Lydia's 4th Birthday Slideshow

A long-awaited visit!

Dr. and Mrs M!

Last night my cousin, Sean, and his wife, Lisa, stopped for a quick visit and dinner on their whirlwind tour of visiting friends and relatives before they settle in Indiana. They both went to Tech for their undergraduate work and have been in California for the past five years while Sean completed his doctorate. He now has a "Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering" and will teach classes at at college in Indiana.

cousins!

There are 11 first cousins in our family, but we were the ones represented last night. Thanks for carving time out during your travels to see us Sean and Lisa! Here's hoping we see each other again before three years pass!

another success!

Here she is showing us her undies

She insisted she needed to go this evening saying, "Poop potty! Poop potty!" several times before I decided to let her try. She was right! She received lots of praise and the current fav for treats: starburst jelly beans!
Then I decided to let her wear some underwear for the rest of the evening. I don't know if it was the underwear or the previous success, but she wanted to sit on the little potty in a different bathroom on and off for about 30 minutes while we were prepping dinner. She stayed dry in the undies until bedtime. I guess this means I really do need to get serious about training...

overheard

This morning the girls are sitting at their little table in the family room playing with magnetic dress up dolls. Lydia is carrying on a running conversation for both of them about what the dolls are doing and where they are going. Then I hear....
Lauren: "Nigh-nigh"
Lydia: very excited that sis comprehends the pretend play, "Yes, Lauren! They are going night-night. That's right!"
...more talking....
Lauren: "Nigh-nigh"
Lydia: Right, Lauren. It's time for night-night.
...more talking...
Lauren: "Nigh-nigh"
Lydia: I know, Lauren. Yes!
...talking...
Lauren: "Nigh-nigh"
Lydia: losing patience, "Lauren, yes! Will you stop talking about night-night?"
Lauren: "Nigh-nigh"
Lydia: "Stop saying it Lauren! They already did sleep! Now they need to do something else."
Lauren: "Nigh-nigh".....

Lauren reads

I had to capture her little, high-pitched "reading" voice.

Success!

We had potty success with Lauren this week! I'm hoping the generous bag of treats she received will not be forgotten as we move forward in the training

The things she ponders

Last night as Lydia and I were snuggling in bed, she asked, "Mom, why do boys sometimes kiss girls and the girls don't like it and they cry?" I was astonished and began (quickly) pondering how to answer my almost four year old.
Me: "Who told you that boys kiss girls and make them cry?"
L: "Eden." (yeah right, she's also four)
Me: "I don't think so. Who said this?"
L: hemming and hawing, then finally .... "You know, Mom. Georgy Porgy, pudding and pie, kissed the girls and made them cry...."

This girl makes us laugh!

when she wants to

Lauren doesn't talk very much, but this week she said her first sentence:
"I wan moosik ahn." (I want music on.) How appropriate. She does love her music!

the wheels are turning...

Today Lydia asked me, "Mom, is my hair dirty?" I thought that was funny because usually she could care less. I told her it was fine.
L: Why does Uncle Josh call my hair blonde dirty?
Me: You mean "dirty blonde." He was telling you what color your hair is.
L: But my hair isn't dirty. Why does he say that?
Me: He was just being silly.
L: Why?
Me: Uncle Josh likes to be silly sometimes.
L: (after processing the info)..... Boys like to be silly, but girls just like to be right.

HA!! Well, I had a good chuckle over that whole exchange!

sisters

Lauren - 17 months

Lydia - 17 months

Someday I might get back to blogging with regularity..... Until then, a few things I want to remember:

Lydia is obsessed with skunks lately. I think she read about one in a book and wants to know lots about them. In the car the other night, it was just the two of us and we had a conversation about skunks. The last question she posed: "Mom, do skunks pray?".

Lydia is a pretty picky eater and we are battling on this front daily. The food she detests the most and the only one that I allow her to pick out of a dish: onions. (Unfortunately, they are in many of the things I cook!) But boy, she always finds the onions, no matter how small or hidden they might be. And no amount of my cajoling or proclamations of how delicious they are has yet to effect a change of her mind. Yesterday, the girls were playing in Lydia's room with the kitchen and accessories. Lydia brought me a dish she had prepared just for me -- onions, because "you love them Mom! They're your favorite!".

Most days you will find Lydia dressed in a skirt and leggings combined with a long-sleeved shirt ( a "leave shirt") with both sleeves shoved above her elbow. She would be most happy if warmer weather would arrive soon - allowing her to ditch the leggings completely and wear a short sleeve shirt! She has very decided opinions about her hair and attire, both of which are commonly modeled after someone or something -- everyone from me to cousin Kate to a character in a storybook.

Lauren, it seems, likes her role as baby in the fam. She doesn't say many words, although you can tell she thinks about it when you ask her to say something. She is also very attached to her paci -- a habit I know we need to break soon. She LOVES animals - stuffed and real. While Lydia clings to my legs around animals, Lauren will be racing to greet them. She is an excellent eater, putting big sis to shame! She eats fast and she eats a lot. Particular favorite lunch foods are avocado and cheese.
Words she says:
Mommy
Daddy
Shishee (sissy)
Leeya
cheese
cackuh (cracker)
no
hi (usually said with a small, quiet "shy" voice)
nye nye
uh-oh
Papa
Liss (Liz)
ahh duh (all done)
doddie (doggie)
byeeee