Discovery Playground

We went to a park in Spokane called Discovery Playground that is so unique--I wish there was a park like it in Kansas City! There are musical exhibits, innovative toys, imprints of fossils, oversized props--it almost seems a little Doctor Seuss-ish! Except for the freezing weather, it would have been a nice place for a picnic!

Weekend with the Smiths

Lily & Gigi napping on the drive to Coeur d'Alene

This was Lily's first time on a ride! She, Halle, & Caleb had so much fun!

Lily meets Moses.

Moses likes Lily alright, but Lily loves Moses.
Moses spends the next week as the object of her affection.

Cousins!!

Flight to Spokane

The ride from the parking lot to the terminal was a bumpy one and Lily was nervous to be out of her carseat.

Although we paid for three seats, Lily spent the first flight on Daddy's lap!

Lily and Grandma Christy are reunited!!

Headed out West

Well it took a lot of coordination on the parts of several people but thankfully, we are finally heading back to the northwest for a two week trip!

We look forward to seeing all our family and hopefully a few friends as well!

Happy Birthday, Lily!!

Lily, how old are you now?

Being 2 really wears a girl out!

Wow...has it really been two years already?!

I could write volumes about what Lily means to us and how she has changed us, but the simple truth is that being a parent is such an incredible blessing--it's so much more than I could ever adequately describe!

That God would choose to share Lily with Eric and me is so...humbling...because she is such a treasure!! The best way I can describe her is like a diamond--She has many facets, each adding to her brilliance!

She is so funny!

Tonight after the bath Lily disappeared into her room. A minute later she emerged with a pair of Dora undies that she put on all by herself--inside out and backwards!

She really keeps us laughing!!

Farmer's Market

We had to visit two different farmer's markets today before we found all the right produce, but it was well worth the trip! Lily enjoyed people watching and we even bumped into her friends, Reagan and Lincoln!

It was so hot today, by the time we finished shopping we were both sweating, but it was still a beautiful day to be outside. Days like this really make me wish we had family around to join us for our weekend adventures!

Princess Bubbles!

Bubbles are very exciting for Lily at this stage! We play this game where I scoop up a handful of bubbles and clap my hands together once, sending tiny bubbles all over the place--I can repeat this twenty times and it never gets old to her. I'm not sure if it's the bubble mess or the element of surprise Lily enjoys, but she just giggles and giggles! It's adorable!

Happy 4th of July!

One of our neighbors coordinated a block party that we attended today. She did a wonderful job of getting so many different people together and the food was fantastic!

Holidays always make us miss our family and friends back home, so the day was bitter sweet. Plus, Eric had to work, which left Lily and me feeling extra sad!

Here's a few pictures from our day:

Lily was fascinated with this Barbie Escalade, it even had a working stereo! Once she and Ava were inside, she did not want the game to end!

Happy 4th of July!

After a long day at the block party, Lily was excited for fireworks!

It was 81 degrees out and raining, but we put on our jackets and enjoyed the show anyway!

Ready for the block party!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

Tonight we had our neighbors over for a cookout. Lily loved meeting Lucca, and seeing her friend, Ava, again!

Whether it was through the screen door or the sliding door, both girls wanted to peek in on the baby. It's difficult to convince a toddler to stop a certain behavior after your initial reaction was laughter! I had little nose prints all over the glass by the end of the night!

Berry funny, Lily!

Yesterday after Dagg Park we made Strawberry-Blueberry smoothies at home (Will someone PLEASE open a Jamba Juice in KC?!). Lily enjoyed hers so much that she even stopped using a straw so she could get more of the smoothie, faster!

Tonight Eric and I have a date planned! We rarely get out together, but without family in the area to keep Lily, it's a challenge to keep date nights as a priority. We probably get time together about once every three months...but we're making the best of our situation!

Summer time!

After a quick morning workout we took Lily to Dagg Park (where we had her 1st birthday party) to play in the water. She wasn't as excited about the spray ground as she normally is, but she did love the wading pool! Lily loves being the water, and even though she dunked herself twice, she didn't let that interfere with her fun! I, on the other hand, was in panic mode until Eric saved the day by convincing her to hold his hand! *sigh* My hero!!

