A Meditative Christmas

The picture is of Lillian boogeying down at the La Scala Christmas Party.

The most exciting news is that our goats are coming!! We will bring them here the weekend after our vacation. One doe is lactating already, but lost her kid and the other doe is due in February. We are starting to get things ready. The hardest part may be finding hay.

This Christmas has been a joyful low stress one. I have changed in some significant way. I am not so stressed--no longer have a foot long to do list in my head. I am much, much closer to my ideal of living in the moment.

Our sugarless Christmas has been great and I think a big part of my new calmer self. Lillian and I made some kick-butt stevia-sweetened biscotti.

Lillian is finally breaking up the congestion that has been plaguing her and her tonsils for so long. Her tonsils are still huge but I think we are on the road to recovery--thank you zinc and Chinese herbs!!!

Paco's latest lipid panel was incredible--all his numbers were great not just good. He is taking the same high-quality fish oil I am and look at the results!!
total ch--188 to 146
total ldl--98 to 82
total hdl--42 to 46
triglycerides--238-to 90!!

Low sugar much lower carb diet we are all following is helping a lot too.

I am teaching Lillian to meditate. My own mediation practice has deepened with my new-found tranquility (and aided in it of course) and I thought this was something I could share with her. Lillian's personality is much like her mother's, she can be very stubborn and rigid. This leaves her frustrated a lot of the time. I would like to raise her with some of the tools to deal that.
Anyway, I talked her through a mediation before sleeping last week. She loved it and immediately turned over and fell asleep. I have downloaded some podcasts for her too. Meditating has now become the last thing she does each night and often falls asleep during it. Here is a link to a great children's Christmas mediation.
http://www.learnoutloud.com/Podcast-Directory/Self-Development/Prayer-and-Meditation/Meditation-Station-Podcast/18820#

growing

Lillian has suddenly shot up. I measured her and she has gained a 1/2 inch since summer. We went out today and got a new pair of jeans since she only has one pair that is not flood pants. The picture is of her with her first pigtails. As you can see, these just barely qualify. She has been growing her hair so she can have pigtails for 6 months now. I prefer her hair short, but she has her own ideas now.

We are having such a nice and calm holiday season. The La Scala party was last weekend and went very well. We baked 12 dozen cookies and I did not eat a one! Lillian did all the sprinkles, as is tradition. Last year's cookies had mountains of sprinkles and this year's had 3 or 4 carefully placed sprinkles. What a difference a year makes. This is her minimalist year.

After 2 bouts of antibiotics, she still has white blotches on her enormous tonsils. She was home form school on Wednesday, but seems to be feeling good (still white blotches) and will be in school tomorrow. She is on Chinese herbs now and that seems to be helping. We see the naturopath, Dr. Lightstone tomorrow to get the results of her food allergy testing. I hope their is something there that helps.

who's the fairest of them all

Riggy has been found! I called all the places we were in the mall (again) and Riggy was at Bath and Body Works. Lillian was gleeful to have the "real" Riggy back. I will keep the on-order Riggy hidden away for the next time this happens.





Another mall moment: we took Lillian in the Disney store to get her excited about the trip. She quickly found a pepto-bismol pink vanity complete with rollers, brush, comb, etc. She LOVED it. This is exactly the kind of thing I would NEVER buy her. She did not care about anything else in the store as she styled her hair and looked in the mirror. So, I wonder---am I right in denying her something so basically girlie? I am not very girlie myself. It was hard for me to even buy her a baby doll. Once I did, I saw the error of my ways. I know in my heart that surrounding her with over the top pink and lavender plastic toys that teach her being a girl is all bout her appearance are WRONG! ----but what inner yearning and natural desire am I ignoring?





The picture is phase one of construction of our gingerbread house. Lillian is taking a picture to send Nanny and holding Nanny "on the phone" at the same time. I will include the finished product here also.

that time of year

Today we celebrated Paco's Birthday. pretty quietly--none of the fanfare of last year. Lily gave him a bag of animal crackers and I got him a standing double work light that he already loves.

We went out to eat and then to the mall to see Santa. She has been pledging that this is the year she will not be afraid of Santa. The first year she wouldn't go near him. Last year she took a candy cane from him, but just barely. This year's pic speaks for itself.

This video is form a couple of week's ago, but it definitely deserves airtime. Lily is singing " A Bushel and a Peck" which her nanny used to sing to her almost daily.

