First Steps

Today, Lily took her very first REAL steps! She has been standing up all by herself for longer periods of time, and today she finally turned to my sister and took about 2 steps towards her. She was holding onto my dresser and just let go and went! YEAH for Lily...UH OH for Mommy! We have tried all sorts of tricks to get her to do it again, but she will just stand up and look all around at everyone. She gets so excited because we all clap and cheer for her, but then she'll just fall to her little butt. It is a start and we will keep practicing. She walks all over with her walker...I don't think it will be long!

11 Months Old

Well, Silly Lily...you are one month away from your 1st birthday. Your mommy is very saddened by this. Could you please just slow down and stay my baby girl forever?
Thanks,
Mommy

Oceans and Worlds of Fun

Swimming at the hotel.
Pa Mike and his 2 girls.

Family pic in the Plaza.

Lily and her cousins...Jahrran and Maddie.

Jahrran, Maddie and Lily after dinner.

Lily and Mommy at the Cheesecake Factory.

Lily, Pa Mike and Daddy at Worlds of Fun.

Uncle Justin, Daddy and Maddie on the Rip Cord!

Snoopy, Lily and Mommy at Camp Snoopy.

Loving the Carousel!

Last Sunday we drove down to Kansas City with my family (all but my mom because she had to work). It was a nice getaway since Jason and I hadn't been anywhere all summer due to our crazy and opposite work schedules. We arrived at our hotel early Sunday evening and we headed for the pool right away. Lily had fun playing in the water with Pa Mike, Uncle Justin, Aunt Kylie, Maddie, Jahrran and Mommy and Daddy. This has been such a weird and not so hot summer so it was fun to hit up the pool on a scorching hot day! After an hour or so of swimming we showered up and walked down to the Plaza for some dinner. Lily was so zonked from a long day of traveling and swimming that she slept right through dinner. Oh well. On Monday morning we headed to Ocean's of Fun for the day. It was 100 degrees outside and a perfect day for the water! I wish I had my camera with me on that day, but I figured it would have been more of a hassle. I missed some really great shots of Lily in her lifejacket and floatie! It took her a little while to warm up in the water, but all in all she had a good time in the Lazy River and Kiddie Pool. On Tuesday we packed the car up and headed to World's of Fun. There wasn't a lot for Lily to do this year, but for sure next year! We wandered through Camp Snoopy, but she was too little for any of the rides. The highlight of Lily's day (and mine) was the Carousel. She LOVED it! I rode with her of course, but she hung on to the pole of her horse and smiled and giggled the whole time! Pa Mike wanted to take her on the train all day, but by the time we finally made it over to it there was a 20 minute wait so we didn't go...next year we will! I was so proud of my little girl at how well she did on this trip. She had long, hot days with no naps and she was such a trooper! It is hard to believe that she will be one next month...no matter how old she gets she will ALWAYS be my BABY!

Cousins and the Zoo

We had been trying all summer to get a zoo trip lined up with Lily's cousins from Sioux City (the Joines). Last Friday we were finally able to get them all together and off to the Zoo! Lily's Aunt Trina (Jason's sister) drove down to Omaha with her kids (Justin, Rachel, and Mitchell) and Lily, Maddie and I met them at the zoo. It was a hot day, but the kids all had a good time. Lily has now been to the zoo five times this year. I think we have now seen it all! Something new for Lily this time was a ride on the train. I think she could have cared less that she was on it, but it was a nice break from walking for the rest of us! After the zoo we came back to our house for a night of grilling and some relaxing. Lily's cousins spent the night and then they took her shopping on Saturday while Mommy slept before work...THANKS GUYS!

First Steps

Lily has started to walk around furniture and she is letting go of things now and standing briefly on her own. Last night we got some video of her taking some steps with her little walker. We will see if she is walking independently by her first birthday! I can't believe my baby girl will be one year old in just 6 short weeks!

