Baby Blessings, Family and a Toofer

Before this week ends, I wanted to highlight a few activities that were important to my family.

My new niece, Summer Lee Olenik, was given a name and a blessing (baby blessing) at church on Sunday.  If you aren't LDS, baby blessings are like an inspired prayer, usually given by a father or patriarch of the family.  It was a beautiful prayer given to Summer by her father, Dale. I know that this is one special little girl. Even better, she is going to be one of Lily's best friends, and THAT gets me excited.  If Summer is as wise as her mother, she will do great things for those she meets along her path and throughout her life.  Love this baby girl already.

I feel the same way about all my nieces and nephews.  I love them all as my own and am always genuinely interested in their progress, triumphs and struggles.  I think not being able to have Lily until I was 41 enabled me to mother my sibling's children while I waited.  And waited.  I am so grateful to them for letting me smother them with kisses and squeeze them with huge hugs -- even if they secretly hated it.  I just love them all dearly.

After Summer's blessing, I couldn't help but reminisce about the day little Lily was blessed by Martin.  Martin gave Lily a beautiful blessing and it helped calm my troubled and very confused heart at the time.  I still think of her blessing with the faith of knowing that the counsel her father gave to her will be a great blueprint for her progression throughout her life.  Lily's life may not unfold exactly according to my plan, but I have faith that Lily will make strides and be an example of great faith, because she is on the Lord's plan.  I need to remember that. 

I love this little child and loved this special day.

We kind of giggle at this photo because Lily looks a little spooky, but it does
capture her pretty little blessing dress.
Little Starling Photography

Coincidentally, Lily's blessing day fell on the same Sunday, 3 years ago, as Summer's blessing day (See, kindred spirits).  Wow, time flies!

**************** 

With family gatherings, come cousins.  Lily especially loves her cousin, Brooke (17 months).  Brooke would always go over to Lily and sit at her side and hand her toys.  It was adorable to watch them playing with each other.  Unfortunately, Brooke lives in Texas so we only get to see her every 6 months or so. 

Our Little Pandas.  Love the second photo of the giant bear that had just been pummeled by my 4-year-old nephew, Riley.

Our little pooch is loving his California King bed.  It cracks me up the way he lounges around while I get things done.

Do you remember the song, "Let me tell you about your best friend...."  Yes, this is Lily's new sidekick.  I guess she is the one he loves the most.  Who wouldn't?  They totally "hang" and watch TV together.

Wherever she rolls... he rolls.  It's hilarious.

I woke up to a little surprise in bed with me this morning.  I didn't find it funny at the time but I quickly realized he was pretty cute all cuddled up next to me (although it will probably never happen again). Even his breath wasn't all that bad.  I think the poor guy misses his mommy.

Patiently waiting in the dentist's office.

Lily finally pays a visit to the dentist to get that toofer fixed.  (I didn't like the first dentist that I took her to, so I waited and found Dr. C.  He is great!)

Of course, she was the perfect patient.  She bit down and held her position for x-rays and stayed still in the chair waiting for her teeth cleaning.  The second photo cracks me up at how still she was waiting to get her teeth flossed.  I never knew you could floss a three-year-olds teeth!

A snaggle tooth no longer.  Ahhh... back to normal with her pearly whites.

Me and my new crew getting errands done after preschool.

Life is good and we are so blessed.