She's 3!

Yesterday was a very special day.  A certain little lady had a birthday...and she enjoyed the heck out of it! 
Us girls stayed home from work and school and Lucy got to call the shots all day and have one adventure after another.  When she woke up yesterday, I went up and said, "Happy Birthday!" and she gave me a big smile and a sweet, "Thanks!"  She'd been waiting and waiting for this day and it couldn't get started fast enough.

We'd hung a birthday banner for her the night before, after she'd gone to bed, and she was pretty excited about it...

Daddy had made her new favorite - sausage - before he left so she enjoyed a birthday girl breakfast.  She sat in dad's chair and I sat on the couch while she ate it and at one point, she looked at me and said, "While you're out there, can you get me some more sausage?"  Um...I'm not out there...but anything for you, your majesty!

And the night before, she and I baked her birthday cake...so that morning we needed to decorate it!

Before getting dressed, it was time to see how she measures up on her growth chart she got as a baby from Uncle Jason...she's getting so big!  She said when she's as big as me, we can share my socks...not sure why that's something for her to look forward to her, but sure - she can wear my socks!  I thought I'd do a little side-by-side of yesterday and last year...

She had her choice between this shirt and another one and she wanted "the one with the three on it...because now I am three!"  And look how grown-up she looks at 3, compared to last year!

Once we were fed and dressed and ready, it was time for our first adventure!  We went to Kidzoo which is an indoor playground in Hebron.  This girl loves to jump!  They had a small trampoline ideal for one jumper at a time and she was in heaven (though we did spend some time with others on the giant trampoline, too).

She had a great time but she worked up an appetite..."I'm ready for dinner!"

So off we went to...Skyline!

Seriously!  Look how OLD she looks!



She decided she needed a bib (though she really never wears bibs anymore)
and made this one for herself and even tucked it into her own shirt

Sometimes they give her cookies and sometimes they don't...we can't figure out the rhyme or reason
but she was super happy to get them yesterday!  She only eats the middle, though...weirdo!



After lunch, we went to visit Daddy at school.  It was his planning period so he was able to walk around with us and we got to hang out in his empty classroom with him.  Lucy and Daddy got in a quick game of hide-and-seek.  Lucy hid first - under Dad's desk - and he looked for her in several other places before "giving up" and said, "I guess I'll just sit here and talk to mom since I can't find Lucy," and then gasped in surprise when he looked down and spotted her.

Next, he hid and she reenacted all that he did...searched several places and then "gave up" and sat down in a desk to talk to me...then acted surprised to see him behind the tree.  This girl is so darn clever!

By this time, we were pretty tired so we went home to read books and take a nap...but when we woke up, it was off to the library!

We had fun at a pretend picnic then we borrowed a couple of books and a couple of movies and even got to see Aunt Nikki!  And she let the birthday girl pick a prize out of the birthday bucket...Lucy chose an inflatable sword!

By this time, Daddy was done working and was able to meet us for our next adventure...at Paint & Bake Ceramics.  Lucy chose to paint a small flower plate that she already plans to eat goldfish crackers off of, as well as a star ornament (that we plan to turn into a magnet).  We can't wait to fetch the finished products this weekend!

 

She wanted her hand print on her plate and one of the awesome staff members helped us with that...
Lucy cooperated so well and thought it was pretty cool to have her hand painted on!



Soon, we were hungry again and the birthday girl wanted to go "out to eat" so we went to Applebee's.  She ordered chicken tenders and fries and scarfed them down like she hadn't eaten all day...I guess turning 3 really makes a girl hungry!

 

Best friends!



On the way home, I told her Dad had one more surprise for her when we got home and she said, "I'm getting excited!"  When we walked in, she was handed her first clue...

Luckily Daddy can draw really well!  First, she headed to the changing table, per her clue, and found her birthday headband/hat.  Next, she headed to the bathroom, then the desk in the baby's room, then her "basketball shooter" (as she called it upon seeing the picture) in the basement, and finally back to the living room.  Along the way, she also found her cake and her "birthday sticks" (which is what she called the candles...hilarious!) and a small candy treat.

Her little face just lit up when she got to her gift.  We couldn't ask for a cuter, sweeter girl...

She got a Flynn Rider doll, which made her very happy, along with a couple of shirts - one with Cindy and one with Merida, an Ariel dress and a princess crown.  She got so excited over the clothes and even held that Cindy shirt up to her all on her own!

A little later we sang "Happy Birthday" to her and all had some tasty cake.

 

She said, "The next person in our family to have a birthday will be the baby!"



And since she wasn't at school yesterday, she gets to celebrate her birthday there today.  This morning she said, "Remember mom...we can't forget my cupcakes!"  Oh, there was no chance of us walking out of the house without those puppies...she was way too excited about it to ever forget to take them!

Happy birthday, sweet girl!!!

Lucy funnies

The other night when I got home, Lucy said, "Hi mom...did you miss me?"

While talking about the baby the other night, I asked Lucy if she was going to be a good helper when the baby comes...I asked specifically, "Will you help change the baby's diaper?" and she said yes so I asked what else she'd help with and she got a concerned look on her face and said, "I don't want her to play with my toys!" 
(She goes back and forth between wanting a brother and a sister...)

