tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-306984862024-03-07T03:06:53.143-06:00A Shower Fresh GardenThe experiences of one Mississippi gardener.Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.comBlogger348125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-3106674454692531022015-02-25T17:30:00.000-06:002015-02-25T17:31:29.227-06:002015 in a NutshellIt is a snow day in Oxford today. It started around 11 AM and has steadily snowed since. It's gorgeous.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy street</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home</td></tr>
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I'll be honest, 2015 has been tough for me so far. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I've been in such a funk. Here's hoping for fairer days ahead. But this day can stay just like it is. Snow hats and hot chocolate by the fire.<br />
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Here are a few pics from this year so far.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on our faces. This is "sad face".</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia's Christmas present from me was a baby doll with "doctor" accessories.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Listening to baby's heartbeat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got an African violet for the window sill</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out before going to school</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting in her doll stroller</td></tr>
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<br />Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-86007989899430089752014-11-22T16:19:00.003-06:002014-11-22T16:20:32.663-06:00The Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My favorite thing to do on the weekends is to take Lydia to the park down the street. I push the trike, and she rides there, then we walk wherever she wants to go. She runs. I chase her. She picks up leaves, pine cones, and sticks, and we go to the lake to look for fish. It is too cool for them now, but when it was warmer we watched them dart from the banks as we approached. I'm so happy that this park will be part of her childhood.Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-72295703316064627082014-11-06T23:02:00.000-06:002014-11-06T23:02:52.345-06:00Fall and HalloweenI'm finally semi-caught up. Nothing like a little wine and hot tea with Austin City Limits on in the background to motivate me into posting!<br />
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I took Lydia to the pumpkin patch at Saint Peter's Episcopal Church this year. Each fall they cover their side yard with pumpkins and sell them as a fundraiser. Last year Lydia's nanny Sunny took her, and the year before Lydia was too small to leave the house! I can hardly believe this is Lydia's third fall.<br />
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Lydia loved seeing all the pumpkins. She chased them, tried to pick up the really big ones, and said "pumpkin" no telling how many times. She wouldn't sit still for a picture. She did really enjoy gathering sticks, too. Imagine that! (She loves picking up sticks).<br />
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For Halloween, Lydia wore the same little lamb costume from last year. I swear I wasn't being cheap or lazy. I asked Lydia about lots of costumes (Tinkerbell, Peppa Pig, spider, etc) but the only two she agreed to were lamb and mouse. I get lots of "No" out of this little girl lately.<br />
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The Melissa and Doug restickable stickers are some of our favorites these days. Lydia knows so many animal names because of them. Even octopus!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia and Mimi</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia and Mommy</td></tr>
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<br />Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-64280196119503069022014-11-06T22:26:00.001-06:002014-11-06T22:26:07.995-06:00Help MommyWe've been working on a shady area of our yard. We laid sod here last year and it died because there is no sun in this area. It also gets a ton of water and stay soggy due to all of the runoff coming off the large hill in the background. We put down some river rock and large rock, and I decided to do 'Sweet Caress' Mahonia between the walk and the rocks. On the day I planted the mahonias, Lydia was so pumped about helping me. Since I had my big shovel and bucket, she got out her shovel and bucket so that she could (in her words) "help mommy". <div>
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Those are the 'Sweet Caress' Mahonias there on the right.<br />
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Then, we played and enjoyed the afternoon in the backyard.<br />
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Lydia LOVES to pick my flowers. Blooms don't last long around here. She picks them all. This is my only bed that gets "full" sun. I have herbs - rosemary, oregano, thyme, lavender, and basil - and a few perennials. That's sedum 'autumn Joy' that Lydia is picking.<br />
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Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-67010303864017147142014-11-06T22:01:00.007-06:002014-11-06T22:02:11.670-06:00First Day of SchoolI am only about three months behind, but I wanted to share the photos I took on Lydia's first day of school.<br />
