Biker Baby

Lily is the kind of girl who can wear a lot of different hats. Well, not literally. She doesn't really like having stuff on her head. But one thing she does like is bright, blue motorcycles.

She even has the biker face down already!

Do they make side cars that are car seat compatible?

Happy Monday

Just in case you were wondering, Lily hasn't grown out of the funny face stage.

You're welcome!! 

April Adventures

April has been a great month for adventures!! The weather has been warm, the sun has been shining and Momma just got a new bag of Caribou Coffee.

A couple days ago we went to the zoo. Lily's favorite animal? The penguins, of course! She has good taste. The penguins were in a glass enclosure swimming around so Lily was able to put her face right next to the glass and watch as they zoomed by under water. 

 

We also went to a super fun kite festival. One kite was almost as long as our house!! That reminds me...I need to show you some pictures of our house. But that means I need to clean it and stuff. Hmmm...well...here are some kite pictures instead. 

What a fun month!! And it's only half over!!

Choose Wisely

There aren't too many things that drive me crazy as a parent. Sure...it's a little annoying when Lily liked peas yesterday so I make a ton and then she decides she hates them. And I don't exactly love that Lily never takes long naps unless there is somewhere I have to be. I didn't bring an extra outfit? The container of wipes is empty? I didn't restock the diapers in the diaper bag? Obviously, there will be poop-related issues. Those things are minor annoyances that come with the parenting territory.

But there is one thing that hurts my heart and, simultaneously, enfuriates me. It's small...minuscule. There are comments that good people, well-meaning people, make and I'm afraid these comments will anchor themselves to Lily. They go something like this...

"She has red hair! You better watch out! She's going to have a temper!"

"A first-born, huh? Bet she runs the show at your house."

"Oh, she looks ornery. I bet she's going to be a trouble maker when she gets older."

I told you...it's small. It's nothing really. Except it is something. I know the power of words. I've seen words transform the way a person thinks about the world and the way a person feels while looking in the mirror. Words aren't nothing. 

I don't want Lily to think that her red hair gives her an excuse to not control her anger. So when someone makes a comment like that, I make sure to take a moment when we are alone to say, "Lily Girl, you get to decide who you are. You and God. You get to choose how you act...whether you are a trouble maker or whether you make good choices. Don't let someone tell you how or who you are. Let God help you figure that out."

I know I'm probably fighting a losing battle. I know, in part, we become who people think we are, who we are told we are. That's why it's important to set high (yet attainable) standards...because it shows kids you believe in them and you know they can reach those goals. In her life, Lily will constantly be told by tv and billboards and friends and teachers and by about a million other people who she should be. But I want her to know that she chooses. And I just hope she will choose wisely. 

 

Blur Baby

Well, I knew this day would come eventually. Lily is officially a walker!!!

A couple weeks ago she woke up and decided, "Today I'm going to walk...all the time...everywhere." And that's exactly what she has done. Those little legs might be tiny but what they lack in length, they make up for in speed. 

In other news, I started yoga. If I don't become more flexible these baby gates are going to be the death of me. But seriously, if anyone is looking for a jewel thief for a James Bond movie, I feel like I'm qualified. Well, except I don't know anything about jewels. And my only skill is crawling over a knee-high gate. So maybe "qualified" isn't the right word. 

Gone are the days of non-blurry Lily pictures but that's okay. She's still cute, even as a tiny blur.