Lily's 5th Birthday

Last Saturday started with gifts from us to kick off the day: a tutu-- or "hula toop"-- which she's newly into, and the same fox pillow pet that Hope has.

Once the temperature reached a balmy 42 or so, we headed to the neighborhood park with a few family and school friends to play and eat butterfly cupcakes. Lily was beyond tickled that a few of her classmates from last year came (Lillian, Colby and Luke) and it was bittersweet having the Foote girls for what was may be our last birthday party together (they moved to Amarillo yesterday) :( 


We had an especially hot summer so South Texans aren't quick to complain about the cold. But it was sooooooo cold! The kids did not seem to care at all, but we adults huddled around as long as we could stand it. We sang, ate, pinatad and adiosed.


Happy 5th birthday, Lily!!

Wasn't that a band

Lily's school had their Christmas program last week and Lily was Angel #7. The angel song is super cute, and we all had it stuck in our heads, even Hope. 

There was one, there were two (all the way to 10) 

little angels in the band

Oh, wasn't that band, 

Christmas mo-orning, Christmas mo-orning...

Ms. Bonnie told the kids to practice and Lily took that seriously. She enthusiastically practiced for everyone we came into contact with, and even serenaded the shoppers of Hobby Lobby and HEB a few times (old ladies love that, turns out). When I tried to sing along, I got a big stop hand and a 

"Please don't sing; you're not in pre-k."

Then when the big day arrived, we had this:

(a look of misery, clutching the arms of her teacher, the sucker faithful Ms. Kelle)

Then we moved to this: not quite as miserable and able to stand on her own, but totally not going to smile. 

She did, however, have the strength to point to the three kings 

who were walking down the aisle to make their presentations to baby Jesus, 

to make sure we didn't miss that part. 

She acts and sings, but what she really wants to do is direct.

Once the Angel Song started, we moved into this:

 ...unable to control the fact that she loves. that. song.

Afterward we posed by the tree with both grandmothers, a sister who was so happy to be there to help her, and me and Kyle. Then she hurried back to class without so much as a good-bye (a big improvement over last year when she cried when we left). 

And so went our last pre-school Christmas program. (Ever? Only God knows...)

Lily's Birthday Eve

Uh muh guh. I can't believe my baby will be five tomorrow! I hate when people say that because, really, you should believe it. But five just seems so old. And she still feels like our baby. I think maybe she always will. 


There must be something about turning five that feels monumental and old to her too, because she keeps saying she wants to stay little. So we say, "Ok." In fact, I think we'd both be happy if she would have stayed at every age she has always been for the past 3 1/2 years. But then we love the next stage the best. So perhaps getting older is ok after all.


We are bringing star cake pops to school tomorrow and had a little party with family and a couple of classmates on a FREEZING day at the park last weekend. It was the dawning of a new era of small birthday parties for the Harrell girls-- it is so much easier when the number of grandparents outnumbers the number of kids. 


Lily helped write the thank yous for her party and phonetically spelled "thanc" you in my parents' card all by herself. She also recognized the word "love" in her current favorite book, Knuffle Bunny Too, and even though the o was a heart, or perhaps because the o was a heart, she was able to read it. This is all of her own doing, and only because she is so naturally interested in reading. I do very little besides read to her.


She also seems to grow every night in her sleep. I promise there have been days that she puts on the same pair of pants that were fine the day before but turned into highwaters overnight. Yes, she has been fond of picking out an outfit for the week lately, but since she's also finally back into girly clothes (thank you, Hope!) I'm all for it. Somehow it doesn't equate to less laundry, but I digress. 


Lily has also found a new appreciation for her dad lately, and usually cries when we drop him off at the airport. He's been traveling for work a lot more, and it turns out absence makes the heart grow fonder. It's pretty cute, and though I know Kyle hates being away, I think he forgets as soon as she comes running to him as he walks through the door.


Judy and Emme and Penelope (her imaginary friends) are still the subject of most of her tall tales, and she can't get enough of Cheeto, her Elf on the Shelf. If you ask her how he moves, she will tell you that he's just a tricky fella, that real magic is only from Satan. We tell no lies around here. But don't worry, she also knows that some kids like to pretend that he and Santa are real, and she thinks it's fun to go along with that so she won't go ruining it for your kids. 


Speaking of ruining it, we are doing our best not to ruin either birthdays or Christmas by making our kids think that its all about the presents, and it has worked on Lily so far. She loves getting new loot, but really she just comes for the cake. And the pinata-- she still flies her butterfly pinata all around the house a week later. And the kids. She talked for days about her friends from her old class, Lillian and Angelique coming to her party. Social butterfly, this one!


Happy Birthday, baby girl. We love you, young or old, big or small. You have our hearts forever.