four and a half

I may change my mind in the future but so far 4 1/2 is the very best age.  Jillian is sweet and helpful and usually quite reasonable (not something I can say about the two-year-old in the family.)  She's a rule-follower and has a strong guilty conscience.  Jilly loves crafts, books, friends, and dress-up.  She has not worn a pair of shorts for two whole years, only dresses and skirts.  She hates to have her hair brushed but loves to have her hair done in curls or braids.  She is constantly singing- mostly songs of her own creation.  Jilly has neat handwriting and loves to make cards and write notes for her friends.  I think the world would be a much happier place if everyone had a Jilly; she's very enthusiastic and tells me regularly "this is the best day ever!"  I love that it's (usually) so easy to make her happy.  I can tell she's getting older because we're calling her Jillian much more.  Mattie actually started this (she is the only person I know who always uses her sister's full name) but I catch myself calling her Jillian much more frequently as well.  This girl is a gem and I'm so happy she's ours.

birthday-ing

Jillian was so so so so so so so excited for her birthday.  For the last week she asked me every night "when I wake up will it be my birthday yet?  So we were all pretty happy when it finally arrived.  On the night before her birthday Bryan said he was more excited than he had been for his own birthday.

On her birthday morning Jilly found balloons in her doorway, we had pancakes with sprinkles, and she opened a couple presents.  Then we did some shopping and playing at the mall and met Bryan for birthday donuts.  In the afternoon Jilly spent over an hour playing with her new princess play doh set (win!) then we went to Chick fil A for dinner (where else would we go?)  Later we skyped with Bryan's parents so she could open their presents.  It was a happy, fun day celebrating our big four year old.

Jillian's Four Year Old Birthday Interview-

favorite color- pink

favorite toy- balloons

favorite fruit- apples

favorite TV show- Doc McStuffins

favorite thing to eat for lunch- heart shaped sandwiches

favorite outfit- what I'm wearing now (her new ballet shirt and a pink skirt)

favorite game- Uno

favorite snack- grapes

favorite animal- zebra, giraffe, and panda bears

favorite song- "Let It Go"

favorite book- Elsa

best friend- Kate

favorite cereal- don't have one

favorite thing to do outside- swings and go down slide

favorite drink- oatmeal

favorite holiday- Christmas

what do you take to bed with you at night- "Tigie" (her baby tiger)

what do you like to eat for breakfast- pancakes

what do you want for dinner on your birthday- chicken nuggets and french fries

what do you want to be when you grow up- Cinderella

hey birthday lady

After spending a weekend with my family my sister said "I think being Jilly's mom would be exhausting."  

I'd never thought of it that way, but she's quite right.

Jilly is a ball of energy, constantly on the move and constantly needing attention.

But she's also sweet and helpful and thoughtful and my best little friend.

Happy, happy birthday sweet girl.  We love you to the moon and back.

J to the illy

 

Sitting in the car while I'm checking something on my phone before we leave-

J - Uhhh mommy, I think you forgot something

R - hmmm

J - I think you forgot to drive or something

Saying Prayers-

J - Heavenly Father, thanks that we could go to Costco and buy new granola bars and goldfish because I think they're really yummy and thank you that we could have family night and treat if we eat our dinner, okay?

After getting her first McDonalds Happy Meal-

J - That was really nice of them to give me this toy!

(don't get used to it says cheap-o mom)

The very next day after getting a pair of new shoes-

J - Daddy, feel my feet! These shoes are too big and I neeeeeed new ones

Jumping on couch cushions-

J - This is called exercise!

On a walk-

J - Mom!  The wind just blew up my nose!

Another prayer-

J - Thanks for Jesus and that he made the world and kids and nightgowns and movies and libraries

(these are a few of my favorite things)

Jilly has discovered Siri

J - Rainbow flowers!

S - I'm not sure what you said there

J - Show me rainbow flower

S - I didn't find anything on the web for "Read about Freret does when rainbow flower."

