16 Month Update

That's right, my baby is 16 months old (as of yesterday)! I can't believe it! And when I think about it, I am constantly amazed that Brian and I have had the privilege of raising this beautiful, amazing little girl! And feel blessed that we will be able to raise her to be a beautiful, Godly young woman!

Lydia's 16 Month Stats:

• She is still just under 20 pounds - she likes to weigh herself on my scale. She's about 19.4 pounds.
• She is getting taller...not sure her exact height, but she's finally starting to outgrow some of her clothes.
• She is STILL wearing 9 month onesies (when she wears one - which isn't often), can still fit in 6-9 month pants, but wears 12-18 month shirts.
• She is starting to outgrow her size 3 sandals that she's worn all summer.Luckily, we have some super cute size 4 sneakers, but I just think it's too hot to be wearing shoes now.
• Her hair is getting super long and I can't keep it tamed! Leah cut her bangs on Tuesday - they grow so fast!
• She has 10 fully in teeth, with two (on the bottom right) growing in now. I think she may be getting the other two bottom left ones soon. It takes her forever to grow teeth!

Lydia's New Discoveries:

• Although she still loves The Wiggles (especially listening to the CD in the car), Lydia has branched out to enjoying Yo Gabba Gabba, Curious George, Word World, and Clifford. She also likes my talk shows in the morning - Regis & Kelly and The View.
• She is very interested in knowing her body parts now. She started off just pointing to everyone's nose. Now, she points to her nose, eyes, ears, mouth, belly, hair, and toes! She also likes to point to everyone else's body parts.
• Her favorite song is "Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee" and she does all the motions. She always enjoys people singing to her and she has started "singing" (more like humming) on her own.
• She loves carrying around my car keys and pretending to lock and unlock doors. She does end up setting off Brian's car alarm at times.
• Ever since Cousin Adah was born, Lydia has been fascinated with babies. She loves to carry her baby dolls around and give them hugs. She recently wanted them dressed in her clothes and wrapped in a blanket.

Lydia is still not saying very many words. She says "da da" and means Brian, says "ma ma" and means her pacifier, says "yeah", "uh oh" and can bark like a dog (and sometimes meow). We are trying to encourage her to talk, but she just thinks it's funny when we ask her to say something. She will speak when she is ready, I am sure.

Lydia usually sleeps until 6:45 in the morning - unless I'm off that day, of course, when she wakes up at 6:00! She has a nap after lunch, which is between 10:30 and 11:00. Sometimes I can hold her nap off until 11:30 or 12:00. She'll usually sleep about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (unless she's at my parents when she sleeps 2 1/2 hours!). For some reason, even if she takes a long nap and doesn't get up until 1:00, she is always tired by 3:00 or 3:30. I can usually put her down at that time and she'll sleep about an hour. Then, I won't put her to bed until 7:30 or 8:00. If she doesn't take a second nap, she's in bed by 7:00.

We are starting to introduce her to the potty. Before and after baths we will sit her on the potty. She has yet to pee in the potty. She is starting to squat when peeing or pooping in her diaper and will look guilty when asked if she has poop. She is always interested when I say I am going potty. I want to officially start training at 18 months. We will see how it goes.

The pacifier will be completely taken away at 18 months. Recently, she has been very dependent on the pacifier - whether because she's getting new teeth or she just wants it, I don't know. But, at the 18 month mark, it will be thrown away and we won't see it again. I'm not really looking forward to that time!

We go to Toddler Story Time at the local library every Tuesday morning at 10:15. Lydia really likes being with the other kiddos, although she's the only one who doesn't really sit still. She loves to explore and meet new people. She just walks up to people and says "hi" and waves at them! So cute! Thursdays are our days to just be together. Yesterday we went to Minitown with a friend, and had a blast. Next Thursday we are going to the Zoo. I love being able to spend so much quality time with her!

She is still getting used to being dropped off on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays - we both are getting used to this. But, I think it will just become part of the routine and she'll start having fun.

What Is Man's Relationship to Nature?

Lydia's imaginative play has really blossomed this month! Here's a few things that she has started "imagining".

