*singing required

"Ouuuu, Ouuuuu"...I'm going to make the call (I know her dad disagrees) that 'out' was Luci's first word. She uses it multiple times a day as she heads to the door or the stroller with her shoes in hand. Yesterday I asked her if she wanted to go out and she smiled so big the paci fell right out of her mouth...and then the 'ou, ou, ou' began & she said it over & over until we were in the car. This morning we went 'ouu' to get the paper. See her fancy new shades? They are foam and attach in the back of her head with velcro. Of course she doesn't like to keep them on her eyes...
I finally got her to look at the camera by saying, "where is Dad? Say, Hi Dad!"

Thanks again Grandma & Grandpa Pierse! Miss you already! (you can see Luci wasn't really into the photo shoot) The perils of laundry day...needless to say, the hamper just VANISHED!?!?! from the living room over night!
Why sit in your chair when you can carry it?!?!?

1. Joining a sorority*

2. Motherhood*

*singing required

Twice in my life I've been surprised to learn that something I've signed up for requires some serious singing capability. Shortly after becoming a Kappa I realized that singing was a major requirement...I sang so many of those songs over & over that after I had Luci & needed/wanted to sing to her, I realized the only songs I could remember all of the words to were Kappa songs. Which brings me to the second * nobody told me about...motherhood. I guess everybody knows babies like lullabies...but I didn't realize I'd have to sing in front of other mommies if I wanted to socialize my child...Kindermusik (should've known by the title), Gymboree, birthday parties, and even Mommy & Me Swim at the Y all require mommies to sing! Loudly! In front of other mommies! Now I'm not the worst singer in the world, but I'm not too keen on my introduction to other mommies being dependent on my ability to sing 'I'm a Little Pancake' to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot, or 'The Babies on the Mat' to the tune of 'The Wheels on the Bus' (the babies on the mat go bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce bounce, bounce...you get it, right?). And the worst part is that the groups are small enough that you have to sing or they know you aren't, but when you do, everybody obviously can pick out each persons voice! A note to all of you first-time expectant moms...it might be a good time to brush up on your kiddo songs!

I signed Luci up for Gymboree, and we 'terminated' our Y membership. Luci did not do well at the Y child care (being in the throes of separation anxiety), and every time I picked her up her entire little face was purple (her tears turn her skin purple & blotchy) all the way down to her chin. I just don't need to work out there that badly (I'm devastated, can you tell? ;). We'll try again when she's 18 months I think. The 0-18mo. side of the child watch was always full of sad, sad kiddos, and the 18mo - 3yr side was always full of happy toddlers. So we'll try again later. In the meantime we'll go for walks & play at Gymboree - basically a class full of similarly aged kiddos all climbing on foam tumbling type mats that are set up in different configurations each week. This week there was a 'mat mountain' and of course Luci went right for it, and then decided she wanted to walk up instead of crawling like everybody else. She's nuts.

Luci's climbing is reaching new heights. I was sort of being a bad mama yesterday...I was in the living room with her, but I was focused on her little 1st birthday invites...I looked up...and she was literally STANDING on this box, sippy cup in hand! And she was SO clearly PROUD of herself! I very slowly & gingerly walked over there & snatched her right up. I knew if I got too rambunctious she'd try to 'get away' and fall & hurt herself. The box also VANISHED!?!?! over night. What are we going to do with this kid?!?!