Learning to sit

This week marks the second week of Lillie starting preschool in the 4 year old class. Monday through Thursday Mom gets a little break... really a BIG break because Charlotte naps during this time, too. So glad I kept Lillie in the afternoon class. For a while I had her on a waiting list for the AM session. It seems I make several "not so good" decisions as a Mom, but I nailed this one!
Charlotte is really becoming her own little person and pretty much a complete opposite of Lillie at this age. Fearless and pretty competitive for a 16 month old. This past week she mastered the task of sitting. Whether it is on a step, on a stool at the park, on a curb, on the heater covers in the house... you get the idea. As I watched her at the park last week I thought how wonderful it was that she was totally happy and amazed at her new-found ability to bend the knees, back up until her bum touched the stool and then sit. Get up, walk about 4 steps and repeat.
Here are some recent pictures of the two lovelies - first day of school, at the park, at Celtic Fest in Grant Park, and at home. Happy Fall everyone!

Logic

Lillie, Charlotte and I ventured to Lincoln Park Zoo yesterday. Another perfectly gorgeous day to be out and about. I thought for sure Lillie would get tuckered out and take a nap (she got up very early for her, around 6:45am). Nope.
They had a great time at the zoo. This was Charlotte's first time this year. She loved it, but screamed her head off every time I told her she could not get in and swim with the fish, the seals, the polar bear... She can't get enough of the water and apparently it doesn't matter who (or what) is swimming in it.
So no nap for Lillie means a "touchy" afternoon and evening. Generally she gets goofy, runs around the house, has a great time until you tell her she can't do something.
Here's how it went:
Lillie: (at 5:45pm)"Mom, let's go outside."
Mom: "We can't right now. I have to make your dinner. Do you still want turkey and cheese sandwich and soup?"
Lillie: "Yes, but can we PLEASE go outside?"
Mom: "Not now."
Lillie: "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" (and runs upstairs to her room)
5 minutes later...
Lillie: "Mom, I changed my mind. I want a hotdog for dinner. Can you grill it outside for me?"
Mom:"A hotdog? Grilled outside?"
Lillie: "Yes. And since you can't leave us in the house, we'll just come out with you until the hotdogs are done. That a good idea?"

I mean, what do you say to that except "Hotdogs it is! Let's go!"

A different kind of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

This summer in Chicago has been a little goofy in terms of weather. Not super hot, kind of a lot of rain, not like any other summer in Chicago that I remember. So, it seems that these last couple of weeks before preschool starts again I feel under some sort of pressure to do some more fun "summer" stuff.
Yesterday, we ventured down to Millennium Park to the Family Fun tent with our neighbors (you know him as Flash from the previous post). The gist of the Family Fun tent is this: 10am concert for the kids: Old MacDonald, Twinkle Twinkle, ABC's, the usual kid songs sung by ONE person playing A guitar. After that, just fun stuff for kids to do- color, build with blocks, hula hoop, etc.
Lillie had a rough start. She wanted to just "go play". I told her we should sit and listen to the music (which, generally, she LOVES music) and then we'd go play. Nope. Crying, crying, more crying. Then plugs her ears and says that music is too loud. We go outside, make it through and eventually go play. Here is Lillie and Charlotte having fun with Flash at "the bean" and the fountains.



Lillie has always been very sensitive to loud sounds: public toilets flushing, those ridiculous "xcelerator" hand blowers, sirens, fireworks, etc. So, you can imagine my surprise when we walk to grab some hotdogs for lunch by the bandshell... the music playing was LOUD. The music is described as Experimental/Indie/Rock. My neighbor said, "is Lillie going to be OK with this?" I said "hmmm... I don't know..." then to my surprise I look at her sitting in the stroller and she is "banging" her head to the beat, totally in a zone. Then she said "I feel like dancing." Oh, Lillie. If you really want to hear it, check it out http://www.myspace.com/algernonmusic then you have to imagine it live and much, much louder.
Maybe the Charlie Brown Christmas CD in her room is a total cover up. I'd better check under her bed... or in her drawers... for her real stash of music.

Saving the World One Twirl at a Time!

We are so fortunate living here in Beverly to be surrounded with such wonderful neighbors and friends. Little did I realize until a couple of weeks ago, however, that we do have a resident superhero a few doors down... Flash. I know. Who knew? Right here in Beverly. Wow.
Well, Flash (aka Carter) and Lillie often get together to play and lately it has been all superheros, all the time. So last week, Flash came over. On this particular day, I could only address him as Flash... Carter was not here. I told Lillie that should could be "Super Princess" not really thinking it would stick. It did. During their time together, they had a few challenges with the "bad guys". Here is my favorite dialogue that I overheard:
Flash: "Look, Lillie! It's the Joker!"
Princess Lillie: "Oh no! Let's get him!"
Flash: "Ok, I'll zap him (makes a zapping sound)!"
Princess Lillie: "Ok, and I'll twirl! Watch this Flash! (continues twirling until she falls down)"
Let's hope that if the Joker (or other bad guy) tries to take over the world we either have a lot of "zapping" goin' on or there are so many Super Princesses twirling, he smothers in silk and ruffles.
"Super Princess! Saving the World One Twirl at a Time!"

Here is Lillie with Dad in her Super Princess outfit...and Bears jersey underneath for a little extra power.