It doesn't get better than this!

I have to say life with a 3.5-year-old while at sometimes is a challenge...is oftentimes the very best! I am totally loving the 3-year world!

The other day Lily had dressed herself. She wore her favorite yellow plaid SUMMER dress, with flowery pink leggings, and a bright turquoise sweatshirt. We were walking in the mall and she was spinning and singing the hippopotamus for Christmas song at the top of her lungs.

Although I tell you I can't believe how much she has changed in just one year. The other day we were at the library for the time for 2's which we used to go to last winter when she was two. But the other day she seemed so much bigger than those kids....she was even bored or disinterested and wanted to leave...I guess she didn't like all those "babies".

She also is really developing a love of "reading" She loves to "read" the books to me. She has many sections of many of them memorized. Her current favorites are Apples on Top and Put Me in the Zoo.

One last note is Eve. She has read the creation story of Adam and Eve. But frequently she gets mixed up. The other day she told her daddy about Mary and Steve. This evening at the dinner table we were talking about Christmas Eve and she exclaims, "I know that story." So she brings her bible over to the table and we expect her to open it up to the Christmas story, but no she opens it up to Adam and Eve. Love it!

Life through Lily's eyes

Recently Lily and I have had some interesting conversations...

The other day she said she wanted to get married. First I asked her who she wanted to marry. She first said Mommy, but I told her I was married to Daddy. She then said Daddy, but we told her that he was married to Mommy. So she said she wanted to marry a skunk!

Today she and I were talking about boys and girls. Identifying who was a boy and who was a girl. For example is mommy a boy or a girl? Anyway, after several correct identifications, I asked her how she knew that some people were girls and others were boys. She said boys have cut hair and girls don't have cut hair.

Lastly, after a temper tantrum today because she was not the center of the universe for 30 minutes, she asked me to dry the raindrops from her eyes:)

With much gratitude

Boy...I can't believe I have let a whole month go by without posting!

Anyway.... there is nothing is life that makes you more grateful for your own child, than taking care of another family's children. I had the privilege of watching my niece and nephew whom I absolutely love and adore for about 5 days! However, after 5 days I was ready to give them back to their mommy and daddy and developed a new appreciation for my own child. Because sure...I often think...Lily drives me nuts...but when I see her interact with others, I realize just how kind, sweet, and nurturing she is. So why she may not listen all the time and I feel like banging my head up against a wall...I realize she has a special gift that very often I take for granted.

Lily is also very creative. She loves making up all kinds of stories. Normally they have to do with whatever she has either watched on TV (i.e. Lion King) or learned in church (i.e. baby Moses or baby Jesus and the angel). I love hearing her ramble on. I especially like it when all the stories mix themselves up....for example, the lion king goes to baby Jesus. I need to remember to tape her telling one of her stories one day!

I am sure every mother thinks her child is smart...but I am telling you...Lily really impresses me! She can identify all her letters. Knows their sounds. Can identify words that start with those sounds! So Awesome! GT baby! She now can count not only in English and Spanish but also in Norwegian! I can't believe how quick she picks things up!

Favorite color nowadays is PINK. She wants to wear the pink socks, the pink dress etc..

Her favorite dress of all time is this summery butter-yellow patchwork dress that Ms. Gretchen gave her. If she could she would wear it all the time!

Our new favorite activity to do together is exercising on the swiss ball. Since I have had to do exercises for my spine and she always wanted to play with my ball, I brought her home from work her own small swiss ball. She is super at it! She can plank and do backward kickovers! I love it!

My dad bought me a yoga tape for my birthday so maybe she'll want to do that with me too!

Too much halloween?

I think Lily has officially had too much Halloween and it isn't even real Halloween until tomorrow night! Yesterday I was telling her that we were going to join our friends Abigail and Elizabeth for a Halloween party today....her response was..."Again!" We have been doing a lot of Halloween-themed things such as two pumpkin patches/farms and two fall festivals. So I guess she is done...you think?

