Quick Update

Just got back from DC and am posting some pictures as well as the link to Lucy's Wish List. It looks like her birthday party will be on Saturday November 19th. Will keep you posted.

PS - If you order something for Lucy from the list, please let Major or I know that something is coming as we recently had a package stolen from our front porch (the thieves opened the box, removed the item, took the item, and left the box (with packing slip still included)).

All Attitude

I had to share the picture I took this morning, which is now used as the header. Lucy was mad at me because we were running late, so I didn't let her strap herself into the car seat. We usually sing on the way to preschool. I was singing, she had her fingers stuck in her ears and was either glaring at me or very purposefully out the window. What's really amazing, Major and I watched her figure out that if she put her fingers in her ears she couldn't hear anything just a few days ago. She was playing then, with Maj in the kitchen. He was talking and she would put her fingers in her ears, giggle when she couldn't hear him, pull them out and then do the same thing over and over again. I think it is awesome she figured out how to do this on her own and then used the skill to express her displeasure. I am a little worried that my 21 month old is going on 16.

Oh My Gosh Where Does the Time Go

I thought I would have more time when I finished my dissertation. I was wrong. Anyway, I've posted a ton of pictures. I'll try to write more soon.

Lots Going On

Sorry it has been so long since I last checked in. There has been a lot going on. Lucy started preschool in January. She really likes it. There are a lot of other children her age and a lot of activities. Now that the weather is warming up, they go outside a lot. She really loves being outside in the sunshine. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of germs. She was sick through most of January and February. Last week she had an allergic reaction to augmenton, the antibiotic she was on, and developed a terrible moving rash (big red bands that were hot and itchy). Her hands and feet swelled up really bad as well. They actually felt like plastic. We had to take her to the emergency room on Sunday night after taking her to the doctor Friday and Saturday. She is okay now (although a little stuffy again), but it was really scary for awhile.

I finished my dissertation and defended it successfully on February 21st. I've been wrapping up some copy edits and hope to submit it to the University by April 1. Generally, people at the university consider you finished when you defend, so everyone keeps calling me doctor. It is kind of weird but nice. Major is thinking about going back to school because he doesn't like being Dr. and Mr. Chapman.

Lucy has developed a lot. She is starting to talk slowly. Her latest new word is uh-oh. Sometimes I thinks she drops stuff on purpose so she can say it. She also says blue, boo, and hi. She is beautiful. I'll try to post some pictures soon. I am currently sans laptop, but Major promises to have something up and running soon.

Christmas is coming

Wow how the time flies by. Lucy is growing by leaps and bounds (including her brain...she is just getting to be such a smart little cookie). Besides Mama and Dada, she says Tee (Kitty) and yeah. She said no once when I put her down, but has yet to say it again. She has also said bye-bye a couple of times, but nothing consistant. She totally understands what we're saying though and will follow directions occassionaly (when she feels like it). She has much more fun laughing a people who tell her to do something though.

So many people have brought her early Christmas presents that she is beginning to think she should get a present each and every day. However, Daddy is a little bit irritated by this and I think some serious Chistmas policy changes might be in the works. I'll keep people posted.

Lucy is walking. It is has been kind of a slow process and she still plops down to crawl when she wants to go fast or if she has to go a long way. She walked from the center of the playroom to the door this morning though, all by herslef. It is wonderful, but I have to admit I am a little sad (she doesn't need me anymore :>( ). Her Daddy is thrilled.

I have a lot of work to do today, so I'll have to sign off now. The dissertation defense is coming up. I'll let people know when it is over.

Not much time, but here are some photos

I don't have a lot of time today. I need to get the revisions of my dissertation to my advisor. We want to get it to committee so they can read it and I can defend in January. I'll write about Lucy's birthday and our trip to Denver as soon as I'm done. In the mean time, here are some pictures (and video clips) of our adventures.

PS -Halloween is included.

Eleven Months

Lucy is 11 months old now and quite a character. She is not walking yet, but is climbing everything she can get her hands (and feet) on. She also talks. She talks a lot and uses her hands (like her Mama), but we have no idea what she is saying. Sometimes she'll stand and talk for a good five to ten minutes, gesturing and making appropriate tones for a conversation, but she might as well be speaking Chinese for what her father and I understand of it. It is really cute though and I hope to someday catch it on camera.

We went to the zoo yesterday. She enjoyed the animals, but was kind of afraid of the tigers (as much as she likes kittys). She really liked the monkys though (of course they have a lot of monkys at the Kansas City zoo). Her daddy bought her a bright yellow lion with an orange mane and big purple eyes. She really likes that too. Her daddy might spoil her a little bit.

Speaking of Major, he scratched his eye again. Someone needs to talk to him about not doing this anymore because someday he might do some real damage (and it looks pretty painful). The doctor gave him some antiobiotics and said his eye would feel better tomorrow. The doctor also said there shouldn't be any permanant damage, but that he needs to knock it off.

She has lots of teeth (5). Three on bottom and two on top. I think she is working on another one on the bottom too. She prefers big people food and discovered tonight that she likes apple pie and ice cream (cause who doesn't). I felt bad for Major (because of his eye), so I baked him a pie (we have so many apples right now). I also got him some French vanilla (his favorite and possibly Lucy's too, but it is hard to say because of course she hasn't had chocolate yet...that will be interesting...will she be more like her father and prefer vanilla or more like her mother and identify chocolate as the only valid food group).

Lucy loves kittys. We found her a book that is nothing but pictures of cats. It is the first book she reads on her own. She looks at it almost everyday. She sits on the floor and opens it and talks to the kitties and (it has different textures, so some kittys have furry tails, etc.) and pulls their hair. Her father is getting her kittys for her birthday. Her mother is making sure they (the kitties) are over six months and have a reasonable chance of escaping. Her daycare provider has two cats, so she has been around them since she was just a few weeks old. We also never really leave Lucy alone, so it should be okay.

Well I think that is all I have to report right now. We still need to do the invitations for Lucy's birthday, so if you haven't gotten one don't feel bad. We haven't even started them yet. Oh well. Just remember it is the 14th of November.

PS - No she hasn't slept through the night yet, but her father no longer allows me to get up and feed her before two a.m. If she wakes up before two, he goes in and holds her until she goes back to sleep (because otherwise I would go crazy). She did pretty good last night and only woke up at midnight and 4:30 a.m. Of course the night before she woke up and cried every ten minutes for two hours starting at 12:30 a.m. (even while her father was holding her she woke up and cried every ten minutes...Major thinks I should sleep when he is with her. It is very sweet, but I can't sleep when my baby is crying...Mommies don't sleep while their babies are crying. It is a physical immpossibility).

Haven't heard from my advisor on my dissertation yet, but he's got it.