questioning my ability to raise TWO children? I am. But it's going to be fun. Because behind this crazy hair moment was a fun trip to the swimming pool and a girl so sleepy she couldn't bare a bath before bed. And the result is a severely disheveled, but dare I say happy, gal. Eating cereal with her toes amidst strew blueberries...for that I have no excuse.

2012-01-11T20:48:00.000-08:00

Christmas Highlights: Hanging Out

2012-01-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

The Curtis Girls are really good at hanging out and it didn't take Lucy long to get into the swing of staying in pajamas and letting herself go a little bit.

Other Christmas highlights that were wonderful but sadly undocumented...

Minute to Win it with Grandma and Grandpa Wecker

Game after game of Settlers of Catan

Kneaders

Kelly's baby shower at the Union Grill

Lucy juxtaposed to sweet calm Tenzen

Hiking through barbed wire fence after barbed wire fence

Dinner with Mike's dear high school friends and their families

Precious time with Lisa

Lucy falling in love all over again with Scout

Grandma Curtis caving to Lucy's love and presents and letting her open something small each day

Lucy eating ALL of the centerpiece apples around the house

Christmas Highlights: Feeding Cows

2012-01-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas Highlights: Learning How to Dunk Toast

2012-01-02T13:26:00.001-08:00

Christmas Highlights: The Lights on Temple Square

2012-01-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

Pacing Ourselves

2011-12-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

There have beens several times in my life when the pace of everything shifted and it always takes some getting used to. Usually things get noticeably busier and you realize how frantic life feels. But not this time. This time our pace has gotten noticeably slower. Slow and quiet and simple. Some days it makes me feel a little crazy - deciding between a walk or a play gym seems a little too simple - but it is nice too. Lucy and I have time to walk slowly and chat over lunch. And Lucy seems to be finding a little zen in her personality too. She is infamous for not even liking t.v. because it forces her to stop moving, but lately I find her curling up with the ipad for mini chill sessions.

Meg's Baby Shower

2011-12-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

Per tradition (okay, we have done it once before) the sisters showed up for surprise baby shower festivities. My sister Megan is having a baby boy so I flew out to Utah with Katie and Lucy to surprise her. We ended up sending Lucy to door to knock and it was a surprise hit. The weekend was a lot of fun celebrating the cuteness that will be Meg's little boy.

Christmas Tree Trickery

2011-12-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

I looked so innocent all wrapped up. And nine feet didn't really sound that tall. But it is. And moving a Christmas tree from room to room to find a place it will fit is a messy endeavor. And our limited years of ornament collecting didn't make much of a dent in the tree. But we love it. Its smells amazing and frequently I will find Lucy standing and staring at it all wide-eyed. What could be better.

Grilled Cheese Grill

2011-12-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

Grilled cheese sandwiches. On a bus. With a bunch of kids. And impromptu dancing/jumping. Lucy was in heaven over this lunch outing!

The unmentionable subject

2011-12-07T21:12:00.000-08:00

I have promised myself for a long time that evidences of potty training would not be included in this blog. No pictures of cute babies sitting on toilets, no bare bums, no "opps" faces. But here I am, unable to post new entries until my thanksgiving pictures are dealt with, and the cutest picture I have of Lucy is of her sitting on a plastic bag. So there you have it. Thanksgiving and potty training. All in one post. And please note that when a loving yet idealistic grandma comes in to town and says that it will be "fun" to potty train and all it takes are cute panties, don't listen.

Planes and Trains

2011-11-30T20:15:00.001-08:00

Thanks to a nice visit from grandma and Britt, Lucy got her fill of planes and trains this week.

Super Thankful

2011-11-24T19:54:00.001-08:00

I'm thankful for my superbaby and her superdad.

Urban versus Suburban Walking

2011-11-20T12:07:00.001-08:00

Lucy and I go for a lot of walks these days. They are slow and filled with finding sticks and listening for noises. Gone are the days when walking was a form of exercise, but we love them. Luckily Lucy's favorite stand-in siblings (these three are so cute with Lucy, they take care of her and tease her and teach her and are just the perfect equivalent of dreamy siblings) like to explore on downtown treks so we get out of our neighborhood walking rut. Downtown is fun because there is always new noises and spontaneous parks and delicious food to be had.

And then there are mornings when Lucy wakes up asking for a walk and we don't even bother getting out of our pajamas, figuring that enough layers will cover up our grave fashion faux pa. The suburbs are fun because it is quiet and the leaves are uncrunched and people let you pet their dogs.