J - Please Show me rainbow flower

S - No, doesn't look icy right now in Randburg, South Africa

Miraculously, she occasionally does eventually see pictures of rainbow flowers

(I just uploaded a bunch of pictures from my real camera and found this one from our beach trip in July)

Jilly lately

Moving with kids is an interesting thing.  For the most part, it's a huge pain.  But also in the past few months Jilly has provided much needed distraction and comic relief- she's given me good reason to take lots of fun breaks.  We definitely drive each other crazy at times, but for the most part she's my best little friend.  Some things I want to remember about Jilly at 3 and 3/4:

 

+ She has become a coloring fiend.  We keep crayons and paper/coloring books out on her little table and I find her there all the time.  She's constantly finishing masterpieces and begging to hang them on the wall in the basement.

 

+ She's also taken a great interest in writing.  She often asks how to spell people's names and we practice together.  One day she had been practicing letters and also trying to draw a heart and she became very frustrated.  Every time she'd start again she'd give herself a little pep talk "Okay, this time I'm going to do it."  It was quite darling.

 

+ Jilly is, as ever, a terrible sleeper.  She wakes up regularly in the middle of the night and begs to sleep with us, which ends up in a sleepless night for 2/3 of us in the bed.  Recently I came up with a solution to make her a little bed on the floor in our room.  She goes to sleep in her bed, but if she wakes up she'll come in and I'll lay a blanket on the (hardwood) floor for her to sleep on.  It looks horribly uncomfortable but one day she told me, "I love my nice, cozy bed on your floor!"  Whatever you say crazy pants.

+ Jilly's hair is her pride and joy.  One day Bryan told her "Jilly, your hair is so straight today." and she said "Thank you Daddy!"  Her goal is to one day have Rapunzel hair- and my goal is to convince her to let me brush it at least every other day.

+ She is constantly singing- princess songs, primary songs, nursery rhymes, and songs she makes up on the spot.  It's kind of fun to have a constant soundtrack, but can be very noisy at times.

(Bryan made this shirt when he was little)

+ Jilly's been a cute little mommy lately, she loves taking care of her babies.

three and a half

Jilly turned 3 1/2 last week.  Sometimes she seems so grown up, but then other times she's still a crazy little girl.  She loves to dance and do tricks for us.  And, she loves to sing- she'll belt lyrics to princess songs and primary songs any chance she gets, especially when we're out shopping.  Her favorites are "I will go, I will do the things the Lord commands," "I am a Child of God," and "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream."

Another favorite activity is to discuss her Halloween costume.  She always starts with the princesses then gets silly, "Maybe I will be a table... or a tomato!"  One night right before saying prayers she said, "Maybe I will be Jesus!"  She has 5 long months to decide and I'm 99.9% sure she'll end up being Elsa just like every other little girl in the universe.

Jilly begs alllllll day long to watch movies.  We both pretty much have Frozen memorized, and she loves all princess and Barbie movies.  She spends the whole week talking about what movie we'll find at the library on our weekly visit.  (It hurts my heart a bit that she's more excited about the movies than the books, but what can you do.)

Jilly loves chicken nuggets, pb&j sandwiches (cut into a heart shape), "granolar bars," strawberries, broccoli, chocolate milk, and rice.

She has started asserting her independence.  She loves to go through a different door or take a different path when we're walking somewhere.

She's already turning into me.  All the time I'll catch her saying the exact same thing I would say, and even in the same tone.  When Clark was upset about going home one day she said "I am so sorry you're sad Clark but we will just have to play another day" in her very best mom voice.  She's quite the bossy big sister (she learned from the best!)

Jilly is turning into such a great little friend for me.  I love that we can have real conversations and do fun things together.  She can drive me batty, but she is also sweet and funny and helpful and cheerful.  

Jilly Says

J: You like brown juice (Dr. Pepper) a lot mommy, but juice is not for me.  But juice is beary lotsa yummy!

Watching "The Little Mermaid"

Ariel: (about Prince Eric) he's beautiful

J: No, boys aren't beautiful!!

In time out

J: Mommy, I think Mattie wants me to be happy, can I get out now?

Trying to say Claire

J: It's too hard, I can't say it.  Mattie Kirra Martinez

(Kirra is their cousin)

Meeting a new friend

J: Hi, my name is Jillian Martinez Kate

J: Daddy, you go fast in Mommy's car, but Mommy can't go fast.

