Lydia turned four today. There's not too much difference between her and Dylan developmentally now. Lots of differences in personality. I love being around people who don't know Lydia that well and having them tell me what she seems like to them. That happened this fall when I visited my long time friend and mentor Lisa in Pittsburgh. After observing Lydia play at a playground for a while (Dylan wasn't there), she said Lydia is tenacious, balanced, persistent, and determined. I realized quickly that Lisa was totally right (as she is about most things). Lydia doesn't give up easily and while she is willing to take risks, she thinks about the risk first. Lydia also has a great sense of object permanence and knows where things are around the house (more than her father I must say). She lost a stuffed animal at Sears this year and she still asks about it and whether or not the store is going to call us when they find the stuffed animal. Lydia loves to be held, which I love. She still sucks her thumb. We talk about trying to give it up but not taking any real action yet. Lydia loves to be read to. Her Sunday school teachers pointed that out to me before I noticed but she is always asking for us to read to her. She has a few books memorized (like her Clifford book). Highlights for the past year - taking a dance class (Jan - Mar), starting preschool two days a week (in September), giving up her naps (in August), riding a two-wheeler with training wheels (in September), and taking swimming lessons (in December). We still haven't cut her hair. At her doctor's appointment on Thursday we found out she gained 4 lbs (35lbs, 50th percentile) and grew 3 inches (38 inches, 10th percentile) this year. She is very verbal at home but often gets shy around other adults. We are working on saying good morning to her teachers when she goes to school. A few weeks this fall she went through a really shy spell where she wouldn't even let anyone look at her, but I think she's back to just not talking now. She's given up the "no me's" from last year but she often says "ooowhl but" when we ask her to something she doesn't want to do.
Lydia has been a real trooper hanging out with me when I have to volunteer at Dylan's school. We greet the kids as they come to school on Tuesday mornings and then we help in the library and with carpool on Tuesday afternoons. Usually there is a class in the library while we are in there checking books in so she has be really quiet and she does great with that.
We don't get as much Mommy and Me time as we did earlier in the year before preschool started but we go for walks or to the library to read books while Dylan is at gymnastics. And Lydia is still the best helper at the grocery store. She like to help in the kitchen too. On her birthday we did some baking and she really enjoyed that.
Lydia is really my buddy and my cuddler. I love kissing her cheeks. She is very sweet and says thank you without be prompted and sorry when she bumps into you. Lydia is also very funny. Sometimes without knowing it. Many times during the day she will just make these random statements that are so funny. Like "my pajamas have a button but Dylan's don't" when she not even wearing pajamas. So that's what you think about huh Lydia. Lots of times the things she says aren't really funny in themselves but she's got great delivery. I really enjoy being around her and look forward to how she is going to grow in the coming year.