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<br />Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-2613327969205437512014-09-06T23:19:00.001-05:002014-09-06T23:21:47.189-05:00Two Years OldGoodness gracious, I don't have a baby anymore. Lydia turned two last Saturday. Two years old! And gosh, this is such a fun age. Lydia is learning new things every day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying a morning in the park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attempting a somersault</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going for a swim</td></tr>
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She can talk. Over the past few months Lydia has moved on from just repeating what we say to actually communicating with us. She tell us what she wants to eat or drink: water (sounds like "wager", juice, milk (sounds like "mulk"), peanut butter (sounds like"pita butter"), ice cream, cheese. She tells us what she wants to play with or do: outside, run, walk, blocks, bubbles, balloon, nap, sleep sack, bed. And how she feels: sleepy, scared, happy. The list goes on and on. It is so wonderful to be able to communicate with her! Although sometimes when I ask her what she wants for lunch or supper she'll say, "Ice Cream!" Gotta love that! Her birthday weekend she said a 4-word sentence, "I want this pizza!" We are trying to teach her to say "excuse me", "please", and "thank you". She likes to say them, but never at the appropriate time of course. Case in point, one afternoon she danced and played outside with bubbles while saying "excuse me" over and over. Ha. I still can't get her to say "please" when she asks for water. She just kind of freaks out and yells WAGER WAGER over and over until you get it for her. If I ask her to say please, she basically has a meltdown.<br />
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She can sing. At any moment she might break out singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, the Alphabet Song (it's a jumbled mess, but she loves saying "X"), Itsy Bitsy Spider, or This Little Light of Mine. I play the Pandora Toddler Radio station a ton. She just loves it so much. We sing and dance together to it in the mornings while I get ready for work. She loves songs that have movements like London Bridge (we do our arms up and down on the first verse, side to side on the second), Ring Around the Rosie (she loves to say "Ashes Ashes...FALL DOWN"), Wheels on the Bus, and If You're Happy and You Know It. I have so much fun teaching her all of the movements, and at this age she just eats it up!<br />
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Lydia is really easy to entertain these days. She likes playdoh, coloring, and bubbles. She loves being outside where she can gather sticks, leaves, "eggs" (egg-shaped nuts from the hickory tree), and pick all my flowers. We are working on colors. She can point out the correct color when you ask ("Which color is yellow?") but she can't tell me a color with accuracy quite yet ("What color is this?). She can count to ten, but six is her favorite :) For a long time it was 1,2,3, 6,7,8,9,10! I have started on 11 and 12, but she hasn't said those yet. The child LOVES Peppa Pig. She asks to watch it all. the. time. We try to allow only 30 minutes per day, but it is tough!<br />
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Lydia's daily schedule and routine hasn't changed much. Up by 7 am with a bedtime at 7:30 pm. The biggest new development with her routine is that she started at Montessori school! That's a whole new post that I'll get to this weekend I hope.<br />
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Lydia is finally tolerating cow's milk! Gosh that is such a relief for me. We had to do toddler formula until almost 20-months because dairy made her terribly constipated. We now do 8 oz whole milk (from Oxford's own <a href="http://www.mssagnet.net/2014/07/15/brown-family-dairy-made-with-love/" target="_blank">Brown Family Dairy</a>) in a bed time bottle and 6 oz in a morning sippy cup with a scoop of PediaSmart (like PediaSure, but not full of weird chemicals) added for extra calories. We're still trying to fatten her up. At her last checkup in July she was only 17 pounds... still not on the growth chart.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia and Mimi</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia and Mommy</td></tr>
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We've had some challenges since she started at school. A stomach bug hit us hard the second week, and Lydia's had trouble with dairy again every since. We're working through it. Also, we've started potty training, but it isn't going well. She's scared of the potty. I don't know why because we've had the potty for months, and I let her pretend to go on it for months before actually allowing her to go in it. I'm hoping that the resistance to it is related to starting school at the same time. Also, this past week she really, really disliked me and wanted her Daddy constantly. It broke my heart, but Friday she finally warmed up to me again.<br />