This is what we came home with this morning. We have been in a decorating mood lately and all that was missing was a little craftyness from Lucy.

Lucy Bug

2011-11-18T21:48:00.000-08:00

Halloween still has Lucy in its grasp. . .

Cute Friends

2011-11-11T20:05:00.000-08:00

I am so lucky that some of the coolest people I know happen to come with really cool babies too! And they call my own baby things like "plucky", which makes me day. Plucky: marked by courage, spirit, and determination in the face of difficulties or danger. Today we had a fun day looking for the best leaves, eating snacks, reading books, and enjoying a dance party.

Warning: Do not watch video clip if you are one of those people that can't focus on anything but the urge to pull up a kids' sagging pants when you see it.

Snack-time

2011-11-07T20:30:00.001-08:00

Welcoming the quintessential pretend play experience.

Come on a walk with us

2011-11-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

"I no lika worms"

Puddles

"Brrr"

Halloween Ate My Daughter

2011-11-02T19:14:00.001-07:00

We bought some costumes on sale after Halloween to fill up Lucy's dress-up box and she is over the moon. She keeps trying on piece after piece and has settled on this number as her favorite.

Halloween

2011-11-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

Lucy loved Halloween. She loved dressing up (I suspect she will be sporting the zebra look for a good portion of November) and she loved that people just handed her candy (and mom didn't say no). She loved trick or treating with her school best-y, Jack, and we are all glad that nature didn't run its course and the lion and zebra remained cordial.

Growing Up

2011-10-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

We are nearing the full-blown mimic stage and I think she has my serious putting on makeup face down pretty good. She also loves to have my purse with her at all times. She empties and resupplies it constantly.

If this is what 30 looks like...

2011-10-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

... I will take it.

BYU Football

2011-10-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Por Que No and Whiffies

2011-10-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Lucy and I can never get enough of Por Que No. I think Mike would rather be at the pizza place next door but when mom said she was craving Mexican it was a matter of seconds before we were in the car heading to Hawthorne.

Rainy Zoo Day

2011-10-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

My dad has been talking for weeks about taking Lucy to the zoo. Despite rain and the fact that my dad couldn't bare to let Lucy nap and be without her for a couple of hours, we had a lot of fun. Lucy even entertained crowds with her uncanny ability to draw attention from the lion. This is not the first time that a lion has "attacked" Lucy at the zoo (old video included in post). I thought my mom was going to pass out from fear but Lucy loved it!

Pumpkin Patch and Friendship

2011-10-09T19:55:00.001-07:00

I don't have a lot to report on the front of Lucy and friendship. She is lucky to have a few really cute friends to hang out with but she doesn't seem to especially notice them. She is getting better at sharing but I can't wait for her to experience that feeling of having a buddy. Someone she gets and who gets her. At this point her strongest connections seem to be with the four legged variety. That said, she did have fun running after Denali at the pumpkin patch and hanging out with the Gardiners in return for some delicious popcorn.

Apple Orchard Pictures

2011-10-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

Katie took some pictures for us on Saturday, and while I thought for a moment about doing something responsible with them, like sending Christmas cards or something, I came to terms quickly with the fact that I probably never would. So, this is their moment to shine.

Grandma and Grandpa Wecker Visit

2011-10-02T11:52:00.001-07:00

Lucy is a lucky girl to be so loved...

Painting Nails or What Katie Likes to Call "Becoming a Woman"

2011-10-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

During the priesthood session of conference we pulled out the polish and Lucy was thrilled to be included in the activity. Like the hena painting in Malaysia, she sat perfectly still until Katie was finished painting and until it dried. She seems to have a thing for body art.

Lucy Lu

2011-10-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

I was flipping through the latest pictures and my finger was on the delete button for both of these, but after resisting the urge to delete, I fell in love with them for whatever odd reason. I think that, because it feels like she is always in constant motion, the stillness of her gaze is haunting and something I don't notice very often.

Theme of the Week: Pets

2011-09-29T22:16:00.000-07:00

Lucy learned all about pets at school this week, and while I'm just not brave enough to get her the pet she really wants, I could do a fish.

But, she was still a bit disappointed it didn't bark or have a wagging tail...

And yet, she couldn't stop watching...

We also made fish cupcakes in anticipation of celebrating Grandpa Wecker's birthday when he arrives tomorrow.

At This Moment

2011-09-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

Time is slippery with this little one and before another stage comes and goes I wanted to record who we are at this point in our lives.

The other evening I was putting Lucy to bed and where previously she wanted her crib filled her dolls and stuffed animals and blankets, this night she insisted on just two blankets. She was very clear that she wanted two and nothing else. I kept thinking, she will be so lonely tonight and will change her mind soon. But from there on out she would throw anything of excess of two blankets out of her crib before going to sleep. It struck me then and still does how acutely she knows what she wants and how empowered she feels to ask for what she feels is right for her.

Another interesting piece of this stage in Lucy's life is how curious she is up to the point of touching something messy. She doesn't like too much stimulus on her hands. Reluctant finger-painter and play-dough user.

Lucy constantly refers to herself in the third person and loves to give every item ownership. "Lucy's whale shirt" or "daddy's sock". She is getting adjusted to the access that full sentences give her to connecting with other people and getting what she wants. Every night Mike and I will lay in bed and invariable one of us will say, "Did you teach Lucy ______ because she just _______ and ________ is so cute." But most days it is unclear how she picks up everything she does.

I also want to remember who I am as a mother at this point.

I hate that I have to wake Lucy up in the morning to go to school with me but I love that I always get to be the first person to talk to her each day. She is slow to wake up but starts talking from the moment she opens her eyes until the moment we get to school. She loves when I sing "Good Morning" from Singing in the Rain even though I only know two lines. Every morning I think, I should really look up the rest of this song, but I never do. I hate getting her dressed, she is too big to be tossed around and stuffed into clothes without straining my back and I can't wait until she can go potty and get dressed by herself.

I'm not a super house cleaner, but what I do, I always try to involve Lucy. I want to her to see work and be a part of it. She likes to stir food and pull laundry out of the machine. She likes to wipe counters and dust tables. She is not particularly good at picking up because she is easily distracted. Both because of this philosophy to work alongside Lucy and out of the sheer need for some down time, I don't normally do chores when she naps.

I love love love reading books with Lucy on my lap. It is the best activity that ever happened to me. But it kills me when she loves a book that has pictures I find aesthetically unpleasing and is equally frustrating when I am reading her a brilliantly clever book and she is clearly not in to it. We usually have about 30 books checked out from the library at any given time.

I never want to forget what a perfect cross-section of time this stage has been. I adore where our family is right now. It shouldn't be neglected to say that while I haven't nailed down exactly who Mike is at this stage in our family, he is such a brilliant father and husband. I can't imagine being a mother without him by my side.

Portland Temple

2011-09-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

On Sunday Katie was giving tours of the temple for visitors, so we stopped by. While I was hoping that this would be one of those tender teaching moments when Lucy really gets something new, she slept through the entire temple experience. We still had a lovely time and I'm going to make it a point to bring her back more often.

Iconic Moments

2011-09-13T21:07:00.001-07:00

I feel like there are a few landmark moments in motherhood that you kind of know are coming, but they always come sooner than you thought. I felt like that the first time Lucy unraveled all the toilet paper in the bathroom. And I felt the iconic moment when Lucy, with unexpected adeptness, walked around the house in my high heels. I love how she is growing and learning but I just wish she could give me a little warning so I could be sure to put her pants back on after the diaper change and before the photographic moment so that looking back in twenty years I don't mistake her six month dress as a reluctance to let her grow up instead of the frugal use of too-small-dresses as shirts which it really was.

BYU vs Texas

2011-09-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

We are a little sad over here that our matching shirts weren't enough to pull BYU through the game on Saturday.

Body Parts

2011-09-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

The theme of the week at school is "all about me," so in an effort to learn more about our bodies, we made eyeball cookies and handprint art. Lucy did a really great job in the kitchen, but kept calling all eye colors "pink." I guess we need a colors theme of the week soon.

Fountain Fun

2011-09-07T20:10:00.001-07:00

Lucy and I had serious fountain ambitions at the beginning of summer, but with all the trips and then all the recovering from trips, we left many fountains unexplored. We did fall in deep like with Jameson Square Fountain, which actually fills up and then drains every ten minutes or so. It taught Lucy patience in things she can not control (a skill so hard to acquire), while also being very fun. We also frequented the Beaverton City Fountain a few times but that one is not for the weak hearted. You have to head full steam in to shooting sprays of water that may change intensity at any minute. Not our favorite. But still oddly addicting.

