Summer Fun

We had a fun visit with my Uncle Vince and cousin Emily a few weeks ago. We did a lot of swimming (which is my favorite thing right now!) and ate a lot of BBQ (just corn on the cob for thanks!) I had so much fun playing with Emily. We chased each other around the house and played dolls and playhouse outside. I sure wish they lived closer :( But we get to visit with them again in August before they move even further away to Boston.

Changing diapers on my big girl bed. Hey Mom & Dad, I'm not a baby anymore!

Biker Girl

I really like to ride bikes. I like to try to ride my big wheel and I like to ride on the back of Mom or Dad's bike too. I really wanted all of us to go on a bike ride as a family. "Go on bike? Mommy too? Daddy too? Lily too?" So we rode over to the park to play. It was really FUN!

Supergirl! (and Superdad!)

I love to swing on my new swingset that I got for my birthday. Someone else in the family (can you see him?) also enjoys swinging on my swingset. He's teaching me some pretty scary stuff (at least Mom thinks it's scary. I think it's pretty COOL.)

My favorite way to swing: on my tummy. It's just like flying and I can do it all by myself.

Dad Helping my practice "SUPERGIRL!"

More Birthday Pictures!

Pin (tape) the monkey on the tree!!

Birthday spankings! I think they gave me more than 2!

Hiding behind my Dad as he tries to get me to blow out my candle...it was a BIG flame!

Party table. That's Aubrey trying to sneak a monkey cupcake :)

Overwhelmed by the excitement. Our house wasn't burning down; that was just the BBQ.

Thank you Summer for taking lots of great photos!

When I grow up I want to be a...

Photographer!!!

My favorite subject? Why my cat of course! I run around the house chasing him saying "Kitty! Cheese!!!" (Poor Kitty :( You're probably wondering what I am using for a camera. Well, I found this rope thing that is actually part of our swing chair that Tootsie ate (another story) and I put it around my neck (yes, mom was present), look throught the hole and tada! Now that's imagination!

Yes, I'm still in love with Elmo. This is one of the Lily's we are going to plant in Mom's Lily garden out back.

Does this picture need any explanation?? I am silly. In fact, I like to call myself "Slly Lily!"

4 words to describe me? Silly, Sweet, Smart & Stubborn!

Silly: I like to lay down flat on my tummy and drink out of the Dog's bowl (sometimes with a straw) I also have a new phrase that I answer EVERY question with: "Um...Yeah or um...NO" (thanks Abo!)

Sweet: I like to hold hands with the little creatures on TV and in books. You might think this is impossible, but I like to try anyway. I also kiss them and feed them. I rock my babies to sleep in my rocking chair, change their diapers, and nurse them. I mimic mom and rub their backs and wrap them in a blanket like she does to me.

Smart: I can sing my ABC's all the way through! I can swing in a big girl swing.

Stubborn: Today, I had a stomping, screaming fit (alone because everyone left the room!) because Mom wouldn't let me have more than 2 vitamins. That woman is against me I tell ya!!

I MUST choose my own clothes and shoes, and I like to wear long sleeves, pants & socks to bed on 95 degree days.

Monkey Party Girl is TWO!

My party was fun! Friends and family, BBQ, monkey games, and outdoor play (including water, of course!); what could be better??? Here are a few party pics to enjoy...

My Grandparents hanging out (yes, I'm lucky to have a lot of grandparents!)

My monkey cupcakes! They were YUMMY! I preferred the toppings and the frosting especially.

We had practiced blowing out my candles beforehand, but it was a little windy and the flame kind of freaked me out. So, Daddy helped. (See my monkey outfit :)

Me and my pals eating cupcakes. That's Zoe and Aubrey. I was SO happy to have my friends there.

Opening gifts. I was very distractable. So gift opening dragged on for quite awhile with play in between. I got some really fun stuff. Cute summer clothes that I really needed and a swing set (thank you Gigi, Papa & Great Grandma & Grandpa! Dad & Chris *started* building it yesterday.) My friends Aubrey & Summer made me a wooden doll that I can dress. I like to rock her to sleep on my shoulder and then put her to bed in the little doll bed Great Grandma Betty made me. Lots of cool stuff indeed.

