What Lydia likes

Lydia likes to sit up and play with her toys but not being on her tummy to do the same. She likes the sippy cup but never the bottle. Lydia likes to pet her doggie but doesn't like the licks in the face she gets in return. She likes to watch mommy work outside in the garden, but not from any seat. She likes to be carried around to look at everything (which makes it a workout for me!) Lydia likes books - to eat. She does not like cutting teeth (she has two). Lydia likes it when daddy comes home and talks to her. She likes giving open mouth slobbery kisses and sweet hugs. She is finally starting to like to eat her foods. Of all the foods she really enjoys - are our desserts that she gets nibbles of! This video was when we were in Maryland a few weeks ago at a pretty little bay town. She had one bite of my mint chocolate chip ice cream and she ws hooked!

Summertime

Have have had two weeks of summer and pretty much nothing to show for it! We hit the pool most of this past week and went to my aunt and uncle's house to enjoy some family time at their swimming hole on Sat. Lydia is proving to be waterbug #3. I put her in and she just starts kicking with a big grin on her face. Here are some shots of our summer so far (somehow we missed getting any of Lydia in the pool though).

Caleb and Lydia's first Braves game (it was a GOOD one)!



A boat ride with daddy (in Caleb's word's "Daddy has good ideas")

Hiking at Lake Arrowhead

My niece Lauren and I

Some of the little cousins with uncle Richard in the "hot pool"


The beginnings of our little garden.

Part 4 - On Yonder Mountain Day

This spring Alexia's class read a book together called "On Yonder Mountain" which was set in "old-timey days". Earlier this week they got to have a special day of making butter, applesauce, beef jerky and tasting real maple syrup and homemade bread. They did some fun crafts as well. They even sported some great settler wear for the day. I didn't think of it until last night, but Alexia's outfit was supported by 4 generations. Her great-grandmother, that she never knew, originally sewed the blue dress for my sister when she was in first grade. My mother-in-law figured up and sewed the mob cap (and one for the doll as well). I whipped up an apron for effect and Alexia wore it all well! The main character had a special doll, thus, Alexia's doll went to school as well. Her class was so cute they looked like a bunch of Little House of the Prarie characters!

part 3 Art Competition and Chorus Concert

Alexia has been in an extra chorus at school this year and they put on a concert last week with some of the other choirs - it was a good show and they learned some hard songs - a couple even had some foreign words! That was the same night as the art competition results were revealed. She won 3rd place in her grade for her painting of an ice cream on a canvas - Yea Alexia!

part 2 -Soccer season

Alexia and Caleb both played soccer this season (well, Alexia played soccer, Caleb played what I call "bunch ball" -where they just all travel in a bunch around the ball. But more on that later). Alexia's team was undefeated this year. She even emerged as a pretty good goalie at times this year-that is, when the other team would make it to our side!!

Alexia catch up part 1 - The Hair

I am real proud of my big girl. When she finally decided it was time for her hair to be cut, she did it in a big way. She had 10 inches chopped off and donated it to Locks of Love which makes wigs and gives them for free to children with hair loss for medical reasons. We all know that some little child will be thrilled to have a piece of her gorgeous red locks!

She Likes It!

In my dread of starting the babyfood phase - we put it off as long as possible. But now at almost 6 months, Lydia wonders why we have been holding out on her!

Bow Girl

Here's one of my new favorite pictures of Lydia. I know it's a huge bow - but like my sister-in-law said, I live in the south, that's what girls are supposed to wear!

Lydia 5 months

Some pictures of our little Lydia that's 5 months old now!

Jumpa- Jumpa-Jumpa

Here's Lydia in her latest activity - her jumpy seat. I put her in a few weeks ago thinking she might still be too little, but she immediately proved me wrong. Her little feet started bouncing and a smile broke out on her face. I think she likes it!

International readers

Right now I have family spread out to four different countries (not counting the good ol' US of A). This is a note to them to say that I see that some of you have been peeking in and not leaving a note - tsk- tsk. Since I can't talk to some of you - I will say a public "hello" and miss you all!

Lydia 4 months

Lydia had her four month check up today. She is growing like a champ. She is in the 97% for height, which is consistent for her and is in the 90% for her weight. We have some height in the family so it is no wonder her little ankles stretch out of her 6 month clothing! Lady Lydia is not yet rolling over but she thinks it's really funny when I help her to her stomach and she gets a new vantage point. I think she will be sitting straight up quite soon because she is always pulling her heard forward when in her little lounge chair or car seat.
We have a grabber on our hands. Lydia is really grabbing at anything especially a hand full of Alexia's red hair that's so shiny. She mouths on anything and slobbers on everything!
She is always being entertained by her loving siblings. We have found when they jump up and down, she will give you a good belly laugh - so cute! She is called Lady Lydia by me because she just sits quietly and asks for nothing. Princess is just not fitting for her. Erik calls her "pinkie-pie" because 95% of the time I do dress my little girly girl in pink. We have been extremely blessed once again with such a good sweet baby.

