Shopping For Four!

What else is there to do when it is raining outside -- ice cream and Target! We strolled out for a little sugar and shopping. What a diverse cart we had at check out:

1 USB port

1 hello kitty sticker book

1 Dorothy/Wizard of Oz costume

1 pair of red sparkly slippers

1 blue blankie

3 newborn onsies, blue of course

2 maternity tops

1 bottle of bath soap

shaving cream, face soap

and a pack of filing folders

So this is what our family of four looks like in a shopping cart! Im in love!

PS - finished up with dinner at a local indian restaurant.....Lily loved it! She is such a character! We all smell like yummy curry! Bath-time!

Oh Boy! What a Blessing!

From the time I took the pregnancy test, until yesterday at 4:04 p.m., I was completely convinced that we were having another baby girl. I only thought of baby girl names and how I would wash and reuse Lily's beautiful clothes and blankets. I only thought about two princesses at Halloween and how I would enforce the "girl code of ethics" with a set of sisters. I was convinced.

I am certain that deep, deep down I was hoping for a little boy. But I did not let my heart or imagination go there. Instead, I created a future in my mind of me and my two girls!

Buck, too.

So imagine our surprise when the ultrasound tech landed right on this image.....she didn't even have to go looking for it. There he was, legs open, proving his mama wrong!

My body started to tremble with complete disbelief. "It's a boy!". No.....show me again, and again, and again.

Buck - a smile from ear to ear.

The tech pulled us in from our gloating and carrying-on to remind us that we had other anatomy to look at -- you know, the heart, kidneys, fingers and toes.....all perfect.

We are so excited that our princess Lily will remain queen of the castle, and that a handsome prince will soon join her! We are so blessed to experience the best of both worlds! Sugar and spice & toads, snails and puppy dog tails!

Slide

Lily's favorite spot is a playground, especially the slide. For those of you who know her well, you know why! These pics are from the new park in Homestead. She enjoyed jumping and climbing and running around....all in a sweet little dress. Dresses are not so great for sliding....too much skin contact.....slows you down! Note to mom!

There was actually a nice breeze....maybe a sign of fall to come?

Boots

While breezing through Target' last night we literally ran into a display for these Hello Kitty rain boots. Miss Lily just had to have them. She took off her sandals, threw them into the basket and put these on. They haven't come off yet. She even took a bath in them!

Lily Tricks

Back to every day life. I like it this way. I know what to expect. Sort of.

So Lily is doing all kinds of things that make me stop, watch, and think, "where did you learn that." She is not doing cartwheels or solving quadratic equations. But, who taught her how to peel a banana? Not me. But she knows how to do it.

Or how about:

getting water from the fridge by herself.
buckling her own car seat.
adjusting the volume on the TV.
sorting through the snack bin to find just the right treat.
Opening the packaging to a band-aid. (I struggle with that!)

She is such a little person and it brings us such joy to watch her excelling at life. Peeling bananas will be math formulas before we know it. For now, I am taking in the little things -- like watching her figure out a new pair of shoes or putting her Barbie's hair in a ponytail!

End of Summer

We are done traveling, and happy to be home. It is Sunday night and the laundry is done and put away. Suitcases unpacked and tucked under the bed. Photos uploaded. Emails answered. Fridge re-stocked. 

We are settled back in and ready to nest for the next five months until baby Stone #2 comes home! 

We had a wonderful trip to Blowing Rock. Lily had a blast - I still can't get over the personality in this child! She owns every situation she is in! Here are some photos from the last of our travels:

:

Heading to the Moutains

The end of summer for us will be this last get away to the mountains. Every year we sneak away for a week in Blowing Rock, a place where my family has vacationed for a couple of generations. We are lucky to have family in this beautiful town so that we can take advantage of amazing scenery, a sweet downtown with a park and ice cream shop, and a big back porch at Grandma's where we snack on treats and enjoy an evening fire.

Buck and I are so happy that Lily will have memories of the mountains. We hope this to be a tradition that continues for a long time.

Family - we look forward to seeing you this week. And I'll be sure to post more when we get home.

Then we are on a travel hiatus until Baby #2 joins us.

Cupcake Birthday!

Sweet Lily enjoyed a sweet birthday weekend - full of cupcakes, cupcakes and more cupcakes! Beyond the sugar, she ever wore cupcake PJ's and received a new cupcake purse! Thank you to everyone who thought of our sweet little girl on her second birthday. She loved opening all of her mail and tearing through bags and packages. She is getting the hang of it!

To our sweet Lily - you are the sugar and spice of our lives. We hope your life continues to be as happy and full of joy as the past two years. You are a gift that never stops giving to us. You are our joy, pride and source of inspiration every day. On your birthday you receive gifts as recognition for the many, many gifts you give the world everyday. Thank you for choosing us to be your parents. We love you beyond words little angle!

Vacation Part II: Alabama

We had a wonderful time visiting family in Alabama. Lily met her cousin Stone and they had so much fun together (between the "mine, mine, mine" episodes).  They were wet, naked and running around the acres of trees and gardens at Aunt Pat and Uncle Wayne's house, just like toddlers should. I was happy to see her doing many of the things I remember doing as a tot - drinking from the hose, sliding around in a plastic swimming pool and eating popsicles on the back porch steps! 

Here are a few photos (more than a few) of our trip. Thank you Jenny, Aunt Pat and Uncle Wayne!

Look at that nose!

It goes without saying that the primary content of this site is all about Lily! Well, times are a changing and I am figuring out how to make room for two loves - on this site, in our home, in my heart. The truth is, it was very hard to imagine sharing my heart and arms and lap with more than one baby. But when I saw this image at our last ultrasound it all felt so real and totally right.

Now, the two car seats in the backseat don't seem so strange and foreign.

I have my list going - what I need for baby #2. I was wondering when the nesting would kick in. Bassinet, new bottles, the missing piece to the swing......oh, and I really want to try one of those baby slings this time.

This time.

I like it. Another magical opportunity to create life - and then love and nurture it. Approach it with less fear and more confidence. A chance to create a brother or sister for Lily. The chance to be a mom to two beautiful children.

6 months to go. And, just look at that nose!

Vacation Part I: SGI

Papa Salty did not disappoint. Upon our arrival, he had a cold Yohoo waiting for Lily. To which Lily replied, "I love a Yohoo!". She enjoyed a few firsts on the island, including steering a golf cart, sleeping in a toddler bed, eating blue crabs (with old bay!) and dipping her toes in the ocean's surf. Prior to this trip, she never had quite enough courage to walk into the ocean on her own! 

Thanks Papa Salty for a nice visit. We'll see you soon.

While We're Away

We are off to Papa Salty's at the beach and then Alabama for the week. A nice break for the overworked and weary in our house! I am so looking forward to a whole week with Lily and spending some time in her world - it is a great place to be. She makes fun out of everything - the stairs, a short car ride, even bedtime is fun in her world. I love disappearing in it when I am with her.

Here are some pictures from this week. The two sides of Lily! Miss Priss and Miss Get-er-done!

She dressed herself in these pink boots and the headband! And opted for no clothes! She is a fashion icon already!