Back in the Swing

We are slowly getting back in the swing of things.  I am a person who really loves routine, so this should be easy for me.  But this year?  I really wasn't ready for summer to end.  We have had so much fun just being with each other and I will really miss it.

Brian is riding the school bus to school this year.  He is SO excited!  I wasn't sure if they were going to work it out, but they did.  Then I found out that he would be on the bus for AN HOUR on some pretty windy, country roads and I wasn't quite sure my mommy heart could take it.  BUT I was a big girl and let him get on the bus yesterday.  And he loved it, as I expected.

Here are some first day shots on the porch before we left the house.  Brian of course had to have his camera too...

I got two of the first bus ride.  He looks mad in the second.  I think he was completely annoyed with my picture taking by this point.  Get used to it bud!

And I can't forget to thank Shari and Robin for being there with me while he boarded the bus the first day!  You rock!!

This is the totally awesome supply cake Aunt Teri made for Brian to take to his teacher...

Thank you Aunt Teri!!!

Overall he had a good first day.  He did have a potty accident, but I pretty much expected that as he does that when he gets nervous.  He told me all about The Kissing Hand and proudly presented me with his first day hand print and picture.  He also ate his turkey "all gone" at lunch.  We had discussed this before he left for school.  I am worried he'll blow off lunch and be starving by 3:30, so I guess I was pretty clear! 

Today was Day 2.  No potty accidents.  He dug around in his back pack to show me what he made today...a "red" picture.  It has red helicopter stamps on it and some red coloring.  I asked him what he did today and he said, "we learned."  I'll take that for sure!  Putting him on the bus was a bit easier today.  It will only get easier I suppose.

Another added benefit to afternoon preschool is that Lilah gets to sleep in.  A happy baby can make a world of difference!

And we had time for another baby dinosaur to be discovered before we left this morning.  Oh the joy of imagination!!

Second

Shawn and I are new at this second child thing.  We were both first born.  We are constantly amazed by how quickly Lilah picks things up (being as she has an example that's close to her age).  She is determined to be a big girl.  It's kind of sad seeing her develop and change so quickly, but it's also fun to watch as well!

Playing play doh with Bubba and Dada.

Measuring up at the aquarium in her big girl shoes!

Walking with Mama.  This girl loves to walk holding hands!

Using a spoon all by herself.  Anything she can do to get food into her mouth faster and without help-as her Dad says!

"I'm big enough for a booster mom!"  (Not really, she just thinks so!)

Eating a popsicle all by herself.

Hatched

About a week ago our local market posted a sign saying they had "Dinosaur Eggs" for sale.  Mom mentioned it to us and I told her I had seen it and was planning to stop by and see what it was all about.  Shawn warned me that it was probably some sort of fruit or vegetable, but I took Brian by just to see. 

Shawn was correct.  There is apparently a type of pluot that is branded "Dinosaur Eggs."  I figured Brian would be disappointed and opt out of purchasing one.  It never even occurred to me that he would actually think it was an egg.  With a real dinosaur inside.  Whoops.

And so we purchased the pluot Dinosaur Egg and it sat on our window sill for a few days.

Last night I mentioned to Mom that is she happened to see a suitable hatchling for our "egg" she should grab it because he was eventually going to expect a dinosaur to appear on the sill. 

This morning she arrived prepared and made the switch.  Brian could not have been more excited!

In addition to the thrill of a baby dinosaur in the house, Brian quickly realized that he owns the "Mommy Dinosaur, " and ran to reunite the pair.  Oh the excitement! 

Only now, he has informed me that his T Rex also needs a baby.  So we are heading back to the market.  We need a baby T Rex egg. 

Miss Independent

Oh that little Lilah girl.  She has a mind of her own, that's for sure.  It may be the red hair.  It might just be that she was born into stubbornness.  Perhaps in my quest to allow my children to "march to the beat of their own drums" she has developed a tad too much independence.  Maybe it's that she's the second child and she has someone to imitate.  And maybe it's just a combination of all of the above. 

