Thursday, April 26, 2007

lili-lili-lili get your adverbs here!

Stop and smell the Lilies...

Sleep deprivation is a common condition that afflicts 47 million American adults, or almost a quarter of the adult population. Symptoms can interfere with memory, energy levels, mental abilities, and emotional mood. A study conducted by the University of Chicago Medical Center in 1999 indicates that the leading cause of sleep deprivation is baby girls named Lily who have no internal differentiator indicating night and day.

It's not really that bad, sleep is overrated anyway. Today, Lily turns 2 weeks old. I know that is not that big of a deal and in the grand scheme of things perhaps you are right. But, weighing in at 9lbs & 4 oz she is literally changing before our very eyes. It reminds me of the sea monkeys we had as a kid. Dump a packet of cryogenically frozen amoebas into a glass of water, come back in a few days and you have a host of bacterial fungi swimming around in a wasteland of polluted water. Yeah, kinda like that...


As she has graduated from newborn diapers to the big size uno, I find myself getting bit by the nostalgia bug. If my grandmother taught me anything, it was to enjoy the small things in life that most would see as routine and common. She believed it was the cumulation of the insignificant that made life such a treasure. "Don't forget to stop and smell the roses" she would say. So, part of my commitment as a dad is to really stop and breathe the fragance of a beautiful little Lily.

Her Nenaw created this masterpiece.

Her Aunt Rebecca created this masterpiece.



Memaw and Lily. (My mom's granmother was Lillie)


Enough said.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

poo and play


(Micah and Lily at one week. Yes, that is Micah!)

Week one. Check. At this point it is all about getting into the swing of things again. Having Nenaw around has been a lifesaver. Restless nights, 2:00 am feedings, burpings, and the diapers, oh how I forgot about the diapers.
I have also figured out that for the first few weeks the father is a fairly useless figure. During the delivery Shauna did not want to be touched, talked to, comforted, encouraged... so I sat in the corner and watched.Now, that Lily is here I am very content holding her and watching Sanjaya do his thing (props to VFTW!). I'm sure Shauna can now understand why the black widow eats her mate.
One of the great things about being a dad is sitting back and watching your kids. Dylan on the ski slopes, Micah on the soccer field, Lily in mid poop contortion. I am simply amazed how they steal your heart so quickly.




the joys of nenaw-hood.


the joys of nenaw-hood part II.


happiness is...


See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.



Dylan and Lily at one week.






Thursday, April 12, 2007

lily has arrived!

Alright. After three kids I am becoming aware of the dark reality that other people are not as interested in pics of your kids as you are. Nonetheless, a blog like this serves as an avenue to channel a portion of the insane "puffiness" a proud father feels after the birth of his child. So, if you are a grandparent or close relative then I hope these help get you through until you can get your hands on her. If you are a close friend... same thing. If you have arrived at this website via the instructions (demands) of either of the above, I apologize beforehand. If you are a botanist or florist I am afraid you will be sorely disappointed.

Lily Grace Stockstill
04-11-07
05:29 a.m. Hattiesburg, Mississippi
7 lbs 8 oz
19 inches
toes .75 cm

hello world, meet lily.

"if we could all wear onesies the world would be a better place." - Rich Nelson


pink. the new brown.


food does seem to be a top priority.


after a long day.


3 to 1 odds. I like that.



mom and lily about 45 minutes old

she has no idea what is in store for her...