A Play Date

Dear Lydia, 

So we might ask Frankie if he is going to marry you. And we might love it when he says yes. And if you do, one day, marry him ,or even drew, it will be cute. 

Love Mom

They were pretty excited about a girl.

Campfire

Dear Lydia,

We built a fire in Grandma West's back yard for a saturday night. You were pretty into staring at it. Just wanted you to remember it. 

Love Mom

and then Uncle Kevin got creepy, again.

The journey to crawl: episode 1

Dear Lydia, 

Here is a little update on your crawl action.

Love Mom

The Superman

but that doesn't do it justice.

thats a little better.

did you catch that?

when i ask you to come here, you just laugh at me.

yeah right mom.

Ariah's 1st Birthday Party

Dear Lydia,

I know that right now you and Ariah are just friends by association and thats ok. Neither of you can talk yet.  But because i love her mommy so much, i hope that some day you will be best friends. So here you guys are playing at her first birthday party.

Love Mom

You made Lacey really happy. 

When you can both walk it will be easier to play. :) 

Real Chocolate

Dear Lydia, 

The last post was about eating right. This post doesn't make that any less important but sometimes you just have to know when to indulge, just a little. :) 

Love Mom

 I gave you some of some chocolate Easter bunny. 

 And you licked all over your lips like you do. 

and it made you happy. 

Food

Dear Lydia,

Hahaha. I think i think this is funny because it looks like chocolate. Right? Its funny. Especially because you look all drugged up. but don't you worry, its just prunes. You really like eating food, and your getting pretty good at it. You get a little impatient when i have to get a new spoonful but your starting to trust me, you know ill bring it back with more food. Yes it gets on your face because you kind of spit it out a little and then move your face all over looking for more. Im trying really hard to feed you real organic fruit that i just put in a food processor, it seems to keep you happier for longer. isn't that that the truth about healthy food? Thats something i will always try to remind you. When your feeling sick, some real good food in your belly really can do wonders. It can even help prevent that sickness. Heres to you always loving things like prunes as if they were chocolate.

Love Mom (because daddy would never write this ;) 

Uncle Aust's Birthday.

Dear Lydia, 

You have been rolling over on to your belly. it makes you mad but you still do it. i let you get mad for a minute hoping you will learn. Today you did and you rolled yourself back over. Congrats kid. I know that no matter how many times i try to show you how to roll back over its not going to stick until you do it yourself. Im gonna need your patience on this. Although i know this its still going to be hard for me to do it. You see mommies like fixing problems for their babies. Mommies know how to fix problems, not all of them... but a lot of them. One of the hardest things you can watch is someone you love who is struggling. If when you struggle, i will be there cheering you on. I will want to fix it for you but i shouldn't because you need to learn for yourself. I will always be here to give you a few tips though. 

Love you Princess.

Mom

Step by step, day by day.

Dear Lydia, 

We are working on sitting up, so i prop you in the cushion corner on the sectional.

we are going to California in two weeks. I want you to sit on the beach. Heres to that wish.

 "The itsy, bitsy spider went up the water spout." ;)

Oh how i love that face.

Love Mom.

West House

Dear Lydia, 

Your daddy lived in the same house all his life. Until he married mommy. Grandma West is going to put it up for sale this summer so we have all been pitching in to spruce things up for when people come to see it. Yesterday we panted. I took some pictures for you (and Daddy). 

Love Mom 

 Yes there are pictures of Mommy with out make up on. That are on the internet even. ;) 

This is what you did pretty much the whole time.

 Until i took you outside to sit in the grass for the first time in your life. 

 Its wasn't that exciting for you. The sun was too bright i guess.

 Family is important. 

The good/bad day.

Dear Lydia,

First our day was going like this.

You even thought it was funny when you pulled your headband over your nose.

you never think thats funny. 

Then you fell off the bed. We both cried. Im so sorry you got hurt. I never want to watch you get hurt again. I Love you. I couldn't catch you (though i tried) but i picked you up. I will always pick you up, sometimes i might even be able to catch you. I'll be hoping for the latter. I hugged you for what seemed like forever and then i let you fall asleep on my chest, we just laid there for hours.

Love Mom

Not quite a baby belly laugh.

Dear Lydia, 

This is what it sounds like when you laugh.

Its always ended with hiccups. always. lucky we have hiccup medicine (gripe water). you love that stuff.

I don't think you will have this laugh your whole life or even much longer but i hope you can always find so much joy in little things like your Mommy's hand on your belly.

Love Mom.

The Great Grands.

Dear Lydia, 

I believe it is so important to know where you come from. Your family is your calling. It is a responsibility. I made sure that you met all the great grandparents that you could, and that it was documented. :) 

Love Mom

 Great Grandma Etta. 

 Great Grandma Mildred.

 Great Grandma Shirley. 

Great Grandpa Jean. 

(right before I took this video he was telling you how beautiful you are)

  Great Grandma Rose.

Great Granny Thora.

I don't know how long you will have with them. You may not know them very well. If you could only see the way their faces light up when they see you. 

i want you to remember this one thing. 

They adore you.
I'll just keep adding to this. 

Great-Grandpa Tate

Dear Lydia, 

Someday you might realize that Ali and Mattie, and maybe even Mitchell and Marshall, are not really family. Even though Grandpa and Grandma Tate call you their "step granddaughter". I get it, it doesn't really work out. Growing up i used to refer to them as my "mormon family" and they call me their third daghter. That's what happens when you are best friends with two sisters for all your life. Or since I was 6 to be exact. I love them. They have always been there to support me. In some ways I trust them more than anyone I know. That will never change. I hope you love them as much a I do. Rod's Dad passed away and you and i went to say our farewell. 

Love Mom

 You. are. a . doll.

Pretty little girls. ( That's Sierra)

 We are both blond... right now.

 Everyone thought you were just the cutest. you are.

You love me. :) 

Kiddie Kandids

Dear Lydia, 

We got your pictures taken at Babies-R-Us. I don't have my order yet. When i get it i will change some of them out. :) 

Love Mom

Are they or are they not, not as good as the ones i took. 

except you can smile now.

Love Mom.