Bossypants

 

I started this post about a month ago.  Most of it still applies.  They grow and change so fast!  Too fast, really.  Lilly and her big girl ways... sigh x 1000.

I like the way she says...

Ellen (sounds like Ellen, kind of)

Peppy for Peppa

Gorgie for George (our dog and George Pig)

Pillow (sounds like pillbow but not exactly)

Fishies for Gold Fish crackers

Candies for candy (has a sweet tooth)

Nope/Yep/Yeah/Mmm-Hmm

Fruit (sounds like soup)

"Bless you" when someone sneezes

Short phrases she says regularly...

I hurt

I stuck (she gets "stuck" a lot)

Don't touch (her pacifier and Rosie the Elf)

Lilly's turn

Mommy sit/Daddy sit/Ellen sit (she encourages family dinners)

I poop

I get it

I get down

Things she likes...

Cars

Stuffed animals

Polly Pocket (or any small doll/figurine)

Music

Elmo

Hats/jackets/coats (loves outerwear)

Things she likes to do...

Read

Color

Draw on the dry erase board

Be chased/run around the house

"Cook" in her kitchen

Talk on the phone/FaceTime with family

Play at Chick-fil-A

Things she likes to eat...

Vegetables (lima beans/corn/peas)

Fruit

Yogurt

Chicken nuggets ("nuggets")

Gold Fish

Randoms...

Sings Wheels on the Bus with motions (so cute!) and ABC's (not legibly but she tries)

Points to people in pictures and we say the names

She waves and says hi to strangers, usually pointing to her coat afterwards (she is very proud of her pink coat).  She is not shy!

When she senses there may be an opportunity to "help" in the kitchen she retrieves the big stool we keep in the downstairs bathroom

Much more of a climber than Ellen ever was

She likes taking baths but sometimes we can't get her out fast enough

Takes her shoes and socks off in the car (frustrating!)

Loves Sunday School and her teachers Ms. Barbara and Ms. Phoebe

Routine matters...

Ready to eat when we walk in the door in the evenings (runs to the refrigerator to get milk first thing)

Phillip rocks her to sleep every night (she likes to hold at least one stuffed animal and she likes Phillip to hold her feet)

Goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:00 (Ellen is usually in bed by 8:00)

Early riser but wakes up happy most mornings ("Hi!")

Lilly is very much attached to her pacifiers (we are down to 5) but it won't be long until we start tapering off (after the holidays)

Ellen sweetly escorts Lilly downstairs (or sometimes to her room) on weekend mornings to play allowing Phillip and I to rest a few extra minutes

-------------------------

Lilly is one amazing almost 2 year old!

Breakfast with Santa

Ellen and Mrs. Fielder

 Ellen and Ms. Gildemeister

 Santa!

And we all fall down!

Yesterday was a snow day.  School was closed and daycare was on a 2 hour delay.  We didn't have any snow in our area but we did have some ice.

And last night I slipped and fell on that ice.

Hard.

I was walking out to the car (which happened to be in the driveway-normally we would have gone out through the garage) to take Ellen's friend home after a playdate when I slipped on our front steps.  (Ironically I had just told the girls to be careful.)  I fell backwards, first landing on my bottom and hands.  Then my right side hit the top step.  Ellen ran back into the house to get Phillip who was rocking Lilly.  He ended up taking Hannah home while I recovered from the shock (and pain) of what just happened.  I am very sore today and bruised.  My side/back is the worst but everything on the right hurts...right hand, right wrist, right arm, right leg.  I am going to be taking a lot of Motrin over the next couple of days.

Two things:

1.  I am glad neither of the girls slipped.

2.  I am glad no one saw me fall.

I sure hope this is an isolated incident!

Open-door policy

Ironically one of the only recent pictures I have of Lilly where she is actually looking toward the camera is one of her "going potty".  (This was right before bedtime Friday night.)

She doesn't make it a priority to ensure I remember what she looked liked as a toddler, that's for sure.

I'll keep you posted on the potty progress.  It's not something we are pushing right now but I am glad she is showing an interest.

The Return of Rosie

According to Ellen elves have two jobs:

1.  Cause mischief

2.  Make toys at Santa's workshop

I don't know much about her toy making skills but our Rosie sure is good at causing mischief!  And Ellen gets such a thrill out of her antics.

No pressure.

Thanksgiving 2013

This was our second time to host my family for Thanksgiving.  We kept it simple again this year... turkey, ham, stuffing, noodles, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, rolls and cranberry salad.  For dessert we had pumpkin pie, pecan pie, a chocolate chip bundt cake (brought by my parents), leftover Mexican chocolate cake from Caleb's belated birthday celebration at his Mom's house the day before Thanksgiving and ice cream.  

Ellen made this sign and taped it to the back of our front door.  She had been counting down the days until everyone's arrival.

Mom and Ellen making noodles (a family tradition) 

 Ashling helping with the noodles

 

 Ellen, Andrea, Cade and Ashling

Quinn and Uncle Phillip

 Dad on Ham Duty

 Caleb on Turkey Duty

 Phillip and I sat at the card table

Other happenings:

My parents came bearing gifts.  They gave Ellen Barbie clothes, coloring/activity books, plastic bands for making necklaces and bracelets and a photo album from when Mom and Dad took Ellen, Ashling and Cade to the North Carolina Zoo this past June.  Lilly got a neat Sesame Street counting book and Lullaby & Good Night Elmo.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

Ellen got to swim with Ashling and Cade at their hotel.  Ellen loves hotels, swimming and her cousins so this was pretty much the best thing ever.

Cade fed Lilly Smarties to encourage her to sit still while Grandmother cut her hair.  Ellen, Cade, Quinn and even Dad got trims too.

Caleb cleaned up our portable hard drive and switched our dryer door so it now opens from the righthand side.  Thanks Caleb!

Mom, Dad, Phillip and Lilly threw caution to the wind and went Christmas shopping on Black Friday.  (Unfortunately I had to work.)  Clothes and shoes are at the top of our list for both girls so with Phillip's help Mom got them long-sleeved shirts, leggings, pajamas, socks, underwear, church shoes and boots to help get us through the winter/spring months.

Andrea, Caleb, Phillip and I went to see Frozen with the older 3 kids (Mom and Dad watched Quinn and Lilly).  We all liked it.  (I may have cried a little at the beginning.)

Happy Thanksgiving!