17 Months

Turning 17 Months...

Wow, we can't believe Lucy is almost a year and a half old.  It is flying by!  I posted all about our summer here, so you can click over there to see a recap, photos, and links to the summer photo album.

As far as our big girl, here's what's new around here:

  *Counting...sort of.  Lucy is repeating numbers after us and, although they aren't necessarily in numerical order yet.  So far though I did hear her count to 3! You just have to be able to translate Lucy-speak. 

  *New teeth:  Lucy has a new tooth in the back on the right side, that we didn't realize she had until we were tickling her one day and her mouth was wide open from laughing.  I think she's working on a molar now too.

  *No more pacifier!  Lucy used to take a pacifier at nap and bed times, and we stopped cold turkey near the end of July.  Although she gets a little cranky at naps sometimes without it at first, she's been doing great!  She compensates now by holding her blanket, owl, alligator, and bunny while we read a story and then she goes to bed with her zoo.

  *New words: "ew", "poop" (do we see a theme...), "B! and then clicks her tongue to call Bailey

  *New actions:  throwing trash in the trash can (I could get used to this!), dragging around Bailey's leash and trying to walk Bailey on the leash, sweeping, hiding things and using her arms to say "where did it go?".

Favorites lists:

*Favorite songs:  ABC's, any song I can think of in the car (she will say "more" and I end up singing the whole way home.  

*Favorite books:  "Horton Hears a Who" (we started a different bedtime routine with a book instead of just telling her a story.  She is so cuddly and attentive and we can read long books and not just board books during this time--quite refreshing!), "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom", "You are my Work of Art", "Make Van Gogh's Bed", "Head to Toe" and "A Beautiful Oops". 

*Favorite toys:  Lucy loves playing with her new kitchen, dishes, and food.  She also has been into anything that has a loop so she can put it on hers arm (sports bras, purses, leashes, bags, you name it, she'll walk around the house with it), stuffed animals, and books.  

Lucy got to spend a weekend with Daddy when Mommy went on a girls trip, and had lots of fun playing in forts, at the park, and reading with Daddy.  We got her free book and prizes for finishing her summer reading club at the library too.  She also tried painting at home with Mommy, but wasn't quite sure about having it all over her fingers.  This past weekend we went to something called "Tots in Action" at our rec center, and is an open gym for younger ages.  There was a balance beam, mats, ramps, trampolines, and more.  Lucy absolutely loved it, and I can't wait to take her back!  We've been having a lot of fun here the past month, and just soaking up the last bits of summer.  I start school this week, and will miss hanging out with her all week long!

Here's some 17 Month old photos for you:  https://picasaweb.google.com/101238607047988694288/2012073117Months?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPiF-P3GocCmmwE&feat=directlink

Enjoy!

Summer 2012

Lucy's Top Ten List of Summer 2012:

10.  Becoming a water baby!  From her first dip (and going under) in Florida, to trying out some local pools around town, Lucy has loved the water and the fountains.  She also loved running outside in the rain (that one time when it actually rained in July).  

9.  Vacations!  Lucy headed to Florida for the first time in June.  She loved the sand and the ocean, and could play all day there.  Mommy and Daddy loved being there too, and it made it even more fun to be with all her cousins and Morrell family!  We also headed to St. Louis in July where she got in some family and friends time, and learned how to say "hot" in sign language.  That's what humidity will do for you though.  

 

8.  Musician in progress.  Lucy and Mommy took a music class over the summer and it was lots of fun to have something new and different to go to weekly.  Lucy got to play drums, shakers, sticks, and learn some new songs and dances.  She was the observer of the class but did great and seemed to enjoy it.  Mostly she would learn the stuff there though, and then start doing all the moves at home! 

7.  Ice cream.  Lucy got to try out Ted Drewes for the first time in St. Louis, and ate every last bite, cone and all.  She of course frequented Sweet Action here in Denver, and even has a new Sweet Action sticker on her sippy cup so she can represent.  

6.  Children's Museum.  We went to the Children's Museum for the first time at the end of July.  Lucy loved all the things you could climb on/in/through.  She especially liked the art area, which was Mommy's favorite too.  She dressed up like a vet, climbing in/on pretend trees and bridges, painted and colored, danced with scarves, splashed in water, and ran after birds.  Overall, a pretty fun and successful trip!

5.  Parks, Puppets, and more.  Lucy loved exploring different parks this summer with Mommy during the week, and meeting up with her friends there sometimes too.  We went to a park that had an outdoor puppet show/concert for kids and a creek recently, and she loved both.  She loves running down paths and through fields and exploring her new surroundings.  

4.  Bonding with Bailey and Aunt Blair.  Since we're at home over the summer, Lucy has found a new best friend--Bailey.  From giving Bailey kisses and hugs, to laying and climbing on her, Lucy has a forever furry friend.  Bailey has been much better around her over the past months, and is finally accepting she's here to stay.  I think she is liking Lucy even more now because the new trend is for Lucy to pull out Baileys leash, which means we usually then have to take a walk. Lucy also has had the privilege of having her Aunt Blair live with us all summer long.  Bryan and I often get brushed to the side while Blair will get a running hug and kiss from Lucy.  It's so great to see Lucy with her and how much she loves her Aunt, especially since we don't get to see our family on a regular basis.  It will be a sad day when Blair goes back to St. Louis!

3.  The zoo, zoo, zoo!  Lucy absolutely loved when we took her to the zoo for the first time here in Denver.  We got to go out to breakfast and then head over there, where she shouted "dog" at the elephant multiple times.  She couldn't stop babbling on about the animals and pointing to all she could see.  We even got to go to the St. Louis zoo as well, and she loved seeing the chimpanzees, penguins, and big cats!

2.  Becoming the next Picasso, Monet, O'Keefe, (insert your favorite artist here).  Much to Mommy's delight, Lucy LOVES art.  She colors at least once a day, and has a super grasp on that crayon that some of  my Kindergarteners don't even have down yet.  (Ok, I'm a little proud, sorry!).  She loved painting with the easels at the Children's Museum too.  I tried making some finger paints at home for her, but she didn't necessarily love having it all over her hands.  She much prefers the brush right now.  Bryan thinks her favorite color is purple, since that is the go to crayon at the moment.  I'm cool with that, it could be worse like pink or something ;).  Whatever color she chooses, it makes me so happy to see her so into her art.

 

1.  Gearing up for the Olympics.  Lucy has shown this past summer that she loves being on the move and being active.  She loved being at the open gym with all the different equipment, and loves all the rock climbing walls at the parks.  She even has various speeds now with her walking skills, and often takes off into a run while laughing.

 

 

Wow, what a great summer we had!  I feel blessed to have that time to spend at home with Lucy, and to be able to do all these activities she loves with her.  It is so fun to try new things with her, and Bryan and I hope to keep doing more on the weekends with her now that school will be starting up soon! Be sure to check out even more summer fun pictures in the summer 2012 album too:  https://picasaweb.google.com/101238607047988694288/201208SummerFun?authkey=Gv1sRgCKzRnvKak6zZCA

Hope your summer was great also!