Lucy Two Years Old

Dear Lucy,
I can't believe you are two years old!  Where has the time gone?  It seems I have been saying that since you were born.  You are growing into the most adorable toddler.  I fall more and more in love with you every day.  I am obsessed with your squishy body and the way you wrap your chubby little arms around my neck, when giving me hugs.  You give the absolute best kisses, with the perfectly puckered lips.  Your personality is bursting and we wouldn't have you any other way.
I had written this letter, right before you were about to turn two, but for some reason it got deleted, so I'm playing a little bit of catch up.  Over the past few months your vocabulary has taken off.  You are talking up a storm and we can't get enough of your tiny little voice.  It's seriously the cutest little sound and I secretly hope it never changes.
At two years old your favorite things are, Thomas the Train, Daniel Tiger, feeding yourself yogurt and rice, shoes (flip flops in particular), grapes, picking out your own drink at Target, going on the swings, while at the park, helping mama vacuum, Target, anything Frozen, backpacks, your grocery cart, your cousins, giving GiGi her treats, Diet Coke, going to dance and of course your kitty!  
You want to do anything and everything that your sister is doing.  You are so in love with her, even though you two definitely have your moments.  It was the sweetest thing, when we dropped sissy off to her first day of preschool.  You didn't know what to do without her.  When she arrived home from school, the two of your cuddled for over an hour.  I had never seen you do that before.  It melted my mama heart.  You are so good at sharing with your sister and want to make sure she always gets a snack or treat, when you are getting one for yourself.
Whenever you hear music you dance and wiggle around in your carseat.  I think we have a little dancer on our hands.  I couldn't believe how quickly you caught on to tapping your heels and toes and leaping over objects.  Watching you dance around in your little tutu, is too dang cute!
We were recently in Sacramento, with the intentions of going apple picking, but you had other plans for us.  You ended up having a UTI, which put you in the hospital for three days.  As hard as it was watching you be in pain, I LOVED the quality time that daddy and I got to spend with you.  You refused me to leave your side and I couldn't get enough of it.  We slept together in your hospital bed and watch movies and cuddled for three straight days.  We really bonded a lot and am so grateful you are now feeling healthy and happy.  You showed us how strong and brave you are.
You say the sweetest prayers and sing, I Am a Child of God and I Love to See The Temple.  I love watching you grow, not only physically, but spiritually.  You are the most darling little girl, with the tiniest little curls, that hang off the ends of your hair.  You are the best addition to our family and we feel beyond blessed to get to be your parents.
Happy Birthday baby girl!
Love,
Mama and Papa