This was Mom & Dad's gift to me. A sand and water box! I LOVE playing with water right now. Notice both Zoe and my cool hairstyles (a la sand & water).

Oh and one of the best parts of the day...SWING TIME!

Here is Aubrey and I!

Papa Joe and I. It got a little hot towards the end of the party and my clothes were a tad wet from the sand & water box. Who needs clothes anyway?

Papa & *Uncle* Chris pushing me in the swing. It was nice to have Uncle Chris & Simpson at my party. No offense to Uncle Chris but I sure wish his other halves could've been there too. We missed Violet & Elizabeth :(

Zoe and I swinging...what sweet smiles!

A note from Mama: Today my baby turned TWO! (sigh...)

My friend Elizabeth was really sentimental about her daughter's birth when her little Violet turned one just a few weeks ago, and I tried to remember if I felt that way for Lily's 1st Bday. I did then, but now she's 2, I thought surely I wouldn't feel sentimental about her birth this far out! Well, about 8 this morning I realized that Lily was born just a few hours before that time, 2 years ago. I also realized that maybe she woke up this morning, about 4:30am, because she knew that was her exact birth time! She just wanted to celebrate! They say that you soon forget the years when your baby wakes up at night and you are sleep deprived...REALLY?

OK, enough of that, now about my baby. She is still nursing. No, I didn't plan to nurse a 2-year-old, but hey, YOU try telling her NO. With a 2-year-old you have to pick your battles! We are neck deep in the terrible/wonderful two's. I say this lovingly and literally. One moment she is a terror and the next she is the most sweet and amazing little creature. Makes PMS look silly in comparison.

My Lily loves to eat! When my cousin Megan was up visiting she couldn't believe how much food the girl could put down. And it's finally begun, Lily is becoming her Daddy's shadow. It's so fun and sweet to watch. She says fondly "Daddy, too?" whenever we go anywhere or talk about doing anything. Daddy is teaching Lily her alphabet, and she's pretty good at singing it. She really knows her grandparents and talks about them all the time. The other day she was saying "Papa Tom is pretty!" (??) I'm not sure what those two talk about on their Friday mornings together! I could go on and on...and I will when I post about her party. But for now, my baby is TWO, and no, I can't believe it's been 2 years since her birth. She is such an amazing little person. And as I think about the next 2 years (STOP your thoughts about a sibling for Lily NOW! Or at least hold on to them for a bit.) the memories of her birth will fade further (sad but also thank God) and my baby will start school! It's funny how you think "Oh, let's have a baby!" but don't really follow through the thought process to include "let's have a toddler!" or "let's have a teenager!" Hmm...


It was Mother's Day, and I asked for a few very small gifts. #1: Let me sleep in (hence Joe did the 4:30 am fun). #2: Take care of Lily's bedtime, the whole shabang. #3: Let me take a nap. Yes, sleep in AND take a nap. I now realize that for "Mother's Day" I wanted to take a break from my motherly duties. That's a little ironic. Uh oh, mother guilt is kicking in again. Oh, and today, while trying to nap, I thought about how my Dad's Mom is not around this Mother's Day, and how sad that must be for him, because it's sad for me too. See, Grandma Mary was always like another Mom to me. I always visited her and took flowers for Mother's Day, because she spent a lot of time mothering me too. She always called me her baby. When she was in the hospital this last time we talked about how I kind of was like her youngest kid, always around during my college years, living with her off and on. About 2 weeks ago, after visiting with her, I was leaving her room and she said "Bye Baby." That whole visit she hadn't been interacting with us much but when she said that I knew she was there. That's how she always said goodbye.

Monkey birthday pics coming soon! It was a blast!

Finally, pics of my 1st Easter egg hunt!

Stuffing M&M's in my mouth. My Gigi is such a multi-tasker, holding my egg bag, chasing me and drinking her glass of wine all at the same time!

Holy cow! They put the good stuff in these eggs! (Notice the opened, and empty eggs to the side.)

On the hunt...no rocks or walls or trees kept me away from those special eggs!!

