I figured it was time for an update on all things Lucy.
Lucy is talking like crazy these days - I look forward to going into her room every morning because some of her funniest lines are right when she wakes up. She is very much into saying things like "how does that sound?" after suggesting we do something, or asking a question and following it up with "yes or no?" and "but I really, really, really want to" when I say no. She tells everyone she is having a sister, and when she sees a baby she says "where is my sister?" Yesterday she was playing with Joe and said "I am really too tired, I have a baby in my belly" which I wondered where she got that from.
Lucy LOVES LOVES school. She talks about her teachers all day and has started to be her teachers when playing with her animals/dolls. She will start by singing their hello song, make them wash their hands, and mimics her teachers. She brings home tons of art projects, is learning lots of new songs, and does so many fun things at school (they have musicians that come in, they stay for lunch and holiday-themed art projects on Thursdays, she is learning to follow a routine). One of the things I love about her school is that they have a family website with photos and updates on what they did from the week before. It is great to get to see photos of Lucy in action at school since we can't exactly ask her what they did.
Lucy is playing so well by herself these days. She is really into her baby dolls a lot, which I would have never expected. So, that is our xmas theme this year. She loves to feed theme, change their diapers, bring them everywhere, push them in stroller, and gives them time outs for hitting her. It is so much fun to watch and although they are only dolls, it makes me happy because I know she will be so excited to help with her baby sister.
and I am noticing so much progress in her fine motor skills, like coloring and drawing. Although we aren't exactly in the lines, Lucy will start with her crayon on the thing she is trying to color and the scribbles are usually smaller.
Some of her favorite toys are her magnetic dress up dolls - we play with them daily, her puzzles are still a hit, her kitchen and play food have recently become exciting and she has gotten back into her play dough. She always wants to play with her Mickey and Minnie "car mat" from Aunt Katie and constantly asks to read books!! Every morning she asks when she wakes up and if we have time, she would read all morning. She likes when I read to her in the car when I am at stop lights on the way to school and during breakfast and lunch. The books that are her favorite always amaze me - the $1 books from Target and some of the most random books. She loves to read to us by memorizing the pages and always notice if we "accidently" skip a page or two, which I guess means she is paying attention to us :)
Lucy still takes a power nap in the afternoon - usually 2 to 4, but today it was 1:30 to what is now 4:13. So, she loves to nap, but hates to go down for them and the process is so exhausting to me, that I have made a commitment to start baby 2 off with a quick nap routine. Lucy's can take over an hour and if we skip anything, she gets really thrown off (she needs books, needs to know the last book is coming, needs a cup of milk, to brush her teeth, to close doors herself, to sing twinkle twinkle, to get in bed herself and has to have her arms wrapped tightly like a swaddle, needs the fan and lights on lightly, her music on, special toys in bed, etc. etc.) We did drop the nap one day this week - a first intentional nap drop - and it went well! Hopefully by the time baby 2 comes, she will be okay with the occasional no-nap day on days I can't make it happen.
Earlier this week Lucy went to a Princess Party (which is why we dropper her nap) so I have a few photos which make me laugh. Lucy was the first girl there and saw these big pink cupcakes and asked about them non-stop. When the other kids got there, she was telling everyone "I want a cupcake" and I saw a 3-year-old trying to reason with her - "Lucy, I know you want a cupcake. We know. You need to wait until we can eat them." I was just laughing because Lucy doesn't give up that easy. She also saw a girl dressed as Cinderella and wanted to see her, and then liked it when Cinderella would put her crown on, so Lucy kept dropping it in front of her so Cinderella would put it back on. Finally, after cupcakes - too much sugar at 4:30 - some milk, a new Cinderella poster and lots of playing, Lucy barely made it home without falling asleep.
Let's party!!!
Cinderella - Lucy was star struck
A princess trying to reason with Lucy on the cupcake tray you see in the back table
Finally!!!! There was a huge fondant-type flower on top which was the only party Lucy wanted to eat so I finally had to tell her it fell on the floor and I had to throw it out because it was driving me crazy watching her eat that thing amongst all the other treats before dinner.
Lucy's recent art projects - she would only come to fridge with an apple in her mouth so I gave up on a smile photo. She has been working hard at school!
