The A says "aaa"

Lila LOVES to count. Granted, her counting sounds like this: 1, 2, 3, 9, 60, 40, 80??? Definitely going to have to work on that:)...but she is at least interested in numbers. Letters, not so much. She knows L and can sing the first part of her ABCs, but that's about it. I know we aren't in any hurry. Kindergarten is still 3 years away, but I thought I would share the most awesome video ever. FYI.

All you wise parents who have gone before me probably know about the Letter Factory, but for us newbies...it is great!

We borrowed this from my sister for our long trip to Lubbock and have watched it once a day since. Every morning, " I need to watch the A show"! She isn't reading yet:), but she is really excited to learn about letters!

This morning in her special couch spot. So sweet:)

Bye Bye Diapers!

ATTN: This post may have TMI for some viewers. Beware of potty talk:)

For the past month or so, Lila has been asking to go in the big potty, telling me when she is dirty, telling me when she is about to go, basically telling me she is ready to potty train. I on the other hand, I was not! I thought it was too early and my preggo energy and patience would run out before noon. After looking at the calendar and realizing we had 2 weeks of nothing before the storm of events in the fall and baby # 2 come...it was now, or wait until next spring.

So, we bit the bullet and got prepared. I read the 3 Day Potty Training guide and bought all the supplies.

A lot of prayers.....

...and we were off! We woke up Tuesday morning and "threw away" our diapers. (Or put them away for #2) Lila was so excited to have Yo Gabba Gabba and Minnie Mouse panties!

Day 1: We kept the juice flowing and spent our morning outside:)

We watched a lot of TV and played close to the bathroom. When she would start to go, we would rush to the potty. This was the worst day for sure. More was all over my floor than in the potty!!! We sat on lots of towels:)

By day 2, she knew when she was about to go. Still mostly everywhere but the potty, but at least she knew the feeling. By day 3, she could tell me before she went and we actually got there in time!!!

We have had so many potty parties, m&ms and called all our family so Lila can tell them "I go tee tee on the potty". (Something I never thought I would do until I was a parent:) She is so excited and proud of herself! I am so proud too!

We (I) was going crazy from cabin fever, so we were brave and went to church today in our panties! She had a slight accident, but then pulled it together and even made it through lunch! No other accidents for 3 days! I know we have a lot of work to do going potty when we are out in the real world, but we are well on our way. YAY Lila!!!

Oh Boy...Twin Boys!!!!

Two more Smith boys!!!

We found out Tuesday via Skype that my sister Caryn is having twin boys!!! They are due in January and I CAN'T WAIT to meet them! I can't imagine a better mom for four boys. These tiny peanuts are so lucky that God put them into the Smith family. Oh what fun (and craziness) is coming!

West Texas Roadtrip

Last weekend we took the 5 hour road trip and went to Lubbock to visit family. Lila did surprisingly well in the car (thanks to the DVD player). We only stopped two times to eat and change diapers!

Saturday morning we went to visit my Nana. Lila was impressed with the wonderful game of dominoes, just like all the grand and great-grandchildren before her:)

She has no problem taking over a new house and making it her own:) Gran's rocker was all her's!

We asked her if she wanted to go ride the horse in the garage and she freaked out! I think she thought we were going to throw her up on a real horse and let her go wild. Once she saw the play horse, she warmed up a little bit.

Then we didn't want to get off! SO fun!

When we got back to the Warren house, this superhero was waiting for us!

We had lunch with all the cousins and 2nd cousins. As you can tell by the direction of Lila's glance, she is totally in love with her St. Clair cousins:) Cha Cha, Grumps, Aunt Jackie and Granny were all there, but I got no pics of the grown ups?!

It was still in the 90s, but it seemed so much more pleasant than her in Waco.

Playing with Blaine:)

Admiring Mia and Presley!!

We had so much fun visiting everyone and wishing Aunt Rox a happy 30th! Can't wait until Labor day!

Playroom play time!

The new playroom is officially ready to play in. Last week Arturo came and painted it yellow. If you live in Waco and need a good cheap painter, let me know. They did great job. With a new paint job and a few new shelves for toys, we have a playroom.

Lila is breaking in the new room with Daddy!

The other wall. Still need a few more baskets and the artwork on the wall.

Oh how I love these two!!!

***Yes, I did try sponge rollers in Lila's hair and no it didn't turn out well. She wouldn't sleep in them, so I had to take them out before her hair was dry. And I think I got them too big, but OMG doesn't she look cute in them!!!

San Antonio weekend

Last weekend we drove down to San Antonio to throw one of my bffs Kelly a baby shower! We stopped along the way in San Marcos and got Lila's big girl bedding at Pottery Barn Kids. I could have spent hours there, but with Lila's "helpfulness" and Josh's "are you done yet" looks we got in and out and back on the road.

The shower was at a beautiful restaurant Paloma Blanca. Unfortunately, I left my camera in the car. I did snap a few on my phone. We did the decorations in pink and turquoise for baby girl Williams.

This is the pretty water wall with a few pom poms.

Flowers down the table.

The banner on the back wall.

Cupcake table.