"T"

2011-09-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

Katie is "between jobs" which really means "in the middle of playing" and we are lucky to have her staying with us until she commits to a 9 to 5. We hope she lingers for a while but Mike and I are starting to feel a little old and frumpy with our lives in juxtaposition to Katie's. Our 10 o'clock bedtime seems awfully early when we have to turn on the porch light knowing Katie won't even be home for a couple of hours. And when she flies out the door during the day with just sunscreen and keys in her hands I look around at my diaper bag and toddler shoes and snacks and start to feel very slow. Lets not even talk about how she can innocently play with Lucy all day and then leave me on the phone all night with a nurse because Lucy has had food stuck up her nose for most of the day. In her defense, she was quite supportive as I was blowing in my daughter's nostril to get a pea out of the other one. Laughing, but definitely supportive. But mommyish as she sometimes makes me feel, I love having her her. And did I mention that Lucy adores her? She does. Lucy adores her aunt T.

Third Day of School

2011-08-31T19:56:00.000-07:00

I know it is tradition to take pictures on the first day of school but we were running out the door in the morning with our milks in hand and then running back in after school to get a nap in. Second day looked pretty similar. Today we finally started to gain some composure and paused to take a few pictures. She goes to high school with me every morning and learns all sorts of lovely stuff in their Tiny Tigers program. She already loves it there and now that she can bring her new-found and very deeply ingrained affection for Elmo to school with her she is in heaven.

Gardening

2011-08-24T20:58:00.001-07:00

After all the excitement of traveling I have been genuinely concerned that I would never be motivated to take pictures again because nothing here seems terribly exhilarating and noteworthy. But then this afternoon Lucy and I were eating food straight from the garden and I looked at her as she was intensely seeking the best blueberries and I had one of those moment. You know them, when your eyes well up for no good reason and you feel like life makes so much sense in that instant. Those are the moments I want to document.

Yes, after all our lovely moments walking barefoot in the dirt picking blueberries and peas, reality strikes as she tries to stick one of those fresh peas up her nose.

Jet Lag

2011-08-23T12:03:00.001-07:00

Jet lag has been cruel on this side of the trip. We adjusted easily in Malaysia and the first night here we did fine, but it is all catching up. We are exhausted for much of the day and waking up at funny hours of the night. Lucy was waking up pretty consistently this week at 11:00 and up for 2 hours. Just enough time for her to be reunited with Nemo and back to bed. She also wanted to spend the evening reading her pop-up bug book that Britt bought her to cure (or tease) her of her worm fear. Kind of like ghost stories at night, she still acted scared of the book but wanted to keep reading it over and over.

Kuala Lumpur to Singapore to China to LA to Portland

2011-08-19T11:57:00.001-07:00

Lucy largely slept through this portion of the trip. She missed most of the fun in China but woke up long enough to watch some Nemo and Elmo on the plane, pose for a few pictures, squeeze into the subway a few times, and make some new friends.

Malaka

2011-08-14T00:25:00.001-07:00

Lake Gardens

2011-08-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

Between the dots

2011-08-10T19:27:00.001-07:00

The little things that happened in between the big things...

Fish Spa and Some Shopping

2011-08-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

At the malls they have little fish spas where you can get your dead skin eaten away by the fish. You pay different prices for the size of fish and for each ten minutes. Mike was so calm. I couldn't hold my feet in for more than 20 seconds at a time. Lucy would have none of it.

Lucy proved, although we never doubted her, to be a champion shopper. She loved carrying her bags and was adept at spotting things she couldn't live without. Like her mom, she went home with a whole set of new purses.

Elephant Sanctuary

2011-08-10T18:38:00.000-07:00

We expected the wonderful part to be riding on the elephants but in reality just being so close to the elephants as the walked and bathed and ate was the most fun. Lucy was both fascinated and scared. It was fun to see her put together what an elephant really is after all our books and distant viewings at the zoo.

Bali

2011-08-09T04:15:00.000-07:00

On our way to Bali my dad was denied entrance because his passport didn't have enough time on it. He ended up keeping Lucy with him in KL and mom, Mike, and I spend the weekend in Bali. I think it worked out okay. Lucy loves hanging with grandpa and the rest of us spent a lot of time at the spa. Don't be fooled by our pictures and imagine us adventuring around the island. We were very content to eat good food, swim, and be pampered with massages and body wraps and facials and milk baths.

