Here are my contributions to the third month of Project 365.
July is such a beautiful month, there are so many amazing things to capture in these summer months - I'm simply spoilt for choice. Sure there's the odd day that I don't get a chance to pull out my camera and capture something, but then there are other days that I capture so many memories that I can't decide which one to use! I try to choose a photo that will remind me of what happened or what we did on the day. There are also times that I just fall in love with a picture and I have to use it because it is so special to me.
I used my point & shoot for several of the shots, but for the most part I used my dSLR.
Last summer we spent at least one day a week at the farm and experimental gardens. However, this summer we haven't been heading there quite as much - maybe that's because it's been such a hot summer. I was reminded this week of the farm when I saw the sunflowers for sale at Farm Boy, our local grocery store and I immediately remembered the patch of land at the experimental farm where they plant sunflowers each year. We got some nice pictures there last year and I decided we'd take a trip to see them.
There is just something so special and beauitful about sunflowers, maybe it's their sunny demeanour that simply brightens your day.
I would say it's her first unassisted recognizable drawing! I just got around to scanning and posting it today, even though she drew it during Bible Study two weeks ago. In her own words, "It's a happy and sad face".
Speaking of Bible Study, I have a cute story from last night. Lilah was sitting on the chair beside me holding my Bible, she held my Bible with one hand and flipped through the whole thing in a matter of seconds with the thumb of the other hand - like you would a flip book or motion picture book. Then she looked up at me and said "I'm a fast reader"! It took a lot to not laugh out loud - where on earth does she learn this stuff?!
I have to mention this happening too, it was on Monday morning past, Lilah was searching for a spoon or something in her crockery drawer and pulled out her (hardly ever used) chopsticks. She held them together as shown in the picture below and said, "Look Mama, I made a cross. God was on the cross." It's incredible how much they take in and understand at this age. I gently told her that the Lord Jesus died for her and me and everyone else in the world, on the cross.
1 Corinthians 15:3&4 - Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
Yesterday marked our 11th wedding anniversary.
It's the first year I actually forgot about it. And if I forgot about it, you can be assured my husband did too! It wasn't until I had to date something at around 5pm that I thought to myself, hmm that date seems familiar! So that goes to show how crazy our life is right now. This summer has been a constant non-stop of Church activities, house renovations and life in general. Anyhow, we went out to our favourite Indian restaurant for supper and celebrated. It was lovely.
I married an amazing man, he is most definitely at the top of my 'Many Blessings List'!
Earlier in the day, Lilah and I were out grocery shopping in a store we don't often visit and we spotted these very sweet little clown cupcakes. They were just too cute to pass up! Do you think Lilah was thrilled with the cupcake? Yeah, no kidding!
I have to make mention of the dress Lilah is wearing in these photos. We went to Mexico for a vacation the month before we received Lilah's referral, and when we were there Colin, yes Baba boy, bought Lilah this sweet little dress. It's the first piece of clothing he's ever bought her and probably it'll be the last, since he's not a clothes shopper! So this dress is pretty special. She wore it for the first time today.
I took the photo above on Wednesday evening past and it is my new favourite!
We went for a walk/trike down to the park and after swinging, Lilah and I played the game, hide & seek. Or as Lilah calls it, "Hide & Peek"! Her wording is very accurate too, because as I count to 10, she hides and then peeks around the tree at me, and she thinks it's the funniest thing ever, especially when I put on my silly voice and say "Hey you rascal, no peeking!" We sure have fun.
Also, I had no plans whatsoever of letting Lilah go to the splash pad, since like I said, it was the evening time. But there were two other children there having such a fun time and Lilah wanted to join them. So off came the dress. Oh well, you're only young once, right? And then you live the rest of your life wishing and pretending to be young!
Lilah had another 'first' yesterday.
The last time I was at the dentist for a cleaning they told me to bring Lilah to my next appointment so she could see the hygienist and get a little ride in the chair. So yesterday morning we did exactly that. The second we walked through the door Lilah opened her mouth and showed her teeth to the receptionist! Heh, just a little premature! She sat and watched me getting my teeth cleaned and then got the same treatment herself, she was pretty pumped about the whole experience and was more than thrilled with her new freebie flashing light crayola toothbrush.
The hygienist mentioned how her bottom teeth are pretty crowded, which is quite obvious, especially when I'm flossing them! And that they're showing some signs of wear from grinding, which she says is common in children. I grind in my sleep, so I can't talk. But other than that everything is good and because they're still her baby teeth, there is nothing they can do for either of these issues. Also, with her jaw still growing there is a chance the crowding might rectify itself by the time her permanent teeth arrive.
There are a couple more pictures here.
~ your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that ~
this face
it lights up my world
in ways i never thought possible
when it smiles, i smile
when it laughs, i laugh
i can't even express the love i have for my child
it is beyond expression
she kisses me on the leg or arm or hand, when she can't reach my face
i'm floating on air
there was a time, before i met this girl in person
i loved her
but i had no idea just how much
the more time we spend together
the more ridiculously in love i fall
i didn't think it was possible
to love her more than i already do
and
the more i ponder over these things
the more i appreciate THE COST of God the Father,
GIVING HIS Son, to die, for me
For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
HIS love, HE SO LOVED me
i'm speechless
but i whisper, thank you, for being MY SAVIOUR
i'm incredibly blessed
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{ see more black & white pictures at 'The Long Road to China' }
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I bought these yogurt 'tubes' in Costco a while back and Lilah didn't get them all eaten before the expiry date, so I threw them into the freezer. Well, I didn't realize what a brain wave I was having at the time, but for these hot summer days they are a really great cool down snack. Lilah absolutely loves them.
Yesterday, when I gave her the second one (within 15 minutes of her eating her first one!), she looked at me with wide eyes and loudly whispered: "Don't tell Baba I eat so many!"
I took these photos of Lilah yesterday morning - we bought this Chinese tiger hat while we were in China and I came across it in her closet yesterday. When we put it on her in China it literally took her 2 seconds to grab it off, but time sure brings changes, and Lilah now loves wearing all sorts of hats and head pieces!
Yesterday evening when I was showing Lilah these photos I took of her, I was telling her how we bought the tiger hat in China, when she was a little baby girl and that she wore it in China too. I scooted over to our last day in China flickr set so she could see herself wearing it and noticed some of the photos I got back then, her face had a very similar expression to the photos I took yesterday. I've posted a 'then & now' picture so you can see the similarity. She sure is growing and she's just as beautiful now as she was then.
Me: "I love you my baby girl." Lilah: "I love you my big Mama girl."
Running over to look out the window: "I will see what the weather's called."
Walking downstairs with her doctors pad: "I'm writing a book, it says Jill Meaklim & Colin."
When I said I was going to mow the lawn: "I want to do some lawning too."
While playing with her little stuffed monkey: "He's just a wee cross man!"
Writing a 'letter' for Baba: "Baba's going to be sooo frilled (thrilled) with that writing."
While I'm cutting up fruit: "Can I do some knifing?"
During a conversation about what is in boobies: "Is there milk in your boobies Mama? There's juice in my boobies!"
Talking about the renovation and mudding that's going on in our house right now: "The boys did put cream all over my house walls."
Praying for Piggy a few nights ago: "Thank you God for Piggy, he's upside down right now." (I think she meant he wasn't feeling well!)
She says the word 'perfect' a lot now. Yesterday evening she was putting little clover flowers in my hair and each time she would stick one in she would clap her hands once and say "perfet". She says it without the letter c!
You know the rhyme/song that goes like this - 'It's raining it's pouring the old man is snoring...he can't get out of bed without a sleepy head in the morning', well Lilah sings it like this: "It's raining it's pouring the snowman is roaring...etc"
One night this week after I prayed for her soul to be saved when she was young. She prayed after me, "For Mama's soul, for Baba's soul, for my soul, for Piggy's soul, for blanket's soul, for crib's soul, for China's soul". I guess I shouldn't use words she doesn't understand, without explaining them first!
We play hide & seek a lot around the house now. She loves this game and chooses the same hiding spot every time! She loves to count (to 10) and afterwards she'll come looking for me saying "Ready or not, ready or not!". And when I'm counting she'll say "You don't peek me!", or in other words, no peeking!
We had a packed schedule yesterday. We went to Church in the morning to package seed sower texts. Then on the drive home, on a whim, we decided to drop by the wading pool, which would be why my sweet girl is wearing her Dora knickers as a swimming costume... terrible parenting moment! But, she had SUCH a wonderful time - it was worth the embarrassment! Then it was home, lunch, nap, pick up our neighbours at the airport, supper and then we were off to watch Baba play soccer. Pretty crazy, but fun day.
I took these pictures with my point and shoot. I have a love-detest relationship with my point and shoot camera. Love it because it's so handy and always there when I need it. Detest it because the quality sucks in comparison to my slr. Oh well, just being able to capture these fun moments is worth it, poor quality and all! I really imagined the quality would have been better though. Maybe I should just take a few minutes and read the instruction manual!
