Moniker

Lillian has a new nickname around here:

Silly Evil Genius

No further explanation needed.

Three Year Check-Up

Lillian had her three year check-up this week. She weighs in at 30.4 lbs and is 37 inches tall. She is still plotting right along her growth curve.

At this appointment, Lillian had her vision checked, stood on the big kid scale and got her blood pressure taken with a tiny blood pressure cuff.

Third birthday party

Lillian had her third birthday party over the weekend. The theme was gumballs. Lillian's grandparents, cousins and even a couple of friends were able to join her this year. All the food had to be round to go with the gumball theme: pineapple and teriyaki meatballs, fresh mozzarella balls, grapes, blueberries, cantaloupe and watermelon balls, olives, macadamia nuts and root vegetable chips.

We had been to her cousin's second birthday party at the beginning of the month and her friend's third birthday party the weekend before so by the time Lillian's party rollearound, she was ready. Leading up to her party if you asked her what she wanted, all Lillian would say was that she wanted cake. But when she saw the presents piled up, she announced to everyone, "I want to open presents now!" We told her to go round everyone up and while she did that, her friend Lily decided to help with the unwrapping! Lillian got some really neat stuff. After the presents, it was time for cake and ice cream. I made the cake and Joe made the ice cream - bubble gum flavor.

Once all the kids had a sugar rush, it was time for the pinata. I was not going to get her a pinata but I found some on clearance and decided to try it. I am happy to report that no one was injured, other than the poor fish pinata. Lillian took a few swings at it but mostly her two older cousins handled that part. The pinata did not want to break so some cutting had to be done and then all the stuffing came out - super bouncy balls, packs of candy-coated kisses and lots and lots of confetti.

I believe a fun time was had by the children and adults alike. Happy Birthday Lillian!

Here is Lillian looking out the window as the first guests arrive:

Wearing her Super Lillian cape I made her:

Lily, Maya and cousin Cammie in the play dough:

Surrounded by all her presents:

Playing in the confetti that came out of the pinata:
Lily (Lillian's BF) with a piece of confetti on her lip:

Maya the dancing queen of the party:

Riding her tricycle:

The cake made to look like a gumball machine:
Maya, Lily, cousin Ryan and Lillian eating cake and homemade bubble gum ice cream:
Lillian getting covered with confetti with help from her cousin Connor:
Playing with presents that afternoon:

Birthday Girl

was woken up with a bed full of balloons:



and then got to unwrap her presents from mommy & daddy - (well not really unwrap as we do not use wrapping paper anymore): purple princess dress-up clothes, a children's encyclopedia, pom poms, wooden dress up dolls and a wooden birthday cake set.

Picture Bear

The last night as a two year-old

Lillian did several big girl things today - she swung on the rope swing over the foam pit, walked across the plank on the balance beam and apologized to a little girl for snatching a ball during gym class, played with the big kids (at least 6 years old) at the local jumping place, went to her room to calm down when she was angry, turned off her science computer when told it was time for nap and got herself her own drink of water when she was thirsty. Of course all this was mixed in with her usual stubborn and controlling personality but overall she behaved like a big girl.

On her last day as a two year-old, Lillian got treated to a mini toddler spa trip. It was just a regular bath and hair washing but with the added twist of her own pink hair towel and ballet class as she got her pajamas on.

Pink Walls

Pink is Lillian's favorite color. The other day she asked me why her bedroom walls are green. I told her that we did not know if she was going to be a boy or girl and thought that a light green would be a good color for the walls. She then said to me, "I don't like the green walls. I want pink paint." I don't know where she learned that you can change the wall color - we have not done any painting since she was born and have not talked about painting anything.

Playgroup fun

Today's playgroup met at the new jumping place in town.

Lily, Lillian and Emily

Emily, Lillian and Lily, trying to climb up the stairs together

Our newest addition to playgroup Nicholas (Emily's brother) and Lily. Lily was very interested in Nicholas. Lily will be a big sister in March and was busy taking notes on baby care.

climbing up the stairs to the big slide

The girls in the toddler room
Emily, Lillian and Lily

Lillian, Lily, Emily and their new friend Aylah

Lillian and Wyatt

through the tunnel in the obstacle course

going down the BIG slide

Owen (Wyatt's brother)

Trying to get three almost three year-olds to look in the same direction at the same time and smile is next to impossible as evidenced by these photos:

Lily, Lillian and Emily

Lily, Lillian and Emily

Lily, Lillian and Emily

I like

Lillian just said to me:

I like spending the day with you Mommy.

She said that as she was licking a spatula with cake batter on it so I am pretty sure she meant she likes cake.

Gotta Go

Lillian still sleeps in a crib; a crib that has a locking door that she figured out how to kick open. When we talk about a big girl bed, she says that she likes her crib. She sleeps well in it (most of the time) so we are moving very slowly on the issue. Mommy and daddy still like the idea that she is contained in her bed and not able to roam the house during the night.

Over the weekend, we had a babysitter, Miss Cindy, so we could go out to the movies. When we got home the Miss Cindy asked us if Lillian is allowed/knows how to get of the crib. We said yes, she kicks at the lock to open it (which she has not done in a couple of months). Miss Cindy said around 8:30 pm she could hear Lillian calling for her but was trying to ignore it and see if she would go back to sleep. When she got up to see about Lillian, she found the bedroom door and the crib door opened and no Lillian. Miss Cindy called for Lillian and Lillian was found in the bathroom (with the lights still off) sitting on the potty. Lillian said she had to go poop and Miss Cindy would not come.

This is the first time she has woken up/gotten up after being tucked in to use the bathroom. We have lots of "I have to go potty" stops as she is being tucked in but not once she is down. Miss Cindy said she would tell us what a big girl she was and we would be so happy.