I think I like reading about other peoples lives better

That's why I haven't posted in a while. I have no excuse. I sit in front of a laptop all day with Internet access. I read all sorts of blogs on my google reader, and I compose all sorts of fun, witty entries in my brain but then never type them out.

Funny things Lily has said lately:

She got tangled in her sheets last night: "Darn it, darn it!"

As I was leaving for work yesterday: "Are you wearing a dress momma" Yes I am "I have dresses too momma".

Anytime she doesn't like something we do: "I don't yike that"

We had her going pretty good on the potty training, she would go first thing in the morning and then we had a couple of days where she would tell us that she needed to go, but then something happened between last Thursday and Friday because now she won't sit on the potty chair at all, nor does she want anything to do with the big potty. I'm thinking it had something to do with our terrible weather. We had another snow storm, blizzard if you are inclined, that dumped another 5 inches on top of our already 10 inches, and then we had an arctic blast. So cold that it was colder here than it was in the Arctic. Like -15 with the wind chill. So I worked from home for 2 days and we didn't leave the house. During those two days was when she was going strong on the potty training. Then I went back to work. And she regressed.

Spring Snow

Just when we thought Spring had finally arrived and come to stay:

Don't even get me started on the Jayhawk Flag. I spent several minutes this morning teaching Lily how to say "Go Tigers" and "Mizzou".

Fun with Leaves

A couple of weekends ago was a fabulous Indian Summer day, 70 degrees and sunny. I put Lily in one of her favorite dresses, probably for the last time and we took her to the park to play in the leaves. James took some good pictures and I thought I would share some of them here.

Doing the Itsy Bitsy Spider

Lily is growing bigger and bigger every day. She continues to amaze me with the things she knows and picks up just from observation. She is really into mimicking us right now. She tries to brush her hair with my brush, she likes to brush her teeth when we do, she even goes around our bedroom picking up stray socks and pajama's and throws them down the laundry chute. And I think her dad has taught her to find all the shoes I've left lying around, and bring them to me to put away.

Her baby sign skills are improving each week as well. For the longest time she was doing a sign, that I thought was her rubbing her belly. It wasn't until James did a baby shoot of Baby Aiden that we discovered she has been signing "please" this whole time. No wonder she would get mad at me when I repeatedly asked her to say "please" when she wanted something. Now, she is able to say "more, please" and "thank you" when she wants something. She can also verbalize those words, but sometimes she just not in a talking mood.

Today is her 18 month check up. Originally James was going to take her so I didn't have to leave work, but today has been slow and I realized I missed her last check up, so I really want to go.

Next week we are off to visit my family for Thanksgiving. Lily will get to spend 5 whole days with her Grammy, Papa Dude, Auntie Kim, Uncle Nick, Aunt Vicki, Naomi, Gigi and Papa. She will be loved and spoiled tons!

And Auntie Kim is going to do some wedding dress shopping for the first time!

Maple Leaf Festival

Each year since 1958, on the third full weekend in October, thousands of people flock to Baldwin City, Kansas for the annual Maple Leaf Festival. This year my wife (Kristin), daughter (Lillian), mom (Carolyn) and I (James) were among them. We had a great time. Arts and crafts were everywhere. Kristin and Carolyn got some Christmas shopping and ornaments purchased, and made a customized coat rack for Lillian. I got to visit several photographers' booths, where I picked up some new ideas and inspiration. I will talk more about that on my business blog: James Wear Photography.

We chowed down on some great eats including pork burgers, hot-dogs and tater crisps (basically a giant twisty potato chip made from one potato). They were fresh, crispy and super-delicious!
I had to drag Kristin away kicking and screaming, but we managed to avoid the deep fried Oreos!

Lillian got to play a carnival game for the first time, and ride the carousel for the second time. She was so good at the games she won a prize on her first try! (Okay, so you get a prize just for trying, but she still had fun!)