10 Months and a Trip to the Doctor

Lily celebrated her 10 month birthday on Sunday with many diaper changes, wardrobe changes and baths. The poor kiddo had some major episodes of diarrhea...running down her legs to her toes, on the carpet, in her carseat...EVERYWHERE! This started on Saturday and increased on Sunday and then we were down to only one stool on Monday. However, on Monday, she did not eat a single thing all day. She drank 2 bottles, but no solids. At 3pm Maddie was holding Lily in her lap and I tried to give her a bite of cheese. Usually, when all else fails in the food department, she will eat cheese...she LOVES cheese. Well, she took the bite of cheese and instantly projectile vomited. It was all over Maddie, all over me, all over Lily and all over the floor. It just kept spouting out of her. Jason quick tried to catch it with a blanket. I hurried her into the bathroom and she then started to cry a little. As soon as the vomiting stopped I put her in the tub and got her all cleaned up. You would have never guessed she didn't feel good. As soon as she hit the tub she was crawling around in the water and playing with her toys. She was babbling and talking like usual. At this point I was in tears and on the phone with the Dr. I called the Dr.'s office at 3:10pm and we had her there at 3:45 for an appointment...I was very impressed with this! Just as I could have guessed...probably some sort of stomach bug that needs to just run its course. We were instructed to back off of the solids and formula for 24-48 hours and to just give her pedialyte as she will take it. We were given instructions as to when and if she would need to be seen again. I am a Mommy who gets very frustrated when my daughter won't eat...I keep trying until I can get her to eat something because I worry that she doesn't get enough. My worries were set aside today when Lily was weighed. One month ago Lily weighed 20lbs. and 6 ounces. Today, she weighed in at almost 2 lbs. heavier. She weighed exactly 22 lbs! I guess a day of only pedialyte won't hurt her. Anyways...that is what is going on in our neck of the woods. I hope her little body rids itself of this nasty bug soon!

A Sign?

So, I was running (well jogging at most) out at Lake Zorinksy this morning around 6:30am. I get back to my car and this is what I find! Nothing was stolen, but I'm sure whoever did it saw the purse that I had just bought yesterday sitting on the passenger side front seat and thought "what an idiot to leave her purse right here!" I guess it was just bait that lured the theft in. Thankfully nothing at all was taken, but I'm still upset that my window is completely bashed in and I now have to pay for it to get fixed and more than likely go without a nap before work tonight. The lady's car next to me also was broken into and her purse and credit cards were unfortunately taken. Lesson learned. I think someone was giving me a sign that I shouldn't run...my mom says, "No, dummy, it is a sign that you shouldn't leave your purse on the front seat for anyone to see!" She has been telling me this for years when I leave all of my belongings in my car unlocked in her driveway. Okay...so maybe now I'll listen to her.

Pictures

I tried to post these on my last post, but it kept messing up for some reason. These are pics of Lily in her 4th of July outfit. Jason said that she had a blow out on the way up to McCook Lake so she had to change out of it right away...S*!T happens I guess. I just laughed out loud to myself...wow...I don't get out much!

The other pics are just some of her half naked playing in her pool that is, yes, in our kitchen.

Missed but Not Forgotten

I wish I would have posted on the 4th of July, but I was at work without my little girl. Jason took Lily back to Newcastle and to McCook Lake, SD for the 4th. I had to work the 3rd-the morning of the 9th so they packed up and had a nice Daddy-Daughter vacation. I cried and cried as I watched them pulling out of the driveway. I have never been away from her for that many days. Even though I missed her dearly, it was nice to be able to come home after work and get some much needed uninterrupted sleep only to have to get back up and go to work again...for 5 nights straight! I hate doing 3 shifts in a row and I thought 5 was just about going to kill me! Unless you have worked nights...not many people understand the life of a nightshifter! Anyway, Lily had a good time with her Daddy and with her cousins and Grandma Romaine. To my surprise Lily came home a day early! I was expecting them home on Wednesday sometime, and they came home to see me before I left for work on Tuesday night. It was AWESOME to see her toothy smiley face again! I missed her more than she'll ever know. I was so worried that she wouldn't remember me when she got back, but she knew exactly who her mommy was! It was the best to see her little face light up. It broke my heart again though because she started to cry when I left for work that night. The poor thing probably wonders why mommy leaves all the time at night. One day she will understand that I do it for her so she doesn't have to go to daycare.

The pictures I am posting are from the morning of the 4th before they left...Daddy didn't take a single picture of her while they were gone...bad Daddy! Jason tells me that she loved the fireworks...wish I had a picture!

Food Frustrations!

I have been extremely frustrated these past few days when it comes to feeding Little Miss Lily. This picture tells a thousand words. By the end of the meal I think we both end up looking like this! Lily doesn't really care for baby food anymore. She will eat it sometimes, but mostly not. I have been giving her cut up fruit, cheese, steamed veggies, cut up chicken etc. and putting in on her plate so she can feed herself. She ends up sitting in her highchair for 30-40 minutes because she won't eat it. When I try to feed her she shakes her head back and forth and throws her arms at me. If I leave her alone long enough she will eventually eat some of what is put on her tray. When I try to feed her baby food she forcefully spits it back at me so I end up wearing it as does the floor and the walls. She loves cheese. I will put veggies, chicken and cut up pieces of cheese on her plate and she will only pick out the cheese, so I have stopped because I want her to eat the healthy stuff. Sometimes I break down and just end up giving her baby cheetos because I want her to eat something and I know whe will eat these. Any suggestions from anyone to make meal time go a little bit smoother?