Sleeping Beauty in Good Hands

My Grandpa Doug used to give all of his daughters a new porcelain doll every Christmas or birthday or both. They all collected quite a few of them. I remember them on display whenever we visited and my mom had a few gorgeous dolls we were never allowed to touch. Well, 20 years later and my Aunt Kathi took one out of the box and said "This doll needs to be played with!" Lucy loves it and has already done her hair multiple ways and puts her to sleep every night, which is easy because she's always asleep. Here's when I caught her taking good care of her dolly:

Hamily Home Feveling

This post really has nothing to do with the title. I just didn't want to forget what Lucy calls our special Family Home Evening monday nights. She's excited because she chose S'mores for the treat tomorrow and even though it's Daddy's night to choose treat, he said that sounds good too.
Here's Lucy and Kate playing at Bubba's wedding. Lately our dear Lucy has blossomed into a sweet girl. She really is a joy to have around. She hasn't minded a little extra elbow room now that Sam is back in school. She and Ben seem to understand each other's business pretty well and play together swimmingly. She started preschool and even though it took her some time to warm up, she likes it more and more. It's a Lutheran school, so she comes home with new stories about Jesus and fun, spirited songs like "this is the day the Lord has made" where they all cheer and rejoice at the end.

She was only willing to stay the first day of preschool because she found out the class pet turtles are named Lucy and Lucky. Only one turtle lives there now. I just asked Lucy where the other turtle went and she said "Lucy (the turtle) went to another home. She went where there's a big river." Sounds like how my parents always told me our pet dogs were moving to a big farm somewhere....

Here are a few Lucy'isms:
prayer: "Please bless Jesus that he will fall in love with us and our family will be happy."

joke: L:"Knock knock." Me: "Who's there?" L:"Apple Banana Split!"
Then she laughs and laughs and says, "Uh, I don't really get it yet." I don't either, I think.

Lucy Loves: dancing, coloring with markers, swimming, playing with Afton and Claire, making forts and putting Ben "to bed," playing piano, jumping on the trampoline, visiting with Karin (our neighbor who always has a stash of M&M's), having girl time, painting toenails, Skyping with Grandma, wearing skirts, boating, cleaning windows, making her bed, her dolls, and her blankies,

Lucy and Afton at the lake.

Lucy doesn't love: Shots, brothers when they tease, scary new things, church when her teachers aren't there, getting her hair done (she only stopped wearing her Tinkerbell headband she's had since March because it cracked in half -- that was the only thing she'd put in her hair), tubing behind the boat (I could see her mouthing "Slow down" the whole time she was on it), and people playing with her special dolls.

As Ben said one day, "Lucy, you were bwave!" Lucy has had to be brave as she's continued with JRA (Juvenile Rhuematoid Arthritis) treatments. She's kind of getting better at her weekly shots. We always remind her how Grandpa Frank passes out when he sees needles. She thinks Grandma Frank is the toughest guy in the world (next to Daddy, of course), so it's pretty funny and buys us a second of calm. But she's responding great to the medicine. The swelling is nearly gone in her joints and she just seems more active and happy. I love having Lucy back! I am so grateful to good doctors and amazing medicine that are allowing Lucy to get through this with almost no side effects. I think of what it would be like if we lived in a country without these treatments and realize how blessed we are! It has meant a lot of trips to the doctor: eye visits, physical therapy, rhuematology appointments...but it's worth the trips for a healthy happy Lucy Goosey.

4 Years Old and all grown up

Watch out world, here she comes. Preschool today, too cool tomorrow. OK, so that wasn't as riveting as I had hoped, but how do you introduce someone as amazing as this little girl?

Posing at the park. You either have it or you don't and there's no denying she's got it! Can she just stay 4 forever? I think that would be much safer for all of us.

Lucy's birthday was a blur of pink, tea pots, and body spray (especially blurry for her friend Claire who accidentally got a spray of it in the eyes at the beginning of the party). We indulged in all things that make us feminine. I think I enjoyed it as much or more than Lucy did. I love having a girl -- especially a girly girl!

