babynastics, bananas, big foot, and bad lily d

Today was Lily's first class for babynastics, and I must say it was a hit. No camera today as 1. I don't quite want to be seen as the uber crazy mama who has to bring along the camera where ever we go and 2. I just didn't know if it would work while doing half double tuck flips off the balance beam. (and no, I don't know how to do that, I don't even know what that is...or if it is real ;) The teacher is just wonderful with the three girls in the class, very patient as miss Lily decided her own path through the obstacles. She loved the swing, did not enjoy the balance beam, really didn't enjoy the slide into the huge foam pit...if she doesn't want her turn can I try? And the biggest hit? Yes, you guessed it, the trampoline. All those hours jumping in her bed and now you are telling me I am ALLOWED to jump? SCORE! By the end she didn't even hold my hands to jump...with a huge grin on her face. At the end it was time for bubbles (yea!) and a stamp for hands and feet. Um, excuse me, but you are going to put that thing on my hand? I don't think so. Yes, you understood that correctly, the child whose Mama owns about a hundred stamps CRIED when she got the stamp on her foot. We are definitely going to have to work on that skill!!

For the record, all Willis girls do not eat the tip of a banana as that is where the spiders are. Ridiculous? Yes. But that is what our Mama taught us. I thought I would try to end this outrageous fear and start giving the tip of the banana to Lily, but alas, Grandma RIPPED it from my hungry child's tray and said "NO! That's where the spider is!"

And now, Lily's ginormous size six foot.and for the record, I think this girl needs these. soon.

Remember the hat fun Lily has been having? Here's Lily as Bad Lily D, the Northeastern Ohio Rapper.

Ten on Tuesday

1. When I eat Sour Patch Kids I always eat the orange, yellow, and green pieces first. Not because I like them the best, but I like to save the best (red) for last. Just thought you would like to know.
2. I was told Lily may have a vocabulary explosion around this time and it is coming true. Yesterday she said "up peese," and today she said "choo-choo" when we heard the train and has said "uh-oh" about twenty times today, starting with saying it after Daddy tripped on one of her toys bringing her upstairs to wake Mama up this morning.
3. Tomorrow we start baby-nastics. I am so excited I could jump up and down.
4. I am sick of snow.
5. Lily sheepishly coming out of her room with her binky she stole from her bed
6. And here is Lily giving it back to her Mama
7. Lily's favorite new thing do...dress up in Mama's hat
8. I seriously have about ten loads of laundry I need to do...you know why I have been putting it off? My basement is so cold right now I come up shivering and I don't like to be cold. Bet you haven't heard that one before.
9. I really wish I could be over this darn cold once and for good.
10. Are Girl Scout cookies considered a drug? Just wondering...

Traditions

My family has different traditions, rules, and well, ways of doing things than many families I know. Like selling Girl Scout cookies to dead relatives, setting the timer on the microwave during the winter for 15 minutes of outside snow time, not being allowed to say the word "b*tt" (which Bj quipped when he found out about that one, "Are you allowed to say any articles? An? The?" and one of my favorites, my parents always celebrate President's Day, namely George Washington's birthday, by bringing me a cherry pie. Yum.

and just because, for no reason except your own enjoyment, even though for some odd reason blogger refuses to put the picture in correctly so you all will have to turn your heads to the right...

Lily's numbers

Weight...24 lbs, 6oz (up from 21 lbs 11oz at 15 months)
Height...31 1/4 inches (up from 29 3/4 inches at 15 months)
Head...47 1/2 inches (up from 45 1/2 inches at 15 months)
Shoe Size 6

Goodness gracious this little girl is getting big. Here is Lily yesterday in her brand new 2T outfit. *sigh* this little girl is growing up. Where in the world did my little baby go?
by the way this is Lily laughing hysterically :)

18 months.

I can't believe it. You are now 18 months old. A year and a half. So close to two. Where in the world did all the time go? You are such an adventurous little girl. You are not afraid to go explore without me right there next to you. I love this independence-especially when you always want to come back to show me what you found. You love just about everyone you meet and after a few seconds you may even ask them to pick you up for a quick hug. At story time this week I actually let you get up from my lap and you walked up to the story time lady and sat down right next to her and just smiled. You just wanted to be a part of the action. You looked so big up there.

You are a girl of many words, although at the moment we can't quite understand most of them. You rattle on all day, talking to me, to yourself, and to whomever you are "talking to" on the phone. I love it when these conversations make you giggle. We can understand when you say baby, ball, dada, cat, hi, and if I am so lucky, mama. You can also sign eat, more, hungry, all done, hug, milk, splish splash (our sign for bath time), up, thank you, dog, frog, and bye-bye, and you know where your head, nose, cheek, lips, chin, ear, shoulder, belly, and almost your knees are. If I ask you to get a ball, or a book, or your duck or your dog, you happily bring them to me. There is nothing better than a kiss from you except maybe watching you dance, shoulders moving up and down, hands clapping and feet stomping. It is a sight to see.

You don't get to watch much TV, but you do love Jack's Big Music Show and Sesame Street. You laugh and dance and clap your hands every time Jack starts singing, and you just love it when Mel gets hit with the gong. Instant giggles every time. I really like to watch it with you because it is my only time to sit and cuddle with you. You are just always on the go now.

Now I can't say that you are happy all the time as you can throw one heck of a tantrum, complete with full body thrusting to get out of my arms. You have a REALLY good mad look where you scrunch up your face, poke out your lips and breath heavily. Can I just tell you now how unattractive that face is? Really. And I saw a lot of it during these past two weeks because we have been trapped inside because of super cold temperatures and tons of snow. I wonder if 30 years from now people will be talking about "the blizzard of '07." Yes I know that storm in '76 was really bad, but remember it was 31 years ago ;)

You are very helpful to Mama as you always pick up your foot when it is time to put on your pants, put your arm through the hole, and if I say we are going bye-bye, you will go over and start trying to put on your shoes.

Now that you are a full fledged walker, I am becoming more and more excited for the summer to come. I just can't wait to go to the park with you. To go for walks again. To go swimming again. To just run around outside. To remember what being a kid is like again. Can I just say again that I am the luckiest?
p.s. photo to come, Lily is napping right now :)

Ten on Tuesday

1. I go back to my choir tonight (the one I sing in, not the one I direct.) I am excited, sorta. It just means that my crazy schedule is starting up again (you know the one I had during December?) Yeah. It's all going to be about time management...and caffeine.
2. I figure it is perfectly fine for me to keep my Valentine's banner up as long as my crazy neighbors still have their Christmas decorations still up...and turn them on every night. So there.
3. I started my third scarf on Sunday.
4. I am sad that I won't be able to scrap all day today because I have about three million things to do and I won't get home until about 10:30 tonight. Boo. And yes, I am whiny today. Sorry.
5. Let's see, something good...I got to hang out with some friends for a little while last night. It was really, really nice.
6.What exactly is it about children and their fascination with putting underwear on their head? Another sister of the Holy Order of the Panties...
7. Lily and I may actually make it to Storytime today...that is if I get my bum up from the computer and take a shower. We haven't been in a month. A month! Colds, too cold outside and blizzard conditions have stopped us. I am determined today.
8. I knocked down an icicle yesterday that was literally about two feet from the ground. While I was standing up to my knees in snow. I still find this weather to be a bit crazy.
8. The last picture in this post from Tia Bennett (Gardengirl on 2peas) made me cry.
9. I keep forgetting that I have to "open apple C" to copy.
10. This is my favorite new layout.

Observation

I HATE parking in a snowy parking lot. When you come out to get in your car a few hours later, you look like you are complete raving loony with your car in the middle of the lot, no cars near it instead of tucked nice and neat between two yellow lines. I just want to announce to everyone near by that I really did park in a place when I pulled in...really.

So first I must apologize for the non posting yesterday...I do have some cute valentine's day shots and some amazing snow pile shots (which are just SO fascinating I know) but I am still getting used to mac and just couldn't quite find the right pictures. I am not sure why so I guess we will just have to deal with some boring posts for the next few days ;)

