Lily

Lily is an only child who is fun and outgoing.  From the time she was born, she had this free, independent spirit about her.  

She has her own unique style and is curious and fearless.   She finds ways to entertain herself, but also reaches out to her friends.

Lily models after her mother and father, with her own spin, of course.

She insists on bathing herself and following her own bedtime ritual – which includes reading to her dolls and stuffed animals, after her mom or dad have read to her.

She has learned to make her own lunch and can even make simple meals using the microwave.

Lily’s room is filled with all her doll and stuffed animal friends.  They surround her when she sleeps.   During the day, she plays with some of them, while others are neatly and deliberately positioned on her bed and throughout her room.

She imagines her dolls and stuffed animals as real friends, and she plays all kinds of games with them.  They go on endless adventures, exploring the real world and her imagined world.

Whatever Lily has to do at home or at school, they are her companions – whether it is reading, playing chess, building with Legos, preparing simple meals, cleaning her room, using her computer or watching TV, Lily always makes them a part of her adventure.

Lily’s room is always set up such that her dolls and animals are engaged in some sort of activity, even if she’s not there – much the same way that the toys were in the movie, “Toy Story.”

Lily befriends all children, especially the ones who may have special needs or may not be typically developing.

She sees and is drawn to the uniqueness of all people and recognizes those as strengths.  She doesn’t focus on what someone can’t do, but rather, on what they can do.  

Lily celebrates and learns from the differences she sees in the people and in world around her.  That inspires and excites her.  She is constantly creating ways to make life fun and meaningful for everyone.

She surrounds herself with lots of friends, especially Joaquin and Alex, engaging all of them in creative play.

Lily loves the outdoors too.  She is definitely a junior farmer at heart and in practice.  She spends countless hours in the family organic garden, with her straw basket and toy shopping cart, picking vegetables that are ready to be picked and keeping track of what will be ready in the days and weeks to come.

She regularly surveys the fruit trees, picking up fruit that has already dropped on the ground, as well as checking to see what is ready to be picked.   Lily uses the fruit picker where she can and alerts her parents of what she can’t reach, but is ready to be picked.

She even gathers fruits for the compost bin.

Lily notices all kinds of wildlife around her – the beautiful butterflies, the squirrels eating the apricots off the apricot tree, the black beetles eating the figs off the fig tree, the spiders spinning their webs – even the mouse stuck in the pool drain.  She is fascinated by their unique ability to survive in their environment, in spite of the challenges they face.

Whenever possible, she helps them –

Lily marches to her own drummer, with empathy and excitement for life, inspiring everyone around her to do the same.