In Search For a Daddy Tie

Caleb loves to dress like his daddy. Early on, white undershirts became known as "daddy shirts" because daddy wore them. Then a button up dress shirt was also known as a "daddy shirt" because he saw daddy wear them to work every day. This daddy "stuff" has now moved into other areas - daddy's chips, daddy's cereal. Sometimes I ask him what he wants for breakfast and he asks me back " what did daddy have?"
One day he piped up that he wanted a "daddy tie, a yellow one. " The search was on. Major department stores did not have them, a suit store did not have them, kids boutiques did not have them - where to find one??? I was at our church's consignment sale two weekends ago and there it was! A clip-on "yellowish" daddy tie! For $1 no less!! Thank you Lord, you can't pass that up and here he is looking and acting like his daddy.

Magic Show

Alexia took part in her school's talent show this past week. We were very proud of her because she has never been one to boldly take to the stage. She and her friend Maggie awed the crowd by changing the color of a scarf, making a cup of candy disappear and other little tricks. They also elicited giggles every time they uttered the magic words "Scooby-Dooby-doo!"

Yummy Fun

Caleb LOVES peanut butter and honey like nobody's business. So when I heard about an edible play dough on Jon and Kate that includes both these these ingredients -we had to try it. It was super easy and oh so delicious to eat on. Caleb mixing it all up

spreading it out for cutting out shapes.


He decorated a dinosaur with raisins (looks more like a pac-man in the pic). We finished it off with apples and bananas and called it lunch!

Recipe:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup of powdered milk

0 for 3

One of Alexia's ultrasound pictures was such a treasure. It was her sucking her thumb in utero. So, it was no surprise that she quickly became a thumb sucker. It was a tough habit to break, but 7 years and an orthodontist later, it's done. We strongly encouraged Caleb with a passie in order not to have such a hard split with the thumb. We lost. However, he is only 3 1/2 and is already giving up the thumb with encouragement. Now, I submit sweet Lydia. We bought many different types of passifiers for the little babe to choose which one pleased her. At 14 weeks, to our dismay it is apparent which device she perfers. Below is the evidence of passy out, thumb in. So that leaves our score Parents 0, kids 3.

Sweet Lydia

Besides our thumb issue, Lydia is a sweet, very content baby that just goes with the flow. Today alone I had to wake her up three times from a nap. But, she goes down by 7:30 and stays down for almost 12 hours now!! She gives out lots of smiles and giggles to all the family members that want a piece of her. Here are a few recent shots of her around the house.

Big brother showing how to play in the exersaucer for the first time.

Hanging out with the new cousin Lauren (how BIG she looks)

Sitting pretty in mommy's favorite dress that used to be Alexia's

Happy Chinese New Year

We have several sets of friends that live in various places around China and they have each marveled on how how extensive the fireworks are during the New Year festivities. This is on the Hong Kong harbor and I love how bright and colorful the sky is.
It is the year of the Ox and we are hoping that this Lunar year brings us much closer to our little girl than the past years have.

Lydia says what is on her mind!

	Lydia is quite a chatterbox when you put her on her changing table. I don't know what it is about that one spot, but she just starts chirping it up. She is so cute as she starting to find her voice and laugh a little. Click on the picture to watch her talk!
	Click picture to play video

My newest niece

She's here. My LITTLE brother is a daddy!
Lauren Elisabeth was born Jan 13 and is a cutie! Here she is with a proud aunt.

Catching Up

In order to wrap up the year's events without an overblown report, here's some highlights in brief...

Erik and big kids went to FL to meet new cousin Krisanna.
Mommy and Lydia stayed home to meet grandma and papa
Kids had a blast swimming outside in December
Erik and big kids spent a day in Epcot!
Everyone together for Christmas Eve with extended family
Christmas morning was celebrated acknowledging Jesus' birthday and opening gifts
Favorite gifts = Samantha doll and remote control car
Hikes on days it did not rain (and one when it did by surprise)
Movies with grandma and papa
Watching Lydia grow like a weed and start cooing a lot
New Year's Eve date with my brother and his very pregnant but still elegant wife
LOTS of daddy time as he has been off work for 2 1/2 weeks (tomorrow will be a hard one)
Lydia is sleeping 8-9 hours a night now!!

Since we don't have the privilege of having a white Christmas, these special effects for the pictures will have to do.