Leave No Shell Unturned, No Coral Unexplored...

We had a girl's weekend this past weekend at Hill Country Ranch. It was all of the "Dunlap" girls...my mom, Leah, Nellie, Rekeisha, Lydia, and Abram (the only boy), plus family friends, Lydia R. and Katie, and my in-laws, Tamara and Karla. Leah and I left Jessie and Brian in charge of the kiddos at 3:30 Friday afternoon. Luckily for the boys, the last kiddo left before 5:00! We made it to the "Brown House" at the Ranch in Johnson City around 4:30. 

The Brown House had three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area, and huge living room. It was fully furnished and stocked. In return for mom taking us on this trip, everyone had to provide and serve a meal. Leah, Rekeisha and I made Friday's dinner - spaghetti and garlic bread, with brownies for dessert. After dinner, everyone went down to the river, except Lydia, Abram, and me. Lydia and Abram were sleeping. We went to bed very late that night, after playing games and chatting.

Saturday, Lydia was up by 6:45. Mostly everyone else woke up soon after. It was a help-yourself-breakfast. After taking turns in the bathrooms and showers, we were ready to go explore the river. Mom brought down several rafts to sit in on the river. The river wasn't as full as it could have been, since we haven't had much rain, but it was still deep and refreshing. There was also a not-hot-tub that was fun to swim in as well. I put Lydia's life vest on and we headed out into the river on a raft. This was Lydia's first time toobing - something I've been wanting to do with her - and she enjoyed it! She didn't much like her life vest, so I ended up taking it off, since we were just sitting in the river. After being in the raft for awhile, all of a sudden I felt something nip at my bottom! I screamed, scaring Lydia, and causing Katie to quickly jump out of her raft onto the rocks. I quickly paddled to the shore and got out, telling everyone that something had bit me! A turtle was later spotted...which could have been the culprit! I didn't go in the water again!

After enjoying the raft, Lydia and I swam in the not-hot-tub for a long while, before everyone headed back to the house for a Lydia R. prepared lunch, and naps. Lydia had a good time exploring the front yard of the Brown House after her nap, and then even got to ride in a jeep with her Cousin Abram, pushed by Aunt Nellie. After another short nap that afternoon, Lydia and I joined Leah, mom, Tamara and Karla at the river. I didn't have time to put her in a swimsuit, so she ended up skinny dipping - super cute! Tamara and Karla provided dinner that evening. I let Lydia stay up late, while everyone else went down to the river to watch the sunset.

Lydia was up by 7:00 Sunday morning. Nellie and Katie made a big breakfast and we started gathering our stuff together to head out. We left the Ranch around 10:30 and headed to Luckenbach. This was the smallest town I have ever seen - made up of just a few buildings! We explored Luckenbach for a bit, then headed off to Fredericksburg, which wasn't very far away. I love walking around Fredericksburg! Brian and I need to go up there sometime to explore all the shops. We ate at The Brewery - yummy burgers - and then let the babies play in the park to wear them out. And then we headed home, our girl's weekend over.

We have a lot more planned for the rest of July - this was a busy month! First Wisconsin, then the Ranch! Now we're looking forward to Leah's Austin baby shower, and then I'm throwing her a diaper shower on the 30th - which is also our birthday!

We only have a little over a month left of working at Family Infant Home Care before we close the doors. I just found out that I got the job at Oak Hills Church Preschool as an assistant teacher! I am so excited! I will only be working Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:45 to 12:45! It will definitely be a shorter day and I get to spend most of my time with Lydia! I will also be starting piano lessons in September! This is going to be a great year!

Whoa, What a Swim!

Here's another list. A list of things I learned while travelling with a 13-month old.

