Preparations

With less than four months to go, preparations are under way in the baby's room.

This weekend, Grandma Jan and I sewed new curtains, in less than three hours no less!

Next, Ben will have to paint the room a less boyish blue, which might mean a shade or so lighter than what it is now. There's enough pink in the curtains that we don't want to put pink paint on the walls and risk going into pink overload.

12/11/11 The walls are a successful sky blue; and the color scheme is settling in as pink & chocolate brown & blue. I'm beginning to like it!

While at Grandma Jan's, Kailyn demonstrated her piano skills to Lydia.
And Lydia had the most fun with two yellow balloons! Joy comes so easily to toddlers.

More on the list before baby #2 comes: potty training and transitioning to big bed!

Thankful

It's that designated time of the year to be thankful, and for me, it's easy to be. I'm so thankful that I can stay home most of the time and bond with my precious girl while she's little. We share stories, keep secrets, go shopping, do each other's hair, have fun. I adore her little hands and the fine skill level she's attaining with them. She's fascinated with little items. She invites tickling, cooks in her kitchen, rocks and comforts her baby, even changes her baby's diaper, copies my words. And then occasionally I can hand her off to a consistent loving home daycare while I go to work with friendly people and mostly kind bosses. I have a loving and helpful husband. He'll take care of Lydia on Monday nights while I play with the Pops Orchestra. I get to be around and learn from other mom like me at MOPS every other Friday morning. And then in March, I'll get to experience the blessing of another itty bitty girl.

Note: this is not even nearly a complete listing of things I'm thankful for.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Here's my costume!

Handing out treats. We visited two neighbors, then came home to eat dinner and hand out.

Got my own pop and play-doh!

Grandma Linda shows Lydia a book.

Getting a Halloween treat from her godparents

Playing with the glass door, "I see you."

Grandma gets Lydia to eat broccoli.

Our goofy pumpkin.

This is how we Dribble

Daddy gave Lydia a dibbling lesson on one of those gorgeous Indian Summer days two weeks ago.

And Mommy taught Lydia the joy of playing with leaves.

"Aa-pull"

Lydia had the best apples ever at Nieman Markets.

She couldn't stop eating them: McIntosh, Empires, Golden Delicious, you name it!

Look, a plane!

...and back to eating an apple...ooh, this one's a little tart.

We love the "aa-pull" orchard!

Potty

Lydia's using the potty,

and a little too much toilet paper!