I had a special strategy for my hunting. For fear that other family members might eat the content of my eggs, I would eat the entire contents of the egg (2 M&M's!) each time I uncovered an egg on my hunt. I really had no need for an Easter basket. Mom tried to expain how to use one, but I really didn't see the point.

My innocence is lost, I have tasted chocolate, and I will never go back.

In Loving Memory

Me, about 3 days old, meeting Grandma for the 1st time.

This morning my Great Grandma Mary passed away. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with her in my 2 years of life. She was such a proud Mother, Grandma, and Great Grandma. She played peek-a-boo with me every time I visited and always had a cookie to share. I was able to say "Goodbye Grandma Mary" yesterday. Mom says she's in a better place now, at peace, and finally together again with my Great Grandpa Bud, her sweetheart. We will miss her so much, but are so lucky just to have know such an amazing woman. Her legacy is immeasurable in all the lives that she touched, including my Mom's and mine. Goodbye Grandma Mary. We love you always.

Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there.

I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the snow on the mountain's rim,

I am the laughter in children's eyes,

I am the sand at the water's edge,

I am the sunlight on ripened grain,

I am the gentle Autumn rain,

When you awaken in the morning's hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight,

I am the star that shines at night,

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there, I did not die.

--Mary Elizabeth Frye

1904-2004
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Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night,

and give your angels charge over those who sleep.

Tend the sick, give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake.

Amen

--Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer II

"Happy Birday, Daddy!"

Easter fell right around my Daddy and Gigi's birthday this year. So, we celebrated with this yummy cake from G. Grandma Betty as our Easter dessert. I even got some practice blowing out candles and singing Happy Birthday! My BIG day is exactly a week away!

You're probably wondering what the coolest part of my Dad's birthday was. Well, Mom and I let Dad sleep in, and then when we went in to wake him up, I yelled "Happy Birthday Daddy!!" which actually came out more like "appy birday daddy!!!" and gave him a big hug and kiss. My Dad was pretty happy. Looks like he'll keep me around for awhile after all.

Should we name my next sibling Azalea?

No, I'm not hinting at anything. Just trying to write a clever post title. Mom said she liked the name Zinnia, so I thought I'd throw in Azalea. We'd be a flower family!

Really though, I just wanted to share my birthday card picture. For those who wished Mom had printed it in color. Check out the azaleas in our yard. They are probably 50 years old. I love Sacramento.

The Easter bunny is so cool!

There's this little thing I do after I finish my own dinner (2 min. max). I climb up on Mom or Dad's lap and steal their food (um...share their food). It never thrills Mom too much, but Dad's always a good sport. Mom thinks we look pretty cute feeding each other. So she finally took some pics of us.

Great Grandma Betty brought me my very own bunny cake on Easter! First, I had a few too many M&M's that day. By the time it was time for dessert, it was about 5pm, and I was a little crazy already, so we saved the bunny cake for the next day. Not that that helped; I finally fell asleep about 9:30 that night...but man, that bunny was yummy!!!

So, there is a bunny that brings me chocolate treats on Easter! How lucky am I? Easter was so fun this year; I was really into the egg hunt and had so much fun hanging out with my family in the back yard. Mom lost her camera that day (misplaced it really) so she has no pics to share save this one. BUT, Papa Tom and Great Grandma Betty took TONS of pics that we will share very soon :) For now...check out my pretty dress!

I'm a Monkey Party Girl

I've decided to have a monkey party! Mom gave me the choice between Abby Cadabby and monkeys--I picked MONKEYS! (I think mom was a little relieved I didn't choose Abby because she's tired of pink!) Anyway, it will be a small party. Just my parents, grandparents, and a few friends because I'm a little shy right now with strangers, and just about anyone I don't see on a weekly basis is strange to me :) Wish my friend Violet could be there :( I'm going to miss her 1st birthday too.

My party stuff just arrived in a big box and it looks so fun! It's hard to wait a whole month before opening all the balloons and fun stuff.

By the way, being almost 2 is really hard. Mom says it's like living with a mini teenager. There is no mellow. I'm either mad, sad, wild, clingy, lovey, silly or annoyed. Who knew being 2 was so complicated? Well, off to read a book...studying up so I know the right terminology for these "feelings."