1. There Is No Set Schedule: As you know, I am a firm believer in setting up a schedule and trying to follow it. Lydia has been on a schedule since she was only a few months old. Of course, the schedule changes and adapts as the child ages, and it is a flexible one, especially on weekends. While travelling, there is no such thing as a set schedule. The first day, we woke Lydia up at 3:00 in the morning! We let her go to bed later, and let her nap whenever she was tired. She even usually napped in her stroller, not a bed. Her dinner (at least the first few days) was when we had dinner, not at her usual 6:00. Now, there are some benefits to no schedule. Such as, if she naps late in the afternoon, then she can stay up later with us in the evening. Or, it's just easier to have her nap in her stroller while we go on a walk, then to try to put her in a bed. However, there are some cons to no schedule. Such as, the later she goes to bed, the earlier she seems to wake up. And, she took several small naps throughout the day, instead of one big one.

2. Eating Habits: The first few days in Stevens Point, we did not have a highchair for Lydia. I didn't think this would be a problem, until I compared her days with a highchair and without. Without a highchair, I had Lydia sitting on my lap, or she would have her plate on a low chair and she would wander around while eating. She got easily distracted while sitting on my lap and wouldn't eat much. And, when she would wander, she was too interested in wandering to eat. The days we had a highchair in Manitowoc, Lydia ate really, really well. She knew it was time to eat, so she ate everything I provided for her. I also had her eat at 6:00 each night in Manitowoc, which may have helped as well.

3. Planes: I was so nervous and anxious about flying with Lydia that I barely slept Wednesday night before we headed off to Wisconsin. Lydia put all my fears to rest, though. She was amazing on the plane! We brought a book and a toy, but she liked it when we sang songs and played peek-a-boo. We also had lots of snacks and juice. Since she is a little too big to cradle, I laid her down in my lap for naps on the plane. Lydia also liked pushing the window cover up and down. Make sure you change diapers right before and right after a plane ride. Lydia wet through her clothes after that first flight and it was only 45 minutes long! 

4. Cribs and Highchairs: I was so blessed to be able to borrow a crib in Stevens Point and a pack n' play in Manitowoc. I didn't want to bring one with us, and was going to purchase a pack n' play from a consignment store there. If we had brought one, our car would have been stuffed! If we hadn't been able to borrow any, I would have definitely purchased one. Lydia doesn't sleep well in bed with us, and I'd be worried about having her sleep on the floor. Highchairs are a must, though. I was glad we had one in Manitowoc. I think next time I would pay the $20 for one just to have - they make life easier.

5. Entertainment: Lydia is extremely active and wants to explore everything. Grandma and Grandpa Pfeiffer's almost empty house and wonderful backyard were perfect for her explorations. Their apartment was also pretty child friendly (once I removed nightlights in sockets). Grandma Schmidt's room in the nursing home was not very child friendly, however. We spent most of the time outside exploring the garden. I was also happy that we got to go to a zoo in Manitowoc for Lydia to explore and have fun. I was amazed at how the fountains in both cities entertained her, as well. One great thing about Wisconsin summers is that you can stay outside all day! Lydia loves being outside!

6. Things to Buy There: We didn't bring very many diapers with us - just enough to get us through until we could purchase some. We bought a small pack at Wal-Mart and that worked for us. It would have been very cumbersome to bring a whole pack of diapers from home. We also purchased wipes there. We only brought enough snacks for Lydia on the plane, and then bought her more once we arrived in Wisconsin. We also bought her the Gerber Graduates meals and breakfast. She pretty much ate up everything while we were in Wisconsin, so we didn't have to bring anything back with us. This made our suitcases lighter during the trip!

Someone to Watch Over Her, Keep Her Out of Trouble

It is almost the end of my 3-day work week, and I am so glad! I am exhausted from my 6-day vacation!

Last Wednesday, Brian, Lydia and I headed off to Austin right after I got off work. My parents had taken Lydia to Six Flags that day and even fed her dinner, so she was exhausted. She slept on the way up, played for about an hour or two, and then went back to sleep. We woke her up at 3:00 in the morning so we could head off to the airport by 3:30. Amazingly, she was in a great mood - a mood that lasted our entire vacation, to which I am very thankful and proud!

