Lucy, 3 and a Half

"It's a looooong way 'till January".
                          -  Lucy Dean, Almost every day

Indeed, Lucy, indeed. In January you will turn 4, but for now, 3 1/2 is definitely worth documenting.

At 3.5 you...
- Are a nut for going to the pool. This is an awesome change from last year. You took swim lessons this
  summer and since then you love the water.
- Are so funny! You have started to tell your own jokes and then laugh and laugh!
- LOVE to go to the Y. You ask me everyday if we are going.
- Need to know the schedule of the day. "What are we doing next?" is the question I get most often.
- Enjoy trying new things. The Y offers Tae Kwan Do (which you will only call Judo), Yoga, and
  Zumba and you have taken all 3. You love to demonstrate what you have learned.
- Think hanging out with your friends is the best!
- Are a coloring fool. You have always loved to color and you still do. You are getting so good at
  staying in the lines and are always concerned with what color I am going to "color their face".
- Get super excited when daddy comes home at the end of the day.
- Love to be read to. Fancy Nancy, Pinkalicious, and Madeline are among your favorites.
- Are our special, special girl. We love you to the moon and back.

Chillin' on the dock

Ready for Cinco de Mayo

Hanging out in Michigan

Olympic Fever. U.S.A! U.S.A!

Certificate day at WestWood
Gymnastics Academy!

Hanging with Uncle T

Your first Astros game

The Hottest Half is...well OVER

Number 7 in the books my friend. The Hottest Half in Dallas at White Rock Lake - check!

It was not as hot as it could have been, but the second half the heat kicked in. I was definitely glad to see the finish arch.

Before the race. Look how happy we are. Full of energy. 

Sometimes I like to break it down
before I run. 

Terry and Marc, Domestiques-in-Training

And DONE!

This is how we did it. Minus the flops. 

The whole group

My best impression of a highlighter. 

Hayes, 18 Months

Oh, hello again. It's me, your friendly absent blogmeister. In my defense, I have been having trouble with the photo library on my new mac. Also, the pools have been open. Also, the dog ate my keyboard and aliens stole my blogger password.

Our guy Hayes-man is now 18 months. I actually can't believe it. I know everyone says this and the reasons they do is because it is true...time goes by so fast.

So what is Hayes into you might ask? The answer would be CLIMBING. I have found him in the following locations:
- On the kitchen table
- Hanging from the outside of the staircase (don't worry, the 3rd stair)
- On the computer desk
- Crawling across the back of the couch
- On the ledge of our bathtub
- On the kitchen island playing with the pendant lights

I promise I don't leave him alone for long periods of time. In most of these instances I just went to grab something out of my room or change the laundry.

His current vocab includes: mama, dada, chicken, thank you, doggy, mo (more), mik (milk), eeew, and yay.

He loves to eat: blueberries, eggs, blueberries, waffles, Chick-fil-a, blueberries, ice cream, blueberries, yogurt, blueberries, cookies, and blueberries.

Hayes is really starting to develop a sense of humor. Here is a video in which he thinks it is hysterical to  put his poopy diaper on Lucy. It went on for about 10 minutes before I stepped in and stopped his fun.

We love our Hayes-man. He is such a cool dude.

Some pics from the last few months.

Watching the airplanes

Booty up!

Hanging on a fence, shocker

Taking a water break at
the La Centerra Summer Concert Series

Avoiding the camera

When he first discovered his love
of blueberries

Baptism Day! Pretend he is looking
at the camera

Add caption

Hayes, Pastor Don, Drew and
 Hayes' godparents Anna and Cody

With his great great Aunt Patsy at City Centre

The screen during his baptism

Kids are WEIRD

Upon observing white gunk stuffed in her baby's mouth

Me: Lucy, what is Baby's mouth?
Lucy: Toilet paper
Me: (Silent pause to think of all the reasons why there would be toilet paper in Baby's mouth / be glad it is not dried up milk, glue, or old cheese)
Me: Why?
Lucy: Because she was hungry

Of course. Silly mommy.

Happy Father's Day, Drew!

Happy Father's Day, Drew! Some of my favorite moments since Father's Day last year. 

