Bragging Shamelessly: LUCY

Monday, I had several mending/sewing projects that HAD to be done. But, of course, I have this little baby who loves to be snuggled and held and cooed at and nursed. What's a mom to do? Well, this mom handed her baby to Lucy, the self-appointed Junior Mom of our family. And she was great. Some of my kids, after 45 seconds of holding George, are all ready to hand him back: "my arms are tired!" "he's drooling on me!" "I wanna do something else" ...etcetera. But not Lucy. She will lug that boy around for as long as she can stand it. Even though he pulls her hair. Even though he's one third of her body weight. Sometimes, I get so frustrated because she won't stop mothering every person in sight (including me, on occasion). But, boy, is she wonderful when I need her.

This reminds me of a Lucy moment from last month. She received a kid baking set for Christmas from Uncle Jarom and Aunt Rosie, complete with apron. She couldn't have been more thrilled.

 Lucy, Katie, Ella and Eliza promptly headed for the Library table to do some make-believe holiday baking.

That next week, I was asked to contribute two dozen cookies to a community rehab center for the residents' Christmas party. Since I was still in that groove, I decided I would make gingerbread men, using the left-over royal icing and red hots. How Christmassy is that? Lucy, bless her heart, jumped right in and helped me. Here she is, wearing her new apron, mixing the gingerbread, and showing some of the cookies, made on her "kid" cookie sheet, rolled out with her "kid" rolling pin, cut out with her "kid" cookie cutters.

We even used her coordinating red measuring spoons. I was grateful for the help, and she felt like a million bucks. The cookies turned out really cute, and I hope they made the holidays feel more like home for some one at the treatment center. Lucy, such a ball of maternal instinct. I'm glad for her help! (most days...)