Saturday, June 16, 2012

Summer Time! 7 months

 Lydia is 7 months! 
 She is such a delight!  Latest highlights include sitting up, pulling up to a stand, eating soft table food and lots of cheerios, turning off light switches, saying "Mama", loving anything her sister seems to like, taking two naps a day and sleeping 10 hours with one feeding in the night, loving little people, patting, drumming, playing in water and being tickled! 

 Standing up by herself!
 Hard to believe summer is nearly 1/4th over! 
Summer days have included a Memorial Day trip to the beach

 Lydi's first dip in the water!

 Playing in the pool on the beach - Nad has declared, "I don't like the ocean waves" this year.   We aren't sure why, but she had a ball in the sand and pool. 
 Building a sand turtle with Daddy
 Playing with Nana and Granddaddy
 Beyond beach days, Nadia is growing up so quickly - gaining more independence every day as she is now choosing her own clothes, mastering potty use, taking responsibility for her toys/bag/stuff, singing 100 different songs a day, helping fold the laundry, helping cook, brushing her own teeth, washing herself in the tub.,. it kind of all makes me a little sad at how big she's getting! 

The past month included a horrid rash with high fever, just days before VBS (my biggest week of the year).  After a 5 day quarrentine from other kids, Lyd seemed to be fine and made it to the last of the week of VBS. 
 Poor baby. 
 Nadia had her first "real" VBS experience, getting to particiate with the Twos at Operation Overboard.  She loves to tell us about the worship rally and sing the theme song with motions. 
 Lots of trips to the duck pond with new baby geese to see
 Painting with "big girl paint"
 Dress up
 Summer Olympics at church
 Putting our family flag in the Parade of Families
 Swimming in the backyard


 Bountiful Baskets - I highly recommend!  It's a co-op for fresh produce.  It's just our first basket, but we've already eaten more healthily than we have been in the past several weeks (mostly b/c VBS is over and I have more than 2 minutes left in the day to think about food prep), but it really is great!  6 fruits, 6 veggies - 4 servings of each for $15. 
 I made roasted radishes (a first!), carrots and sweet potatoes for lunch. 
We also had kiwi, watermelon and squash.  Nad tried and ate everything except the radish.
 We've been berry picking (more berries were eaten than wound up in our basket). 
 At another less healthy meal, Nad took her curly fries and announced, "I made a word - C-I-L-O!" 
Lyd likes cucumber and watermelon spears! Yum! 

Now that we've made it through Vacation Bible School and the start of the Olympics (it's been beyond hectic with a sort of hang-on and just survive mentality), I'm determined for this summer to be filled with lots of special summer fun!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Flower Girl!

Nadia was the flowergirl for Miss Sarah Beth (her nanny from 12 weeks old when I first went back to work) this weekend!  She was fabulous and played the role to a t.  This was her practice pose (Note the "flowergirl hands and smile."  There was also a "flowergirl walk" of which she was very proud.)


 Coming down the aisle during the ceremony
 Holding her pomander (ever so perfectly)
 She stood at the front until the first prayer, then joined us at our seat until the recessional. 

When she came to sit down with us she teared up and said, "I'm sad!"  She couldn't understand why everyone around her was crying - the idea of "happy tears" was all new.  Note to moms of future flower girls - explain ahead of time that people may cry at weddings because they are happy.  She was quickly reassured and fine, but it was a moment in the day I never anticipated. 
 I never got an official pic with the bride and groom (there's just something annoying about that "other" camera's flash when the official photographer is at work...) We'll just have to wait for the official wedding photos for that. 

After the ceremony, she fell asleep in the car on the way to the reception for a power nap.  Then she mingled, ate dinner and danced the night away.  She loved being able to celebrate with "Beff" and freely gave lots of calming hugs to her throughout the day.  Congratulations Sarah Beth and Christopher!  (Hurry home from your honeymoon - we can't wait to have Miss Beth back for the summer! Yipee!)

1/2 and 2 1/2 years old!


6 months old! I can't believe Little Lydi is already 1/2 a year! What joy you've brought to our family!
Lydi is sitting up, cooing, laughing, reaching out, engaging with all kinds of play, eating all kinds of baby food, self-feeding cheerios/yogurt melts/puffs, drinking from a handled cup, waking up just once a night to eat, and taking just two naps a day.  She weighs 17 lbs 11 oz (80th percentile), and is 25 1/4 inches long (35th percentile).  
Such a dumplin! 

Half birthdays definitely warrant cupcakes! 

Nadia and Lydia ADORE one another, and it delights me to pieces when they play together independently.  Nadia obviously has to be the initiator of their play at this point, but there's a lot of mutual affection!  Lyd will do all she can to initiate the play with Nadia and 99% of the time, Nad will stop what she's doing and interact with her.  It's priceless to a mom!

 A tea party for two!

 When you ask Nadia what letter is "that" (as pictured above), she says
"A Georgia Bulldog G!"


Nadia had a new favorite book last week.  She wanted to read Green Eggs and Ham every day, more than once.  One night she asked for a late night snack, so we made green eggs and turkey (our closest substitution on hand).

Lydia's Dedication


Lydia's Dedication - Mother's Day 2012
Poppa, Aunt Steph, Uncle Jor and Nana came for Lyd's dedication


Happy Early Birthday Aunt Steph!