Lights, Bunnies, Action!

My Lolabug, 

This week, your favorite thing is a hard call -- and what a lovely problem to have :) The first contender would be our trip to the Thinkery -- our first visit to the new museum location. The water music room was your second favorite -- but the winner was definitely the lights room. Giant Lite-Brite wall? Oh yeah, a winner.

But then another day, we stopped by Callahan's store. We hadn't been. They were so nice -- one of the ladies showed us the back door that led to stalls with chickens, a very loud rooster, mini-pigs, and goats...and then back inside, we found the bunnies. And you got to pet one of those. Oh yeah, a winner again.

And then finally, this weekend, we went to visit family for your aunt Lindsay's birthday. We took a little gift for your cousin, a Thomas the Train bubble blower. My, my -- a third big win this week. And I must say you two kiddos did some decent sharing. You two ran with it, pointed the bubbles at other people, and danced in the bubbles yourselves.

Bubbles, bubbles -- in air and all over you both :)

A great week. And my favorite thing?-- It might be tonight, after a long day, when I put you to bed. In your crib, you popped your head up to say, "Your body needs a rest, Mommy" -- quoting something I've been trying to sell to you at tough bedtimes. I couldn't help laughing, and I said, "Gosh, I love you." You immediately said it back with a grin: "Gosh, I love you!" My little lovebug, indeed.

'Til next time, Love to my Lorelai

Outside, Outside!

My sweet girl --

This week, your best times have been outside. After nap, you often announce, "We go to park, again." And sometimes we do. You want to swing and swing, and you want Mommy to swing, too. So we find a rhythm of a few pushes for you and then Mommy hops the swing beside you. It's so peaceful. And then we take a snack break and chat.

And this weekend, Daddy joined the outside play. We checked out the dinosaur pit (seems fitting for your geologist daddy), and you two dug and checked out the "fossils." 

(I love your little possessive hold on his arm in that pic :)

You didn't want to give up the shovel...

And during one more park play, I couldn't help but be struck by what a little lady you are becoming. You look so thoughtful, calmly observing it all. I love so much about you, my girl.

'Til next time, 

Love to my Lorelai

Sweet Li'l Moments

My sweet big kid -- 

I'm taking over the favorite things list this week :) We've had a week of sweet snuggles & Mommy moments, and I want to remember them. 

Early this week at bedtime, I felt a bit sluggish. I plopped in your bedroom recliner, which is nearly too comfy. In jest, I asked if you wanted to put Mommy to bed. You were delighted. You climbed on top of me, wrapped your arms around me, and started chanting "Shhh."

Oh, we laughed.

Another morning, after a rough night, you woke early and fitful, as I was trying to finish a quiet time. After getting you up, I asked if you would sit with me while I finished my journal notes. We chose you a book, snuggled you into Daddy's side of the bed, and I went back to making notes about a couple of Bible verses. After a minute, I felt your hand on my arm. You smiled, stroked my arm, and then just kept your hand on mine while you went back to turning your pages.

Oh, what sweetness.

And all this week, you've developed a new bedtime habit. We've been playing the same worship lullaby CD at bedtime pretty much since you were born. And now, at bedtime, as we rock in your dark room, you tell me, "Mommy, sing." And we do. When it's "Jesus Loves Me," I can make out the words, and on others, you do your best to sing along. During "How Great is our God," you asked me, "Where's lion and lamb?" -- right before that lyric played. 

Oh, my heart.

But I don't want to leave your daddy out. Mommy snuggles aside, you and your daddy have been snuggling over library books as I cook dinner:

Well, that is, when you take a break from "Daddy, chase me!" or "I chase you, Daddy!" (Your daddy is a good sport.)

I know you will have phases, and each season will have its ups and downs. But I am so enjoying the sweetness of this particular season.

'Til next time,

Love to my Lorelai

Donuts & Bubbles

My Lolabug --

Your favorite things this week?  That's easy.  Friday, we went out for breakfast to take advantage of National Donut Day, armed with your cup of milk and a bag of strawberries.  First, Krispy Kreme gave us each one donut of our choosing.  I went for a dense, chocolate-cake sort of thing, and you, my little purist, went for a simple cinnamon-sugar ring.  

You chowed that donut down with fist-pumping, chair-dancing giddiness. Then, on to Shipley's, where your momma was gifted with coffee, and you got a free, warmed glazed donut.  (I splurged on an apple one for me.)  Happy, happy kid.

