Wednesday

This morning I had all sorts of things that I wanted to write about and decided that today I would write a "Wednesday" post full of all of my random little thoughts. However, as I am sitting down to write this post I can't think of a single thing that I wanted to write about. I still feel the need to write (for my sanity more than anything) so who knows what this post will actually be about.

This morning Lydia and I had a painting party while Austin napped. I worked on some crafts that have been waiting patiently and I let Lydia paint a big blank canvas that I had laying around. I plan to hang it up in her room. It was nice, and I felt happy to be doing something productive and fun with my girl.  I only half-finished several projects, *sigh*, but it's progress. Her canvas ended up being perfect. Messy and full of mixed colors and obviously painted by a two year old, but I think it will be fun to hang in her room. I've hit a wall with Austin's nursery and instead I've turned my creative energy to Lydia's room. We hung bookshelves and it's gotten me antsy to hang things on the wall and make it a fun big-girl-room for Lyd. I made a puff-ball garland and hung it above her bed and we just finished hanging some beautiful white-ruffled curtains over her windows. I love the way it's turning out.

I don't like drama. I can occasionally be kind of dramatic, but real drama makes my stomach twist and makes me want to cry. Our neighborhood facebook page has been kind of dramatic lately and I can't get it out of my head. When people are mean or upset, it makes my heart hurt - especially because I just don't know how to change anything. Along with this - I've slowly started shying away from any TV shows with much drama in them. I can't handle the stress. Instead I have been convincing David to watch things like HGTV, Shark Tank, or Chopped. Shows without much storyline and a conclusion to every episode. I can't handle the suspense.

I don't want to leave my house today. I just want to stay home and not have to do anything. But I just submitted a photo order to Walgreens and they called me to say that it was finished but they accidentally printed the biggest photo on a canvas paper instead of a photo paper (which is a more expensive print) and asked me to come in and see if I'm happy with the canvas or if I want them to reprint it. I'm sure I'll keep the canvas, even if it is going in a frame - but I really don't want to leave and wish that I could just stay home. My manners tell me that I should go today, but my brain says that it will be just fine to wait until I'm already out tomorrow.

Lydia has been in love with looking at pictures of her when she was a baby, or pictures of David and I when we were babies. She has recently started asking to "Watch when I was a baby?" Which means that she wants to watch the video that I made of her first year. I love the video and comply pretty much anytime she asks. We then started watching the video of her second year, because the music is even more upbeat and the videos of her are so cute. I've loved watching them with her and remembering how darling she was. It makes me so excited to have Austin grow and learn and start doing some of the same things. There is one clip in the 1-2 year video that shows Lydia in the pantry where she had made a mess playing with the pancake mix. I love the video and laugh every time it comes on. However, today I found Lydia re-enacting that scene. She had been at the computer watching the video and two seconds later she was in the pantry with pancake mix all over the floor. Ah! As soon as I heard her in there I knew what was happening and as I stood in the doorway I didn't know what to do. I was torn between getting the camera and taking another picture to put up next to the first one and angrily telling her that it wasn't funny for her to make messes and that she was a big girl now. (I'm not having the greatest or most patient of days. In retrospect, it is kind of funny - but at the moment I was not amused.)  I maintained my calm and helped clean her up while asking her about why she was playing in the pancake mix. We then talked about how she was trying to do the same thing as in the movie, but that we really shouldn't play in the pancake mix because then there won't be enough for us to eat pancakes and pancake mix doesn't belong on the floor. I'm grateful that I stayed calm and didn't show my frustration, because I know that she is so tender and that she wasn't trying to make a mess. She was trying to be cute and fun (she was playing with the mix in her hands the same way as in the clip and had even put it on her face just like she had in the movie - you could tell she was just trying to recreate it and she had actually done a good job). I think that we'll stop watching those videos for a while now though.

This post of full of nothing. And actually a bit complainy. *sigh*

But - I am excited for this weekend! We are going to my parents house for Thanksgiving on Saturday. (Bless them and their sweet compromising selves for being willing to host Thanksgiving a week early so we can do Thanksgiving with both families.) I can't wait to see my siblings and spend some quality family time with everyone. Then just two days of work and David is off for the rest of the week! Some more Thanksgiving, some black friday shopping, and maybe even a visit with Santa to tell him what we want for Christmas. (Lydia wants roller-skates.) Then putting up the tree and getting ready for Christmas and all of the magic that comes with the holidays. Only a few more days and then fun-fun-fun! I am so excited to celebrate this year with Austin and Lydia. We are just so blessed.