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So, about the blog... I don't get a chance to post nearly as much as I'd like. It is just hard to find the time and hard to know what to share or document here. I guess when I feel like writing, I'll write. And here's a hint: it will be about my garden, my kid, or food.Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-51436296402542239962014-07-17T20:50:00.000-05:002014-07-17T20:50:15.663-05:00Vacation 2014: Back to the MountainsWe headed back to western North Carolina for family vacation again this year. Every year I look forward to a week in the cool mountain air. This year was no exception. We rented the same Nantahala Lake home that we rented <a href="http://showerfreshgarden.blogspot.com/2013/07/vacation-2013.html" target="_blank">last year</a>. It was as beautiful as I remembered.<br />
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On the trip up there, Lydia was such a doll! We left around 7:45 AM on Saturday morning. This year we took Hwy 78 to Birmingham then I-59 to Chattanooga. We had one small detour in Birmingham, but other than that, I loved this route way more than the north Alabama route we have taken in previous years. For the first leg of the trip from Oxford to Birmingham, Lydia and I played with some new toys that I had purchased and saved up for her. There was a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PV3S9E/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">travel magnet set</a>, a couple of Melissa & Doug's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009B7F6DO/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i08?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Water Wow</a> pads, and a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Color-Blast-Artwork/dp/B009B7M4GG/" target="_blank">Color Blast</a> pad (they sell all these Melissa & Doug toys -and more- at Square Book Jr!).<br />
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The Water Wow pads are AWESOME! I filled a little brush with water and as she "painted" the pages, color and images appeared. The best part is that as the water dries the color and images disappear, so she could do these over and over again. She is obsessed with pigs (blame Peppa), so I think she spent an hour just painting the pigs. Those toys lasted us all the way to B'ham! I was so surprised. After lunch at Chickfila, she napped in the car for a couple of hours. Then, we were in Chattanooga for grocery shopping at Fresh Market. The last few hours in the car we played on the iPad. Her favorite apps were <a href="http://www.educationalappstore.com/app/if-you-re-happy-and-you-know-it-all-in-one-educational-activity-center-and-full-interactive-sing-along-book-for-children-hd" target="_blank">If You're Happy and You Know It</a> (especially the Peekaboo game), <a href="http://www.duckduckmoose.com/educational-iphone-itouch-apps-for-kids/itsy-bitsy-spider/" target="_blank">Itsy Bitsy Spider by Duck Duck Moose</a>, and <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/elmo-loves-123s-for-ipad" target="_blank">Elmo Loves 123s</a>. The Elmo app was a little too advanced for her, but she loved hearing Elmo's voice and the search and find numbers game. After she got tired of the apps, she watched a few hundred (it seems) episodes of Peppa Pig on the iPad. My child will scream out, "Aaaaaa PIG!" whenever you sing that little song to her. Gah.<br />
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We grilled burgers Saturday night at the house and just took it easy Sunday (Father's Day). That evening the Rebels played their first College World Series game in Omaha. I was excited to see them play in the big tournament, but I really got tired of watching baseball almost every night. Vacations are supposed to be where you play board games and watch goofy movies. The Rebels hijacked my evenings! Chip did teach Lydia how to say "Ole Miss Rebels" which I have yet to get on video. So cute!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Splashin' in the cold river</td></tr>
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Monday morning Chip, Ray, and I took duckies down the Nantahala River. I had a crappy run (pulled my shoulder a little and almost tipped over on Patton's Run) and didn't do the Falls. I was definitely out of practice since I hadn't paddled anything in the year since I'd last been up there. We ran the river again on Friday, and it was really the perfect run. Misty on the river, cool in the rapids, warm in the sun, and I nailed the Nantahala Falls. Yay!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia's wild morning hair (just like mama's)</td></tr>
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Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we went to the Biltmore in Asheville. I wasn't sure how that would work out with a toddler, but there were lots of things for her to do. We went to the farm on Tuesday and saw baby goats and chickens. Then on Wednesday morning Chip and I rented bikes and a trailer for Lydia. Wednesday afternoon we tried to take Lydia swimming in the hotel pool, but it rained ( I found out when we were leaving that there was an indoor pool, too... Boo). She loved the hotel room room though! The windows were low enough for her to look out of, and it was carpeted, so she walked from one end to the other. So sweet! She slept great in the hotel crib, too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view from the hotel room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gorgeous room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chickens! (bok-bok!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon nap on mama</td></tr>
