Did you say banana?

Lila recently had her 9 month check-up, and she did great!

We learned that her language skills are great because she already has several "dedicated words." Meaning, she uses words to identify things and uses them in their correct context.

Her list includes, "Uh oh," "Mama," "Dada," "Nana," "Light," "Yay," "Pop pop" and as of yesterday evening, "Thank you." It's ridiculous. She's so darn cute.

Lila's doc also said it was time for her to start eating table foods. So, we've started to introduce her to diced fruits and veggies first. I think these pics tell a good story regarding her thoughts about bananas.

Curious...



Incredulous and overcome...


Disgusted and betrayed...

Pretty sure she's thinking of a few new words to use "in context" for the person who made her eat that nasty banana.

Just another day probably learning how to swear and Being Billingsley...

We Are Austin Just Got Legit

Did you watch We Are Austin this morning? If you didn't, you missed this very handsome family...

(I apologize for the quality of the video...)

First of all, that guy really knows his Wally's Ice Cream Treats.

Secondly, I think we can all agree, I smell an Emmy for the red head's performance.

Thirdly, that gorgeous blonde kid at the end there... She's very talented.

And, how about that baby! She made me really believe she was disinterested and generally unimpressed. She's quite the actress.

Just another day practicing our autographs, and Being Billingsley...

Lila's Nine Months!

I cannot believe it! My baby is 9 months old!

Your little personality has changed so much over the past few months, but this month you've officially added grouchy. You're an irritable little thing, and I LOVE IT!

You have started to yell when you want something... no tears... just yelling. It's funny now, but I don't know how charming your friends in college will think it is. We'll work on it.

New things:

• You tried your first yogurt. At first it seemed seriously off-putting, but you've come around.
• You learned to point. It takes you a few seconds to get your hand positioned just right, but once you get it ready, you think it is hilarious. Then, it's just pointing at EVERYTHING your little eyes can see.
• You celebrated your first Easter. I wish I could say you were in complete awe and a perfect little angel, but not so much. Geez, you are your Mother's daughter. You were unimpressed with just about everything including the beautiful dress and the egg hunting. It was HILARIOUS! I love that you already have a mind of your own. You absolutely will not be manipulated or persuaded into doing something you don't want to do.
• You started to clap your hands and are very impressed with yourself.
• Finally, you decided to crawl. Since then, you've hit your head three times. It's been fun.
• You started saying "Uhh, ohh" and "Yay!" in addition to the other words you already know..."Mama," "Dada," "Nana," "Pop pop," and "this."
• It's interesting to me that you learned to say "Uh, ohh" because the very next day you cut your face when your head landed on my bedside table. It was bad enough to inspire a trip to the emergency room. You thought that was a lovely afternoon and had a blast there.
  

I'm amazed by how funny you already are and how strong-willed you have become. I love your beautiful big blue eyes, the fact that your hair makes you look like a baby bird, and your spunky personality. I love you gorgeous girl.

Just another day celebrating Being Billingsley...

Granddaddy Billingsley

Dear Granddaddy -

It's because of your life-long devotion to our Heavenly Father that generations of Billingsleys will walk through this world with eyes WIDE open to the needs of others, hands that eagerly serve, and hearts that long for Christ Jesus. (They will also be more attractive than everyone else... They will be Billingsleys after all.)

You are an example to all of what a good man should be. Particularly, I thank you for the example you were to this incredible husband of mine. His unfailing love, ferocious loyalty, reliable honesty, and his deep need to help others comes directly from you.

Because of your fatherly love, James has learned to be a phenomenal man and Daddy. I see you in him every single time he teaches his children something new, runs to a friend who needs help, stands in defense of someone who desperately needs an ally, and I especially see you when he laughs at a joke so hard everyone around him can't help but laugh with him.

I love when I get introduced to someone new who hears my last name and says, “Billingsley? Do you know Gene Billingsley?” They always follow up that question with a story that illustrates what a wonderful man you were. I love to hear those stories, but the best part of that interaction is being able to say, “Yes! I know that man. HE’S MY GRANDDAD.”

I'm intensely proud to be a Billingsley. We will forever miss you.

Lila "Scarface" Billingsley

Well, anyone who knows me is aware that I have the agility of a trained professional athlete with cat-like reflexes and the athletic grace of a gazelle.

James, on the other hand, falls down a lot. He twists his ankle daily, and it is not uncommon for him to run into things... even walls and doors that have been in the very same place for 10 years.

Well, I'm afraid my girls inherited his coordination because guess who spent the afternoon at the EMERGENCY ROOM???

That's right folks! Lila took a header into our nightstand and came up from the spill with a gash through which you could see the person standing behind her!

Our Saturday afternoon was spent watching multiple unspeakable trauma's rolling into the ER, a triage nurse that kept telling us "Just 20 more minutes," and fellow ER visitors telling us to just go home and glue it up ourselves.

I could not imagine a greater way to spend the day. Good times.

Just another injury-prone day Being Billingsley...

Double Dave's Goes Bankrupt

We decided to hit Double Dave's tonight because it's buffet night! Abbie & I always go with the goal of getting our money's worth... which should be everyone's goal in an all-you-can-eat scenario. It's an obsession of ours.

I didn't do my best work, but I did have a respectable 6 pieces of assorted savory and sweet pizzas. Abbie came in at an admirable 7 pieces... not a personal best, but still pretty good. While eating the 6th piece, she looked up at her Dad & said,

Abbie: "I'm so full that I'm sick."

James: "Abigail, when you are full, you should stop eating." (Crazy talk, I know.)

Abbie: "But, I really like eating." (That's my girl!)

So, she topped it all off with one last piece of pepperoni just to show him how it's done. James doesn't share our passion for overeating. He turned in a sad 2 piece stat and a side salad. It's embarrassing.

Just another excellent Wednesday Being Billingsley...

She Had One Too Many I Guess...

I remember Abbie's first bar fight like it was yesterday, but today was Lila's turn.

She apparently took a roundhouse to the noggin. Take a look at that sweet bump on the forehead.


But, honestly, you should have seen the other guy. After all, she is a Billingsley.

Just another bad-to-the-bone day Being Billingsley...