Happy Birthday Lydia

Lydia's Smash Cake (It is a purse covered in yogurt melts!)

Lydia's New Toy (a singing picnic basket!)

Birthday Girl!

"Happy Birthday to ME"

The Purse Cake to share with our Friends

Lydia's Purse Cake - think she enjoyed herself!

Lydia's Pledge - The Result

Nope, she did not keep her end of the bargain. So we are still not taking very nice naps :( Eventually she will be back to SLEEPING - think she is trying to figure out this walking thing!

Lydia's Pledge

I, Lydia Stojan, do solemnly pledge to take ONE nice nap today. I agree to no whining. I agree to smiles and eating well. I will be a blessing to all I come across today.

Signed, Yours Truly Lydia!

P.S. If you let me get away with this I promise to sleep in in the mornings and take a nice two to three hour nap in the afternoon!

Jury is still out if she keeps her end of the bargain. But we are giving it a whirl today with just one nap.Wish us luck for an evening of no whining and an easy to put to bed baby tonight!!!!!

The Shrub!

I have had a strong dislike for this shrub for a year now. Originally I thought that the shrub just needed some "loving". So I lovingly cared for it AND then Lydia was born. The shrub was still out of control but now I had zero time to love it into submission. So over Christmas vacation James and I trimmed the "thing". Major trimming but then we discovered that this shrub is really dead on the inside.

Before - View from the House

Before - View from the Street

Before - View of the Fire Hydrant (we did not discover the fire hydrant until months after we had moved in!)

The First Glorious Whack! 

Captive Audience is Excited too 

The almost finished project. Going to take some time to go and dig out the weeds that were growing under the shrub!

Oh, No! Don't leave Mom

I thought that we were over that entire "separation anxiety". We started early - well before any other babies discover that mom is her own separate person. BUT we also ended early. Well, before other children have discovered that mom always came back.

We have developed some coping mechanisms for babysitters. Walks. Mom putting on her shoes and loading the car up long before it is really time for her to leave. FOOD! Bubbles. "Big kids" to play with. Dad doing the drop off. And did I mention food???

Over the last couple weeks, Lydia has caught on to these things and has developed a new dislike for separating from mom :(

• Mom stands up it may mean that she is just going to the bathroom or she could be LEAVING. So it is best to just start screaming ASAP. 
• Mom gets the bubbles out and it may mean that we are going to play bubbles and it may mean that mom is getting ready to LEAVE. Best to cling to mom's leg as tightly as possible. 
• Mom takes the trash out and she will probably be outside for HOURS taking that small bag to the trash can. Start screaming at dad immediately. 
• Dad is holding the baby AND we are at church. Must mean that mom is ESCAPING. Hurry, try to create tears. Quick, quick, quick (what is funny is she starts working on these "tears" the minute we walk in the door and I have yet to see the tears fall from her eyes!). 
• Mom puts a bag next to the front door and this defiantly means she is LEAVING. This is Lydia's cue to grab shoes... 

"I will put it on myself. Just don't leave me!"

"Just a minute mom."

"Here you put on your shoes."

Don't Whine, Sign

So for months now when Lydia starts whining I inform her "sign, don't whine" and show her the sign for what she wants. Typically followed by Lydia then signing and getting what she wanted. Which this works. UNTIL...

My dear husband kindly informed ME that there are times when Lydia has been signing for "more" and I am oblivious (sometimes washing dishes is just so enthralling!). And then she starts whining and thus the previous scenario picks up.

This weekend Lydia has a new trick (let me preface this by saying that my child hates to be reprimanded and once reprimanded will not do said activity again. Hoping this character trait continues for a long time!).

I am unsure yet how I feel about this little trick but it goes like this:

Mom: busy doing SOMETHING (dishes typically!)
Lydia: Signing for "more" and being ignored.
Lydia: Grows impatient. Claps her hands, waves frantically.
Mom: Looks at baby
Lydia: Happy that she now has my attention, begins signing "more" (and saying "more" - new development!).

On one hand I am glad that Lydia has found ways to communicate with me that do not involve whining, grunting, screaming, or other annoying sounds.

On the other hand, I am not sure that I want my child clapping to get my attention. Just seems like snapping to get a waiter's attention.

Not sure what "better ways" Lydia has to get my attention at this point in her life BUT we are learning "thank you"!