Stomach Bugs, Day 2

A Lilibug without much energy is something we don’t see very often. While the barfing appears to be over as is the worst of the runs, she hasn’t had much appetite, and, even though she slept through the night, she’s curled up in the recliner and sleeping again. But she isn’t running a fever this morning, so I think, all-in-all, that she is better.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for her dad Josh, who is — to put it delicately — “exhibiting the full range of symptoms” of the stomach virus, and is thoroughly miserable this morning.

Inside on a Rainy Afternoon

Lillian has gotten to spend some time with her aunt Michelle and uncle David the last couple of days while her dad was at work and her grandpa was off running various errands. She and their dog Gypsy have become buddies of the intimate lick-your-face sort, and after school there are a large number of older cousins to annoy — something pleasing to the heart of any self-respecting two-year old.

When Lillian gets back to her apartment in the afternoon with her dad, it’s time for some tv (Olivia, Bubble Guppies and Ni hao, Kai-Lan are favorites) and an afternoon snack. Her dad carefully puts some fruit snacks or Cheerios in a small bowl and puts the bowl on the coffee table. Lillian carefully takes the bowl, turns it over and pours the snacks onto the coffee table, then proceeds to enjoy them. She thinks maybe someday she can train her dad to just pour the snacks directly on the table.

Grossing Out Grandpa

Sometimes I think I am a dog

When Lillian was up with her dad at the Denby’s place in Huntington, grandma Peggy undertook the challenge of re-starting toilet training the Lilz (Ashley and Josh had started right before Ashley’s final hospital stay, which interrupted the process). Lillian’s Houston grandparents had high hopes for quick success: Peggy successfully started a routine (sit on pot, flush, wash and dry hands) and Lillian cheerfully executes all the steps, save one: actually producing any output on the pot. Still we are continuing the routine, and Lillian happily lets you know when she’s produced anything of interest in her pull-up training pants, usually by pointing her finger.

Today we again made several trips to the bathroom and went through her routine, still with no production. About 20 minutes after the fruitless mid-afternoon trip, Lilz walked over to me, thrust her hands down the back of her pants, pulled them out covered in a smelly greenish substance, waved them around and said: “Yuck.”

I agreed.

Literary Discussions with Lili’s Dad: A Video

My Birthday — By Lillian

We threw a big bash for Lillian’s 2nd birthday, featuring grilled hot dogs (including veggie dogs for the vegetarians) by Chris and Matt Graves, Grandma Peggy’s fabulous potato salad, and dinosaur cupcakes by the Texas Cupcake Queen, Lauren Massey. In addition to a slew of Houston great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends (and some dogs), Lili’s cousin Kaitlyn came down from East Texas with her mom and dad, aunts and grandparents, and Lili’s friend Josie came with her mom. The girls were dressed for getting wet; a number of the grown-ups weren’t, but got wet anyway. (There was some grumbling at Texas girls who decide to have their birthdays in August rather than just about any other not-quite-so-hot month).

Lillian presents this little video with subtitled commentary (with an assist from ace photographer grandma Peggy).

Now We Are Two: A Video

Lillian Grace turns two years old today. In this video, she bangs on her new drum while hamming for her dad as he takes pics and she climbs at the park. Happy birthday, kiddo!

Smiling for Grandma Peggy

Ready for my close up!

 

 

 

Lillian Loves Large Shoes

My dad doesn’t really understand a girl’s relationship with shoes.

Lillian’s Grandma Peggy and Grandpa Keith came down for a visit on Saturday. They had a great visit. Peggy took some pictures and wrote:

Thought all of you might enjoy the pictures we snapped of Lillian on Saturday.  She loves the camera!  Loves to smile when she sees the light on the flash start blinking… heads right to the lens so you don’t miss her!  She also loves shoes (especially any that are bigger than hers) and the plastic box you see is her favorite musical instrument!

She is soooo… cute… of course we are a just a little prejudiced!

Her Grandpa John, who is completely objective and un-prejudiced, agrees.

That’s my drum. I play for the downstairs neighbors as often as I can.

Beating the Heat: A Video

Lillian believes that when the weather is hot, one should wear as few clothes as one’s mom will allow; it’s easier to get mom to let you strip down when there’s water involved. And, once you get going, in the interest of science you need to see what will happen when you shovel dirt into the pool.

Stalking Wild Tigers

When you are after Big Game, patience and coolness count for a lot…