lunchtime concert

Take an outgoing one year old on a city bus and you will see a completely different side of your fellow passengers. We live in a pretty diverse part of the city both culturally and economically. Therefore, when Lucy and I ride the bus, we don't see a lot of people that look like us. If you ride the bus as an adult, you often get on, find a seat, preferably by yourself and then look ahead or at your reading material. There is not much interaction. It's kind of like getting in an elevator. The same rules apply. Don't make eye contact, look straight ahead, only acknowledge another's presence if you need help selecting the stop or to move out of the way. Oh...and stay silent!

Well, Lucy doesn't know ANY of these rules. AND, she tosses out this huge grin at anyone who makes eye contact with her. It's that cheesy grin with her eyes and nose squinted, showing all her tiny teeth. She often adds a wave and the lucky ones might even get a blown kiss. And she doesn't just do this for the person in the seat next to us. She turns around and grins at the people behind, the people passing us to get on or off, and the one guy who has been trying to listen to his headphones without getting sucked in. You know that guy. He's either a teenager trying to act cool or the business guy who is extra serious or even the elderly man who's just a bit cranky. All three have been charmed! Some passengers even checked as the bus was pulling away to see if she was still watching them. She definitely was.

Today we took the bus to downtown so we could catch one of the noontime free concerts that happen all over the city in the summer. The band was called the Paperboys. It was great music that made you want to dance. The first half hour, Lucy was completely mesmerized. It was like she was in a trance. Of course, the cooky eccentric old man with the wild gray hair, florescent green skirt (yes, I meant skirt) and hands full of floor length scarves dancing in front helped keep her focused. But it wasn't just the crazy dressed man. She loves the music. She got that from both of us so she's hyper-connected. The second half of the show she spent munching on an apple, bouncing to the music and checking out all the folks sitting around us. I so love my life!!

After her mega nap from her exciting morning, a friend of Lucy's came to our house so we could all go to the park together. Lucy is actually climbing the structures like a Toddler. Ok, not quite that skilled but she has enough focus to climb the steps, slide down the slide, walk around to the steps (with some help), and start all over. The whole circle takes a while as you can imagine but she did it several times.

Well, that was our fabulous Thursday. I hope you had a great one too.

p.s. No we've not mastered walking yet. We've seen a couple unconscious steps but otherwise she's still walking while holding on to at least one hand or a piece of furniture. But we know it will be happening soon. She's way to interested to let that skill take too long!