Walmart De"buckle"!

Well, you continue to amaze me.

As we were shopping at Walmart yesterday, we saw one of Mommy's AWANA Cubbies.  While I stopped to say "hello" you somehow managed to flip yourself over backwards out of the cart seat and into the main part of the basket.  The entire time, you were buckled.  You screamed bloody murder, drawing us LOTS of attention.

How you did it, I have no idea.  You managed to embarrass me and SCARE me half to death. I wonder why my worst parenting moments are always in front of others...

Sweet Sissy

Lily, I love watching your range of expressions grow.  You are trying so hard to repeat what we say. Right now, you only cry "Mama" but I'll take it.  You say Ace, Dada and ball.  You are close to saying sock and shoe.  Your best word is Bye by far.  You are so good at blowing kisses.  You blow into your little hand and it melts my heart.  You walk/ run pretty well but still splat.  You are so tough.  Sometimes, when I just KNOW you've hurt yourself, you pick yourself up and toddle off without a tear.  I love to put your blankie on my shoulder because it ellicits instant snuggles.  That's really the only way I get them.

Your beautiful eyes, sweet little lips and irresistible personality have entwined you in my heart. I love you Sweet Mimmies.

My Little Instigator

Sissy, I love you.  Lately you have shown your Daddy's colors.  You've been such a little instigator.  When you steal Acey's trucks, you hold them tight to your body like a football receiver and pump your other arm to run as fast as possible to my lap.  The entire time you have such a look of guilt on your face. You KNOW what you are doing.  Sure enough, when Ace comes screaming for his truck, you throw it at him and hop up to run steal another.  Although it reduces your big brother to tears, Mommy can't help but laugh.

You want pretty much whatever he has but the same is true for him.  You love to try and insinuate yourself between me and Ace when he is in my lap. 

I love your squeezy face.

You make me smile

Ok Missy, you are still not saying "Mommy" BUT somehow, you make me smile anyways.  You are such a jabbermouth. You say Ace, Dada...I swear you said "sock" the other day. I think that you say "thank you" because you love giving me things and I always tell you "thank you."  But no "Mama."  Your sweet little voice just melts everyone that hears it.  You have so much to say.  My favorite thing to do with you right now is just to sit in your room and watch you toddle around being busy.  You are really into giving High-fives.  You make me so happy that it catches in my throat when I think of you.  You are the definition of precious.

So much Yuck

Lillies you have had a stomach bug since last Thursday.  It's been SOOOO yucky: throw up on Friday, poop all weekend and Monday you finished it off with a bang...throwing up an entire bottle of milk all over the back seat of Mommy's car.  I set you on the floor of the garage, you got up on your chubby baby legs, wobbled over to me and just wanted to be held...and mommy held you, covered as you were in milky throwup.  All you've wanted is to be held and snuggle. I'm so sad that you've been sick but I've enjoyed the lovin'.  As another bonus, you've only wanted ME!  You are always ALL about Daddy and Ace and Mommy gets the leftover loving (which is wonderful, don't get me wrong...it's just fun to be the one you want for a while).

No more sickness for a while, ok?

October One Means Halloween Fun!

Wow, this new way Blogger has of loading pictures is wierd. Not sure that I like it.

ANYWAYS, what I do like is that it's finally OCTOBER.  We looooove Halloween in this house. My sister introduced me to Pinterest (love her, curse her - it's so addicting) and I found all sort of fun Halloween things.  All I needed were some willing subjects. Cousins Aubrey and Brynley came over last night.

We started out with face painting and they turned out way better than I thought. Everyone was so still! Tear, they must be growing up.  After face painting, I gave them each a bowl full of candy and made them separate it while I mixed some cookies together.

Everything went into the cookie mix while they ate dinner.

Dinner courtesy of pinterest: Banana ghosts, pretzel and fruit roll up witches brooms with worms, an apple jack-o-lantern, grape witches, buggy pigs in a blanket and ghosty cheese sticks. You can see that B brought the kids some spooky goblets to drink their water from in the photo above.

 Sweet Brynley...and I mean "sweet." She is after her Aunt Kelly's heart with all of the candy she ate.



After dinner, we made pumpkins. I get aggravated that pumpkins start to decompose as soon as you carve them and then they are all moldy and stinky by Halloween.  We got these potato-head-like things a few years ago and Ace loves to change his pumpkin up throughout the month. (Then, we can just turn them around and they're pretty for Thanksgiving.)

 Everyone did a great job.

