Happy Halloween!

We spent the evening with our friends, the Webbs. We both have busy schedules so it was good to catch up and watch the girls play. Lily and Alexa get along very well! I had not planned on Lily having candy this Halloween, but that didn't last long, so we made sure to brush her teeth extra clean before bed.

Lily and Alexa enjoying Halloween treats!

This good little witch had a long day!

Time to brush the sugar buggies away!

Its the Great Pumpkin...

Sadly, we never made it out to the pumpkin patch this year! We didn't even carve pumpkins! Lily isn't dressing up for Halloween, but she does have a few accesories to carry around. I'm not a huge fan of the holiday, but I do look forward to making it fun for Lily as she gets older!

One day I hope we can experience my ideal Halloween: A trip to the pumpkin patch, apple orchard, petting zoo, and corn maze...A family celebration carving pumpkins with the Charlie Brown special playing the background...Sipping apple cider and hot chocolate as we stand back and admire the lit pumpkins...and taking the kids around the neighborhood, Lily dressed as a Disney princess...

Silly girl

Lily playing in her laundry basket

Auntie M and Lily were so happy to be reunited after a week apart, they decided to coordinate outfits!

This was the shortest trip we've taken back to Washington, but we had a wonderful time!

On the plane ride home, Lily received extra attention from the flight attendants--they even took her up to meet the captain! She was such a great little traveler!

Being home again is always a relief after living out of suitcases and sleeping in our own bed was nice too! We really missed Marissa, who stayed in KC while we were away. She and Lily were happy to get back to their silly shenanigans!

Cousins!

Time for jammies!!

We had to leave very early this morning for our flight back to Kansas City. We will miss everyone in Washington, but we look forward to being home in Missouri!

Good bye!

Before we return to Spokane, we were fortunate enough to have Grandma Minnie make breakfast for us this morning. This is a picture of her and Lily together as we left.

Our time in the Tri-Cities was much to short, but we had a great visit! We didn't get to see everyone we'd hoped to see, but we are grateful that our families live within driving distance from each other!

House full of kids!

It's our last night in the Tri-Cities and we had an unexpected visit from the Escalera's and the Gomez Family! Lily just loved spending time with the kids! Seeing them all together was such a sweet sight!

Lily and Olivia

Lily with Blaise, Gavin, and Olivia

Lily with Baby Sophie

Baby Dedication

*More pictures will be added as they come in via email*

Today was Lily's dedication at church. Eric and I are members of an amazing church in Liberty, but we really wanted to our families to participate in this special day, so we decided to have Lily dedicated at Eric's home church. Pastor Gary also married us, so it seemed natural to have him present Lily.

During worship, Lily fell asleep in her grandpa's arms and she slept through her dedication and nearly the entire service! She woke up refreshed as the last prayer was said and was in a great mood for her lunch reception. She spent time chatting with the ladies before heading downstairs with the guys to watch the Seahawks play.

Lily playing outside before church

play time

While the guys were out chopping firewood, we braved the cold weather and took the kids outside to play. It was so fun to see them laughing together. Days like these make us wish we lived closer to our families!

Back to Washington

Today we arrived in Washington where we were welcomed by 34 degree weather! Its chilly here, but we look forward to a great visit!

After four years of making this round trip nearly quarterly, all the experience paid off and we enjoyed a pre-planned, stress-free departure! This time, our biggest concern was keeping Lily entertained on the plane, but with all the extra prayers, the flights went very well!

Lily sat in the seat between us and listened to Jack Johnson until she fell asleep. Once we arrived at the house she was so happy to see her Grandma & Grandpa, Uncle Landen, Aunt Carli, and her cousins, Caleb & Halle! We really missed Auntie Kristen, but she was able to join in on the fun via Skype!

"...you're only a day awayyyyyyyy..."

Eric really wanted to take Lily to the pumpkin patch today, but the rain has ruined our plans. I guess that just gives us more time to get ready for our trip! Packing, cleaning, developing a strategy to keep Lily entertained during the flights now that she's mobile...

Its hard to believe that we leave for Washington tomorrow...we are very excited about seeing everyone!

Pleasant surprise!

When Lily was about a week old, I found this adorable jacket at Macy's. Not knowing what size she would be during the winter, I bought it in size 3-6 months. Then winter came, and the jacket didn't fit--It was much too big! It stayed hanging up in Lily's closet, with the tags still attached, for more than a year.

Recently, I rediscovered the coat and was bummed that she never had the chance to wear it! I also had to laugh because the jacket was $42.00 (but I got it for 15% or 20% off) when I purchased it...but now I would never spend that much on a white coat--knowing how quickly kids grow and how easily things get stained! Ah, what a difference a year makes in the life of a new parent!

As I moved her outgrown clothes down to the basement for storage, I took another look at the jacket and decided to try it on her. Much to my surprise, it fits perfectly!

The leaves are falling

I just love the smokey smell in the air and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot...Fall is here! It was extra chilly tonight, but we still spent time running around in the back yard.

Its hard to believe our trip to Washington is coming up this week! We are so excited to see everyone! I'm sure our families are going to be surprised with just how much Lily has changed.

She has become such a big girl that when we woke up this morning, she actually said, "Potty." So I put her on the little seat and she was right--she had to go potty!

Lily started waking up dry when she was seven months old, but a few minutes later, she would have a really full, wet diaper. So when she turned eight months old we went to Babies R Us and let her pick out a potty chair (Yes, she picked it out after we let her sit in a few different ones.) We brought home the cutest pink Baby Bjorn potty seat and she used it the very next day!

Since then, I put her on the seat after she wakes up every morning and in five months, there have been only a handful of times that she hasn't used it. Just recently, she also started giving us occasional signs when her diaper needs to be changed throughout the day: Sometimes she points at it, a few times she actually brought me a diaper from her bedroom!

I never wanted to rush Lily into potty training, so our approach has always been relaxed. I guess now we just need to incorporate her little seat into our day more often. I think we're going to keep things simple, like adding it right before bedtime and see how that goes. Its crazy to remember what life was like a year ago and compare it to our life now...Lily is not the same baby she used to be!

Dinner at the Olive Garden

Here's Auntie M rockin' her new Selena Gomez look

Tonight we enjoyed a family dinner at the Olive Garden. Lily sat in a high chair facing on-coming "traffic" and acted as the official welcoming committee, repeatedly saying, "Hi!" to everyone as they passed by. It's been a while since we've eaten out and Lily was an absolute doll! I love being able to take her out in public places and know she is well-behaved! She ate her pasta and bread nicely and didn't get too much of it in her hair, as is her custom.

School time?

With our time at the park and Lily's love for Sunday school, I am convinced she should be in part time care during the week. She does so well with other kids and she loves new people...it seems like the next best step for her development.

I've been thinking about it for at least three months now and Eric and I finally visited two care centers last week--La Petite Academy and Creative World. Both meetings went really well, but our first choice doesn't have any openings in her age group! Our second choice has one spot available...but its a bit further from our house. At both places we would have to pay for full time care, even if we only used the service part time. We are still open to touring a few more places, I know a church near our home offers Parents Day Out services, but we have decided not to look into private home care options at this time.

The thought of Lily being away for a few hours during the day is a bit sad for me, because its just another sign that my little baby is growing up...but its also very exciting because I know she is ready for a social life and I feel guilty that she doesn't have more interaction with other kids throughout the week.

Tonight we visited our friend, Parker, for a while and Lily wanted to copy everything he did. He was pointing out cars and airplanes, and although she had no idea what he was so happy about, she started pointing too. He started picking flowers, and she joined right in. Parker decided to play with the leaves of another plant, and Lily wanted to be right by his side, playing with the same leaves. She picks up on new sounds and actions very quickly! Its just so cute, how much she enjoys other kids!

Play time

crossing the bridge by herself...because she's a big girl and doesn't want any help

Climbing up the slide, like the big kids

It seems like Fall arrived overnight, but we're still spending lots of play time outside. Tonight we went to a park to let Lily run out all her energy before bed. I really wish we had a playset in our backyard so she could have this type of fun more often.

We love our friends!

Tonight we visited our friends, Eva and Alexa, for the evening. It was so good to catch up on their lives and especially to see the girls play together.

By the end of the night, Alexa and Lily had created their own little game. Lily would pat Alexa's tummy and Alexa would roll on the floor. Alexa would roll away and then back to Lily, and they both thought it was the funniest game ever. I wish we would have been able to record it!

8th tooth!

Lily's eight tooth is finally here! Upper, left, lateral incisor!

Curious

Introducing Miss Raija Jewel

Welcome to our newest friend--Miss Raija Jewel Christian!

Born September 23, 2009 at 11:20 AM



Weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces and 20 inches long



According to her daddy, she came out "head full of hair, calm & beautiful"

Lily and Daddy!

Lily loves Eric so much--it is a beautiful thing to see! Before he leaves for work she wants lots of hugs & kisses and she remains at the stairs to watch him go. On this particular day, she was squeezing his neck so tightly, it seemed like she really wanted him to know just how much he means to us!

Hugging Daddy as he leaves

More hugs for Daddy before he goes to work

Deciding which Community Group to join at church

Pulling Daddy's hair on his day off

Play time

Now that Lily is such a big girl, we spend more time playing outside. If we go for a walk around the pond, we don't have to take her stroller because she likes the adventure and can make the whole trip without needing to be carried. If Eric is doing something in the garage, she finds ways to keep herself entertained--like relocating all the extra bottled water we have from a bench to the recycling bin. If we're all outside, she will chase a soccer ball around or watch us play catch and she giggles when I miss the ball! Tonight we spent time outside with Baby Stella so Lily could burn off some energy before bed time.