Lydia, dressed in her Wisconsin Badgers onesie, was ready to fly to Wisconsin, even though it was super early in the morning! She was ready to explore the airport and the plane. Brian's older sister, Tamara, is currently visiting from Ecuador, and loved helping us with Lydia on the plane. The last time Lydia flew was back in December, at 6 months old. She did great then, and was even better this time. After playing a bit, she fell asleep by laying down on my lap for our flight into Houston. She even slept on the next flight into Milwaukee. And, when she was awake, she was in a great mood; she was chatting and playing with us.

Once we landed in Milwaukee, we rented our two rental cars, and headed off to Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Lydia and I sat in the back with Brian and Tamara in the front (Al and Karla - Brian's parents - drove in the other car). Lydia fell right to sleep in the car for the first hour and a half, and then was in a great mood for the other hour and a half (lots of driving). We only had to make one pit stop! We arrived in Stevens Point around 4:30 and Grandma and Grandpa Pfeiffer were so excited to see us! Lydia is their first great-granddaughter!

Lydia was a bit hesitant around her Great-Grandparents at first. She loved exploring their apartment and everyone loved watching her (she loved being the center of attention). Despite waking up early and not having very comfortable naps, she was in a great mood and didn't go to bed until almost 9:30. We slept in the Pfeiffer's old house (where Al grew up - his parents are in a nursing home). Lydia had her own room, which always works so well, and she slept great. We were able to borrow a crib from on of Grandma Pfeiffer's friends (it was a very old crib that made me a bit nervous, but I was very thankful).

Lydia's favorite thing to do at the nursing home was to play outside in the fountain. The weather in Wisconsin was beautiful this time of year. It barely got above 80 degrees and was sunny, so it was perfect weather for playing outside! Lydia always gets so hot when we play outside at home, so she loved the cool weather! All she ever wanted to do was to go outside and play!

We spent two nights in Stevens Point and had a great visit with the Pfeiffer grandparents. Saturday afternoon we headed to Manitowoc - a 4 hour drive! Tamara sat in the back with Lydia and was really great at entertaining her; Lydia has definitely found a new friend! We made it to Manitowoc and the lake house we rented (couldn't see the lake from the house, but it was close by!) around 5:30. We stopped at the local huge grocery store, called Festival, to get dinner. The great thing about Festival is that it provided small carts for kids to push around - and boy did Lydia have a blast with those!

The house we rented was beautiful! It had 3 bedrooms and one bathroom, a huge kitchen, and an awesome backyard with a lanai, hot tub...and Lydia's favorite, a fountain! We borrowed a pack n' play and highchair from Brian's Uncle Gary, which was awesome. Our first night, Lydia slept in our room...and she was up by 4:30. The sun rises at 4:30 in Wisconsin, which woke her up, and then seeing us, she was ready to get up! We tried to put her back down for an hour, to no avail. Tamara and Karla later her took her (after we convinced her to nap for 1/2 an hour) so we could catch up on some sleep - they loved it! The next two nights, we slept on our mattress in the living room and Lydia had her own room. Worked much better - she wasn't up until 6:00 (her usual time).

We visited Grandma Schmidt on Sunday. Lydia was the center of attention while playing outside, since all the residents of the nursing home and their visitors were watching her play. Lydia got to meet her other Great-Grandma (who has 7 (or more..) other great grandchildren)! Lydia was a little more at ease with meeting Grandma Schmidt...she was getting used to meeting new people. Brian's Aunt Deanna and Uncle Mike and Cousin Maggie also arrived that day. Maggie is 10 and Lydia loved watching her....although Maggie wasn't too sure what to do with Lydia.

On Monday, Brian, Lydia and I went to the local zoo. It was a very tiny zoo with only a few exhibits, but it was free and beautifully maintained. Lydia loved watching the animals. She took a nap in her stroller while we sat in a gazebo and chatted. When she woke up, we went to McDonald's for lunch, and then for a walk along Lake Michigan. We had a wonderful visit with Brian's Grandma Schmidt and really enjoyed the lake house!

