What have we done?!

Well, we did it!  We changed Luci's crib into a toddler bed.  I thought it was about time since she is now 2 and has bailed out of her crib a couple of times.  She is a climber and I love it but what I don't love are trips to the emergency room so it was time for safer alternative.

I found a wooden railing online that we can stain to match her bed (a project for another time) and when it came we made the switch.  Any project we attempt turns major when Luci is around.  At first I think she just thought I was changing her sheets so she sat down to read a book and wait it out.

When it became apparent that construction was involved, she jumped in to lend her own brand of helping hands.  In the first picture she is putting back in the bolts that daddy just took out.  The next picture is self-explanatory.  See...everything is easier with help!

Luci was super excited to find that she can now get in and out of her bed all by herself!  Once she figured it out she ran to get her piggy, elephant ("awckie"), and blanket ("B").  It wasn't even close to bedtime but she wanted to try it out!

So we are officially into day 2 of the switch.  Last night went seamless but she was so tired that she fell right asleep and didn't move till morning.  Nap this afternoon was another story.  We are in the middle of it as I type and so far she has (1) come running into the living room at top speed, holding piggy by the ears, screaming "PIGGGGGYYYYYYY!!!!", and (2) climbed out of her bed, grabbed her current favorite book off the shelf (Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog), and got back into bed to read it.  She finally fell asleep with piggy, elephant, and her book next to her but it took nearly an hour till she wore herself down.  Could be interesting; but what isn't with a 2 year old in the house?!

Another year older...

My two loves are another year older...the big 2 for Luci and thirty-hmmm (rhymes with tree) for Jason.  This is such a special day that they share!   

singing with daddy

We had Luci's party last weekend and it was superb!  The menu consisted of all our favorite vendor foods from Korea.  We had bulgogi served in lettuce leaves, chicken and green onion skewers (the first vendor food we tried), and our favorite...sweet, molten hotteok!  It was delicious and I think we won all the family over.  They now love Korean food as much as we do!  

 YUM!!!

 making delicious hotteok (click here for the link to the recipe)

So, in honor of her birthday, here is a list of all things Luci!  (I didn't think Jason would want me to list his developmental milestones on his birthday so I will focus on our sweet girl.)

Luci...

• is 32 inches long and a whopping 23 pounds,
• talks constantly and adds new words to her vocabulary every day (her latest is booger...so proud!),
• loves to skip and jump,
• is still the most coordinated child I have ever seen,
• wants to be "side" (outside) all the time,
• loves to swim, "spash" and paddle in the boat,

• loves her chickens on her terms (isn't wild about them on their terms),
• tells the chickens "ni-ni" every night when closing them in the coup with daddy,
• CONSTANTLY wants chapstick for her "ips"; even knows where to look for all the various tubes, my purse, daddy's pocket, Grandma's purse, etc...,

• doesn't like it when daddy goes to "ork",
• is a huge daddy's girl,
• hates it when anybody leaves,
• misses her Cleo ("dog?  bye-bye?"),
• loves to cuddle and love,
• gives the sweetest kisses,

• plays hard,
• is a wild child, and
• is our sweet, precious girl whom we absolutely adore!

They came...They visited...They canoed!

My family from Wisconsin (Grandma, Aunt, and 2 cousins) came for a visit this past week and we had a blast.  This was the first trip to Arkansas my grandmother has made in several years.  The last one I remember was when my brother got married (over 10 years ago)!  It was nice to see them here on our home turf!

They came over to our house Tuesday morning to see Luci and eat lunch with us.  Luci of course had to show her farm cousins how to throw grain to the chickens.  She loves her chickens and likes to show them off to others!

Wednesday we joined my parents and the Wisconsin crew at my parents' cabin in Big Flat.  We always enjoy visiting that retreat!  Thursday morning we went with Dad, my Aunt Lois, and 2 cousins Kyle and Kaitlyn on a canoe trip down the Buffalo River.  Luci is a pro at this point...loves to sit in the front of the canoe in her little green camp chair.  You couldn't actually prove the float trip happened from these pictures though since we didn't get any of the actual canoeing...only of the cooking, splashing, and swimming (all VITAL parts of a float trip)!  We have been terrible parents and actually haven't captured any pictures of Luci in her canoe even though this was her 3rd time!  It's on my to-do picture list for the next trip!

 With Kaitlyn before the canoe trip

 Jason (with his shadow) and Dad cooking lunch.  Brats and hot dogs over a campfire...YUM!

Kyle and his "mini-me".  Luci wanted to do everything her cousin did (even the stride is the same)!

Swimming with Grandpa

Can't believe this is the same girl who was DEATHLY afraid of bathwater a year ago! 
 

My swimming beauty!

 God's Masterpiece!

As you can tell from the pics, we had a great time!  This weekend will bring Luci's birthday party on Saturday and her cousin Grace's on Sunday.  After all the playmates Luci has had over the past week, next week is going to be a huge let-down...back to just Mommy and Luci!  I hope we survive!