Daddy and Me

Watching Lucy with her Daddy is one of my absolute favorite parts of motherhood.  When I see them play together, as they do often, my heart melts:  Ryan is so good with his daughter, and head over heels in love with her.  He is silly, and tender, and playful, and I know he would do anything for his little girl. Just another reason I love my husband so much. :)

We didn't do too much for Father's Day (Ryan's second!) this year...went to church, ran some errands, did some baking (okay, well Ryan baked the muffins I was going to bake but kept putting off...and they were SO good!).  Since my own dad is across the world in China, at a conference for work, I missed him and didn't even get a chance to say "Happy Father's Day".  I have so many happy memories of my dad from growing up, and as I watch Lucy and Ryan together I think about the future and the memories that she will build with him.  I wish her lots and lots of them.  Here are just a few of my own best memories growing up with Dad:

--Making big piles of leaves in the fall and jumping in them together

--Going on a hot air balloon ride

--Going to GA Football games

--Dancing to the oldies, like Buddy Holly and the Beach Boys

--Planting vegetables in the "Girls' Garden" (Dad was only boy allowed) :)

--Walking to school ("First Year") together in England, and walking to elementary school in Athens

--Learning to ride a bike

--Daddy-daughter camping and hiking trips

--Traveling to Germany, Mexico, and England

--Going to breakfast at IHOP before early-morning AP study sessions

And so, so many more!!!  Thank you, Dad, for being so involved in my life and for being such an awesome father.  A very happy belated Father's Day.

Love,

Nicole

Busy Summer!

Things have been getting very busy with more hours at work and starting my master's paper!  Busy but good.  Which leaves less time for blog posting, but it's been awhile so I want to put up a few new pictures of the munchkin - my toddler, but still my baby!

Now that she has FOUR teeth (we thought the top two might never come in!) she has her very own little toothbrush, and she loves "brushing" her teeth before bedtime.  It's the cutest thing ever...really, she just kind of bites on the brush, but she knows when it's time to "brush teeth", and she likes to watch me as I brush mine at the same time.  Her mini toothbrush is adorable - just the right size for her.

We try to get outside as much as possible, with the weather being so nice, and she loves her stroller rides.  (She apparently doesn't love the pigtail quite as much, as she pulled it out tonight after we went out for dinner.  I hope she doesn't start doing that every time, because I think it is so cute!  But I'm sure she will.)

Lucy's new friend, Stride to Ride Dinosaur (the seat pushes together so she can eventually ride on it).  She loves pushing it all around the yard!

Helping Daddy with the wheelbarrow!

And finally, because I am just so excited that I've actually grown something in the garden (I am not known for my green thumb around here...) - TOMATOES!  I just can't wait to eat these when they are ripe...homegrown tomatoes make you wonder why you'd ever buy them in the store!

TV Debut

The day has finally come -- Lucy made her silver screen debut on her birthday!

Check it out here!

As Ryan says, we are still waiting for Hollywood to call back.  (Surely they can't resist such a cute face?!)

First Birthday!

We had a great time celebrating Lucy's first birthday at her grandparents' house, with family and friends. Thank you so much, Brad and Diane, for hosting, and thank you Mom and Dad for coming all the way from GA to celebrate with us!! 

Lucy had her very own birthday cake -- a smash cake, as they call it -- although Lucy knows better than to ruin a perfectly fancy cake by smashing it apart.   She daintily touched it with a few hesitant fingers, puckered up at the sweetness of the frosting, and decided she'd had enough of sitting for photographs and videos.  (Mommy, Daddy, Mimi and Granddad enjoyed eating the cake for the next several days...)

Lucy was in a great mood for most of the day, and even stayed awake for her whole party, then napped for 2 1/2 hours...what a trooper. She enjoyed playing and flirting with all of her guests, opening presents crawling around on the floor while Mommy opened presents, and playing with balloons.