We followed that up with a trip to Millie & Mox, a super-cute kids boutique that does a free music Friday.  You sang along to Old Macdonald, Twinkle, Itsy Bitsy, and a few new tunes.  You got to bang music sticks and play peekaboo with a scarf.  And then...the bubbles.  I love your abandon in this moment -- your full and oblivious reach for those bubbles.  It's lovely, my girl.  And so are you.

'Til next time,
Love to my Lorelai

A Few of My Favorite Things

My little Lorelai --

On this first day of June, you and I are both looking to summer.  You are officially done with another year of school, and I have just a couple days left.  Based on our talks, you have decided that summer means...
"I hang out with Mommy."
"I wear sandals." (Daycare doesn't allow them.)
"I go swim class."
"I go gym class."

And all of these are true.  I have a feeling our summer will also involve a move to a toddler bed and (hopefully) potty training.  I don't want to rush either of these things, but you're showing signs of big-girl readiness.  Lately, you'll usually use the potty 2-3 times a day if I ask you -- and as long as you get a sticker.  I think we'll have to stock up on stickers for awhile.

These days, you're so independent and yet so Mommy's girl.  I often hear little choruses of...
"I help you."
"I do it."
"My turn!"

And yet, I'm also lucky enough these days to hear...
"I just love you."
"I miss you."
"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!!"

So, our summer of "hanging out with Mommy" seems a good thing for the both of us.  I'm sure our summer will involve lots of outside play and many, many books.  (I'm pretty excited about that.)  Your attention span for both surprises me at times.  

Outside, you're all about acorns, grass "crowns," and a big pink ball.  You and your daddy are having some wonderful playtimes outside, and I get to join in, too.

And maybe because of all our books, your language connections are so cool (and sometimes funny) lately.  The other day, we read a book about Llama Llama, and the llama starts to whine.  I asked you if you knew what whining sounded like, and you demonstrated.  And then interjected: "I whine when you wipe my poop."  Um, yes.  You're making distinctions, too.  As we walked into school one day, I laughed and said you were a silly girl.  You responded: "I don't silly. I funny."  Hmm :)

My most recent delight (and proof that you are, indeed, my girl) is hearing you sing. Everything. At random times. We often play Baby Einstein on Pandora in the evenings, and your mommy is reliving her nostalgic Disney movie moments. The other day, I started singing along to "Part of Your World" from Little Mermaid, and it made no matter that you didn't know the words.  You ran over, flung your arms out, and started singing with me.  (We had quite the diva moment sing-off.)  And the pattern has continued.  You've jumped in singing along with songs from Mary Poppins (which you haven't seen) and each song I volunteered for the princesses on one set of your pj's (Aurora/Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White).

So in the spirit of our movie songs, I'll borrow from another -- "My Favorite Things."  Now that we have arrived at another summer, and you are firmly a little person, I hope we'll continue to discover new things to call favorites.  I feel sure we will.  

Maybe my notes to you will be frequent, or maybe not.  But I want to remember our favorite things.  And I want to be a part of your favorite things for many years to come, my sweet.

'Til next time -- and for all time,
Love to my Lorelai

Talkin' It All Out

My sweet Lolabug, 

You continue to grow in those leaps & bounds other people talk about. The baby seems just about gone now, as a toddler girl has firmly taken her place. But I love how you will still answer to both:

"Who's my baby?" 

"Lorelai."

Who's my big girl?"

"Lorelai."

And what strikes me about my big girl is what a little companion she is learning to be. We can shop together or walk together or talk together -- and suddenly our interaction is mutual, prompted my both parties. You like to chat about whatever we are doing, and you ask lots of questions. At the grocery store, you like to put the stickers on the produce and giggle at odd fruit (like cantelope, apparently). When we went shopping for a "spring bonnet" for a school parade, you committed early to a pink fedora and could not be dissuaded. 

At a trial music class, you listened to the teacher and sat so comfortably, a little mini-me.

And you're a sweet companion much of the time. One of my favorite new things is the way you're suddenly learning to compliment. On a regular basis, as I get you ready in the morning, you stop to tell me something in my outfit you like. "I like your necklace." "I like your shirt."

An especially sweet moment came one dinner. We ate and chatted as always, and you paused to look me in the face. "I like you." A pause. "I like Daddy, too." 

Oh, sweet heartbreaker.

A frequent question lately, to both me and Daddy, is "What you doing?" You seem interested in our responses, too. And then suddenly, one day, you asked me, "How'r you doing?" I wasn't sure you understood the question change, but you did. I chuckled and said, "I'm doing well. How are you doing?" And right away, you told me: "I'm good." Smart girl.

