Love-Hate Relationship

Andrew and Lilly have pretty much known each other all their lives (well, for the past 3 years anyway!)

Lilly's mommy, Alissa, is one of my very best friends.  We met several years ago (before we had kids!) at a district teacher's meeting that we attended every month.  Let's just say, I don't remember a whole lot about what the topics of the meetings were, but I gained a wonderful friend out of the deal!

And so did these two.

They are exactly one year and one week apart in age.  I was so happy when Alissa got pregnant with Lilly.  I had been trying to get pregnant as well, with no success.  I really wanted us to be pregnant together.  But we all know things don't always work out the way we plan!

 We moved to the same neighborhood and lived just a block away.  Our kids have grown up together and Alissa was there for me every moment of my infertility issues and rough pregnancy.  I can remember being so upset after we found out about Andrew's heart that I couldn't even go to school the next day.  She was home with Lilly and I spent the whole day over there...she fixed me lunch, and we spent the whole day talking about Andrew and it just made me feel so much better talking to her.  She is the best.

Craig always jokes that we live a block away, yet we can spend 2+ hours on the phone!  Ha!  He always says, "why don't you just go over there and talk to her in person!"  

And we do that a lot too.

It was awesome being able to run over there after Andrew went to bed sometimes- we'd stay up late and chat.  Or when the kids were babies we'd hang out, have dinner and let Andrew fall asleep over there.  Alissa's husband and Craig have also become friends.

It is just the best having friends like them!

Lilly and Andrew go to the same day care.  And Alissa works at the school where Andrew attended preschool last year.  I loved that she could check on him for me.  She'd always send me emails and tell me what he was up to.

I never really worried about our kids being at day care together.  In fact, I loved the fact that Lilly was there.  Andrew loves her so much, and I know she likes to check on him and play "mother" to him sometimes!  Ha!  She always tells me if he's been naughty!

Well, the last week of school one day when I went to pick him up, he was standing in time-out and crying when they were outside.  I thought, "uh oh, what happened?"

One of the teachers said, "oh, he's just upset because he's in time-out for throwing a toy at Lilly and hitting her in the face."  

What!?!

The first thing I said was, "Not Lilly Jones!"  (Please, don't let it be!)

Yup.  It was.  I glanced over and Lilly is sitting on the play equipment holding an ice pack on her forehead!

And worse yet?  They filled out an accident report because it left a mark on her!

OMG!

I called Alissa immediately on the way home to tell her that apparently my kid is the class bully.

I apologized over and over again. 

And the good friend that she is... she just laughed.

And they still came over for dinner the next night!

These two made up.

Thank goodness for good friends.

And forgiveness!

Andrew apologized by sharing one of his Shrek bags with her and giving her his Shrek toy from McDonalds (because she really wanted one and he had two!)  He really did feel bad about hurting Lilly.  He cried the whole way home from day care that day, and more when we got home.  I scolded him and he'd stick his lip out at me.  Then that night at bedtime (even several nights later!) he'd talk about it as he was falling asleep and we'd hear him on the monitor.  "Kebin, Wissa, Wiwwy.  That's vewy naughty. 

And all was well with the world again.

Sadly, the Joneses moved out of the neighborhood about a month ago.  Luckily, they're still in the same town, but driving across town just seems too far away!

Lilly invited Andrew over for a date the other night.   It was so funny, when we told him we were going to Lilly's he was so excited.  Then he burst into tears when we turned the other direction!  He didn't understand that she had moved to a new house!  He kept shouting "I want Lilly!!!!!!!"

Alissa got them Shrek frozen dinners.

 The chicken nuggets were shaped like Shrek heads!  Now there's a way to win over a man's heart!

While Alissa and I cleaned up the kitchen sat on the couch and enjoyed some peace and quiet  the boys took the kids downstairs to watch Toy Story 2.  They were preparing for the big release of Toy Story 3!  (It looks like Craig and Kevin are thoroughly enjoying the movie, doesn't it?!  Ha!)

Andrew had to do everything Lilly did.  

 Andrew just loves Lilly's daddy Kevin.  They had so much fun playing and wrestling!

Notice poor Kevin with the kids and Craig just chillin in the background!  Ha!  In his defense, he was playing a little bit too, I just didn't get picture of it!

Andrew loves the Jones family so much.  He thinks of them as family.  We all do. (Do you think we could set up an arranged marriage for these two??)

And there's just nothing better than good friends you can call family.