If you met her, you'd like her

Most of you only know Lily through this blog. It is clearly evident that Lily challenges me. She irritates me. She is stubborn and irrational and emotional.


But she is really quite delightful. Or she CAN be. Which may be why it is even more frustrating when she is a screaming irritable ball of nerves here at home.


She has been driving everyone at home CRAZY the last few days. She is sick, which makes her grumpy. She isn't eating because she is sick, and her low blood sugar makes her crabby. And she refuses to sleep more than her 11 hours, 2 minute limit despite being sick...and that makes her tired and cranky. She's been a bear. Screaming at everything. Tearfully badgering her brothers to play with her and then 2 minutes into playing she is screaming at them. They won't play the part she wants them to. Or they won't say the exact phrases she wants them to. Then they hit her (Mike) or they stop playing with her (Andrew) and she is screaming that they have stopped playing with her. She is picking fights with the grownups. On Sunday at 9 am, she announced that she would NOT be eating lunch today. She wasn't hungry. We looked at her a little confused, but we certainly didn't fight it...it was only 9 am. She continued for the next few hours to try and goad us into a fight about making her eat. "I am NOT eating. I HATE eating." Etc etc etc.


As you can imagine, after 3 days of this, our nerves are a bit frazzled. So when I had to take her into the dentist yesterday morning, I was worried. She was a bear again that morning, arguing and fighting every step of everything we did. I made her wear socks inside her rain boots! I made her get her hair brushed out of her face! I didn't magically make chocolate chip waffles appear! Andrew the lion had the gaul to roar! Etc etc. The hygienist took her back first, and she balked a little. I swear I heard fighting and screaming from the back of the office...although I honestly couldn't say if it was Lily...I certainly assumed so. 15 minutes later (or so), out comes the hygienist to get Andrew and return Lily. Lily almost skips out of the back. The hygienist said, "Oh my God, she is the cutest thing ever. She just chatted a storm with me. She was so good and sat still and let me clean her teeth really good. What a sweetheart."


???


-sigh- Then she accompanied Michael and I back for his first dentist appointment ever. In hindsight, taking him to the dentist barely a week after the nose extraction was not smart. The offices are a little too similar. I mean, who can tell if they're looking in your mouth or up your nose? He was hysterical and thrashing and screaming. Lily was helping the dentist by being his model. She even handed him tools he needed at one point. She was charming. Cute. Smiling. Personable. I really wanted to take this sweet child home with me.


???


Last night, I took Shadow to the groomers. Lily came with me to drop her off, because she was so concerned about her precious dog. I repeated over and over to Lily that it is good for Shadow to get groomed because her hair was getting so long it was matting and catching all the leaves, etc etc. Lily was stressed because Shadow was stressed. We walked in and I handed Shadow over to the grooming assistant. Shadow was shaking like a leaf. I fill out the waiver form, etc, and when I look down at Lily, her eyes are welling up. She was about to burst out crying. I asked the groomers if Lily could say goodbye. She brought the dog back out and Lily gave her an anguished hug and whispered something into Shadow's ear. Then she started quietly crying. The groomers melted into a puddle of empathy and promised that they'd take good care of her. I hugged Lily and again reminded her that it doesn't hurt Shadow and she'll be so cute and happy after it was done. Lily asked if they would put bows in her hair.
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Lily reunited with Shadow this morning. Notice the purple bow in Shadow's hair.

Also, please note that this is how Lily cuddles with the dog each morning. It's love, I tell you.

I'm in deep trouble if something ever happens to this dog. She loves her more than any person.
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On the way home from the groomers, I had another sweet Lily moment. We passed Lily's favorite house in our town...a 250 year old pink Victorian. She went into her story of how she is going to have babies and let me hold them (our deal for if she insists on growing up). Then she said, "You know what mom? What is grandma's real name? If I have a baby I think I will name her Linda. Because I love my grandma."
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You hear that, Grandma? She's ready for your visit this weekend...she's already naming her children after you :)