~Sisters~

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Happy 4th Birthday Lily Rose

Dear Lily,

Today you celebrate your 4th birthday! Mommy can hardly believe it! You are such a smart, funny, talented, loving and beautiful little girl. You act every bit of red that is in your hair! You get mommy everytime with your big brown eyes, especially when they fill up with tears and your big ole lips start to pout...melts mommy's heart.

I wasn't a mommy until the day you were born, and you have changed my life forever. Mommy like to run and I run in races, but there has been no greater, more challenging or more rewarding than the race with you. Your birth was even a race...a long one....a marathon even! Mommy trained really hard for 9 months and in the end when daddy and I crossed that finish line and I got to hold you in my arms was the best reward I could have ever won! You are my biggest accomplishment in this life Lily Rose. I can't even sit here and write to you without crying...I am that PROUD of you.

You had a pretty big year this past year. You played basketball, took swimming lessons, gymnastics, more swimming lessons, and now you have started Pre-School...yes...you are in school! Mommy teases and always says "What am I going to do with a 4 year old?!" I guess we will find out!

All About Lily

*You always say "that's hilarious"

*Your favorite singers are Kerry (Katy) Perry and Justin Beaver (Bieber

*Wear size 11 shoes and 5T clothes

*Go to pre-school 2 days a week

*You best friends are the other Lily and Ella and your boyfriend is Boy Karson

*Sleep from 9:30pm-9:00am unless it is a daycare day

*Usually still take a nap, but not always

*You let your little sister torment you....all day every day

*Your favorite colors are pink and purple

*You like to color and do crafts

*Favorite foods are cheese quesedillas, pizza, chips and salsa, Romeo's, Chili's, Jimmy Johns, Taco Bell, frozen yogurt, broccoli, green/red peppers, cucumbers, waffles, french toast sticks, oranges, apples, you even order oranges and broccoli instead of fries!

*Favorite shows are Doc McStuffins, Jessie, Jake and the NeverLand Pirates, Octonauts, Phineas and Ferb

*You really need to work on listening this year...you aren't very good at it with mom and dad :)

*I love that you snuggle with mommy at bedtime and naptime and that you ask me to hold your hand while you are sleeping

*You are just like daddy in the mornings...it takes you a while to "wake up" :)

You have brought us more joy than we could have ever dreamed of. We love you higher than the sky and deeper than the sea Silly Lily!

Love,

Mommy

Pictures: starting at the top 4 years old, one day old, 2 years old and 3 years old

Monday, September 10, 2012

Swimming Lessons

Lily started her second session of swimming lessons this past Thursday at the YMCA. I messed up and registered her for a class level ahead of where she should be, but there are only 2 other kids in the class so they are going to keep her in it. I like that she gets more on on one attention this time around. Her teacher is kind of strict, and kicked a little boy out of the first class. She did know his mother and so maybe the kid was acting up because he knew her? Who knows. This week they practiced the back float and holding their breath under water. Once she can master this she will learn to swim underwater.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Upcoming Race Schedule

Next month marks my 5th anniversary from running my first marathon. I was first intrigued with running when I got involved with Team In Training which is a program with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that raises money for blood cancers. This program became near and dear to my heart because I am also a nurse that works in Oncology and specializes in blood cancers. I ran my first marathon in memory of a little 3 year old boy who lost his battle with Leukemia after transplant.

I had my babies and I took a few years off from running. I ran an occasional race here and there, but nothing consistently. I am happy to say that I have been back to running full force since March and I am loving it. I feel good, I have more energy and I get excited to go out for a run! My girls and Jason are supportive of me and I sometimes even leave it up to Lily to tell me how many miles I can run in a day! Anyway...fall is here and it is the best time of year to be outside running. I have worked hard all summer in the heat and I'm hoping it has paid off. My goals are to run a sub-2 hour half marathon and somewhere near a 4:15 marathon....we will see!

My Upcoming Race Schedule:

September 8th: Peak to Peak 10 miler (run from the Peak Performance Store in Bellevue to the Peak Performance on 78th and Cass on the Keystone Trail)

September 16th: The Omaha Corporate Cup (10K)

September 23rd: The Omaha Half Marathon

October 21st: The Des Moines Full Marathon

October 28th: GOATZ (Greater Omaha Area Trail Runners) 50K Trail Run (31 mile trail run at Lake Cunningham)...this one is new to me...I have never done trail running and I'm not sure how it will go since it is one week after my marathon!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Lily's First Day of Pre-School

Today my little girl started pre-school...yes...pre-school. Where has the time gone? Am I old enough to have a school aged child? I guess I am! She attends the Armbrust Family YMCA pre-school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Avery and I took her today and Avery thought she was going too and was so sad when she couldn't stay! I put Avery in the YCare while I worked out and the poor thing cried the entire time. A nice lady held her and rocked her until I picked her up. When I asked her why she was so sad she said "Lily." I asked her if she missed her big sister and she shook her head YES...melted my heart. They are little buddies, and I honestly never thought how it would affect Avery. They always go to YCare together and Avery noticed when her sissy wasn't there. We still had an hour to spend until we could pick Lily up, so Avery and I went to the park and hung out...just the two of us. It is nice to have some one on one time with each child once in a while, and I think it is very important.

Lily was so excited to start school. Everyday last week she would ask "Mom, do I go to school today?" She walked in like a big girl and went right up to a little girl and played play-dough with her. I bent down and whispered into her ear that I loved her very much and that I was so proud of her. If I would have spoke any louder she would have heard the tears in my voice, and I didn't want her to see my tears. Her daddy would have been there too, but my battery is dead in my car and I had to take him to work this morning so there was no way for him to get there. He felt really bad. Lily knows her daddy is very proud of her! When I picked her up she had a HUGE smile on her face, but the little monkey wouldn't tell me what she did. We picked up her papers from her folder and went through them when we got home. She made a little hand painting (that I will probably keep forever) and she brought her September calendar home. Guess that they are doing next Tuesday???? Celebrating Lily K's 4th birthday! She can't wait! I feel bad because she is the oldest in her class. She missed being in the 4-5 year old class by 11 days. If she would have turned 4 by September 1st she would have been in the next class up. Oh well. If she would have moved up she would have been the youngest, and I think being older might be better?? I think she is going to love school. Mom loves it because I can get my running done in the morning, spend some quality time with Avery and come home and get stuff done (or catch up on the blog)!

Meet the teacher night last Monday

Lily and her teacher Miss Sasha at meet the teacher night

Had to get this one...they love the turtle at the Y

First day of pre-school!

Walking to her classroom

Really mom...another picture?

Playing play dough with a new friend...Avery was not happy to leave!

Lily's first artwork at school

Mommy and Avery time at the park

September 4th 2012

Labor Day/Birthday Celebration

We headed to Newcastle on Sunday morning for a 4th birthday celebration and a Labor Day celebration! Most of Lily's Kneifl cousins were around the farm on Sunday so we celebrated her 4th birthday a little early. She had a Brave cupcake cake and she was blessed with family and lots of nice gifts. It is hard to believe she is going to be FOUR! She continues to grow up right before our eyes, and her dad and I couldn't be more proud of her! We love you Silly Lily!