Dance Recital 2012

For all of the eager grandparents, here's Ellie's tap & ballet dances from her recital this week. (If you click on the box in the lower right corner of the videos, they will go full-screen for easier viewing. Obviously Ellie is in the center of the frame.) We forgot to take actual pictures of her in her costumes - when I told Ellie that, she generously volunteered to get all dressed up in full makeup & recital hair tomorrow so we can take some pictures. :)

{My apologies for the shaky camera work - it was at the rehearsal (no taping during the actual performances), so I had a baby on my lap & two 4 year olds beside me.}

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Ellie has definitely inherited a love for reading - she is devouring chapter books already & just won this award at school for reading the most AR (Accelerated Reader) books in the whole 1st grade. She read 170 books for the program this year! She is on summer vacation now, and had already read at least 5 books since last Friday. The reading gene runs strong in this family!

Cute As a Button - Lucy's Birthday Party!

Miss Cute As a Button, ready for the party to start. I busted out the tiny amount of craftiness I possess & made her "1" button-covered tshirt & a button headband.

Of course, no birthday party at our house would be complete without a handmade {by the children} birthday banner! 

Some funny outtakes from our pre-party photo shoot. Sweet girl.

Hot stuff just learned how to get up onto the couch by herself.

Oh, you want me to be cute? I can do that.



Ready for my guests to arrive!



The guests have assembled - we grilled up some burgers & hot dogs for lunch!

Lucy chows down on hot dogs, peaches, & pasta salad. Gotta have energy to open those presents.

This picture makes me laugh - she looks so bewildered. Alex, Maguire, & Molly are...giving her birthday spankings? Not really sure.

Pretty sure all of the other kids were more excited about her presents than she was.

 

Cute {handmade!} bag for coloring stuff from Alissa & Levi!



She loved this fuzzy little duck from Crystal & Molly!




Lucy basks in the attention of her party guests as I oogle over the super-adorable shirt {again, handmade - I have such crafty friends!} from Carrie & Vera!



So when I say I have super-creative friends, I really mean it. Check out this ADORABLE button cake that my friend Kristina made for the party. {Another friend, Carrie, made the 'lucy' pennant for the cake top.}



I seriously didn't want to eat it - cutest. cake. ever.



My cupcakes paled in comparison to the cake. :)

Speaking of cake, Lucy was not a huge fan.

She liked taking the cupcake apart, but really didn't seem interested in eating any of it.

Despite ingesting less than a bite of cake, she managed to make quite a mess & had lots of fun giving herself crazy hair.

And....she's done. Partied out. Conked out for a 3.5 hour nap as soon as everyone left. Happy Birthday, indeed.

Singing 'Happy Birthday'

Lucy's less-than-enthusiastic cake experience.

Lucy is ONE!

 

Happy 1st Birthday to our Lucy Goose!

Height/Weight: She hasn't had her 1 year appointment yet, but I believe she weighs about 20 lbs & is about 28 inches tall. 

Words I say: Uh-oh, dada, mama, and today's new addition "nigh-nigh" - this one gets said when she lays her head down on someone's shoulder.

Walking: Yes! Although crawling is still much faster.

Favorite Toys: She loves toys that make music and she ADORES baby dolls.

Lucy loves her babies.

Favorite Foods: Fruit (especially pears & bananas)

She is such a ham - she loves to 'dance' to music. Can't get enough of her older siblings & the feeling is mutual.



Checking herself out in the camera's screen.

Yep, I'm kind of a big deal.

Winner By a Long Shot...

Hands down, Lucy wins the prize for being our earliest walker. Beating out Ellie (13 months) and Alex & Maguire (15 months), Lucy did her first official walking tonight (more than a couple steps, that is!) at 11-1/2 months. Way to go, Lucy Goose!



Sisters

First Official Word!

I think it's safe to say this counts as Lucy Goose's first official word. We get the occasional 'da-da' or

'ma-ma,' but this is the first one she reliably repeats back to us: