An interview...

May 31, 2015

Weight - 46.5 lb 57 percentile
Length - 46.75 inches. 75 percentile

From the birthday girl herself: 

1. What is your favorite color? Pink and purple!  

2. What is your favorite toy? My favorite is art. Because you get to color, and do drawings, and everything I like.

3. What is your favorite fruit? Rasberries.

4. What is your favorite tv show? Barbie.  And the Color Crew. 

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  Chocolate sandwich (nutella).  

6. What is your favorite outfit? My fancy long dress and fancy golden shoes (thank you Nanny!).

7. What is your favorite game? When William and I play family.  I play the mom. 

8. What is your favorite snack? Candy!

9. What is your favorite animal? A pony.  Because it's cute

10. What is your favorite song? Do Re Mi (she sang it at her musical theatre performance this spring)

11. What is your favorite book? Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr Seues.  I like to read it by myself. 

12. Who is your best friend? Mckenzie.  And Molly.  

13. What is your favorite cereal? Frosted mini wheats

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play with my friends, play with you, and go to school.

15. What is your favorite drink? Water.  Lemonade.  Cranberry juice.

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas because I get to spend time with my family.  And May because it's my birthday! 

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? My water

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Yogurt

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza.  And cake.  

20. What do you want to be when you grow up?   A Mommy.  Because then I can have kids.  

Thoughts from Dad:

1.  What is your favorite personality trait? Favorite personality trait would have to be her confidence.  Although frustrating at times (she’s never wrong), I love that she’s not afraid to try new things.  
2.  What is your favorite memory this year?  Her discoveries as a 5 year old as she starts to realize and understand more the world around her.  Nothing better than hearing her say, “Dad!, did you know ____???”  Favorite memory of this is when she learned about the harmful effects of smoking…then she preceded to make me watch a five minute video talking about the effects of smoking…while I showered…and she stood outside the shower holding the iPad up so that I could see.  And then telling me, “Dad, don’t ever do smoke.”  …and yes, that quote is correct (“do smoke”).   
3.  What is your favorite book to read together?  Honestly, I haven’t been reading with her as much lately.  I tend to read to William more right now and Mom takes the “Lily shift.”  I’m going to take the easy route here – my favorite is actually listening to her read.  This is her first year of really being able to and I love going by her room and hearing her read Dr. Seuss books…and then her realizing how long they actually are!  :)   
4. What is your favorite activity to do together?  Anytime I get to do one on one time with Lily is and always has been my absolute favorite.  There is something about driving around town with her and just listening to her talk, while I don’t say a word.  And of course listening to music together in the car…”Dad, I love the Avett Brothers.”   
5. What is the most difficult part of parenting this year?  The extremes she can have with her mood.  I imagine this will be the most difficult thing going forward.  Not a big fan that she already rolls her eyes at me when she walks away.  (Thought I had a few more years before that happened).   
6. What is the best part of parenting this year?  Being able to see more and more of her “adult” personality coming out.  I tell Lindsay all the time – I love this time in Lily’s life, but I can’t wait until she’s older and we can hang out on a more adult level…she’s going to be a lot of fun.
7. What is your favorite song Lily sings?  Every song that she sings that Lindsay and I introduced her to are awesome to hear.  If I had to pick one though, it would be the Ariana Grande songs from the Jimmy Fallon show that she and I watch together.  Someday she’s going to realize how inappropriate some of the words are and then I’ll be in trouble.  But for now, I just enjoy.   
8.  What is your favorite 'Lily-ism'?  Not sure if this is a “Lily-ism,” but I would say her laugh.  She has the most hearty, real laugh.  When it comes out, it makes my heart melt. 
9. What is one parenting trait you wish to improve.  Patience – I know I said the same thing last year, but it’s true again.  Letting her make mistakes without correcting her right away.  I need to work on that. 
10.  Any last thoughts?  She is really grown this past year and it’s incredible to see her personality take shape.  She is an incredible person and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here. 

Thoughts from Mom:

1.  What is your favorite personality trait? When Lily is “on”, she is the absolute best person to be around.  Her personality carries the room.  She is witty, smart, kind, loving, and her laugh and silliness are out of this world. 

2.  What is your favorite memory this year? Watching Lily learn to read and write.  Each week at school, Lily was required to write in a journal.  Her teacher would assign a topic and give a required amount of words or sentences.  (By the end of the year, they were expected to write at least three full sentences and were not allowed to use words like ‘very’ or ‘so’ over and over again, ha!).  At Lily’s spring parent-teacher conference, we were told that Lily is the best journal writer…so much that her teacher teases the other Kindergarten teachers that they don’t have a writer like Lily in their class.  Lily will write up to three full PAGES in her journal while her classmates are working on their three sentences…our girl has A LOT to say and apparently writes like she talks.  So very proud of her!

3.  What is your favorite book to read together?  We’ve started reading chapter books this year, and I am loving it!  We’ve started with condensed versions of a few classics, including Secret Garden and The Little Princess.  We’ve also read Junie B Jones and Ramona.  I don’t necessarily have a favorite book we re-read, but am loving the excitement and eagerness that she feels wanting to find out what happens in the next chapter!

4. What is your favorite activity to do together?  Not to sound repetitive, but my favorite time of day is when we read our book before bed.  It’s one of the few times it’s just the two of us and our girl is actually quiet, listening yet engaged.  For me, it’s a great bonding time…after we read, we turn off the light and chat about our day.  Something about the quiet and the dark brings out the sweetest side of Lily (and probably myself as well!).

5. What is the most difficult part of parenting this year? {THREE YEARS IN A ROW!} While Lily continues to be a serious talker, her strong, assertive personality has proven most difficult for me.  While these traits are exactly what I'd wish for her as an adult, they tend to be very difficult to parent.  Unfortunately (and fortunately), we have very similar personalities and often clash, as we both want things to go our way and are too stubborn to give in.  Luckily for both of us, Daddy knows exactly how to diffuse our tempers.

6. What is the best part of parenting this year? Watching Lily continue to grow into a young lady.  She is breaking out of her shell and getting better at trying new things.  One example is soccer this year.  It’s not her favorite sport and she’s not one of the better players.  However, she tried her hardest each and every game, cheered on her team mates, was never upset that she wasn’t the one scoring goals, and always ended the games with a smile.  Towards the end of the spring season, all her hard work finally ‘clicked’ and she scored two goals in one game.  She was so proud of herself!  It was a really neat experience to watch as a parent. 

7. What is your favorite song Lily sings? “Shut up and Dance with Me”.  No, not really, but let’s just say we’ve discovered pop music and I’m not sure how I feel about that.  But she still loves her musicals…the new version of Annie is a huge hit in our household.

9. What is one parenting trait you wish to improve.  Patience.  And remaining calm when I don’t feel patient.  She knows how to push my buttons and get me all worked up. I tell her all the time to take three deep breathes before over-reacting, and I need to start taking my own advice. 

10.  Any last thoughts?   Oh my, I love my girl.  She is nothing that I expected yet everything that I want in a daughter. Her honesty, her love, her spirit, and yes, her strong personality, all make me beyond proud to be her mother.  Uncle Bill used to call my aunt Sharon, cousin Kristen and I “spirited women” and I’m so very proud to be raising another one to add to our ranks.