Batu Caves

2011-08-08T03:54:00.000-07:00

Mom scared us about the monkeys, but we were able to successfully ward off all attacks and enjoyed our hike up to the caves. When we finished our hike all the girls got henna painting on our feet. We were so surprised to see Lucy sit still the entire painting, but she was fascinated.

We Made it to Malaysia

2011-08-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

I know that bragging and blogging are a cliche combination but it must said that Lucy has turned out to be a brilliant world traveler. She travelled for 40 hours, crossed 15 time zones, stopped in 4 countries and somehow stayed cheery for 39 of the 40 hours. She skipped naps and even a whole night of sleep but not until the very last hour did she melt down into a state of daze and intermittent tears. Mike beat Lucy's 39 hours with 40 solid sane hours of traveling. Not as much can be said for myself, who started to melt down around hour 24.

The first activity to be had was a nice dip in the family famous tub overlooking the Petronas towers.

The second activity was keeping Mike awake until nighttime and thus keeping jet lag at bay.

Activity number three was a tour of the Petronas towers which are just down the street from my parents' apartment. We visited the skybridge, the top floor observatory, and my dads office on the 52 floor.

We met grandpa for lunch and tried some local flavor. Lucy and I were only brave enough to start with local desserts while Mike let the locals in line order his entire meal for him.

And then we spent the evening at a local park with a wading fountain.

My favorite part about being here is learning about Islam. I hadn't really realized that I have never been to a Muslim country before and I am consumed with learning more about the religion and traditions. Being a part of a religion myself that requires sacrifices and includes traditions that are not mainstream and often misunderstood, I am fascinated by another religious group that wears their religion in outward signs of sacrifice in such a proud and nobel way. I love the modesty and beauty of the hijab and, because it is Ramadan, I have been moved by their day long fasting. It is a fascinating culture here in Malaysia.

Summer Mornings

2011-07-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy the school year and the opportunity to teach one class in the mornings, but I will miss our lazy summer mornings. Lucy is always in such a cute mood when she wakes up and once we get past the flood of "daddys?" we get to just sit and chat for a while. It is too hot for sleepers and I am loving the long t-shirt as pajamas look.

Daddy?

2011-07-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

I love the fact that Lucy and Mike have a really great connection but it is non-stop "daddy" around here. I get her out of bed in the morning and it is "daddy?" I open a door and it is "daddy?" I pick her up and it is "daddy?" She probably requests her dad around 50 times a day. I love her daddy too but what happened to all the mommy-ness that was so last month?

Meeting Tenzin

2011-07-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

On our way to Panguitch we were lucky enough to have brunch with some of Lucy's favorite people. Lucy was tickled to see Nate and Kelly (we miss you here) and of course Grandma Wecker, whom she can never get enough of. She also got to meet baby Tenzin, her very first cousin, and picked up right where she left off with Pete - getting in trouble (think a whole chocolate pie at Christmas and swinging around in a baby carrier this time). It was a lovely brunch.

Panguitch

2011-07-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

The other day I was on the phone with Megan and she mentioned that she was calling from Panguitch, where my grandma lives. I felt immediate pangs of jealousy. Then when my grandma called and mentioned seeing Lucy on the blog I thought I could do better than just posting pictures of Lucy, I would bring the actual girl to my grandma. Which was really just an excuse for me to spend some needed time with her myself. So, I booked a ticket and was on the plane in a matter of days. Then, when I mentioned my trip to the sisters, they all cleared up their schedules and met us there as well. It was a perfect weekend.

Lucy loved spending time on the swing with grandma. Grandma couldn't escape having Lucy by her side/shins most of the weekend.

My dear sister bought Lucy a pop-up bug book to either address her fear of worms for the purpose of overcoming it or, more likely, to torment her. It worked. Lucy was horrified and scared with every turn of the page.

Meeting her newest cousin

Testing the peanut butter fudge used to be my job.

Lucy loved both fudge making and fudge tasting.

The next photos look posed but it really is like this, they fight over who gets to hang out with Lucy. Except when the diaper stinks!

Riding in the pickup.

My mom wore this dress when she was a kid and when we found it in the doll box we just had to try it on and Lucy did't want to take it off.

She adopted the neighbor's dog and couldn't get enough.

Megan teaching Lucy how to truly relax.

Lucy's first My Little Pony to help on the ride home. She was into it for about 90 seconds before she was on to the next activity.