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To me family vacations are all about spending time together. Relaxing. Making memories. We sat outside a lot. I cooked a lot. Some people might think that's weird (cooking, on vacation?)... but to me cooking for my family is how I show them love. I'm not a writer and do not claim to be one, but Amber Wilson over at <a href="http://fortheloveofthesouth.com/2014/06/16/summer-fruit-lemonade-recipes/" target="_blank">for the love of the south</a> is, and her post about her kitchen is so simple and sweet. A love note to cooking and making dishes for those you love.<br />
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The mom I want Lydia to have cooks her good food, and the family I want her to have sits down at the table together to share a meal. Maybe one day when she grows up we'll all play a game or cards together. But for this trip I was happy to blow bubbles over and over, color, paint, dig rocks, and look at bugs. Precious time with my precious girl!<br />
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<br />Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-67159567286816983552014-05-30T22:40:00.000-05:002014-05-30T22:42:39.188-05:0021 Months.. AKA Time to Stop Talking in Months...Gosh, my little girl was 21 months old on May 16th! When people ask how old she is, I now say "almost 2"! Unbelievable.<br />
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The biggest news is that Lydia is walking some. Dr. Singletary told us that she'd send Lyds to physical therapy if she wasn't walking by 20 months. April 16th rolled around, and Lydia still had not taken the first step, so I called Lydia's nurse (Lauren... LOVE her) and gave her the report... no walking. Lauren made an appointment with a physical therapist for the following week. I took Lydia to the therapist, and the therapist let Lydia play around for a good 20 minutes and just watched her play. She thought Lydia was moving really well and didn't see much cause for concern physically. Thank God! She really thought Lydia was just delayed due to her prematurity (and lack of regular "encouragement" from other kids). She recommended we buy <a href="http://www.rehabmart.com/product/soft-tone-weights-8975.html" target="_blank">1/2 pound slip-on weights</a> for Lydia to wear on her legs during the day. We got them, Lydia wore them, and she was walking 5-6 steps on her own within the week. It worked!<br />
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Right now we are really working on getting her to walk as much as possible on her own (no help). She still can't stand up on her own without pulling up on something. We will go back to the physical therapist soon for a follow up to make sure Lydia is still on track.<br />
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Lydia's biggest development is talking. Woah, this girl can TALK. She repeats all kinds of words: water, juice, bottle, book, circle, yellow, blue, this, that, outside, peas, ham, apple, walk, and Walle... and animal noises: moo, roar, bok bok, meow, baa, oink, quack quack, sssss (for snake), tweet tweet, and hop (for rabbit). She says phrases, too: I'm ready, Sorry Daddy, Go go go, All done, All gone, I pooted (I don't know who taught her that one - must be Daddy).<br />
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I am busy with trying to keep her interested in activities! Lately we have been working on fine motor skills. I bought three packs of dried lima beans (big enough that she can't put them up her nose because she likes putting ANYTHING up her nose), and we've been practicing pouring and scooping with those. She likes coloring, too. I've tried to interest her in stacking blocks, but blocks just aren't her thing.<br />
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Lydia's sleeping routine has changed a bit recently with the longer days of summer. She generally sleeps 10-11 hours straight each night. She wakes anywhere from 6 to 7 AM depending on when she went to bed the night before. As for naps, Lydia takes one nap a day, usually around 11:30 AM. A good day is when she naps for 2-3 hours. A bad day is when she naps for 40 minutes (yep, it's happened). Bedtime is generally 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM. She wakes at night from time to time, but we rarely have to go into her room to quiet her down. She generally soothes herself back to sleep. She sleeps in a Halo sleep sack with a pillow, two "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSVCQ-NmTac&feature=kp" target="_blank">woobies</a>", and a blanket. We make her leave the woobies in the crib when we get her up in the morning... I can't handle her tracking them all over the house.<br />
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Lydia is still a pretty good eater. She'll try pretty much anything, but our go to foods are ham, turkey, chicken, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, carrots, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, cheddar bunnies, peanut butter crackers, apples, pears, grapes, bananas -- gosh any fruit really. She does not like spicy food. Most of the food I cook has cayenne or jalapeno or something spicy in it, so she rarely eats what I cook.<br />