Also, just a sweet note...tonight at dinner she is blowing on her french fries (her fave food in the world...that her momma never lets her have!) and she says to me repeatedly....mommy did they cool up yet?

Love it!!!!

Catching up

Pony ride at a local county fair

Pony ride at a local county fair

Unicorn Halloween costume

Swimming Class

Singing in the rain

Driving the school bus at a county fair

Man time flies fast! Before I know it October will soon be over! Here's the latest in Lily's world

Current favorite Color: Pink

I had always counted my blessings that for the most part, Lily let me dress her in whatever I picked out. But this past month or so she has begun to express some real preferences. At first, it started out with the color of her socks. They had to be pink! Then occasionally, especially on days when we have swim class and I want to put in the brand new dress I bought her (the only dress I have bought her this year...mind you...my simple pleasure), she wants to wear her favorite summer dress that Ms. Gretchen gave her for her birthday! It is a good thing Ms. Gretchen bought it one size larger!

Lily just completed her first swim class. Her improvement was incredible. The first class she loved, the second,  she cried for 15 minutes and I had to bribe her with candy to complete the class. And the 4 out of 5 classes left I had to bribe her even though she loves it when she is there, she cries every time about going beforehand. Anyway, I can't believe how much she improved after 7 1/2 hour lessons. It is a bummer she doesn't want to continue because she really was doing fabulous! I think I sit out this next session and then maybe try again in the mid-winter or early spring. It is a good thing though I am not a swimming teacher...I got nervous sometimes just watching her!

We have had such a fun fall...we have done so many fun things! I never realized how much I love fall until I had Lily.

Lily has begun to talk about being adopted. She said, "You adopted me when I was a baby and I fell into Mama's pouch". A while back we read a book called A Blessing from Above. Basically, a mama bird has lots of birds in a nest and it is too crowded. A kangaroo wants to be a mama but can't. So the kangaroo prays that somehow she will have a baby in her pouch. One day with the nest overcrowding...a little baby bird falls out of the nest and right into the kangaroo's pouch. So sweet. Anyway of course now I am trying to explain the best I can that she didn't fall out of a nest, and even though she didn't grow in my tummy (or pouch), she grew in my heart.

In other news, our beautiful Lily is fiery! Not that we didn't already know that, but some days lately have been enough to exhaust any mama! I know it will so serve her well in life, but man...sometimes I wish she would just say, "Alright mama...I will do whatever you ask me to do!" A mom can dream, right?

Terrible Three's

I love Lily dearly, but man...she can really drive me nuts! She has really been pushing all the buttons lately. Testing at every corner, not listening or responding with any consistent frequency, and using her words to assert her independence. Do I have gray hair yet? And she is only 3!

Other notable items...I try my best to integrate a little Spanish into Lily's life each day. One of the things I have noticed which brings a smile to my face is the use of la for every word. For example, the word could be a masculine word such as el perro, but to Lily, it is la perro. El Gato is la gato. And so on and so forth! At least she knows there is an article before the word!

A year later...

My Dearest Lily,

Wow, tomorrow marks the 1st anniversary of we all came home from Guatemala to be a forever family. I am filled with joy and gratitude toward God and all the wonderful friends, family, colleagues, etc... who loved, encouraged, supported, prayed, etc. us on our journey. Sometimes I still can't believe God's goodness, providence, mercy, and grace to us.

Happy Gotcha day Lily girl! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

I remember there were times, when I prayed out to God, if we are not allowed to adopt you...who will save you...God spoke out loud to me, and he said..."Kim, you are not her savior". So I begged Jesus, knowing that he was your savior, could we at least be your parents?. We are so thankful to God that he allowed us to be your parents. You bring us so much joy! I love your laugh and your smile. Each day when I wake up, I can't wait to see your smiling face!

I hope as you grow older that you will find joy, peace, security, and contentment knowing that you were wanted so badly and loved so fiercely. I know that your adoption in the future may cause you to feel a sense of loss. I pray that if you experience any grief that your heart will be healed.

Love you Lily girl! May we celebrate many more Gotcha Days!

Love,
Mommy