Where did November go?

I really can't believe how quickly the last eight months, let alone the last eight weeks, have passed. In the last two months we've made trips to Connecticut, Pennsylvania and California. All the new places and new sights have made Lucy even less interested in snuggling. She's always on the go, looking for new things to mouth. She definitely knows the forbidden fruit: shoes, remotes, iPhones, and gets really quiet when she gets her mitts on any of these items. I’m not saying she’s sneaky, but she is already showing signs of being a daredevil and a mischief maker (both of which I celebrate wholeheartedly). Her crawling is pretty fast these days and she's experimenting with letting go of furniture after she pulls herself up. I guess she'll be standing all on her own in a couple of months. She also has a new bottom tooth. That makes the score bottom 3, top 0.

Lucy has several new baby friends in Atlanta and she loves play dates at the park. She usually greets other babies with loud squeals of delight and aggressive "kisses." We call her mouthing and licking "kissing." It makes us feel less violated when she attacks our faces.

The last day of our trip to Los Angeles we spent at Disneyland. Lucy enjoyed herself to the point of exhaustion. We didn't think she'd get much out of the parade, but to our surprise she screamed and flailed her arms whenever a costumed character rounded the corner. For those in the crowd around us, she was the star, even as a spectator.

In less than two weeks, we'll get back on a plane to Oklahoma City and then to Arkansas. We can't wait to see how Lucy responds to her first Christmas tree. What a treasure it is to see old things through her eyes.

I guess I was a bit of a cynic before this babe came into our life. I used to pooh-pooh proclamations about how different the love for a child is from anything else. But every day I am more and more in love with this little person and I truly can't express how immense my emotions are for her

Again, sorry for not practicing any editorial skills with these photos (but, come on, she’s kind of cute in each one).

October

Even without the treats, Lucy had some fun on Halloween.

Andy's new trick. It terrifies me, but she hasn't fallen yet...

Pennsylvania

This is her happiest of happy faces.

She explores my childhood stomping ground for the first time.

She loves to kiss herself in the mirror. This is how she greets other babies, too.

Lucy gets into some trouble.

November, Los Angeles

Squeezing in a power nap before the parade.

Lucy spots Pooh driving a honey pot.

On the tram back to the car. A successful day at Disneyland.

Lucy loves Tommy.

Silly Lucy

Aunt Bekah feeds Lucy. This was her first meal in her highchair.