Dancing queen

Last night while watching a movie, a scene came up in which the audience was applauding a performance--immediately, Lily joined in and began clapping too. Several times throughout the same movie music was played in different scenes--so Lily began to dance and alternated between twirling and her latest move...a sort of Thumper-style foot tap.

Watching her was sooooo much fun because she is just so free and lively! My sister and I constantly ponder how Lily's brain works...What does she think about? How does she decide to alternate her dance moves? Why does she intently watch an acoustic guitar performance, but later move to popular radio music? How did she conclude that repeating leg squats was an appropriate dance move? The questions go on and on!

She is so fascinating! I just love her!

Happy Birthday, Eric!

Its so strange to think that I met Eric when he was 20 years old...what a difference eight years makes! His personal development has been incredible to watch; from a gangly, bleach-blonde kid, he became a loving husband and proud father!

Happy Birthday, Eric! We love you!

Best friends!

7th tooth!

Lily's upper, right, lateral incisor is finally here! This is one of two that seem to have been just under the skin for weeks now and causing her to be extra sensitive!

Trip to the Nelson

Today we finally decided to get out of the house and spent a few hours at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. The Beloved Daughters exhibit will be leaving soon and I wanted to take Marissa to see it. It is such a touching display--I highly recommend it!

The museum was fairly empty today, which I was grateful for, because Lily found a little friend and they decided to chat. At first, Lily was quietly talking to herself, but then she discovered that her voice echoed in the Bloch building. A few seconds later, another child in the building joined in. It sounded like they were having their own conversation! Thankfully, it didn't last too long and Lily finally quieted down. That other kid, a 15 month old little boy, however, kept talking and his father eventually left.

I am so glad we made the trip! We had a really nice time and the weather was just perfect! Tomorrow Eric returns from Texas and we will be happy to have him home!

Eric in Texas

Eric left for Texas today and I am so relieved to have my sister here! I used to dream about having family in the area to watch movies with or go to the park with--now we actually get to do all those fun things!!

Enjoy your trip, Eric!

So many changes!

Now that she's one, Lily certainly is blossoming into a little girl!! I will probably forget something, but I wanted to update everyone on her latest little activities.

Thanks to extra practice with Auntie Marissa, Lily does the hand motions of a spider crawling up a waterspout, when we sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider song. She enjoys it so much that she will do the motions out of nowhere, until we sing the song for her. Its the same with the Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed song--she makes her pointer finger "jump" on her opposite palm and she shakes her finger "no" for the "no more monkeys jumping on the bed" part! Its so adorable!

Lily used to only wave "bye bye" when Eric left for work, but now she waves and actually says "bye bye" to people. She opens and closes her tiny fist instead of waving her hand, and she even bids us farewell as we go down to the basement.

My favorite of her latest little developments is the good night kiss! Lily must receive a hundred kisses on the cheeks each day, but she usually just brushes us off. A few nights ago, I was rocking her to sleep and she sat up to give me a quick kiss before falling asleep. After that, she laid back down and closed her eyes. It was such a precious moment--I wish I could bottle that feeling up! The best part is that since then, each night she stops in the middle of cuddling or rocking before bed to kiss me goodnight!

Children grow up too quickly!

Parker's birthday party

Today was a busy day for us. We made a brief appearance at our neighbor's 1st Annual Labor Day Party and then we were off to Parker's 2nd birthday party!

At the birthday party, Lily watched Tara's brother, Mitchell, kicking a soccer ball around and she decided to play too. She's never kicked her small basketball or large bouncy ball at our house, so it was something totally new she just learned from observation. Thankfully, he is very patient and didn't mind the interruption. They kicked the ball back and forth for a few minutes before we let him return to his game. Maybe Lily found her future sport? (Eric coaches a kindergarten team for our church's children's league so she already has a great coach at home!)

It is hard to believe that Parker is already two years old...I remember holding him at the hospital and wondering what it would be like to have a baby of my own. He is such a funny little boy and he is very smart! He loves to dance and he recognizes trucks, planes, and trains by sight or sound! Seeing him and Lily together is always a great time!

Tara, of course, planned a fantastic party and there was a fabulous turn out! I look forward to watching Parker and Lily grow up together and celebrating all the birthdays ahead of them.

1 year check up!

Today we visited Doc Hollywood for Lily's one year check up.

She weighs 22.6 pounds and is 30 3/4 inches tall! He said, "She's perfect!"

But we already knew that!

6th tooth!

After a week of soggy diapers and low fevers, Lily's lower, left, lateral incisor made it through her gums! Hearing her little teeth crunch on crackers and dry cereal is so cute!!

In other news, Marissa has been here for a few days now and not surprisingly, she and Lily are new BFFs! Lily is so captivated by her auntie, she follows Marissa everywhere and even cried a few times when my sister left the house.

Their connection is so natural, I am curious if it helps Lily feel comfortable, that my sister and I sound alike and resemble each other? Maybe she just knows that its her auntie?!