Favorites, 2011

Ok, I've tried. Lord knows I have. But I just couldn't seem to narrow it down to one favorite picture of Lily a month. There were some months that were favorite-rich and others that were a little threadbare, so to heck with it! (Gosh darn it!) You're just gonna have to put up with 54. Without further ado, in chronological order, I give you Lily, from baldy to a little less bald, 2011:

Learning to hold her head up

This wouldn't rotate for some reason

Wearing the hat ''Auntie'' Rachael made her

Practicing sitting up

Thumbs up for summer

My toybox just exploded

Čo???

It's a dog! With BUNNY EARS!!

New-found freedom

Chew toy

Starting to stand

You come here often?

Peace!

Cruising the neighborhood

In a previous post I mentioned that she was sick, but that you wouldn't know it. I have learned my lesson in saying such things. Poor little angel got sick sick. Then Tomáš and now me. But she taught me one thing, though, that it truly is possible to have joy in all circumstances. From her stuffy breathing, snotty upper lip, jangly cough and sweaty little head she was still smiling. And laughing. And trying to make us laugh. And seeking adventure in the doctor's office, as well as with the door-to-door salesman who came to our house. I will do well to think of that as my sickness sets in and all I feel like doing is whining and complaining.
Oh yeah, which picture is your favorite? I definitely have one, can you guess which?

Welcome, 2012

The holidays are laid-back in the Štrbavy household. We have had a grand total of three visits this year. First was Tomáš' brother and his family. We exchanged gifts and played with toys. Then his parents came on New Year's eve. We skyped with my dad for the first time. He had still never seen Lily and had never met Ľudka or Milan. Tomáš' dad tried out his English on my dad, which was completely adorable. Everyone was really happy for the meeting, most of all my dad. Then my friend Eva came with her middle daughter, Luci. We had lunch and Christmas cookies and tea in fancy porcelain from St.Petersburg, and good conversation, of course.   Tomáš is on vacation for two weeks, so there've been lots of movies and sleeping and relaxing. We went to New Year's lunch at our church, and Eva's oldest daughter, Janka, was playing with Bug. It melted my heart. She was so sweet with her, even reading to her in English. Lily got sick for the very first time on New Year's, with a fever and cough, so that's never fun. However, she is such a trooper, if not for the cough you'd never even know she was sick. Little sweetie is still high-energy, playing and singing and getting into mischief. She's got some kind of will.     

Bonding with uncle Marek

Verka, Marek, Lily and Bea

Winter walk: The colorful balconies looked really cool that day

There's been more of this

First-time ''meetings''

Lily and Dedko (grandpa)

And then this has been happening

My favorite moment of New Year's day; Janka playing with Lily.

A Few More Christmas Crumbs

Classic baby opening present video

  One of Tomáš' presents hasn't arrived yet, so he got this top-notch drawing from me in the meantime...

Props to anyone who can tell who this is supposed to be

Joy, Joy, Joy

Merry Christmas from the Štrbavý family! We somehow managed to have both utter chaos and comatose-like relaxing the past two days. But we had some lovely moments (and snow!), some lovely visits and I hope there will be lots more to come. So, with that said, joy and peace to you and yours. We miss you.

I like this picture because I can imagine her with a full head of hair. Can't you see her with a Mia Farrow pixie cut?

For a couple of gifts I gave ''Stars in a jar.'' 

I love this ribbon.

Her first baby doll.

Two dollies.

We wish you wonder-filled holidays...

...and a very squishy Christmas.

Things Bringing me Joy Today

Here are the things bringing me joy today:

Sunny morning bedrooms

The girl and her vacuum

First snow, and just in time for Christmas

Tiny tree prelude to the real tree, complete with pink puff-ball garland and disco ball ornaments

Naptime giraffe headlocks

Not-so-newsy News

Well, seeing how it (was) Pearl Harbor day (the one and only date of historical significance that I am able to hold in my head for some unknown reason), I guess it's apropo for me to post a picture from our Thanksgiving. Like the photo, our Thanksgiving was also late, as Tomáš was not given Thanksgiving Thursday off for another unknown reason. But alas, we still whooped it up big, just the four of us. Me, Tomáš, Lily and a tiny Tom turkey. It was my first attempt at making one and I do not have a good report. I had neither a proper roasting pan nor one of those roaster bags, so you can guess where this is headed. Also without a thermometer, I let my fear of the underdone outweigh my fear of the dried out, thus resulting in, well, turkey jerky. Not all of it, but some of it for sure. Sadly nothing turned out to my satisfaction except for the stuffing and mashed potatoes (oh, and the Ikea cranberries), but nothing was a disaster, so we gobble-gobbled it up with thankful hearts and had a really nice day.     

 And in other news...

 Bug has taken great interest in tooth-brushing. She brushes along with us like a real pro.

I'm so excited about her new coat. It was supposed to be for Christmas but I decided to give it to her early so we could get three more weeks out of it. It has an owl. And fake fur. What could be better?

Taking it for a spin.

And she's not the only one who got a new coat for Christmas. Our building did too.

         This is a perfect before and after shot, since our building was identical to the one on the left.

What do you think?     

The cutest gift Lily never got (to wear).

A couple weeks ago a package arrived from Switzerland. We had been expecting it. Anxiously awaiting whatever goodies lay inside. You see, my friend Glenna, like me, has found herself living abroad, and she, like me, knows the joys (and necessity) of getting things from home. So she blessed us with some of those from a recent trip to Montana, like Annie's macaroni and cheese and Tipu's chai. But there was also something in there, so totally unexpected, so totally over-the-top cute, so totally...small that I could have cried when I realized they didn't fit. Behold...

Pink cowboy boots...for babies.

Real leather.

From Hawaii.

Oh, how I pushed and poked that chubby little foot inside, but to no avail. With socks, without socks, I stopped short just this side of pantyhose but that's about the only thing I didn't try. So, alas, they sit in our closet awaiting theoretical baby girl number two. But they're sure cute to look at.