Today also had a low point. Somewhere in the mall Lillian lost her constant companion "Riggy" short for Rigoberta. Lillian has had this little cloth doll since she was about 6 months old and sleeps with her, takes her to school, and drags her around most every day. We realized when we got home and made some phone calls, but it seems that Riggy is indeed gone. I have already been online and ordered another Riggy from Discount School supply. She took it pretty well, overall.

you big momma's boy

Now that I am back in the blogging swing of things, they just keep coming, huh?

Today Lillian said to Paco: "hey, you big momma's boy!" after we picked ourselves up off the floor we realized that Lillian had learned this from Paco himself who has been heard to say this about his youngest brother Carlos. She said she also heard it in the movie Bambi II which we recently viewed. What kills me is that her mind files these away for days, even weeks and then she zings them out at contextually correct, but unexpected moments.

She had school this morning and this afternoon she announced to me that her friend Julia does like boys. Lillian has said to us several times over the past month or so and that she does not like boys so I was pretty sure that this conversation topic was all Lillian's. This dislike seems to stem from a little boy named Isaac in her class who has some issues with keeping his hands to himself. Anyway, I asked Lillian if she asked Julia about this and she affirmed. After a moment, she said, "Yes, but she is still my friend" So even though Julia has disappointed her, she has decided to make the friendship work. BTW, I have pointed out to Lillian that there are some boys she likes a lot---daddy, grampy, and her cousins to name a few. She agrees, bit still says she does not like boys in general. FINE BY ME.

ok, big guy

A few Lillian tidbits. One of her often said phrases now is "OK, big guy" or "I'm right behind you, big guy" No idea where this came from.

The other night we had someone knock on the door after dark. Considering we are out in the middle of nowhere and have almost zero friends, this was surprising, almost alarming. Afterward, Lillian kept looking out the window and saying the "coast is clear." good grief!!

Another acupuncture treatment today. I think it is causing a healing crisis. I am dizzy, nauseous, weak, achy, and tired. I go back on Monday and will be armed with lots of questions.

Lillian and I worked on our gingerbread house today. I will post a pic soon. We wore our matching Christmas aprons. It was the height of cuteness. It was an odd experience making agingerbread house and not even being able to stick my frosting-covered fingers in my mouth.

Happy Thanksgiving. We had a pretty quiet day. We had the big turkey dinner when my family was here 2 weeks ago. Today we made some mixotes. Yum!! I had bad fibro days today and yesterday, Paco is still coughing and Lillian is on her second round of antibiotics (cringe!) with big white splotches on her tonsils. Needless to say, none of us are at our best.

Paco's remodeling project is barreling along. Our cluttered entry/laundry room/basement entry is becoming a big room which will eventually be our dining room with a big glass door (I am hoping for French) to the patio (yet too exist). He has been on a home remodeling blitzkrieg and has really been enjoying it. He has replaced 3 bathroom faucets (rubbed bronze in place of ugly, shiny chrome!) and tiled my kitchen back splash with handmade talavera tiles (yippee skippie!)

Lillian, besides being under the weather for weeks is loving school and is very excited for Christmas and vacation. She and I started putting up some Christmas decorations today and she was jumping up and down about Santa coming. She seems to be under the impression that we need to do a really great job decorating in order for him to visit us with presents. Her heart's desire for Christmas is a submarine. Mom has got this under control.

Although I am not feeling as great as I would like, I feel like I am making real progress health wise. I am seeing a naturopath now and she is great! I have had testing done and found that I am allergic to cane sugar! Cutting the sugar out has helped my digestion. I am also gradually changing my eating habits to eat an anti-inflammatory diet. I am also allergic to lentils. Thanks to Chinese medicine and good nutrition, I have avoided antibiotics so far this fall and my mood has been good. I am a believer.

I saw my new chiropractor yesterday. He also does acupuncture. I had my first treatment and go back tomorrow. I wonder if the Chiro/acupuncture didn't set of the FM flare, but we shall see. I already know that I may have to feel worse at times to feel better.

We are all looking forward to our first real family vacation. We are spending a week in January at Walt Disney World resort in Orlando. This is the ultimate cheesy American vacation, but right now nothing appeals to me more than acres of Pre-fab fun and diversion. Lillian is almost bursting with excitement and Paco is looking forward to it and especially happy that it is all paid for (even food) and the restaurant will be closed while we are gone!