Of course, the hardest park about going to the park is actually LEAVING the park! Lily was not happy about our departure and protested the entire way to the car...and once we got to the car...and while we took off her suit and little swimmers...and as we tried to dress her...

We finally gave up and put her into the car seat in nothing but a diaper, which seemed to please her! We turned Taylor Swift on and Lily sang along and ate Goldfish the rest of the way home! But even with all the drama, it was a wonderful way to spend the morning!

22 Months Old!

Today we celebrated Lily's 22nd monthly birthday with a family pool party! We took a trip to Target for new swim wear and beach towels before heading to our neighborhood pool. The evening was just perfect and we had the place to ourselves for the first thirty minutes!

The water was already warm and after that initial shock of realizing it was okay to get wet with "clothes" on, Lily was ready to swim away!

Yikes! Is she really 22 months already?! It's all happening so fast! Sometimes it seems like she's going on five years old, and other times (thankfully) I see that she still is a baby...well, my baby at least.

Recently she called herself "Lily" for the first time. I was asking her what different items are called and then I asked her what my name is. She didn't answer at first so I asked her if I was Lily, and she pointed to herself and said, "No, I Lily!" It really felt like a "big girl" moment for her, although I try not to use that phrase with her.

Surprisingly, she is not oblivious to the differences of a "big girl" and a "baby". A few days later she crawled in my lap and wanted me to carry her in a cradle hold. Distracted, I tried to prop her up, how I normally carry her around the house, but she kept pushing her body back and horizontally. When I finally had her in a cradle hold, she cuddled close to me and said, "baby, baby". I have to admit, it made me soooooo happy and I said, "Yes, Lily, you are mama's baby!" I just love all our close moments and I'm dreading that day when she doesn't want me to carry her anymore!

Happy Father's Day!

I want to recognize my WONDERFUL husband for the INCREDIBLE father that he is! Although I always knew Eric would be a GREAT dad one day, I could not have predicted how well the role would suit him! Thank you for being the leader of our home and loving us both so much!!

Off to Kansas

Poor Lily, she spilled water on her original outfit at CiP and when I rushed to change her, I put her new dress on BACKWARDS!! After an inning or two at the game, I finally noticed and flipped it around!

Notice that her "pack pack" had to come along!

Tonight we headed over to the Legends shopping area for a family night out and I have a few personal recommendations I wanted to share:


First, we had dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise. Next time you're there, order the Teriyaki Broccoli instead of the fries--you won't regret it! I don't even like teriyaki OR broccoli...but together...with a little garlic (which I also dislike) they blend together to become something amazing!!


Next, we attended a T Bones game. I hadn't been there since a Cerner family fun day in 2006, but I was pleasantly surprised tonight! It is a GREAT place for families and everything costs a lot less than it does at Kauffman! There was so much for Lily to see and do here! We really enjoyed our night out!

Peek A Boo!

Today during Hide & Seek, Lily actually surprised me by finding a new place in our guest bathroom! Her other hiding spots are usually out in the open, just around the corner from where I am counting! This choice makes me believe that she is understanding the game better! I had to laugh when I finally found her--She certainly is creative!!

Loose Park

Today we took a family trip south of the river. Coffee Girls (near 75th & Wornall) is one of my favorite local places so we stopped by for sandwiches and fresh squeezed juices before heading to Loose Park for a stroll.

This visit was especially fun because Lily was excited to see all the ducks and Koi in the pond! She wouldn't get out of the car without her backpack which was a funny sight...sometimes she seems older than 21 months! It actually made us sad to think that she's growing up and will be in Kindergarten in only 3 more years!!

A rock collector's dream!!

Tonight on a family walk Lily came across her greatest discovery to date--a neighbor's landscaping rock pile! The avid collector that she is, you can only imagine her elation! We had to physically remove her from their driveway, but not before she pocketed two of those shiny, smooth stones (Which we later returned).