Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful & Have So Much Hair

#1 and #2

Recently, I have been having dreams about poop.

yep, poop.
I can't imagine why other than it's the word most said in our house right now...

except for pee pee.

We've been potty-training for over a week now. I have a whole new understanding for why someone decided to call it "training." We're training for the long haul. This is no sprint race. This is a martahon that we've just started. That's what it feels like as I strip another pair of Dora painties off and throw them into the washing machine.

Lillianna has been running around the house in her long sleeve shirt, no pants, colored socks get-up and doesn't seem to mind. Actually she is doing a great job. 218 M&Ms, 2 trains, 68 jelly beans, 22 Special juices, 36 Skittles, 2 pieces of gum, and 3 books later...She is really starting to get the hang of it.

Yesterday we camped out again to make progress on #2.

Ellenie gave the pep talk that finally did the trick!

Lillianna then got ANOTHER prize...

A Thomas the Train Conductor's hat of her very own. sorry no pic.

(After an accident, in her robe, sitting on a towel because why waste another pair of clean, dry undies and pants this close to bed time?)

I can't think of a comparable parenting experience thus far. A complete mix of emotions - pride, frustration, sympathy, grossed-outness - all rolled into one. I can't believe I just wrote that sentence about pee-peeing and pooping. But I did...because it's true.

And it's all worth it.

Friends make days go by so much better..and faster

Gotta princess party to go to Lillianna?

"Uh yeah, Mom, did the shoes give it away?"

Happy 4th Birthday Princess Lydia! We had so much fun at your party!

Everyone got all dressed up and posed for the camera.

Wait. Where's Lillianna? Oh right, she's way off to the left there, too busy adding 44 more stick-on jewels to her foam crown to pose for a picture.

Later we enjoyed the day in Sam's backyard.

wheee.

Sam: I love to scoop the sand with my shovel.

Lillianna: I love to dust the sand off with my hands.

Sarah Laine: You guys don't know what you're missing! I love to feel the sand with my feet!

Lillianna: My feet might get cold. But I can do this and then I can do...

THIS!

No hands or feet! I must have my mom's abs! ha.

Emma Hensley was really getting the swing of playing outside.

Sam wanted to show off his skills on the sandbox lid.

Then Lillianna showed him how to play Buckin' Bronco style.

Then they pretended it was a boat and swam home for supper.

Breakfast

ME: Will you eat some more oranges please?

Lillianna: I can't. They are too good for me to eat.

Busy but beautiful weekend

Whew! No rest for the weary (those who get up with the baby) this weekend!

We were out, about and all over.

First, a little food and friends with Dawson.

Then we headed to the lake to see both grandparents and great- grandparents!

There is always so much to see, discover, and do!

Lillianna quickly found hickory nuts could be "Ladybug Boats" and...

launched them into the water.

Then watched them float away.

Bon voyage Ladybug!

(Which is what her BOATS book says at the end)

A beautiful day with a beautiful little girl.

So much to do...

So very much to do! Ellenie found many arms to cuddle up in and was so very happy.

Lillianna eating? Of course! We filled our bellies and headed back home!

The next day...

she was eating again as we all headed out to enjoy the incredible weather with a picnic at the park. The whole family came...

even Boone!

Wonder baby Ellenie sleeping again.

Lillianna just struck this pose while sippin' her juice during a break from the swings.

It's a tough life kid.

Jesus the student

While fixing lunch for Lillianna, I tried to talk with her about her morning at school. She is walking in circles in the kitchen, holding a stuffed animal.

Me: Did you go to Chapel today?

Lillianna: Uh-huh.

Me: What did you learn in Chapel?

Lillianna: JESUS!

Me: You learned about Jesus?

Lillianna: Uh-huh.

Me: What did you learn about him?

Lillianna: Ummmmm.......

Me: What was he doing?

Lillianna: He was walking in circles. He was going to school with his son God.

Me: Jesus went to school?

Lillianna: Uh-huh. And played with his friends. He played with Bibby.

Me: Of course.

Best Big Sis

So it seems Lillianna has really taken to being a big sister.

She has truly exceeded our expectations of how sweet, gentle, and considerate she is to Ellenie.

Now that doesn't mean she's perfect. But close.

Every morning when I go into Lillianna's room to get her, she asks,"Can Ellenie lay here on my pillow?"
And whenever we talk about the next activity we're going to do like, "Okay, let's get our shoes on and go downstairs and play." Lillianna always reminds me to bring Ellenie. "Let's bring Ellenie downstairs Mom." or "Ellenie wants to play with Thomas the train too."

She also wants to share with her little sister. She shares her toys, her blankie, and even her Mom. I'm amazed at how easily Lillianna has transitioned into sharing us with Ellenie. She often tells us to "kiss her cheek. Now kiss her head, like this." or "Mom, can you pick her up please" or "Daddy, say 'Agoo' to her." She loves for us to love Ellenie and that makes me so proud of my sweet little girl.

Sometimes she shares too much...

"Here you go Ellenie. Have some of my marbles." or "Ellenie wants my cheese crackers too Mom."

Her favorite question ( 22 times a day) is, "Can I look at Ellenie?" And she gets VERY close to her and smiles ...and pokes. We always remind her that we can touch, not poke, and that we never touch eyes. So far, Ellenie still has vision in both so I guess it's working.

I know the blessing of having sisters. There is nothing in the world like it.

It makes me so happy to know my little girls will know it too.

All by 9 am...

Talk about a bad hair day....

Lillianna's beloved "Lady" train is a battery-powered train that moves around the track you see in the background of the picture. Six tiny wheels go around and around at a pretty good speed when she has a new battery. Who wouldn't want her to choo-choo through their hair?

It took some real tears, a handful of hair, and quite a while for me to untangle "Lady" from Lilliannna's head. I couldn't help but laugh. Someday she'll think it's funny too...and be so glad that I made her wait with "Lady" sitting on her head so I could go get the camera.

Once we recovered from the minor surgery, we were on to a very organized tea party. One where everyone was served "delicious tea, chickenandfrench fries, and chocolate cake." Atleast that was the first course, served in our tea cups. Then we moved on to bananas and tacos.

I told Lillianna she was the best hostess I had ever seen. I heard her repeating that to her guests a few mintues later. "I'm the best hostess in the whole world for my tea party."

Ellenie was just shocked she wasn't invited.

All dressed up...

Sometimes it's a feat just to get dressed, let alone dressed up.

But last Sunday we all did it.

Here are the girls in all their sweet glory:

Edible baby gowns? I love that idea!

Lillianna calls these black shoes inherited from her cousins her "clip clop" shoes. She loves them! She totally associates them with her green Christmas dress that she always wants to wear with them. I had to really talk up the cuteness of the kitty cat to get her to wear this dress instead.

Then she quickly went back to getting "busy" (dizzy) in the kitchen with her purple valentines balloon.

Sweetest sharing of LOVE

lillianna: Does she need my blankie on her ear?

(Lillianna always holds her blankie to her own ear anytime she holds it. Ellenie was crying.)