Life with Lydia

Lydia has a new pint-sized patio chair now and loves it. She sits in it and gets off, sits in it, gets off, sits in it, gets off, on and on.

Lydia likes putting on socks and shoes when she runs across them, no matter whose she finds, and even if she’s already wearing some. Here she is getting Daddy to help her put her crocks and socks on.

When the weather is nice we usually go to the playground for about an hour each day. This is one of Lydia’s favorite activities, and she’ll ask to go by pointing to the car. When I ask if she wants to go to the park, she always responds with an enthusiastic giggle and smile.

Last week we went every day, including one trip with the MOMS Club.

Lately her favorite playground activity is swinging. She’ll even swing for half an hour at a time. One day she got so relaxed swinging that she started to go to sleep. That day she went to sleep on the way back home.

Lydia loves visiting our neighbor, Mr. White. The first thing she does when we go outside is look over to see if he’s out there. She giggles and quivers with excitement when she sees him and insists that we go see him. On sunny days we usually visit at least once a day.

One of her favorite things is swinging on his porch. The other is collecting nature’s treasures and giving them to him. She enjoys his company as much as he loves hers.

This morning we ventured out for breakfast with Daddy. Lydia behaved perfectly and was done quickly. There were no outbursts, minimal food on the floor, and actual food consumption! She was the perfect little restaurant patron.

Lydia now brings random clothing to us and asks to put it on. She tries to do it herself but can’t quite figure it out. She knows socks and shoes go on her feet and a sweater on her arms.

Sometimes she brings us socks, shoes, a hat… And sometimes it’s our clothes. Today she wore a onsie over her jammies and my shirt as a cape over that.

Lydia knows that outside she wears her crocks (and this is only after a few days of wearing them). She insisted on changing her shoes to play outside after our trip to the store.

As Paul said yesterday, I think we have a budding naturalist. Lydia loves being outside, rain or shine (not snow). Yesterday after the rain finally stopped she played outside and had a ball. She splashes through the puddles (it took her a while to figure out this childhood favorite), picks up bark, plays with flowers, climbs the patio wall and steps, and generally runs around exploring.

Kadi sent me a picture of Sage and Annie the year she got her for Christmas. I thought you’d like to see. Maybe one day Lydia will hand Annie down to a younger cousin, too.

Lydia’s and Daddy’s shoes outside by the door. Cute, huh.