Disneyland!

Dear Lily,

This year for your Papa’s birthday (May 9th), your Nana and Papa took us all to Disneyland!  When we got there, your Nana got you a button that said “1st Visit.”

As always, you were a perfect baby the whole time we were there.  Most of the park you were hanging out in the stroller.

But you did get to go on a few rides with us.

I can’t wait for you to get bigger and watch your little face as you discover Disneyland all over again.  Until then, I thank my Father in Heaven for you every day.  You are a joy to take anywhere. 

 

Love,

Mom

Devin Gerard Griffiths

Dearest Lily,

While I was searching for the words, this is what I came up with:

Devin taught me to appreciate family, life, the Lord, temple covenants, and all of the little things that make life sweet.  He did so much for me and many, many others in his short beautiful life.  We love you so much Devin.

Love,

Auntie Shelley

Super Pooper

Dear Lily, 

I would like for you to imagine this letter being read to you by James Earl Jones (or anyone else with a deep bar atone voice). 

You have been placed on this Earth with special powers. Remember with great power comes great responsibility. Your super power is one that will fill your bowels and have an impact on those around you. You will hereby be known as Super Pooper! You have the ability to poop in epic proportions. You will be able to blow out of any diaper placed upon you. You can use this power to escape boredom such as Gospel Doctrine. And, you can thwart those around you instantaneously. When the crap hits the fan...well, you're probably responsible.

Enough with the puns. May the feces be with you. (Ok, just one more.)

Love,

Super Pooper Cleaner Upper

Nana Griffiths

Dear Lily,

I always felt so blessed to have such wonderful grandmothers who love me.  My grandmothers love to spoil me, as grandmothers tend to do.  I never realized how much more my life would be blessed when I got married and I got to have two new grandmothers to spoil me too.  Dad’s paternal grandmother Nana Griffiths holds a special place in my heart.  It’s probably because she has always treated me like I am one of her flesh-and-blood grandchildren, and I can feel her love for me.  I’m sure she loves all of her grandchildren equally, but she makes me feel as though I am her favorite.

Nana was making a trip out to see some of her children who live in California and Arizona.  While visiting Aunt Laura in Tucson, she made a special trip (a five hour drive one-way) so that she could come and meet you in person.  I was so touched that she would take time away from visiting her children and endure a long drive just to come and see our little family. 

She came on a Saturday afternoon.  The first thing she wanted to do was hold you.  This cute outfit was given to you by her daughter, my Aunt Melinda.  Unfortunately, you had a blow out all over it, and we had to change your clothes, but that’s ok.  You look cute in everything!

We sat and chatted for a while and then decided to go outside and see all of the cool things Dad has done in the backyard.

 

Ella showed her the chickens.

Charlie tried to get her to jump on the trampoline.

 

And Daddy showed off his garden.

We all ate dinner together, and then Nana had to leave.  Before she left, I made her take a picture with all of you kiddos.

I’m so grateful for family and the blessing we have to be sealed together forever. 

I have a family here on Earth

They are so good to me

I want to share my life with them through all eternity

Families can be together forever,

Through Heavenly Father’s plan

I always want to be with my own family

And the Lord has shown me how I can,

The Lord has shown me how I can.

Lyrics from: ”Families Can Be Together Forever” in the LDS Children’s Songbook

Love,

Mom

Your First Easter

Dear Lily,

This Easter was a special one because it was your first Easter in our family!  I chose the Easter bucket for you with all of the flowers on it since you are my beautiful Lily.  I (I mean the Easter Bunny) filled it with some yogurt melts, puffs, and baby cheetos.  You’re not old enough to eat them yet, but you will be soon!  You are still so little that you can’t participate in all of the festivities, but we got a couple of snapshots of you enjoying the day.  Thanks for the card Nana and Papa!

 

You couldn’t really hunt for eggs, but you did look so cute in your Easter dress.

We took a picture of everyone in their new sunglasses.

And one with me in it too.

Later that evening, the Adams family arrived to spend a couple of days with us.  They drove all the way from Indiana because they were dying to meet you!  It was love at first sight.

