Snow Day

LP's school was closed today for a snow day and it was just the two of us. After a lazy early morning, we filled the afternoon with fun and memories. Here is a photo essay of how we spent our snow day. (click on any photo to see larger)


eating snow, catching snowflakes, throwing snowballs, playing in the snow


trying to sled down our little hill, building a snow reindeer (she did this all by herself while I was shoveling the stairs)


bringing some of the snow indoors to enjoy with syrup and give the cats their first experience with snow


napping


baking cookies and making cookie sundaes


enjoying those sundaes while watching A Charlie Brown Valentine, cuddled up on the couch together

A Little Snack

Lilypad Princess, Lilypad Dad and I took a ride to another town the other day looking for the great little consignment store I found last year. Unfortunately the store didn't have any of LP's favorite dresses in right now, but LP enjoyed her bagel with cream cheese at the little cafe next door.

Girl's Night

Last night PopPop, LP, and Molly stayed in for a movie and pizza night while Nana and I went out for Girl's Night.

We started off at the new casino, yesterday was the third day it was open. The casino sent out coupons for a $10 match play, so we decided to go check it out. We put in $11 in cash ($10 for the match play on Mom's card and $1 to activate my card to get my new player and birthday credit) and walked out with over $40. I had good luck on the Lil' Lady machine, I picked it because LP loves ladybugs and should have stuck with it all night instead of trying some other ones!

Once we cashed out, we headed over to The Melting Pot for dinner. We spent over three hours chatting while we enjoyed cheese fondue with bread and apples, cooking our own veggies at the table, and a dark chocolate fondue with a variety of desserts to dip in it (the strawberries were my favorite!) The dinner was delicious, and a wonderful way for the two of us to just sit, relax, and chat. It was the perfect birthday dinner with my mom.

Picnic in the Rain

I had to run a couple of last minute errands this afternoon and came home to find LP had conned her dad and Uncle Dave into having lunch outside, in the rain. LP enjoyed her almond butter and strawberry preserves sandwich with apple slices while her dad held the umbrella over her to keep her dry. Uncle Dave carried out the candle and her water/wine glass so she could have a special meal (although the rain would not allow the candle to stay lit). Does she have these two wrapped around her little finger or what?

3 Years, 2 Months, 6 Days

3 years, 2 months, and 6 days, that is how long LP breastfed for.

Before she was born I was hopeful that we would be able to make it to a year. For some reason it was the one thing I was most afraid of, not being able to successfully breastfeed. I actually had nightmares that we couldn't make it work the last month before she was born. Then she was born and from the start she was a champion nurser. In the beginning she could be done in 6 minutes flat. She thrived, breastmilk alone kept her between the 90th and 100th percentiles for the first 6 months and 3 weeks of her life. As she got older, it became a source of comfort for her, and our sessions became longer and more relaxed. Year one passed and she showed no signs of slowing down, never mind stopping.

She was never a quiet nurser, there was no being discrete when she was hungry. Yet we nursed everywhere. In the mall, in classes, at the park, on an airplane, if we were there she probably nursed. She never had a nursing strike, I think I was more likely to have one than she was. There was no replacement for her, she flat out refused to ever take a bottle.

LP is a ball of constant motion. She doesn't like to sit still, expect for when she would breastfeed. It was our quiet time together, she curled up in my lap, quietly looking up me. Our last nursing session was almost exactly the same as the first, me in the chair, LP in my lap. Only she was now 38 inches long instead of 21.5 inches and her legs hung over the arm of the chair.

I didn't know it would be our last session. Having gone as long as we did, I really wanted her to be the one to decide when we were done. Unfortunately that didn't happen, I had to take medication that wasn't safe for her. My doctor helped to explain it, and while she didn't look too happy, she said she understood. For the first week should ask if my foot was still hurt and if she could nurse. After the first week she stopped asking. We started a new bedtime routine and I finally came to terms with the fact that this very special relationship between us was finally at the end.

I never imagined it lasting this long, but I will always treasure every moment of that special time that was just for the two of us.

Playhouse Disney, Live on Tour

This weekend Grandpa and Nannie took LP to see Playhouse Disney, Live on Tour. LP couldn't wait to go see the Little Einsteins, once she was dressed to go she called June on the phone to let her know that she was on her way. Although she was a little confused, she thought she was going back to Disney World and was telling everyone about the rides she was going to go on.

But she loved the show, Grandpa and Nannie said she stared intently at the show the entire time, occasionally waving around the light-up conductors baton they bought for her. Nannie took a couple of photos at the show, once she shares them with me I'll post them as well.

Making Memories

The taste of buttered, salted popcorn.
The smell of hot apple cider and spices.
The sound of the fall wind whipping around outside.
The sight of just the candles in the pumpkins and It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown on tv.
The feel of my little girl curled up into my side and her little fingers grabbing mine in the popcorn bowl.

Tucking this memory in with the ones of watching the Great Pumpkin with popcorn and my parents as a child.

The Corn Maze

Photo
by herzogbr

Friday night LP Dad was off and we wanted to take LP to do something fall/Halloween related. There isn't much Halloween related to do with a 3 year old, especially one who is the middle of an "everything is scary" phase, but we found a semi-local farm that has flashlight nights in it's corn maze. After dark the maze reopens for you to find your way through with only a few clues and a flashlight as your guide.

We all bundled up (although the layers weren't really necessary, it was a perfect weather night) and headed off with a couple of lights. LP immediately took control of the clues and led us around the maze. It was a strange feeling to only be able to see where your flashlight was shining, but LP thought it was a great adventure. We spent over an hour making our way around the maze, laughing most of the way. It was a night I will never forget, and something we are going to make a yearly tradition.