We were watching Cinderella one night and it was a dramatic part where Lucifer the cat was after GusGus the mouse and I asked Lucy, "Do you like this part" and she said, "No, it makes me nervous."

Baby names she has suggested:
TreeTree
Narla
Leah
Leo
Dida (pronounced Dee-duh)
Lucy 2
George
Ella

We kept talking about how her eye was purple.  When we got home on Friday, I said to Dave, "She has such a black eye!" referencing how bad / dark it looked that day and Lucy said, "My purple eye turned black?"
She also likes calling it a "shiner;" the term she learned from Daddy.
Good news about the beautiful black eye...it's Spring picture day at school this Thursday!

Over the weekend, I tossed a blanket over her head and she yelled, "Hey, who turned out the lights!?"  Dave and I cracked up but it was Lucy herself who laughed the hardest...

Last night Dave was laying in her bed with her, dozing off and hoping she'd do the same when she giggled and said, "Daddy, you look like Flynn Rider laying there!"  (character from Tangled).

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We went to the circus yesterday!  It was Lucy's first time and she really enjoyed it!  We were supposed to be celebrating Auntie Ema's birthday but unfortunately, she was sick! 
So it was Lucy and Mom & Dad, GranJan & Grandpa, and Uncle Jason & Jessica.
She was totally sucked in for the first half an hour...just staring and barely moving.  She really loved the trapeze acts!

Lucy lately

Recently, we hosted a play date at our house.  Lauren & Elijah and Claire & Karli came over with their moms.  Lucy was totally into it!  She had a couple of moments of not sharing so well, but overall, she did awesome!  She's finally getting better about sharing and playing with other kids.  Unfortunately, I didn't get many good photos of the adventure...

She was excited to show her friends her new room...and when Tiffany asked her what she would name the new baby, she got some interesting answers...I believe she told her "Leah" (her new favorite name...not sure where she's heard it...) for a girl but then she got distracted and looked out the window so she said "TreeTree" for a boy...(sorry, folks, neither of those names are actually in the running).

We've been able to play outside a couple of times and can't wait to be able to do so regularly!

Riding the bike she got for Christmas from Grandpa and GranJan with Daddy

Sled riding?

A visit to the park at the city building

She said this was her house...

She calls this her gas station...fueling up the pink car!

 

We bought her this car for her first birthday and have gotten SOOOO much use out of it...
definitely a good purchase!

In preparation for little "TreeTree," we painted the baby's room!  And by "we," I mean Dave...though he did have a little helper for a few minutes...

Whoooo's excited for the new baby!?  We are!

And look what big sister left behind for her little sibling!

Lucy's so sweet when talking about the baby...and the other night she walked over to me and put her hands on my belly and said, "Hi baby!  It's your sister!"  She's going to be the best sis!  A couple of days ago she said, "When you take that baby out of your belly, he can have my red elephant" and sat her little red stuffed elephant next to me.  We're about to learn just how much her sharing skills have developed!

Dance class has been going well lately...last night she was the best dancer in class (in my humble opinion...).  She did all of the dances and did them WELL!  And she didn't need me to follow / hold her hand for any of the follow-the-leader dances...maybe she will partake in the recital after all??  Who knows...she's a tricky gal to try to figure out.  All I know is she and I both had a blast at class last night...and I'll add a little recital sneak-peek since they've been practicing their recital song a little bit and recently got their costumes...

So Lucy's head and Everett's head had a little run-in at school yesterday...they were twirling and apparently it ended badly (especially for Lucy...seems like Everett was fine)...

I'm sure it hurt like crazy at the time, but luckily she says it doesn't hurt anymore...it looks terrible, though!  But purple is her favorite color...

We are making some serious strides in the potty-training department!  I know I keep saying that but it's true!  We've suffered some set-backs here and there but we're currently on a real roll!  She stayed dry all day Saturday and was only wet once on Sunday and only once or twice at school on Monday.  For Tuesday we had a deal - if she stayed dry the entire day, we'd go to "the cookie store" before school on Wednesday...and she did it!  Then she stayed dry all day Wednesday, too!  She even woke up dry this morning!  Hurray, Lucy!

Some Lucy funnies:

Sometimes when she's going potty, she declares that she "needs privacy" and we have to leave the room (or at least turn our back to her).  The funniest thing is, she pees immediately after being granted her precious privacy.  She's also started requesting privacy in the tub which is hilarious.  She's happy with me just pulling the shower curtain closed...

She says all kinds of funny words and phrases.  The other day when we were outside, she was standing on the porch and I walked down the steps and she said, "Hey mom, where ya off to?"

She's constantly making fake phone calls on her phone (or on Dave's calculator...) but she needs interaction...she wants us to hold up our phone and pretend to be talking to her so the conversation can be two-sided.  Sometimes she'll pick up her phone, though, and yell "Hello!?" and pause.  Then she'll say, "I'm Lucy!" and put the phone down.  We ask her who it was and she tells us no one was there...

This girl talks in her sleep so much (just like her daddy)!  Last night I remember hearing her say something on the monitor - it was very clear but I can't remember what it was...

 

One morning when Dave went to wake her up, she was jabbering away in her sleep and told him someone stole her heart!