A little about Lucy as she turns 4:

Lucy loves painting, coloring, and taking care of her babies (multiple Ariels and Tinkerbells). She wears dress-ups 75% of the time. Her love for Ariel is only barely overshadowed by her need for her blankies. She truly treats me and the boys kindly, serving and helping whenever she can. In crowds she's rather shy, but can really ham it up around family and close friends. She kepts saying "You betcha!" today just because I thought it was funny. I guess she's been reading that Sarah Palin autobiography...so ahead of the game, I tell ya. For having very little in her genetic makeup that might make her a good dancer, she's showing early signs of really being a good hula dancer.

She had a few friends over for a Tea party, hosted by Nellie. We had finger sandwiches, tea (kool-aid), grapes, and other fancy treats. She chose an Ariel cake. We made jewelry (beads on pipe cleaner) and wore hats.

Here's our spread (THANKS NELLIE!).

Best Cousins

Lucy speaks with the wisdom of a 4 year old already. She understands everything enough to say the most adorable thing about everything. For instance, today we found some squishy larvae thing on the porch. I picked it up (on a leaf-- we are girls, remember) and I said "It looks like it might turn in to something." Lucy -- "Yeah, like maybe it will turn in to a big magic hat!"

Not what I was thinking, but who knows? It's possible.

She came to tell on Sam once."He said "Not funny," with very unkindless words!" I guess she had turned the light off on him and he said "Not funny," in an angry voice. That was her way of explaining his tone of voice -- unkindless.

We're always trying to teach about Jesus, you know, allowing her to build her own testimony. But sometimes I wonder which synapses are actually firing as we teach. She often prays that Jesus will be safe. I was scrubbing the floor last week. She stepped on the scrub brush and started scrubbing by foot. I said "Wow, where'd you get that idea?" "Oh! Jesus give me this idea and I put it in my foot!" Seeds of thought are planted. I'm sure they'll take root sooner than later.

Imagination at work: We enjoyed the magical spring weather yesterday by going out in the jungle gym while Ben napped. We took a blanket and a bag of books. As I got settled, she took the wheel (there's a wheel built in to the playhouse) and said "Let me just take us to the reading place." We read and snuggled until Sam came home -- I completely lost track of time. It doesn't get much better than that, as my Dad would say.

You make me smile

Lucy dressing up with friend Claire. This picture is strangely similar to one taken last year of their brothers (Sam and Carter).

Just don't touch the Sephora stuff, K?

Ben wanted to dress up, too. He'd make a cute sister.

New haircut and feeling fine.

Lucy was cracking me up tonight! She napped today. She needed one and it always puts her in such a great mood for the rest of the evening. Other nights she's nodding off during family prayer or cranky and moody during the bedtime routine. Tonight, though, I couldn't stop laughing at her! She had on Sam's old shark PJ's (navy and white striped little shorts with a bright orange tip -- both pieces are very form fitting). She kept doing these funny walks and giving me huge grins to go along with her silly mood. Finally, I got her in bed, and I started singing "I have a family here on earth...." She starts relaxing. I get to the part where I sing "through all eternity." Lucy stops me. "You said Wall-e!" "No I didn't!" I didn't know what she was talking about. "Yeah -- Through Wall-e!" "OH," I say, " Through Wall-E!" This whole time I'm trying to teach my children about how our family is eternal and all she's hearing is "I want to share my life with them through Wall-e...." But at least she's listening!

This afternoon I felt a little earthquake. I went to see if she had felt it. "Did you feel that earthquake, Lucy?" "Where?" "There was an earthquake right now." "Where?" "It shook the house. It was right here." "Like this?" She lifts her arms up and shakes her hims in her signature hawaiian way. I can't help but laugh, but I think that's what she wanted. Where did she learn to shake those hips?

Yesterday we went to the dentist and Lucy did something so thoughtful. Anything she does that surprises me is usually a function of something she watched on TV, unfortunately. But this I didn't mind her copying from the tube. We were on our way to the car when she spotted a trash bag on the ground. She pointed at it and said "Let's take care uh duh oaf (of the earth)!" "That's a great idea, Lucy!" She picked it up and put it in a nearby trash can.

