Enjoying the Weather

It has been the most awesome weather here the past couple of days. It is not like winter, but it is so nice to get Lucy outside again. She loves being outside and when it is 75 and sunny, we take full advantage of the weather. She LOVES her new slide. She is so funny on it. She peaks over the top every single time she gets up there and grins at us. Then she will do an arabesque like pose, and finally she slides down - usually on her stomach, feet first.

When I say she does an arabesque, I mean she really stands on one foot and raises her other leg high behind her. Maybe she will be a ballerina. I still think she is going to be a gymnast. She is the most flexible baby I have ever seen. I know all babies are flexible, but this is different. I can be holding her on my hip and she will kick her outside leg up on my chest - so it is like she is doing the splits against my body with her head and chest against the leg that is up. Her back can arch so far. We know this because she is constantly throwing herself backwards when we are holding her. We know when she is going to do it, so it is not like it is scary to hold her and think she might throw herself backwards at any second. We absolutely know when she is going to do it. Either she prompts us or we prompt her. When she is laying on her back, her legs can come up to her ears and lay flat next to her head. I mean completely locked, straight legs - no bend in them and her back flat on the ground - no raising of the rear end. I think she has Cirque Du Soleil type flexibility. Are your kids like this? Are they little Gumby kids, like Lucy? I really think she could bend into any position I tried to put her in.

As far as the cleaning goes, we cleaned most of our room today. We have a large armoire in our room and the bottom half of it is just storage. WOW! You should have seen the amount of stuff shoved in this space. Almost everything we bought in VN was in there. It was really fun to go through all of that. And oh yeah, remember how we bought so much art in HCMC? We finally took it to the framer to get put back on stretchers, which may I say, cost a freaking arm and a leg. Of course, we had 13 pieces of large art, so I guess we should have expected it. It sure is a shame that there isn't a way to get it home to the states without pulling it off of the stretchers. The actually framing costs a zillion dollars, so we are going to be framing one piece every month or so to break up the cost. I am not sure where exactly 13 large paintings are going to go, but I can do it! I will post pictures when I have them back on the stretchers. I am so proud of our Vietnamese art. They are all knockoffs, but they are so amazing. There are a few originals, that are my very favorites. We are starting in on the guest room. Nicki, I think I am too embarassed to post before and after pictures of that room. I promise to post the finished products. It feels so good to be doing this project. We plan to have it completely done by Wednesday night. Think we can do it? I know we can!

Here are pictures of Lucy Goose playing outside this afternoon.


The beginning of an arabesque pose.


I don't know!




Getting into her sandbox

Gator ride



*Her hair really has gotten so long, shiny, and beautiful. It has only been cut one time and it has perfect shape. She is going to have great hair her whole life. Lucky girl, her mom's hair sucks. I have been asked multiple times if I use a special shampoo because it is so shiny. Just J&J baby wash. I am not ready to get rid of that yummy baby smell. Especially since she is looking like she is so big and old in her pictures lately. She is not at all a baby any more, even though we call her a baby all of the time!