In the past month I have caught Miss Lilah...

in the dryer
on top of the coffee table
on top of the kitchen table
in the refridgerator
and most recently...

attempting to climb INTO the toilet.

And you can ask anyone.  Miss Lilah has a temper.  She does NOT put up with toys being taken away from her.  It doesn't matter if it's a loving adult trying to keep her from choking to death on a toy that is made for a much older child, or if it's her sneaky four year old brother just being a poop head.  She gives you what for if you try to take something from her.  

She's a smart little poop, let me tell you.  She's not easily tricked by adults hiding objects from her.  She can find Aunt Teri's phone anywhere in a room and she's not likely to give it up once it's in her chubby little hands.  Feisty little bugger!

Yesterday was our second preschool play date.  Lilah could be found sitting at a preschool sized table, in a preschool sized chair, stirring a spoon in a cup.  Last week at Brian's speech session, she crawled up into Brian's chair and looked at Kathy the therapist as if to say, "my turn!"  And currently she is "cooking" in the play kitchen at Mom's house while I type this blog. 

Oh we are in trouble...

A Little Bit of Random

Long time, no blog.  Sorry! 

Miss Lilah is walking!!  Not all the time, but she's pretty darn stable.  Brian definitely walked like a drunken monkey for awhile.  But not his baby sister.  She waited until she was good and ready and she's very well balanced. 

School starts soon.  Brian will be in PM preschool, which is causing a huge schedule adjustment for the kids and I, but I am hopeful that it will work out.  Brian's teacher was very clear that he would do better in the afternoon class, so I am trusting her.  It's going to mean we can still sleep in (yay!), I will work different hours, I will (hopefully) get in a couple of walks a day, and Lilah and I will have some quality mommy and baby time at the park and/or zoo.  I am sure there will be other positives as we figure it all out and most importantly, Brian will get what he needs in the classroom while Lilah spends time with me. 

We have been trying to soak up what's left of summer.  Which basically means we have been doing the same things we've done all summer.  Pool.  Zoo.  Park.  Ah, I love it!

Here are some random pictures from the past couple of months.

Fourth of July...
And yes, he chose the hat.  On his own.

Stuffing spaghetti in her mouth on her actual birthday.

Diving board day at swim lessons.  Brian was not a fan.

We are actually riding in Annie behind Thomas...just in case you couldn't tell!

A Garden Themed Birthday Party

I have to tell you, I was more than a little bit excited to finally get to plan a girly birthday party.  I have loved planning Brian's parties-monkeys, Thomas, golf, Cars-but it's a little harder to get into a theme that you yourself are not into.  But a girl party?!  I can do that. 

I really  don't buy into all the princess business that society pushes on little girls. So I knew for sure I wanted to avoid that.  I mean, I realize eventually Lilah will want a princess party, and a princess party she shall have, but until that time I hope to avoid the whole princess thing. 

Lilah really loves the paintings at the Children's hospital location we frequent for Brian's therapy appointments.  There are all sorts of butterflies, flowers and bugs.  So when Teri suggested we do a garden themed party, I was all  over it!  Our photographer took a couple of pictures of Lilah with a flower headband on at her 9 month shoot as well as some of her eating smelling a flower.  So I printed a couple of those and got some wire for Shawn to bend into a picture holder for me.  Brian and I picked out some flower pots, which he painted, add a little tissue paper and we had our center pieces!

We bought some garden themed tables cloths, a birthday banner and of course balloons (Brian makes certain there are balloons at every party these days). 

We had to move the party to the house this year due to the lovely weather.  (It was hot, humid and somewhat rainy.)

My favorite decoration was the clothes line display of all of Lilah's chair pictures from this past year.

Unless you count the cake.  If the cake counts as a decoration, it has my vote for favorite hands down.  Made by Auntie La La of course.  Her redemption cake of sorts after the mishap at Brian's party weeks before. 

 

Lilah loved her party!  She had so much fun.  It really turned out for the best that we were at the house because she could play with the other kids.  At the park she would have had to be held.  

Post smash bath!

Wait!  Where's everyone going?  Party over??