My Master Gardener Classes are coming to a close and I will be doing my volunteer hours this spring. Paco finished my raised beds and we got them filled with compost and leaf mulch. I planted one whole bed with 10 kinds of organic garlic. I am excited for spring and all the things I want to get in the ground---blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, apple trees, and grapes to name a few.

The video is of Lillian dancing along with the American Indians at the Feast of the Hunter's Moon.

back to back

blogging. Maybe I am turning over a new blog life.

today is my birthday. I had a great day with my family. lily and paco painted a ceramic frame at the you-paint-your-own-ceramics place and Paco gave me a heated neck massager. They got me a peanut butter cup cake from coldstone creamery. it was special because they were so sweet and i didn't have to cook or orchestrate!

the picture is lily with one of our backyard turtles. The dogs had it and paco brought it in for a little downtime before he and lil returned it to where we think they live. we see turtles so often we marked the latest one with a paint marker on the back of the shell in an effort to track our local population.

lillian has her first show and tell tomorrow. she is taking a photo collage poster form this summer (free from Shutterfly!). the theme is transportation and she will be able to show them pictures of her riding an elephant, in a roller coaster, and driving a trash truck.

i feel shredded. due to the horrible sore throat i have, i think i am dealing with a real cold and not just fm. Paco is going to take Lily to school, so I will have the morning to drink tea and finish changing out the closets. Luckily, the hand me down winter coat from my nephew fits Lillian great.

catching up

On the eve of my 36th birthday, I am counting my blessings. I have been pretty angry lately about my fibromyalgia. I am channeling my anger into some pretty good actions, but the last couple of days I have been reminded of how wonderful I have it.

Lillian had a mini-breakdown yesterday. Tinsel was still at Purdue vet getting his shoulder operation, and I have been having many bad health weeks. Yesterday my fm was flaring bad and there was one point where i almost thought i could not walk. I was with lily and she desperately wanted to walk across the road to the fountain. I had to sit down for awhile in order to do that and she could tell I was in quite a bit of pain. Later, she was crawling into my lap and drove her hand into my thigh. This caused extreme pain and I screamed. By bedtime, she was crying. I knew why and tried to talk to her, but she didn't want to open up. I asked her if she wanted to talk to Nanny. So we called Nanny, I clued her in and she asked Lillian if she was upset because Mommy was not feeling well. She broke down then and cried for quite awhile. Of course, Mom and I told her that mommy was not broken and everything would be fine. She picked up a picture of Paco and I kissing and kept pointing at it. Her love for me and need for me is all-powerful. Of course, I felt guilty for her feeling this way.

Anyway, all this has me feeling the power of the people who love me and their need of me.

She is amazing.

She can button and unbutton her clothes now. She is loving school and we went on her first field trip yesterday. The city bus picked us up at school, took us to the bus barn and the bus wash, and then back again. She had a great time. School has given her a lot of social confidence she really enjoys having her own thngs to tell mom and dad about.

Her computer skills have blossomed too. I am amazed by her ability to use the laptop. She is gaining a lot of patience and confidence as well as the obvious lessons from her software programs. She is also really getting into science. She has always been a nature hound, but has been asking lots of things about anatomy and astronomy. She is also interested in magic and desperately wants to own a submarine.

way past late

This post is way past late, but here it is. So much is going on this fall. Here's a rundown.

First and foremost, Lillian has started school. It was a bit of a transition, but she loves it! She is there MWF from 9-11:30. She loves showing us what she has done. We are wrapping our minds around that fact that she has her own life now. Wow!

I have started school too. I am in the Purdue Master Gardener program. I am very excited and have already learned a lot. I am also taking a Fibromyalgia class at the YWCA starting this week.

Paco and I have looked at 2 possible new locations for La Scala. We would like more space, but the reality is that we don't really have the $$$to move. Right now we are waiting to see how much one space would lease for.

I have been doing lots of canning and freezing. I have just about cut out traditional grocery shopping. I am trying to put away what I can for winter. The picture is of Lillian helping me process tomatoes. Of course, she is eating one as she works. She has her swim goggles in case I chop onions which "poke her eyes"!

We went and visited Karen Stegmeier's farm to look at her goats. A very nice doe named Cordelia allowed me to learn how to milk. Karen is hoping to get a couple of goats bred for me so I can move them over here and should be milking by the early spring.