Tuesday morning, we were up by 4:30 and out the door by 5:30. Lydia was in a great mood the whole drive to Milwaukee (about 2 hours). We took awhile to get through security, because we forgot about all the apple juice boxes we packed for Lydia! We had a flight into Denver, and then a 3 hour layover that turned into a 4 hour layover because our plane was delayed. We took turns entertaining Lydia at the airport. She slept almost the whole way into Austin. We made it back to San Antonio by 9:30 that night! Wow...a 15 hour trip!

We had a blast in Wisconsin and loved seeing the family! We plan on visiting with Tamara throughout the summer.

Of Course I Came Back

Here's another Top 10 List....

Top 10 Things To Do When Your Husband's Gone For A Week:

1. Work: I guess I am pretty thankful that I am currently working, since I would have been extremely bored home alone without Brian. Not that I'm not looking forward to being a (somewhat) stay at home mom, because I totally am. But...Brian would usually at least be home in the afternoons and evenings to keep me company. After Lydia goes to bed, it's just me. I guess it's a good thing, too, that we were stuck at work until past 6:00 every night our husbands have been gone. 

2. Read: I find that I head off to bed earlier without Brian around wanting to watch just "one more" episode of The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Which means I get to spend more time reading at night. I am currently reading the 3rd book in the Little Lady Agency series (I missed the 1st book). It is so good! Melissa Romney-Jones, despite her flaws (which definitely make her a likable character) is awesome. She is clever, thoughtful, and extremely helpful! I love this series. At work, I am reading Jodi Picoult's book, A Change of Heart. It is very interesting and thought provoking. I am pretty sure there is something fishy about the murders at the beginning of the novel and the supposed murderer, Shay Bourne. I don't really like Maggie or Michael, or all the talk about how religion is bad and not real...but I really want to find out if Claire gets her heart transplant.

3. Netflix: Once again, Netflix Instant View has come to my rescue. Without Brian around, I can watch whatever I want. So far, I have watched HOUNDDOG (with Dakota Fanning), ALICE IN WONDERLAND (with Johnny Depp), several episodes of SAY YES TO THE DRESS and a 17 KIDS AND COUNTING episode. All things Brian probably wouldn't want to watch.

4. Single Parenting: This probably doesn't belong on a list of something I really want to do...but I've been doing it since Monday night. It's hard. One of my kiddos has a single mom, but she at least has support from her mom, who lives with them. I am thankful for my supportive family, as well. Lydia is definitely a handful, especially for me (she seems to misbehave more with me around). She has started throwing so many tantrums over the smallest things! She has been waking up at 5:00 in the morning, instead of her usual 6:00. Brian isn't home to let her take a morning nap, so she's been extra cranky, especially at the lunch table. I am very thankful that I have a loving, attentive, helpful husband around most of the time! He is wonderful with Lydia!

5. Snacking: Unfortunately, without Brian to cook for, I've been making myself TV dinners and burritos - not very healthy. And, I've been snacking on the yummy trail mix Brian made for boys for the trip (although he made one batch for me). 

6. Hanging with Friends: There is a new game app on the iPhone called Hanging With Friends. It is like a hang man game, but much more fun. I am currently playing with several friends and am getting pretty good at it. Leah is unable to get the app on her iTouch (it's too old of a version), so she helps me. She is great at word games. 

7. The Duggars: Without Brian here for me to be embarrassed, I have allowed myself to stalk the Duggar family again. Josh (the oldest Duggar kid) and his wife Anna recently had their second child, a boy. I still haven't figured out his name. They have a daughter, Mackynzie, who is 20 months. I made a list of all the Duggar kids to see how far apart each child is from their sibling. The biggest distance from one to another is 22 months (between Johannah and Jennifer). Josh is 21 months older than twins Jana and John-David. The shortest distance is between Jordyn-Grace and Josie, 8 days away from being 12 months! Of course, Josie was a premie at 24 weeks! It always astounds me how many children there are (19!) and how they must function. I would love to spend a day with the Duggars. I wish we had cable so I could watch them on TLC!