"Bun in the oven" favors.

So fun catching up with some old hs buddies!

After the shower at Kelly's house. I love that our little girls are going to be so close in age!!!

Lila loved that Miss Kelly had stairs!!

What a fun weekend:)

Crazy Mommy!!!

There's nesting and then there's CRAZY TOWN. Nesting is when you organize your kitchen cabinets or clean out your closets. Crazy town is where I am! I remember when this happened with Lila. The day they called to say our crib had arrived I decided it would be best to immediately rent a uhaul, and go pick it up rather than wait for Josh to get off work and go get it! I then went ahead and put the thing together that same day?! I know that it is very normal to organize your house and do a few minor projects in anticipation of the new baby's arrival, but I think I have more to do than I have days left to do them!

• 1st, there's Lila's big girl bed. It's a really pretty four post bed and dresser that I used as a kid (and so did my Dad). I had it college and painted several times really horribly. That's why getting the paint off is proving a little difficult.

Here is the dresser after we put the stripper on it. It bubbled up and lifted most of the paint off. So cool!

Lovely preggo mask:)

Sadly, it didn't get the paint totally off, so we have lots of work still to do.

• Once it's ready it needs to be painted.
• Then Lila's new room needs to be painted.
  
• Then we can move Lila to her new room (easy right)?
• Then all the toys that were in that room need to be moved to the new play room.
• The play room needs to be painted.
• Need to put the shelving together for the play room... from IKEA! HA:)
• Then need to make baby bedding and curtains for the nursery. (Once I find the right fabric)
  
• Not to mention getting a very special birthday party together for this cutie!
  

Best part is I can't lift heavy things or be around paint. Sorry Josh. I guess you have a really long to do list too! Weird thing is, the projects seem to make me feel more relaxed?!! See, total CRAZY TOWN! Good thing a have a live in Shrink:)

Catch up

I can't believe it's already August! Where did the summer go? (Not that I'm too sad today...104)!!! In an attempt to catch up from this past month, I am doing a bulk post of some of Lila's fun play dates. Sorry for the absolute randomness:)

We are in a playgroup on Thursdays with several other toddlers that both Lila and I love! I have really enjoyed getting to know some other mommies and Lila has such a good time with her friends. Here is a few of the cuties taking a break at the splash park.

Hugs for Shane, our next door neighbor and awesome friend from music class and MDO.

Our sweet friend Katelyn is one of Josh's bff's from med school. She is only a couple months older than Lila and is going to be a big sister soon too!

Shake..Shake..Shake...Every time we get these two together they have so much fun!

Can't forget the Waco cousins Ryan and Ally! Lila thinks all of her cousins are the coolest people ever. We had a little mini splash day in the backyard.

Sweet little Angie:)

So fun!!!

Our Sunday school playgroup went out to the World Hunger Farm last week. It is a really cool place that is an actual farm with all the crops and animals to prove it. They feed lots of people in the Waco area and do some other really great things. Lila was in love with the baby goats:)

It was a little hot, but nothing a little goat's milk won't fix! Yummy:)

Finally last week Lila and I went to Houston to visit some friends. We got together with some of my old teacher friends and their babies. It's hard to believe that 2 years ago none of these cuties were around! Must have been something in the water that year!

***Our trip was cut short because of the fit I mentioned in an earlier post. I was trying to run around to baby and maternity stores in the Houston traffic and heat (not my best idea) when Lila decided she didn't need to ride in the car seat. I of course made her anyway, so she screamed bloody murder until she threw up in a fancy boutique, all over me, the stroller, herself and then the car seat too! A neat new trick that I hope we don't see again:) I took the hint and after washing the car seat and us, we came home.

20 Months

My little Lila Lew isn't so little anymore! Sniff Sniff!! She is 20 months old. How did that happen? I can't help but think that when she is 24 months, she will be getting a baby sister! That doesn't seem that far away! I am trying to soak up all the one on one time I can with Lila before December gets here.

She has developed such a funny personality. This is the look on her face 85% of the time...precious:)

The other 15% is not so pretty. We have definitely entered into the terrible twos. Fits and tantrums happen pretty regularly around our house. (She literally made herself sick last week from screaming. Of course out in public, but that's for another post). She is very independent and "mys do it" is her favorite phrase. She is talking in sentences now. Talking from the moment she wakes up until she goes to sleep:)

Some of our most common:
"It's mys"
"Mommy, what are you doing here"?
"Baby needs a bottle"
"Let's go to the car"
"Bye Bye Cooper. See you in a little bit"
"I be right back"
"right thuur"
"Mommy, You happy"?

She is into, on top of, underneath, pulling down everything. I have heard the more they explore things the smarter they become. I tell ya, Lila must be near a genius:)

Determined climbing

Said she was driving to church! Her car also takes us to HEB a lot.

No fear in this one.

Lila,

I hope you always are as brave as you are now and willing to try new things. You have such a sweet and joyful heart. It is so fun looking at the world through your eyes. No bird or pretty flower goes un-noticed. I pray that you keep your happy, and funny attitude as you get bigger. I LOVE being your mom:)