The Hole

It's become somewhat of a tradition, with our many trips to the beach recently, to dig the best hole ever. We've been going every other week or two, trying to out run the oil washing up on the Florida coastline.  It's so sad to think that she, most likely. not remember the beaches of Florida the way it is now.  Worse yet, that this ecosystem is going to dramatically change for the worse over her lifetime. We've been going to all of the beaches we've always wanted to see, our favorites, and even ones we haven't visited in a very long time.  Hoping to at least have some photos to show her, when she's older, of what it was like when she was a kid.

Once we're set up, Dave and Lilli go to work on digging a hole.

Love. 

"Song of the Entry" 

Hermit (F.Y.P. Cover) by Dios Malos

Lilli's Library List

I braved this trip to the library alone.  Our books were seriously overdue and it had to be done with or with out a second pair of hands/eyes.  The last trip we got some great books and a couple amazing DVD's.  Scholastic's Weston Woods collection is a cartoon version of her favorite stories.  Complete with  a read along option, she couldn't get enough.  So we horded them for way longer than our allotted time and probably racked up some fees.  I think it was worth it.

This trip we left with 17 books and three DVD's.  The DVD's are two Scholastics and one Sesame Street video she pulled off of the shelf when I wasn't looking.  We tend to go with some of our favorite authors, but we're venturing out into new territories.  Recently, Lilli has started to enjoy the beginner reader books like the Biscuit series by Alyssa Satin Capucilli. Of our 17 choices so far, we found some great books.  Here are a few:

• Naked Mole Gets Dressed by Mo Willems 
• The Napping House by Audrey Wood
• How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? by Jane Yolen
• Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London
• Pretzel by Margaret and H. A. Rey
• Sleep, Black Bear, Sleep by Jane Yolen
• Curious George Rides a Bike by  H. A. Rey
• Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney
• If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff
• Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems 

"Song of the Entry" 

Hideaway by Karen O and the Kids

Caacakes!

Working at home has it's advantages and disadvantages.  Most of the time I'm able to schedule a morning activity before lunch.  Lilli takes a late nap, between 2 and 4 p.m., and sleeps from two to three hours.  I get the majority of my work done during those hours. And what ever is left over, I finish once Dave comes home.  Although we go out about three times a week, some days it's just too hot, I'm too tired, it's raining, I have work to do, the house needs to be cleaned, or I just don't feel like spending the two hours trying to get out the door just to turn around an hour later.  When we do have to stay inside, I always feel so guilty.  Most of the time I try and find a few fun activities to keep her entertained inside.  We color, trace our body parts and name them, paint our toenails, or do the laundry together (her choice to help not mine).  We build forts or fill up the baby pool on our patio until she dumps too much water out and it starts to pour on our downstairs neighbor's patio.  And some delicious days, we bake.  

Lilli loves to help to stir the batter, taste test the frosting and most of all enjoys the fruits of her labor.

"Song of the Entry" 

Another Noon by Jon and Roy

Lilli's favorites

Way back when Lilli started to show a preference to certain toys/dolls, I decided to try and keep track of her favorites.  When she was just starting to walk and show her personality, she had a favorite snack, bedtime doll, and she had to roll around with a certain "Beverly Bear" almost every single day. None of the attachments lasted too long, plus Daddy provides plenty of new distractions more often than necessary.  These days, her favorites have become so well defined now that she can talk and express her opinions about everything.  Which she does... in all things that concern her.  Her favorites change frequently when she discovers something new or learns some new words.  She knows what she likes and has no problem expressing it.

Every morning Lilli chooses which shirt/dress/shorts she is going to wear that day. She chooses her socks, her shoes ("Pink shoes, please!"). We went through some pony, Elmo, Pooh, and pink phases. The past few weeks, she has requested nothing but "frogs!"  It leaves me a little flustered when the three frog outfits are in the wash, but usually we can negotiate an alternative Elmo or Cookie Monster shirt. Although, some days it can take at a half an hour. The other day, when deciding what to eat, we asked Lilli what she would like for dinner.  She quickly said, "pasta." It was the first time we had even heard her say that word.  Since that night, she tells us what she would prefer (we usually give her two choices) for most meals.

A few of her other favorites:

Favorite Color:  Most recently, brown, especially when it comes to reward M&M's for potty successes.  Green and blue are close second and third. We're going to end up with a container of orange, yellow and reds.  At least until she changes her favorite.

Favorite Animal: For the past month or so she has been obsessed with frogs and ladybugs.  Her lady bug pillow has become a permanent fixture in bed.  It started in the living room, then to her room, then next to her bed, and finally into her bed.

Favorite Toys: She loves to play with her Fisher Price Little People Animal Sounds Farm , her tea set from Gramma, and my old Little People house from the 80's.  She loves to pretend, especially tea parties.

Favorite Bedtime Companions: More than I'd like... Augie Doggie, Kitty, Bug (as mentioned above), Scout, Glow-worm, and Blanket. I know it's a lot... but I assure you, no sleep would be had by anyone otherwise.

Favorite Bedtime Book: Happy Birthday Moon, When the Moon Fell Down, and a book of nursery rhymes.

"Songs of the Entry"

Favorite bedtime songs: We have a playlist of about ten songs for bed time. Every night after Daddy reads stories, she says good night and the two of us rock in our rocking chair and listen to a few songs.
Sesame Street by Joshua Radin ("street")
I Don't Want to Live on the Moon by Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("moon")
The House We Grew Up In by Hammock ("house").