More on the birthday girl

OK, so Lily's Birthday WEEK is keepin' us busy over here. The cards, presents, e-mails, and celebrations are not stopping! I know she is loving all of the extra attention, and I am just blown away by everyone's thoughtfulness and generosity. She received this fun little "changing room" last night from a very dear friend of mine (thank you Nicole). She immediately climbed in and checked herself out in the mirror, then poked her head out the window and said "peek-a-boo momma!" And, next thing you know, I'M in there with her...no pictures of that, though. (Sorry)

The three of us had dinner at Texas Road House -- all of us being such steak lovers it is naturally a family favorite. Lily didn't eat much, she was much too busy flirting with our waiter and waving at all of the surrounding tables...this child used to scream out in PAIN if anyone would so much as LOOK at her a year ago. Now she is a social butterfly -- it has been such a blast for me to watch her come so far in such a short time. As we left the restaurant she was smiling at all of the people we walked past and yellin' "YEEHAW!" (Which is what they yell when it is your birthday there)...

After dinner it was home to blow bubbles. (You had to see THAT coming, didn't you?) This is the Bubble Queen, afterall. So, I had bought a bunch of new bubble contraptions for her party, but they never even got opened -- the kids were all completely content to play on the swingset. So, we opened them up for Lily last night, and she was squatting like that for about an hour. Bless her bubble blowing heart.

Lastly, Lily received several new books that we have already been incorporating into our reading time. She is loving them! I can tell that age 3 is going to be one that I really enjoy. I have said that about every age thus far, but I think that 3 is something special. She seems to have an added sweetness. Perhaps it is an awareness of the fact that life is good and needs to be savored. She is quick to tell me she loves me sooo much and then she'll run out to the other room and say "Daddy, I really love my momma!"

Today we walked outside and she said, "Momma, it is such a beautiful day." I took her swimming on Monday and she kept gushing..."I really love to swim, momma... I'm really having so much fun, momma...thank you sooo much..." This is also the age of "Yiddy do it"! She is all about doin' it by herself. From putting on her shoes to climbing into her car seat. Back off momma, "Yiddy do it by yourself"...

(This is the last of the birthday installments. On to the next chapter. But, for those of you who commented on Lily's "party dress" in my last post, I wanted to let you know it is by Blueberi Boulevard. They have the cutest dresses and they are really inexpensive --sold at Kohl's and probably on-line. Check 'em out!)

We had a good time and nobody got hurt!

So, you take one sassy (almost) 3 year old princess, 9 other little munchkins (and their parents), a couple loving grandpas and grandmas, a beautiful auntie, an entertaining uncle, a goofy great-uncle and his lovely bride, one stressed-out momma and an over-worked daddy, combine that with a backyard sloppy-joe buffet lunch, a very popular swingset, some presents, lots of cupcakes and ice-cream and what do you get????

Yup, Lily Lin's 3rd Birthday Party Extravaganza! It went off without a hitch. Only three minor infractions on the swingset -- not too shabby. The food was good (the wine was great), the weather was PERFECT, Lily enjoyed herself immensely and the other kids did too, although it was nap-time for several of them...(note to self: if I am ever blessed with the honor of throwing another 3rd birthday party again, make it in the LATE afternoon or evening on a Saturday, as not to interfere with naps...duh!)

Anyhoo, ya live and learn. No biggie.

Lily got a lot of really great presents too. More Dora items than I can even remember -- she is in heaven...even slept with some of her new treasures last night. She received a little Dora figurine and kept waving her little arm at me saying "Momma, say hola Dora!"

She was even up several times in the night crying out for things from the party (her birthday balloons and her grandparents, to name a few)... It was a big day for her and we BOTH slept VERY late this morning.
Poor daddy had to work, of course.

So, that about sums it up. My sweet princess will officially be three tomorrow. Where HAS the time gone?

Favorite Photo Friday

OK, so this picture was a fluke. I meant to take a close-up picture of my sweet girl's gorgeous face and she decided to charge me at the last minute and this is what I got! And I absolutely love it. This child is beautiful in ways I never imagined a child of mine would be. And the greatest thing is -- I had absolutely nothing to do with it. So when she gets compliments from strangers on the street about how stinkin' beautiful she is I just give a huge smile and say "isn't she, though?" She doesn't have my light, curly hair or my husband's blue eyes. I can't "take credit" for any of her features...they weren't given to her by me. When my neighbors go on and on about her incredible almond shaped eyes I just agree and say "they are completely breathtaking, aren't they?" She is nothing like I imagined my child would be, but she now DEFINES beauty for me. She defines love, joy, happiness, and answered prayers. To quote a friend -- she is IT for me. (right, Stef?) And her beauty, as you all know, is not just skin deep. She has a beautiful heart, too. She is kind and sweet and loving. Oh, and she is FUNNY...sooooo funny. I could go on and on. God has blessed me so incredibly with this little beauty. She challenges me and tests me daily sure, but she LOVES ME SO GOOD. I am so thankful to a great big God for making this little one for our family... Sunday is Lily's 3rd birthday party, so I will probably be consumed with all of that for the next couple days...there will be lots of pictures on Monday! Have a great weekend all!

What must the neighbors think?

I often find myself wondering what the neighbors think of me -- or better yet, my "skills" as a mother. My child really does have a mind of her own, and most days it is better for me just to "go with the flow" than make waves. I have grown to be alright with the theory 'if she isn't hurting herself or others...don't fight it'...

So, many days you will see her parading through the neighborhood in nothin' but a diaper or better yet, her ballerina costume. She has come out of her shell A LOT in the past year, and will often scream "Hewow" and give her best princess wave to all of the neighbors who happen to be outside (fully and normally clothed) doing their yardwork and trying not to stare at her display. She is a trip, to say the least. And as I had mentioned before, her listening skills are going down the crapper fast. I often find that I am talking to myself -- a very frustrating habit. Last week I had such an exasperating day with her! We went to the store and she immediately ran off, leaving me to chase her and call out her name repeatedly with NO response. I had to pretend that I wasn't losing my mind in front of the other shoppers...Lily was lucky we had an audience. When we got home it was more of the same for the remainder of the day. She didn't take a nap, so I gave her a bath early and wanted to get her in her PJs for an early bedtime -- I was kidding myself. After her bath she proceeded to run around the house naked and screeching like a crazy person. Here I am feebly calling "Lily, please come here like a good girl...Lily come here please...Lily I need you to be a good listener for mommy..." (all things she had heard me say numerous times throughout the day). After several minutes of no reply I sighed VERY loudly and put my head in my hands. I was DONE. Right on cue, Lily crept up to me and put her hands on my cheeks, cupping my face, and got right on my level and very sweetly and softly said "I pwomise to be a good wistener momma" and then laid down for me to put on her diaper and jammies.

Never a dull moment around here, folks. This child is part sugar/ part spice! Gotta love her. I sure do!

Fun with the Beckering Tribe

Well, we had a wonderful time with the Beckering family on Saturday. We hadn't seen them since last summer, so we were excited to spend some quality time together. Lily and Sophia loved each other's company from minute one -- two peas (or monkeys) in a pod! Stef and I had a blast, just catching up and laughing a lot. Emmie was tired from an exhausting social life -- hee hee -- so I set her up with a movie in the living room. David and Jay get along really well, so it just made for a nice and relaxing day. I wish they lived even closer, but I'm thankful for the times we have. We already have another date planned for August! I can't post a lot of the pictures I took because Lily is going thru an "exhibitionist" stage right now and she was running around naked in 80% of the photos!
Nothin' beats good times with good friends!

Childhood Memories

Well, I was "tagged" twice for this meme and I have really enjoyed reading about everyone's childhood memories -- so here goes...

