Playing around is hard work...

Now that Fall is officially here (I saw my first orange/red tree on the way to work this week), we're trying to maximize our outdoor time with Luce. This past weekend Mimi came over on Saturday and before moms snuck out for a grown up dinner (woo!) we all enjoyed some time at the playground. As you can see, Lucia is getting to know her way around the apparatuseseses. Lucia also enjoyed helping Mama Mer make some banana bread... who knew baking could be a contact sport??

What Was She Thinking?!?!

Let the record show that I think Mama Mer is one of the smartest people I know; however, sometimes she makes some questionable decisions. Case in point: during the beginning of last night's bed time routine, Mama Mer settled down on the couch with a stack of books to read with Lucia. I was working on the computer in the study, happily listening to them read together... and then they got to this book. I thought it was unusual, since it's not in our typical book rotation. Nevertheless, they seemed to be enjoying it... then as I was typing away on the keyboard, I realized I didn't hear Mama Mer reading anymore. I stopped typing only to hear the heavy, heavy sobs of Mama Mer coming from the couch. Being the sympathic wife that I am, of course I started laughing at her and ran over to finish the book while she tried to gain her composure... "It's *sob* just *sob* so *sob* sad!" I know better, so I read the ending VERY quickly, wiped away a tear of my own, and closed the book. Lucia thought all of this drama was most amusing and said, "I want to read it again!" I don't think so kiddo, this book is being put away for awhile.
Ok, gotta end on a high note: check out Lucia's happy food dance. I double dog dare you not to smile.

Sunday Muddy Sunday...

I don't think this picture adequately captures what a mess my daughter was on Sunday. And after the events of the Pats game, her moms were a mess too... but back to Luce. After Hurricane Hannah paid a visit on Saturday, Mama Fran got to play her season opener flag football game in a giant mud bowl on Sunday. Actually, it turned out to be a beautiful day with just pockets of puddles on the field... all of which Lucia enjoyed immensely. My #1 and #2 fans were there to cheer us on and #1 fan wisely put #2 fan (you still following?) in mud clothes. Promptly upon arriving at the field, my daughter was knee deep in a mud puddle gleefully splashing and stomping around. It was quite a sight and I wish we'd thought to take a picture... but I was too busy losing a football game. Phooey. Back and home Lucia and I enjoyed playing in the backyard where I was able to snap a few shots of my pantsless, mud covered kid. On the cuteness front, Lucia has been saying some very funny things lately:
- She loves pointing out airplanes when she sees them, but lately she thinks it could also be a helicopter. This form of logical thought isn't limited to just air vehicles. We passed a construction site the other day and she said, "It's an excavator! or maybe a digger..." Clearly the girl likes to leave her options open.
- On Saturday morning when Mama Mer retrieved her from her crib, Lucia hollered, "Mama Fraaaannnnn, where are youuuuuu???" Totally unprompted. I could no longer try and sleep in after that display of cuteness.
- We're trying very hard to teach Luce that all of her actions have consequences and if she doesn't want a) to get scratched by Sadie b) a time out c) fall off the couch, etc. she needs to listen to us. I think Luce is slowing starting to understand (I hope?) because she's also telling us the truth when she does something bad (which we try and encourage because yes bad actions are bad, but telling the truth is good... man, parenting is confusing). Anyway, she'll now say things like, "I grabbed Sadie. Sadie scratch arm." or my current favorite when I came home from running errands I asked Mer how things were going, Mer said Luce had to have a time out because she tried to hit her. So I turned to Luce and said something like, "Oh why would you hit Mama? We don't hit..." and she pouted and replied, "I bite her too."

Vacation Act III - Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

The final act of our vacation brought us back to Maine and the familiar fun of "camp" at the lake. This time it was the Martin/Triggs clan playing host and we were more than happy to take them up on their offer to visit. It goes without saying that Lucia enjoyed playing in the water all_day with an assortment of playmates. Swimming, dance parties, cake... Luce was in heaven (and her moms were pretty darn happy too). After we were sufficiently water logged we packed up the Thule rack one last time and headed over to Storyland - New England's answer to Disney for the toddler set. It was a very hot day and I think Luce was running out of vacation steam, but she managed to hold on through lunch and squeeze in some fun with her cousins to boot. As I've said before, 2 week vacations really are the way to go... and come to think of it, 3 day weekends aren't too bad either.

