Duck...Duck...Duck!

We came back from Stafford on Tuesday and enjoyed our last few days of spring break.  Lucy pretended she never took any steps until today.  She has shown no interest in walking to her mom or dad, but today she steadied herself enough to get to one of the Elders today. They came over for dinner and she let go of me and took a few steps right to one of them. It's weird, because she gets attached to strangers.  We went to an institute class on Friday and she wanted anybody but me to hold her.  She was going up to any sister in sight and reaching out her arms for them to hold her. 

We went to Farmville on Wednesday.   Bryan had to meet somebody he's working with for his Immigration Clinic, so we tagged along.  We went on a walking tour and then out to dinner.  It was a fun family outing. 

Lucy's mirror so we can see over her huge car seat.  She did great on the ride to Farmville, but the ride home...we don't want to talk about it. 

 Bryan's meeting was at the library so Lucy and I hung out in the children's section which was fun. A girl that looked about 6 brought Lucy a bunch of toys to play with.  As she was bringing over the toys she was talking to herself.  Imagine this in a very southern accent, "Babies.  Sometimes them are nice and sometimes them needs their beauty sleep". 

 This was at a furniture store we went into.  I don't really know what else to say about it.  

Lucy goosey.  I was ironing and she was being really good in her highchair, but apparently she was tired. She was snacking and then she just laid her head down. 

We went to the duck pond yesterday with the intention to feed the ducks.  As it turned out, we fed the duck. 

 Somebody from church gave us their play kitchen. Happy early birthday Lucy. 

 My quilt is finished! Thanks to my mom for the top and my mother-in-law for the quilting.  I finished putting to binding on all by myself (with a little help from youtube videos). 

Lucy's Big Day!

What a week.  It was so much fun, I'm even a day late making this post.  For starters, we got snow! A lot of snow. UVa cancelled classes for the first time in 12 years.  Lucy and I were very happy to have daddy home all day.  We had a lot of fun playing in the snow. 

It's also spring break starting today so we came to Stafford last Friday.  We got to go to the temple on Saturday for a session and a friend's sealing.  Grandma Jones stayed with Lucy which was great.  She's figured out that Grandma is fun to play with and she gives her cookies too. 

Last, but not least, we have big news from the Lucy Goosey.  She took her first steps today!  We were at  Grandma's house tonight and she let go of the table and walked a few steps to her Grandma.  It was so cute.  I didn't anticipate how proud of that baby I would feel after she walked.  She's so cute. 

Snow!

Tasting snow

 She and daddy were making snowballs.  Dad also made the snow man.  I think he's so cute (both the snowman and the dad)

Lucy and dad went sledding on a garbage bag

This is what Lucy does in the grocery cart . She likes to face the direction she's going.  

Penny was in town and I wanted to see her and Melanie today. Bryan had the car today so DeAnn let me take her van to Melanie's house. DeAnn expressed some concern that I would crash the van, but she didn't have anything to worry about.  I'm a responsible driver. 

Out and About

We had a normal low key week, which I was very happy about.  We started Monday off rough because Lucy didn't sleep well on Sunday night.  She can't seem to shake this cough.  On Monday we walked to meet dad for lunch after Lucy was having a rough time napping. I knew we needed to get out of the house because I wouldn't cry in a public place. She's been getting better ever since. We still have some coughing at night, but overall we're doing much better. 

Bryan gets credit for the most exciting thing that happened this week. It was the other morning and Bryan was hanging out with Lucy while I was minding my own business in the bedroom. While in the room I heard the unmistakable sound of glass shattering. I ran out to see Bryan holding Lucy in the hallway just outside our room. They both looked shocked and they were surrounded by a sea of glass.  I asked, "What was that?!" and he said calmly, "Her head".  It took one look up to see that the light fixture was missing off the light on the ceiling.  Oh boy.  I'm glad nobody was hurt. 

Here we are with dad at lunch.  She enjoyed the walk and it was good to get out. 

Lucy found an old pacifier. She didn't know what to do with it. 

 Lucy was helping me take the clothes off the line, but she wasn't having a very good time.  That is until I pulled her blanket off and gave it to her. 

 Her latest game.  She loves getting into the tub.  It's especially difficult when you're trying to shower and she pulls the curtain back and dumps stuff in. 

Lucy! Don't eat the soap!

Nothing exciting here. Seriously.  I just like watching her play when she's in her own world.

Poor Baby

We're all a week older. Lucy has been sick again. We haven't been that resilient towards the common cold this winter.  She has woken up every night since last week.  She has a really runny nose and it turns into a bad cough at night. Poor baby. 

I was hanging four loads of laundry on the line this week while Lucy was in the stroller. There have been workers fixing the water lines right outside our building and when I was out there they turned on a really loud piece of equipment.  Lucy had a meltdown. Lucky for me an Asian grandpa happened to be hanging clothes at the same time.  Speaking no English,  he sign languaged that he would hang my clothes.  Which he did.  It was so nice. It was only a little awkward when I stopped him with a handful of garments.  I don't think he'll ever understand why I took a whole bag of wet clothes inside.  Anyway, I hope he could understand "thank you" because it was really nice of him. 

