Standing on My Own Two Feet & other fun

Lucy is probably just days away from taking her first steps. She has ventured off the ottoman and has taken to standing up on her own. She was asleep in our bed one morning and I rolled over to find her standing over me! Sounds creepier than it was. She seems to have good balance so I think she will soon be brave enough to take those first steps. She has become good at climbing up the stairs despite our orders not to. She just waves and crawls up laughing at us. Trouble!






The Galvins skype with Barbara and Tony this weekend





I had a show Saturday night while Nana hosted dinner and a movie (Toy Story 1 - shocker!)











"Buzz" and Woody had a sleepover at Nana's on new Toy Story sheets in "Tommy's Room"



Tommy also really enjoyed watching the dance concert, particularly the Star Wars dance and the tap dance. He said he really liked when their shoes went click click click and said he would like to learn how to do that! Victory!!!! He is a few months behind schedule, but we can catch up with some home tutoring. Just need to get some cheap shoes. I need something to tide me over until Lucy and I can start at tutu school when she is 18 months.

Mommy did my hair.

Tonight was closing night of the dance concert and I talked with a senior mom about this being the culmination of 15 years of driving her daughter to dance lessons and recitals. I always remember the labor of my own parents (and begrudging brothers) waiting for me in the car at the studio and sitting through years of long... long... dance recitals and musicals. I also remember, from the early years, the battle of mom having to do my hair and wrestling my thick hair into a nice clean bun.

Today was the beginning of my journey with Lucy. She somewhat willingly allowed me to pull her hair back after a bath this afternoon and this was the result of our labor. I don't think this is going to be her "look" just yet. But it shows how long (if not yet thick) her hair is.

For your enjoyment

Lucy is standing on her own a lot more and should be walking very soon.









Lucy and Nana went to feed duckies, but Lucy fed herself more. She is such a different dining experience than her brother was/is.



Yesterday was about polka dots









Spot goes to the park



Lucy goes to the park

Busy Week

Last week was a busy one and while I didn't see much of my kids, the grandmas did a good job taking pictures and keeping me updated on their whereabouts!

I think I have seen Lucy's legs in the daylight only a handful of times, outside of diaper changes. Nana noticed her eyelashes in this photo. The rest of us noticed her thighs! Welcome to the family, Lucy. Long skirts and pants for you with that thigh/calf combo! You're welcome!


Good thing she was working on her plies at the barre last week




Grandma sent these on Friday. Please note: MY Lucy is not wearing a Princess tshirt. MY Lucy is wearing a tshirt of Lucy Van Pelt wearing a princess tshirt. That clarification is required. Thank you. (cute shirt grandma!)

Last night we spotted Tommy doing this with his green army men/women...


Please be prepared, as Tommy is apparently planning some sort of takeover. I hope you have your emergency water. I know Sara Nino is prepared!

In other geography news, a funny Tommy story from church yesterday. We never really think Tommy is listening in church but yesterday he heard the lector say, "A reading from St. Paul..." Tommy looks up and exclaims (yes loud enough for most around us to hear) "St. Paul! That's the capital of Minnesota!" Guess we need to move from geography to theology now.

In other news, Lucy can climb the stairs and finds the baby gate an inviting pull up bar.

Tommy loves his dinosaur jammies from Aunt Maureen

Which were well-timed to coincide with the classes about dinosaurs that Tommy and Marco have been taking with Grandma at Chabot this month. Here Tommy plays the sun in a puppet show about the dinosaurs. I don't want to say this was the lead in the play, but the sun makes the plants grow, which feeds the herbivores, which feed the carnivores and all is fine until the cloud of ash from the meteor blocks out the sun. So... you know... it's the lead.
And finally, two kids in a wagon

Discovery

We used our holiday to take a family trip to yet another Discovery Museum, which we hadn't visited before. With a free pass from our reciprocal membership, we were in and having a great time! They had a lot of vehicles (ambulance, fire truck, stage coach, and other antique cars) that the kids could climb in and explore. They also had an area to play with a pizza oven!



"Just like the gear game on the iPad!"



Multitudes of Lucys



Uncle Jeff calls this move: "pretty hardcore"

Lucy to the Rescue

Well this was posted a few weeks after Tommy turned 1

And here's Lucy today, one month and two days after turning 1




Fun fact: Tommy walked by himself at one year, one month and two days old so she is very close to catching him. I think that's pretty impressive, since she's only been crawling for about a month and a half.

Still rocking 1/2 a tooth, though!

Tommy has had a habit lately of saying there are things boys can do that girls can't. "only boys can be Jedi..." "I have green army men, no green army women..." and so on. We've been trying hard to keep this little punk on the right track by showing him the women Jedi, soliders, and so on. So I guess this video will help. Girls can be firefighters (or at least learn to walk behind fire engines) too!

A Little More Christmas

It took us until 2011 to celebrate Christmas 2010 with everyone at Nana's house. Tommy was relieved that there were more presents to be had and that Nana still had a tree. Lucy liked the bows.



Ah but then it was time to help Nana take her ornaments off and for Tom and Tommy to throw the tree down the stairs. Tommy liked that part! So much for his post-Christmas sadness!