Jilly comes out of the bathroom 

R: Did you wipe?

J: Yep, and I wiped my nose too

(I was too afraid to ask the follow-up question)

We're about to eat dinner and trying to get Jilly to sit down.

J: Just a minute, I will be upstairs

R: Wait, why are you going upstairs?

J: I have to go see how pretty I am

five on friday

1. I loved this article that's been going around facebook.  I am not the best housekeeper (there are many many many things I'd rather do than scrub my kitchen floor) but this made me want to be better.

2. TOTW (Tricks of the Week) - Mattie has mastered clapping and Jilly is finally successful at dressing herself (though clothes are frequently on backwards.)  This has increased Jilly's daily outfit changes by tenfold.  She was so, so proud to surprise me with her full Cinderella ensemble- dress, purse, and glass slippers.

3. Late on Tuesday afternoon I sat down to start our 2013 Family Photo Book.  On Shutterfly I saw that there was a 50% off books deal that ended that day.  So, I spent the entire evening putting our book together and ordered it at 11:58pm.  Phew.

4. Mattie learning to stand up has thrown quite the wrench into our sleeping routine.  Nearly every time I put her in bed she immediately pulls herself up and cries and cries to be let out.  Once when I went to get her she looked right at me and said "ma ma ma" and I melted and swore never to put her back in that cell (. . .until it was time for her next nap.)

"saaaaave me!"

5. Our Chick-fil-A was doing free breakfast this whole week and we went twice.  We probably would have gone more if I had found out about it before Wednesday afternoon.  Ridiculous? Maybe. Delicious? Absolutely.

Wanted to leave you with a happier picture of Mattie.  Happy Weekend!!

birthday girl

Today she is three

Things to love about Jilly:

- she says "purty" instead of pretty

- she's always quick to say thank you

- her favorite foods are chicken nuggets, rice, graham crackers, and chocolate milk

- she's way into directions and knows how to get to the library from our house

- she looooves her baby sister (until Mattie grabs her hair)

- she's thoughtful and always looking out for others (occasionally crossing the border over to bossiness)

- she's always singing- both real and songs of her own creation

- she's constantly asking to help with whatever I'm doing

- she's 100% girl, loves dresses, princesses, nail polish, and anything sparkly

zero- 

one-

 two-

three-

jilly-isms

Aunt Kristen - "Jilly, are you a human?"
J - "No, I a princess"

Mattie was having tummy time and Jilly put a heavy bean bag on her back.
me - "Jillian, take that off your sister right now."
J - "but Mommy, she's a turtle"

J - "Daddy, I need the computer really quick"
Bry - "What do you need it for?"
J - "To watch Dora and Boots"

I had been cleaning all day and was wearing sweats and a t-shirt.  I decided to run to the bank to deposit a check
J - "You're wearing your jammies there?"

We're in the car and Mattie is screaming.
J - "Will you please feed her?"

B - "Jilly I want to take your paci away, what can I give you in return?'
J - "Um, my paci back?"

Jilly was telling her Nana a story about me and Nana wasn't quite understanding so Jilly finally said, "you know- Rachel!"

J - "Daddy, don't go out with me!"
B - "Okay I won't go without you."

B - "How much do you love me Jilly?"
J - "ummm, one"

I sneezed
J- "You have allergies mommy?"
R- "Yes"
J - "I think you're getting sick"
B - "What can Mommy do to get better?"
J- "Get baptized"

I had taken all the sheets off my bed to wash them so you could only see the mattress
J- "Ohhhh, a jumpy bed.  Where did we get it?"

While playing by herself with toys-
J - "I'll take your Aurora dress away if you don't give it back"

At the park-
J - "Where did my favorite friends go?'
R - "You mean the kids that just left?" (that we had absolutely no interaction with)
J - "Yes, where'd they go?"

C+J forever

Jilly and Clark play together all the time.  And Clark is my hero because Jilly is bossy and dramatic and always wearing a princess dress and Clark is just cool and puts up with it all (probably because he has 3 sisters and is used to it.)  We love love love Clark.  When he was over this week I had my camera out so I let them be silly and took some pictures.