Good Parenting

Countdown to move date is 3 weeks. Lilly's life is going to be once again turned upside down by a big move to a completely different culture. So what, as her parents, do we do to make everything ok?

We did it 3 years ago before her tonsil surgery, and a month before her heart surgery this year. And we did it on the way to New Zealand two years ago, and on the way home from New Zealand last year. It's what we do, to make everything ok.

We're taking our daughter to Disney World (yes, again). She will survive leaving the house she grew up in and her lifestyle in Charlottesville by having the time of her life (yet again) with the princesses and the mouse. In my mind it will make her better prepared to move to NYC.

Last night, Jon & Lilly were watching Hannah Montana in our bed after her bath. Which is typical in our house: first bath, then Hannah Montana, then we go to her room and tuck her in and sing the Barney "I love you, you love me song" and she goes to bed. Usually around 8:30.

But last night, Jon was exhausted and fell asleep in our bed while Lilly was watching Hannah Montana. So she stayed up a little later. I walked in around 9:15 and saw that she was still awake.

Most of the time, I'd scoop her up and put her in bed. But sometimes there are rules and sometimes there are exceptions to the rules. She was in a great little mood, and I said "Lilly do you want to go to bed? Or do you want to stay up and watch Glee and have mommy paint your nails hot pink?"

Of course you know what she chose. She stayed up until 10 pm, so excited for her impromptu pedicure - she kept blowing on her little feet to make the polish dry, and her face lit up to each song in Glee.

We're not always traditional. But it's even more wonderful that way.