Lily

I have really been neglecting my blog lately. I need to get on the ball because Lily and Ryan are doing some really great and funny things that I want to remember. I could offer up excuses, but I think we all know them pretty well by now. No matter how true it is that I'm busy it doesn't really matter in the long run. Today I am going to write about Lily(that is until Lily wakes up and resumes her normal position when I'm on the laptop- Kicking the keyboard)

Lily is funny and amazing. Jay told me Monday when he read to Lily that she pointed to the number eight in one of her books and said eight. Being as I have very high standards for what constitutes a word I took it with a grain of salt (no offense, Jay) because she could have just been repeating it. The very next night I was reading the same book to her and as soon as I turned to the page with all the numbers 1-10 Lily plopped her cute little finger right on the eight and said, "eight." I believe that this is a fitting tribute to the great Cal Ripken, Jr. (Baltimore Orioles' number 8 for those of you who live under a rock) who had just been inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame. She really is very smart, but I had no idea she was already learning numbers just from reading books. Most of the time she is happy, smiling or laughing. She loves to "jump", run around with he big brothers, climb, play peek-a-boo, make people laugh and babble (almost constantly). Oddly enough she also likes to pull people down on her whether she sits behind you and pulls or pulls Ryan down while they are hugging. She seems to think it's funny. She must think she is already two as she throws a mean fit when she doesn't get what she wants. People often come running to her aid only to find me sitting next to her. They usually give me some sort of "Are you crazy woman?! Your child sprawled on the floor screaming her head off and you are just sitting there!" look. Most times I'll inform them that she is okay and just mad that I didn't do what she wanted. Sometimes I get a knowing look in return, sometimes people are not as understanding.

She does have a way of getting what she wants without throwing a fit. When I'm cooking she will come up between me and the stove and push my legs. She is strong and resistance is usually futile (she doesn't give up), so I almost always cook with a "helper" on my hip. It's probably a bad habit, but sometimes I just need to take the easy way out. When she wants a drink she goes into the kitchen, holds the refrigerator handle and yells, "Ma!" until I get her one. When she is done with just about anything she says, "Ah da" sometimes she holds her hands up too. Unfortunately all-done sounds quite a bit like I-want-that, so sometimes there is confusion. Usually I am tipped off by the tantrum that follows removal from her high chair, but sometimes she just pulls the tray back or tries to buckle herself back in. She will grab someones hand a literally pull them where she wants them to go. It's actually very sweet.

She has started to "sing along" with songs she hears a lot. She even gets some of the sounds right. Mostly it's like this:
Me: Jesus loves me this I know.
Lily: Jesu la la dadadaaaaaaa.
It's sweet. I love when she sings with me, but it has made our bedtime routine quite a bit different because she doesn't fall asleep while I'm singing anymore. There have been many times I have been able to leave the room while she is still awake, but I'd better not close the door or we will have to start all over. She also sings and plays along with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, her very favorite show. All I have to do is say, "Do you want to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?" and she will run to the living room and plop down in front of the tv. I know there are bunches of you out there shaking your heads that I let her watch tv, but you try to not let your baby watch tv while your 3 year old watches. I think she is still pretty well rounded. She loves to play outside and water play remains at the top of her list. When I tell her it's time for a bath she runs up the stairs to the tub. It's nice to know she really understands at least some of what I say.

I could probably write a lot more, but this post is getting crazy long and is probably a little jumbled. I have neither the time nor inclination to go back and proofread...sorry.