(©Artwork by Lillian - All Rights Reserved)

One sure fire way to get to know your child’s likes, dislikes, passions and strengths is to take them on a date. I have a once a month regularly scheduled date with Thomas and Lillian. I took Lillian on her date this past weekend. Lillian’s favorite date activities are going to the library, out to eat and shopping.

For our date this weekend we went to the library first. I truly believe if we could stay in the library for days on end, Lillian would sit there and read every book in the children’s book section. We usually check out about 20 or more books and when we get home she will sit and read EVERY single book. I am completely serious. She will NOT stop until she has read them ALL.

Next we went to eat at Lillian’s favorite restaurant, The Olive Garden. Honestly, I think she likes that restaurant so much because of the little chocolate mints you get at the end of the meal. I enjoy this more than I can put into words. For those of you who already do this with your child, you know what I mean. It is a tremendous bonding and connection opportunity for both parent and child. Here are some pictures of our yummy food!

As we were driving home I asked Lillian if we were done with our date or if she wanted to do something else. She said she wanted to go shopping for books! We were about 5 seconds from the turn in for Barnes & Noble so that’s where we headed next. She absolutely loves that place, too. Another that I think if we could stay there for days on end, she would read every book in the child’s section! We stayed for about an hour or so and Lillian proudly left with her 2 books.

We were walking to the car and Lillian said she wanted to go shopping for clothes and shoes. I was so tired that I talked her into saving that for our next date. After I convinced her to save that for next time, we drove home where she promptly took out the library books she had not read in the library and sat down to read them ALL.

If you don’t already have a regular scheduled date day for you and your child, I highly recommend you start this beautiful tradition with your kids. It doesn’t matter their age or what you choose to do. Just as long as you are doing something together - just the two of you! You will most definitely be on the road to discovering your child’s likes, dislikes, passions and strengths!

The wind was blowing the other day at a pretty good rate and Lillian decided to write a story. I asked if we could share it with all of you, so here it is! Again, I am not editing her grammar and punctuation!

The Storm is Coming - By Lillian

Oh! It is rain!

Oh! Frank! There’s storm is coming

There’s a cat up the tree.

Oh! Know.

The storm stopped.

But was little bit of storm is left.

Oh! The justred (still haven’t figured out what word she meant here). Storm is gone now!

Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

They are having the party now!

The End!

(Copyright © 2008 Pink Elephant Books - All Rights Reserved)

Below is a picture Lillian drew another time the wind was kickin’ it up.

(©Artwork by Lillian - All Rights Reserved)

Moms Been Busy - Check it Out Here

Here’s a Lillian NewsFlash for everyone! Pappaw Frank knows everything! I can’t remember what we were talking about; but, I thought this was newsworthy. I sure do remember thinking this about my grandparents when I was Lillian’s age. At some point thinking they knew everything faded; but, I tell you what as you get older you realize just how wise they are and were!!

Want to Know What’s Keeping Mom So Busy Lately - Visit this Page

(Click on image to enlarge)

A couple of months ago I read David Allen’s book Getting Things Done. It was packed full of useful information and has helped me get clarity and focus with every project on which I work. One of the suggestions in his book is to Mindmap (brainstorm).

Lillian observed me doing this in which I draw a circle in the middle of a blank page with lines extending from it. She has taken to doing her own mindmapping; so, I thought I would share her mindmap for what Thomas (her little brother) likes. Enjoy!

Time for another Lillian NewsFlash! As I was putting her sunscreen on this morning I noticed a small bug bite on her arm. It was just a small red bump; so, I thought it was maybe a mosquito bite. When I picked Lillian up from camp it had gotten much worse looking. I decided it had to be a spider bite. I got home; looked on the internet (WebMD) and at the same time called the doctor’s office. They had us come in and it is in fact a spider bite with a staph infection. All is okay - we have the antibiotics and the doctor circled the area so I could be sure to watch for it to recede.

So, what is Lillian’s NewsFlash. She was bitten by a crab; not a spider. If anyone happens to come across that crab; catch him for us so we can take a bite outta him right back!!

(I must add that I am so proud and humbled my Lillian and her bravery. She is just such the BRAVE little trooper - with the biggest most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen - even with a throbbing spider bite on her arm!)

(©Art by Lillian - All Rights Reserved)

(Click on image to enlarge)

Here’s a drawn NewsFlash from Lillian for this past Memorial Day weekend. It does rain here every once in a while; but, this carried on for days. So, Lillian decided to draw a picture to document this newsworthy event. The picture depicts the view of our backyard from inside the house - it’s pretty darn accurate!

(Click on image to enlarge)

“Your turn. What did you wish for?”, Lillian asked me. This was just after she told me what she had wished for on the new dream catcher that her Pappaw Frank just bought her in Lake Tahoe. I was getting Lillian to bed and she stopped me and said we had to make wishes to the dream catcher before she went to bed. So, we did. Then she wanted each of us to share what we had wished.

She turned her back to me, pointed to her back and said “I wished for fairy wings”. I don’t know about any of you; but, that just melted my heart. Oh, and what did Mom wish for? Happiness . . . Simply Happiness.

(©Art by Lillian - All Rights Reserved)

Lillian has decided she wants to be the tooth fairy when she grows up. I was telling someone this the other day and they said remind her that there are all kinds of fairies and she doesn’t have to be a tooth fairy to be a fairy. So, I was telling her she could be any kind of fairy she would like. I was naming things like flower fairy or book fairy. Her eyes lit up when I said Book Fairy. So, she decided she would like to be a Book Fairy and we will write a book or two about Book Fairies!

(Update) Lillian is now considering being a Flower Fairy also!

Be aware of the child in your life’s likes and dislikes and help them Discover Their Gift!

Here’s another short story from Lillian. She is way too busy playing and being a 6 year old to enter it herself; so, Mom’s helping out. She wrote this one last night on the laptop and then she decided to handwrite it also.

TITE: I REALLY WANT TO FLY

1 2

MOM HELP ME GET UP ON MY BED JUMING AND I SAID YES! SHECHED OUT MY HANDS

AND FLY.

I did not edit the story - this is how she typed it. I think everyone can figure out what she is conveying.

Choose today to help the children in your life Discover Their Gift.

Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society - Overcoming the Obstacles

(©Artwork by Lillian - All Rights Reserved)

Today at Lillian’s school they had a fire drill. This got Lillian very worried and she absolutely did not like the loud noise (she does not like loud noises). Also, it has starting getting warm here and Lillian got a little overheated during recess. After both of these incidents Lillian typed in her Dynavox unit for the teachers that she had 13 headaches! I thought that qualified for a Lillian NewsFlash!

No worries, though, by the time I picked her up at the end of the school day; she said all of her headaches were gone!