Early morning snuggles

Sharing some melon at Tanaka Farms

Smiling at daddy

Trick or Treat

Decorating for Christmas

Chick-fil-A for Lucy's 3rd birthday. He was "peaking" her safe
from the scary cow

Walking at CityCentre

Watching the US Open. Father's Day 2012

Frenemy

Nicole Richie has Paris Hilton
Lauren Conrad has Heidi Montag
The King has Ronald
Pepsi has Coke

I have the Nike GPS Watch

Drew gifted me with the glorious watch last Christmas. It was a total surprise. TOTAL. You see, we had decided to forgo presents for each other. Normally when we decide to do this I end up forgetting, panicking and over buying. It's not my fault, my love language is gift giving. What? It's true! Read the book!

So anyway we had decided not to buy for each other. With the move, the new house, and several fun trips planned this year it just seemed like the right thing for us. So color me surprised when at the bottom of my stocking (yes, we did stockings, IT WAS CHRISTMAS) was the watch. I cried. I actually cried.

So on December 26th my love/hate relationship with the Nike GPS Watch powered by TomTom officially began.

Let me explain.

The watch keeps track of your pace and mileage. It tells you real time how fast you are going. This is a blessing and a curse. The watch has helped me train more effectively, allowed me to do tempo runs outside instead of on my other frenemy the treadmill, take paths in the neighborhood, and it most definitely helped me reach my goal time at The Woodlands Half Marathon. Once of the best things is that at the end of good run it cheers you on.
Nice Job!
Record Pace!
Longest Run! (with Fireworks, I might add)

When my watch is happy like this, I call her Sally.

On the other hand...
It has made it impossible for me to run the scheduled easy runs. I can't help but try and beat my pace. It also taunts me when I slow down or am having a bad run. At the end of the not so great runs it offers these gems...
Good Effort
Way to Get Out There
Why were you so slow, sloth girl?  (okay, so I made that up)
NO FIREWORKS

When my watch acts like this I call her Helga.

Today Helga was in rare form. It was super hot. According to The Weather Channel that while it was only (ONLY) 89 degrees, it "feels" like 99 degrees. Super. Wish I hadn't checked that app before I set out with the windsail and 60 pounds of toddler.

"Stay home!" you say! I know, I know, but I am training for that Hottest Half Marathon and I have to practice in the heat. It's not all bad though I don't feel as guilty about the magical shorts. And they are magic. A gift from above for short girls with stocky muscular legs. Now don't tell you friends or anything. I want 2 more pairs and the purchases need to be spaced out. So there had better still be some at CityCentre come July or else....

Back to today.

After 4 miserable miles and lots of sweat Helga said Nice Try or something equally annoying. I decided that Nike should allow you to enter the temperature or the amount of weight in your stroller or if you are having a generally bad day.

Nike, you can have that advice free of charge. Take note. Pure gems. Pearls of wisdom from an average runner
pushing a windsail
wearing cute shorts
who names her watch...
Twice.

Mother's Day Weekend

Howdy do folks. Still getting caught up from my saaaad computer breakdown.

The day before Mother's Day my brother's family and my family met Fancy for MD breakfast. We went to Flora & Muse at CityCentre. Y'all, it's GOOD. Take thee to Flora & Muse as fast as your little legs will carry you. Or your car. You'll get there faster.

As soon as Lucy walked in she was desperate for Fancy to open her present. Fancy tried in vain to wait for the others to arrive. But then sweet darling Lucy blurted out, "OpenyourpresentIpickeditoutIgotyouaneckalce". SURPRISE!

After breakfast we let the kiddos run around the green space.

I also attempted to find a bathing suit at J Crew (lost). I eventually found one at Everything But Water (won) in Town & Country Village. I will never enjoy this process. NEVER. Why are the lights in these places so harsh? Why? You would think they would equip the dressing rooms with  skinny mirrors and flattering glowing light or candles...YES CANDLES! I definitely look better in candlelight. If there were candles up in those rooms, I would walk out with 100 suits. You couldn't stop me. There goes that lady buying 100 suits again.

But I digress.

Sometimes getting a picture with all the 3 looking happy at the camera can be a challenge. But we persevered at got these gems.

On Sunday Drew attempted to let me sleep in while he and the kids made breakfast. After hearing Lucy pummel Drew with questions ranging from "What did you do with my mommy" to "When can I stir the french toast" to "Can I have chocolate milk", I decided to get up. I was greeted by two happy children and a busy husband. We ate a delicious stuffed french toast breakfast, prepared by Chef Drew and the kids gave me cooking classes at Sur La Table. We had planned on church, but both kids woke up with runny noses. The gross yellowy-green kind that make the nursery workers look at you like you are crazy. So we stayed home and enjoyed the day as a family. I even got to go to the gym all by myself for an hour and a half!

Thanks Drew for a great Mother's Day!