I have also been researching chicken and turkey breeds which we will start in the spring.

We visited the Indy Zoo last weekend with my cousin Annie, her partner Shannon and their kids Tiffany and Denny. I had not seen Annie for 17 years and we had a great day. We hope to go visit them in KY sometime soon.

Lillian will be attending Village pre-school this fall--actually she starts next Friday. Yesterday, Paco brought in the mail and Lillian had a postcard from her teachers. She was so thrilled she was jumping up and down. I am so happy she is excited. I feel like the whole world is going to open up for her.

Summer is ending. I love fall, but I don't think I have ever enjoyed a summer more. I have felt energized and healthy. I am a bit apprehensive about winter after this last one. I was just so sick! I think a lot of that was undiagnosed fibromyalgia, but only time will tell.

This will have to be short. Lillian and I have to get our day going.

A Lesson Learned

The picture is from the second session of zoo camp.

Now, it's a breeze. She just needed to be sure she knew where the bathroom was and she was fine. Not only did she love camp, but it has helped tremendously in prepping her for preschool. She is sitting with Shiloh the tortoise.

I learned some lessons this week from and about my daughter.

First, Paco and I went togther to pick her up from camp on Tuesday. We sat quietly and watched as the kids met the last animal--a rat. Each child is supposed to signal the zoo staffer with a thumb's up if they want to touch the animal and 2 thumb's up if they want to hold the animal. More or less, the kids did this and the staffer proceeded around the circle. When Lillian's turn came, she started chatting away explining that she would like to hold it but the rat might poke a hole in her shirt with his nails. She wouldn't like that, so she better just pet him. If she was wearing an older shirt it would be ok, but she didn't want a hole in this shirt. The zoo staffer politely listened with a slightly amused and exhausted look. DING DING DING I realized that not all kids ramble on and qualify everything they say. My daughter, bless her, can drive me crazy with this stuff. Now you (reader) no why she models me and tells her dolls--"yes or no, just tell me yes or no."

My second lesson was yesterday. Lillian had an echocardiogram and I promised her a lunch date out with ice cream after. So here we were att he IHOP. I was hungry and a little on edge form just seeing my daughter's heart on TV and NO ONE was waiting on us. The woman who I thought might be our waitress seemed lost in space and even if we got her attention, things did not look good in the service department. I was wondering if we should just leave, but knew that would mean loading Lillian up again and starting all over somewhere else. So, I asked Lillian what she thought we should do. She thought about it, smiled, and said:

We could just wait our turn.

Ah, the wisdom. So, we did. We flagged down a waitress and told her of our plight. Lost in space hustled over to our table and we did fine.

About the echo. Lillian was born with a murmur--we were told an innocent one. Our doc has heard it on and off over the years and he said if we had paid our deductible we might as well check it. She is obviously very healthy so nothing too horrible can be wrong (at least we try to tell ourselves).

More of a good thing

Well, we followed up our daredevil success at the fair with some real thrills at Indiana Beach. Not only did Lillian have fun, her daring was only hampered by her father's own queasiness!!

As for me, no way! We didn't even get a ride bracelet for me. Plain old playground merry-go-rounds make me pukey! I was so bewitched to watch my daughter have such gleeful, carefree fun without a moments hesitation.

The picture is from the county fair. I made sure we saw all the dairy goats and here is Paco moving in for a kiss. I have made a contact at the Farmer's Market who has a herd of about 20 dairy goats. We are going to set up a time to see their operation and get a better sense of what we would need to do.

My own locavore project is going extremely well. Of course as the song goes....it's summertime and the living is easy. I can get all my meat and produce locally at the Farmer's Market, go to the natural foods store for dairy (Zionsville) and organic grains. I am buying very little at the big box stores. I am trying to store what i can of summer's bounty now, but we still have a long way to go before we can be true locavores. Paco is fine with me turning into a small-time farmer so I guess I am only hampered by my own commitments and my health.

The Amish family I am buying pork form at the Farmer's Market has half a hog for me this week for the freezer and I have already laid claim to 10 organic free range chickens this fall.

I picked up some long purple shelling pods called "crowder peas" at the market this morning. I had no idea what they tasted like so I thought we'd try a few and see. Lillian and I shelled them this afternoon and she had a wonderful time. She was gobbling them up as fast as she could get them out of the pod. That makes this whole thing worthwhile!!!

