Adjusting to day care and other tales of life with a toddler

For the first fourteen months of her life Lucy was never out of the care of our family.  Although David and I both work full time, while we were at work or out for the evening she was with our parents, Aunt Lara, Uncle Pat, or Aunt Erin.  Understandably, starting day care was difficult.  The Goddard School, which Lucy attends two days a week, is a wonderful facility with friendly teachers who are very sensitive and caring towards the kids, but we could tell that Lucy was experiencing some anxiety about being left there.  She would cry when we dropped her off and then cry again when we arrived to pick her up.  And during the first few weeks she would be especially clingy and tense in the hours after we picked her up from Goddard.  Of course it made us sad to see Lucy upset ... we were sometimes near tears over her reaction!  But friends assured us that she would soon adjust.  And she has!  Today we had a breakthrough.  I dropped her off and instead of clinging to me like a little monkey and refusing to be set down she let me set her down.  She did stick out her lower lip a little, but no tears!  She picked up another child's cup from the floor and gave it back to the other child and then took a seat at the table across from him.  I gave her her superfood smoothie (spinach, yogurt, berries, etc.) and she turned and waved at me and blew me a kiss!!!  Woooo!  I am so relieved that she is liking it better.  This is only her 7th week there (with some weeks being only one day because of holidays or travel) and even though the teachers assured us that she was always fine once we left and stopped crying quickly, of course we don't like to see our baby upset.

And now for two other stories about what my morning was like.  Ah, life with a toddler!

1. Hazards of Napping With a Toddler

Lucy usually comes in our bed in the morning for extra cuddling and nursing and she often falls back asleep for a while.  This morning after I nursed her I dozed back to sleep during the snooze cycle on my alarm.  I was peacefully resting and I thought Lucy was resting too.  Well, she decided to give my cell phone back to me, which was apparently in the bed.  How did she give it back to me?  By throwing it at my head.  I was awoken when the iPhone hit me right between the eyes and on my forehead.  Apple tells me the iPhone is only 4.8 ounces but with its huge otter box case and at the velocity at which it was apparently travelling ... ouch! 
 
2. Lucy Makes Herself a Snack

Perhaps she is taking after her Uncle Kyle, who has been rumored to "salvage" food, but this morning I discovered Lucy chewing on some chicken remnants she fished out of the trash.  Yes, they were cooked.  I left her alone in the family room for a moment while I ran upstairs to grab something.  I was out of the room for maybe 60 seconds.  When I returned she was in the kitchen holding this huge piece of chicken carcass and had clearly been eating it!  It had only been in the garbage a few minute since I sliced the meat from it for her lunch.  Still, yuck!

Mommy and Lucy

Quarterly Update - 15 Months

Lucy is 15 months old today!  She is still a little peanut but is really turning in to a little toddler instead of a baby.  She started walking over the 4th of July weekend and now she runs!  Her summer was full of lots of time with extended family and time at Lake Tahoe.  In August she started attending the Goddard School twice a week. She remains with our parents the other days. 

Favorite word: "no" ... or "ball."  Also says "milk" and sometimes "more."  Also says "cheese" and calls Mommy and Daddy both "Daddy" even though she seems to know the distinction between"Mommy" and "Daddy".  "Uh-oh" is another popular word these days.  She also says other things but these are the most common words.

Favorite books: Goodnight Moon, Hungry Caterpillar, That's Not My Dinosaur and books of Nursery Rhymes

Favorite nursery rhyme: Baa Baa Black Sheep

Favorite toy: her doll, also stacking toys and cars.  She feeds the doll her bottle and the other day I saw her trying to suction its nose with the bulb sucker.  So cute!



Favorite foods: Lucy is not a picky eater.  She still loves berries and beans but is also very much a fan of steak and eggs (not together).  She still loves yogurt too and even drinks spinach smoothies like her mommy.  She also likes to pick our garden tomatoes and eat them while strolling about the garden.  And we mistakenly introduced her to chocolate covered sunflower seeds, which she loves and begs for if she spots the container!

New tricks and funny habits: Lucy can identify many body parts now, including nose, eyes, mouth, teeth, ears, hair, cheeks, toe, and arm.  She also does some baby signing now, which they use at her school and which Lara also taught her a bit.  I've been working harder to reinforce some of these and in a new batch of hand-me-down books we received from some friends there are a lot of baby signing board books, so that is helping. 

One funny thing she has picked up is saying "cheese" whenever she sees me get the camera out.  She also likes to carry a purse and to pretend to put makeup on while I am getting ready in the morning.  And she loves to brush her teeth and often carries a toothbrush around the house. 

She loves waving at everybody, including strangers.  She continues to be very affectionate (and I sometimes catch her kissing her baby doll) but we're working on getting her to express her need for immediate parental attention in ways that do not involve any biting or hitting.

Lucy really likes the bath and also the swimming pool.  She's a little fish like her O'Mara side of the family.

Most of these photos are from July and August as I have not uploaded any from September yet.  The last one is the most recent photo of Lucy.  More recent photos should be posted soon!

At cousin Maddie's birthday party

Relaxing after her bath.

Enjoying a cheeseburger with her friend Lillian

Sunscreen mowhawk!

Little girl, big door.

Banana pancakes on the patio with Mommy

With her friends at a bithday party.

Swimming in her clothes.

Wagon ride with Grant and Mark.

Wagon ride with Sophia

HIking in Squaw Valley with Mommy and Daddy

Reading in Mommy and Daddy's room

Cruising around at the Martin/Campillo wedding

With San Diegio bay in the background

At the playground in Del Mar with cousin Mackenzie

Say Cheese!

Hanging with her Unle Kyle

Enjoing an ice cream cone.



Ready for school on 9/22





Craig's Baptism

David was very honored that Matt and Mikah selected him to be godfather to our nephew, Craig Alexander.  Here are some photos of Craig's initiation into the Church.  The baptism was held at Holy Cross church in Sparks.

Yeah!  Craig is baptized as his parents and godparents look on.

David and his godson.

Anointing with the chrism.

David, Matt, Mikah, Craig, Bridget, Father Norm

Matt and Mikah with Craig, Mark, Grant and Father Norm. 

Matt and Mikah with the boys and both sets of grandparents.

Our family after the baptism.

4th of July at the Lake!

We spent the 4th of July at Tahoe with the Pryles family and had such a fun time!

Sharing with Daddy at Garwoods

Only two more decade 'til Lucy can enjoy a Wet Woody!

Getting her feet wet at Tahoe

Practicing her swimming skills with Daddy and Aunt Erin

David and Sophia

Playing cards with Aunt Erin and Sophia

Hangin' at the beach with the holiday weekend crowds

It was a really beautiful day at the lake

Scooter and David

So focused

Lucy's Birthday - Welcome to the Circus!

Lucy's Birthday party was circus-themed.  We had a really good time and I think Lucy and her guests did too.  It was so fun to have so many special friends and family join us to celebrate her first year!

Lucy seems slightly distracted ....

Trying to persuade her to pose for the camera.

With cousin-in-law Jen and her twins Nathan and Devin.

Great-Aunt Joanne and Nathan

Visiting with party guests Kelly and Farrah

Josie and Rich

Jamie and Kristin keepin' it stylish.

Lucy shows Aiden and Ethan her new truck.

David works the popcorn machine.

The Donahoes and Baby Priya

Archer and Devin.

Lucy checks out her cupcake

Yummy!

Madeline really liked the frosting.

A band of children plotting their next move.

And they're off!

Auntie Erin and Lucy

Mimi and Lucy.

Auntie Lara with Lucy and Maddie.