Tiny Post.

I'm supposed to be working.

Writing up observations.

But Andrew has (no joke) already worked 55 hours this week, and I've worked somewhere near 30, and I just got home from our RS Christmas Activity and thought I'd write a little tiny post.

This lady has become really attached to me. I don't know if it's because I've been working more (she goes to some really good friends from the ward while I'm away (I'm away for about 1/3 of my working time. The rest of it is while she's sleeping), and they do are so wonderful with her) but I think she's just more aware that I could leave.

And so I'm trying to really cherish the time that wants with me. Rather than let it drive me crazy. The sling has helped A TON, in allowing me to still get things done and hold her.

She reaches up to grab my hand and pull me where she wants me to go. All the time. And it kind of just melts my heart. Most of the time.

She's got such a little personality. She has really opinions about what she wants, and we love her long, drawn out whisper,"Yeeeeaaaah," when we ask her a question.

We're so excited to come see more family over Christmas. Now that she remembers people a little bit better, and can interact a little bit more. We loved Thanksgiving with Will and Sara. We just wish we were closer to more of you, so you could watch her grow, and she could know you better.

That's all for now. Off to work. Just a little bit. Just wanted you to know we're alive. Mostly.

The 4th

So we're a little behind over here....

On the morning of the 4th Andrew took a friend to the airport at the crack of dawn. He totally surprised me by stopping by the store for things that I had mentioned I had forgotten the day before. He also picked up these cups. "They didn't have any Fourth of July Flowers, so I built you this tower." :)

Out for our morning run/bike ride at Fort McHenry!

The parade. in the shade. 

Our neighbors at the parade had this little chair and she LOVED it. We promptly went and got her one of her own. It was longest she had ever sat still. I love her focus, and the clapping. :) 

Cute little steppers.

Our festive Gelati! Order something red, white, and blue and get 50% off. Don't mind if we do. 

Later that night we had a BBQ with friends, and did some sparklers. We had plans to actually go to fireworks, but Lydia was terrified of the fireworks that people were shooting off into the sky, so we decided to wait until next year. 

Eliana and Mom come to visit!

Eliana and Andrew's Mom came to visit for Spring Break! We LOVED having them here...we just loved having them here so much we forgot to take very many pictures. And the pictures we did take are in no particular order. 

We decided to go up to Philadelphia and stay Friday night. Mom is teaching 5th grade right now, so US History is at the front of her mind. While we had seen a lot of the sites, it's always fun to see them with new visitors.

We stopped at Lore's Chocolates and picked up some Easter treats. So yummy!

 Mom and Aunt Debbie (Debbie and Kent came to Philly, too! SO MUCH FUN!)

We took them to the Baltimore Museum of Art, one of our favorites!

This is how Lydia felt about church on Easter Sunday, "Let's get out of here!" And we did. She naps RIGHT when church starts, but she WILL NOT nap anywhere but her crib. So when she had a major breakdown and couldn't be calmed....we just went home. 

Helping Grandma with plans for Debbie and Kent's yard (the actual reason they came out).

Who knew the BMA had such a killer gift shop? Seriously. Best place to buy kids toys and books. 

Chillin' with Grandma so Mom and Dad could go to the temple. 

If you ever go to Philly, you MUST go to Franklin Fountain. SO worth the line. And the price. It's just adorable. Andrew and I walked down on Friday night after we had put Lydia to bed. It was probably past 10 pm and we felt like such rebels. (not to worry, mom was with Lydia.) I mean, how often to parents get to go out at 10 pm. NEVER.

Lydia, asserting her independence at Independence Hall. 

Our First Inauguration

Hanging out at Debbie and Kent's: Pre-Departure (Kent was sick. :( So he stayed home. )

Riding the metro. Checking out DC.

Ready to Roll! Bundled up, and Snuggled in.

Catching a little shut-eye.

"Only free carrots available on the Mall! These prices not available in sotres anywhere!"

Group Self Portrait! In front of the White House.

Yum, This GMO-Free carrot is yummy!

Waiting for it to start! We found our spot on the Mall!

Hanging with my cute dad!

