Hopscotch 101

L: Ellenie you have to start like this...bending your legs to maximize your vertical potential.

E: Yeah Sis, I got it. In two seconds I'm going to spring up and jump higher than you.

L: Okay, but you really need to work on your technique. Try doing something fancy with your arms like me.
E: Seriously dude, I already got that down too.

L: Ellenie, you will be so thankful one day that I taught you all these important things.

E: Whatever.

Fishing for compliments

Lillianna has a most vivid imagination. She always has and I hope she always will. She has entered a phase recently where she can play and talk to "her friends" (her stuffed animals) for a very long time. She plays their Mother, something she can turn on and off like a switch. "I'm Curly's mother now and you are Grandmother." or "No, I'm not Curly's Mother. I'm just Lillianna, Mom."

So I was watching her be Curly's Mother yesterday.

She was so sweet, so attentive, so loving, so understanding, so gracious, so perfect as a Mom.

Me: Lillianna, you are such a wonderful Mommy. Who taught you how to be such a good Mommy?

{Not even a pause}

Lillianna: Curly.

I should have seen that coming.

the bees envy me

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day.

When it's cold outside...I've got the month of May.

I guess you'd say...What can me feel this way?

My Girls...

Talkin' 'bout My Girls.

Minature Monet

Having heard of all the fun I had painting...Miss Lillianna insisted that she too show off her creative talents.

"The World"

"Bird in a tree with a worm next to a Bolcano erupting"

The Gallery

She wanted to me to paint some so she could "fill in"


This was also her request for one for someone special.
"Daddy and his girls"

We miss you!

Pick a peck of pickled peppers

So we had a little painting lesson the other night.

Man, do I have some talented friends!

Rickie Higgins, local artist extrodinaire, (http://www.rickiehigginsart.com/)

taught us a little about painting with oils.

We had so much fun!

We all had the same subject: a picture of a red bell pepper.

He painted first, talking and explaining all FIFTEEN minutes that it took him to create this:

Then it was our turn and 2 hours later we all (proudly) created these masterpieces!

I had a ball! Hope we can do it again soon!

Thanks for making it so much fun!

Tiny Tide

Last week this motley crew cheered the Tide to victory.

Will they help keep the streak alive tomorrow?!

Roll Tide.

Oh and according to Lillianna, Roll Cats too.

Caught!

Equal Opportunity Fan

Each one of those pens is playing a fight song in her ear.

The blue one is playing "On On U of K" (Mommy's team)

and the red one is playing "Yea Alabama" (Daddy's team).

She knows every word of both songs.

Her cheerleading outfit is for the Racers of Murray State University.

Such a good peacemaker.

8 months old

Cutest smile in the world. This one was for Ya Ya.

Loves to eat anything she can pick up.


Including most of her sisters toys.

So excited to meet her Cousin Poly. Even more excited to meet Poly's sibling coming this winter.

Her hair is growing a lot faster than she is. Her Aunt Corky thought so too. She gave her this so adorable (tacky) outfit that reads "Hair Wolf"

She is the most precious, busiest, sweetest, needs very little sleep, happiest, fearless, most adorable Hair Wolf ever.

Mommy Preschool

Craft time! It's jewelry making day!

You're the coolest teacher everrrrrrrrrrrr!

Class Picture:

Snack time!

Naptime/Recess

CCP

So for Lillianna's birthday we (Mom & Dad) took her to Build A Bear.

We thought it would be something special to her because she LOVES stuffed animals so much.

While we were there Lillianna hardly smiled. She didn't seemed too impressed with the whole thing (not that its Six Flags or something) so I was starting to feel bad that we'd spent

more on this silly bear than on her last 6 pairs of shoes combined. As we're leaving, the saleslady asks if we'd like the bear to have a brith certificate. "Does it cost anything?" Brad asks/moans. "No, you go over to the computer, type the info in, and we'll print it out." Then she leans down to Lillianna and asks, "What's your bear's name?" Without hestitation, Lillianna replies,"Curly. Curly Cathryn Parsons."

Now, the name is funny. But it's even funnier that she came up with that so fast since she hasn't named some of her oldest, most beloved stuffed animals. So looking back, I should have known at that moment Curly was special. Special is an understatement. Curly has become her new best friend, playmate, travel companion, confidant, dependent. She talks to her, sings to her, feeds her, puts her down for naps, and never forgets to bring her anywhere...not on walks, not in the car (rule: Curly stays in the car and does not come in stores), not at the park, not when she goes to bed. Curly even gets a place setting at the table, not because I think its cute and put it out for her, but because Lillianna thoughtfully gets the plate, bowl, fork, etc. out and sets it up for her. So Curly has earned her whopper of a price tag.

A few days ago, I was talking about how Ya-Ya was coming to visit. "Yeah, and it's going to be Curly's birthday, " Lillianna states. "Mmm, okay," I answered knowing Curly wouldn't remind Lillianna and therefore she'd forget about it. Well, she didn't. So, with much enthusiasm from Ya-Ya, Curly had the birthday party of all teddy bear birthday parties. Complete with festive attire and lighted candles.

Welcome to the family Curly! Oh and Happy 6th (that's what Lillianna said) Birthday!

Wonder what Curly wished for?

A new name?

3 going on 13

Two nights ago, Brad and I were getting both girls ready for bed. Lillianna was taking her time, talking to her stuffed animals, not really paying attention to Brad's requests to get on her pajamas. He patiently asked once or twice, then started explaining why she needed to be paying attention to him and finish getting ready for bed.

Lillianna looked up at him, smiled, and said, "You need to loosen up, Dad."

We both laughed and i asked her where she heard that.

i was afraid she was going to say me...

but she thought for a second and said, "Uh, on The Wonderpets."

Daring daughters

So Ellenie is starting to make us believe that she might be our wild child.

Our fearless one.

She will go after what she wants at any (physical) cost.

For example, take the park yesterday. She sees the pole...

hits the pole with her head (see pink area) and tries again...
got it!
So now from the other room I often hear Lillianna giggling, then...

"Mom, come look at Ellenie. You can't believe this. Just look at her."

I go running, knowing she might have climbed the wall and is sitting on the mantle.

no, just standing again.

proud older sis.

Why hello tom thumb. Doesn't she look too small to be doing anything but laying, maybe sitting?

But I do think that a combination of Ellenie's inspiring fearlessness and part of turning three, Lillianna, our ever cautious child, has started taking a few risks.

Again, take the park as example...

We've been going to this park for over 2 years and she's never even looked at this pole.

You would have thought she was scaling the tip of Everest with her determination and white knuckles.

Which is why it's so funny that she was only 2 and a half feet (maybe) off the ground.

who knew?

Yesterday a realtor called and wanted to preview the house. Which meant I needed to straighten it and get all of us dressed. I wasn't sure how I'd occupy both girls attention while I scurried around but suddenly they were both content. Fascinated even. 3 minutes....5minutes...I flurried around making up beds, picking up....10 minutes...couldn't believe my luck in even getting to get dressed, brush my hair...15 minutes! They were both having so much fun!

What kept them so entertained? TV? no.... a book? no.... a loud, colorful toy? oh no....

a box of 50 individually wrapped tampons.

Who knew? Lillianna sorted them, piled them, counted them, hid them, found them, lined them up. Ellenie just played with one the whole time...occasinally tasting the plastic wrap.

Who knew.