Happy Birthday Lilybug!

Last year One year Old!

Today Lily is two! It is hard to believe that just two short years have passed since our family of three became a foursome. Lily came into the world a little early, like 4 1/2 weeks. You see, Grandma, Papa, Grace and I had spent Sunday the 21st shopping at the outlet mall, a lot of walking. Later that evening my water started to leak, but I didn't realize it until later Monday morning. Once we realized it we were off to the hospital. She was born via c-section after a very long day and night in the maternity ward. She was so tiny in comparison to her big sister. Lily was only 6 pounds and 5 ounces. Grace had been born weighing over 8 pounds.

It was so late on that Tuesday night that we were so grateful to go to bed and get some sleep. The next morning, Grace was coming to meet her sister after school. Unfortunately the pediatrician came in before Grace could get there with some disturbing news. The new baby had a heart murmur and he was calling in the specialists. After all that we had been through with Brendan and then the perinatologists with Lily's pregnancy we thought we should have been all clear. But no, arteries are too small to see in utero with ultrasound and that is where Lily's problems were. We were dumbstruck, and the big sister was on her way. Needless to say the next four months were scary and I NEVER want to relive them.

So skipping ahead after the heart surgery in February, is when life with Lily really begins. You see only then did we start to relax a little and let her grow normally. Little did we know that she would become such a wonderful little personality.

Lily is precocious. She loves to study things and do things repetitively to see the results. For instance we have spent the past several days at the beach and she loves pouring sand. She pours sand on the chairs, on her legs, in the buckets and anything else that is still enough to see what the sand will do.

Lily loves to play chase, on the beach , in the condo, in the hallways at home, in the halls of preschool, in the bookstore, basically wherever she is. Most of the time she wants to be chased and runs in the opposite direction than where you are, but sometimes she wants to be the chaser and you can hear her say "I get you".

Lily was a good eater. I say was because within the past two weeks she has gotten quite picky and not liking her usual foods. She got strep throat and hasn't been the same since. I say it is the medication, but we will see. She currently likes, cheese slices, milk(strawberry preferably, Danimals yogurt drink, BANANAS, pretty much all fruit, COOKIES, M&M's, cheerios, honey nut cheerios, cinnamon toast waffles with syrup, eggs, sun chips, fries, mashed potatoes, soft serve ice cream, and some other stuff. But no meat, a vegetarian at 2, I wonder what the pediatrician will say to that?

Lily loves to read and look at books. Her favorite is the Mickey Mouse clubhouse Look and find book. But she is not picky and will back up onto your lap for any old book.

Lily loves to count. She doesn't quite have the hang of it yet so what she says is "two, three, two, three.....etc." Occasionally she will throw a five or a nine in there to mess with me though.

When Lily is tired she loves to give good hugs. She throws her arms around your neck and pats you back. Occasionally she will lift her head and give you a big lip smacking kiss on the lips. But this is only when she is tired.

Most of all Lily loves her sister. Grace is the light of Lily's life. She cries when Grace gets on the bus for school. She knows that when she wakes up from nap that Grace will be there. She loves to go in Grace's room, play with Grace's toys and put on Grace's shoes.

Tom and I feel so Lucky to have such wonderful little girls. I can't wait to see all the things the next year has in store for you miss Lily.