Lily - 1 Month

It is hard to believe a month has already past since the arrival of sweet Lily.  She has brought so much joy to our home.  We have loved learning more about her personality and spirit.  Lily is loved by all, especially her big sister, Emily.  The highlights of this month were:

• Arriving home to be with Daddy, Emily, and Mommy
• Spending time with Nana and Grandma Yates
• Going to church for the first time to meet so many ward friends.
• Loves to watch movements, especially those of her sister
• Eyes are shining more blue than anything and growing long eyelashes
• Sparkled a few smiles.

Dress up

The other day Emily insisted on wearing her coat.  As I was nursing Lily she left the room and was rummaging through her dresser.  Emily came back in the room looking like this:

I couldn't stop laughing at my silly dress up girl.  She is definitely a fashion model!

Later that week, Emily was watching Daddy get his tie on.  She then wanted to wear one too.  Repeatedly she tried to tie it herself by wrapping it around her neck.  It was cute to see Nelson help her put it on.

Day to Day

Lily, Emily, and I love spending time together everyday.  Our day to day routine looks similar.  It is filled with simple activities that can be done at home or nearby as Lily is still little and feeds often.  These are pictures that capture our day to day fun.

 Feeding and snuggling with Lily:

Jumping on the bed.  Emily loves to sing and watch herself in the mirror while standing on my bed.

Exploring outside.

Eating lunch together in the kitchen.  Emily loves to bring her rocking chair in the kitchen to sit next to Lily while eating lunch.  She uses a kitchen chair as a table.  Emily is quick to fold her arms to say a prayer as soon as her food is in front of her.  Today she was caught teaching Lily how to pray.

LOTS and LOTS of books and stories.  I read some, Emily reads some, and monkey reads some!

Bath time.  Dad gets one girl and I get the other.  Lily always wins the race to get dressed.  I am not sure if it will always be that way!

Coloring.  Emily loves to color her Curious George book.  She uses a crayon and pencil in the proper grip even.  WOW!  I love the way she lines up her crayons next to her.

Lots of giggles, snuggles, and fun with this smart, cute, adorable girl!

Park Adventure

One of our favorite adventure stops is the park up the street.  It is a great, close, free getaway for us all in the beautiful sunshine.  With the weather cooling down a little (into the 90's) and swimming not an option right now, the park is an almost daily occurrence.  To switch things up a little, Emily and I have explored a few new parks.  It is fun to see her explore new heights and places!

My Two Girls

Each day I pray with great gratitude for my many blessings, especially my family.  Though there are still rocky moments throughout the day - there always will be - Emily, Lily, and I are adjusting to our new routine with the 3 of us.  I love the time we share each day playing, singing, and reading books together.  Some of my favorite moments are when the 3 of us sit together to read books.  I love how Emily cuddles next to me and pats Lily's head.  She is so sweet with Lily.  For the past few days Emily has wanted to eat her meals in her rocking chair sitting next to Lily in the kitchen.  Emily is insistent that Lily be in her chair even if I am trying to console her when she is fussy.  I know she will be excited to play and share with Lily as she grows.  They will be great friends - for sure.  What's more they will be sisters!  Sisters make the best of friends - they never come and go because they are always there.  Sisters are great to play, pretend, and talk with.  I know my sisters are all special to me and know these girls will have their own special sisterhood.

Bath Time

Lily loves bath time - just like her big sister.  During her first bath she was a bit unsure, but now finds it soothing and relaxing.  Emily loves to watch me bathe her.  She can now be found throughout the day giving her monkey a pretend bath in Lily's bath chair.

I find it so amazing to watch Emily mimic the things I do with Lily and her each day - bathe, play, talk, swaddle, feed, dress, and sing.  As I see her pretending to be me it makes me evaluate what she sees.  I want her to know how much I love her in my actions and hope that shows.

Lily's Birth Annoucement

All in the Family

It has been fun to look back at pictures of Emily since Lily was born to see how the two are similar.  They definitely share features - both physically and emotionally.  There is no doubt in my mind these two girls were best friends in heaven.  They seem to share a kindred connection that cannot be explained with words.  I love watching Lily gaze at Emily in amazement.  Emily in turn is a great protector and lover of Lily.  She loves to touch (sometimes more than she should) and give her hugs.  When Lily is crying, Emily is quick to go to her aid saying, "It's okay!  Mommy coming!"  I am so blessed to have these beautiful daughters and spirits in my home.

This pictures collage shows Emily and Lily as newborns and myself around 6 months.  It is so fun to see resemblances.

Nana and Grandma

Nana was here for a few days before Lily's arrival.   Emily and I loved spending time with her.  We enjoyed the splash park, river walk, and crafting together a quiet book.  She was a great help with Emily while I was in the hospital.  I know Emily enjoyed her one-on-one time with her because she was spoiled with hugs, kisses, and jellybeans.  It was a special experience to have my mom there for Lily's delivery.  Whenever my mom describes the birth of a baby - whether it be a grandchild or her own child - she emphasizes the spiritual feelings that are present.  As she said, "When a baby is born, heaven and earth meet."  I was glad that she was there for that special moment and hope she felt her daddy there because I know he was.  He is never far.

Grandma Yates came the weekend after Lily was born.  With my dad in the hospital, my mom had to leave early.  JoLynn was so sweet to come so quickly - the next day.  I appreciate the time she took away from work on such short notice.  Emily too loved spending time with Grandma Yates.  She loved dancing and singing nursery songs.  Emily now loves to dance and sing while I am nursing.  It was special to have JoLynn there to meet Lily and get to know her so quickly after she had joined our family.  I know both girls loved spending some time with her.

We are looking forward to blessing Lily at home in Salt Lake in September so that we can introduce her to so many people that love her.  There is no doubt we are richly blessed with love from family and dear loved ones.  I hope both my daughters know how much they are loved.

Lily

This is a collection of pictures of Lily we have taken so far.

Fulfilling the Big Sister Role

Emily has jumped into the "Big Sister" role so well.  She loves her baby sister!  Emily loves to touch her, sit by her, read her stories, go for walks, and talk with her.  There is no doubt she loves Lily!  I know they are going to be best friends as the years go by.  It is neat to see Emily so protective of Lily.  I love the way she tries to console Lily when she is crying, saying, "It's okay!  Mommy help you!  Shh, Shh. . ."  There are moments where Emily is figuring out the attention  Lily needs from me, but overall she is doing well.  I am grateful for the love they share.

Sunglasses and Shoes

Emily loves to wear shoes!  She loves to try on different pairs, even those of others.  I am not sure where her fashion sense comes from because it sure isn't me.  The other day I caught her putting shoes on Emily.  So cute!

When Grandma Yates was here, Emily loved to wear her sunglasses.  She thought it was so funny to have them on her head.  I think she was exploring the way they made everything look dim.  Fashion diva!