Island Girl!

Vacation time! The Saturday after Thanksgiving Brian, Lucy and I all set out for a much needed week in St. John for some fun & sun. This was our third time to St. John, but Lucy's first. I must say, the trip is a little different with a soon-to-be two year old in tow. Much more running around, and much less relaxation! But it was well worth it to have a wonderful family vacation. Lucy loved it though and her phrase of the week, said with arms raised above her head, was "Island Girl!"

Just getting to St. John is an adventure in and of itself, filled with varying modes of transportation! We drove by car to satellite parking, took a shuttle to the airport, flew by plane to Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, took a taxi to the ferry dock, (a stop at Tickles for nachos) took a ferry to St. John and then an iguana (golf cart) to our villa! Whew, that was a lot of different ways to travel all in one day! Lucy was a great traveler, though it would have been nice if she slept on the plane...

The trip started out just the three of us, but mid-week Aunt Amy & Quinn joined us! We went to several delicious restaurants - having Lucy along forced us to check out some new, kid-friendly places. Boy were we glad we did. We discovered some new places that were fabulous and we still headed to the more casual favorites. Amy & Brian had margaritas the size of their heads (see photo below) at Margarita Phil's.

We went to Cinnamon Bay twice to enjoy some beach time. Luckily for us, Lucy was afraid of the waves, so she was a good girl and stayed close by. There was a mangrove right near the beach with water flowing to the bay, so she was happy to play in that water toting her "rockies" and coral back and forth and filling a bucket with sand.

We opted not to rent a car this time, instead taking taxis into town and out to eat. This actually worked out great and, in the end, seemed to save money. Lucy loved the open-air taxis that shuttled us back and forth to Mongoose Junction and the Cinnamon Bay. They were red and most had murals painted on them. I think she was secretly a bit afraid, but didn't want to admit it, so instead she said that her baby was afraid and she had to hold on to her tight. She informed us many times that the "taxi is a bumpy ride." If you have ever been to St. John, then you already know that the roads are windy, hilly, narrow and not the best paved around. These are some of the reasons I was glad to stick to paid transportation!

Our villa had an amazing view as it was up on a hill overlooking water. We really enjoyed our balcony, and spent many nights out there after the girls went to sleep. I will admit, the walk UP the hill is a bit exhausting, especially during the hottest part of the day.

One of the best things about this trip was definitely spending time with Amy & Quinn. We were all so glad they could join us. The girls got tons of quality play time and had a pint-sized companion with whom to explore. I also got a chance for quality bonding with Amy!

Okay, so I have gone on enough about our fantastic island adventure in paradise! Here is a sampling of the way-too-many pictures we took:

Two is Terrific!

Happy, Happy Birthday Lucy Girl! It is hard to believe that Lucy is already two years old. The past couple of years seem to have flown by at lightening speed. I know, all parents say that, but it really is true. Lucy is amazing. She is the epitome of her name - light. Lucy has brought so much light and happiness into our lives. She is spunky, outgoing, chatty, fun, cheery, bright and adorable. Don't get me wrong, Lucy can also be stubborn, cranky, whiny and picky - but hey, who isn't sometimes?

I cannot believe all that Lucy has learned and discovered this past year. She has an amazing vocabulary - more words than I can count! She is great at puzzles and loves to put them together. Miss Lily at school says Lucy does puzzles she has never seen a toddler so young do. She is friendly and flirty with folks everywhere we go. But most of all, she is our wonderful little girl and we are so happy to have her in our world.

I hope that Lucy's third year is even more fun and exciting than the second. We can't wait to share it with her. Here is a retrospective of Lucy during the past year, one picture from each month. They are among my favorites - some you've seen and some you might not have... Enjoy!

My Very Own Trike!

Lucy is very interested in bikes. She points out bikes in the neighborhood, bikes on the road while we are driving and bikes on television. Lucy has also tried to get on bikes belonging to the bigger kids in our neighborhood. So, you can imagine Lucy's excitement when her Nana gave her a pink Radio Flyer tricycle and helmet for her birthday! Lucy couldn't wait to try it out on the driveway. By spring, those little feet should reach the pedals without any trouble and she will be riding away!

Partying Toddler Style!

The dilemma - How do you throw a winter party for a two year old and her friends without having to worry about them running all around the house? Answer - have a tumble and play party at the Little Gym where there is plenty of room for a feisty birthday girl and her guests to jump, run and climb!

Before the party, we took a little time to open gifts with Nana Kathy, Nana Jean, Aunt Marilyn, Kenzie and of course Momma & Daddy.

The we set off for the party! Lucy had a tumble and play party at the Little Gym. It was the perfect spot for a bunch of kids to roll, climb, spin and have a great time. Lucy was a little overwhelmed at first, then she jumped right in along with the other kids.

The stars of the event included: cousins Zoe & Ella, neighbors Luke, Peter & Carrie and school mates Emma, Vivian, Brinton, Olivia, Jewel, Jane & Mary. Also in attendance were both of Lucy's Nanas, Aunt Marilyn, Aunt Amy, Uncle Paul and the moms and/or dads of the aforementioned kids. We had a great time. The pizza and cupcakes were the perfect treat following a great workout in the gym! Here are some pictures of the activities:

All Treats for Cheerleader Lucy!

Lucy had a cheering good time her first real Halloween. We did dress Lucy up last year as a ladybug. It was warm, she was sick and she was not enthused (see flashback pictures at bottom of post). Luckily, this year went much better!

Lucy was a Pennsylvania State University cheerleader, and a fine one at that. She was excited to get ready for trick-or-treating and couldn't wait to get outside. Lucy thought it was great seeing all of her friends in the neighborhood all dressed up in their fun costumes.

She was a bit unsure at first, but seemed to get the hang of things fairly quickly. Lucy did a good job saying "trick-or-treat" at each house, and then thanking the treat-givers for helping her fill her treat bag. I was so proud of her. She wasn't shy at all and spoke to everyone.

I thought she would be tired after our circle and the next one over, but Lucy wanted to keep on going. It was all I could do to coax her back to the house because I was cold and I thought she had plenty of candy! I lured her home by reminding her that we didn't get a treat from Daddy yet... that did the trick (no pun intended).

Lucy was thrilled to pick a piece of candy for dessert, she chose a Reese's PB cup - what a smart choice! Lucy loved her treat and wanted more, but I told her she could have another one tomorrow and that seemed good enough. Instead, we watched some Curious George and had some milk after talking with Nana on Skype.

Brian joined in on the Halloween fun by dressing up too... You can see his costume below, I have not words...

A Happy Halloween was had by all, I hope yours was just as fun!

Lucy and Creatures of the Night

We went to the Delaware Museum of Natural History earlier today to see the new Nature Nook and the Bats and Other Creatures of the Night exhibit. Lucy got to make some crafts - a clothespin bat and a possum stick puppet. We all checked out the fun new things in the Nature Nook. Lucy sat in an Eagle's Nest with a momma and baby eagle. She got to pet a real live snake and turtle! They also have a cool cave that you can carry lanterns in as you enter. Lucy was a little nervous about this cave (as you can tell from the pictures). She didn't really want to join me, but we coaxed her into it. I thought it was cool though. Lucy also saw a hissing cockroach, small dragon, toad and a tarantula. Luckily, these were out of their cages for petting. What a fun outing for Halloween weekend!