Family Scrapbook: Sammy's Confirmation - The Sweeter Side of Mommyhood

Since Easter morning, we’ve had a giant chocolate bunny perched on top of the mantle over the fireplace. Lilly knows she can ask Mommy or Daddy permission to have one bite of bunny. Sometimes we say yes, sometimes we say no, depending on the time of day. But she listens to us and it’s not a problem.

I thought I was being sneaky, having a little bite of bunny here and there, breaking off a jagged part of the ear or the head…and now the neck…

But last night before bed, Lilly said to Brandon, “Daddy, you need to protect the house so the Monsters and my Mommy don’t eat ANY MORE of my chocolate bunny, got it?!”

So yeah, I was totally busted.

And then today, we were driving over to Great Grandma’s house and Lilly spotted a dog out of her window. First she told me it was a cat, then she said no it’s a dog- called herself silly Lilly, and her description grew to include her favorite animals, “ZEBRAS, dogs, parrots, but mostly ZERBRA’s because MOM I LOVE ZEBRAS”. She reflected on that for just a second or two, and then excitedly said to me, “Grammy DOES have a zebra- no wait, I meant Grammy has a Norman. And Norman’s are the same color as zebras, only smaller- much smaller- and kind of furry but still soooooo precious!”

Norman is a cat, by the way.

Lilly is killing me lately with her sometimes shaky grasp of the english language. She has a wider vocabulary than she does imagination which is saying something when we’re talking about Lilly. The more she chatters, and the more her language corrects itself toward something consistently understandable, the more sure I am that this is what I will miss most about having small children. The development of language.

That girl just has such strong confidence in her ability to communicate. She asks questions when she is unsure and attempts to pronounce words many, many, many times until she gets it right. She can even go so far as to describe a word to me when I can’t understand the one she is saying. She was saying something that sounded like “seeees and disease” while we were playing with her stuffed animals the other day and I could not for the life of me understand what she was trying to say. Finally, she explained that “seees and disease is like Mommy says when we have to do NO MORE and CUT IT OUT!” Ahhhh. Yes. I say, “Cease and desist” all the time to my kids. Isn’t that better than saying stop it? But she picks up everything and gives it right back to me. Words, words, words. More and more every single day.

Even Gracie’s language development is blowing my mind. She can “say” (sign) Dada, milk, night-night and more, please. She understands me, responds, and really enjoys what her therapists all call “vocal turn taking” which is basically action and reaction based learning, play and communication in regards to her voice or my voice.

It’s incredible.

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I keep meaning to share some photos from our last trip home for all of my non-facebook using friends and family. We had such a wonderful visit, an unexpected and rare trip without Daddy, but a good one none-the-less. Minus the car ride from hell, where Lilly decided to be carsick for the first time in her life- prompting not one but FIVE stops on the side of the turnpike to allow her to throw up in the grass and change clothes in the trunk, it was perfect.

If there are two very random things Gracie loves about my parents house, it’s the giant sliding glass doors, and the rocks in that damn cactus plant.

And the kitchen stool. She freakin’ loves that kitchen stool. Bonus points if Dante’s dog bowl is on the stool- and full of dog food. Excellent for snacking.

(Kidding…)

We were all dressed up for my littlest brother’s confirmation. Couldn’t get enough of that little peanut in her collared dress.

Caught the kisses face. Little fish lips.

One of my favorite photos. So serious. So curious.

Mother, daughter, granddaughter.

The feather collection from MomMom’s birds. Lilly LOVES these feathers.

Did our nails.

House guests.

There he is! My baby brother, so grown up. I can remember holding him, barely born, umbilical cord still connected to my mother. We have a special bond- even while he is changing from adorable kid to difficult teenager.