Wonderfulness

John's first comment to me this morning: Can you believe we are sleeping again?
My reply: It is WONDERFUL!!!

For the past few weeks Lydia has been sleeping from seven at night to seven in the morning with just one pacifier put-back, usually around five. Equally as wonderful, Lydia waved to Amy and Nathan over Skype yesterday. Megan

Pelican Fly-bys

Navarre has a large population of brown-nosed pelicans. Even after two years, it is still a thrill to see them fly by at eye-level from our balcony. Last night, we took a stroll down the pier and came across this friendlier-than-most pelican. These gorgeous birds were greatly threatened during the oil spill. It is nice to see them thriving and enjoying life these days. Megan

Many More Sunsets To Come

John received written confirmation yesterday that we will be staying in Navarre until April 2013! I am so thankful. By the time we leave, Lydia will be almost two. Megan

I'm Cute by Association

Lydia has recently undergone an exciting developmental burst. She can now stand on her own. Our coffee table is just the right height for her. Crawling is on the horizon as she refuses to stay in one place. Also, Lydia has started eating rice crackers and drinking from both a sippy and regular cup. She can pull the cups to her lips but just needs a little help with the lifting part. Lydia is loving her baby food--squash, green beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, pears, peaches and apple sauce. My favorite, she can also play a nice game of peekaboo by lifting and lowering her head into a blanket. Megan

Lydia's Hands

I love Lydia's hands, particularly the pudgy part between her base and middle knuckles. Sometimes when I give her a bottle, Lydia will lightly caress my own wrist and hand. It gives me tingles. Megan

Snowbirds

Every winter you can find a much more "mature" crowd at Summerwind Condominiums. They travel from as far as Iowa and Michigan to winter here. Snowbirds do water aerobics every day at nine followed by yoga. They shell on the beach and walk the bicycle path in the afternoons. They remind me to exercise and enjoy the beauty of my surroundings. On a side note, I have on occasion joined them for water aerobics. Lydia, who watches from her stroller, is a huge hit with these grandparents. Megan

Simple Pleasures

Since Lydia arrived our weekend adventures have certainly slowed down (i.e. no more motorcycle rides through Tokyo at night). We miss this excitement, of course. However John and I have found that simple pleasures can be just as wonderful. Admiring a dense fog that hangs around all day. An afternoon swim. Watching Lydia roll from her back to tummy for the first time. Wasting away the first few hours of the morning in bed. Our favorite steak and salad bar restaurant. Lydia's happy kicking feet as she rides in the front of the cart through Walmart. Megan

Yes, This Happens...a Lot.

I can't believe I once worried that Lydia and Lucy wouldn't get along. If anything, they get along too well. They can't keep their hands, paws and most unfortunately tongues off one another. There is something instinctual in Lydia that makes her open her mouth as soon as Lucy comes around. No, I do not condone this love-fest but I have given up trying to prevent it from happening. Megan

Happy 100 Day!

Today we celebrate my 100th post on Dolphins and Dirty Diapers. This blog has been a wonderful way for me to share photos and stories with family. Posting with coffee is the perfect start to my days here in the condo. Surprisingly, we are also celebrating hitting the 100,000 mile mark on John's BMW. This was John's first baby, bought in the spring of 2003. I predict that it will one day be Lydia's car. Megan

Splat-Boom!!!

Last night we did not sleep well. Surprisingly, Lydia was not to blame. The weather since Christmas has been absolutely gorgeous with temps in the high sixties. However, last night Mother Nature brought us severe thunderstorms. Think splats from lightning flashes (as described by Dr. Seuss), booms of thunder, loud whines of whipping winds and screeches of patio furniture sliding around. My recurring nightmare is waking up to waves just below our patio, though we live on the 12th floor. Everything always looks brighter in the morning. Today's forecast is partly cloudy in the sixties. Megan

Hands Off

We taught Lucy early on that Lydia's toys were not for her. Now how do we teach Lydia to stay away from Lucy's toys??? Megan

The Brightside

In an attempt to help Lydia sleep past 5:30 am we have been trying to keep her up later in the evenings. It does seem to work. However, she is quite the bear to deal with. The past two nights we have tried to combat this grumpiness by getting out of the house for dinner and shopping. The distractions of new people and places reduce Lydia's grumpiness. I don't mind at all. You never have to talk me into restaurants and shops. Megan

To the Skies

No wonder John is trying everything possible to continue flying. If font is too small to read, try clicking on the picture to enlarge. Megan

Check-up

Today Lydia had her six month check-up, slightly delayed due to our holiday trip. She is 18 pounds! 75th percentile for both weight and height. 90th percentile for head size (big brain). She continues to dislike the doctor and shows her true feelings by screaming in his face, making it difficult to ask any questions. Oh well! As far as the picture, we tried avocado for breakfast this morning. I have never seen her more tight-lipped. Megan

1-2-3-4

Beware! The following link is highly addictive. Grandma R introduced Lydia to this sesame Street song and it has been stuck in all our heads ever since. Megan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ9WiuJPnNA

Quick Change

It is a miracle how quickly babies grow, change and luckily become more independent. I've been thinking a lot about my sister with her newborn baby at home, remembering that time in Lydia's life. Taking care of a brand-new baby consumed John and I completely. I distinctly remember sitting on the balcony with tears in my eyes, pleading "If I could just get one good night's sleep, I would be such a better mom." Time has gone by, but really not that much time, and look at Lydia now. Yesterday she sat by herself playing with toys for over an hour. Megan

Waterbaby!

We returned to amazingly warm 70 degree weather in Florida. Now that Lydia is six months old, she is free to wear sunblock and swim. We took her for her first of many swims to come here in our condo's heated pool. In this photo Lydia is smiling but in the water, Lydia is too busy to smile. She takes her splashing and kicking very seriously. Megan

Fun with Grandma R

Lydia spent the majority of her trip in Columbia at Grandma R's house and boy did she have a blast! All smiles and giggles, she savored the extra attention. All it takes is a "boo!" from Grandma R to put Lydia in stitches. Megan

A Season of Firsts

It was a time of "firsts" for Lydia during our trip back to the Midwest. Lydia's first road trip, first time on a farm, first Christmas, first swim in a pool, and first time in a playground swing. Best of all, her first teeth have arrived! Check out these adorable pearly whites. Megan

Nathan William Hind

Born January 6, 2012 at 8:32 am. 8 pounds, 5.4 ounces and 21 inches long. He is an absolutely beautiful baby with lots of thick dark hair, gray-brown eyes, and large hands and feet. I have never been more impressed with my sister. Throughout her natural labor, she was always focused and composed. Megan

The Long Wait

It is hard to believe that Amy is almost ten months pregnant in this photo. She looked amazing. Little did we know at the time this photo was taken that it would be almost two more weeks until Baby made his arrival. He was in no rush at all, leaving the entire family on pins and needles for many days. Megan

A Barnyard Christmas

We arrived safely in Madison to celebrate Christmas on Amy and Brian's farm. All those hours watching Old MacDonald Had a Farm really paid off. Lydia was right at home! We woke up both on Christmas Eve and Christmas mornings to the sound of roosters crowing. Plus, she took a little ride in the four wheeler (Dad's idea, not mine). Megan