Your responses surprise us often these days. Before a recent trip to see GiGi, I listed for you the movies I packed for the car. You responded thoughtfully, "Oh. Good job, Mommy."

One day, after I asked if you were being a grouchy face, you paused (in definitely grouchy behavior): "No, I happy face. Make Mommy happy." And a big cheese-monkey grin to prove it. Goodness.

And just today, during a trip to the doctor, when your clothes skewed out of place as I took you out of the car, you managed, "Oh man! Cover my belly up!"

And your memory is surprising, too! I like to "prep" you when we have upcoming fun stuff (birthdays, trips, trial classes) -- and 1-2 days later, you remember without help. Then, the other day, you fussed that I needed to run an errand before naptime. I quickly mentioned that if you took a good nap, I'd be back before you woke up. Sure enough, I was -- and when I went in after nap, you greeted me with a smile: "I take good nap?" "Play?" Indeed :)

One of my favorite things recently, beyond the wordplay, is watching you mix the possible girly girl with the tomboy. The other day, when I offered you back yard play, you said, "Oh -- I get my purse!" (a little zipper bag from grandparents) And for what did you need your purse? Digging in the dirty mulch. With your bare hands. Wiping dirty hands on your cheeks. All while wearing the purse.

Actually, one of your common sayings is "I go outside." Besides the mulch, some of your other favorites involve kicking an inflatable pink ball, sitting in the patio chairs next to us, and any chance to yell, "Ready...Set...GO!"  And apparently (with your babysitter), even the baby gets to go outside.

We've been so lucky over the last couple months to see a few of our favorite people. First, in San Antonio, we saw Maw & GiGi, and you got some good time with Uncle Brad:

And then, over Easter, such fun with GiGi, Uncle Brad, Aunt Lindsay, & Ryan. 

I just love watching you interact with others and explore on your own. You are learning to appreciate "funny" and "silly," and several teachers at your school have commented on the way you are changing, sometimes becoming brave and talkative.  You were in this element at your school's Easter Egg Hunt...

(...but I have to admit one of my favorite moments was this one, which was apparently about a "hair in the mouth...")

But in all our adventures, my favorite moments are still the quiet ones at home.  The other night, not for the first time, you found Mommy sprawled on the floor, waiting on you for bedtime as you brushed teeth with Daddy.  You happily joined me, and then called, "Daddy, lay down!"  We sprawled together, and you turned to kiss each of our cheeks in turn. 

Oh, may I remember these moments forever.

'Til next time, Love to my Lorelai

Sweet Lolabug Valentine

My little Lorelai,

Goodness, you're fun. That's actually one of the expressions my little parrot-girl has picked up recently: "Oh, my GOODness!" It makes me laugh -- you sound like a little old lady in wonder -- but then again, I seem to have taught the saying to you, so I guess I must sound that way, too!

You're simply picking up more and more. We talked on the phone with your auntie recently, and she couldn't believe how much you've learned since your birthday a month ago. You can sing ABC's unassisted through the letter P, and you shock us almost daily with what you can remember from conversations hours or even a day before. Just today, when I asked you for Mommy's real name, you answered "Jennifer" (which you've learned from asking about letters on my lunchbag), and when I asked for Mommy's last name, you clearly attempted "Cullen" with a grin! I swear I've only told you my full name once or twice. 

And holidays -- oh, my GOODness -- are they getting fun! I found out we would already be doing class Valentines this year, and you got so excited about bags and treats. We wound up with these baggies of Goldfish...

...because I just couldn't see sending chocolate to a room full of 2-year-olds. We had them ready all week, so each morning, you chirped "Valentines" and pointed to the top of our fridge. 

This morning, we got you ready for the day in a sweet dress from relatives...

...and we talked about wearing pink and red. It's just so fun the real conversations we're having now. Mommy wore red and her ladybug bracelet, we counted the ladybugs while getting ready, and at school, you pulled me down the hall, pointing out all the pink and red decorations with excitement.

And what a blessing that your daycare teachers take pictures of special days for us. A sweet glimpse of you handing out your Valentine treats to friends...

...and posing with your best buds.

What a sweet group of kiddos!

Once home, we went through your little owl Valentine bag of treats from friends and looked at all the cute cards. You were most excited by the Elmo ones (and Daddy liked the Iron Man one). You're pretty much set for Goldfish and small suckers, and you seemed so happy to show your Valentines to us.

I love, love being a part of your new experiences. I hope you enjoy Daddy and me this much for a long while -- we certainly enjoy you, little one.

We love you, little Valentine.

'Til next time, love to my Lorelai