A burst of bravery

Our usually timid daughter shocked both of us when she rode the Ferris wheel, fun slide, crazy bus, and roller coaster at the county fair. We had been talking about the fair for quite awhile and she said she wanted to ride the Ferris wheel, but neither one of us really believed it. Not only did she, she had a blast! She threw up her hands, hooted and hollered!! It was a joy to see our usually cautious girl go in head first and have so much fun. Paco was a little green a couple of times, but Lillian cried for more and was curtailed only by our pocketbook.

We are so dazzled by this new show of daring that we are taking her up to Indiana Beach this weekend with some friends.

We also spent a lot of time in the animal barns. This was my doing since I am the one pushing my family toward some livestock next summer.

so much more

...has happened in the past month or so. Lillian grabbed her sidewalk chalk one evening and started making drawings--actual representational ones. She now makes stick people, spiders, dogs, house, and trees!! She will sometimes do this with paper, but seems to prefer the medium of sidewalk chalk on the driveway. ---Mom and dad can only preserve these with the camera. I will post the original drawing here.

She started using the potty in April, but mastered #2 this week after much encouragement. She even wakes up dry most mornings, but I think going cold turkey would be premature. (speaking as the laundress around here)

We have all been busy. Paco is dismantling one of the 4 pasture fences to begin to expand the look of the back yard and is beginning to talk about starting demolition of the old barn. We are planning on keeping at least 2 of the pastures with the lean-to's and might get chickens and/or goats. We are also planning for a big veggie garden next year.

The gardening and animal plans are fueled by my obsession with becoming a "locavore" family after reading the life-changing book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I have also been teaching myself how to make cheese as well as putting up farmer's market food for the winter. We are all eating and feeling better than we have in awhile. I am making a lot of local contacts with farmer's and finding out how to get the best food for my family.

Bad Blogger

Well, I am on the fence about continuing this. At a time when there don't seem to be enough hours in the day, I'd rather spend them doing something than regurgitating it for the blog. But.....it is a nice record and a way to communicate to friends and family.

It's been a great summer so far. My health is good and we have been busy. We just hosted Nanny and Grampy for a week of fun and birthday partying. We have been swimming a lot. Lillian just completed her first summer day camp experience--three 9-12 days at the local zoo. This was BIG, BIG, BIG. It was the first school-like experience for her and the first time she went and did anything like that herself. The picture is of her and Lucy the horse on the first day of camp.

The house is getting some fixing up too. The guest room is getting a makeover to become a craft/art room for me and Lil. It was painted "willow herb" green today and I am giving the old potting table/changing table a spray paint makeover to become our main craft organizer.

Catching Up

Well, I am not going to attempt to cover everything I've missed, but I am up early and do have a chance to do this. We've been super busy lately since I am on a home projects rampage. Lil and I have been working hard upstairs. I've made new curtains for her room finally and we added some more wall decor and organized her closets. We have been centrealizing all of outr craft stuff to the guest room and getting that organized. The craft stuff has been the final phase of the move. Until now, it has been all over the house. Lillian and I have been trying to put the stuff to good use too. I have been showing her some different media--especially pastels.

Lillian is campaigning hard for a sibling. She spent a good 10 minutes the other evening at bedtime telling me how much she wants a baby brother and all the things she will teach him. She has offered again to grow one in her tummy. I think I finally convinced her that just won't work so she says she will find another lady to grow one. I told her that a baby brother is a project for mom and dad to work on right now and even if we don't get one we will be a happy family.

Paco and I are talking about going through foster parent training this fall and perhaps fostering to adopt. I need to get my very carefully worded story straight to explain this to Lillian in the right way.

Lillian is super-excited right now about the impending arrival of Nanny & Grampy and her birthday party. Paco and I have been teasing her and telling her we had no idea she wanted a sandbox for her birthday and that's not what she is getting.

We have been swimming a lot too--when it hasn't been pouring. We ares o proud of her swimming, She has come a long way since last summer. We presented her with a BRAVO ribbon from the dollar store. The morning we gave it to her, she proudly wore it to the grocery store.

Lillian and I also went to Hands on Trucks at the Imagination Station a few weeks ago. Paco was at the restaurant fixing the toaster oven unfortunately, because this would have been a great event for the 2 of them. Lillian checked out the City Bus, trash truck, and fire truck. She also proudly told the lady manning the Mobile Library that her mom helped make it. Then we left--way to many sirens for Lillian. The picture is of her in the trash truck--by far her favorite. She was gleefully reciting bits from Trashy Town. "Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the trashy town."