(In case anybody is wondering, I have dried 72 loads of clothes on the clothes line which has saved us $108)

We got Lucy a new car seat.  It's so big. 

Lucy and Lillian sharing a double cart at Target.  This thing is easily 8 ft long. 

Lucy and I took daddy to school and got to see his "office". This is the office he shares with the others in his Immigration Law Clinic. 

 Cleaning the church yesterday. Bryan vacuumed half the building with Lucy on his back.  

I went to church alone today.  We want poor Lucy to get better once and for all.  I came home and saw this cute face as I walked up. This baby melts my heart.

Lucy's new dance move

V Day

 Awww Valentines Day.  We had a whole week to celebrate. We had a free dinner with our meat hanging neighbors (compliments of our Family Housing Association).  Bryan got Lucy and I flowers on V day which was very much appreciated.  Poor Bryan got sick that night, but he was a champ about the whole thing (let me just tell you that when men throw up, they throw up!). We also went to married institute where we won a blanket and oreos in a scripture study raffle.  Bryan didn't think we needed the blanket, but I love free stuff so I was pretty excited. We rounded off the celebrations yesterday by going on a tour of some new apartments, just to get free $10 gift cards to Five Guys and Sweet Frog.

We had a crazy day at church today.  Bryan was busy for most of the 2nd and 3rd hours and I was having a hard time keeping Lucy happy while I played the piano in primary.  Lucy got rotated through no less than 5 people helping out.  I saw the "ward family" in action and I appreciated their help.

Lucy got so excited when I gave her box of chocolates to her.

She's been cracking herself up by opening her mouth right after she stuffs it with food. Not cool Lucy. 

 I made a bib for a friends baby shower next week.  It was fun to have a project that I could start and finish in one day.  

 I couldn't resist taking a picture of my blanket baby. 

I spend most of my day looking at this face. 

 I spend even more of my day looking at this.  These fingers are proving to be meddlesome. 

This is what happens when Lucy goes to bed with wet hair. 

Lucy has perfected the dramatic cry.  So sad Lucy.

Oh Lucy.

All Better

Lucy started off the week rough.  She woke up a couple of times Monday night and I knew she needed some tough love, so I let her cry it out.  I got her Tuesday morning and it took me one look at all the boogers to know she had a cold.  In order for me to finally have sympathy for the baby I got the cold too.  I was miserable.  I was up all night and would have cried and woken everybody up too if I weren't too embarrassed.  Sorry for letting you cry Lucy, you were miserable and I know that now.  Bryan gets 100 million dad/husband points for taking care of Lucy and the house in the morning so I could sleep (he also gets bonus points for listening to me whine about being sick for 3 days). 

Lucy got a valentines package from Grandma and Grandpa Jones.  She loved opening the box .She's such a good girl and didn't even think twice about sharing the contents with her parents. 

We went to the mall play place again.  This time she figured out how to get inside the tunnel.  She sat in there a long time and blocked the other kids, but whatever.  

I went to a baby shower on Saturday and dad got to babysit. He sent me this picture and said that Lucy was asking for donuts. Nice try dad. 

She got to go to the playground with dad too.  I'm not sure if she ever made it out of the stroller, but it looks like she was happy just to hold a ball. 

I love drying my clothes on the line.  The sun, the fresh air, and the smell of hanging meat?? So gross!! The sausage was bad enough, but now there's strips of animal flesh hanging two feet away from our clothes! This  has to end. 

Here's a minute in the life of Lucy and Lillian.  

Sausage?

My birthday wasn't this week, so this week wasn't quite as spectacular as last week.  Nonetheless, I got a picture of the sausage in case people didn't believe me.  I bet nobody else has homemade sausage hanging from the clothesline right outside their window. 

Melanie came down with her kids + a bonus cousin (Jacob) this week.  It was so nice to have a busy day and hang out with them.  We went to James Monroe's house Ashlawn.  The kids did great, especially the two 4 year olds. 

Mel was so sweet and treated everybody to Sweet Frog's for my birthday treat. 

Lucy and a glimpse of cousin Cora.  I wanted to show off her awesome bib that mom made. I love these bibs. 

I'm documenting for posterity the lengths we will go to save $1.50.  It was going to snow yesterday so we hung a load of laundry on bed and turned the fan on to avoid paying for the dryer. Worked like a charm. 

I put waffles and syrup on a plate thinking I was clever and wouldn't have to wash the highchair tray. It was a good idea in theory until Lucy picked up the plate and smeared the syrup all over her face. 

Poor Lucy has been falling asleep like this all week.  

One of the best things about babies are they laugh at you and make you feel really funny.  The video skips for some reason and the sound gets off, but the first part was cute enough for me to post anyway.