We did some serious dental damage trying to make candy necklaces. I found a cool skeleton candy necklace kit at HEB but these kids were way more interested in cracking their teeth on all of it.

We sampled our monster cookies and were thrilled with the result. We baked Sweet Sugar Belle's September recipe for "monster cookies".  Yum, yum, yum. (Will definitely chop up the candy corn next time.)

I thought we could make ourselves into mummies with toilet paper.  Let me just say that it was off within 30 seconds of me finishing and we clogged the toilet several times because of this bright idea. Can't blame them for putting toilet paper where it's supposed to go.  Next time...crepe paper.

Of course, Jonathan will make me admit that the night was all about me and what I wanted to do.  Truth be told, I had so much fun.  I always think to myself, "It'd be so fun to get the cousins together for fun crafting and activities" but then I get drowned in a schedule of cleaning, laundry and activities.  It was awesome to take a few hours out to just ENJOY these precious little lights of mine.

Off to dream up the next party!

Anything for your laugh

Oh Ninnies, Mommy would do anything to hear you laugh.  My favorite time with you right now is when I'm putting you to sleep and you lay on my chest.  If you lean on one should or the other, I can tickle your neck with kisses and get giggle.  If I put my hair in your face, I get a laugh that shows your teeth.  If I blow on your tummy, I can get a squeal.  If I let you splash in the tub, you bounce your entire torso with a belly laugh.  If I  throw a blanket over your face and pull it away, you give me more of a smiley coo.

I'm still working on a big, continuous laugh instead of the small ones you dole out right now.

Walking

Lily Kate, You have gone from a wobbly-penguin to a drunk!  You don't waddle as much but you still weave around.  Your head has hit more furniture and walls in the past week than I thought possible.  Yet, you are TOUGH.  You get that from your Daddy.  Gabby tells stories about Daddy getting hurt but not making a sound and you are the same way.  I try not to jump when you bowl yourself over.  You just right yourself and get along your merry way.  You tumbled down the stairs the other day and I caught you on the second-to-last step.  You rolled head over bottom and came to a sitting position as I caught you on that step and thought you were a seasoned acrobat.  You smiled, turned your hiny around and went right back to climbing.  You don't understand "No" but totally respond if I spank your hand with a spoon.  Your fire engine cry can be heard around the entire neighborhood if we get between you and something you want.

You are your DADDY!  And I love you to the ends of myself.

Mish Mash

Mommy has a few things to write you about this morning:

First Day of School: Your first day of school was Tuesday. You were such a big girl: no tears or even a whimper.  You looked like a million bucks and I'm sure you melted your teachers' hearts.  You melted mine when you were happy to see me when I picked you up.

Pierced Ears: We pierced your ears.  It was so hard to hold you still and broke my heart to hear you cry.  You cracked me up grabbing for the sucker that consoled you afterwards.  Daddy doesn't like your earrings. He thinks they make you look too old. I love them.

Walking:  You step, step, step and launch yourself.  We are up to about six steps right now before you decide to crawl. You crawl SO FAST!  I love your laughing giggle when you walk and your wobbly legs.

Bathtub Time: Um...you have discovered that Ace has a toy that you do not and you are quite obsessed with getting it from him.  Luckily, your brother loves you and hasn't hit you for your attempts.  You both just laugh wildly and run from/ after each other until I can get undies on him.  I shouldn't laugh or record this but Mommy forgets things and I never want to forget how hard you make me laugh.

I love you Lillies.

Little Lily

Oh sweet Lily! I just caught you standing in your play pen, holding & swinging your baby doll, talking and smiling up a storm.  You are just the sweetest.

My Little Fire Engine

Lillies, Everyday you give me something new to laugh at.  You have taught me how to squeal in delight.  I shouldn't laugh at how you cry but you are making this very difficult. You do the most perfect impersonation of a fire engine that I've ever heard.  Your cry starts off low and builds to a crescendo that sounds exactly like a fire engine sounding its siren.  Typically, you sound your siren when you are ready to get out of your crib.  You reserve your silent cry for bumps and bruises and a half-laugh/ half-cry for sleepiness. 

I love you cries and I love you.

Scrunchie Face

Looking back through my letters to you, I realized that I hadn't written one on your "scrunchie face."  Unbelievable because it's my most favorite thing in the WHOLE world.  You started making this face while you were eating at the table. It looked like you really hated what I was feeding you but you would make the face even when drinking your water.  Now, all I have to say is "scrunchie face" and you screw up your little nose and close your eyes.  Sometimes Mommy has to make the face first before you'll do it.  I don't even care how silly I look as long and you make that precious face.  I love your little giggle and smile that comes afterward too.  At your birthday party, you made a speedy scrunchie face for everyone that was drop-dead funny.  It was like you didn't have time to make the full face.

