Someone is getting very big.

Lucy is growing like a weed, and I do not like it one bit! She is getting so big and is changing so much every day. I love her little personality and how sweet she is, but I miss my tiny new born baby. Lucy is quite the chatter box these days. She likes to yell (yes she is 5 months and already yells.. she's a bit sassy) she blows lots of spit bubbles, and she laughs when she thinks I am being funny. She has also learned how to pull Maeby's hair, and like to grab her whenever she is close by. Lucy is a very smiley baby and will smile at just about anyone who talks to her. She can roll in full circles and can almost sit all the way up by her self. She was sleeping through the night until she caught her first real sickness. :( Lucy had her first ear infection, and they thought she had RSV. When the doctor told me he was concerned that that was what she had, I was freaking out. Thank goodness it was just another viral infection, and she was able to get over it within a week. Having a sick baby is so sad, and I never want her to be sick again! I can wish right? I can't believe that in two weeks she will be 6 months old!! She does not like rice cereal, and makes the funniest face when she eats it. She loves her bottle and can hold it all by herself. She likes to grab your hair, lips, nose, ears and eyes when she's looking at you and gives really good, open mouth kisses. The last few weeks, she has become a bit of a mama's girl. I can't say that I hate it. She reaches for me, and cries when someone else has her and I walk by. haha Its really cute, but can be a bit exhausting. She is actually really good, and will let anyone hold her, but she has her times when she gets really offended that I am not holding her. She continues to make us the happiest parents on earth, and we can't wait to see the little lady she becomes.

Now if time could please just slow down, I'd like to enjoy my baby a little longer!

At 4 months, Lucy weighed 13 lbs 13 oz and was 24.5 inches long.

Christmas

I was especially excited for this Christmas. Although we had planned to keep things very simple and small, I was excited to have a week and a half off of work, spend time with family, and enjoy the experience of Lucy's first Christmas. Before the school had their winter break, Santa came to the day care and Lucy got her first Christmas gift. She had no idea what was going on, obviously, but she did enjoy pulling Santa's beard and liked looking at his white hair. I was also really excited about going to church the Sunday before Christmas, just so I could dress Lucy in her Christmas dress. :) It was a little big, but it was so cute and she looked so pretty in her red and gold. It's funny to think of the small things that really excite me these days. Clearly I have no life outside of motherhood. That Sunday evening, my sister Jen and her family came up to spend the next few days with us for Christmas. It was so fun to have them here for three consecutive days. When they arrived, her girls were still in their Christmas dresses, and they looked so cute. Charlotte and Lucy were almost twins. They had the same look, but a different dress and cardigan.

We spent Christmas Eve with the Olsen family and enjoyed a nice candle lit dinner and a beautiful presentation of the nativity. All the kids are always excited to dress up and act out the nativity. This year was special, we had two Mary's and a mummy. :) haha As always, it was perfectly done and the kids all looked very cute. After we finished the traditional festivities with the Olsen's we were off to be with my family. We opened our Christmas pajamas and got all ready for bed. Once Lucy was down, we were too, ready for Santa to come!

We had a wonderful Christmas, although we didn't do too much for each other, or for Lucy, I feel like we were very spoiled. Our big gift this year was a Silhouette Cameo. Matt and I had been talking about getting one for a while now, and decided it would be a good combined gift this year. We opened it early so we could make gift tags and a few other things for the holidays. I am excited to make all sorts of crafts with it. Our sister craft days just went to a whole new level. haha Matt and I decided to fill each other's stockings and kept those little gifts a surprise, so opening those Christmas day was pretty exciting. Lucy got a bumbo for Christmas as well as lots of little toys that she can hold and put in her mouth. These days she wants to eat everything in sight. She got a few new cute outfits and her grandma and grandpa Francis started a savings account for her.

Christmas day we decided to all go see Les Mes. I knew this would be a really long movie, and was worried how Lucy would do, since she is more awake these days and doesn't like to be held all the time. Once again our little babe slept through the entire thing! The second the credits started rolling, she opened her little eyes and was very happy. We really lucked out, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

We had a wonderful Christmas and we were sad to see it come and go so quickly. We are so thankful for our savior and for the gospel. Through all the hustle and bustle of the season, it is important to take time to remember the reason for this season. (I am full of cheesy lines right now. ha) We hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas too!

Thanksgiving

I am so behind on blogging it isn't even funny. I don't know what has happened to me, but I have lost all motivation to keep up on my blog, but I am going to try to get caught up and stay caught up. Wish me luck.

Thanksgiving 2012

I was really looking forward to Thanksgiving this year, because I couldn't wait to start all our family traditions with Lucy. Even though she wont remember these first few years, I will, and I want them to be perfect. We started with the first tradition of Thanksgiving and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Once that ended, we headed to see a movie with my family. Our Thanksgiving movie is one of my favorite traditions ever. I was a little nervous for this one, because it would be Lucy's first movie, and I didn't know how she would react. The little gem slept through the entire thing! Once the movie ended we were off to finish celebrating with the Olsen's. We had a delicious meal and then played Bingo, this too is a great tradition. When we got home from celebrating with Matt's family, the few members of the Francis family who were home helped to decorate the Christmas Tree. My dad LOVES Christmas, and was very anxious to get the tree up this year. Lucy was fascinated with the lights on the tree and loved helping grandpa put a few ornaments on. She loves her papa and he definitely loves her. Living with my parents may not be ideal, but we feel so thankful to be in a nice home and spending time with my mom and dad.

This year we had so many great things to be thankful for. We are thankful to have been able to live with my mom and dad, and to have provided service, comfort and support during all of my dad's treatment. We are thankful for the doctors, nurses and specialists who have helped my dad as he battled cancer. Thankful that he was able to receive the treatment he needed and of course very thankful for all those who offered prayers, service and thoughts in his behalf. We have definitely seen the lords hand in our lives this last year. Of course Matt and I are SO thankful we were able to bring our sweet Lucy into this world and to become parents. I know I have said this before, but there is really nothing better than being a mother. I am not sure why I have been so lucky to have the sweet baby I do, but she brings me more happiness than I could have ever imagined, and every day I am so thankful to know that she was sent here to be apart of our family. We are thankful for our jobs and for our education. I have taken these last two semesters off to continue working full time and to be with Lucy, but Matt is very busy with school and work. We are very thankful that he works so hard for our family.

This year has brought many blessings and trials, and we are thankful for every single one.
Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to blog about, and so many pictures to share... but I am having a hard time finding the motivation. I am not sure why, but ever since I became a mom, I have a hard time finding motivation to do just about anything besides play with Lucy and Matt. Its funny how the things that I used to think were so important, and things that I thought HAD to be done, seem so unimportant now. I am hoping that this weekend I will bust out a marathon of blog posts and get this thing caught up.

I am also feeling a little frustrated because I can't invite everyone I want, to read my blog. I have reached my "limit" and I still have so many invites I need to give out. Does anyone know any way around this little problem? Or is there a way I can just make it so no one can copy my pictures? That way I can make my blog public and not worry about my pictures being shared?? I need some major blog help. Clearly I dont know what I am doing anymore. If you have any suggestions or tips, please share! :)