Making Salsa

Lucy and I used our new food processor (momma's birthday gift) to make home made salsa. Roasted corn, mango and black beans. It was yummy tonight but I imagine after a night of stewing in its own juices it'll be even yummier over a bed of fresh spinach tomorrow! I love when a fun activity = good food.

Saturday and Sunday a photo story

Saturday we went to the zoo. The beginning of a beautiful weekend.
Lucy had her new overshoe boots on and was a seeker of puddles.

She'll find every puddle. I don't think we saw any animals.

This puddle went over the top of her boots, oops.

Played at the playground in the zoo. FUN FUN FUN

The boots made her slide very very slowly.

So she went back to puddle jumping.

This was a bad bad splash. I think the other parents (the one who wanted their kids to stay dry, hated the bad example we were setting).

Looking at a prairie dog.

We got home from the zoo, ran to Target to buy a movie about a sparkly boy named Edward, and then went back outside, in short sleeves, for the rest of the afternoon.

After a long "get the mud off" bath our newest neighbor Rulio from Haiti, fixed Lucy's bike tires and we were off for a bike ride.

Today we spent all day outside. Lucy got a new spring dress from Auntie Deb and Uncle Dennis.

We definately made use of the nice weather. We were outdoors almost all the time. This morning Lucy and I were out by 8:30 it felt like we were camping, me standing outside with a mug of coffee and Lucy digging around in the dirt looking for rocks. It was fun and more fun.

Friday ...

Blue barrettes for blue day at school

Leaving the house she got her boy doll, her doctor's kit and some Irish Cream(for mommy)

I am at home ALONE on a Friday evening. Auntie Jen has taken Lucy and Zep on a playdate in the suburbs. I have two - three hours alone in my house. I choose to blog for a little bit.

Lucy and I still have our ups and downs and she still gets me completely boggled over what to do about her behavior at times. I think though, the downs are getting shorter. I think. For example, we don't usually have a lot of issues in the mornings any more. Whew. Still an evening apart every now and then is refreshing and rewarding.

After two years of Lucy coveting Isaac and Nathan's crocs I finally figured out how to make it work for Lucy with her one little foot. I found some infant "crocs" at target and bought a pair. I tried one on her small foot and she was SO EXCITED. The next day we went in search of a bigger pair for her other foot but one store didn't have them and then a series of meltdowns took away our ability to search in another store. The next day my parents picked them up and I was able to bring them to school when I picked her up. The first thing Lucy asked me was "did you buy the crocs?". She was soooooo excited. She's been wearing them ever since. She wears them until bedtime and then first thing in the morning on they go. In fact this morning here was our very first conversation:
Lucy: "mama mama mama mama"
Me: going into her room "good morning Lucy" opening her window
Lucy: "oh good, now I can get my crocs"

it is indescribable how freakn' cute she is about these cheap off brand crocs. I have a feeling that in the next couple weeks grandma and grandpa will expand her croc color choices. I am so happy that she'll have a cool option for summer (she can't wear sandals or regular sneakers with the orthopedic insert as the shoe will just spin around her ankle). I am also happy she has something to wear on sandy/rocky beaches.

For my birthday ...

I had a little party with all my favorite people: Lucy, my mom and dad, Mel and Morgan, Sara, Deb and the boys and auntie Jen (who got to escape half way through, which should probably be considered HER birthday present). We had pizza from the best pizza place in the world (happens to be just up the street). The kids got to jump around like crazy outside. We had strawberry shortcake for dessert. For my birthday Lucy and Morgan got to split a set of Bitty Twins about which Lucy had a complete sad meltdown (Morgan can't take that baby home, I want that baby, Morgan can't have that baby etc). Whew! Of course I did what any super stellar "no spoiling in this house" mother would do ... I bought her the missing twin doll, I had to do it (seriously mom and dad). Lucy is not a child who asks for or begs for anything (besides gummy bears). Normally at gift opening time she could really care less about the "things" in life, so when she got all emotional about a doll I had to follow through in hopes (oh the hopes) that she'll actually play with this doll. She might have to play with him in a tent in my parents back yard with me throwing away money like that. In my defense I stuck to my ground last night sending Morgan out the door with his doll while lucy sobbed and sobbed.

Why her clothes are so dirty at the end of the day.

Zep (the part husky) is glad that the snow has melted. You know Huskys and their hatred of snow and cold. We tend to have quirky animals in this house.

Lucy's new favorite spot, near the mud, she's handfull by handfull moving the sand from the sand box over to the "new sandbox" next to the house, in the mud hole.

The movie is Zep trying to get Lucy to play with him, and/or succesfully herding her into her little mudhole area (I think his Australian Blue Heeler is the more dominant of his breed personalities.

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more zoo

 

 

 

Great Grandmas and the zoo

 

 

 

 

Friday!

This morning started off exactly the opposite of the other morning, you know the good one. Happily it ended sweetly. We had a good and quiet Friday night just momma, Lucy and Zep the pup. Lucy was so tired from her incredibly early rising that she fell peacefully asleep on the sofa while I let the dog out. It's 7:35 and I have already picked up the toys and vacummed! OH and I feel compelled to mention that it seems like maybe spring might stick in Minnesota this time ... fingers crossed while knocking on wood.

