dog park

lucy LOVES dogs and boulder LOVES dogs...we realized that we can have a lot of free entertainment at our local dog parks. when we arrived at this park near our home there were at least 75 dogs of every shape and size running around. we just stood in the middle and let lucy squeal and kick and laugh at all the excitement. then we went over to the normal park where most little kids go for fun.

lunch date

we take every chance we get to have kaatje, brody and lucy all together! so fun!

a note for the grandparents

it's official...she is walking. we decided we could finally call her a walk-er on easter. today she made it all the way across her bedroom. and her two top teeth are in. tomorrow she will be 10 months...amazing!

trying to get an easter family photo

easter

day-to-day

she is almost all sugar and spice, but there is a little piss and vinegar in there too...and a whole lot of SPUNK!
she is just SO MUCH FUN!!!
some of her favorite everyday things: dogs, playing in the cupboards, cruising, her stuffed curious george (wearing pajamas), "talking," the toilet, her reflection, eating mom's food, shaking her head "no" as she does something she knows she shouldn't (touch the fireplace, pull plants and frames off the tables, tug on electric cords, etc.), knocking down stacks of blocks, pushing chairs around the house, big kids, clinging to mom, waving, baking in the bjorn, kissing, motoring up the stairs, cookies, being chased, being tickled, pulling clothes, books, papers (or anything organized) onto the floor...the list goes on!

lovey and annie!

my mom and sister were here for the week - they were a huge help while scott was away at a conference. and very fun for me and lucy-lu! you can see that lucy is cruising and taking some steps...so fun!

so happy together

who's who?

our friends ben and mary lins are here with their youngest, josie. she and lucy are so the same!!! it is so fun to see them play together - it feels like we have twins in the house. it has been so great to reconnect with these dear friends from seminary.






on another note, lucy had her first bloody accident. nothing major, she was toddling under the table and fell and hit her lip and chin on a chair. we did realize an hour later that she bit all the way through her tongue (!!!) but was fine after about 2 minutes of crying. we've decided that she's a toughie.

swollen heart

today was one of the sweetest days i can remember. the only way i could describe it to scott when he got home from his conference was that i felt like my heart was swollen - it was so full. nothing extraordinary - just simple things. we had all the windows open and a gentle, sunny 73 degree breeze blew through our home for the first time in many months. lucy took her first steps - three times throughout the day she took a series of four to five shuffles. last night she slept through the night for the first time. this afternoon while i was reading to her and i said the word "butterfly," she leaned her head back in my lap and waved and the butterflies that hang above her chair - three different times. we walked to the park in our sun hats and sandals (no socks!) and joined about forty kids on the playground - and knew another family with whom we were able to play on the swings. lucy fell sweetly to sleep while she was nursing before both naps and again at bedtime - and i was just full to the brim with deep joy and gratitude for the sweetness of the day. God is so generous to let us taste his goodness in the simple things of life. i am profoundly thankful.