KDUNK

• (after bath before combing Lili’s hair) K: What color is my hair Lili? L: Brown K: What color is your hair Lili? L:Crazy

• Was just told by Lili with a judgemental stare: I don’t like your hair crazy

• Watched tonight as Lilian (who has actually been an angel for the 5 days E has been gone) released her pent up devilishness in three short hours and then tried to win me over at my final straw (calling me in her room for 75th time) to say to me, “Mama…nice pants“

• Was getting frustrated by fixing something and Lili asked, “What’s wrong sweetie?”

• Has an earthworm and a wineglass of dirt in her bathroom after Lili’s convincing performance complete with tears, actual hugging of worm and sobs that she would miss ‘wormy’(dug up in our front yard) if she couldn’t bring him upstairs into our Brooklyn apartment

• Just broke the news to Lili that the pacifier fairy was coming to town soon to take away all the pacifiers and leave a big girl present. She paused and said with an icy stare: I don’t like fairies

• Was just told by Lili who took one long stare at my ‘trapped indoors with sick toddler’hairstyle and said: Mommy – you need haircut day

• K: (yawn) I’m tired! – E: (yawn) Me too – Lili: (fake yawn): I’m tired too. Everybody has tired

Dear Lilster:

Tonight we did a practice run of dying Easter Eggs which we will do for real at Nanny’s house this weekend over Easter. I just have to say for a moment how totally cute you are and I can’t believe how grown up you are acting as of late.

First: We had to go out in the pouring rain to the drugstore to buy eggs. That’s right people. Here in New York you can buy eggs at the drugstore. There we waited on line for about 45 minutes (ok maybe 10 but it felt like 45) for a woman to purchase Easter Egg basket materials (candy, stickers, stuffed animals, plastic eggs, fake grass, etc.) for an army of children. You patiently just stood next to me without a single peep looking up every once in a while like, “Dude? This is taking forever.” And I gave you that same look back like, “Seriously…” We finally paid and left.

Next: We had to go home and boil the eggs. I never made Easter eggs like this before. I grew up in a house where we blew out the egg yolks and then washed out the insides. Who has time for this? Not us. Also – you are allergic to egg whites and this seemed like a bad idea. So I boiled the eggs but not long enough by mistake so they…how do I put this lightly…STUNK UP THE HOUSE

Then: We set out the glass bowls on the covered living room table where you happily plunked a color tablet in each bowl of water. You enjoyed putting eggs in a color for oh…two seconds before you were on to the next. You mostly liked taking the spoon and pouring the yellow into the green the green into the red the red into the blue…your overall attention span was about 15 minutes which I give you credit for my darling dear!

I told you the other day the Easter Bunny was going to come and leave you an Easter Basket. You said with no emotion at all, “I want presents and candy”. At least you know what you want.

Today your sitter gave you an adorable little basket of goodies. Inside were little plastic eggs each holding the most perfect gift for you right now Lilian – each plastic egg held a chapstick. Does she know you or what?

Dad and I look forward to celebrating with you.

xo

Dear Lils,

I would like to just share with you what a HUGE difference parenting a two-year-old and three month child vs. anything younger is. You are able to totally tell me everything you need, want, etc. Half my brain is coming back – the part that used to think about my goals and personal health and remembering to buy milk, etc. The part that I devoted the last two years using only to think about you and your many needs – “Is she crying because she is hungry?” etc.

If something hurts we say, “Do you have a boo boo?” And you say yes and can tell us exactly where it us. When you want something you say directly, “Lili want more yogurt”. If you are full you say, “No – I’m fine”. If something frustrates you now you are able to say “Lili wants COLD water in sippy”. Right now I went in to put you down for a nap and you were not sleeping. Instead of solving the big mystery as to why you were still awake I opened the curtain to your room and you said immediately and clear as day, “I need a diaper change.”

This is HUGE for a parent. It saves soooo much time and energy just to know exactly what needs handling and to get it done. Our life is starting to resemble the little flowers poking up currently in our front lawn under  the melting snow. Things feel as if they can only get better.

xo