Changing fast....

My lovely friend Alli sent me an email asking simply what Lilla has been saying. It turned into this super long essay on Lilla, but I thought since I mainly post pictures with some details, many are missing the day to day stuff. For those who read about and love Lilla, this post will get you caught up on the day to day actions of our daughter.

Yes, she is saying things (multiple things) but it lasts for a day. She is way into mimicking people. Example: last night she learned how to wink, or at least tried, however she may not be able to do this today....without some pratice. She likes this game where she falls backwards on the couch and thinks it's soooooo funny, anywho, we always count to three before she does it, well last night she wasn't saying the numbers but that making sounds when we would count like she was trying to count with us.
Her favorite words are momma, daddy, Bailey, and uh-oh. She understands who Grace, Dakota, and Auntie Rebecca are and if you ask her to see what they are doing, she'll go find out. If I ask her to go get her blanket, or a duck, or her sippy cup, she'll go get it. She also understands the word "book" and will bring one on command. She'll say words, but will forget the next day. Her consistent word is ball, but she's said cheese, and other words in the past, but the next day she won't be able to again. She is running.....not walking, running constantly and loves to squeal with delight if you chase after her. She is eating all the food that we do, however, some go over better then others. Our standard fall back is toast, a piece of ham, and some cheese. I can't get her to eat a vegetable to save my life, but keep giving them to her with the hopes that some day it will happen. She LOVES her spoon and fork and is very interested in getting food into her mouth by these means, and DO NOT try to help her because she will pitch a hissy fit. She is VERY independent, which I can't help but love and hate at the same time. She is still signing milk when she wants some, and is now letting me know she is hungry by pointing to her high chair, grunting/whining, and trying to climb up and in....by the way, have I mentioned she's a dare devil. It's come to the point where she just has to learn.....if you jump off the couch for the one millionth time, we may not be able to catch you and it may hurt when you land.
She LOVES to point at things and grunt/whine and get frustrated when you don't know exactly what she wants, and it's amazing what she will catch out of the corner of her eye. She is quite content playing by herself, if we're in the room with her, however, if we leave, she is the first to follow to see what is happening next. Bailey is always of interest to the bean, and she keeps an eye out for her. If we leave Bailey in the backyard to chill, Lilla does not like that and either wants to be outside too, or in about 5 minuets, she'll remind me that Bailey is outside and it's time to come in by pointing at the door and grunting. I think she also thinks we are starving Bailey because half of the food we give her goes into Bailey's mouth. If you've ever met Bailey....you know she is by no means starving. I like to think of it as Lilla being sweet and practicing her sharing skills, however, Bailey is supposed to be on a diet (vet's orders) so it's a work in progress.
Back to the outdoors, Lilla is very aware of her coat and loves to put it on, along with her hat although she has never really managed to get it on her head, it's usually lying balanced on the top of her head, but hey, that's pretty darn close. When we put her in the car, she has to have her blanket and a pile of goldfish to keep her content. Our back seat has about 50 million little gold fish swimming around.....we'll get to that someday. She also likes to put her PJ's on, we lay them on the living room floor and let her run around in her diaper (which is her favorite thing to do....she's not a shy girl) and sooner or later, she'll come over and lie on top of her jammies. She can get her arms through the holes, but the feet are a little harder and let's not start with the zipper. She can identify her nose, eyes, ears (with help), teeth, tongue, hair, and belly button. She loves her bath, but hates washing and combing her hair. It usually ends in tears.....but you gotta do it. And last but not least, probably the best thing for John and I is that right now, every time we pick her up from daycare or come into a room she smiles and runs to us. I don't know about John (however she has him wrapped around her little finger) but that about melts my heart everyday.

So, yeah, the changes happen pretty rapidly. I remember quite vividly sitting at her 1st birthday party thinking, "man, I hope she learns to walk pretty soon"......and now 4 months later, she is doing much more and at a rapid pace.....it's hard to keep up some days, but we try. =)

Febuary 2009

Guess who found her belly button? Now we just have to work on getting her to be a little more modest and maybe not raise her shirt up SO high.

A good picture of Lilla's teeth.

Cheeseburgers! If you look closely at this picture, it demonstrates Lilla's new skill: eating with a spoon. John and I now get to expereince the hosing down of our child, almost every night after eating, however, I have also learned somthing new, tie Lilla's hair back when eating...very important. And since Lilla HATES having her hair put in a pony....do it as quickly as possible. I can't get myself to cut it yet (besides the bangs), although, I know in time, it will need to be chopped.

Daddy got his two girls some flowers for Valentines day.....what a nice daddy and husband.

A little flower in her hair. It took about 5 mins to get this picture. She is a quick on these days.

The bean being tickeled by Mommy. Yes, John and I still refer to her as "the bean".

Check out Lilla's hand stuffed with goldfish, I don't think you could one more in there. She's also become more interested in her Bumbo chair again. It's funny, it was great for helping learn how to sit, but then once she started moving, she hated sitting in it, so we put it away. We pulled it out again when Simon was here. Now, it's new place for her to sit.....go figure.

Our little football player.

Smarty pants figured out that be standing on the football, she can get onto furniture. She is our little dare devil. She actually doesn't need the football to climb on the ottoman, however, it did make the task much easier.

Bailey.....posing.

This is literally her favorite thing to do as of late. She likes to put her ducks on there and then climb on herself. Two seconds later, she jumps off and repeats.

Big girl with her sippy cup.

Lilla's latest best friends....she's been into duck's. As you can see, there are three ducks. The two smaller ones she usually holds in her hands, and the larger one in her mouth.....just walking around with them. This morning, in the car going to daycare, we caught her making them talk to each other.....what were they saying, not sure, but she's figured out that they are friends who have something to say to either each other or her. Very cute.

Lilla around and about

Lilla's kitty jammies...

Lilla sometimes thinks she is super woman....she is trying to lift the ottoman.

Kitty jammies.....how cute.

The full effect.

Lilla and Grace wearing the same t-shirt...CUTE.

My sister bought these two matching Gwen Stefanie t's and Grace instisted on getting photo together. Lilla was not really having it, she only had one nap today.

The Wi, the Wi! The Volker boys love the Wi.....who doesn't.

Lilla getting ready to get fit on the Wi fit....see it's kid friendly.

The Motley crew. Grace, Lilla, Jonah, Avery, Dakota, and baby Simon.

Simon in the Bumbo....and Lilla playing with him. Lilla loves to play with Simon, but sometimes she doesn't know her own strength.

I'm pretty sure Simon likes playing with Lilla too....

Dakota....being a good cousin and playing with Lilla.

Simon doodle....look at those cheeks.

Cheese....that was what Lilla was saying. Her new word of the day, will she say it tomorrow....probably not.

It's a doozy....

Yooper pooper......chocolate covered peanuts. Thanks KT and Bjorn.

Lilla opening presents and taking it very seriously.

Liam eating the paper....yum yum yum.

Baby Bjorn....seriously. =) I could see Kelli in his eyes for a second....and then it was gone.

Torturing Simon....poor Simon.

Torturing Lilla......yes, that's me holding up the Happy New Years hat that I was wearing at the restauant to my sleeping baby....I'm lucky she didn't wake up. Silly mommy.

Baily wearing that hat.....she's thrilled as you can tell.

The hat on John....also thrilled.

I guess I'm the only one who liked that hat....yeah me!

Lilla playing w/ Bailey after being FINALLY home from the holidays.

Bailey's new christmas present from mom and dad. (She ate her other one....literally).

Bailey was good girl this year...look at all her presents.....actually, those are all for mom and dad.

The three stooges in their new jammies.....Grace, Jonah, and Avery.

Lilla opening presents. ......again

Checking out the new presents.

THe Volker cousins....at least most of them. =) Mike, Dustin, Kyle, Shantel, Brian, Rebecca, Dakota, Rose, Brad, Ashely, Evan, Ronda, Tony, Timmy, Grace, Grandpa, Grandma, Me, Lilla.

My two god sons.....aren't they hansome? Dakota and Evan.....

Rose and Lilla.....Lilla really liked feeling Rose's dress...I'm not sure Rose liked it so much.

Who knows.....it looks like they are getting into trouble.

Lilla figured out that you can see throught the clear plastic cover of that tuperware....boy, was that funny.....at least, according to Lilla. =)

Change

No picture....I know. But believe me, there will be pictures and movies, we've caught Lilla doing some funny stuff lately plus we have Christmas pics.....I'm just a little lazy lately. I just had to write this because I find it so amazing and for the first time (in a while) I am in awe of my daughter. What you forget about children is that they are brand new, right? Everything is new to them.....I guess we forget because as adults so little is "new" anymore, and if it is new, it probably not a good new. (Example: dealing with a lose of someone you love). Ok, I'm rambling....those who know me know I can have my moments....sorry. =)

Ok the whole point of this post is that my little girl said "ball" yesterday. It was like she always knew what that was, but now she can actually say it. Ball! Who knew that that little word would conjour up such a sense of pride in her mother. Really, my first thought was, "OMG....she's a genius....I'm going to have to call Guiness." I've since settled, but I just can't believe I'm already here. It's like I looked at her and she changed. She's no longer this little baby who "needs" everything from me or John....she's turning into a little independent girl. Needless to say, I'm very pround of my little pumpkin and just had to write into the nothingness about her, however, I know that some will read this and be just as proud of Lilla as I am.

She also did another amazing thing this morning, which again made me look at her in awe. As our morning ritual, I wake up, I eat breakfast, I go check on Lilla. She usually is sitting in her crib watching her fish (which she has turned on and I swear is television for babies.....but hey it keeps her in there for a little bit longer). I open the door, she smiles, stands up in her crib, turns off her fish and I pick her up. The next thing happens almost everyday, I ask her "do you want some milk?" Now, I've NEVER gotten a response for this question, I've always assumed she wants some milk because for the last 446 days of her life, that's what we've done, get up and get some milk (breast milk, formula, now whole milk), it's become routine. Well, today, I asked her if she wanted some milk, she looked at me and signed milk with her hand! Now, as a mom, I know how wonderful it is to teach your children sign lauguage, especially since for the last 446 days, she hasn't been able to verbally communicate with me, other then screaming, crying, cooing, laughing, grunting....you know normal baby stuff. And as a mother, I feel guilty because I never took or had the time to consistantly sign with Lilla. However, her lovely day care did, and today it stuck with her. SHE SIGNED MILK!

Let's re-cap: in one day my daughter said the word "ball" and signed the word "milk". I'm sure there will be many more proud moments to come, and there have been MANY proud moments so far, but for some reason, this really hit me. My baby is becoming a little girl, and there's nothing I can do about it except watch and enjoy.

Last Weekend and Lilla's 1st program

Bailey enjoying her brand new Kong bone from Grandma and Grandpa Selander! Thank you....I love it.

Our little angel....halo and everything. Lilla had her first Christmas party at her daycare, which is at our church. The "snuggle bunnies" (her classroom) had on little halo's (which surpriseingly they got Lilla to keep on her head) and jiggle bells which they shook while the adults sang "Jingle Bells". All in all, very cute and worth the horrible weather/traffic jam we had to endure to get there (30 minutes late).

Mommy and Lilla.

The kids getting to the stage. Love the big buggy, wish I had someone pushing me in that some days.

Lilla (carried by Greta) getting to the stage.

Grandma and Grandpa Volker.....Lilla's great grandparents......and of course my Dad and me.

Uncle Dick....a rare picture.

Lilla's great Aunt Joan....otherwise known as my lovely god mother.

Four generations.

John reading to Lilla Jonah. Awwww.