What a year we had!

It's hard to believe that a year ago tomorrow, Lucy was facing hospitalization due to RSV. We battled that silly virus several times last winter, but January's was by far the worst! Luckily, after many return visits to the doctor, a trip to the ER, and lots of breathing treatments at home, she was A-OK! We've been lucky enough this winter to have NO illnesses, and thanks to the tubes we had put in her ears last fall, no ear infections either! Who would have thought that a little five minute operation would have helped her this much?!?! I cried longer than it took to have the tubes put in her ears - I guess that's what happens when you have an emotional mommy! :-)

Lucy is growing up so fast, right before our eyes. With each new day, she becomes a little more independent. She now loves to watch Miss Spiders Sunny Patch Friends (she would probably watch this every waking moment if we allowed her to), she is able to feed herself with a fork and spoon (thanks to grandma for getting her those - she LOVES them!), she tries to take her shirts off and put her coat on by herself, she can take her shoes off, she runs, walks, climbs on things, tries to climb the stairs foot over foot (rather than crawling up them), she can say a small dictionary of words (hi, bye-bye, mimi - Silas's mom, night night, mama, daddy, Jessie - our day care providers daughters name, thank you, ~ just to give a few examples) she can point to an apple and say the word, she is beginning to recognize her grandma and her mimi and BobPa (Silas's step dad). She's at such a fun age!

I wish she was able to have a relationship with my dad and his wife, but he got upset with me a year ago because we didn't phone him on his birthday and sent him an e-card instead of a physical card (yes, this was the same time that Lucy was so sick she was faced with hospitalization) and refuses to be part of our lives. His reason for not wanting to talk with us is so petty, and I have mixed feelings about the whole situation. I realize he is doing the same thing to his children and grand children that his parents did to him. So, he's only doing what he knows how to do, and that is to shut people out, over react, and take things far more personally than they were ever intended. One day, he'll realize he's missed out on one of the greatest gifts anyone could ever ask for, the unconditional love of a child. I also know he reads this blog, and will see this, so hopefully he'll know we are thinking of him on his birthday and maybe one day he will decide that a birthday card isn't worth sacrificing the love of his children and grand children.