I could go on and on.  I don't know that I've ever thought ANYTHING was as cute as this face you make. I love you!

Steps

Sissy, You have started taking steps.  I love when you PLOP down on your hiny like it's been hard work to make those few half-steps. I can tell that you are very proud of yourself. I think your enthusiasm causes you to fall more than any lack of balance.  I will miss your crazy crawling (where you don't touch your knees to the floor) when walking starts full-time.  This in-between is very entertaining. 

Have I mentioned that I LOVE your "scrunchie face" lately?  I'm rather obessessed with it.

You're One Today!

Mimmies!
You are ONE today!
I just don't know where the time has gone.  I love you more at this moment than ever...and I imagine tomorrow I will love you even more.  I love it when you make your "scrunchy face."  It gives me uncontrollable happiness.  You are starting to balance standing up and have managed the step-and-fall without hurting yourself (thank goodness for diaper-padding).
I'm so excited to celebrate you, your irreplaceable addition to this family and your sweet, spunky self.
I love you.

You're a MESS

Oh Lily Kate, you are such a mess!  Your smile takes up your entire face and your giggle is contagious.  I could listen to you laugh endlessly.  Last night, you thought I was funny and I repeated myself until we couldn't possibly laugh any more. This morning, for your nap, you wanted to play peek-a-boo and your laugh could have kept me there for hours if you weren't too sleepy to keep giggling. 

I love how you have starting dancing, or bouncing. You wave one arm like crazy and dip low to the ground only to pop back up as fast as you can and swing that arm up with you.  It's like you're doing crazy squats or something.

Looking into your eyes, I am just so curious about who you will be.  You are independent and hysterical, with your own little sense of humor and a million faces to go with it.  You love your brother but have moments when you are DONE with him.  You just beat your own drum and make up your own march too.  You are fascinating!

Ugh PeePee

Uuuuuugh Lily Kate. 
This morning, as soon as I opened the door to your room, I guessed you had been busy in your diaper.  Pee Pee everywhere...with a side of poop.  Through your clothes even.  I would never have guessed by the smile you gave me that you were even the slightest bit uncomfortable.  Now everything smells like your diaper.  It's a good thing you are adorable because, this morning, you are a super stinker!

Smiley Face

Sweet Lily,
You put such a smile on my face.  Just shy of your 11 month birthday and you've finally said "Mama."  Well...kind of.  You only cry it and only when you are really mad.  But I'll take it! 

Putting you down for your nap this afternoon, you were all smiles. You just wanted to look up at my face, smile and jabber.  I love your little voice and your two bottom teeth that make your smile that much better. 

I'm glad that you are smiley.  You were so serious when you were born but now you are being a little more free with your smiles and that's making Mommy very happy.

"GodLilla" (not Godzilla)

Last night, Ace and Mommy deemed you "God-Lilla".  Every time we'd build something with blocks you delighted in knocking it down.  When we put together train tracks you had the best time destroying them.  You ripped apart trains and emptied every basket of toys in the play room.  In short, you drove a path of destruction last night that beat anything I've seen....and had a GREAT time doing it.

From Smuggler to Snuggler

I just wanted to record your incredibly snuggly moments.  I love how, when I put a blanket over my chest, you snuggle right into it.  I imagine you are snuggling me but you grab so tightly to that blanket that I know it just isn't true.  You are especially loving your princess pillow and laying belly-flat onto it.

I hope you keep being snuggly...otherwise, Mommy will just have to teach you how or give you incentives.

Smuggler

One time and I would just laugh and forget it BUT today marks probably the 5th time I've caught you smuggling!  First it was food under your chin, then it was a cheerio or two in your diaper.  The other day, I unbuttoned your pants and found an ARMY MAN.  Today, I checked your diaper for poop and found food stuck in the back of your diaper.  You are quite the food and toy smuggler.

But I'm on to you girl.  Mommy's on the case.
You make me laugh.

Letters for Lily Kate

My Precious,

I need a place to daily record the joys I have in you.  I don't ever want to forget the feeling I have when I wake you up in the morning and I see those eyes light up.  I want to remember how you've started to bounce up and down and growl with an outrageous smile on your face.  I don't want to forget anything and I want you to know it all.  So I'm starting this blog to collect my memories in one place.  I love you, my adorable Lily-Cakes.  I hope one day you read these and know how very much you are loved.

Love,
Mommy