(I forgot to bring my camera, so no photos of my own. I found the above shot from herzogbr on Flickr.)

The Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we took a trip to a local farm to hunt for the perfect Jack O'Lantern pumpkin. This was a new farm for us and we will definitely be going back. We had the entire place almost to ourselves all morning, although it was getting very crowded as we were leaving. We started off by checking out the kids hay maze and feeding the animals, then climbed onto the hayride for a trip out to the pumpkin patch. We stopped along the way to feed the cows and found the perfect pumpkin which will be carved this week. We love having Lilypad Dad home on the weekends.

Apple Picking

This weekend we went apple picking. For LP, the girl who will eat 5 apples a day if you let her, the apple orchard was her idea of heaven. We took a tractor ride out to the orchard where she ran from tree to tree picking the perfect apples. She made sure to get the biggest apple ever for Uncle Dave, and filled the 1/2 bushel bag. She ate 3 apples while in the orchard, one as soon as we got there and two apples at the same time (different kinds) on the way back out. After the tractor ride back, we listened to some music, had apple cider and cider donuts, and checked out the rest of the farm before heading home.

Does Tinkerbelle Wear Shoes?

Lilypad Princess was playing dress up again today. (Is anyone surprised by that?) She put on the Tinkerbelle dress that she got for her birthday and started hunting for shoes. Our little fashion diva was not happy when she realized that she doesn't have any Tinkerbelle shoes. Lilypad Dad tried to convince her that Tinkerbelle is a fairy and fairies don't wear shoes, but LP wasn't buying it. So they looked it up, where else but on the internet.




In case you weren't sure, LP was right, LP Dad was wrong. Tinkerbelle does where shoes.

Taking a Walk

I used to take Lilypad Princess for a walk in her stroller. Now she tells me that she's a big girl and wants to take Baby James for a walk in the stroller instead. I was really surprised by how long we walked, and I loved listening to her point out everything she found interesting to Baby James. So many little things that I never would have noticed on my own were so fascinating to her, it's a completely different view of the world for me.

Thank You For The Memories

85 years of memories for so many people.

Very special memories for our family including our engagement, Opening Day 2005, July 4, 2008, and so many more.

The Stadium is now dark.

Happy Birthday Lilypad Princess!

My baby girl is 3 years old today. I never knew that time could fly by so fast, or be so filled with millions of tiny moments that I would never forget.

She started off to tiny, so helpless. She has grown into her own little person; strong, outgoing, curious, fearless, compassionate, and loving. Watching her explore and learn has become my greatest joy. Although would love to stop time right now to always keep her mommy's little girl, I am also excited to see what she is going to learn and how she is going to grow and change and what kind of person she is becoming.

At 3 years old she is full of contradictions. One minute she is a big girl, dressing herself, jumping into the pool, or getting her own drink of water from the fridge. The next minute she is mommy's baby again, curling up on my lap and staring into my face with the same eyes that looked up at me the very first time I nursed her.

minutes old


1 year old


2 years old


3 years old (almost)


I love you baby girl.

The Ice Cream Truck

Lilypad Princess made a new friend at the beach this summer, the ice cream truck driver. Around 4:00 each afternoon he would make his way past our house, playing his music as he went. By the time we could grab our money and make it out the door, he was usually a few houses down. LP and I would go racing after him, with LP yelling, "Stop, wait!" And one time it was, "Stop, wait, I love you!"

Soon he was slowing down as he passed our house waiting to see if we were there. He remembered what LP's favorite popsicle was, even when we hadn't been there for a couple of weeks. When Auntie La was visiting for the weekend, LP wanted to introduce her to her friend and the excitement of the ice cream man.

Ice Cream Treats

After checking out the butterfly garden, we stopped to enjoy an ice cream since it was such a nice summer evening. Lilypad Princess insisted on Uncle Dave sitting at the little tables with her while they both ate their vanilla ice cream.



LP offered to share her cone with Uncle Dave. Despite the fact that they both had the same kind of ice cream, they ended up sharing their ice creams until they were done.

I Never Want to Forget

You are my best friend.

Said as she pulled me down to give me one last hug before I left her room tonight.

Breakfast

Woke up this morning to the sound of a door opening. Then quietly closing.

Then the loud tiptoe of a toddler. Down the hall. Down the stairs.

Then quiet. Too quiet.

Head down the stairs, no one in the living room.

"Hi Mommy!" from the kitchen.

"I don't want to go to bed. I want a popsicle so I get one from the fridge."

Lilypad Princess smiles at me with pink lips and waves the popsicle at me. I guess it's time for the big girl bed now.

Summer Treats

fruity popsicles
Originally uploaded by aiyah

Lilypad Princess and I have established a new nightly routine thanks to Nana. Each night when I would come home from the CPST course, LP and Nana would be waiting for me on the front steps. It was so nice to see them waiting there for me as I pulled up, and we ended up spending time sitting out there catching up on the day.

Now LP and I have made this a part of our routine. After dinner we take homemade popsicles out on the front step, watch the birds heading home for the night, talk about where the planes flying over us are going, and discuss our day. It has become my favorite part of the day.

We are currently working on a batch of watermelon popsicles that Lilypad Princess made herself. She dug out the middle of a seedless watermelon and filled the mini food processor. I put the top on for her, and she held the button down until it was liquid. They are a little too sweet for my taste, I think next time we will try adding a little orange juice to the watermelon to cut down on the sweetness.

I Never Want To Forget

The right thumb in the mouth. The left thumb wrapped around the right fingers. Bear tucked in the left hand while the right hand fingers and left thumb rub his arm.

The soft breathing, flickering eyelids, occasional sucking sound of the thumb.

Watching my little girl sleep and seeing a little baby again.