Finger-painting

2011-07-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Mike and I had widely differing ideas about what finger-painting looks like. I put the paint on the paper and showed Lucy how to drag one finger through it to paint a cute little tree. Mike, on the other hand, squirted a handful into Lucy's hand and encouraged wild creativity! While messier, his method was a lot more fun...

Lucy's New Look

2011-07-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my grandma a couple of days ago and she said, "I'm glad you had fun in Hawaii, but where are the pictures of Lucy?" :) So here is Lucy with the newest piece of her ever growing repertoire of funny faces.

Hawaii

2011-07-03T22:23:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure a post without mention of Lucy will even upload so I better start by giving a nod to our cute babe and all the wonderful people who made it possible to create a post that doesn't contain Lucy! Lucy was in such brilliant hands that Mike and I were able to enjoy our week without a single worry, not to mention the fact that she got some quality play-dates. Hawaii kind of speaks for itself so I won't narrate each picture, but it should be said that we had a lovely time both exploring and relaxing. We are so grateful to Mike's parents for such a thoughtful tribute to Mike's hard word finishing his MBA while both working and starting a family. He did a brilliant job of it and this was a perfect way to celebrate. Thank you!

First Week of Summer Break or what katie and like to refer to as "Facil de Assemblar"

2011-06-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

School is out and Lucy spent a day helping me organize my classroom...

We joke about how she will give her teachers a run for their money but she did great work while in the desk...

I will miss seeing her so excited at Tiny Tigers and then falling asleep the second I start the car to go home...

Then the fun started. I thought summer would include a lot of pajama wearing but Mike went out of town for work and I had the crazy idea of painting the house and finishing the yard and planting a garden while he was gone as a surprise. I recruited the generously eager Katie and we started taping to paint...

We did one window and broke down in laughter because it was very clear we had overestimated our capabilities. We couldn't even move the ladder to the full upright position. But as we were laughing on the front porch after spending a good hour taping one window, a friend of Mike's friend drove by and offered to paint for us at a very generous price. Done. Sold. We were so happy...

Then my wonderful mother-in-law flew in to help me plant a garden. It was a lot of fun dreaming of actually eating something I grow.

And we pruned and pulled roots (thanks Scott) and tilled and planted grass...

And where was Lucy during all the fun, you ask...

Naked in the water or the mud or the rocks...

Or getting over her mother-imposed fear of worms (I jumped while holding her when a friend pulled a worm from her garden and now lucy won't touch or even look at the things)

Katie bought her plastic bugs to cure her...

And relaxing with us when we finished all the work...

Mike came home last night and we celebrated his birthday outside in our new yard with wings and pizza. Mike works so hard all the time that it was fun to be able to lighten his load a little by taking care of the painting and yard. We love you mike.

Hyper-Focused

2011-06-22T20:20:00.000-07:00

Lucy is frequently shifting from one thing to the next, but every once in a while she will get hyper-focused on one activity. Lately it has been the clips on carseats/strollers and chapstick/pen lids and my wedding ring.

The above scene occurs when you try to interrupt whatever she is trying to figure out.

17 Months

2011-06-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

I have no words...both because I unable to express how much I adore this girl and because she is too busy chasing me around this little world of ours to think of what to write. So a few pictures to capture this age. Thanks to the Wecker women for the styling threads...

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

It has been fun spending a morning trying to show Mike how much we love him.

We gave Mike a little free time, then when I told Lucy she could go see her dad, this was her reaction:

Lucy and Dad Mornings

2011-06-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

At least once a week Mike and I will get settled in to bed and he will jump back up and declare that Lucy should come sleep with us. I'm pretty good at resisting his temptations to give up a night of restful sleep for a cute cuddle, but every once in a while I wake up to this...

I love how much Mike loves this little girl. He still can't get enough of spending time with her and they are so cute together. It is pretty clear she adores him too.

Wacky Wednesday

2011-06-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

While it is true that you may not be able to tell a big difference between how we sometimes dress and today, it was indeed Wacky Wednesday at school. Lucy's teacher wore a princess dress and a hardhat with holiday jewelry. I think Lucy totally rocks the mismatched look!

First Dentist Visit

2011-06-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

Lucy started getting teeth pretty early and, squirmy as she is, we wanted to be sure we were doing an okay job at brushing her teeth. Thus, the dentist. Lucy love the office and all the gadgets. She loved the dentist. But she did not love being forced to lie down. So, while somewhat traumatic, I would categorize it as an overall good experience.

