THE Diaper Bag!

I found this cute pattern online for a baby doll diaper bag and decided that would be so fun to make. I really thought this would be great for a little Valentine's present for Lydia. Then I thought maybe Easter. I was beginning to think maybe birthday but the diaper bag is finally finished and Lydia got a "Happy Day" little gift!

She was telling me how her bunny has been sad without a diaper bag... Quite expressive! 

And the Bunny and Lydia are going shopping! 

NOW! Bye, Mom! 

And Lydia and the Bunny went to the basement to shop... 

Building Forts with Dad

Lydia was sick last weekend. Mystery fever that kept us inside and kept DeAnna awake allot of the night. Sunday night, James took Lydia (and I got a nap!). I came back downstairs and our living room had been transformed into a huge fort. Giggles abounded and a very excited little girl was thrilled to be having a camp out!

Where could Lydia be???

Sometimes when you are playing, the fever gets the best of you and you just need to take a rest! 

Trying to get something from Dad... Don't think he is going to give in to whatever whim Lydia has dreamed up!

Tickles! 

Maybe Dad is tired too :( 

Sorry Faith

Faith is Lydia's favorite baby doll. Her side kick some may say. Where Faith is Lydia is never far behind.

Some days I just really feel sorry for Faith. Her Mommy drags her from place to place. Plays doctor with her countless hours every day. Force feeds her yucky food. Lovingly hugs around the neck. Really Faith is very loved but really has a tough life too.

One day recently Lydia wanted to eat lunch outside. It was a warm day with temps reaching the upper 20's (I say in most sarcastic voice!). I finally just told Lydia that is fine. Bundle up and eat your lunch outside. I am eating inside. Lydia did bundle up and went outside to set her table. Shockingly Lydia decided that she would rather eat inside.

Lydia came inside and set the table for lunch. Lunch wasn't quite ready so I told Lydia she could play for a few minutes. Next thing I know Lydia has set Faith's lunch up by the back door and is making her baby doll "eat lunch in the cold".

I guess atleast Faith got a sock and a cell phone to call home if she got too cold.

After lunch Lydia did eventually go to eat lunch with Faith. "I will wear my coat, Faith. You will be cold".

Sorry Faith. We will keep working on teaching Lydia about empathy for others. I think you may have to struggle for a bit longer though...

Power of Masking Tape

With a roll of masking tape we can entertain Lydia for hours. We built a masking tape stage several months ago and that masking tape stage became a pool, bathtub, garden, car, Chick-fil-A, and so much more. BUT after awhile I noticed Lydia's interest was not that great in the masking tape stage with a little creativity the stage was transformed into a bull's eye!

Great way to exert energy on cold rainy days. Throwing bean bags at the bulls eye, running, cheering, jumping. Allot of fun (and Lydia cheats badly!).

Fireman Girl!

Lydia is really into dressing up right now. Allot! This particular day she was pretending to be fireman girl.

She was wearing her "I love my grandma" nightgown. Pink church tights. Brown shoes. Jacket ofcourse. AND her yellow fireman girl hat (which technically was supposed to be a hard hat for a construction site that she got at church).

We got allot of snickers when we went out for a walk on this particular afternoon ;)

Playing Babies

Lydia is a girly girly girly girl! If you have any doubts just spend 10 minutes with this prissy little one we call Lydia. Lately her imagination has been running wild. We spend our days chasing puppies and riding horses. What I love seeing though is the way simple household objects transform to whatever her babies need at the moment.

This weekend, Lydia needed a bathtub for her baby! It took James a little while to catch on to the game but once he did he played right along. (And annoyed Lydia by telling her that the baby's shampoo was really ketchup - remember what I said about simple household objects being transformed???).

"Do it like this Dad!"

Washing the babies hair.

And I love the striped tights! 

Merry Christmas Lydia (in November!)

Apparently James and I have a terrible habit. Christmas in November (refresher of Last November’s Christmas) . Maybe I will quit buying Christmas presents in the summer. Or maybe we will just continue giving Lydia a present in November. Hmmmmm, things to ponder!

But anyhow… The little girl got yet another kitchen. 3rd Christmas. 3rd Kitchen. Something different for her next year. I have promised myself! Last year’s Christmas kitchen was super cute but her cookie sheets would not fit in the oven. This was very frustrating to the short little girl which got even more frustrating for me! So I wheeled and dealed and got the little girl a new kitchen for next to nothing 

Surprise there is something special in the basement for Lydia! 

Oh, my! What could this be???

A fridge just like Mom's! 

And a stove! 

Dad is really excited! 

Fruit for all my peeps! 

Just Go With It!

I have heard it said that when working with an Alzheimer's patient, it is best to just live in their world. So if the patient has a flash back, just enter the time period they are currently living in and just go with it.

I have discovered the same technique works quite well with Lydia and her imaginary world. James got home one night this week and Lydia was deep into her pretend world. We had just finished running through the yard capturing run away puppies. Lydia was taking "cow place" orders and was driving her car to pick up milkshakes, sandwiches, apples, etc... Basically we were having a quite ordinary afternoon when James pulled up. James played along with this little game and held a puppy. I think he eventually got to order himself a milkshake.

Then we decided to go out to dinner. James was locking up the house and I loaded Lydia (and her "puppies") into the car. We then drove to the restaurant. Lydia was still in pretend world and threw a huge fit when her father expected her to hold his hand AND use her own hands to get out of the car. Seeing James struggle I gave him the tip that she was holding puppies in her arms. James was confused as to how that was a tip for success in this situation. I told Lydia to put her puppy on a leash and hold a hand - which she happily did.

Sometimes it is easier to just go with the flow!

P.S. James is now aware of the puppy body language and I think he will be telling Lydia that her puppies are going to stay in the car or in the house (which thankfully the puppies obey very well!).

Imaginative Play

We reached a new milestone this morning.

Lydia came up to me broken hearted because one of her babies fell tragically and got blood all over her pretty new dress. Being the great mommy that she is, Lydia lovingly "washed" the dirty clothes and put band aids on the baby. We won't mention that the band aids were actually decals from her bedroom wall!

I think that the baby seems to be surviving from this injury quite nicely...