It's a bird! It's a plane! It's ...

Bruiser

Dear Lily,

Before you were born Aunt Heidi sent you this adorable security blanket in
the shape of a gentle lamb.  I have been insistant that you fall in
love with this lamb, so every time we leave the house I make sure you
have it.  Now that you can grasp things, you seem to really like holding
him and I think my plan is working.  Daddy and I had a hard time
calling it your Lamb.  During a discussion to find the perfect name one
of us suggested Bruiser (which is probably the most ridiculous name
for a lamb). Anyhow, the name stuck and now we are always looking for
Bruiser.  And that, Lily, is your first lesson in irony.

Love, 

Mom

Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen

I think you're flirting with the idea of busting out of your crib
while we're sleeping to watch bad TV and eat all of Daddy's cotton candy. Nobody touches my cotton candy. I got my eye on you.

Unwanted Guest

"This lion in my playpen - he is not funny. I will not smile for him."

Champagne Dreams

This weekend was Mommy and Daddy's six-year anniversary! We celebrated by having a nice lunch at one of our favorite restaurants downtown which has the distinction of having our favorite view in the city. Just like Paris, but without all the sophistication.

You fell asleep as we were arriving so we knew we had a limited time frame to work with. In order for us to enjoy ourselves (us enjoying ourselves at a restaurant = Lily sleeping), we knew our waiter would have to be deft and swift.

So, 16 minutes and 42 seconds later we were, at last, greeted unceremoniously by our unapologetic waiter who was pluckily sporting a duck tail hairdo. When we first walked into the restaurant, and before we waited 16 minutes and 42 second for him to bring us water, Mommy and Daddy discussed how Awesome! it was that the duck tail hairstyle of our youth had, apparently, been brought back from the dead. Novelty haircuts lose their novelty after, well, exactly 16 minutes and 42 seconds. Just for the record, Daddy only sported that do for one year.

Luckily for our waiter's tip, our fears were unfounded as you ended up sleeping through the whole meal. We took a nice walk around the park a few times and headed home for dessert.

To celebrate the occasion of your birth, Daddy bought a nice bottle of Dom Perignon champagne in April. Yeah, the fancy stuff.

We decided we'd crack it open on our anniversary and crack it open we did. Coincidentally, this particular bottle was bottled in 1999, the year Mommy and Daddy started dating. Aww! It was worth every penny.

This is you when I told you how much the bottle cost. Your college fund was depleted significantly.

Thank you, Lily, for making this the best anniversary we've had! We love you. You are our greatest accomplishment.

Love,

Dad

Must.Watch.Soccer.

So, we're on the couch and Mommy is trying to have a conservation with you. Politely, you oblige her. Then when I'm flipping channels, I turn it to the soccer network which, by now, you know to be a common occurrence when Mommy isn't looking - or even when she is. I have no shame.

Soccer on TV has a very distinct sound which you have learned very quickly. Upon hearing the din of the crowd, you shamelessly broke your gaze with Mommy's eyes, whipped your head around, and with laser beam focus darted your eyes toward the TV to see who was playing. Just like Daddy.

Love,

Dad

Off To School

Have a good day!!

Update: 3 Months

Dear Lily,

Today you are 3 months old (13 weeks).  You have changed so much since you were 2 months old. You no longer feel like a newborn baby. This is partly because you are no longer the size of a newborn baby.  You have continued to gain weight without any problems.  You are almost 16 pounds!  You have made so many other gains this month.  You can now hold your head up like an old pro.  You love to sit propped up on the couch and hang with Daddy and me.  This month you have taken an interest in books and we love to read them to you.  You have become quite smiley and it continues to be our mission in life to make you smile.  You are learning about your hands.  Your hands seem to always find their way to your mouth.  You have even started holding some toys. The other big news for the month is your vocalizing.  Your cooing is the most precious thing I have ever heard.  These are the sounds you can make so far: ah, oo, ga, na, ba.  You seem very proud of yourself when we have little conversations.  