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Lydia still doesn't eat any dairy because it stops her up so bad. Up until now we've given her an 8-ounce bottle of Toddler Transitions formula each morning when she wakes up then Sunny (her sitter) feeds her breakfast around 8:30 AM. During the day she drinks water, a blend of water and apple juice, or unsweetened almond milk. I've been hesitant to stop the formula because it has more calories per ounce than almond milk or soy milk. I hate to deny my baby any calories. But she's growing fine, and at almost 2 years old it is time to stop the bottles. Tomorrow morning will be our first morning without a bottle. I'll offer her a sippy cup of almond milk when she wakes up, then I'll offer breakfast soon after that. I'm starting the transition to <a href="http://magnoliamontessorischool.com/" target="_blank">Montessori school</a> now because in the fall we'll have to give her breakfast before we leave for school. I'm starting the transition early so that there aren't a ton of changes for her to make all at once for school. Gosh, I hope it goes well. She still gets another 8-ounce formula bottle at night before bed, and I plan to quit that when we start potty training.<br />
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Goodness, what else... I feel like I'm leaving out what makes Lydia so special - the child is so happy! She LOVES comedy. One of her favorite things it to poot in the tub or poot on our hand while we change her diaper. Geez, at some point I have to teach her "Excuse me" and all that jazz. But for now it is hiarious!<br />
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And another thing, the child hates hearing No! If she is close enough to you, she will try to slap you in the face! She makes this "I'm frustrated" face then wants to slap and hit. Ugh. We are telling her "You may not hit" and "touch gently" and the "I understand you are frustrated but you cannot hit". Sheesh. It works in the moment to make her stop hitting, but she doesn't remember it for the next time. I'm sticking to my guns on this one and hope it sinks in. Something tells me we have a firecracker on our hands though.<br />
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Next post is 2 years old. Man, time is flying!Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-38524851546680688282014-05-16T09:27:00.001-05:002014-05-30T22:40:00.093-05:00Look Who's WalkingLydia took her first steps on my birthday last Thursday. Here is a quick video of her walking. <br />
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- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-61600102914485029782014-04-11T13:51:00.000-05:002014-04-11T13:51:14.995-05:00Yoga Videos on YouTubeFor the past few months I've been involved in a work project that has kept me away from the Wednesday @ noon yoga class that my employer offers. I've been missing it SO MUCH. A noon class at work is really convenient. Little to no effort goes in to me actually getting there, and the teachers we've had are excellent.<br />
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I wanted to add a practice back into my week because I really love yoga, and I think it helps me focus and regroup. In the past I've done some of the free Yoga Journal podcasts, and I've liked those. Since my Samsung TV is connected to YouTube, I thought I would try out some of the free YouTube yoga videos.<br />
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But, let's face it, most yoga videos on YouTube are pretty bad. I've seen my fair share of folks who have recorded themselves in their tiny apartments on dirty carpet with dogs barking in the background. Not to mention the awful sequences in general and bad instructions.<br />
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But, I've found some gems, too, so I thought I'd share them . The first one is my favorite. The instructor, Ali Kamenova, has a beautiful Russian accent. Her hot body and the gorgeous Santa Cruz beach in the background doesn't hurt, either. This is a challenging sequence. I appreciate that she adds in a chaturanga between upward and downward dogs, creating a little "push up" in the sequence. <a href="http://www.matworks.org/about/about.html" target="_blank">Georgette</a>, my yoga teacher in Clinton, added that little push up to her sequences, too, and I love it. This is more a of a strengthening sequence.<br />
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Energizing Morning "Coffee Cup" Sequence:<br />
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The other video I like is more of a flexibility sequence. It flows very quickly and is a great warm up for the body. Again, I love the beach setting. This one is less challenging physically, but a little harder to follow because she flows through the poses quickly.<br />
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Morning "Blush of Dawn" Routine:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/RDpAQI2x5aA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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If you are looking for some good, free routines, give these a try. Both are great for an intermediate yogi. I wouldn't suggest them for beginners. If you know of other YouTube gems that I should check out, let me know in the comments.Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-90921976240480073212014-04-10T04:00:00.000-05:002014-04-10T09:40:42.515-05:00Smoothie KickI've been on a green smoothie kick lately. It started with Lydia's babysitter. She would whip one up when she got to our house in the mornings and would often share with me. I was hooked.<br />