8. Letter Writing: My friend, Mandee, and I keep up a constant communication via snail mail (or written letters). I love writing, although I hate my handwriting. I love this old-fashioned form of writing. I also love to write e-mails. I have written two to the Pfeiffer family, telling about Lydia's new habits. I love writing about Lydia!

9. Keeping the House Clean: One great thing about no Brian is that the house seems to stay clean after I clean it. Amazing! After a quick straightening up, the living room has maintained it's cleanliness, despite the fact that it has been a few days and Lydia has played in there, and I have been in there. The kitchen isn't nearly as messy. Our room is clean after I picked it up. The sheets on the bed aren't messed up. Amazing! I also find that I am a bit more motivated to clean when there's nothing else to do in the evenings!

10. Talk to Brian:  Of course, it is hard to not talk to Brian. I got upset on Wednesday when I never heard from him. All the boys in my family left to hike the Grand Canyon on Monday night. They reached Arizona Tuesday afternoon and set up camp. They headed down the Grand Canyon early Wednesday morning and didn't make it back to camp until 10:30 that night! Brian's shoe melted in the heat, Chris got blisters, dad and Jessie got heat exhaustion, and Jay got sunburned. Only Thomas survived unscathed. I knew he was having a good time and didn't have cell reception, but I wanted to hear his voice! When he called last night (they were at a hotel), I just wanted to keep talking and talking! But, I had to let him hang out with the boys.

I Was Trying to Be Hospitable

The Top Ten Things To Do....When You're Home Alone.

As you know, I was by myself this weekend...and I had to find things to fill my time with. Here's a few.

1. Sleep in late: Of course, sleeping in "late" is different for me than it is for others. 6 days out of 7, I wake up at 6:00am, or earlier. So, sleeping in until 7:30 Sunday morning was late for me.

2. Read a book: Instead of getting out of bed right away, I read my new book, The Little Lady Agency and the Big Apple, by Hester Browne. I read for over an hour and definitely enjoyed my morning.

3. Watch Netflix: I watched the first part of WIVES AND DAUGHTERS on Netflix instant view. I love Netflix instant view. Although Brian and I can rarely find something we both want to watch, I can always find something I want to watch. I love old movies, especially old British movies. I need to finish part two of this show, it's pretty interesting.

4. Watch church online: One of the great things about Oak Hills Church is that you can watch it from home. This is helpful when your baby is sick, you're out of town, or you're home by yourself and can't get motivated to get showered and dressed by 10:00 in the morning.

5. Watch Hulu: I love Hulu! We don't have cable, so it's great to be able to watch the TV shows we like on Hulu, even though we may have to wait a few days or a week. It's definitely worth saving the money on cable! Now that our shows are done (we usually watched about 6 shows during the seasons), I have to find new things to watch. Brian and I, together, are watching the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders: Making the Team - very interesting and I love the girls (and am a bit jealous of them). On my own, I watched the first episode of THE VOICE and two episodes of AMERICA'S GOT TALENT. I love singing shows and talent shows. The judges can be annoying, but I love it!

6. Play piano: Rarely do I get the chance to play the piano on my own. Lydia always hears me and wants to join in. Of course, I don't want to dissuade her from playing music, but she doesn't let me keep my hands on the keys - she always pushes them away. I love that Lydia enjoys playing the piano, I definitely want her to be a pianist! But...I love being able to play on my own. There are times when Brian takes her on a walk or plays with her if I really want to sit down and play. So, I used my time wisely and played my heart out! I love Lorie Line's book SERENDIPITY...beautiful original compositions! LOVE! I filmed myself playing "Now I See The Light" from Disney's TANGLED. I sounded really good, but I looked so bored playing! I need to work on my presentation!

7. Research piano teaching techniques: The great thing about the internet, especially Youtube, is that you can research just about anything! I am planning on teaching piano this Fall. I have never taught anyone to play from scratch (I can tutor my sister and help Brian), so this will be new for me. There is a great youtube series about teaching young children, and great hints online in general. I am excited to go looking for the books I want to teach from and exciting to think that I'll soon be teaching! I love to teach, especially music!

8. Grocery shopping: I have been trying to cut the amount of money we've been spending on groceries each week. Since we'll be making less money come September, I really need to work on this. We watched TLC's EXTREME COUPONING while we were at the beach, and have decided this is something I want to attempt. I have managed to save about 12% with coupons...my goal is to save 30%. Once Lydia is off formula, that will help save some money. It's usually her purchases, like her wipes and diapers and snacks, that cause the bill to go up. On Wednesdays, I look through HEB's sales of the week to figure out what I want to make for dinner the next week. I add as many coupons as I can to my list. When I go to HEB, I stick to the list! I have lots of work to do, but I'm just starting out.

9. Hang out with family: I love, love, love shopping with my sister and my mom! They are fun to chat with and shop with. I love getting Leah's opinions on clothes and I love chatting with my mom (plus, she usually treats for lunch and buys Lydia things). We always have such a great time together! I also spent time at my parent's house for Grandy's 89th birthday. It is so much fun to gather around the dinner table with all of my family and just chat. I love how noisy we are and how you can pick and choose what conversation you're going to be apart of. We have the best family dinners and gatherings! There is always laughter and games!

10. Relax: I haven't had a weekend to myself since Lydia was born - almost 13 months ago! I loved not having an alarm (or a baby) wake me up in the morning...I got to wake up when I wanted to! I loved not having to worry about anyone but myself (wow, haven't done that in forever!). I loved being on my own time schedule. I loved this break! But, I also missed my baby and husband. I love spending weekends with them!

And, As I Always Say, "If It's Not Baroque, Don't Fix It!"

Lydia started feeling better on Friday. She was still worn out and tired all the time - still recuperating - but doing much better. She didn't have a temperature, but she did break out in the after-fever rash all over her body...which did not look good...but didn't seem to bother her. By Saturday morning, she was back to her normal self and ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa Pfeiffer's.

Brian had cleaned the whole house on Friday, so that I wouldn't have to do anything while he was in Austin. Brian and Lydia left around 10:30 on Saturday. I had a hard time saying good-bye to Lydia; this was my first night away from her and the longest we'll be parted. I kept giving her kisses after putting her in the carseat and Brian had to tell me to "Shut the door"...then was jealous when I just gave him one kiss and said "Goodbye"...haha. No tears were shed, but I was definitely nervous and anxious about sending her away for the weekend.

Luckily, I was able to keep myself busy on Saturday. Leah, my mom and I went shopping for maternity clothes for Leah. We went to Kids to Kids (my favorite consignment store for kids) first. Leah was able to get jeans, capris, a skirt and a shirt with buy one get one free. I couldn't pass up any deals for Lydia, of course, so I got her another pair of jean shorts (you can never have too many), a skort, and new water shoes that are a size bigger. My mom purchased the cutest red sparkly shoes (for 4th of July) for her, and another swimsuit for Lydia. Leah also bought a swing - the old-fashioned kind that only swings forward and is an actual seat. We learned with Lydia that the small swings don't work well - Lydia hated being in the small swing. The other swings, the ones that swing from side to side, really only last when the babies are tiny. The kind Leah found are perfect - it leans back and is good for when they're older. Lydia still enjoys swinging in the swing in her church nursery. I convinced her to get it, since she could then keep it in the family (and I could use it for my next, future, baby!).

We also went to Old Navy, but Leah didn't find any maternity clothes there. I found the 4th of July Old Navy shirts, each only $5, so I purchased a white one for Brian, red for me, and blue for Lydia. We'll look so good on the 4th! I also picked out a few cute 4th of July tank tops for Lydia. I want her to wear all red, white and blue while we're in Wisconsin! She'll be super cute! I also picked up a running top that I'm going to use as a swimsuit. I read about it on Babycenter.com. It can be worn over my bikini and will cover up my tummy! Perfect! And, it's really cute. I need another swimsuit for when we go to the beach in July. We went to the Dollar Store next and then Target. It was definitely a fun shopping trip and we got to chitchat with our mom!