As I type this you are sleeping soundly in your crib.  We are so proud of you when it comes to sleep.  You have become excellent at putting yourself to sleep these days.  You actually prefer to be put down in your crib instead of falling asleep in my arms or being rocked to sleep.  I miss you napping in my arms but I'm proud that you have learned to fall asleep on your own.  I love to peek in your room and watch you sleep.  I'm going to enjoy that pastime while I can because something tells me you probably won't appreciate it much when you are older.  

Love,

Mom

Picnic on the Square

Dear Lily,

What a Saturday we had. We started off by taking a nice stroll to the local farmer's market for some provisions for the week. Famished from debating what kind of field greens to purchase, we stopped for a quick bite at the cafe.

Here we are on the walk back home. You're showing off your new hat. I guess you got tired of wearing mine.

This Saturday was your first picnic and what better place to have a picnic than downtown? Here we are at the park. You loved lying on your back looking at all the trees and I think you wanted to climb one.

Practicing bicycle kicks with Mommy. There were some people behind us who seemed to be practicing for the circus who were juggling bowling pins and glittery hula hoops and spitting fire. There was a crew showing off their capoeira skills and a very, let's say, romantically inclined couple in the grass. We covered your eyes for that one.

What a spread! We had three cheeses, three kinds of fruit, crackers, sausage and vino. Mmmmm, vino.

We are fortunate to have the opportunity to go on such urban excursions and this was the first trip of many.

To top it off, you gave Mommy a lesson in jinxing oneself. Those weak of stomach, DO NOT PUSH PLAY! You have been warned.

Love,

Dad

Back to Work

Today was my first day back to work and your first full day of daycare. You are doing great at daycare, I am so proud of you! You seem to really like it there. Your teachers say you are always happy and like to cuddle. You only cry when you are hungry (we know you won't let anyone forget to feed you). I thought about you often when I was at work and missed you by my side but I knew you were in good hands and having a good time. It's the end of the day and we are both exhausted. You are already asleep for the night and that's where I'm headed off to next. Good night Lily! Here are some pictures of you looking particularly cute.

Love,

Mom

There's No Crying In Baseball!

Dear Lily,

We went for a walk yesterday. It was a little bright outside so I lent you my Phillies ballcap. I think I have to get you a matching shirt now.

Love,

Dad

Tug-o-War

Every Monday since you were born we we have gone to a breastfeeding
group. Mommy likes this because I get to talk to other mommies. You
are beginning to interact with the other babies. Here you are playing
tug-o-war. You proved you can hold your own against a baby 3 months
older than you.

Lily's First Laugh

We were lucky enough to catch your first laugh on video. It cracks me and Mommy up every time.

4th of July

Dear Lily,

Yesterday we celebrated your first 4th of July and what better way to celebrate than with hot dogs, fireworks and...elephants? More on that later.

You weren't so much interested in Uncle Sam. Instead, you had your attention firmly fixed on the kids in the parade throwing candy, as if you needed anything to eat. I mean, really. Look at that muffin top you have going there.

"Parade? Meh. Bring on the lollipops."

We saw all kinds of things from a squadron of fire trucks, to shiny old Cadillacs, to marching bands to some people singing on the back of an antique flatbed truck like in the Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson video for "Say, Say, Say." The Republican Party even rented a real-live elephant from the zoo. We know how they spent their stimulus money. All that the Democrats had were two people and a sign. Snoozer.

We finished off the day at the local fireworks show. It was a high-tech affair. Though it was too dark to clearly see the guys running around the football field lighting them, we could make them out by the wind-licked flames of their lighters illuminating rivulets of beer spilling from their cans as the men nervously darted from place to place. Thankfully, nobody lost a finger.

Hearing protection may be a must for today's infant attending any kind of fireworks festivities, but it is far more important to coordinate your accessories with your outfit. Pink hearing protection, check.

From the first explosion to the grand finale, you paid very close attention to the fireworks. The hearing protection worked wonderfully because all the loud booms didn't upset you one bit. I didn't really see the display at all because I was having so much fun watching you watch the fireworks.

We can't wait until the next 4th of July. Hopefully the Democrats show up with a donkey, or at least a better looking sign.

Love,

Dad

Like a Bean Stalk

I've commented on it before, and I know I'll comment on it again, but
you sure do have a knack for growing. It won't be long before you
outgrow your changing table. Maybe then you can change your own
diapers, huh?