• Baby Dolls: Lydia received several baby dolls for her first birthday (including the Cabbage Patch Doll we gave her that sleeps with her), but never really played with them until now. I noticed a big change in how she played with her dolls after Cousin Adah was born. Before, she would pick up a baby every once in awhile, but usually ignored them. Now, she carries her baby dolls all over. She will put them in the doll stroller and push them around the house, put them in her swing and push them, and even sit in the swing with them and swing. She will also hand me the dolls, then pick them up and put them down, then pick them and hand them to me again! It's so cute watching her play with her dolls. (On a side note: she's also now obsessed with babies since Adah was born. Every time she sees a baby while we are out and about, she has to go over and say "hi" to it. So cute!)
• "Shopping": Lydia likes to pick up bags and carry them around the house. Once she picks up a bag (any bag - a purse, grocery bag, her diaper bag), she puts it on her arm and then waves "bye-bye" to us. I ask her, "Are you going shopping?" and she says "Yeah!" and nods her head. The other day, she had a bag, her stroller, and was carrying a baby around the house.
• Makeup: Lydia has always been interested in my makeup. She used to sit quietly (and still) on my lap and watch me put makeup on. Now, she wants to have makeup, too. I let her choose what she wants out of my makeup tray. She usually picks the eye shadow brush and will brush it on her cheeks (sometimes puts it in her mouth, yuck). She get my foundation sponge and wipes that on her face, too. She likes to look in the mirror and talk to herself.
• Talking on the Phone: Lydia has always liked texting on my cell phone, but now she will put the phone to her ear and start talking. It's really cute when she's talking on the phone and then starts laughing. She always seems to talk to someone who is funny! The other day, I called Brian and he put Lydia on the phone and she actually started "talking" to me! First time she talked to an actual person on the phone.

I love how Lydia tries to do everything that I do! Imaginative play is one way of learning.

More About That Later

It's been a long week! This was my first full week working at Oak Hills Preschool, and Lydia's first full week of experiencing times without me. Every time I leave Lydia with someone else, I always think, "How do parent's do this full time?" I was so blessed to be able to stay home and work with Lydia for the first 15 months of her life. I was the one teaching her how to eat solid food, giving her a sleep schedule, helping her learn to play with friends - not someone else. How do parents leave their tiny baby in someone else's care for up to 12 hours a day?! I know that some parents have to work and must leave their child in daycare...but for the one's who don't have to - I just don't understand it!

I absolutely love spending time with Lydia. She is so funny and cute all the time! Even when she's fussy, I would rather be with her than anywhere else. On Monday, I left her with my sister-in-law, Rekeisha, and she was able to play with her cousin, Abram. Lydia had a great time, but cried when I left her. It was hard leaving her when she started crying, knowing I wouldn't see her until about 5 hours later. Wednesday was even harder. I dropped her off with Rekeisha at 7:30am and didn't see Lydia again until 5:00pm! It was hard coming home and not picking Lydia up. On Friday, she cried and cried when I left her with Leah. And, even though I knew she would be fine, that was the hardest day for me to walk away while she was crying. Hopefully both of us will get used to this leaving thing.

I am so blessed to be able to leave Lydia in the care of family members instead of at a daycare with people I don't know. Lydia has spent time with my family and I know they will take really good care of her and that she will get one-on-one time. While I'm working, I miss spending time with Lydia, but know that she is having fun.

Working at the Preschool is such a blessing for me, as well. I am so happy to have a job that is not full-time or every day so that I can spend a lot of time with Lydia, but still work outside of the home. I didn't realize how tiring working at the Preschool could be! And it's only for about 4 and a half hours! I am on my feet the whole time and am constantly moving around. By the time I get home, I am exhausted! But, I have my chore list and try to stick to it the best I can.

It's hard coming home and working on my chores - when all I want to do is chill with Lydia. I have written out chores by day so that I can accomplish everything gradually throughout the week. Of course, cleaning is a constant job - Lydia messes up every room she enters! Her toys are all over the place, and she finds things that aren't toys (like q-tips) to dump everywhere. The kitchen is another thing I have to constantly keep clean. There's always Lydia cups and dishes to be washed, messes on the floor and counters. I need to stay motivated so the house doesn't get so messy I can't stand it. I am constantly picking up toys, putting away laundry, doing dishes. Plus watching a toddler, working at a Preschool, and teaching piano. I am definitely keeping myself busy!

