Here's Lily enjoying her SECOND birthday cupcake in 3 days...
Look at the intensity.....
She enjoyed them so much, she wanted to make sure mommy got a taste too!
Lily had a great time with her family and friends, and enjoyed playing with her tiny cousins! Thank you all who were able to celebrate with us, and for all your neat gifts and treats! It's been one fast year; we remember the minute she was born like it was yesterday, and now she's walking and (kind of) talking, and has her own little personality.
Looking forward to all that the next year has to bring!
Daddy hasn't been as diligent about posting updates as he should be, so I yelled at him in baby-talk today and told him I would get on it...
I spent last weekend at Mimi and Pop's house down the shore. I love eating sand! Here I am playing with my gumball machine and talking to friends on my imaginary phone...
And here I am with mommy, eating my favorite fruit in the whole wide world, PEACHES!
I've been working really hard on the walking thing lately. I can definitely do it when I have something to put my hand(s) on, like a wall, or a couch, or daddy's knee. But I lose my confidence when there's nothing nearby to grab. A few times, I found myself standing all on my own without leaning or holding onto anything...but as soon as I realized exactly what I was doing, I panicked and grabbed the nearest thing. I have taken a few unassisted steps, by accident! so hopefully soon, I'll make it clear across the living room no problem.
On another note, my grammar and typing skills have really come along in 11 months, no?
This past week, Lily has discovered her ability to stand -- provided she has something to hold on to for balance. For Lily, this is THE greatest thing ever!! You can't wipe the smile off her face. She has been wanting to stand/walk since the day she was born. For mom and dad, however, its gray hair time, so I'm sure you'll be hearing from us a lot more on this blog over the next few weeks and months...
Let me use some pictures to narrate a story (apologies for quality...this was my blackberry camera at 10:30 pm)
Last Monday eve, mom was out with her sis and dad was home with what he thought was a sleeping baby. He heard some stirring on the baby monitor, so he popped on the video to take a look...this is what he found when he walked in to baby's room:
He only wishes he could have snapped the camera at the point at which she looked up at him and started laughing...seriously!
So dad decided it was time to lower baby's mattress (the crib has an adjustable mattress for this very reason) and baby got a free play sesh at 10:30 at night...
Dad proceeded to lower the mattress to its LOWEST adjustment, at which point he discovered that baby had taken her play sesh as an opportunity to poop. Following a dipe change, he delivered the bad news to baby that the midnight play sesh was over, and that she had to go back to bed for the night...
Baby was not phased....
So needless to say, our lives have changed in yet another new way. Mobile baby! I don't know if I've had this much fun yet though...watching her go from her back, to belly, to sitting on her butt, to pulling herself up and letting out a screaching yelp and ear-to-ear smile when she realizes what she's done...
We are still waiting for our final pics from the professional photographer...they WILL be posted when we get the proofs, because they all came out great.
In the meantime, a few more recent photos. Lily has become "all cheeks" and her hair is growing...she definitely isn't a newborn anymore!
P.S. I just noticed that in almost all of the pics I've posted, Lily is just staring. She DOES smile & laugh - actually, quite often - we just never seem to have the camera ready when she does. My next goal is to post some videos to this page...keep your fingers crossed!
All of the pictures you see on this blog have been taken by our own camera. Now, early on, it was our little 4-something megapixel Casio, sooo 2007. More recently, however, we've been having fun with our new Olympus E-620 digital...like 14 megapixel bad boy! Below are a few great shots from Lily's most recent "shoot" that we thought you'd enjoy....
But...on Saturday, we had a professional photographer come to the house and do some things with Lily (thanks to Nana and Auntie Steph) so sometime in the next few weeks, you will see some actual professional pictures posted. We have already seen some samples, and they look great! Stay tuned....
As you can see above, Lily is starting to take definite tastes in music!
Yesterday, on her 4 month birthday, Lily rolled over on her own for the first time! She has been getting much better at laying on her somtach and picking her head all the way up to see in front of her, and moving her head from side to side. Yesterday, we put her over for some more "tummy time" and without any hesitation, she threw one arm under her, threw the other stiff to her side, rolled to her back...and looked at us with brow furrowed like "what the heck just happened?"
And so the path to full mobility begins, and our lives REALLY change....
Lily was pulling for the Jets today, as they played in the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. But anyone who follows football knows that the Colts are THE team to beat this year. Alas, the Jets were unsuccessful (albeit respectable in their loss)....
and so now she will be focusing her time on THE team to beat in NCAA basketball, and her future alma mater!
Lily enjoyed her 1st Christmas (see below). We spent Xmas Eve at Nana's in Morristown, where she got to hang out with grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, her cousin Hannah, and many other family members and friends -- and open a few presents! On Christmas Day, she piled into the car with her brother Samson and we all went to Mimi and Pop's for early dinner -- and more presents. Following early dinner, we went to Jess' aunt and uncle's for dessert, and again, more presents for Lily. So you can see why she enjoyed her 1st Christmas!
Much to my surprise, she also enjoyed her 1st New Year's Eve celebration. We went to Aunt Dawn and Uncle Luke's (standing NYE gala) and Lily decided she wanted to see what all the ball-drop-hype was about, so she napped from 8:00 to 11:00p (apparently Uncle Luke's arm-cradle makes a nice, warm place to sleep) and woke up just in time to meet Dick Clark at midnight. She enjoyed the countdown, and was back asleep by 12:45.
We hope you enjoyed your holidays as well! Happy New Year to everyone...may your 2010 be blessed and healthy!!!