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100872461804047207476/AShowerFreshGarden?authkey=Gv1sRgCM_J2_PLlJfL5wE#6000673246103024706"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAIgjzdJScxYTAzW28Xp-s7pA5so2xMbZyjWwObWxolcJDPsYMd1cXapXZ-I54SRlbzfuOPXiDGWwrzB6rml6uL_kMtMBZD17x23NFHF36wtFUPpNPHv2QiN6yDYJfoGSGl1rUg/s400/1397140529.743489.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="300" /></a></center>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100872461804047207476/AShowerFreshGarden?authkey=Gv1sRgCM_J2_PLlJfL5wE#6000673293059222050"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GqcWkhVCw_6LoARDdSg1Mf7x7U4vSnq7x2sxDPHL4PVZeJa5tby9pZFL3GuPEvw1hEcDWEgogWVMCJE51OXkFAlsHmVtqXicLTyVzzQXgHh4KHneGqLTeNCuI8Q4ITlaGeQStg/s400/1397140533.025913.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="300" /></a></center>
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I started making them myself a few weeks ago, and I love it! Here's the basic recipe I use.<br />
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1 cup flavored <a href="http://lifeway.net/Products/Kefir/LowFatKefir/LowFatStrawberry.aspx" target="_blank">Kefir</a> (I usually use strawberry or peach because that's what they have at Kroger)<br />
1 large handful of greens (I've used kale, swiss chard, and spinach)<br />
1/2 banana<br />
1/2 cup fruit (raspberries, strawberries, mango, etc)<br />
1 Tbsp black chia seeds (for fiber to feel full)<br />
1 Tbsp flax seeds (protein for sustained energy)<br />
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Blend on low, then high until smooth. Add 1 cup ice if you like yours chilled. Blend on high until all ice is blended.<br />
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So, depending on what fruit you add, the smoothie will probably be brown or gray. Not green. But that doesn't bother me. I feel great getting in so many fruits and veggies first thing in the morning. I do find that sometimes I need a mid-morning snack when I just have a smoothie, so I keep <a href="https://www.kashi.com/our-foods/cold-cereal/kashi-autumn-wheat-whole-wheat-biscuits" target="_blank">Autumn Wheat Kashi</a> at my desk to munch on.Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-89951624345093233002014-04-05T05:23:00.000-05:002014-04-05T05:23:00.600-05:00TrikeWe picked up a trike with a steering handle at the recommendation of our friends. (Thank you, <a href="http://notallthat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Leah</a>!) Lydia LOVES it! We like it too.<br />
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We've been all over the place. Up and down the driveway FAST FAST FAST. Up the street and back. To the park and back. All over. Not a weekend has gone by that we did not use it. By next summer, I hope she can reach the pedals!</div>
Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-27200487656069264972014-04-04T04:45:00.001-05:002014-04-04T05:05:20.741-05:00The Zoo!We took Lydia to the Memphis Zoo last month. It was a great day to go - overcast but not raining. Lydia's favorite animals were the monkeys, big cats, and giraffes. She didn't last long in the sea lion show. I think we will be back many more times. I loved it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the train in the children's zoo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waving to the children and animals.</td></tr>
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Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-18845591874483529612014-03-03T15:00:00.000-06:002014-03-03T16:09:33.680-06:00Eighteen Months<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I had every intention to write a fifteen month post back in November, but as it
often does, time got away from me. The holidays ramped up, then Lydia turned sixteen months old,
seventeen, and now she is eighteen months and I haven’t written a baby update
post in almost six months. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So much has changed since her 12 month
post that I really don't know how I'm going to fit it all in. I'll do my best
to stick to the format I've been doing: developmental milestones, eating and
sleeping routines, favorite things and activities.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
We went to Dr. Singletary for Lydia's 18-month appointment on Thursday. She was 16 pounds even. That's up 1 lb 6 oz in the last 6 months. Not bad, but she is still so small! Dr. Singletary wasn't too worried about her weight since she is growing and eating well. Lydia still wears a size 12 months in clothes and size 3 in diapers.<br />
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Lydia is a champion quick crawler these days.
She isn’t standing or walking on her own yet, but it won’t be long. She pulls up and cruises on
everything and can walk using her walker wagon or by holding one of our hands.
Her legs are gaining strength every day, so I know we will see those first
steps soon. Her doctor said that we should only be concerned if she doesn't walk by 20-months (that is 18-months adjusted for her prematurity). <span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKf0CpWgBfyVdUgIbOFJqOuR9ymH090mnoEiQRD3Qgnri6BuwYKbJLHRKwUXO2d6FKdP1SH2xGJrRER_QSfuK-Fz2l9LCCR4yACaJJn4fXYPAftm2QcRaT5J7L9C8wqtNKxBA/s1600/Lydia-6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKf0CpWgBfyVdUgIbOFJqOuR9ymH090mnoEiQRD3Qgnri6BuwYKbJLHRKwUXO2d6FKdP1SH2xGJrRER_QSfuK-Fz2l9LCCR4yACaJJn4fXYPAftm2QcRaT5J7L9C8wqtNKxBA/s1600/Lydia-6.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Play time outside in the grass on a warm Saturday afternoon.</td></tr>
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Lydia loves to jibber jabber. She can say a few words (mama,
dada, cat, socks, shoes, pants, six, no, this, that, hot), a few phrases (Oh Wow! is her favorite), and loves to
