Lily might be eight, but she still believes in fairies.

 I love so much about Lily! I love that, just today, Lily asked me in the car, “do you think that we will ever get to see a fairy?” I also love that she might not like cleaning the house, but if I ask her to help me with Rose, she does, and she even LIKES doing it. In fact she's one of Rose’s favorite people. 

Lily also has a very special concern when it comes to her sisters and her family. I love that she worries about everyone, and wants everybody to be happy. Lily has recently been bitten by the reading bug, and she likes reading a lot. She likes to read out loud, and with two younger sisters she always has an audience. She still loves picture books, especially Mo Willems, both his Pigeon books and Piggie and Elephant. She also really loves being read to, right now we are  enjoying Harry Potter and My Father's Dragon. Lily more recently started some chapter books, and has discovered “the bookmark”. She is starting to pick up a book whenever she sees one, and I love it! Her love of reading also means that she is getting better at deciphering when I try to spell something to Tyler, she has figured out a few surprises, but I guess that's just what happens when they grow older. (I wonder how long it would take her to figure out pig Latin?) 

Lily is not shy, it is really fun to watch her with other kids, she loves talking and telling people all about herself and her family. I can quote her and say she loves, “anything homemade.” In fact when I made soup from one of Tyler’s garden squash she said, “it’s even a homemade squash.”  Although she loves homemade food she has her exceptions, like fried shrimp and fish, but one of her absolute favorites is butternut squash soup. Seriously, don't ask me where squash soup came from, because I couldn't tell you. That was all she wanted for her birthday dinner. 

She was recently baptized, and took it as seriously as an eight-year-old can, I think. Her baptism was a special day, we really enjoyed having my parents here, and wished we could have had all our loved ones with us. We had good friends come, and our ward was so great and supportive. She looked beautiful, and all grown up. 

I'm so excited to see how my Lily will blossom even more. Yes, that pun was intended.