Leah, Jessie and I then went to our little B's 2nd birthday party. It was an Elmo and Abby Cadabby theme - super cute. We got to see our kiddos and watch them play together, and chat with their parents. We stayed about an hour and a half, then headed over to my mom's house to celebrate Grandy's 89th birthday. We had yummy meatloaf with potatoes and carrots. I made Grandy a brownie/cookie cake and it was yummy. We played ping pong and had a good time chatting.

On Sunday, I woke up at 7:30, despite forcing myself to stay up til midnight. I read in bed for over an hour, and then spent the morning watching part one of WIVES AND DAUGHTERS before watching Max give his sermon online. I went to HEB after lunch and saved $15 in coupons....but still think I spent too much. I am trying to limit the amount we spend on groceries...trying to coupon and save some money. I then spent the rest of the day watching THE VOICE and AMERICA'S GOT TALENT on Hulu. Very interesting shows.I also got to play LOTS of piano! And look up about how to teach little children how to play. I have my first potential student starting in September and I have to prepare!

All in all, I enjoyed my free weekend, although I was kind of bored. Next time, Lydia needs to go to Austin on her own and Brian and I can spend the weekend together. I like not having to worry about anyone but myself, but it was very different for me. I haven't had a weekend on my own since Lydia was born. I still woke up around 4:30, having dreamt about Lydia. I had Brian constantly keeping me updated about how Lydia was doing. 

Brian and Lydia had a blast in Austin with the Pfeiffer grandparents. Brian was able to help his dad in the yard and Grandma got lots of Lydia time. Now we are awaiting Brian's trip to the Grand Canyon with all the Dunlap boys. Lydia and I will be on our own for 5 days! It will be rough, but I know we can handle it. After Brian's trip, we'll be heading to Wisconsin to visit the Pfeiffer great-grandparents and Great-Grandma Schmidt. That will definitely be some trip!

I Want To Do Something For Her...But What?

Lydia is sick. I have never experienced this long of an illness with her before. She had a bad ear infection last December, which was pretty rough, but she was still in good spirits. She had a stomach bug last September, but it was only 24 hours long. Now, she's had a temperature over 100 since Sunday evening! It's so hard to see her not feeling well, especially since she can't communicate how she feels. I also wish she would understand when I say "Just relax" when she gets upset about not feeling well.

Lydia is not a good patient, at least for me. She is fussy and wiggly and can't decide if she wants to sleep or play or just sit in my lap. But, with Brian, she is just snuggly and a bit fussy. They relaxed all day today - laying on the couch, laying in bed. I was surprised when Brian said he'd be willing to stay with her, again, all day tomorrow if she's still sick (instead of going to his teacher's training). I do not enjoy being with Lydia when she is not feeling well. But, she always acts better around Brian than she does around me.

I was so worried about her high temperature, that we took her to the doctor yesterday. Of course, there was nothing the doctor could do for her; we just have to wait this one out. He was very reassuring and didn't make me feel silly for bringing Lydia in. He told us to monitor her temperature constantly, and if it goes over 104, to bring her back to the doctor or the ER. Also, if her fever lasts more than five days (FIVE DAYS!), to bring her in again.

It's so hard seeing Lydia just laze around. And, when I was holding her, she puts her head on my shoulder and just moans. She is usually so active and alert; this is so not like her! It feels like she's been sick forever and that it's never going to go away. But, I know that in a day or two, she will be much better and I won't even remember how it was. I am thankful that this is happening during the summer only because Brian is home to care for her. I would hate to leave Leah alone with the kiddos (we only had 2 yesterday and 3 today), or have someone help out (we'll have all 5 again tomorrow). I am also thankful that he is willing to stay home with her and his only complaint is that "it's boring", instead of "Lydia's annoying".

Pray that my baby gets better!

Resting at the Center.

Sleeping on Daddy's lap.

Resting on the couch.

