How cool is three?
Today Lily turns three.
Already! Blink and you’ll miss it, as they say.
She’s the kid with the wild, unkempt hair, the mismatched socks, the too short pants, the three week old temporary tattoo, the temper tantrums that makes her pass out (seriously), the blues harp, the collection of gravel, the love of monsters, the endless poo jokes.
But she’s also the kid with the sweetest smile, the gentlest kisses, the most infectious laughter, the well loved dolls, an eagerness to help make dinner, who already tells long, involved stories about adventures which are yet to happen, the one who calls me Muvva and Phil Farva as a kind of joke, the one who sleeps all night, and then who snuggles in beside me every morning for a sleepy cuddle, the one who likes to jump and hop and dance, the kid who plays peacefully for hours on end and listens patiently and devotedly when her sister reads her stories.
I used to call her my love blob when she was a baby because she was so easy to love. She still is – but now with added extra bits.
Happy birthday Lil!
Oh, that’s such a lovely post. makes me want to go and wake Isla up from her nap (she’s not quite 2) and give a her a nuzzle.She sounds like quite a character your Lily!
What a beautiful post. Happy Birthday to precious Lily I remember when she was born – it seems to have gone so quickly.
Hope all your birthday wishes come true Lily! Ahhh, such a gorgeous post!
how cute is three! Happy birthday Lily!
Awww… she looks like a sweetie! Happy Birthday Lil!!!
oh sadie passes out, its abit weird that whole scenario of yelling ‘ breathe breathe breathe you nutbag’ and then ‘ oh here we go again….’
That is really quite funny. Kids really do wind themselves up quite well.
Yes three is good. W is three mind you the sleeping through the night bit sounds too much like a tease for my liking! The number of times I empty a rock and gravel collection out of his pockets is too many but never fails to raise a smile.Enjoy.
Happy happy birthday little Lil.
She’s impossibly cute.
i love this post. perhaps because i can totally relate to almost all of it. aside from the passing out (phew!). and mine would be in shorts. not pants. yep, even in winter.happy birthday, sweet girl.
Happy birthday Lily. I hope this year is full of all those adventures you have been planning.
That just captured something true and beautiful, both about your Lily but also about being a mum. – thanks for posting.
Aw Lily. Happy Birthday Munchkin-Babe. What a sweet little Wild Thing. The naughtier they are the smarter they are, I reckon.
I remember back when I first started lurking every so often, when Lily was just beginning. Her I am de-lurking and now she is 3! Woah. How lovely it is when they are old enough to tell you how much they love you yet still small and squishy enough to snuggle up in bed.
What a gorgeous post.Happy, happy birthday, Lil!
I used to pass out as a kid too. (These days I have to find other ways of getting my kicks.)
THREE already? Amazing. Happy birthday Lil. I love your photos; somehow she always looks cherubic and cheeky at the same time 🙂
Happy Birthday, lil Lilly!I’ll never tire to say: you indeed make beautiful dolls, Claire. 😀
Ah what a lovely post, and yes it does go fast, my Lily is 9 and a half (the half is very important I’ve been told!) and she can’t wait to 10 because it’s double digits! And isn’t it funny how you never have two children alike they all have their own little strong personality built in, My Lily fights sleep tooth and nail where as Skyla can sleep on a rope at any opportunity,Happy 3rd Birthday to your Lily ( gorgeous photo)…….who does she get the short pants and poo jokes bit from?
ohh, sweetest post ever! brought tears to my eyes!Happy Birthday Lily.
Oh Happy Birthday Lil. She’s a character, how cute. Loving the cute little anecdotes. What happy memories!
beautiful photo.Is it wrong to be jealous of a 3yo kids hair?Thanks for sharing.
Ahh! Happy Birthday to the love blob!! Wow, time flies. I looked at my girl tonight and thought how lucky I was to have her. Hope Lily had a great day and see you all soon. Axxx
She sounds just like my little one!Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday Lily!My 4 year old believes in wearing odd socks too.
Awww, happy birthday Lily! I love your sweet tribute, Claire. You’re a fantastic mom.
She is a darling girl — look at those cute cheeks and long eyelashes! I, too, had a well-developed sense of potty humor right around my third birthday {my mother told me so}. Happy birthday to your little one!
Happiest Birthday Wishes to Lily from her Canadian family.Wish you were here this year.hugs and kisses
3. Yikes. it does go fast, clich or no.happy birthday kiddo from the other side of the world!
So precious, both Lily and your mother’s love for her.
Such a sweet ode to your Lil. I really get a sense of who she is. Happy birthday, Lily!
Dear Loobylu. She looks so adorably tough with her cute tshirt and ruffled hair, and the tat on her arm. Does it say “Mum forever”?
No – that would be cute… she got it from a little mate – it says “Best Friends Forever”
My Lily sounds just like your Lily 🙂 She is a darling nutjob with the most way-out imagination I’ve had the pleasure to interact with.Happy birthday to your Lily!
I mean, all kids are cute, but she is ADORABLE. I love that hair. And what a nice tribute. Happy Birthday!
happy birthday lovely Lily!(Claire-I hope that you get my e mail, I am so waiting for your answer)
Happy birthday Lil!!!Did you get a yummy cake and some new gravel for your collection?Poo!!!!Love,Andi 🙂
Claire, I don’t visit here often enough and I can’t believe she is 3 already….it really does go quickly.on a different note. I am unwell today and I’m doing very little on my couch. I NEVER sit and watch day time tv..infact I feel really embarrassed to say that I am sitting here watching Oprah. BUT…the reason I am telling you this is that I just saw your lovely dolls on her show. She was talking to the lady from Dooce via skype and your dolls are in the background shot.
anyway thought I would share.
My goodness she has grown so much! Happy birthday Lily :)ps. i think the temper tanrums till they pass out is a second kid thing, Esme is just like that.
I can’t believe she is three already I remember you annouced you were expecting… Believe me they grow quickly I never thought that I would ever be a lady in my fifties with two girls in their 30’s – time just does fly – so treasure all those warm cuddles and involved stories – they (the stories & cuddles) last – but change… These are the sort of memories you keep close to your heart when they are in their teens and they seem to be aliens….
Has it been three years, wow. Happy birthday!
I can’t believe she’s three already. Wow, the years go by so quickly. Cliche I know but it’s so true. You have two wonderful little girls and an awesome creative talent.