Lucy is about a week away from 16 months now, and I can honestly say that each day gets more and more amazing. She has turned into such a loving little girl. The few moments when she isn’t busy darting around the room, pulling the cat’s tail, or dancing on the coffee table, she spends loving me. I love it. She still likes being in my arms and spends a lot of time in our carrier.  My absolute favorite thing is when she decides to drop what she is doing, run over to me and pucker up, insisting on a kiss. There is nothing in the world sweeter than that.

Lucy is a tiny little thing. She is a skinny, muscular little lady with a giant head (really, it’s been in the 90%+ since she was born). I could blame it on genetics (my family has huge heads), but the truth is she has an enormous brain hiding in there. She is weighing in at 19 pounds and is 30.5” tall. She currently wears a size 5 shoe, but I have already been buying size 6, because if she is anything like her mama (and I suspect she is), then her feet will grow large and they will grow fast. Sorry Lucy, just be happy you have your daddy’s pretty olive skin and not my blotchy complexion.

She is a wild girl. Since the day she was born (and actually even when she was in my belly) I knew she had a lot of energy, more than other kids I have met around her age. This girl is always on the go. Like most parents I see quirks or personality traits and they lead me to wonder who she will become. I know she loves nature and she is a mover. I hope she loves hiking, because I could use a hiking partner. She loves dancing and music, but has absolutely no interest in the television (other than once or twice when I showed her shows about her favorite animals), maybe she will be a musician, I do love music and would love to hear hers! I have offered her crayons and art supplies, but she still tries to eat them, so all my dreams of her following in mama’s footsteps in becoming a painter are still dreams. What will you want to do in your life, my baby girl?

We have had some challenges recently, all teething related. She has 6 teeth on top and 6 on bottom. Her top canines are currently working their way through, and it has been rough. Nights have been restless and the days have been long. I sometimes forget how hard it must be to be a baby and get frustrated with the endless crying. It really takes a lot of work for me to step outside the situation and see why she is acting the way she is, and trying to find some sort of distraction from the pain for her. It must be hard being a baby, I wish I remembered.

Lucy has recently become interested in animal sounds. It all started with this little stuffed cat (which belonged to me when I was young) that meows when you squeeze it’s belly. Lucy started mimicking it, only instead of meow she chants “minow”. Since then we have been teaching her other animal sounds. She will say “boooo” anytime we point to or talk about cows in her books, and she will make the most lovely growling sound every time we get to the three little bears sitting on chairs in Goodnight Moon, which is still her absolute favorite book. She loves bears.

Every day with this crazy, wild, free spirited goofball gets more rewarding. Most days she exhausts me, but every day is a pleasure. I am so thankful that I am this incredible little girl’s mama.