1. Spending time at my Uncle Rick's house (especially for holidays and birthdays)...he lived out in the country with chickens and horses. Us kids would go out back and swing on a tree rope and go out to the barn and jump from the top window into piles of hay.
2. Spending New Year's Eve at my grandma's house so my parents could go out. She would let us stay up to watch the ball drop at midnight. I also remember her sitting in her chair in the living room smoking her cigarettes and I don't remember ever thinking anything of it.
3. On the subject of my grandma ("gramcracker")...I remember her always having fudgsicles in her freezer, date cookies in her cookie jar, mints in her candy dish on the counter and wrigleys spearmint gum in a bowl in her cupboard.(?) I loved her so much and have soooo many memories with her in them. She died right before I graduated from High School.
4. Summer vacations in Traverse City. My family went with my grandma, my aunt and my cousin. We went every year for 10 years, I think. We stayed in the Holiday Inn on the bay and we always had the time of our lives. I remember swimming while listening to Van Halen's "Jump" on the radio and jumping over the rope everytime the word jump was sung. Playing in the arcade and meeting cute boys. Renting a jet ski and being very unsuccessful at riding the thing. Trying my first sip of a frozen strawberry daquiri (yum). Falling in the bay and getting my hair caught on the wiring around some rocks and having my aunt jump in (cutting her foot up quite badly) but saving my life!
OK, It looks like I could go on forever on this one. Let's just say these vacations were the best. (aside from the near drowning experience, of course)
5. Playing with neighborhood friends -- climbing trees, playing 4 square and kick the can.
6. SOOOOO many sleepovers. Watching movies and talking about boys. (I was always super boy crazy)!
7. Sixth grade I remember writing notes to the boys I liked asking them to rate the girls in our class on a scale from 1 to 10 on looks/body/personality.
8. Eighth grade I remember falling hopelessly in love with J.H. We "went together" for about 2 weeks and then he broke up with me. I didn't fully get over him until my senior year in highschool. (did I mention I was boy crazy?)
9. Halloween I remember going to the penny candy store with my parents because my mom didn't want us trick-or-treating...she believed Halloween was evil.
10. In elementary school I was bussed to another grade school one day a week to partake in the TAG (Talented And Gifted) program. We had cool classes like cooking and future problem solving. I was considered smart once upon a time!

It's amazing the things we remember, isn't it? But, I always wonder about all of the things that I have FORGOTTEN? Makes me wonder what Lily will hang on to.
*the picture is me (on the right) and my sister (on the left) and my mom in the distance.*

My blog life enters my "real" life!

As promised, I am making good on my "catch up" posts.

Firstly, two of the women I have only had contact with in blogland have jumped out of the computer and into my life (and heart!) Actually, they were already in my heart -- now they have just dug a little deeper.

Last week Lily and I arrived home to a package with her name on it. (I looked at the return address and saw it was from Dannye over at "Laydfrog".) My heart just melted! Lily was over the moon excited, cuz little missy already knows that only FUN packages come in the mail for her. When she opened it she began to squeal "More bubbles, momma! More bubbles!" Yup, Dannye knows exactly what my girl likes. HOWEVER, that was not even the biggest hit with Lily! As much as she adores her cool new bubble blowing cow -- It was the birthday crown and wand that really made her flip her lid. Lily put on the "bwown" immediately and told me she was now a "PWINCESS Monkey!" and she began prancing around carrying her wand. She has worn it off and on every day since then and it is also a big hit with any of her friends who have come over -- they take turns wearing the crown and holding the wand. Oh, and that wasn't all that Dannye packed in there as an early birthday present for Lil...there was also a birthday girl sash and clip-on earrings (that I am saving for the "big day") and a big bag filled with candy. Lily wanted to induldge right away and wakes up every morning asking for the yummy goodness. Can you say Major Sweet Tooth!?

So thank you from the bottom of our hearts Dannye! You have made my little girl feel like a princess (monkey) and we are both forever grateful for your kindness. Oh, and of course, thank you Ray and Freckles too!!! XOXOXO

Secondly, I finally got to MEET LIVE AND IN PERSON another blogger! Woo-hoo for me! Lynn over at Waiting for Hope also lives in Michigan so we began e-mailing a bit. We discovered that we live quite close so we decided to meet up last Wednesday at the park. We had a lovely time together...aside from the fact that it was 90 degrees and we were all literally melting! Lily really took to Lynn -- especially when she pulled some Play-doh out of her purse and started making miniature flowers! This woman is Crafty with a capital C! We talked a lot. Mostly about our families -- she has a wonderful husband and an incredible son -- and they are all just trying to patiently wait for their sweet little bundle from China. She is a really great person and her son sounds like a really amazing kid, and I really look forward to meeting him. She is a terrific and dedicated mom and Hope is going to learn some really cool things from her...I am happy to be able to follow along on her journey to her daughter.

I have much more to say! We had the Beckering family over today (Stef from "Never Too Many")... oh my, we had some fun. More later!

Have I mentioned that I love summer!?