Big Shoes To Fill

"Hurray it is Friday, please play with me ALL weekend!"

"I will hold your shoes hostage so you can't leave without ME".

Trying and failing to walk away in these big shoes!

Cookies!

We had fun making the cookies even though the cookies were not that great (which is sad - sugar cookie dough, with melted caramel and coconut sprinkled on top, and then chocolate drizzled over the top. Sounds tasty, looks good, but was very chewy. Fun to try things anyway!).

Remember = messy child equals a GREAT day :) We had played at the park earlier and she was in great need of a bath. But bath before cookie making with a one year old sounded a bit foolish!

Not sure what is going to happen, but this looks like fun. 

Sadly having a chair in the kitchen for her baking was the best part of this adventure! 

Stirring the cookies! 

Tunnel Fun

New dance season = new dance manipulatives, new music, new lesson plans, and ofcourse new fun!

Last fall, Lydia did not really care that there were new "toys" in the house. She was still really just a lump on a log (but most days we loved our lump!).

This year, Lydia has noticed the new things! The cleaned and patched up bean bags are great fun to toss around. The rhythm sticks are truly the greatest weapon we have ever brought in the house. The parachutes are delightful. Listening to the new music in the car (I have got to memorize these songs too!) results in clapping, giggling, and some laughs from the other drivers sitting in traffic.

All of these things have been wonderful treat every afternoon after nap (hmmmm, maybe this is why her afternoon naps are so short she just senses that mom is in the basement playing with the toys again!). Before dinner, she willingly puts the toys up and we move on with our evening.

THEN the UPS man delivered:

A TUNNEL!

Let's put it this way, the tunnel has not yet gone to a dance class because there is a little girl who is in love with the tunnel. She climbs through. She sits. She plays with her babies. She lays in there and ponders life (I am sure she is wondering "where has this wonderful toy been ALL my life"). When the tunnel is folded up and sitting by the front door, these really cute eyes will bring the tunnel to my feet and sign "please". Seriously, who could resist not opening up the tunnel up for the cuteness???

So our living room has been transformed into a magical play land filled with babies, strollers, tea sets, and now a HUGE tunnel! I think we can handle this transformation for a few years ;)

"I Need a Professional"

I have been told that when I was getting ready to be baptized (5 years old) that my dad asked if I would like him to baptize me. I am sure in his brain that any daughter would be honored to have her father baptize her.  Apparently, I told my dad "no thank you I want a professional to baptize me". Who can argue with the five year old's logic - the pastor baptized me. Which looking back, I do not know the pastor who baptized me but I do still know my dad. But a five year old's logic - really can't argue with it.

Many years later, my own daughter has the same opinion on life when it comes to her dad doing things for her. "I NEED a professional to do this task". According to Lydia, only mom is capable of putting her in her high chair, giving her food, cleaning her face, giving her a bath, changing her diaper, getting her out of her crib in the morning, comforting her in the middle of the night, administering medicine, and on and on and on and on and on the list goes.

I watch her dad do these tasks and realize that he has so much more mercy than I do.

Mom's version of hair washing: (During this scenario Lydia is giggling, playing and having a wonderful time). I tell Lydia, "close your eyes I am washing your hair". I then figure that I have warned her dump a couple cups of water on her head, lather the shampoo, and rinse. Sometimes she closes her eyes and sometimes she is playing with toys, doesn't close her eyes, and gets shampoo in her eyes (but it is tear free shampoo, I warned her, she will - and has - learned!).

Dad's version of hair washing: (During this scenario Lydia is screaming, trying to get out of the tub, and just being very difficult). James very calmly tries to soothe the child. Gingerly pours water on her hair so not a single drop gets in her eyes. Plays games, sings songs, and tries to explain that it is OK. Lydia continues screaming while her head is massaged with shampoo so that EVERY curl gets equal attention. James once again carefully pours water on her hair once again not getting a drop in her eyes. Lydia continues screaming until either A. mom rescues her or B. she gets a snack.

We joke that she is like a collie puppy that needs to have all "it's people" in one room. Maybe she holds a grudge against her dad because he leaves her every day (granted he does leave her every day to earn money so she can continue to live the life she has become accustomed to but she is far too young to understand that concept!). Maybe she has divided tasks in her brain and only certain parents can do certain tasks (mom = food, bath, and naps while dad = PLAY). And maybe we have over analyzed this entire situation and it means nothing other than our little girl likes to taunt her dad.

One thing is true. I do not understand the brain of a one year old.

Words are not even needed...

This picture is going to be framed. Sometimes I just a reminder at how angelic Lydia can look ;)

Small Spaces

There must be something comforting about small spaces. Somebody has found every nook and cranny this week and climbed on in. Cabinets - no problem. Under tables - I can do it! Rolling under the couch - don't wonder where I am.

Maybe she just needs some time to herself!

RICE!!!!!!

I was trying to decide if Lydia would like a sand box (the jury is still out). They are expensive, messy, and would we really play with it??? This is a little girl that cries every time she touches dirt.

So I decided to buy a "small sand box" (some people call my small sand box - Rubbermaid!). But it is very hard to find a small amount of play sand - kinda think it is tacky to fill my "sand box" up at the park and bring it home. After several weeks of my sandbox sitting behind the couch attracting somebody to go climb, I realized I either needed to re-purpose this sand box or fill it with something else.

We filled the box with rice!

This was an entire hour's worth of fun. We scooped. We dug. We measured. We got rice in our hair, diaper, and in our shoes. So obviously this is a very exciting joyous time.

So neat and tidy, before we start!

"Hhhhmmmm, what should I do with this". 

Since our first day of fun, we added some food coloring to our rice. Our rice level was getting a bit low so we have also added dry beans to the mix. Amazingly this toy, has been our favorite activity outside (it has even been more exciting than riding the trike!).

Not sure that I am going to buy the sandbox this fall. And when she is ready for the sand box, I think we are just going to find a large flat piece of Rubbermaid!

15 month Doctor's Visit

Lydia has never been great at the doctor's office. But today we reached a new level. Infact around 10AM, if you heard screaming - it was Lydia! She screamed because she had to sit on the scale. She screamed because she had to wear a princess crown (i.e. get your head measured). She screamed because she had to be measured to see how tall she is. She screamed because her ears got checked. Throat got looked at. The doctor was in the room. Basically we turned a corner and Lydia no longer thinks the doctor's office is a great outing for the day :(

Oh, and ofcourse shots were another round of being very sad. One day she will learn that if she relaxes, the shots won't hurt. That day was not today though!

The good news though - the adult chairs in the waiting room are SUPER cool. The receptionist is great fun. The band-aids are awesome.

Lydia now weighs 22lbs (after a long year of this child not really gaining weight - we are VERY excited to have her on the charts!). 30 inches tall (approximately because she was one mad little girl!). Her doctor confirmed what I was already well aware of but she is being on overachiever and is cutting six new teeth all at once.  Four shots today but she is protected for the next outbreak of random diseases!

First Time Out

Vegetables are not our favorite thing around here. Necessary evil. We have a few favorites (hurray!). But a little one can not live on sweet potatoes and corn alone. Can we say variety???

In a quest to have variety of vegetables and not raise a picky eater, several nights a week I give Lydia a favorite veggie AND veggie that is not yet a favorite.

We were eating broccoli. I know broccoli is not our favorite veggie and I also know that I have a teething baby on my hands. So I did not have high hopes for the two pieces of broccoli that I put on the child's plate.

Piece One: Tasted, spit out, and then thrown to the floor. James then kindly but firmly tells Lydia no. Typically this results in tears and a dramatic moment but this particular night Lydia got a little smirk on her face, gleam in her eye, and THEN...

Piece Two: Stabbed with a fork, taken off the fork, "smooshed" in our hand, and then HURLED across the room (let me say, the child may have baseball pitcher in future with that arm).

With that same smirk on her face and gleam in her eye, she clearly was testing to see what would happen.

Lydia's lesson of the day: When you throw food across the room, you get to sit on the step and think about your choices for a moment.

Now she knows what will happen. Thankfully, she has not on purpose thrown food again. (Some food still slides off the fork - true mystery how this 20lb creature can make such a mess!).

Molars

Lydia is getting new molars. The first molar broke through her gums with no tears and I did not even notice until one day when she was giggling and there was a brand new sparkling tooth hanging out in the back of her mouth. Surprise. I thought to myself "these molars are not as bad as everybody says".

THEN a week later the second molar decided to start pushing it's way through. I can tell you exactly - down to the hour when this little painful tooth decided to interrupt our household.

But I have learned that Tylenol 30 minutes before meal time = Lydia being able to inhale her dinner.

Lydia doesn't really hate her dad. When she has new teeth coming in apparently it is mom's fault and therefore we must keep her within whining distance.

When she can't sleep at night, the ultimate punishment is ten minutes laying in mom and dad's bed and then she has a new love and appreciation for her own bed and will go back to sleep.

The good news we have 5.5 teeth already broke though the gums and only 10.5 left to go in her second year of life. Since we seem to be doing one new tooth every week I have high hopes that by Christmas she will have her first 16 teeth and we can have a little break (don't be the bearer of bad news to me, ok?). By the way I see it, Lydia is giving us the gift of a sweet, giggly, and sleeping baby for Christmas. (Seriously, let me live in my dream world - no night time dreams have been happening and this is the greatest day dream I can dream up right now!).

Peanut Lesson #3

Lemon Bars

The hardest thing about the peanut free life has been dessert! Really, who doesn't like a chocolate chip cookie after lunch? A little treat from Goodberry's after dinner? At the Stojan household one of us has a BIG sweet tooth. So enters Lemon Bars. A tasty sweet treat that is peanut free.

Still looking for a Goodberry's alternative that doesn't involve putting the child to bed and one parent sneaking out the door to make a late night run to the icecream store! But one thing is sure - we are going to be healthier people since our after dinner treat now is a walk EVERY night (we don't miss a single night!).

Size Four Diapers!

"Ok, ok, ok. I am smiling. Can we move to something else now?"

"Really mom, no privacy at all???"

These will probably be great blackmail pictures one day BUT Lydia is now in SIZE FOUR diapers!

Pasta Art for Little Hands

We are always looking for new and different art projects to try out. Lydia loves coloring and "artsy" things but there are not that many things that an independent one year old can do solo. Last week we tried pasta art and it was a huge success. Minimal chewing. Worked on our fine motor skills. And had fun!

We also tried the same project with rice but as I thought the rice was just too small for little fingers. The pasta though was perfect!

Pasta Art: 
Step 1: Mix pasta with a couple colors of your favorite food coloring. 
Step 2: Let dry (we let our pasta sit overnight!)
Step 3: Put glue dots all over paper. 
Step 4: Let child have fun gluing pasta all over paper. And removing pasta. And repeating! A solid 30 minutes of fun at our house!  

Pays to Have a "Handy" Husband

Recently we have had some trouble with our air conditioner. We called a repairman who really could not find anything wrong. And then the problem was intermittent (ever feel like you are losing your mind!). After several days of the fan running constantly, the house getting hot, and then the compressor freezing we got persistent in finding the problem.

The problem: the thermostat kept coming loose off the wall.

James Solution:

Notice the HUGE screws. This thing is not coming off the wall anytime soon!

Problem Solved!

Look, I Can Use A Spoon!

Life is easier when you put the bowl up to your mouth for this lesson though. 

Using a spoon takes allot of concentration. 

BUT the end result makes one feel so special! 

Lesson #2 on the Peanut Free Journey

For those who are wondering, apparently there is peanut oil in Worcestershire sauce. Who knew! I didn't - but Lydia soon taught us this. Guess I need to find a new brand of Worcestershire sauce OR a different recipe for sloppy joes!

Oh, and Graham crackers. A harmless snack, right? Not really, sadly the cheap graham crackers have peanut "product" (still trying to figure out what peanut product is???). For inquiring minds, Target brand of graham crackers do not contain peanuts.

So I think after this week I need to find time to go to the grocery without my helper (it is rather hard to read ALL the ingredients with a one year old "helping").

Pretty Pink Toes

First time painting Lydia's toenails. She sat very still for the actual painting but when it came time to take pictures, we were ready to try out walking with our pretty pink toes! But maybe you can catch a glimpse of the cuteness :)