Lucy One Year Love Letter

I have had this written for some time now, but never seemed to find the right window of time to grab a couple of pictures.  Today happened to be THE day and since it's the first day of Fall, I had to throw some pumpkins in the pictures.  Lucy doesn't last long on the chair, so we moved the photo shoot to the floor. 
I'm usually dying behind the camera anyways, but today was an entirely different story.  Briar Handmade sent us over the sweetest bonnet I have EVER seen!  You guys I am so in love.  All of the heart eyed emojis over here.  I pulled it over Lucy's chubby cheeks and couldn't contain my excitement.  It perfectly hugged those plump baby cheeks, that I secretly never want to disappear.  It is stitched immaculately, runs true to size and the material is of such fine quality.  I plan on ordering one in every color and you can bet you will be seeing a lot more pictures with Lucy showing off her new Briar Handmade bonnet. 
Now to the love letter and oodles of pictures.....
Dear Lucy,
You are my big ONE year old!  I can't believe it.  This past year flew by and was nothing short of amazing.  Although I truly cannot vividly remember your birth, it was a hard one on your mama, I can perfectly remember the moment I laid eyes on you.  I didn't think it was possible that your daddy and I could create such a beautiful baby girl.  I loved you instantly and with that love, you stretched our hearts to new limits.  You came into this world and brought with you so much goodness.  I knew right away that the Lord had bigs plans for you.  
You truly are the sweetest butter ball that there ever was.  I am already dying to get you into your one year well child check.  I can't wait to see how much you weigh and how much you have grown.  You still are the perfect squishy square.
This past month you have started to discover so many things.  You have perfected scaling and maneuver your way around the house, by transferring yourself from the wall to the couch to pretty much anything you can get ahold of.  You have taken a few steps and have perfected the balancing act.  I'm pretty sure you will be walking in no time. (You have since started walking)
You have started eating more and more solids.  Grapes, yogurt, rice, mac n' cheese are just a few of your favorites.  I laugh every time I put you in your walker, because you scoot so fast around the house and like to bang into our ankles.  It hurts, but we can't even begin to get mad at you, well except for your sister that is.  
The only way you like to take a bath is if the water is left running.  This doesn't work that well, since we are currently in a drought.  You also love drinking the water right out of the faucet and don't seem to mind water on your face.  You are the queen of throwing your head back when you don't get your way.  You love to do this in the bath, especially when I shut off the water.  It doesn't even phase you when you go slightly under water.  You are going to love swim lessons next year.  I can just feel it.
We were able to celebrate your first birthday in Utah and while we were there and you were finally able to meet your uncle Josh.  You loved being around all of your cousins, aunts, uncles and especially MiMi.  You were a little scarred of your uncle Tate's hair at first, but loved his friends and warmed up to him towards the end.  You travel great in the car and are a total fan of baby babble.  Your dad and I crack up every time we look back at you. All we have to do is turn our heads to look back at you and you greet us with the cheesiest, yummiest, squished nosed smile.
You are seriously perfect in every way and cannot wait to see what this next year has in store for you.  Thank you for picking us.  We sure love you Lucy girl!
Love,
Mama and Dada

Lucy Eleven Month Love Letter

** With being out of town off and on for the past couple of weeks, I didn't get around to taking Lucy girls pictures until mid way through her eleventh month.  Ah well, better late than never. **
Dear Lucy,
It about broke my heart today taking your second to last photo shoot.  I honestly love being able to look back and see the growth and progression you have made over the past year.  You have and continue to be the sweetest, most adorable baby girl.  Taking your pictures is almost near to impossible, for the time being.  It was a good thing grandma was here to catch you from face planting off of the chair.
I feel like you have made the biggest jump, as far as progression goes this month.  You have discovered how to get wherever you want in lighting speed time.  The stairs are your favorite place.  You like to go up a step and turn around and just sit there.  It's too cute, but scares me half to death.  Daddy tried to install a baby gate, but it didn't cover the first two steps, which happen to be the most dangerous.  You used to like to climb to the top and be chased, but now you prefer plopping yourself on the step and just waiting for me to come get you.
This past month we introduced you to your walker.  It's hilarious having you follow me around the house.  You go so fast and I just love watching your chubby feet, patter all over the tile.  It's pretty much my life savor right now, when I need to get something done and can't keep my eye on you.  I just put you in there, give you a snack and you are good as gold for a couple of minutes.
With your new found mobility you have started making your way into Gigi's food and water.  I don't know what it is about dog food, but both you and your sister love it.  It smells awful, but I try to fret about it too much, even though I thinks it's totally yucky.  
Yesterday was mama's birthday and you decided to take your first step.  I don't think anything could have made me smile more than that.  I think you will be walking in no time.  Your sister walked at 16 months, so I'm not sure what we are going to do with such a tiny walker.
You have finally started to like solids.  I can pretty much give you whatever we are eating and you will eat it, as long as I break it into tiny enough pieces.  Just the other day, daddy purchased your last container of formula.  It's crazy to think in just a couple of weeks, you will be on cows milk.  Where is my baby going?!?!
You can say "uh-oh" and "dada."  Whenever you drop something you let an "uh-oh" out, in the cutest little voice.  It seriously melts my heart.  Still no mama, but I am totally okay with that, seeing as your sissy didn't say "daddy" until she was almost two.  You also wave bye bye and reach for your mama and daddy, whenever you want to be held.
Your itty bitty feet have finally jumped a size and your clothes are starting to get a little bit more snug.  You are currently wearing size 4 diapers and 12-18 month clothes.  You are so petite, yet weigh so much.  Carrying you around lately has been a work out.  I swear you get bigger by the day.  I love every pound of that chubby body of yours.  Your sissy loves saying, "lulu chubby."  I think she has heard me say that one to many times.  
You absolutely love your sister.  She can make you laugh harder than anyone else.  For the first time in I can't even remember, in how long P wanted to hold you, while you drank your bottle.  It was the sweetest thing seeing you lay on her lap.  It didn't last long, but it was oh so cute.
You continue to be a great napper.  I can get two good naps out of you per day.  I hope you can keep that up for another couple of months.  Even when you miss your naps, you are still a pure delight.  I don't know how we got so lucky.
Your uncle Josh gets home from his mission in just a few short weeks.  I can't wait for him to meet you.  I know you are going to steal his heart, just as you have stolen all of ours. 
I almost forgot to mention, you newest obsession.  You have a total fascination with flip flops or any shoe for that matter.  You love to find your way into the mud room and dig out mommy's flip flops.  You take them everywhere with you.  Your favorite thing is to chew on them.  I need to get you a clean pair that has never been worn, but I'm afraid you would be able to tell the difference. 
Lucy girl, you are all over the place and move a hundred miles per minute, but wouldn't change a single thing about you.  You bring so much joy and light into our little family.  With only a few more weeks until you turn one, mama is going to make sure to savor every minute with you.  We love you sooooo much!
Love,  Mama & Papa

And just for fun, Penelope's 11 month love letter HERE!

Lucy 10 Months

Dear Lucy,

Or should I say Lulu/chubs?!  You are my big ten month old girl.  It seems as if the days of you being my baby girl are drifting away quicker than I would like.  You are getting bigger every day.  I can't keep up on your closet.  Every time I get all of your old clothes cleaned out, you turn right around and grow out of the new ones, I just got you.  I love putting you into your sister's old clothes.  You look just as cute and it's fun for me to relive some fond memories.

You are still as sweet as can be and are such a good baby.  The only time you are fussy, is if you are hungry or sleepy.  You are still taking two, sometimes three naps a day.  You go with the flow and even when I don't stick to your schedule perfectly, you still smile all day long.  You go to bed around 7 and wake up around 5:30 am for a bottle and then go back down till 7.  

You have finally started to like your baby snacks.  They are a life savor when we go out to eat or if I need to get something done.  You happily sit in your high chair and munch away.  My milk is all dried up, so it's bottles from here on out.  We had a good ride and I'm so happy I got a solid nine months of nursing you.

I love taking you into the gym with me each morning because you are always smiling.  You greet everyone with a smile and have mastered the wave.  It's the cutest thing watching your arms wave up and down.  You aren't talking or crawling just yet, but I think it's only days away.  Just a couple of days ago while we were at nana and grandpa Parker's house, you pulled yourself up onto their fireplace.  I'm thinking we need to have daddy instal our baby gates ASAP.  You are one quick army crawler.  I absolutely love chasing you around the house.  You giggle and try to get away as fast as your chubby legs, will let you.

I took you swimming the other day and you almost army crawled right into the pool.  It's a good thing I had lots of helpers, or you would have gone head first into the pool.  You can't seem to get enough of the water.  You will splash your arms and legs, up and down as fast as they can go.  You get sad every time we have to take you out of the pool.

You have finally graduated from sleeping in your sleep sacks.  I didn't think the day would ever come.  I'm happy you did, only because I worried about the heat of the summer.  You love falling asleep with your Bla Bla kitty cat and your soft blanky.  As soon as you see both of them you smile.  One of my favorite things you do, is sing yourself to sleep.  I need to record it one of these days.  I think we might have a little singer on our hands. 

