hoe-down showdown

A funny thing happened today when Lil started to cry. Mama started singing a little bit of old-timey country music, and Lil forgot all about what was troubling her. She began clapping and dancing, and burst out in giggles.

Ah, the things we'll do for a happy baby.

Lil happens to have a perfect outfit for a barn dance. In this embroidered prairie blouse and ruffly denim skirt Lil's all set to Do Sa Do and Promenade.  And those little leopard cowboy boots are definitely Lil's ticket to a full dance card... once they actually stay on her feet. Barefoot or not, Lil is always ready for the foot-stomping, knee-slapping kind of fun.

monkey business

Mama does not like monkeys. She doesn't even care for that Curious George character (why should she when there's a perfectly mischievous bear named Paddington running around London?). But Paul Frank makes monkeys look cool. When you combine his design with Lil's cuteness, monkeys go from repugnant to irresistible.  Whatever is a Mama to do? 

Paul Frank's passion for monkeys hasn't made that much of an impression on this consumer...

... but if Lil looks this good wearing them, it's going to be hard to turn our back on lower primates for good.

all quiet on the eastern (williamsburg) front

Right when it looked like Everyday Lil was back in full swing, technical difficulties caused another break in Lil coverage. Although Time Warner failed to provide internet service, and Mama's smart phone experienced a drool-related systems failure, it doesn't mean that the Lil miss wasn't photographed extensively over the last few days. And now that we're back, here's a full rundown of Lil and her early Fall cuteness.

On Friday, Lil met up with her buddies at Agnes' house.  It's great to have a backyard to roll around in, grass to pick at, even some stones to throw.  Even though Lil was plenty busy exploring her surroundings, she still took time to socialize.

Lil's friends, Ava Mae (with Lil, top), Agnes, and Evan. Benjamin Bunny was rolling around somewhere!

On Friday, Lil wore a special dress she got from her cousin Josie in honor of GranMary's birthday. We don't know for sure, but we suspect that GranMary gave this dress to cousin Jos when she was a wee thing.  Maybe Lil was dressed for a party rather than a romp in the grass, but the pastel tulips looked lovely on the lawn.

On Saturday, Lil went out with Mama and Papa and her Grumpa Mike to the biggest Babies R Us ever, someplace in East New York.  It's amazing what you can accomplish with an automobile.  This was not a fun shopping spree, rather it was high time for baby-proofing. This task is not easily accomplished in our household.  Baby hazards are everywhere, and as Lil becomes more mobile- guess who pulled herself up to standing that very morning- Mama and Papa must be all the more vigilant, lest more gadgets fall victim to baby slobber.

special bonus footage!

Sunday was a quiet day, one that normally features Lil's swim class.  This Sunday Lil woke up with a sneeze, a cough, and a face full of snot.  Mama discovered a low-grade fever, and decided it was best to miss class.  Lil didn't seem to mind, she just cuddled up and took a little nap, Papa was the one who began to pout.  With our extended visit Upstate, Lil missed a total of 3 classes in August! Let's hope she's still a little fish when she gets back in the water.

stay-dry play time

Later, we took a stroll to Tuffet with our friend, and Lil got lots of attention, and snacked on some nectarines.  A low-key weekend filled with lots of love, and little excitement.

Just the way mama likes it.

master of puppets

the lights, the sounds- the theater!

To celebrate our 150th blog post (and because it was mentioned by the other mamas in our group), Lil & Mama dropped in on a Puppetonia puppet show at the Brick Theater.  Lil was captivated by the lights, the sounds, the and the soft plushy faces of the theater.  Best of all, we had floor seats.

ohhh, other babies...

The show only lasted 30 minutes, but they were 30 action-packed minutes featuring teddy bears, a pirate, and bubbles! Lil made good use of her new found clapping ability, but it's possible she was more interested in the other babies.  We saw a whole bunch of her friends, including 2 out of 3 of the "E" boys (Everett and Evan), Chloe, and that darling Leo in his plaid romper.

Leo: captivated by puppets, captivating in plaid

Baby puppet show or not, Lil was dressed for a Broadway matinee (or better).  This little capped sleeve dress with smocking can take her from the playground to a tea party, but with a pair of black leather ballet slippers she's ready for dinner and a show.

They say the moves make the man, but Lil knows the shoes make the outfit.

happy 150th blog post, lil Lil!

rain delay

Today we went to volunteer for the Bushwick CSA. Our volunteer duties entailed checking off names on a list, and making sure no hipsters ran off with loads of eggplant, but we mostly just stood there in the rain. This was Lil's first real outing in the rain, but since she's not a walker yet, there were no cute galoshes, no tiny umbrella, and no adorable raincoat.  (Mama was equally ill-suited for the weather, a pair of black moccasins and a baseball cap were the only things keeping her dry.) Lil's Maclaren stroller came with a fitted rain cover which kept Lil nice and dry, though it may have distorted her view of all the new faces she greeted.  A chill in the air meant an extra polka-dotted layer, but the chocolate pants and teal hoodie looked pretty fresh. Unfortunately Lil peeled off her matching Trumpette socks when Mama wasn't looking, and one of them was later recovered from a mud puddle. It's a miracle she didn't end up with a Lil chill.

home again, home again jiggity jig...

The Bushwick Food Co-Op was set up inside, so we ducked our wet heads in to munch on dried fruits. Lil enjoyed the dried figs so much, we purchased a small bag. With only a few more CSA pick-ups remaining, the Co-Op might be our only source for local produce, meat and dairy. As Lil's world gets bigger, her pallet seems to get more refined.

to co-op, to co-op to buy some dried figs

our world took a tumble

This is the hardest blog post I've written. 

We've been gone for over a week without a mobile pic or peep.  We didn't take any photos, we didn't try on new outfits, and we didn't document Lil's first attempts at crawling on her hands and knees, clapping, or pointing. We haven't told you about her new favorite nickname "ga-bah-gaba."  We haven't talked about our trip Upstate, how we beat Irene and arrived in Ithaca ahead of schedule, how Lil saw a brand new baby, or the much-anticipated first encounter with Uncle Jeremy.  All of these happy new and exciting things, and we haven't mentioned a single one.

Lil lost her dear GranMary.  Mama lost her mama.

Earlier we reported that GranMary was sick, but she was getting better. She was diagnosed with cancer, but she was going to fight it, and we were going to help her. We hoped and prayed and kept our thoughts positive.  GranMary's spirit was much stronger than her body, though.  She left us August 30th surrounded by peace and love. To say she'll be missed is an understatement. There will be a missing piece in Lil's life, and a hole in Mama's heart. 

GranMary was all about jackets

But there will be stories and memories, bits of advice passed from mother to daughter. Reminders everywhere. And inspiration. Tributes. GranMary homages, perhaps even a few more contributions to Lil's wardrobe. Although GranMary's presence will be missed (along with her presents), she will always influence Lil.  Whether it's her style, her tenacity, her penchant for books, or her sense of humor, GranMary will continue to impact Lil's life... every single day.

Lil, Mama, and GranMary on May 20, 2011