(self-explanatory)

some things I love about Lily, in this phase

1. Most of you know, Lily is VERY opinionated and particular about clothes. 95% of the time, her outfits are her creation. I have very little say in the process and I'm ok with that. However, she has a little bit of OCD when it comes to her clothing. She needs all loose threads cut off immediately and no string goes unnoticed. Stains are deal-breakers. And holes? Forget about it, that piece is DONE. For example, today she put on a brand-new pair of tights and found a fuzz, which turned into a microscopic hole upon removal. The hole grew in her mind and literally, until we had to take off the tights so we didn't have to talk about it anymore. I don't know why, but I love this about her.

2. This isn't intentional, but it's common. Whenever Lily throws something away in our kitchen trashcan, she almost always finds something she wants to take out. I have to escort her to and from the wastebasket, because on her own, she will pluck out whatever brightly-colored, food-stained item her eyes land on. Sometimes it's something like wrapping paper ("Hey! I wanted that paper!"). Or...one of her crafts from preschool that literally has only ONE line drawn on it ("Heeey! I was gonna give that to Dada!) It's just so funny. She puts something in, she gets something out.

3. Another favorite thing: If we are going down the stairs at the same time, she will race to the bottom and lay on the last step so that I have to pretend to (which is dangerously close to almost) step on her. I don't know why she thinks it's so fun, but she does. Every time.

4. This girl LOVES hugs. I get so many, every day. So, so many. I'm so lucky.

5. I love her outfits. All of them. (see above picture) One time when I had to walk across the entire ETSU campus with Lily; she wore the most outrageous, brightly-colored, mismatched ensemble in the history of the world. It was so loud that I was almost embarrassed. And then I was proud. Because she is simply herself. Stripes and polka dots, orange and pink, different plaids, opposing shades of green. That's my girl's style. Go You, Lily-girl.

6. Lily has long been a fan of rigid nighttime routines. Remember the Christmas Medley days? And the 45 minute routine that we had to wean her out of last spring? Now, the finale to the goodnight routine is this:
(and she must start it, if you start it, she starts it over)
Lily: (normal voice) Goodnight!
Response: Good night!
Lily: I love you!
Response: I love you!...
Lily: (in silly nasal voice) Goodnight!
Response: (in silly nasal voice) Goodnight!
Lily: say-i-love-you-really-loud, (in silly voice) I LOVE YOU
Response: (In silly nasal voice) I LOVE YOU.
Lily: I can't hear you, say it loud I LOVE YOU
Response: (in silly voice) I LOVE YOU!

7. I love The Hands. Their names are Sophie (left hand) and Bree (right). Sometimes they fight and grab and yell and man oh man, occasionally one of them gets in BIG trouble. Other times, they "love each udder" and give each other big hugs. Last week, they were even getting married! Most of the time, they just help Lily eat by putting food in her mouth, or help her put on socks, etc. They like to climb and dance as well. Oh, yeah, The Feet like to dance too - that would be Vicki (left) and Marco (right).

8. ID: It's a sad day when you have to teach your child for the first time that there are bad words - things that you can say that hurt others. For example, Lily picked up the word "stupid" in a movie a few months ago. I wouldn't care that much, except for the word is primarily used to belittle others or something others care about. So, Jeremy and I decided we'd go ahead and start talking about bad words. She understood right away that she shouldn't say it, but sometimes her Hands say it. I never catch them, but she promises it's them. She will say things like, "Mom, I'm not gonna say stupid, ok?" Once she figured out that was not ok, she started calling it "Id". So, now in our house "Id" is a bad word too. Occasionally, people will drop the Id-word (except the real version) around her and her eyes get really wide and she whispers to us "______ said ID!!!"

9. I cut Lily's hair in the bathtub the other night. She thought it was only one snippet, but it was the whole go-round. Jeremy distracted her with a game with "Bootsy" and was making her laugh hysterically while I tried to cut discreetly. We've been putting this off for a while, and technically, it's her first haircut. It's so uneven, but the curls hide it. And...about the curls...I think their days are numbered. Since the trim, her hair looks more like a bob than a Shirley Temple. But....even though it's symbolic of her getting older...I love it. She's just a gorgeous child, inside and out.

And on that note...

Encouragement

For those of you that don't know: Lily does not enjoy my singing. She gets upset when I sing with music or by myself, loud or soft, silly or serious...she just doesn't like it. Well, recently I've been telling her that it hurts my feelings, b/c I really do like to sing. I didn't think we were making any progress until the other night; I started singing in the kitchen while I was doing dishes and heard this spontaneous comment from the living room. (We made her do it again...)

"Good singin' Mama, GOOD!"

Little Jack Horner

Lilisms

Lily calls the furnace (and all heat felt coming out of vents) the "burnace"

when we put on a long-sleeved shirt, she calls it "putting her elbows on"

when we hear the sump pump gurgle water through our sink, Lily announces "Sink's talking!!"

Recently, we were getting in the car to go eat at our favorite restaurant, Cootie Browns; Lily knew where we were headed....

Jeremy: Where do you want to go?

Lily, mispeaking: Cookie Browns!?!

Jeremy: COOKIE Browns??? That's silly...what do you want?

Lily, processing her word confusion:..... I need cookie!!!

when she pretends she's going somewhere, usually on her tractor, it's almost always going to "Cootie Brown's - gettin' pizza!"

she can't say her Ls, so she likes to sit on mama's "yap" (lap), go to "Yowes" (Lowes), and hold her "yittle" baby... also, she says often, "I yika that!"

