These are the days

Today was the best day I've had in at least a week. It was relaxing and refreshing, and the weather was awesome-- 65 and sunny! We didn't necessarily do anything spectacular; it was just good.
For starters, Rob's cousin Shannon was in town, visiting us from college. We had a slow, easy breakfast (homecooked by the dear Sister Schubert). After Sydney's nap, we girls headed down to Music Row to get Shannon's viola adjusted, yummy lunch at Panera, and then we were off to meet Rob at Red Caboose Park.
Sydney loves the park- any park- and I love taking her. It's so much fun to follow behind her as she explores and investigates everything. She always finds the slides. (The girl is a crazy sliding machine!! This week, she has gone down her little indoor slide RUNNING- which I tried to discipline her for, but was distracted by her laughing in sheer glee- and HEADFIRST! Many days, I wish she wasn't so fearless.) Anyway, she found the big one today, and immediately went for it! No matter how nervous she makes me, I love seeing the joy in her eyes when we're at the park.
After her pretty overalls were almost completely gray with dirt, we decided to go for frozen yogurt before going home for a nap. I SO wish I had taken a video of Syd- EATING HER ICE CREAM WHILE FALLING ASLEEP! It was precious!! Tired as she was, she didn't want to miss a bite of our peanut butter/chocolate dreaminess.
One more good nap, and we ended the day taking Sydney and Shannon to their first Hibachi grill. Our chef was the worst one I've ever seen (he was so boring, and hardly said a word during his "show"), but at least the food was really good. Syd liked watching the chef when the grill was flaming; as soon as that was done she lost interest.
Perhaps, my favorite part of the day, though, was on the way home after dinner. Syd has a baby doll, Lulu, that rides in the car with her. She (Syd, not Lulu) had gotten tired, and was a little fussy, and then quieted suddenly. I glanced back just in time to see her take her pacifier out of her mouth and offer it to Lulu before kissing her and hugging her to her shoulder. She gently patted Lulu's bottom for several minutes until we got home- where she tossed her over the side of the car seat as she waited to be unbuckled! It warms my heart to see these moments of tenderness as Syd "mothers" her dolls. In a moment of wanting to be comforted herself, our sweet girl offered comfort instead.
It's days like this that I want to hit "Repeat" and enjoy it over and over again...

Our baby girl is growing up!

We registered Syd for preschool this morning! EEEEK!!!

Where is the time going? Slow down already, Clock!!

Wordless Wednesday

February 17 - Fifteen Months!

Baby Girl,
You are so much fun! So far every stage has been my favorite, and right now, this early toddler business, is awesome! Our biggest change, as a family, this month is that you're going to be a big sister. Syd, I think you're going to be such a sweet sister. Right now, you're really into babies (which thrills me!). Whenever we see a baby, even on TV, you get excited and smile and wave to the baby and say, "HI!" I'm praying that you'll continue to like babies this much until September when your sibling arrives.
- Sweet girl, you're still itty bitty, but you're growing! I retired most of your 6 and 6-9 month clothes now. Really, it's a wonder you're as small as you are because you can E-A-T! A few weeks ago, you ate one and a half slices of Papa John's pizza for dinner, and were still asking for more, and you can put away a whole Chic-Fil-A kids meal! I hope your metabolism stays high!!

- You got another tooth this week, for a total of five!
- You're becoming more and more talkative. I'm always impressed by how well you understand and follow commands. You've also learned a few more animal sounds recently, which is really cute. It's funny, you know a lot of random animals instead of what I think of as "normal" first sounds-- tiger, lion, elephant, monkey, and dog. You also learned this week that pirates say Aarrrrrrrgggghhh!

- For several months now, you've only had your paci in the car and the bed. We usually keep 3 or 4 in your bed, so that you can always find one. Most mornings, when we go to get you up, you've got one in your mouth and one in each hand. When we ask you, "Where does your paci go?", you usually spit the one out of your mouth first (back into the bed). Then, you'll stick the ones in your hands into your mouth for a few seconds before you drop them in the bed too. It cracks me up every time!

- We've been having to put you in time-out, but it seems to be effective. Our time-out spot is in the hallway. You can't distinguish yet between "you need to go to time-out" and "you're going to have to go to time-out if you keep it up", so when you hear the word you usually march your little self to the hall and have a seat. You also know that playing with the DVDs on the bookshelf and going up the stairs by yourself will land you in time out, and when you get caught doing either of those things, you go to time-out on your own without even being told.
- You love apple juice, dogs, blueberry pancakes, the Fairy Tea Party book, baloons, and playing outside.

And Mommy & Daddy love you BIG TIME, Sweet Pea!!

Love,   mommy

Wordless Wednesday

Theology gone awry

We love the Lord, and we want to teach Sydney to do the same. She hears us pray at least five times every day: before Rob leaves for work in the mornings, before three meals, and at bedtime.  We are doing our best to set a good example for Syd, praying continually.
I noticed this week that Syd started saying "Ah-BAH" when I say "Amen." "Sweet," I thought, "She's really starting to get it!" She continued saying "Ah-BAH" more and more, often as soon as I said "in Jesus' name", overlapping my Amen. I told Rob excitedly that I thought Sydney was beginning to understand praying.
But then I realized something. Syd was only saying "Ah-bah" in her highchair, not when we pray in the mornings or in her room at night. We even tried pausing before "amen" to see if she would end it for us, but nothing. Rob and I talked about it, and I mentioned that I wonder if she's intentionally ending our prayers, or if "Ah-bah" means something more like bon apetite'  to her!
Well, today she cleared it up for us. I put Syd in her highchair and began making her a peanut butter & jelly sandwich for lunch. While she was watching me put together her sandwich, she started saying, over and over again-- ah-bah, ah-bah, ah-bah...
Apparently it doesn't mean quite the same thing to her that it does to us- we'll need to keep working on that!

Ah-BAH... Let's eat!

Wordless Wednesday