Now You're My Whole Life

It's rare that I drive in my car alone. I normally have a precious little backseat driver. However, the other day I was actually driving in the car by myself. I don't want to admit how long it took me to realize I was listening to one of Lily's CDs. Needless to say, once I did realize it I popped the CD out as quickly as possible!

I can't tell you the last time I listened to the radio. It's been a very long time. Seriously. Anyway, I was flipping through the stations when I heard the song "Then" by Brad Paisley. It's the first time I've heard the song and it brought tears to my eyes. If you're not familiar with the lyrics here they are:

I remember, trying not to stare the night that I first met you. You had me mesmerized.
And three weeks later in the front porch light, taking forty five minutes to kiss goodnight.
I hadn't told you yet, but I thought I loved you then.

Now you're my whole life, now you're my whole world.
And I just can't believe, the way I feel about you girl.
Like a river meets the sea, stronger than it's ever been.
We've come so far since that day.
And I thought I loved you then.

I remember, taking you back to right where I first met you. You were so surprised.
There were people around but I didn't care.
I got down on one knee right there.
And once again, I thought I loved you then.

Now you're my whole life, now you're my whole world.
And I just can't believe, the way I feel about you girl.
Like a river meets the sea, stronger than it's ever been.
We've come so far since that day.
And I thought I loved you then.

I can just see you, with a baby on the way.
I can just see you, when your hair is turning grey.
What I can't see is how I'm ever going to love you more.
But I've said that before.
Now you're my whole life, now you're my whole world.
And I just can't believe the way I feel about you girl.
We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in and I'll look at you and say,
"And I thought I loved you then."

Obviously this song is written about a relationship between a woman and a man, but that didn't stop it from giving me one of those deja vu, tears in my eyes, goosebump moments. I literally had just been thinking about how much I love Lily and how that love continues to grow and grow when this song came on.

I have loved Lily since she was just a wish in my heart that I hadn't shared with anyone...not even Tony. That love continued to grow when I was finally able to see her sweet little face for the first time. Of course, that was nothing compared to how much deeper my love for her grew when I first held her in my arms. And now, every day, that love continues to grow in ways that amaze me and take my breath away.

I also know that someday I will look back at this moment with Lily and think, "And I thought I loved you then."

OBX X 3

It's so hard for me to believe that we just returned from our 3rd trip to the Outer Banks as a family of 3! We had a wonderful time and the weather was perfect.

To be honest, any time I can spend a week with my family all together...in one place...I'm one happy camper. Seriously, I think I was a Border Collie in a former life. I've definitely got that herding instinct!

Unfortunately, this year the whole family wasn't able to make it on vacation. Don and the kids couldn't come because of Maggie's sports commitments (boo hiss). Jamie also wasn't able to make it this year. Jamie recently graduated from college and is now working, renting his own place, and doing all manner of "grown up" things that precluded him from being able to go away with us this year (double boo hiss).

The no shows not withstanding, it was great to spend a week with family! Lily had so much fun...playing Candyland with Dad Dad, trains with Uncle Dave, King and Queen with Uncle Ed, building sandcastles with Beanie, roughhousing with Ryan, hanging out with the big girls (Clare, Sadie, and Katie), and talking the ears off of Aunt Baba and Aunt Patti.

I'm already looking forward to next year's vacation! Until then, here are a few of my favorite pictures from this year and a look back at the last two years.

Baycation, Breakfast, Batinis, Baths with Beanie, and Birthdays

We are away for our annual family vacation in the Outer Banks. The weather is beautiful, Dad Dad is spoiling us by cooking breakfast, Lily and Beanie are loving the BIG jacuzzi bath tub, Lily is sporting a batini (bikini), and Patti celebrated her 42nd birthday...I couldn't be happier!

Fun At The Fair

It's hard for me to believe that the summer is almost over and we haven't had a single Aunt T, Beanie, and Lily Day. I guess this is what happens when your kids (no, not Lily...Beanie!) get old enough to have a social life.

Today may not technically have been an Aunt T, Beanie, and Lily Day...but we did have a fun afternoon together at the fair!

Lily In Daisies

I just had to share these cute pictures of our sweet girl wearing the daisy dress Nai Nai gave her for her birthday.

Ladew And Lian

What a beautiful place!

On Friday Lily and I went to Ladew Topiary Gardens with our friends Christine and Lian. Lily and Lian frog hunted, fed the fish, ran through fields, tumbled in the grass, and had a wonderul time. Christine and I had a lot of fun, too!

