Dear Baby Lydia,
Please stop growing up. We are so thankful that you are healthy and well and growing, but my heart wants you to stay, just like you are, just a while longer. You are the sweetest. There have been many times this month (well your whole life, really) when your dad and I have been talking after you all are in bed and he says "Lydia is such a sweetheart." You are so sweet, in fact, that I (self-proclaimed sleep trainer) was tempted to crawl into your room one night and pick you up just to have one more cuddle with you. I almost always tear up when I read Love You Forever, but I've always thought it was ridiculous, too. What mother, in her right mind, would chance waking up her peacefully sleeping baby? Not much about that book is realistic. But in that moment, I understood. I resisted, but I understood. "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be."
This month you have been enjoying your new view of the world from a sitting position. You are quite content to sit and play. You've even started doing a little dance while you're at it. You like to spend time in your exersaucer, too, and really enjoy jumping in the jumper - especially when we have one of our "dance parties" in the living room. You dislike being on your tummy or your back now. You managed to roll over several times this month, but only because there was a bottle or some other enticing item within your reach :) You are extremely ticklish, just like me. And you are a lover of food, for sure. It would be hard to list all the foods you've tried, there are so many! Almost all with good results. The ones that come to mind are carrots, zucchini, pancakes, grapes, cucumber, blueberries, banana, millet, apple, green beans, kiwi, and strawberry. Is there anything you won't eat? I can still picture you when you saw your first pancake - you opened your mouth and started flapping your arms - you looked just like a little bird! You love pancakes. One night I gave you zucchini and carrot sticks and you ended up eating the carrots and hoarding all of the zucchini in your high chair, it was really cute. Another night you fussed until I let you try my lentil soup and then you kept fussing for more! The night we had burritos you were begging for something so we threw some rice and beans on your tray, it was hilarious to watch your intent little face go after those beans! We've come to realize there's no sitting Lydi up to the table without giving her some food! You don't look much like your sister right now, but there are moments when you open your mouth with a great, big smile that remind me so much of Zoe when she was your age. I love that.
I always want to remember the way, at bedtime, you snuggle your head into the crook of my neck and put your arm around the other side, almost like a hug. And as much as I want you to stay just as you are, I know there is so much more in store, God willing. So with that, I do look forward to another month of watching you grow!
P.s. you really don't smile for my big black lens anymore!