Another cute story -- Chris overheard Lucy "calling the dr." on her play cell phone the other day. She had her Ariel dolly in her arms and spoke in a very concerned tone as she told the dr. the problem. "Hello Dr.? You need uh come ovuh right away! Yeah, 'cause Ariel's really really sick. She took a nap and then she went poo poo and she's really sick. Uh-huh. Ok. Bye."

Lately I've been...

...decorating gingerbread houses. ...climbing giant letters at Disneyland.

...washing the car -- Mom actually let me wear my swimsuit in December! It doesn't get much better than this.

...singing some Ariel songs.

Lucy's Choice

Lucy picked what pictures we posted today. She also helped me write the picture descriptions. Now that it's just her and I for a portion of the day with Sam at school and Ben napping (something she's rarely had in her 3 years of life), it's nice for both of us to have some solid girl time.

This is Mommy and Daddy and Benny. We saw Mt. Rainier. I felt cold. Grandma is so fun to play with. She needs to come over and go to the park with us. I love to play on her back.

Baby Kate played on her belly. I like to play with her. I hold her. I make a funny face and she smiles at me.
I love Ariel. I play with her. And I love my blankets.

I'm closing my eyes on the swing with Grandma (very risky, I know, but she's a wild one!). I liked it and I not scared.

Goose

I had a moment when I found myself being like my mom kind of. It's a good thing. And it happens more and more. But my friend was over and we were watching the kids play when my friend turned to me and said "Why do you call her 'Goose?'" I said "Because she's Lucy" and then I realized that didn't really explain anything unless you were in my head. So I said "I mean, Lucy Goosey rhymes so we just shorten it and call her goose." My mom always calls me Shell because my middle name is Michelle and it's the shortened version of my nickname "Shelly Bell." Funny how those things get started and stick (sorry Bubba).

Goose decided to start talking about a month ago. She went through a growth spurt that took all of her energy and would go for days without hardly saying a work to us--just baby talk and whiny words. I was this close to going gluten free with the whole family (to see if that would effect her for the better) when she pulled out of it on her own. She started jabbering and hasn't really stopped. Today she saw me in the kitchen while she was playing with Dad and Sam. She said "Oh, Mom. There you are. Come here and see Dad now." She led me by the hand to the living room for the party. And recently she'll pop out the question "Mom, are you happy?" And I usually say yes, but once I said "No, because you're not going to sleep." She laid down and feigned sleep. She wants to please. I don't want her to feel like she has to, so I won't abuse that one, but it's sweet to hear my child's concern for her mother. I know none of this sounds spectacular, but for a girl who couldn't seem to put three words together, it's a relief and a bit of a shock whenever she puts more than a sentence together.

Her imagination has blossomed like her vocabulary. She has a tendency to get scared easier than the boys. She doesn't like to be outside alone in case a crow lands in the yard (all birds are crows, and I guess they're all dangerous to her!). The other day she almost went into the backyard alone, but as she opened the door she saw something and slammed it shut and gasped. "There's a monkey in the yard!" She adamantly declared she had seen and could see a monkey swinging in our tree. She tried to point it out to us and I think she even spooked Sam, who refused my suggestion to go monkey-hunting with her. A few hours later she peeked in the backyard and said "Oh, the monkey's all gone now," and stepped outside to play.

Another day we had suited up for a dip in the hot (cold) tub in the backyard. Lucy suddenly looked up and said "Alligator!" I was worried after her monkey sighting that we would have to back inside. But it turns out the cloud looked just like an alligator. She had seen it right off. Sam said, no, it's a jet shooting out in the air. But Lucy knew what it was. She stuck to her guns. She wasn't scared, though.

Likes: Painting and coloring, puzzles, tea parties, being a helper, blankies (forever and always her first love!), catching pill bugs, swinging high, swimming and even putting her face in the water, playing with Afton, taking care of babies.

Dislikes: Bananas--she gags if she can see Ben eating his morning banana so I have to block her view with a cereal box. But sometimes she'll get in the mood and eat one, most fruit and vegies, Ben messing up her beds she makes for dolls, being away from Mom in a new place.