Happy 3rd Birthday Lily!!

Dear Lily,

A few days ago you turned 3 years old.  I can't believe it.  I wonder if I'm going to say that at each of your birthdays.  You have emerged from the baby stages into a really cool kid.  You are growing tall and your baby fat is beginning to fade.  I am reminded of you as an infant when I look at your pudgy wrists and round face, but I know you are changing fast.  You are smart, kind, polite, creative, and much more.  You talk a mile a minute.  You spend most of your days acting out stories with figurines, dolls, and stuffed animals.  You are particularly drawn to anything to do with a princess or fairy but your stories are not limited to fairies and princesses.  You come up with fantastic stories that have multiple elements, plot, and resolution.  One of my favorite things to do is watch you and Daddy make up stories together.  You love to dance around the house and play dress-up.  You have a sincere kindness about you.  You get really really concerned when Rio is close to danger (like getting his fingers close to the door jamb).  You give me hugs and kisses all the time and tell me how much you love me.  Remember that when you are 15.  I love you with all my heart!  

Here is a picture of you wearing a dress of mine when I was about your age:

Grandma Mandy is arriving in 2 weeks to celebrate your birthday and Rio's baptism. So, we haven't had your birthday party yet.  We had a really nice birthday weekend though.  Here you are opening your gifts first thing int he morning: 

Breakfast of chocolate donuts for the birthday girl:

Then we met up with Aunt Heidi, Uncle Steven, Audrey, and Jack at the Village Country Shops in Bothell. We went on a train ride:

And played on the playground:

We took your new bike out for a spin:

Picnic dinner at Madison Park beach with Kim and Grant:

Happy birthday Lily!  We love you so much!

Love,

Mommy

Easter 2012

This year Easter was a full weekend event.  It started early Saturday morning with a neighborhood Easter egg hunt.  Rio watched from the backpack carrier while Lily got the hang of hunting for eggs pretty quickly.  Lily, you were so excited to find each egg that you would forget that you could find even more.  Mommy got a little competitive and started pointing all the eggs out to you.  

Then we headed over to Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island with your cousins.  All in the fire engine:

Then Easter morning you both opened your Easter baskets.  This is the third year in a row I have put that bunny in your basket.  I'm guessing I can't get away with that again next year!

Then we got all dressed up and went to mass.  We got there a little late so we had to sit in the extra seating behind the altar.  Not what parents of two young children want to hear.  Rio, you hung in there but you really would have preferred to be on the go.  Lily, you did great.  At one point I look over and  you made your new bunny Pez dispenser give me a hug on the shoulder.  I had a hard time containing my giggles.  Lily if you are reading this and have not yet seen the Seinfeld episode with the Pez dispenser, then stop what you are doing, watch it, then return.  Funny right?  One other church story.  I look over another time only to see you have raised your entire dress and are breast feeding your new bunny.  Wouldn't be such a big deal except we are in front of the entire church.  Here you are in your dress:

The weather was gorgeous so we then went to Seward Park.  Rio, you loved crawling around in the grass:

Then Aunt Heidi, Uncle Steven, Audrey, and Jack all came over to dye Easter eggs and stayed for dinner.  

It was a great weekend! Happy Easter!

Love, 

Mom

Grandpa and Nonna's visit

Grandpa and Nonna came to visit last month so that we could celebrate Grandpa's 70th Birthday!  Lily got very serious about the party planning.  We had a nice time.  Here you are licking the cake batter off the spatula (this was a new experience for you!):

Cousins eating at the kid's table.  Lily and Audrey are in formal dress-up wear:

Opening gifts:

We all had a nice time. Happy Birthday Grandpa!!