Autumn Moon Festival 2011

This past weekend Lily and I went to the Autumn Moon Festival at HarbourFront.  We went with some good friends enjoyed all the events.  The sun was shining warm on our faces, beautiful singers and dancers filled the stage and there was also a fashion show of Au Dois (pronounced "eye yeow").  We were very lucky to run into other families who are a part of our adoption community.  Always a special time when we see the kids playing together.

They had a competition of lanterns that were all very unique.  Lily loved the butterfly.

Lily and Harper made lanterns in the craft tent.  Lily was very excited to see Harper.

What was really exciting was that we all got to see how Moon Cakes were made.  Monique loved the moon cakes, I was a bit on the fence with them and of course Lily loved them.

Lily had a blast with her "older sister" Amelie.  I think Amelie had a blast being a big and "bossy" sister to Lily.  Nothing like looking up to an older, cool girl.  Lily followed her like a puppy dog.



Peek-a Boo-Bunny



Two Weeks Left of Being 1YR

The last bit of summer is still hanging on (in my mind at least).  I am missing the carefree days with no dates to do anything.  When we felt like it we went to the beach, we read books, we had LOTS of popsicles and ice cubes were a hit.  We laid in bed when we woke and watch the leaves dancing around in the trees.  We search for the most perfect stone and collected them in momma's pocket.  Sandcastles, moats, roads and pools made on the beach. Kicking back with good friends that sometimes we only get to see in the summer.  Cocktails at five (mommas only).  Froth from Auntie's coffee in the morning (Lily).

Suddenly, without much notice, Lily started to sing songs.  Baby Beluga, Twinkle, Twinkle, Happy Birthday, Row Row, Wiggle songs and to top it off she shouts at me to "STOP" when I start to sing along or dance.  Here I have sung my heart out to entertain her and teach her and now when we can do a duet....I am kicked out and she is going solo.  Hmmm lets hope that is a phase.

Only a couple weeks until Lily turns two.

Favorite Shows:  really old Wiggle DVDs, really really old Barney VHS, Back Yardigans, Little Einsteins and Guess with Jess.

Favorite Books:  thank goodness she still is into Goodnight Moon, Peepo, Baby Beluga, On the Night you Were Born, Time for Bed, any book with dogs or cats on it,  and Dora.

Other Milestones:  Hops on two feet, does tree pose and downward dog with leg in the air, just went down the slide and did not have to hold onto my hand, will hang from the monkey bars for 3 seconds, walks Char Char (should say demands to walk the dog), can put on her Crocs by herself, brush her teeth (pretty well), NO interest at all to be toilet trained but that is OK.  A couple months ago Lily started to say "luv you".  She also says goodnight to almost everyone she knows (with a little help)

Favorite Foods:  Everything but top five right now would be bananas, apples, tomatoes, toast, fish (the orange snack kind)



End of Summer at the Beach



Lily's first day of school (well daycare really) and well
it is not really her first day but her first day in Sept.



All excited coming back from daycare.  Long day and we need to play.



Cheeeeeeeeese!



Signs of turning 2yrs

I have seen the signs.  Turning two and what comes with it.
Strong will is not so bad and I actually like that but when it comes with short bursts of tantrums thats when I start to thing my golden one is  not going to bypass the "terrible twos" or I would rather call them "tantrum twos". 

Lily will be going for her two year check up soon and I am anticipating a weight gain of a few hefty pounds to bring her up to 23.5lbs.  And I think her height will come in at 32.5 inches.  Her shoes size went from 3 to a short lived 4 to almost a five.  We are between sizes right now.  This girl is shoe obsessed and it is all my fault.  Without a lot of closet space in our small Toronto home Lily's shoes have found their home on window sills and within reach of her tiny hands.  But that is the fun stuff in having a girl isn't it.

Cool Nights and Warm Days

Doesn't get much better than this.  Love the cool nights in the evenings but I am not quite ready to pack up our summer clothes.  Lily, Char and I are looking forward to a great weekend up north.  We may go late Friday or early Saturday to avoid the parking lot on Hwy 400.

Our cottage beach was featured in this month's Cottage Life apparently.  Not too happy about that as I personally like to keep in on the low down.

This summer has been a great one for us, just in Lily's development alone it has been a riot.  She is just so much fun and is constantly laughing at pretty much anything.  She has grown taller and put on a few more pounds that allow her to go into a facing forward car seat.  Makes my job as her mama just that much easier and I AM very grateful for her present temperment. 

   

Around the middle of July, Lily and I headed up north to Huntsville to a camp that my sister has been coaching at for over 25 years.  Camp Olympia was hosting all girls week so it was appropriate that Lily and I were my sister's guests that week.  It was paradise for me with no cooking, cleaning, planning.  Just got up and ate with the campers, went on great walks and played at the beach.  Below to the left is a picture of Lily wandering to the neighbours and kindly recycling their bottles.  And to the right is Lily and her Auntie playing with bubbles.

We left the camp and heading back over to our cottage for 10 days of sunshine and tons of fun.  We could hardly wait for our friends who travelled to Vietnam to join us for the upcoming weekend.  We had four toddlers running in every direction and then two five year old BFFs playing and laughing for the whole vacation.



Dinner alfresco for the four toddlers, Harper, Cedric, Olivia and Lily

Lily, Cedric, Yasmine-Li, Hannah, Harper and Olivia with matching giraffes



Olivia, Lily and Charlotte



Lily and Harper (kids are always looking outside)

 

Lily and Mama at sunset time, friends are all close by.



OK I just can't believe that I caught this on camera.

Lily loves the cottage and loves the "wa wa".  She  says it from the moment she wakes to the last moment before she closes her eyes for the night.

Lily plays the Happy / Sad game and when she says one of the words that is your queue to show her what a happy face looks like and then a sad face.  The more dramatic your face the more she laughs.