On the way home I was about a quart low so I stopped at Chik Fil A for an iced tea. Lily's water cup was almost empty so I ordered an ice water for her, too. You would have sworn I gave her the keys to the kingdom! Lily was so excited to drink out of an actual Chik Fil A cup. Who knew?! Look at her sweet little face.

Bye, Bye, Boo Hoo Hoo

Once a week for the last two years Lily and I have attended class at My Gym. Two years of singing "Hi, hi, how do you do?", two years of watching Lily go from the little girl who didn't want to leave my lap to the little girl who runs, explores, and does a variety of gymnastics skills, two years of friendships, and lots and lots of fun.



We both have really enjoyed the classes, teachers, facilities, and friends we've made at My Gym. But today it was time for us to sing, "Bye, bye...boo...hoo...hoo." After two really fun, wonderful years we're moving on.



In September, Lily and I will be attending a two morning a week cooperative preschool program. We've also signed Lily up for a class called "Ballet and Books" one morning a week. That's enough. That's more than enough really.



That being said, I can't believe how sad I feel about leaving My Gym. I will miss going and I know Lily will, too.

Mosquito Magnet

Unfortunately, Tony and I are not the only ones that think our Lily is incredibly sweet. Mosquitoes absolutely love her, too! These awful, disease carrying, blood sucking parasites feast on our little sweetie every chance they get.

It's really strange. Lily literally seems to attract mosquitoes. Often the 3 of us will be outside playing and Tony and I won't get a single bite and poor Lily will be covered in red welts. It drives me (and Lily) crazy! In fact, just the other day we were outside playing and Lily asked me, "Mommy, why do mosquitoes think I'm dessert?" How funny/sad is that?

We've tried countless different ways to control the mosquito population in our yard. We've eliminated all standing water, used various organic sprays, etc. to no avail.

I've also bought every natural repellent known to man. Seriously. I can't tell you how many different natural repellents we've tried. I have a shelf full of them. Sadly, on Lily they seem to work more as a marinade than as a repellent!

So, I've given up. DEET it is. As much as I hate to use chemicals on Lily, being covered head to toe in mosquito bites can't be good for her either!

She really is so sweet...but mosquito dessert no more!

Fashion Sense

It's been decided. Lily will be locked in her bedroom until she reaches the age of 30! Why, you ask?? It's simple. Really. Blame it on Lily's fashion sense.

This weekend Lily and I went shopping to buy her a few things to make it through the rest of summer. Lily is growing like a weed and the clothes I bought her at the beginning of summer barely fit her now.

Anyway, I was looking at some shorts for Lily and she chimes in, "No Mommy, not those. I like short shorts." I assured Lily that they were in fact shorts. Lily replied, "I know, but I don't want my shorts to go to there. I want them to go to there." Let's just say the hand gestures Lily used to indicate the desired length of her shorts would have made Daisy Duke blush!

We also looked for a few new shirts while we were out. Lily told me, "Mommy, I want shirts that show my underarms." Um...underarms?!? Okey dokey. Hey, at least she didn't say her belly button!

Today while we were out running errands I stopped in a shoe store looking for a new pair of plain black sandals. I must confess I'm very much a 'sensible shoe' kinda girl. Lily...not so much. Every snakeskin, leopard spotted, gold bangled, 5 inch heel pair of hoochie shoes Lily spotted actually caused her to squeal with delight...and me to cringe!



Did I say Lily would be locked in her room until she's 30? I meant 35!

PS - this is my 500th post! When I started the blog way back when I never imagined I would still be updating it almost 3 years later.

My Scripted Life

As I've mentioned a few hundred times on this blog our little Lily absolutely LOVES to talk, and talk, and talk. Lately it seems that Lily is no longer happy just to carry on her half of the conversation...now she wants to tell you how to reply, too!

Here's an example:

Lily: Mommy say, "What are you doing Big Brother?"
Me: What are you doing Big Brother?
Lily: Wait Mommy. I meant...say, "What are you doing Babysitter?"
Me: Ok. What are you doing Babysitter?
Lily: I'm not the babysitter. I'm Miss Kahla.

If you couldn't follow that...don't worry...either can I! These "scripted" conversations actually make me dizzy. Seriously!

Obviously this is not how every conversation goes in our house but let's just say, "This is one stage Mommy sure hopes passes quickly!"

Here are some cute pictures of our little playwright splashing in the puddles after yesterday's crazy rainfall: