Mini-daddies

I take credit for the curl and some brown hues in your hair. But lately, your dad's genes seem to be winning out.

Mini-daddy exhibit #1

And mini-daddy exhibit #2

By the end of summer, maybe some blonde will creep through and you'll look more like this:

Me wearing Strawberry Shortcake,

Uncle Dave wearing chocolate ice cream

Grinchy adventures

Grinchy adventure by Lucy.

Dress stylings by Aunt Millie.

Sentimental swooning by Mama.

Mr. Big Stuff

Talking, running, climbing everything in site - at 15 months! Really? What's your hurry, Henry?

Typical Henry - looking for adventure

Much to my chagrin, you can turn on the water in the bathtub and both bathroom sinks. I am constantly cleaning up puddles behind you.

Typical Henry - constantly in motion

The worst part is how OLD you look when you "belly up" to the counter to get at the faucet. Bye bye baby. Hello Mr. Big Stuff.

A taste of the outdoors

Lucy: "Here Mom, this is for you."

Me: "Oh thanks Lucy. It's a beautiful rock."

Lucy: "No. It's a licked rock."

Me: "Um...thanks.

And you are right, licking rocks does make them pretty and shiny.

I'm going to go with the "dirt strengthens your immune system" theory (also comes in handy when finding Henry drinking from the water table out of a mud-encrusted cup).

Portrait of two growing immune systems

Lucy B is 3!

We celebrated your birthday in Utah this year with your cousins - hooray! We went to the aquarium and The Mayan. You loved it all - especially the COUSINS part.

I'm beginning to see that your birthday celebrations are something I need. Not because I like the party planning and mayhem, mind you. But because, I need the occasion marked so it has a chance to sink into my brain. Another YEAR has GONE by! My baby girl is 3! THREE!!! And she is her own person now with three whole years of growing, creativity and intellect under her belt. She's not really my baby any more at all.

Lucy: one hour old

Lucy: one year old

Lucy: two years old

Lucy: THREE years old!!!

I'm a teensy bit heart-broken to see you growing up so fast. And I'm a whole lotta proud that you are becoming a full and interesting human being.

I love you Lucy B.

Happy birthday,

Mama

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