The Adams family only stayed for a couple of days because we had to share them with their family that lives in Phoenix.  Over the next two days, we shot some guns, blew stuff up, ate burgers and Stan’s burritos, and played some heated games of hearts.  I would say it was the perfect two-day visit.  We always miss them when they leave, and we look forward to visiting them again soon. 

Love,

Mom

Just Right

Dearest Lily,

When I was in kindergarten, my Papa and Bo (Anderson) used to live right across the street from my school.  Everyday after school I would go to their house, have a strawberry ice cream cone, and read with them the story of The Three Little Bears.  I knew every line by heart, and I would correct them if they missed a word in the story.  You, my little one, remind me of the baby bear because you are “just right.”

When Ella was a baby, she used to drink her bottles so fast that she would spit up gobs of milky goo.  I’m pretty sure she could’ve won some sort of world record for the fastest bottle drunk by a newborn.  Charlie, on the other hand, would not nurse and would take about an hour to drink just 4oz of milk.  You are just right.  You will nurse or take a bottle, and you drink it not too fast but not too slow either.  Feeding you is such a pleasant experience.

Ella came out of the womb with a preference for Dad.  She was always snuggly with him and she would light up when he entered the room.  Charlie is a major mama’s boy.  Now that he has words, he repeats over and over again, '”Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama . . .” You will gladly go to either me or Dad, and you smile your big toothless grin at both of us equally.

I am interested to know if this will ring true in other aspects of your life.  Ella is my independent girl.  She wants to do everything by herself, and she does not like to ask for help.  Charlie will ask me for help when he is getting off the chair and has only an inch of space between his feet and the floor.  I wonder if you will be the perfect balance of self reliance mixed with the ability to receive advise.  Well, at least I am hoping you are.

I am not the only one who feels that you are just right.  Everyone who meets you tells me what a pleasant baby you are.  You are so content all the time.  You rarely cry, and when you do it is because you have tried to tell me that you are hungry, tired, etc., and I haven’t responded to your needs.  I am so grateful to have you in our family.  You fit just right.

Love,

Mom

Your Blessing

Dear Lily,

On Sunday, February 3, 2013, your father exercised his priesthood and gave you a blessing.  I could feel the Spirit so strongly as he was telling you some of the blessings your Father in Heaven desires for you to know and have.  I pray that you will always be grateful for a priesthood-worthy father who can call upon the powers of heaven for you.

After church, we had all of our family and friends over for a delicious carne asada dinner followed by some cake and ice cream.  After stuffing our faces, we all went outside and enjoyed the sunshine that set the scene for your day.  Your Nana, Papa, Grammy, and Pa all drove in from San Diego to be at your blessing too.  You have been born into a big bundle of love surrounding you from your immediate family to your extended family and on to close friends, each adding another layer of warm love for you. 

I can’t continue this post without mentioning your blessing dress.  I would love to tell you that I made it myself, but that would be a lie.  The truth is that I searched and searched online for the perfect blessing dress.  This was the only one that I saw and immediately sighed, “Ahhh.”  I knew it had to be yours.  The funny thing is, the name of the dress is “The Ella.”  (Haha – I’ve never owned a dress that had its own name.)  I was so worried about you staining it that I changed you into it before your blessing and almost immediately changed you out of it thereafter.  I only put it on you one more time for these pictures.  I hope someday your daughters, if you so choose, will enjoy wearing this dress on their blessing day.  I love you so much Lily Patricia Griffiths.

Love,

Mom

Your 1st Christmas

Dear Lily,

You were the best Christmas gift anyone could have asked for.  You are my perfect little package.  I’m so grateful the Lord blessed me with you this year.  Merry Christmas Lily!

Love,

Mom

Strike a Pose

Dear Lily,

When you were about four days old, we took you to my talented, good friend Julie Smith.  She took Ella’s newborn photos two years ago, and she did an amazing job on your newborn pictures too.  The Daddy-Daughter pics are always my favorite.  I would also like you to notice that you gave me the bird at just four-days old.  I know you’ll always be sweet, but full of spunk too!

 

Oh you are such a gorgeous baby.  Even though these pictures are stunning, they really don’t even compare to the beauty I see when I look at you. You better get used to being in front of the camera because you have a mother, a Grammy, and Aunties who will be your paparazzi for the rest of your life!   

Love,

Mom