Bootiful Tummy

This will be a scattered post. I have several things to report from the last few days.



Now that Lillian understands the whole tummy/baby connection and that mommy's tummy is not strong enough to hold a growing baby, she has decided that she will grow us a baby brother in her tummy. She has assured me that her tummy is very strong and that she is up to the job. I explained to her that her body is too small to really accomplish this feat and that it takes a very long time to grow a baby in your tummy. What a wonder!!



I remarked to her the other day that she is very beautiful. I don't say things like this too much. She is remarkably beautiful and hears it ALL the time wherever we go. She is fed up with it. PLUS I don't want her sense of self to be entwined with her outside appearance anymore than it has to be, but I am sometimes overwhelmed by this beautiful creature who is my daughter and it slips out. She replied

It takes a long time to be as bootiful as me.



We went discount shopping at Big Lots for a birthday present we needed for the weekend. As always, we found more than we came for, including some plastic farm animals and some jumbo Lincoln logs. I remembered my own Lincoln logs and was sold. Anyway, we came home to set-up our farm and had a blast. After we built our Lincoln log farm, Lillian sorted all the animals into family groups and was quite vexed to only have 2 chickens. Of course, she wants each family unit to have a mommy, daddy, and baby because she is modeling us. We solved the problem, by having the chickens have a duck daddy and then we were fine.

How Good It Feels & The Big Question

...when it all clicks. We had a great day. Just stayed home. Cleaned upstairs, made enchiladas for lunch, went swimming, gave Lil a bath, trad with her (Little Critter marathon), worked in the kitchen (made brownies and hung curtains (she played with her little zoo), and then to bed. Completely ordinary, but Lillian and I were meshing so well it was just great.


After her bath, she asked me to rock her oin the living room. I rarely get this chance so I said sure. So we sat in the rocker and watched an episode of Franklin. Out of the blue, she asked me

how did you make me?

I paused for a moment and then told her I did not make her. She grew like a seed (I also said flower) in a tummy and then she was born (came out) and mommy and daddy were waiting for her. She asked me if it was my tummy. I said no, it was a different lady's tummy. She asked if the different lady took her home. I said of course not because mommy and daddy were waiting for her and took care of her in the hospital and then brought her home. She paused a moment and seemed satisfied. Then she asked me to tell her again. I did and she said OK.

I felt so proud of her for the smart questions, sad that I could not tell her I made her, and happy with my own handling of the situation all at the same time. I thank author Karen Katz for the "you grew like a flower in another lady's tummy" concept. I am deeply grateful and think it the perfect phrase. I was clam and cool, but inseide I was caught between tears and screaming "Holy Shit!"

How does your garden grow?

Paco, Lil and I spent an hour after dinner yesterday pulling weeds and getting the flower bed around the fence and under the crab apple in shape. A job I had been dreading was a lot of fun when we all did it together. Lillian is a superb gardener! She was making sure not to pull the wrong thing and having a lot of fun. This was especially remarkable since she already should have been in bed. She was in such a good mood though that I just let us all ride the wave of it.

She said

mom, i love working in the garden. sometimes i find something beautiful and keep it for a little while and then put it back.

I showed her an immature apple that had fallen off the tree and she put it in her pocket so it wouldn't get cold. We also saw a cocoon and Lillian told me the story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar.

The picture is from Lillian's expanded garden several weeks ago. It is much fuller now and her lilies are blooming.

Lots more kisses

Last night while getting ready for bed, Lillian found a small bruise on my shin and gave it a kiss. I thanked her and she said,

Don't worry mom, I have lots more kisses for you!

AHHHHHH. She sure can make me melt. This has to be put in the context of me telling ,y doctor this week that I would be fine if Lillian would just shut up!

Here is Lillian playing with her over sized soccer ball and goal while waiting to get in the pool. Note this picture is right before our annual super-short summer haircut.

************

Lillian and I had a busy day yesterday. We made goop (the cornstarch kind) and Lillian was amazed by this crazy stuff that was liquid and solid all at once. We played for quite a long time and then we cleaned up for quite a long time too. We made cloud pictures. Lillian's is a piece of popcorn and mine is a ladybug (who actually looks like a turtle).