babble to herself and to us. I find it funny that many of her words are clothing related, especially "socks". We spent lots of time this winter discussing socks.<br />
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"Lydia, do not take off your socks."<br />
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"Lydia, why did you take off your socks?"<br />
"Where are your socks, honey?"<br />
"Can you help mommy put your socks back on?"<br />
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She understands many, many more words. I have to catch myself a lot lately because I forget that she can be an active participant in our daily activities now that she recognizes more words.<br />
<br />We may be in for it… the child is VERY girly, full of grins, and loves all kinds of silliness. She loves racket like the blender or the vacuum cleaner and will cackle loudly along with it. Right now her favorite game is to “get” mommy or daddy by crawling behind one of us and pretending to tickle us. Or, if I pretend to sleep she crawls up and “scares” me awake. It is all very fun. We laugh and giggle then do it all again. She likes to scribble with her pink crayon (I kid you not, she goes straight for the pink one every time).<br />
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Right now she isn’t taking a huge interest in toys. She mostly
likes to rummage through our stuff: my make-up drawer or the toiletries in the
cabinet, the baskets in her room where we keep extra diaper cream, bath wash,
etc, "her" drawer in the kitchen where her eating utensils, etc are, our DVDs <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">L</span>. The toys
that do impress her are mostly music related: drums (like her daddy), maracas,
harmonica, <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/buy/stroller-car-seat-toys/baby-einstein-take-along-tunes-30704-2967795" target="_blank">music players</a>. She likes puzzles, too, but generally loses interest pretty quickly.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp3uXIFlqklFM_wjHGzW_Gous4AhekTAyO8mnIauqlSAtquBdcvqqUnzeUSyxIKSzxkELwdxVZ_hH-rsCfXSqsn5FquTBDTZKheTx9_phUlAQ56CyY0v0mhTK0DLoS7WKXlts/s1600/Lydia-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp3uXIFlqklFM_wjHGzW_Gous4AhekTAyO8mnIauqlSAtquBdcvqqUnzeUSyxIKSzxkELwdxVZ_hH-rsCfXSqsn5FquTBDTZKheTx9_phUlAQ56CyY0v0mhTK0DLoS7WKXlts/s1600/Lydia-4.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing in my makeup drawer. A favorite activity these days.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3r1VkxFr7ul7R-_4c6wBvEohlrtdIw-cK-y1r5osP7bEEdGD5AGLZxX5JzNTiId5WNbGHUAYFEJJyqbrdDC9qL2ahfO3n52o-aFf-_oTaLi-lAZelmnVeyGzN9uwQltgX4vk/s1600/Lydia-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3r1VkxFr7ul7R-_4c6wBvEohlrtdIw-cK-y1r5osP7bEEdGD5AGLZxX5JzNTiId5WNbGHUAYFEJJyqbrdDC9qL2ahfO3n52o-aFf-_oTaLi-lAZelmnVeyGzN9uwQltgX4vk/s1600/Lydia-1.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying out mommy's lipstick.</td></tr>
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Lydia has basically transitioned to all solid food. She sometimes has baby food purees for breakfast, or she'll eat some pureed fruit at the end of a meal. Her favorite breakfast food
is Mighty Oats. I love that stuff. It tastes great, has no added sugar, and
comes in compostable packaging. Lydia is eating a variety of foods these days.
She has her picky days, but for the most part she is very agreeable when it
comes to eating. Right now her favorite foods are cucumbers, bananas,
chicken, and Ritz crackers. She still loves blueberries and cantaloupe. She isn't to the point that she eats what we eat for dinner, so I generally make a child friendly portion of what we are eating for her. Like last night I made a kale and butternut squash minestrone. Soup is hard for her to eat on their own. So, I set aside some of the cooked squash pieces for her to eat. She tries to eat with her fork and spoon sometimes and is getting better and better at it. She loves to dip her food into ketchup or sauce.<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDP46yE1kmvhRbx5bVXVfhTA3dA7dgK54168Eob1xD1r7Fpm2DDz7PwF76mtuWP2R1_cnk4-XixPQQQ2Wo5GfeiGZUzUjG38pnGITj7B9HD9mKvtwQO_NUAPH1idDNqbzyhlq3/s1600/Lydia-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDP46yE1kmvhRbx5bVXVfhTA3dA7dgK54168Eob1xD1r7Fpm2DDz7PwF76mtuWP2R1_cnk4-XixPQQQ2Wo5GfeiGZUzUjG38pnGITj7B9HD9mKvtwQO_NUAPH1idDNqbzyhlq3/s1600/Lydia-3.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner at Volta after our first Ole Miss Basketball game. She tried hummus and pita bread. She liked dipping stuff into the hummus more than she liked the taste of it.</td></tr>
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We try to stick to a feeding schedule of three meals a day with breakfast at 8 AM, lunch after she wakes up from her nap, then supper at 5 PM. We do our best to slip in two snacks: one before her nap and one around 3 PM. She has an 8 oz bottle when she wakes up in the morning and another 8 oz bottle at bedtime. All other fluids are water or juice from a sippy cup.<br />