Vacation Act II - "To The Judge!"

So after we left Maine, we had a little hitch in our vacation plans. Lucia came down with a nasty chest cold and when we should have been in the car headed out to Stockbridge, we wound up at Children's Hospital getting a chest x-ray. Despite her hacking, Luce remained in good spirits and a few nebulizer treatments later she was ready to depart for western Mass the next day. Thanks to our friend Kelby's blood ties to this guy we found ourselves in the beautiful guest quarters of the ancestral Sedgwick home - it couldn't have been more perfect. We've always wanted to visit Tanglewoods and at last we were able to get there! Our visit was worth the wait, despite a grumpy usher who was not kid friendly at all (luckily Cathy gave him the what-for). For the record, our children were perfectly behaved (they even surprised us) and we all enjoyed the musical setting.
While I'm sure the kids would have been perfectly happy to stay and play inside, we had a bunch of cultcha to shove down their throats: visiting Mass MoCA, the Berkshire botanical gardens, donning faux facial hair, and last but certainly not least, visiting with our old pal Jen and her ridiculously cute son Hayden. All in all, a fabulous addition to our August vacation. Once we packed up the car, we headed back home for a quick pit stop and then... you guessed it, back up to Maine for Act III.
P.S. Mama Mer wanted to be sure I captured Lucia's cuteness du jour so we won't forget:
- One of her favorite phrases right now is, "No, I don't want to." Lucia, would you like some more beans? "No, I don't want to." Lucia, can you give Mama a hug? "No, I don't want to." Lucia, time for night night. "No, I don't want to."
- During mealtime, if Luce is really enjoying her food (e.g. mac and cheese) she does a "happy food dance" where she wiggles her body back and forth grinning from ear to ear. She must get it from me, I often do this when I'm having pizza and a beer.
- She let's us know when she's frightened. She'll get the saddest look on her face and say, "I be scared!" Most recently this happened whilst watching a tornado appear on Elmo's World. In her defense, the tornado muppet was rather unsettling.

A Vacation in Three Parts: Act I - The Maine Event

For those of you who have not yet done so... please take a 2 week vacation. Soon. In fact, go now. I don't think I have ever taken a 2 week vacation (save for summer school breaks and various unemployment stints) and it was glorious. We kicked things off by heading up to Maine of course. My folks played generous hosts to us for 6 days of R and R (that's ring around the roses) and tons of other activities. There were roller coaster rides, naked babies at the beach, nature walks, museum visits, more beaches, and fun at the playground. Whew. And this was only the beginning of our vacation! Lucia loved her extended stay at Casa Nonne and Papa and so did we. In fact, we liked it so much we came back after 7 days. More on that in Act III...

Random Acts of Cuteness...

Ok, so this whole potty training thing - - very amusing. We're taking the casual approach right now, so really she sits on her potty just to sit. Nothing exciting yet (god how my definition of exciting has changed). But she has taken a STRONG interest in underwear. Namely, ours. Here she is sporting a lovely pink pair she pulled from the dryer. I just know one of these days we're going to forget she's wearing them and head right out the door. Lucia has also discovered the joys of native corn on the cob and homemade playdoh. Both are very popular in our house right now. Other random acts of Lucia cuteness:
- she looked at a picture of me holding her (I have my back to the camera in the picture), she pointed to my hair and said, "Sadie!" Thanks kid.
- I picked her up after work the other day and she said, "Pretty shirt!" (it was your standard issue Fran work shirt, so I know she was lying).
- Mama Mer was holding her last night and Luce patted her head and said, "Pretty hair!" (it was your standard issue post-work Mer hair, so I know she was lying).
- Thanks to Uncle B, she has a new favorite toy. She carries it around and says, "I going on errands!"

Our much needed vacation is coming up soon, so if you don't hear from us in awhile it's because we're off "makin' memories" someplace.