We drove down the road to Hamilton's to see what was left in the greenhouse and picked up a few things. Lillian was talking up a storm!!! You just never know when she will be social or not. She even let Mrs. Hamilton take her and put her on the tree swing. She was identifying flowers that I had taught her and even asked if she could eat some of the chive plant.

Speaking of chives, she has decided that she likes to eat onions (but not be in the kitchen when mom is cutting them) and she likes spicy! Go girl!

LAst Saturday was the 'Round the Fountain Art Fair and Lillian and I had a great time while Dad worked. We talkied about all the diferent things people use to make art and were inspired to do more of our own. We checked out the Hobby Lobby clearance asile this week and are the proud owners of pastels and watercolors. Mommy is hoping to do some on her own, but I will share too.

Overheard

Over the last few days I have heard Lillian repeating to her babydoll, Rosie, things she hears often from me.

Yes or No!

when I want Lillian to actually answer a yes or no question with more than blabber

Talk Louder! I can't hear you.

when Lillian (with her naturally quiet way of speaking) makes requests from the backseat--especially since my ears have been plugged up!

So, I know that my daughter is learning how to navigate some of the more annoying points of toddler parenting as well as the rewarding ones.


The picture is Lillian wearing my wedding veil. She saw the Little Bear and Emily getting married episode so now she is marrying everyone and anybody. We found the veil when we were upstairs attempting to organize "nanny's room" aka the guest room and mommy's sewing room. (Not that mommy does much sewing.)

Right now our big thing is swimming. She officially learned how to swim last summer, but this summer she is a fish. She will float on her back, swim on her back and even jump in (with a little help.) I was very unsure that pool was worth the investment, but now I am so happy we have it. It is such a great way for her to use her energy and it is something we can all do together. It is especially great for me with the asthma and fibromyalgia. I am so proud of her bravery. I remember how terrified I was to swim.

A Time of Firsts

The picture is from this morning and is Lillian at her first dental appointment. She did refuse to open her mouth part way through, but the lure of the balloon won out and she did great.

She is in a big period of growth. We are in the pool now and she is swimming like a fish--doggie paddle, backstroking, and floating!!

We were all outside last evening cleaning up the yard, etc. I mentioned to her that Daddy had a lot of bird poop on his truck. Lo and behold, I came back form filling the feeders and she had gotten the bucket and sponge out of the garage, filled the bucket with a little water from the hose and was cleaning the bird mess from the side of Paco's truck. She amazes me. She could not reach part of it with the spnge, so put the bucket and sponge away and went and got the hose and used that to finish the job. Way to Go!!

She has had a couple of winning phrases over the past couple of days:

when I told her what we needed to do today, she said: "I am just not in the mood for that"

when asked where she was going to sit down for dinner, she said: "oh, don't worry about me"

We have been busy lately. We took a trip to the Ft. Wayne Zoo on Sunday and had a great time. Lillian is very concerned about Dumadi, the baby orangutan whose mother died shortly after his birth. We "adopted" hime form the gift store on our way out and Lillian is raising him.

crazy hair

I have read a million of them from those cute blurbs in parenting mags--when your kid says something hilarious, but also embarrasing in front of strangers. Yesterday, we went to the library and Lillian was waiting for the clerk to make her OWN library card. Anyway, an older man was standing near the desk. Lillian turned to me and said "Who is that man with the CRAZY HAIR?" She was right--he did indeed have crazy hair. It was sweaty and sticking up in a tornado-like whirl all over his head. I am unsure whether anyone but me heard her. I changed the subject and moved on quickly. I still need to have a discussion with her on why pointing out the obvious is not always the best policy.

The opicture is from yesterday too.

A Big Girl

As she tells us a thousand times a day, Lillian is a big girl now. She does many things for herself and can be fiercely independant. I find this supremely annoying sometimes (usually when we need to be somewhere), but I LOVE it too. I want her to be strong and know that she can do things. I want her to be feisty and a little hard-headed--just like her mama.

Let's get started--underwear and more

The hope is to create a virtual diary of Lillian's life and our parental journey---the excellent, the fun, and the challenges too.

Lillian has conquered the potty in the past 2 weeks and we are extremely proud and ecstatic. She is yet to do #2, but will take off her undies, put on a pull-up and then tell me she has done the deed. She has also moved back upstairs to her own room again and is doing great. She alwys ends up with us sometime during the night to "cuddle up." That's OK too.