Happy (1st) Fathers Day!

Proverbs 10:9
The man of integrity walks securely,
but he who takes crooked paths will be found out





We have learned a lot about one another in the last year. Being a parent has its pretty and loving parts and it also invites some challenges too. I've always known you were an honorable man, but as a father it has shined through even more.
I've learned that being a parent strips you down to the bare bone. There is no place to hide in parenting. To me its all about being real with your child.
Nothing can possibly prepare you for the task that we are so graciously given.

Our children our honest, naive, and joyful. As a parent if you lack integrity, well you could easily get lost in parenting.

You are so loving with Liliana. You are excited about changes that are taking place everyday. She looks at you with love and giggles when she sees your silly faces. She, I believe, will be one of your best food critics, probably with a more defined palate than myself. I know in the days ahead she will listen to the stories that you will so enthusiastically talk about, on topics such as camping, cycling, history & food. She may one day give you that look, like really dad could you possibly go on any longer. Or perhaps you've met your match & she will be just a bit more long winded that you. I think as she evolves, we will as parents as well.

I am so blessed to be in this with you. I look forward to the years ahead
(& children too).

Happy Fathers Day!


p.s. love the new do

And there were Fireflies

We had a fun late afternoon at Forest Hills Park. We rode down on our bikes, under an unpredictable sky and relished in the summer heat. To me there is nothing like being on your bike.
We had a morning that was lazy, somewhat. A call from a realtor to preview the home which led us to running around fixing, tiding, dusting. I watched Lili, eli worked on V-21 stuff as well as job searching.
Then the realtor came & went, Liliana napped & by then we needed out. So we noticed the dark clouds above when departing our neighborhood & still made our way to the park. We got her into her swim gear so she could enjoy the spray ground, a mini (mini) water park resembling a sprinkler. I got right in there with her & I laughed & enjoyed watching her reaction.
How amazing it is to be a parent to show your child all your 'favorites'. We were in it for a bit, next had a snack & then heard the thunder rolling in, the clouds got even darker. We quickly got on our bikes & made it back to the Tobacco Trail for our ride home. If you've never taken the trail from Southpoint to Downtown, do it. Its beautiful.
I think yesterday was especially magical, the trail is already canopied with greenery, plus adding the dark sky it got pretty dark & it was polka dotted with fireflies. I was that little kid that was in awe & then moments later I was that parent that heard thunder REALLY close & I was that momma that was thinking perhaps I chose the wrong decision to be out in this.
Needless to say we made it 1/2 a mile to home & the clouds opened & we got poured on, we got wet & lili was protected by the cover on the trailer. As we were turning into the driveway I was glad we went out, even w/the possibility of rain. I don't want to be that person sitting in the window thinking maybe...'no' I can't go out it might rain.

What 'No' Means

We are learning that 'no' to a soon to be free, willed toddler is, let me try this again and again & maybe one more time. The house is clutter free, thanks to having a house on the market, and so its pretty kid friendly. Except for the one or two things Lili manages to find, i.e. the fireplace (really can't pick up & move that) and a plant that is up, up on a tall table. She manages to grasp the vines when they hang over the sides. I understand she is curious & learning but when your child, tenses up and grunts at you, boy I wonder how I can parent better.

We've had many conversations about how to best discipline our child, or really what will work for us, based on what we believe in. Don't get me wrong, it's way easier to discuss than to do. So in our future there will be plenty of get down on the floor and be repetitive and say, 'No' and why. She is not going to agree w/it, we know, but as long as its in a guiding, loving manner and consistent we will learn this discipline relationship. I hope.

We enjoy watching her explore. There are many times when Liliana hangs out in just our family room & then there are times with supervision she wonders around the 1st floor. She enjoys this. We often think of the next step; when she was just laying there we wondered what it would be like when she rolled & crawled & then she did those things, then it was wow, what will it be like when she walks & now we are there. Now we wonder what it will be like when she can ride a bike w/us, run. But I need to remind myself to enjoy these bits of life while we are in it. It all goes by too fast.

11 Months

How did this happen? Moments ago I was trying to learn about how you would nurse, sleep at night & grow. NOW I think about what kind of foods you will eat, if you will nap & how long I should nurse you...so many things change & yet so many things stay the same. At times I feel as though we just brought you home from the hospital. I was so, so sleep deprived that I feel as if I forgot large chunks of time, but I remember loving waking next to you in the morning. Now at 11 months I'm lucky if you'll nurse for 10 mins. laying besides me before you want to go explore. We are working on boundaries at this time, learning more & more about 'no'.
At 11 months you are:
*Walking everywhere inside, still use carries a lot when we go out. The Ergo is our favorite right now.
*Just cut your first tooth
*Exploring with your food
*About to learn what its like to live near Grandparents. I never knew my Grandparents, unlike Eli who did, so this will be a new experience.
*Lucky if we get 2 naps in & somedays even one
*Still loves music
*Loves bath times
*Still enjoys clapping, waving & now pointing

How is it that we're so close to 1 year....time is just too precious.

Is that Macaroni...or a tooth?

So last night Liliana had pasta for dinner, typically she loves it, last night not so much. I found most of it on the floor & well that ended that dinner mission. Out she came & off to play she went. We then proceeded to play, "I'm gonna get you." With me scooting on all our fours on the floor to chase my baby, she giggles & gets super excited when we play this game, its pretty funny. I may laugh more than her, its a close competition.
As we were in the midst of tickles & laughter I noticed what I thought was macaroni in her mouth but low & behold our BABY has her 1st tooth. I couldn't stop feeling it, she really doesn't let you see it. All these milestones are amazing. We're so excited to be a part of this process, our child evolving--its pretty cool, for so lack of a better word.
Walking, teeth, whats next....your first word perhaps......Love you!