This weekend has, thankfully, been a very relaxing one. Friday night we went out to Cici's Pizza (Brian and I had good coupons) with Leah, Jessie and Adah. Lydia didn't want to eat much, she was much more interested in playing in the arcade. Then the Carabajals came over after Lydia was in bed to play Guesstimation and Spades. Saturday Brian, Lydia and I lazed around in our bed for awhile and spent the morning watching TV. I did walk 2 miles (in 33 minutes) on the treadmill, and then Lydia and I went to Michael's for more floss for cross-stitching, and then Babies-R-Us for a plastic mat to go under her picnic table (for spills). Then, after dinner, the Carabajals came over again to watch YOUR HIGHNESS (a funny, but inappropriate movie). This morning we lazed in bed again, then got ready for church. Lydia took a nap when we got home, played some and helped wash the car, and is now taking another nap. We have an Area Community Meeting tonight, as well.

I love lazy weekends! Especially after a long, exhausting week! 

Lydia and Adah at the Cici's Arcade.

Lydia applying for a job at Wal-Mart.

Let me tell you about my piano lessons! I have 8 wonderful students! On Tuesday, I have lessons from 3:30-4:30 (two brothers, 6 and 9), and then a 11-year old girl at 5:30. Then, on Wednesday, I have lessons from 3:00-5:30! I have siblings, a boy and girl (13 and 6), a 8-year old girl, 7-year old girl, and then a middle-aged woman. These lessons are so much fun! I love it! It's amazing to see everyone's different skill levels and abilities. I absolutely love teaching! I wasn't nervous at all - even when the parents stayed to watch. I just got in the "zone" and started teaching something I love! Hopefully, one day, this is all I will do!

What Would Happen if You Gave a Yo-Yo to a Flock of Flamingos?

It's been Day 3 of working at Oak Hills Preschool. It's been hard leaving Lydia, but I know she has been enjoying herself. She got a lot of one-on-one time with Aunt Leah on Wednesday, and lots of attention on Friday with my parents, and then had a great time with Cousin Abram today. She is always excited to see me again, and I am definitely excited to see her! It's been great having the days off in between so we can spend time together.

The Preschool is going pretty well. I love the hours and most of the teachers. The time flies by! I am in 5 different classes for 45 minutes each. I really have to pay attention to the time, since I am having fun in the classes with the kids. Their ages range from almost 3 to almost 5. The teachers do a great job setting up their classrooms really invitingly and keeping the kiddos occupied. They all seem to have a great time while in their class. I only have one (hopefully) minor issue with a fellow teacher, but am hoping to get that resolved quickly. I really want to enjoy every aspect of working at the Preschool to justify leaving Lydia in someone else's care. If I don't love my job, I don't want to leave Lydia. And that's that.

We had a very exciting weekend! I received a text from Leah at 5:15 Friday  morning saying they were at the hospital and Leah was experiencing contractions. I had Lydia spend the day with mom and dad while I was at work, since we didn't know what would happen with Leah. They ended up being sent home around 8:00. Leah labored at home for awhile, and then went to my parent's house to relax in the pool. By the time I picked Lydia up, Leah was in some pain but still able to smile and chat. By the time Lydia and I left my parent's house, Leah was no longer smiling or chatting! They went back to the hospital around 6:00 and were finally admitted! Leah was thankful for the epidural so she could finally relax. Little Adah Joy was born at 1:11am on 09/10/11! She was 6lbs 14oz and 19 inches long. She's beautiful!

Lydia loves her little cousin! But, she is very jealous. When we went to see them at the hospital and I held Adah, Lydia started whining and wanting to be picked up by me. But, she loves to look at Adah and touch her. Today, we had Lydia sit on the couch and "hold" Adah. She loved it! She likes to look at Adah's feet and just stare at her. She also likes all of Adah's toys - like the swing and the bouncer! Hopefully these two will be great friends!

Tomorrow is my first day of giving piano lessons! I have 3 students coming tomorrow and I am very excited. I studied the beginner's book I bought and have figured out the point of teaching the black notes and numbered fingers first. It actually makes sense, but I still like the way I learned - by learning the notes, names, and what they looked like on the staff at the same time. Lydia will be over at Aunt Leah's house (with Uncle Jessie, Cousin Adah, and Jessie's parents) tomorrow during my lessons and Brian will pick her up when he gets home from work.

Six Months Off For Good Behavior

What I did on my first day off after we closed the Center:

5:50am: Lydia woke up and started playing off and on in her crib. I turned the monitor off so that she wouldn't disturb Brian and his last, precious, 15 minutes of sleep.

6:30am: Said goodbye to Brian and tried to doze in between Lydia's playing.

6:45am: Lydia finally started fussing so I went in to get her. Even though I had told her we could sleep in as late as we wanted, she was up and ready to play!

7:00am: Fixed Lydia a pancake and applesauce for breakfast. We didn't have any milk, so she got to drink yummy veggie juice, too. She ate her breakfast really well, even after tipping her plate off the table and applesauce got on my carpet!

7:25am: I loaded Lydia up in the jogging stroller, put my ear buds in to listen to Glee tunes, and we headed out for a (super) early morning walk. There were several other people out walking and biking, enjoying the "cool" morning weather.

7:50am: We arrive back home and I am quite sweaty. I had hoped for at least a 30 minute walk (a quick walk), but we'll get there - especially when it gets a bit cooler.

8:00am: I get Lydia dressed up super cute, brush her teeth and fix her hair. I stay in my workout clothes, since I'll be heading over to Leah's house to clean in a bit.

8:15am: We watch WORD WORLD on Netflix. There are two shows in one episode. It's a pretty cute show, but Lydia was busy playing with her puzzles and ignored the show.

8:45am: Lydia has a snack of cheerios and apple slices, while I enjoy an apple.

9:00am: We finally get a text from (lazy) Leah saying she's ready for us to head over to her house to start cleaning. I bring a box of snacks, juice, and my laptop for Lydia to watch Yo Gabba Gabba. 

9:00-10:45am: Leah and I busily clean the Center. We started by clearing the shelves of toys and taking everything off the walls. We got everything off the floor so we could clean it later. Leah started cleaning all the toys while I chose what I wanted for Lydia, what to give to our mom, and what to give to Leah. By the time Lydia and I headed out, the whole floor was cleared of toys and we brought over a wagon-full of trash bags and extra snacks.

10:45-11:05am: I made Lydia a turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch and I had a grilled cheese and turkey sandwich (Lydia, of course, ate some of mine).

11:07-12:07pm: Lydia naps - it's crazy how she can get her naps to exact hours! I watched an episode of Desperate Housewives (that is my new series to watch on Netflix) and was surprised when Lydia woke up so early - I stupidly didn't take a nap when she did.

12:15-2:45pm: Lydia and I are back over at Leah's house. This time we vacuumed, washed windows, Swiffered the floor, dusted floorboards, scrubbed the floor, and cleaned and threw out toys outside. Lydia does not like the vacuum cleaner or the Swiffer, but she enjoyed playing outside, even though it was super hot!

2:45-3:00pm: Lydia and I cooled down at home and played in her play area for a bit.

3:00-4:45pm: Lydia naps. I organize her snacks, new toys, and do the laundry. I watch a bit of TV, and get the little pool filled up outside.

4:45-5:30pm: Lydia and I get our swimsuits on and got for a dip in the little pool in the backyard. Lydia likes to cool off in the pool and then wander around the yard. I watered the flowers and then pushed Lydia in the swing. Brian came home while we were outside and quickly dropped off toys and a stroller to Leah's house ad picked up more new toys for Lydia.

5:30-6:00pm: I made a yummy chicken, salsa, bean, corn, and rice dinner. Lydia had my leftover three-cheese raviolis from Maggiano's from yesterday. She loves ravioli!

6:00-6:30pm: We eat our dinner. Lydia was very well-behaved at the table tonight.

6:30-6:45pm: We clean up and Brian empties the water from the pool.

6:45-7:00pm: Brian, Lydia and I go outside and let Lydia walk around our cul-de-sac. She loves wandering around outside and pointing out birds and dogs.

7:00-7:15pm: Lydia gets her bath, her teeth brushed, a diaper (she likes to play for a bit before getting PJs on).

7:15-7:40pm: Lydia hangs out with us while Brian turns on the Cowboys game. She seemed really interested in the game for a bit. She likes to sit on the couch with us and play on Brian's phone.

7:40-8:15pm: I put Lydia to bed and then Brian and I organize all of Lydia's old clothes. We had to get rid of a lot because they were stained, but were able to take out gender-neutral clothes for Leah's baby. Even when organized and neatly put in the large tub, there's still not enough room to add all the extra clothes I have to put in - we need another tub! This girl has a ton of clothes!

Now: Watching the Cowboys game with Brian and updating my blog.

No, I didn't take a shower at all today and makeup never touched my face. This was a busy day, but so much better than having to go to work! It was sad taking all of the kiddos' artwork off the walls and looking at old pictures of them. It's definitely bittersweet!

Tomorrow I plan on going on another morning walk (I want that to become routine), going to HEB, cleaning the house, organizing all of Lydia's toys, and getting ready for Brian's parents to come visit.

Lydia chilling in the swing she hated when she was an infant!