The Blandford Family: Meet Maddux and Lucy updates

Just got home from a great day in Iowa, finally meeting Maddux (Ericka's cutie-pie son) this weekend!!!! Of course Maddux was the best baby ever - and for one slight minute made me miss the teeny baby stage. And, while we chatted and shopped, Lucy and daddy had a "day out" at the Children's Museum and lots of playing. Sadly, it doesn't sound like she missed me much because I kept waiting for a call that she was crying for no reason - which I would happily assume meant she missed me - but I kept calling them and would just get a "got to go. We are busy!" So, I guess she didn't notice I was gone. But, at least they had fun.

A few pics of Maddux - a handsome 3 months old:

Hi world!

With mommy

Children's Museum (from daddy's phone):

And now onto the promised Lucy updates!

Lucy is now 14 months old and using one word to describe her - BUSY. Her personality is spunky and she reminds me a lot of her cousin Caitlin in that she is independent, opinionated, social and behind that sweet smile is a little sassy attitude. But, I had it all coming to me after my sweet, angelic teen years. She is into exploring - from trying to climb into and out of the bath tub when I am not looking, into boxes, lockers at the gym, hanging onto the shelves in the fridge so she can get to her milks (kefir), and figuring out how to remove her pants, and last night, diaper, herself.

We are always amazed at what she understands!! When we say "bath" she runs and starts getting her bath toys out, and if she sees a winter hat out, she knows to put it in the bin by the back door. She knows some of her colors - and can find the "green ball" when we ask. She is pointing a lot - at the cabinet when she wants a snack, at her toothbrush when she wants to brush her teeth, at the gate when she wants daddy :) And, we know she understands "no" but still thinks our reaction is funny and likes to test us by going right back for more. oh lord!

Outside of playing with her toys, of which her favorites are her stacking buckets, her ball/penguin shoot, her kangaroo shape sorter and recently her tea set, she loves to hide behind the curtains until I find her, having daddy chase her around the house, brushing her teeth, taking baths (until it is time to get out) and dancing when she hears music! Oh, and playing with my iPhone. She thinks it is her phone.

We don't have any new words - and strangely, Lucy has entered into a non-talking stage. But, recently she started clucking which daddy taught her, and yesterday we took her to Macy's and she tried to say "ball" everytime we saw an ornament on the trees. She also tries to say "K-K" when we say Caitlin. So hopefully we will get some words soon.

She is currently in two classes - Kindermusik, which I absolutely love, and a Creative Movement class at Bubbles. I love both classes for different reasons - Kindermusik is a smaller group, where she has a lot of teacher interaction, and Creative Movement is bigger with some older kids so she gets to observe a lot (and burn A LOT of energy). We are hoping to add in swimming over the winter once we get this one-nap-a-day routine down. But, I am enjoying the not-so-packed schedule we are on this fall - giving us more time to just play, be together, and most importantly, get naps when they are needed.

Lucy is our little peanut, and we love her to pieces!!! We love how she will run to us for a big hug at a random moment or will hug our legs when a stranger starts talking to her. We love how she will sit in the back of the car and start giggling and how excited she gets to run to daddy when he gets home from work.

A few random pictures....

Doing what she does best - emptying our cabinets