ten on tuesday

1. Went to the dentist today...blech. When I left I immediately opened a can of Dr Pepper. There is nothing like immediately coating your clean teeth with high fructose corn syrup after a cleaning...
2. I have OFFICIALLY finished knitting my first scarf. I still want to add some fringe, and some flowers, but the knitting is done! Hooray...I already started my second. :)
3. I am scannerless at the moment as my dell scanner/printer will not work with my new Mac :) Yup. I got a Mac :)
4. It is snowing like crazy outside-a blanket of white, snow on snow...little snippets of various songs about snow keep running through my head.
5. I also have a bottle of shampoo in my purse. I went to Target last night and opted not to get a bag for my ONE ITEM PURCHASE AT TARGET. Remember this day, it may not happen again...
6. I made a really scrumptious stromboli with crescent rolls last night-thanks miss for the help! It was REALLY good and easy...
7. I have noticed since spending more time on the computer commenting on blogs and galleries at 2peas that I do not have the ability to type without adding :) or ;) or ... or !!! anymore. Let's just hope I don't have to write a paper for a long time... ;)
8. I am about to have left-over stromboli for lunch YUM.
9. In order to calm the raging, throwing temper tantrums like a two-year-old already girl we went out for a short walk in the snow. I don't think Lily quite knew what to do with herself, and the snow was actually a lot higher than I had thought, but it was five minutes of fun.
10. Followed by another tantrum because she didn't want to come in. *sigh*

Rest in peace diaper bag, rest in peace

So. Why is this my title? I will tell you.

I got home from church yesterday a little late as I had to do a quick grocery shop and walked into a sheepish faced husband. After some "I have to tell you something you aren't going to like" hemming and hawing, I got the story out. Our diaper bag had been unceremoniously killed. Bj put the diaper bag on top of the car and drove off with it. I would like to say this is the first time this has ever happened, but alas we have also mourned the loss of numerous cans of pop over the years. He almost immediately realized that it had fallen and he stopped the car and got out, waiting for traffic to ease so he could walk to the middle of the road and get it.

The first two cars passed slowed down and drove around the large black bag with two straps and silver accents.

Then the third car.

Keep in mind, our Jeep was at the side of the road, blinkers flashing, large man standing at the side of the road.

The car kept coming.
The car did not slow down.
Large man starts waving his arms.
Car kept coming.
Large man waving arms and yelling.
Car is not slowing down, not veering.
Car runs over my poor sweet bag. FINALLY slows down, after dragging the bag for about 100 feet.
"Oh I thought it was some black snow!" she said.

YEAH, OK.

The bag is done, ripped to shreds; along with a bowl for snacks that was torn in half, a magna doodle, and some other various little things. *sigh*

I do not even want to know what in the world this woman was thinking about and desperately hope that she was at least watching the road. I'm just glad that it was only a diaper bag...poor diaper bag, rest in peace.

Dreams interrupted

While waking up this morning
Bj: *snicker*
Me: what?
Bj: I just had a dream that I was typing a letter with an old manual typewriter and now I know why
Lily: tapping her toys through the monitor

doing?

1. knitting. i finally found out how to knit a scarf without the curling effect. i did make one mistake WAY down at the beginning, but i think i will cover it up with a felt flower and no one will be the wiser
2. watching oprah. did anyone see the episode with the 70 year old woman who looked barely 40? her trick? moisturizer.
3. putting on moisturizer
4. getting over a cold
5. getting sick and tired of this freezing weather. the below zero wind chill just has to go.
6. learning that elizabeth has lived in three of the healthiest air cities...cheyenne, great falls, and colorado springs. pretty cool.
7. writing lists :)
8. shopping at target while lily pushes my easy button over and over and over again. (two members of my choir got me an easy button as a year anniversary present-you know that button from staples? it says "that was easy" over, and over, and over, and over again. lily LOVES it :)
9. learning how i am not actually supposed to wash my hair everyday. how am i just learning this now?
10. hangin' with my lily :)

p.s. anyone notice that HUGE molar? well she now has three more coming in.

SBL Convention, Ohio Chapter

Well you may have already seen all the pictures you need to see from the SBL convention, Ohio Chapter, but here's some more just in case :)

First I must tell a little story
about two girls who liked to read
but one little girl was much more interested in what the other girl had to read


So Amber is just as lovely and wonderful as you had imagined, and so is sweet C. Just lovely.
and Lily just LOVES Katy, and instantly took to Jenny and her sweet children.
All in all we had a wonderful time
Can't wait to do it again :)

for those of you wondering

suziebeezieland convention, ohio chapter was wonderful today...details to come :)

lily