I can do it by myself

Lilly is really into doing things by herself lately. This morning while I was getting ready I checked on her and found her like this. She was soooo proud of herself (as you can see in the pictures)! She just forgot to take off her pajama pants before she put on her capris.

A Day at the Zoo

Since Gus works 9 hours every day he gets every other Friday off. This Friday we went to the DC Zoo. Lets just say it is going to be one of those memories that I think back on and remember it being a "fun trip to the zoo" even though it really wasnt. I have lots of those. Like a Disneyland trip 3 1/2 years ago. We went on New Years day. There were a million people there and we had to stand in line for hours! It was not a fun day. But when I look back without REALLY thinking about it, I remember it being a fun day. I dont know why I do this. Friday at the Zoo is going to be one of those days.

It wasnt supposed to be a very hot or humid day, but it definately was. It was SO hot. It also isnt that great of a zoo. The Hogle Zoo is way better than this zoo. There were hardly any animals. It was really weird. We tried to make the best of it and let Lilly dance in the Mist Machine things they have all over the zoo. She was soaked when she got done shakin' it.

The tigers were pretty cool. They kept fighting and growling really loud. Lilly was freaked out. A group of 10 year olds were there for school and they were chanting, "Fight, Fight". It was funny.

After a long day at the Zoo with lots of sunscreen, Lilly still managed to come home with a sunburn. I didn't wear any sunscreen and didn't even get a little red.

Rainy Day

Today we woke up to rain, rain, and more rain. Its always really hard when it rains like this because then we are stuck in the house for hours. There is always alot of crying and whining. Lilly spent part of the morning like this...

or like this...

But then she came back around and began to do her favorite thing in the world. She puts diapers on EVERYTHING. She has really gotten very good at it.

Notice "Kit" Kitty with her diaper on

After every stuffed animal and doll had a diaper on, a few Baby Eistein movies and then some tears we decided to play with Play-doh. Lilly loves to just sit back and watch me make animals and funny things. She thinks its hilarious when things heads fall off or bodies get smashed. Here are a few of the things we made today. We were having so much fun taking pics of the animals that I forgot to take one of Lilly.

A "Kit" Kitty

Sammy the Seal

A sleeping snake
Snake needed a blanket

Big Girl Toys

On Saturday I decided that Lilly needed some big girl toys. She is still playing with all of her baby toys and needed something a little more stimulating for her little brain. Growing up I remember having TONS of toys. But I was also the 3rd child and played with not only my toys but my sister and brothers. I kinda feel bad for Lills. She has hardly anything to play with because we dont have the money or the room for them. Being the first child, every new stage she hits, she needs new toys. She cant just play with her siblings old toys, because she doesnt have siblings.
So I jumped on Toys R Us online and started looking for something fun for Lills. But I soon realized that I have no idea what she is interested in. She is too old for baby toys but too young for Barbies and stuff. I started thinking about some of the fun toys I had when I was younger and how much she would love them. But of course they dont make anything like them anymore. So we ended up going to the store and walking around for like 2 hours trying to find something she would like. We came home with a shopping cart and fake dishes and food. She absolutely loves them but I wish I could have found more things that she would love just as much. But I have no clue what!

Lilly loaded up with all dad's oatmeal from the pantry

Just being crazy LillyHaving fun with dad

Happy 4th

We are fortunate that we have some family back east to help us celebrate the 4th. Gus's 2 sisters live out here in DC. His cousin Steph, her husband Sterling, and their son Taylor live in Pennsylvania and decided to drive down and spend the weekend with us. Our Party started out with a big breakfast with everyone and then a little swimming in our freezing pool. The pool was so cold that Lilly's lips were blue, but she stayed strong and kept on swimming!

Later that night we went to the fireworks show here in our town. Yes, we could have gone 20 minutes to downtown DC and seen an awesome show. But I just couldnt do it with Lilly. She would have been a wreck! So we stayed here and watched the fireworks from the Home Depot parking lot while it rained and rained.

Its great to have family out here to celebrate holidays with. It would have been a very sad day without them!

Lilly and her very white skin

Lilly now smiles on command. Sometimes it can be scary.

The 4th of July outfit that we threw together last minute. We found out too late that her first outfit was way too big. I always think everything will fit her since she is so large.

In the Home Depot parking lot watching the fireworks while it poured rain.

Lilly loved the fireworks

Holding the umbrella

Lilly loving Sterling a little too much while Taylor is glued to the firework show

Speak the Language!

I have said before that Lilly only says like 10 words. She thinks that she can say more, but she just cant. She says a few word here and there, but it mostly just sounds like this. Its all just jibberish. This isnt the best video, but it is the best one we have gotten yet of her speaking this new language. It may sound like she is actually saying real words, but she's not. She is probably saying something like, "I dont know where that squirrel went" or something about squirrels. Like her cousin Savanna would say, "Lilly speak the language!" Oh and sorry but you will have to pause my music player to hear it. I know, annoying!

Oh, Cute!

In the last month Lilly has grown up so much. I dont know if it was the big move and having to fend for herself for like the last month or what. But she is acting way older than she was last month. She has started saying more words like "Cute". Everything to do with clothing, shoes, hair stuff is "cute". I will put on her outfit for the day and she will look at herself and say, "Oh Cute!" She is such a little girly. Today she picked up her dad's socks and said, "Dad's socks". That was big for her. I hope she just wakes up tomorrow and starts speaking full sentences, or maybe just saying more than 10 words. It would make things so much easier!

Though she has been acting so grown up she has also been super clingy, and only to me. It really bugs me. Dont get me wrong, I love my little girl so much. I just dont like super clingy children. I need my space. I hate it when she cries on my leg while I make dinner because she wants to be held. It bugs. She has always been super independent, which I loved. She is probably just going through a phase since her world has been turned upside down. I am starting to feel bad now. But when she whines on my leg tommorow I wont feel bad.

I have been trying to find things to do around here. Lilly used to be really content to just play with her toys all day with maybe one outing. But now she wants to live outside. Its really hard because it is so hot and humid outside. So I am now having to find REALLY fun things to do inside to keep her mind off the outside. Help!

We bought Lilly this bike after looking for it for about 4 months! It was so hard to find. It has no peddles, which is great since she cant use them yet. She absolutely loves it! In the mornings when it is cooler she rides all around the complex. She can go for hours! She has had a couple of spills because she goes SO fast. But she just gets back up like it never happened and keeps going and going and going......