It's starting! This is when things got interesting. Our Jumbo-Tron stopped working the minute Senator Schumer stood up. BUT at that exact moment the girl behind us also went into shock. So Nurse-Aunt Debbie sprung into action to take care of her, and Andrew helped carry the girl to the medic tent. So we missed the ACTUAL Inauguration.

Then we wanted to walk to the Capitol, to see it up close. But we had to take a serious detour. This lead us to the staging area for the Parade. It also lead us to a hotel where we could change Lydia's diaper. And Aunt Debbie thought it best if we stayed for the Buffet Lunch. If Debbie ever wants you to spend the day with her, don't hesitate, just go.

The Capitol! (Good thing Debbie was with us, she provided the prop. :)

This is the ingenuity of American's at work. There is a til of charcoals in the "baby seat" that kept the pretzels warm. Awesome. 

Snug as a bug. All day. She was such a good baby!

Big Flag. Little Flag. Union Station headed back to Debbie's, where we pulled up the Inauguration and watched President Obama's Speech. Don't worry, when we got home, I pulled up Kelly Clarkston and Beyonce and found pictures of the Obama's at the Ball. 

SUCH A lot of walking. But with our Smart Wool Layers, we were just the right temperature and had such a great day! Loved our first Inauguration. Although, next time, we hope to actually see it when it's happening. 

Claire comes to visit!

Claire came to visit for the holidays, and we had such a nice time! I didn't take many pictures, though. I think I have my phone with me all the time when I'm home with Lydia. I get pretty bored, and I have my phone with me to read news, take pictures, email, etc. When Claire was here, I had another adult to talk to! I didn't need my phone! But that means, few pictures. This is our documentation of Lydia's first Christmas....I may need to work on that. Not even a picture in her little Christmas pajamas. 

The Tree.

The dogs! We had arranged for there to be somewhere for the dogs to stay. But that fell through. We just accepted that they would stay in the car (a giant kennel, really) and took them to various parks three times a day.

On Christmas we went to Robert E Lee Park, where we knew there was a dog park. Which there was. It was a very serious dog park, to which you needed a code to get in. We were right to think it was going to be a great dog park. We just couldn't get in.

We played a lot of games. Which was really fun! Andrew and I tried to play Ticket to Ride after Claire left, and we both decided that was a bad idea. We should only play with other people.

We went to Ikea one day, after going to a State Park that I remembered being MUCH closer than it actually was. I was hungry. Ikea was close. So we went. Lydia had her first frozen yogurt. Big fan, ladies and gents, big fan!

And we finished up TWENTY TWO freezer meals for Claire to take home with her. From one sicko-pregnant woman to another (in the past, not currently) I know you can either cook at home, or eat at home, but you can't do both. Hopefully these will help Claire get through the next few weeks. :) 

Most festive cookies I have ever baked.

This is saying something, folks. Because I have baked a lot of cookies in my day.  And I love holidays. But these are the most festive. Neighborhood Christmas Cookie exchange, you have to go big. 

Pre-Baking. 

 

Post-Baking, Pre-Kisses.

Complete. Ready to PARTY!

Lydia eats Pie

I think that's the most important thing you should know about Lydia's first Thanksgiving. She ate her first Pumpkin Pie. And she liked it. She had it again tonight. :)

Ward Trunk or Treat

My new calling at church is RS Activities Co-Chair. And I'm in love. First activity: The ward Trunk or Treat. 

Lydia was a Beanie Baby. Easiest costume ever. A pair of winter pajamas and a little tag. She was pretty cute. 

I was a cat. There was an eight-year-old little girl who was also a cat. I tried to meow my hello, and she gave me a scratchy claw, and hissed at me. It was too funny. 

This is Lydia's little friend. She'll come stand and look at Lydia for  LONG time at church. He mom and I usually get together once a week and do something.

 The YW were in charge of decorations, and they put TONS of these spiders all over the cultural hall. Such great decorations, and easy. They could easily do it for a Wednesday night activity. 

My co-organizer, with their awesome trunk! (Her husband was a decomposer. In real life he's the Choral Director for Loyola university, and all night he carried around music, erasing notes. So funny.)

Our pumpkin patch trunk. Big thanks to Andrew for getting our trunk together. It wasn't something that was on my radar for getting done.