Just Growing and/or Laughing Hurts

So - I know I write about Lily all the time... a little here, a little there in just about everything I post, but I haven't written a blog just about her for a while. Sometimes it seems like she's growing at such a steady rate I can't even track the changes, and then she'll start looking so tall and saying these funny new things all at once that I'm just blown away that she's getting so big! She's not a baby anymore!

Lily is going on two and a half, and the other day in the grocery store a man with a school age girl thought she could be in his daughter's class! It made me think I'd better teach this girl better manners because if people are going to mistake her for older than she is - they are going to expect more of her, and she is not too polite to strangers! She's anywhere in a spectrum of shy to downright rude. I'm not always sure how to handle it, because part of it is just that's she so very literal. You can't exactly punish a child for being afraid or stating the plain truth, so I just try to explain that it's not nice or polite to scowl at people or talk about how old they are or other different things about how other people look. We'll see if it sinks in. Sometimes she's quite sweet with compliments, but that's usually with people she knows. I've been told at different times that she likes my hair, and my "outfit", and that I'm a "nice mama." I like that a lot. And lately our family has been getting lots of I love you's and hugs. I think it's a fine balance to teach a child to respect boundaries and be careful of strangers, but be nice and friendly to them too. Some people you hug, some people you don't - all the nuances can really be confusing. :) The other day she told me somebody we didn't know that we saw walking by was a "mean man." Not sure where she got that idea, maybe he was frowning? We'll be working on this for a while I'm sure. I remember a few times even into my early teens when I put my foot in my mouth about a stranger in similar ways, and feeling so personally mortified about it. I'm curious what made me feel that way, and if it's something that was taught or something innate. I'm looking forward to the day that Lily exhibits self-correcting behavior, because some days it just seems like all the time-outs and talks I give her are having no effect. Some days I wonder if she's so strong willed because I'm so strict. Persistence can be a good thing if it's pointed in the right direction... I guess I will probably question my own parenting until the day I die. So I'll move on to lighter topics. Lily is a good kid, and she listens to everything so hopefully she'll get the things I want to teach her as time goes by.

I haven't been writing down the funny things she's been saying lately, but I remember a few:

The other night we were out front in the dark star gazing and talking and Lily said: "Remember when Evie was in the pumpkin?...and Audrey was in the pumpkin.." (A family tradition of ours at Halloween) 

I said: "Yes, I do. Did you get in the pumpkin?" (She didn't) 

Lily: "No." 

me: "Did you want to?" (I didn't push it this year when she didn't want to) 

Lily: "No, because... >pause< ... my shoes! My shoes would get all ...pumpkiny (only it was more like punkinny)!

me: (cracking up inside) "Oh! Well, what if we put plastic bags around your shoes to protect them? Would you like to have gone in the pumpkin then?"

Lily: "Yeah."

me: "Well, I'm sorry I didn't think of that sooner! We'll have to do that next year."

Lily: (focused) "My shoes would get all pumpkiny...my shoes would get all pumpkiny, and SLIMY!"

I loved the adjectives she came out with and it's so funny how particular she is - so like me.

Yesterday at church in nursery a little boy was grabbing a toy she wanted, and Lily said something like: "That young man keeps grabbing my toy! Young man! Stop that!"  She kept calling the other little 2 year old "young man"! 

I'd better start writing them down again because I know I'm forgetting some funny stuff. I know because lately laughing hurts - a hangover from being sick. I will be glad when I can laugh again without being painfully aware of it!

Random photos and a few videos too:

Those last three are from our 'Grand Toy Washing.' Lily did an awesome job helping me wash all her toys after she and some of her cousins had been sick. She wanted to do it again immediately afterward. Yes, this is one of the funnest things we do around here! I'm actually glad she enjoyed it so much, because it's time to do it again!

These videos were right after Halloween and we were listening to Mickey Mouse Christmas music. We have a limited selection of kids CD's. I just don't want to forget some of the little quirky things Lily does. I think it's so funny that with all the words she surprises me with knowing - she still makes words up when she's playing.

Video 1: Cooking up something special for Daddy


Video 2: Jingle Bells

(she was really getting into it, but I think they were going so fast it kept throwing her off)

Video 3: Air Mattress Dance