Sorry :(

Lily took this picture

I am SO sorry that I haven't posted since the concert. We are still adjusting to life as a family of two during the week. Can you believe that I am in the middle of my 13th week of work (10th since Steve left for school) with only 4 1/2 weeks until Steve is home for an entire week? Continue to pray for Steve. He is VERY smart and can handle just about anything! We are both struggling - feeling many days the thought, "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

Onto more important things . . . Lily continues to amaze me. On the way back from our trip to visit Steve in Harrisonburg, Lily babbled continually.

Anna do it, Elanna do it, Stop It, Anna (Ellianna is one of her sitter's children - the one who she plays with while the other's are at school).

Check mommy, sit here (patting on the couch - she used her doctor bag to check me over)

Underwears, underwears, princess, princess - She came out of her room after running around with out a diaper on with a pair of her underwear on. Facing the right direction. She also had a onesie pulled over her head on top of the shirt she was wearing.

She is no longer using a sippy cup, a pacifer (she picked up that habit at her first sitter), or her blanket during the day (only to go to sleep with at night). Check out the picture above.

We have made it a habit of watching a Praise Baby video before bed. It really helps with her transition to bed. She knows that she drinks a yogurt while watching it and then heads to bed right after. I have been putting her to bed a little later as that seems to be helping her go to sleep easier. She doesn't complain as much if I wait until 8:30 or so. Tonight, I am not sure when she fell asleep. We laid down together and snuggled under a Daddy blanket (blanket to keep you warm vs. one of her security blankets). We both fell asleep. When I woke up, it was 8:50 and the video was over and playing the music it plays at the menu. Lily was like a rag doll as I carried her to bed!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The United Tour

The Roanoke Civic Center will never be the same!

Working hard

Do I have to touch it? - oh she did. She ate her fair share too!

MW Smith on Keyboard and SCC on guitar singing "How Great is Our God"

Bummed a ride from an adoring fan

Grandpa is the coolest!

Except when David is around - Wish we had been able to catch her smile :)

Packed up and ready to head for home at 11 pm

I absolutely couldn't pass up a chance to volunteer for Shaohannah's Hope and see a great concert. We arrived at 6 pm and left the venue at 11 pm. Lily was spectacular! You could not ask for more from a 2 1/2 year old. We told them that we might have to leave early depending on how Lily was doing.

That little bundle of energy and sweetness made it through the entire concert - even clean up with NO temper tantrums or meltdowns. That was a feat as she has not been herself since about Friday: clingy, whiny, and just awful if she isn't getting her way. I think it's a combination of teething, a new sitter, not seeing Daddy this weekend, being 2, etc.

I think people really enjoyed seeing her. She had a blast "working." She handed out brochures and fortune cookies. They asked us to try and pass out all the brochures marked for our city. They even had some left over from the show in Cincinnatti the night before. I am proud to say that Lily completed her task - so well that I didn't even have one to keep for a scrapbook!

We had the privilege of talking with David Trask (SCC's road manager) a couple different times. It is always nice to see people you have met before and see how they are doing. He thought she looked like Stevey Joy, but I told him from everything I have learned about Maria (love for life, living it large, and happy happys and mad mads) that Lily has a personality similar to Maria!

It was also nice to share such a special night with my dad. Usually it is mom (we both love SCC's music), but she was in Florida finishing up a cruise!Please. please, please continue to pray for SCC and his entire family. People have a tendency to forget once an "event" isn't news anymore. It is still a struggle and they still need our prayers and support!

Lilyisms

"I put it on, sock"

"I draw something"

"Circle"

"Green - Go"

"Red - Stop"

"Daddy Home"

"Miss Daddy"

Little Better

Thought I would update you. I'm not 100%, but I am on the road to recovery. I took half a sick day on Tuesday to go to the doctor. I hesitated to go, because the last time I went for virtually the same symptoms - they told me to just wait it out. This time I got a round of antibiotics and it made a world of difference!

Sick!

I am so stressed out and sick now. I can't remember my last solid 7-8 night's rest. The last week I have been lucky to get 3 hours at a time. The last few days I have tried to rest at every possible moment. I am coughing and hacking. Lily was awake last night from 4:30 - 6:00 and I woke up tonight at 3:30 and it is 4:30 now. I know I won't get better without sleep, but my body is just not cooperating.

Please God, I know you could instantly make me 100% better. I really can't do 4-6 weeks of this.

Tomorrow is Steve's B-day

If you think of it, wish him a happy birthday! We are going up this afternoon and staying until after church tomorrow.

A Milestone

I am so excited about this one. It may not seem like much, but it's a big deal to me! Today for first time since we had Lily - are you ready for this - I took a shower while she was awake.

Daddy wasn't home and she wasn't locked in the bathroom with me! I sat her at the dining room table with her crayons and told her I was taking a shower. I made sure she knew I was in the bathroom and could get me if she needed me.

I came out 20 minutes later feeling much better and dressed for our day! She was in the same spot I left her and hadn't gotten into anything. I might just have to try this more often!