Our Week

2011-06-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

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

Katie's Birthday

2011-06-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

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

Lucy's Lexicon

2011-06-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

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

whatisthis: What is this?

baw: ball

ow ew: I love you

I do it.

no: No!

dow: Put that down so I can do it myself

baaaabyyyyy: baby

mow: more

p: please

daddy: dad come play with me

mom: mom I need something

bubbles

play

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

out: lets go outside

bath

daw

shoe

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

by-by

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

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

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

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

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

Working Hard Part 2 x 5

2011-06-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

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

Working Hard

2011-05-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

Laundry Day

2011-05-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

16 Months

2011-05-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

One year ago, sporting the same look...

It was so much easier then...

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

All in 10 Seconds' Time

2011-05-11T17:22:00.000-07:00

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

Mom and Britt Visit

2011-05-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

She loves the slide.

Like Mother Like Great Granddaughter

2011-05-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

Mom and me

Grandma and Mom

Mom and Me

Great Grandma, Grandma, and Mom

Mike's Mom and Mike

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

Easter

2011-05-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

After a few practice sessions during the week, Lucy was a pro at finding eggs Easter morning:

Easter dinner at Katie's:

Run for Risa

2011-05-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

Letting Lucy stretch her legs before the race.

It was mom's first 5k.

Katie taking it very serious.

Mom and Britt were so awesome to take Lucy with them so we could run a little faster.

My relationship with running has been incredibly dynamic and defining for me over the years. During my school years I used to run my required mile praying to find a dropped straw which was the marker for a lap completed. I hated the mile. Then in high school I got in better shape but I always turn red when I work out hard and felt embarrassed to run hard and suffer the red spots on my face during the next class period. In college I met one of those people who you feel like you have known forever and we started running together, gabbing and pushing each other. We ran 5ks. We were slow but we had fun. When I met Mike I was trying to get back in to shape and we got married and ran together at the gym. We each got up to 9 mile runs and it was a great part of our relationship. Then enters Lucy and I am so out of shape. But we are starting to feel committed again and even setting some big goals for running. This 5k was a fun tiny step on our pending running journey.

Fashion Missteps

2011-04-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

My dear cute sister, after visiting for the weekend, finally got up the courage to ask why, when I have a closet full of cute kids clothing and darling hair clips, does Lucy always look a little mismatched and hooligany on my blog. Oh Megan! All I can say is just wait and you will understand. I, too, used to feel bad for moms with disheveled kids. . .

But I didn't realize that a courageous kid means crazy hair

And that husbands sometimes don't realize that pink and red don't really match

And fat baby feet means you wear Crocs every day if it means survival

And some children can find a dirt pile entertaining when nothing else will do

And teaching autonomy means mysterious dribbles down shirts

And adventure happen spontaneously with a kid, even if they are in their pjs already

And the cuter you do their hair at the start of the day, the more kinks from missing rubberbands at the end of the day

And strawberries really do taste better when devoured

And raindancing means wet pants

And finally, sometimes looking like daddy means sacrificing style.

These are the things you too will learn and, I'm afraid, love when you have one too...

Scout

2011-04-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Nate and Kelly let us borrow their adorable Scout and we pretend for a weekend that we are a dog family. We love having her around but Lucy and Scout sure know how to get in trouble together. Evidenced by the blur, they get pretty excited to be around each other and Lucy forgets that she is a child and not a dog, racing Scout in games of fetch, eating off the ground, and licking everything around her. But what fun to have a dog around.

Our Driveway or Where We "Take Sun"

2011-04-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

Dad and Megan Visit

2011-04-12T15:02:00.001-07:00

It looks a little like Lucy and I sitting, staring at each other, twiddling our tumbs compared to all the fun she had with first Grandpa and Grandma Wecker and then Grandpa Curtis and Aunt Megan visiting!

My dad introduced us to the joys of electronic toys. I had a previous philosophy that toys shouldn't need batteries...but I take it all back. The little fish swims around the tub and I think I love it more than Lucy!

I wish I had a picture, but on the first night my dad got here he was still jet-lagged from Malaysia and instead of watching t.v. in the middle of the night he took his blanket and curled up on the floor of Lucy's room to watch her sleep. When I went to check on her in the morning I found them both sound asleep. So much for buying a house with a guest room!

Can you see the bear in the top of the tree? Don't worry if you can't, Lucy didn't catch on either.

Thanks to Megan prolific doting, Lucy has now forgotten how to walk and wants to be held all the time.

Lucy makes the bear noise. We love her animal sounds.