Insta-Tuesday {11.11.14}

{10.29.14}

Cousins make the best friends. #peadenfamilyforever #hunterpark

{10.31.14}

Two of my favorite super heroes! #superlydia #shewantedacape #halloweenisthebestholiday

{10.31.14}

I didn't get a picture of both Lydia and Austin in their hero costumes (lame) and I'm picking through and eating the best candy from Lydia's haul. #parentingfail #imdoingmybest #iswear #itwasagreatdayanyway

{11.1.14}

My amazing dad made these bookshelves for me then came and installed them in Lydia's room today. #ihavethegreatestdad #handyman #welovebooks #blessed

{11.4.14}

Bath time with our diy boat from craft time today. #sheaskedmetomakeheraboat #imadeitup #takethatpinterest #but #whoknewacrylicpaintwouldpeel #messybath #ohwell

{11.7.14}

Making the most of the few park days we have left. #autumn #lydiaelise

{11.11.14}

It's okay to feel sad sometimes. #littlebylittleyoullfeelbetteragain #lifelessonsfromdanieltiger #lydiaissingingtoaustin

Lydia Elise: 2.25-2.5

 Oh this sweet, opinionated, loving, strong-willed two year old of ours. We love her so much and simultaneously wonder how we are ever going to teach her anything. She seems to have jumped into full fledged two year old mode, but even with the tantrums and stubborness - we still adore her and don't know what we would do without her. She still has the ability to absolutely make my heart melt and make me feel like the most special mother in the whole world. 

Stats: 24 month clothes are too small but 2T fit well, and she even has a few 3T things. (Although she has some 2T pants that are too big for her.) She's in size 4 diapers and size 7 shoes.

--The biggest change of this darling girl's life happened. She became a big sister. She loves her baby brother. Adores him. It's so special to watch them together. She mostly smothers him and he mostly endures it, but you can see the sibling love that has been there from the very beginning. Lydia likes to "Look at our baby" which means putting her face right by his face, nose-to-nose. She likes to hug him, which consists of her laying her body over him, and kiss him, which is the sweetest of all. She's even started to give him an ugga-mugga (from Daniel Tiger) where she rubs their noses together. She's always worried about him, especially when he's crying, and she always makes sure that he is taken care of. She's a wonderful older sister. 

 

--  Her vocabulary and communication skills have reached a whole new level. It's amazing how well she can communicate the things that she is thinking. She makes 6-8 word sentences all the time, and strings those together into paragraphs/stories. She still says some sweet little-girl talk things like: "Ya-wum-ba" (You're Welcome),  "Tan-tee" (Candy), "Ott" (Off), and "Ogie-yurt" (Yogurt). She used to say "yesterday" for everything that happened previously, and now it's "last night". Like "re-nember last night when Amy was here". Or right after Austin stops crying - "Last night our baby was sad, but now he's happy." 

--Another huge thing that has changed over the last couple of months was the number and level of tantrums. We've honestly never had to deal with a full blown kicking and screaming tantrum until just recently. The first several times, we really didn't even know how to handle it - it was so out of the ordinary for her to be so upset. We've really had to learn about how we want to handle the tantrum throwing and we've been working with her on how to handle her emotions. I wish that I had a picture of her throwing a tantrum, but when she's in tantrum mode- the last thing on my mind is to grab a picture. Just picture the exact opposite of this picture: 

--She's still super active and loves anything that gets her out of the house and moving around. 

 

-We have been working really hard at "using our words" when we want something or when we are upset. She's getting much better at it - and so am I.   

--She loves to help with everything. I try to be her biggest supporter, because... childhood! This is how you learn. Right? We make lots of messes, but have a lot of fun along the way. 

 

(I kept telling her not to eat the batter, and she thought it was the funniest thing. *Sigh* I promise if we make you pancakes, I won't let my toddler lick the measuring cup.)

--She gets joy from the smallest things. Olives on her fingers = the best thing ever. Building a giant tower = the best thing ever. Jumping on the couch cushions = the best thing ever. 

--She is so sensitive. If you ask her not to do something, or she gets in trouble for something, she hangs her head and drops her arms to her side. She usually starts crying. You can tell it makes he so sad. She also is so sensitive to Austin being sad. For the first two weeks, every time he cried-she would cry too. Now if he cries she says "Oh no! My baby." She'll sing him a song or try to stick his pacifier in. Until he stops crying, she's very agitated. Such a sensitive soul. 

--She's started holding her hands up to her eyes to "see". She uses her binoculars to "see you" and it's super darling. She also uses toilet paper rolls as telescopes and any other items with windows to look through. 

--She shakes her hands/arms when she gets excited about something. 

--She likes to carry things around in her bunny bag or her little purse. 

--She likes to collect things like puffs and buttons and will carry them around in her little collections.

--She likes to play with legos and will build towers and castles. 

--I asked her what her favorite thing to do was and she said "To play. And to eat."

--She loves to read books. Some of her recent favorites are:  The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Fancy Nancy. Zoe Gets Ready. The Very Cranky Bear. Cloudette. 

--She has started turning my own words against me. For example: 

Lyd- "Can we have some treats?" 

Me- "How about we make some dinner together?" 

Lyd: "How about we have some treats?"

(How about, maybe, and later vs. right-now all play big roles in our conversations.) 

--She only naps about 20% of the time. The other 80% she just plays in her room and I call it "quiet time". I really wish that she would nap, but going into her room after an hour of her not-napping and telling her sternly "Lydia, close your eyes! You need to fall asleep!" doesn't seem to work. I used to be able to just take her to the museum or park and let her play hard before naptime and that would wear her out, but now even that doesn't work. However, when she does nap - she sleeps for 3 hours or so, so I KNOW she still needs the nap. *Sigh* Luckily, she's pretty content to play quietly so I can still feel okay about her getting some rest at least. (And me some rest, let's be honest.)

Some more pictures from the last several months: