2013 in pictures ~ june

kindergarten graduation
father's day
cute4ever
splash pad
sister feeding sister
soccer medal
love her
puddles

her thoughts

A couple of days ago, while I was standing brushing Lilah's hair (we always do it in front of her bedroom mirror,) she commented to me:

"Mom, I was thinking... I have the same outside as my first Mom, but the same inside as you."

I thought she must have heard it from someone/somewhere, but she said no, she just thought it up herself.
Such a profound yet simple child-like way of seeing her two Moms in herself.
She is such a special girl.

a kindergarten diploma!

Today was Lilah's final day of Kindergarten.

When I look back, it was so obvious that Lilah, from day one, was SO eager to start Kindergarten. She has never once looked behind her, even with the new challenge of EFI (Early French Immersion) this past school year. She's taken on every new challenge with gusto and LOVED every single minute of her two years in Kindergarten. Of course, over the last two years, she has grown in so many ways: socially, emotionally, cognitively, physically, developmentally. She has buckets of confidence and her independence is wayyy more than I care for, as her Mama! She's even to the point now, where she can go into a shop (with money) and buy something (fairly simple).

She is such a great girl and I'm so incredibly proud of her.

The four report cards Lilah has gotten over the past two years, have each mentioned her enthusiasm and how kind and thoughtful she is. That's definitely my Lilah girl. She is all about putting her everything into whatever it is she has been assigned. And her thoughtfulness has grown to an even greater level, since Phebe joined our family. Lilah constantly proclaims her love for her baby sister and genuinely loves to care for her and look out for her. It actually makes my eyes wet, the genuine adoration my girls have for each other. Just tonight, at bed time, Lilah was chatting about our trip to the beach next week and how she wants to play soccer on the beach. She was trying to figure out (in her mind) who would play soccer and who would be in goals - she said to me, "Definitely Phebe can't be in goals, because if we kicked the ball, it might hit her chest!" - I love her compassion.

In September she starts Grade 1.... going from 2.5 hour days to 6.5 hour days. Well, I'm not sure I'm ready for that, and I don't imagine Phebe is either, but that's the way life goes. We're just going to have to make the best of this summer and the time we get to spend together.

after two years, her final walk to kindergarten

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her kindergarten diploma

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♥ we never seem to get through a photo session without these two wanting to hug each other ♥

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a sister bond

"Because I have a sister, I'll always have a friend"

'jump in puddles'

make mudpies
jump in puddles
climb trees
lie in the grass
dream big
build a fort
run barefoot
pretend to fly
play in the rain
reach for the stars
imagine
tread gently
sleep soundly

[ the flickr set is here ]

our first trip to the splash pad, this summer!

Wow, it's been a sticky hot few days around here... and it looks like we have a week of it ahead of us!
We desperately needed a bit of a cool down today!

a soccer medal!

Look what this girl got today... a soccer medal!
She was pleased as punch.
So pleased she even wanted to wear it to bed, only I explained it might choke her.
She still slept with it beside her though!

her precious eyes!

Lilah had another appointment with her ophthalmologist last Friday.

She was given a new prescription during her last visit, 3 months ago, for her glasses. Lilah has a prescription for both astigmatism and myopia (shortsightedness). The new prescription she was given was slightly stronger for the myopia. And the good news, is that now with the stronger prescription, the Dr. says she is able to read another line of letters, that she couldn't previously read with her old prescription! Yippee!

The Ophthalmologist is also keeping a close check on her, which is why we are having visits every 3 months. The reason behind all the visits is because sometimes when there is a heavier prescription for one eye and the lens is doing the work for that eye, the brain shuts down for the other eye and thinks it shouldn't have to work so hard. Not too sure how it all works? Anyway, they are making sure that doesn't happen.

So thankful for the amazing Children's Hospital, yet again! The doctors there, they really are the best.

baba to two girls, this year!

Two of his greatest blessings, call him Baba! And he could not be more proud.

We love you SO much Baba Boy.
Happy Baba's Day!

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Lilah's precious artwork, made just for her Baba Boy!

wordless wednesday

science & technology museum

soccer fanatic!

Quite a while back, amid a chat about Phebe's heart condition, Lilah spoke up from the backseat of the car and announced that Baba and Phebe might be alike since they were both born with a heart condition... however, she also had a special kinship with her Baba, since she and Baba both wear eyeglasses!

Let me tell you, my big girl is always two steps ahead of us! Her mind is always on overdrive.

Well now she can add another kinship to that growing list of likenesses to her Baba Boy, as we have another soccer fanatic in the house! And according to her (very biased) Baba, she's pretty good at it too.

And dear knows, she's on the 'blue team' too... can it get any better than that?! I doubt it, not in the life of this energetic-enthusiastic-blue-lovin' 6 year old.

2013 in pictures ~ may

her sixth happy birthday party
photo booth
pa's girls
hanging at wakefield
yoyo skills
sisters reunited
mother's day
hand-in-hand at pink lake

wordless wednesday

sisters reunited

Lilah's meimei, Phebe, had heart surgery last Thursday.

We were advised against bringing Lilah into the Intensive Care Unit to see Phebe,
due to the amount of tubes/wires/lines that she had in her little body.

So it was day two before Phebe made it out of the ICU and Lilah got to see her little sister.
I can tell you here and now, when Phebe set eyes on her big sister Lilah, it was the first time we saw her grin, since before surgery.

Colin and I struggled to keep it together, watching them.
We both had tears in our eyes seeing them reunited, seeing the love they shared.

How we love our girls.

[ you can read more about Phebe's heart surgery here ]