Because...I Love Her

We are trying to wean Lydia off the pacifier. I had not wanted to give her one, knowing that it can become addictive, cause problems with her teeth and mouth, and limit language development. I never liked seeing toddlers (especially 3 or 4 year olds) walking around with pacifiers in their mouths. I had a pacifier when I was little, but I don't remember when I stopped using it. My little brother, Thomas, used his until he was 4! My mom limited the use at 2 - the pacifier was only allowed at home, not out and about. At 3, he could only have it in his bed. And at 4, it was taken away. At the age of 4, Thomas understood when mom said "no more pacifier" and he didn't throw a fit - mainly because he didn't need it anymore.

I lasted about 21 days before I gave in and let Lydia have a pacifier. She was a fussy baby, constantly wanting to nurse - not to eat, but to comfort herself. She would nurse for about 20 minutes, and then fuss and fuss. My mom eventually convinced me to try a pacifier. And it worked! She was soothed by the pacifier and no longer fussed when she stopped nursing and could last longer in between nursing sessions. This also soothed me - I was no longer constantly holding Lydia, rocking her, soothing her myself. Unfortunately, this caused the problems I was worried about; Lydia became "addicted" to the pacifier. She always wanted it with her and would wake up at night, crying if it had fallen out of her mouth.

So, after her first birthday, we have started weaning Lydia from the pacifier. I wanted to go "cold turkey" - just take it away except for naps and bedtime - but Leah suggested that I gradually take it away. She claims that Lydia's personality would have a difficult time going cold turkey. Lydia has started specifically asking for the pacifier by saying "ma ma" or "me me". So, when she's playing and happy, there is no pacifier allowed. We also try to go at least one whole hour without the pacifier. When we're playing outside, there is no pacifier. During the week, at school, she is good at not having the pacifier. She usually wants it when she starts getting tired, which is about 10:30. I'll let her have it during Circle Time, but then it's lunch time and it's taken away and she forgets about it until about 12:00, when she gets tired. At home, Brian has been really good at keeping the pacifier away, as well. Lydia is starting to understand that she doesn't need it while she's playing and having fun. It is going a lot smoother than I thought it would!

A tiny Lydia with a pacifier! (She still has that pacifier!)

We are also weaning Lydia from formula. She has gone almost a week without her morning 2oz in a sippy cup. The first two days, she yelled at me when she received a sippy cup of whole milk instead of formula. But, she's over that now and downs the whole milk. Next is weaning her from the afternoon nap 2-4oz bottle. That one will be harder, since (1) it's in a bottle and (2) it's right before nap time. I may half and half it (1/2 formula, 1/2 whole milk) for a bit. Or I may start putting the formula in a sippy cup first. I will discuss this with Leah (the baby weaning expert).
Lydia has gotten so good at feeding herself food. She went from refusing to eat anything but baby food, to only wanting to feed herself! Part of it may be that she now sits at the "big kid" table at the center. She loves sitting there with her own plate and cup, in a big girl chair, with her friends. The other day, she ate every thing on her plate (even the fruit)! At home, I put her food on a plate and put that on her tray at her highchair. When she's eating something alone (we're not eating lunch/snack with her), I let her sit at the little picnic table the Pfeiffer's gave her. She does pretty well there, although she would prefer to take a bite, walk around, and then take another bite. We are trying to get rid of that habit.
In other news, we are closing the Center at the end of August. I have looked into and e-mailed the lady in charge of the Preschool at Oak Hills Church (where I go to church). I would absolutely love to teach preschool! That's what I originally set out to do when I graduated. Plus, it will only be three times a week from 8:45 to 12:45 - much shorter hours than I am working now! Hopefully they will have child care for Lydia...or I will have to look into a Mother's Day Out program for her. I am also planning on giving piano lessons, and I already have one potential student - hooray! I need to research and study up on teaching techniques this summer. I am excited about - sort of - being a stay at home mom, and not working 11.5 hours a day! Yippee!
Also, I decided to not go with the Nefertiti books and instead went with Tracy Chevalier's new book, Remarkable Creatures and two new books in a series, called Little Lady, Big Apple and The Little Lady Agency and the Prince by Hester Browne. We will see how these books are.