When she puts on her favorite shoes, or a dress, she says, "I yika these. So pwetty!!"

Recently, when she is up to something and wants me to go away she says "Mama go that way"

I've been trying to teach Lily to ask nicely for things and not demand them. Usually it goes something like this:

Lily (screaming): JUUUUIIIIIICE!!!!!

Me: That's not a very nice way to ask.

Lily: Juice, please.

Me: That's a nice way to ask.

SO, since we've been practicing that, here are some subsequent requests:

Lily: WANT YOGURT RAISINS!!!!!

Me (giving her a disapproving look): Excuse me?

Lily: Want yogurt raisins please. that nice way ask.

"Tricker-Tricker"

On Saturday, we celebrated Jeremy's 30th birthday AND Halloween! It was such a fun day. Here are some pictures from trick-or-treating, or as Lily calls it, "Tricker Tricker"! She loved saying "Happy 'Ween" as well...

Our little East TN ladybug, riding her favorite tractor.

She got really into the whole candy thing... Aunt Haley and Uncle Toby were here to experience this first!

On a mission to the next house.

She plopped down in the middle of the wet sidewalk to check out her loot!

As you can tell, my interviewee kept getting distracted by the 100+ trick or treaters we had at OUR house! That is NOT an exaggeration. We paid for the candy to prove it. It was insane, but fun.


(She jumps the WHOLE time she eats a sucker. and when she's really excited)

Dancin' in the Rain

the Singer

I don't know how these things happen, but it was like a switch turned all of a sudden and Lily realized, I CAN SING! It has been the most fun. Luckily, I had my camera with me for her very first song (aside from Happy Birthday). This is one of my favorite songs EVER by the Wailin' Jennys. Lily started singing it ON HER OWN before i even put the cd in!Then we realized she can sing a whole lot more than "Hallelujah!""Amazing Grace"

Table Talk

Lily always eats a piece of fruit after dinner for "dessert" and here is the conversation that occurred during this transition...

Casey: Lily, do you want a peach?
Lily: Yes.
Casey: Or, do you want an apple?
Lily: Yes.
Casey: Which one do you want?
Lily: Chips.

Don't Drink the Water (Highlights from last week)

This little girl is TIRED, a lot of the time. Gone are the days of reading quietly for 20-30 minutes at a time and playing peacefully. She is ON THE GO, BUSY, and HIGH SPEED. Since her morning nap has been phasing out, its been a struggle to make it to her afternoon nap... She's been going and getting her "bankie" and "paci" out of her crib and pretending to go to sleep all over the house...

Eating yogurt with her fingers....mmmmm.

playing in her baby's cradle...

happy face after drinking "Green Goodness"

Cooking with dada - one of Lilys favorite games

Snoozing on the couch with dada.

Lily loves dada's ties. She always points them out in public, on other people, and in pictures...

I think this picture (above) looks just like Jeremy's baby pictures! What do you think?

Drinking our delicious Elizabethton city water. mmmmmm!!!

....and here are some random videos...

Mama's Proudest Day

Week in Pictures and Videos (a.k.a. The Week of RAIN)

(In case you're wondering, she's smiling because we put on one of her favorite songs, "Red Squirrel" by the Fleet Foxes.)

(Dad likes to do fun things with Lily's hair)

(Hanging out with her BF, Elijah.)

(Hanging out in our gloriously green backyard, with "Guy" - seen at base of tree)

(Stopping to smell the flowers. I always have lots of petunias around because they remind me of Epworth.)

(Riding the bus)

Listen for these words: couch, camera, light, dada-look!Longest game of peek-a-boo EVER!

Eating Like a Big Girl

A Day in the Life of a Lily

Hi Everybody, my mom wants to post a bunch of random pictures, so I am going to narrate them and tell you what my days usually look like. After I wake up (anytime b/w 6:30 and 7:30) and I eat breakfast, I usually play with my toys for a little bit. I still like to read with my mom and dad, but I am too busy recently to pick up books and read by myself often. I love climbing in and out of my rocking chair and pushing it around the whole house. I also like to stand up in it, but I'm not supposed to.Sometimes friends come to visit us, like my "aunt" Sarah! She was in town and I got to play with her this week! It was so good to see her.
My mom has been letting me help with the dishes recently. Mostly, I like to splash water on everything within reach.

My current passion is doors. I love opening and closing them frequently and trying to operate the knobs. When I want one open, I say "Kna-Knock".

Our neighbor got some chickens recently, and I love them!! We can hear the rooster crow in our apartment and every time he does, I get really excited. We also have planted a garden in our backyard and my mom and dad are so excited about it. I really want to walk around in it, but they tell me to be careful of the "babies". I am confused at how the plants are babies, but I know not to get near them.

Every morning, my mom and I go water the babies. I really want to help, but I am only allowed to stick my hand in the water...
....and sometimes my face too.

I really like watching all the animals that are out and about this spring - especially the phoebes that are nesting under our deck!

I usually help my mom go get the mail every day and then I like to help carry it back. Sometimes I throw it too.

The real fun begins when my dad gets home. I like to try to put on his clothes and I talk about him all day long.I love being naked right...and riding my tractor. I must be an East TN girl!
I love playing in the bathtub before I go to bed, always. I am even starting to put my face in the water.

Well, thats all the pictures for now. Ba-Bye.