Lucy you are the most scrumptious baby and we all can't seem to get enough of you.  I can't wait to see what this next month brings!

Love, Mama and Papa
I'm lucky I got any pictures today.  You are seriously a spaz.  It was hilarious. You almost dove right onto the carpet, were rolling everywhere and were ripping your bow out of your hair.  It was quite the workout.  

Lucy Nine Months

 Dear Lucy,

Another month has come and gone.  It feels like I just finished posting your eight month love letter.  I absolutely love the stage that you are in.  At times I wish I could just push the pause button and keep you this way forever.  You are the sweetest thing ever and I swear my love continues to grow for you, more and more every day.  Your little smiles gets me all day, every time.  I sound like a broken record, but it's so true.  You smile at everyone with those big teeth of yours and brighten everyones day that you come in contact with.  Each day you become more and more attached to your mama.  You play well for a little while, but as soon as you spot me, you outstretch your tiny hands towards me.  I can't resist that look you give me.  You win every time.

You are obsessed with your sissy's Bitty Baby.  I bought it for her when we brought you home from the hospital, but you have seemed to make it all your own.  You are transitioning into the stage of not wanting to share or should I say your sister is.  You and your sissy seem to always want the same toy.  I am sure this is only the beginning.  P always tries to give you another toy to distract you.  I think you might start to outsmart her soon.

Changing your diaper has turned into my daily workout.  You are all over the place.   You are so strong and refuse to lay on your back.  While taking these pics, you decided to take a head dive for the floor.  Luckily I had cat like reflexes and caught you just in the knick of time.  I decided to move our photo shoot to the floor, where things were a little more safe.  You'll notice you ended up underneath the piano, your favorite spot in the living room.

You are the messiest eater ever.  I laugh every time that I feed you.  You end up being covered from head to toe in your baby food.  It doesn't matter if I use a bib or not, because the food seems to find a way onto your clothes.  You are sweets kind of girl.  You love your rice cereal in the morning.  I have tried giving you yogurt bites again, but you still gag every time.

I'm so so sad, but I think your days of nursing are coming to an end.  Mommy has been working out more and my milk supply just can't keep up.  It breaks my heart a little, but am proud I got you to nine months.  In the beginning I didn't think I would last a week.  It's been different this time around not being able to fully cherish each moment with you.  Trying to find the balance between my two babies has been hard, but you have been amazing and just go with the flow.  I am still able to nurse you once in the early morning.  I love taking the time to just hold you with no distractions.  It's just you and me.  I get to stare into your perfect eyes and run my fingers through your wispy hair.  You reach up at me and try to grab my eyelashes or hang on tight to my P necklace.  Oh how I am going to miss those sweet moments, but until then I am going to savor every last minute.

You are days away from crawling.  Just as I think you are about to take your first stride, you tip over.  You are the queen of planking and have abs of steel by now.  Army crawling and rolling are your favorite modes of transportation.  You now take baths all on your own, unless your sissy find her way in.  I have so much fun watching you two splash around.

This month you have mastered the wave bye bye and give the BEST open mouth kisses.  My favorite thing you do is grab my cheeks and pull my face towards yours.  It's seriously the sweetest thing!  I love getting you out of bed and holding your soft buttery skin up to my face.  You are sleeping eleven hours at night and still nap two to three times a day, depending on what we have going on.  You are such a champ! 

We recently went to Utah for your first visit.  You got to meet all of my friends and your uncle Tate.  You sadly contracted roseola from our plane ride.  Our trip turned into visits to Dr. Dave, high fever, cleaning up throw up and no sleep.  I felt so bad for you.  Our plane ride home was a total disaster.  You were so exhausted you slept for an entire day.

Daddy took you to your first My GYM class this week.  I can't wait to watch you continue to learn and develop.  He said you had a blast.  You are such an amazing baby and I thank Heavenly Father every night that I get to be your mama.  These next few months I will be party prepping for your 1st Birthday!  I love you so much baby girl!
Love, Your mama and Papa