Good Listener
Be a good listener. That's one of the latest catch-phrases in Lilli's repertoire, mainly because she hears it about 732 times a day. "Lilli, Mimmie needs you to be a good listener." "Lilli, put your listening ears on." "Lilli, big girls are good listeners." Last night, bedtime was a wee (read: GINORMOUS) bit of a struggle due to a car-quality, less-than-an-hour, nap that occurred too early in the day. One would think this would ensure an easy transition to dream land, but alas, no. She didn't throw a fit, or fight me; she mainly just engrossed herself in what she was doing and pretended I wasn't there talking to her. "Lilli, stop playing with the dollhouse now, please. It's time to...
Time, Tears and Bottles
Early yesterday morning, my daughter, Emmie, and my grandson, Brody, headed to the airport. Lilli is staying on with us for another ten days before I take her home just in time for her birthday. I've written about those goodbyes before. If Lilli could see the crazy emotions in my heart, she would say, "Oh my gosh...this is ree-dic-a-lus!" And it is. As I was stripping sheets from the guest bed, and piling up bath towels for the laundry, I found myself humming Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle." Yes, I really am that big of a sap. As the song continued it's melancholy strains in my head, I began gathering up baby equipment to go back in the closet and realized with such a sadness that...
One More Question
Late naps. While they seem like a good idea at the time, they never really are. Case in point: Lilli fell into a dead sleep when I laid her down for a "little nap" at 3:30. At that point I would've usually had her power through it to an early bedtime, but she'd been in high performance mode all day, with a last-minute pop-in from her great-grandparents and her cousin-more-like-an-aunt. She'd ridden the new pony, climbed through plumbing trenches with her Aunt Maddie and even poked around in the dirt with her Papa. Girlfriend was pooped. So, she slept for 2 hours and we let her. Big mistake. It caused a later dinner, and by the time the bedtime chimes were ringing she was in full...
The Natural Flow of Love
I'm a little late getting started with this post this morning. I've got the early morning feeding with our little man while Emmie's here, and he usually goes right back to sleep after his bottle. However, this morning he was chatty, in his adorable, non-verbal way. Laying up against my knees so our faces are right in front of each other, he happily squirms and smiles, letting out the heart-melting coo every now and again. We're imprinting each other on our hearts right now, learning each others' faces and growing a bond that will, Lord willing, last a lifetime. That's the way love is supposed to flow, I think. Naturally. Organically. One person learning to trust another with their...
In the Name of Love
We were both in my bathroom. Lilli was sitting in the dry bathtub playing with her My Little Pony purse and its contents, which included three bangle bracelets, a pretend makeup compact (or her "hiccup" as she calls it), a comb, and a talking magic wand (which, for the record, I think should be included in ALL purses for ALL persons, big or small). I was straightening up and getting ready for the day. For reasons unknown, she really likes to play in our shower, too. It's all glass, so I think she enjoys being in a "room" but still being able to see me. Who knows, though. She is, after all, almost three. She had loaded up the purse and moved from the tub into the shower, where she...