Tonight

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This morning ...

Thankfully Lucy's warm sweet personality helped warm up the extension of winter. For crying out loud winter GO AWAY. Lucy on the other hand showed me a glimpse of a personality I really want to coax out. Lucy woke up and wanted to snuggle :-). After a little snuggle she ate her breakfast with no intervention on my part :-). After breakfast she went potty with just a little pushing on my part :-). After potty time she changed into her clothes with no monkey business :-). Lucy asked if she could bring a toy for show and tell, she tried briefly to push for two toys but accepted the one toy rule with no big fusses. Lucy got her shoes, jacket, hat and mittens on when I asked her to, she helped (actually helped, not the hinder kind of help) get the puppy in his kennel and then walked straight to the car with no pit stops to examine every little puddle along the way, she then climbed RIGHT INTO HER CARSEAT. Holy cow, I could have given her a million gummy bears. I will definately bring her a huge reward when I pick her up from school this afternoon it was THAT great of a morning.

A Hair First ... and a playing rarity

Tonight Lucy asked me to do her hair! She wanted her hair down. She cut paper and colored while I sprayed, combed and conditioned. She didn't complain once (I was careful but slow). She was really happy with the outcome and spent a lot of time looking at her self in the mirror. So sweet. Lucy also took the time to play with her babies tonight (Lucy is not normally a fan of toys of any sort).

Sick again or something

Ack, what an interesting ironic day. It started bright and early at 2am when Lucy woke up after wetting her bed. After a cranky middle of the night sheet/bedding/pj change I gave her a kiss and wished her a good night and climbed back into bed. Just as I was dozing off I hear "mama, mama, mama ...", I yell "shhh Lucy go go bed", I hear "wahhhhhhhh". I get up, go in there tell her all is safe and kiss her good night again. I climb back in bed and start dozing off just to hear again "mama, mama mama". I go to her room and more sternly tell her to go to bed and remind her that she is waking me up and that it is the middle of the night. Well this goes on for TWO HOURS. Ugggh. I was so frustrated and tired. This morning I woke her up and rushed her through breakfast dropping her off at school.

About an hour later I am talking to my friend who tells me that her son (who we babysat the night before) had been up in the night throwing up but that he seemed fine this morning. My friend was on her way to a meeting at Lucy's school. My call-waiting beeped in while we were talking but I ignored it ... turns out it was preschool calling to tell me Lucy had thrown up at school. Great. I went and got her and she threw up about 8 times in two hours and has been fine since noon. Have no idea if it was a bug or something she ate but she at dinner fairly well and is off in bed now. So knock wood we have a peaceful and healthy night.

Not much ...

Not a lot happening here. We are hanging between winter and spring and definately not "living in the moment". We want spring, like for real, not just a teaser day or two, we are ready to play outside.

Lucy is hanging between health and illness. For a few days she really really slept, like over 12 hours a night and wow it made such a difference in her ability to cope throughout the day (didn't hurt my ability to cope either). I hope that she catches up more tonight.

Zep the dog is still chill and nearly perfect for a puppy. He starts puppy school the end of this month.

Thoughts and Prayers

To Cody's family who said their final good bye this morning. Uggghhh talk about putting things in perspective ...

A connection ...

Lucy slept until 8:40 this morning!!! (I believe this might be the third time in her life she's slept past 8, and the first time in weeks she's slept past 7)

We were eating cereal this morning and Lucy was contemplating her breakfast. She starting muttering milk, milk, milk ... Then all of a sudden she gets a huge smile and says "mama, did Diane give this to me????"

I said no and tried to explain about cows milk, but then I got sorta skeeved out and started debating the merits of rice milk. Lucy also seemed a little disturbed about drinking milk from a cow's boobie.

Monday

We went back to the doctor tonight. Thanks to Melanie who held down the fort at our house WITH Isaac, Nathan and Jacob (basically doing my job for me). The nurses wanted Lucy to be seen tonight as opposed to tomorrow due to some concerns.

So (because I often use this blog to go back and "remember" when Lucy got sick, was on antibiotics etc) tonight we changed antibiotics since the amox. wasn't doing a think for the bugs in her nose and her tonsils were still very enlarged. Lucy was also put on claritin as they found allergy cells in her nasal swab. I thought we'd make a quick run to the pediatrician and have him tell us "it's a virus" or "that's how it'll be until they come out" but instead it was blood tests, strep test, nasal swab .... poor Mel, I asked her if she could watch the boys for a quick hour.

Lucy will start on the new antibiotic tomorrow. I gave her a hit of claritin in her sleep (she wakes up a lot on her own accord, but she'll usually sleep through changing beds, and giving medicine). I just hope this helps her for the next month and a half until her surgery. She's just so tired and volitile at time (oh lord I hope the volitility is due to the tiredness).

The photos are from sledding at Mel's brothers house on Sunday.