Apple

I'm not very good at announcing to-the-minute official milestones.  I know, poor Lucy.  Her lame Mom didn't have an airplane write FIRST STEP! in the sky when she began toddling around like a drunken sailor.  Instead of stressing over documenting exactly what happens when, I would rather just enjoy the milestones and bask in the progress and the learning that is taking place.  Lazy?  Maybe.  A lot of fun to jump right in and play rather than eagerly waiting with the video camera set on record and baby book open, pen in hand?  Absolutely!

However, this feels as if it needs official documentation.  If I had to declare a first REAL word for Lucy, as in a word she says correctly, a word where she not only says it but actually identifies with the object, a word that we didn't say over and over forcing it to stick in her little brain ("PLEASE say Mama," "PLEASE say Mama"...), it would definitely have to be APPLE.  A-PULLLLLL, to be more precise.  She has been saying it for months now - and adding to her vocabulary daily (sorry, I can't help myself - my kid is a genius!!!) but it is still the first thing she points out when she walks into a kitchen and spots a Golden Delicious hanging out in a fruit bowl and the word she falls back on when I encourage her to pronounce words that are far too big for this stage. 

ME: "Lucy, can you say bronchitis and pneumonia?  As in, your dad had bronchitis and pneumonia last week." 

Silence. 

And yes, a true story. 

LUCY: "A-pull."

So, when I saw this overpriced shirt (pictured below while we were enjoying lunch with Uncle Tyson over Christmas) at an adorable store downtown, for my own pleasure and sappy moment of "awwww, so cute!" I swooped it up and she found it under the tree this Christmas.  I'm sure you can imagine her overwhelming excitement.  Apparently wrapping paper that can be torn to shreds is far more exciting. 

Anyway, the shirt looks adorable on her and will forever remind me of this wonderful stage that has now OFFICIALLY been documented.  A-PULLLLLLL.