30 before 30

2011-04-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

It is almost my half birthday on the road to turning 30. I thought about doing a bucket list but I actually feel quite satiated with the experiences I have already had. That said, I did come up with a few things it would be fun to work on before turning 30. One of those is taking 30 pictures with me in them. I hate being in pictures but I want Lucy to be able to look back at pictures and see how much I enjoyed being her mom...

Grandpa and Grandma Wecker Visit

2011-04-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Every spring general conference we look forward to a visit from Paul and Janet. I loved it before Lucy was born but it is especially fun now, getting to watch her with her grandparents.

Don't they just look like they have so many secrets together?!

The weekend was full of good food, a little crafting, and some game playing.

P.S. I made Lucy's yellow dress. Here she is modeling it with her favorite new toy, a stick (I should probably take it away but she loves it so).

Date Night

2011-03-30T21:52:00.000-07:00

I don't want to brag but we have a pretty good babysitting set up. Frequently Katie will make us go on dates just so she can babysit. On Friday Katie and Lucy got to hang out while Mike and I went to Portland City Grill to celebrate another year of Mike's hard work at a job that treats us pretty well. (Note the cute dog, courtesy of our other braggable Lucy tenders. More Lucy and Scout pictures to come...)

"no"

2011-03-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

You would never believe that this cute girl's favorite word is "no" would you?!!

We Heart the Return of the Sun

2011-03-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we watched a friend play rugby and then explored the antique shops in Aurora. Nothing like an afternoon of destruction mixed with daintiness.

Signing

2011-03-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

We haven't done an amazing job at teaching Lucy a variety of signs but the ones she knows, she uses, and they really seem to help her feel empowered and cut down on frustration. That said, she still looks a bit desperate in these pictures as she signs *more*milk*please* (note she only uses one of her hands correctly for the sign).

milk

please

14 Months

2011-03-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

Where she was growing physically fast before, now she is grow mentally at a pace I really can't keep up with. Each night when Mike comes home, Lucy will usually do something new, and Mike looks at me and asks if I taught her that today, and I wish I could say yes, but in honesty I have no idea how she learns everything she does. It is so strange and thrilling to see that she really understands what we are saying and beyond exciting watching her learn to communicate as well. She loves feeling independent a making choices. This also breeds frustration when she can't communicate what she wants or doesn't get it but that is part of character development, right?!

Miss Sunday

2011-03-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

Lucy is the queen of Sundays. People just love a fluffy dress and when you add a little frankenstein running , disheveled hair, and plenty of loud yet happy trills you get a pretty solid group of admirers. I love it as much as Lucy; it reminds me to see the cute and not focus on the crazy that sometimes is. That said, while today did indeed include a cute dress it also included eating an entire piece of chalk during relief society and eating her way through the toole layer of her dress to get to her flower petals on the drive.

Side note: grandmas get ready for the best moment of your lives. Lucy now puts her arms around necks and squeezes for a hug. It is the best feeling ever. Ever.

Life

2011-03-12T14:13:00.000-08:00

It is funny how life works. Once you are able to reach into the second drawer from the floor you are then pushing yourself to reach the third. I am finding this little gal on her tiptoes a lot these days. Her curiosity seems insatiable at times.

One Year Check Up

2011-03-08T16:50:00.000-08:00

I just couldn't bear to leave that last post as the first thing one sees when they open the blog. Lucy had her one year check up (yes, two months late, blame the mom). Ironically it was one day before she got sick, could have used some help there, but alas. Yet in the end, I really didn't need a doctor to tell me how perfectly she is growing and becoming...

She can write her own name after all...

And totally pull off a daddy designed 70s get up...

And she has tackled the fine art of keeping a clip in her hair (our record is fifteen adorable minutes)

And she is a champion sportsman already, other hide-and-go-seekers don't stand a chance...

So dear doctor, while I love you for telling me she is indeed healthy and growing, I was already on to it!

2011-03-07T13:19:00.000-08:00

Lucy was sick. Then Mike was sick. Then Lucy was sicker. Then Jen was sick. And I couldn't find one picture without snot on a nose or on a shirt and thus no blogging. But before my mom jumps on the plane from Malaysia to make sure we are alive, here you are. We are alive. Kind of.

Go Cougars

2011-02-25T16:26:00.001-08:00

Lucy can't sit through many things. Not church, not even a cartoon. But a BYU game with her dad? She will be settled in for a good two hours tomorrow.