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We had a tough time trying to switch Lydia to dairy at 12-months. We tried three separate times (at 12-months, 13-months, and again at 15-months) by mixing 2 oz of whole or skim milk with 6 oz of infant formula. Each time we tried it we were faced with multiple days of major constipation... straining until she was purple-faced along with crying and super hard stools (poor baby!). At her 15-month appointment her doctor suggested toddler formula. Now both of her bottles are Enfagrow Toddler Transitions formula (NOT the vanilla flavored stuff). I am open to trying almond milk or soy milk if cow's milk continues to disagree with her. Lydia's doctor is awesome is good with either of those options when Lydia is ready. At the moment, I am sticking with the higher calorie toddler formula. I would love to hear from anyone who has tried almond, soy, or goat's milk with their children instead of cow's milk. <br />
<br />Lydia is taking just one nap a day now. She gets sleepy between 10 and 11 AM and goes down for about 2 hours. Then she is up until bedtime at 7 PM. Bedtime routine is the same every night: bath at 6:30 PM, then teeth brushed, books, and bottle. We say our prayers while she drinks her bottle. Some nights she lets us rock her to sleep. Other nights she squirms in our arms, and that is our cue that she wants to be put in her bed. Chip and I rotate on bath/bed routine, but he does it the majority of the time while I cook dinner. Lydia really likes to be put to sleep. She reaches for her sleep sack and points at the bottle when she gets sleepy. After she is asleep, Lydia doesn't cry out for us unless she is sick or doesn't feel well. She sometimes wakes up to play with her lovies, one in each hand, and we see her on the baby monitor making them talk to each other. She'll play that game for awhile then fall back asleep. She generally wakes up between 5:45 AM and 6:45 AM... even on the weekends. It is rare for her to sleep past 7 AM.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALA4dN0pG5_emJ_4JfRpVJL7Dsi76TZ4w8jAXO4uPwaSuftIiXvADfMfbuo7fggiOL1LJfRv7udbUVySymVRWEo-3xhdaHf2AF-wmNCsaUR9zT17sb5WwEeGYESCvYTQRi707/s1600/Lydia-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALA4dN0pG5_emJ_4JfRpVJL7Dsi76TZ4w8jAXO4uPwaSuftIiXvADfMfbuo7fggiOL1LJfRv7udbUVySymVRWEo-3xhdaHf2AF-wmNCsaUR9zT17sb5WwEeGYESCvYTQRi707/s1600/Lydia-2.JPG" height="400" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were going for a Landshark but got a moose instead.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByOGPY2gU072AckJxleybj2A9m9cd9w7beuM3_b9K_rN4cI1xrSgvCPUCphKgwR2kl7035xpTt4LY_0Qojw1lkx08tDFasdCKZ81bksB5hjqrCH87GaJHqFV6JYYp-2wKx3e0/s1600/Lydia-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByOGPY2gU072AckJxleybj2A9m9cd9w7beuM3_b9K_rN4cI1xrSgvCPUCphKgwR2kl7035xpTt4LY_0Qojw1lkx08tDFasdCKZ81bksB5hjqrCH87GaJHqFV6JYYp-2wKx3e0/s1600/Lydia-5.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia and Grandpa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Gosh, having a daughter is just so wonderful! Her smile melts my heart, and her shenanigans make me laugh each and every day. Love you, baby!</div>
Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-4901810575686211382014-02-11T19:29:00.001-06:002014-03-03T16:07:32.936-06:00Little PrincessToday I worked from home since the roads in Oxford were icy for the morning commute. Lydia was playing so sweetly this afternoon, and I got a lot of work done. In the early afternoon I got the pipe cleaners and colander out since she likes goofing around with those. A few minutes later I looked over and she had a pipe cleaner crown on. I got some video of her putting the crown on and playing with the colander. I'm pretty sure she is saying "baby" in the first video. <br />
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<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/6otr9OI0fbY" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6otr9OI0fbY" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><!-- Fallback content --><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6otr9OI0fbY"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/6otr9OI0fbY/0.jpg" width="400" height="300" />YouTube Video</a></object></div>
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<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/K7Q5W0EN40I" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/K7Q5W0EN40I" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><!-- Fallback content --><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Q5W0EN40I"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/K7Q5W0EN40I/0.jpg" width="400" height="300" />YouTube Video</a></object></div>
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-27934097687714303482014-01-30T12:46:00.002-06:002014-01-30T12:46:54.094-06:00Brown Sugar Bundt CakeMy book club friends are in for a treat tonight because I made a Brown Sugar Bundt Cake with a Butterscotch Glaze. The recipe is from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Back-Day-Bakery-Cookbook/dp/1579654584/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top" target="_blank">The Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook</a>. (<a href="http://afiveleafclover.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Casey</a>, it is the gift that keeps on giving.)<br />
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I have not cut a slice yet, but I did have a spoonful of the glaze. My word it is good. The cake is lightly flavored with ground cardamom and lemon zest. My home smelled amazing as it baked last night.<br />
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<center>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100872461804047207476/AShowerFreshGarden?authkey=Gv1sRgCM_J2_PLlJfL5wE#5974758835395428818"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdZc3dwxoR08ucNS-xZCo-xnVOEwNeUcHp-YWCwH4TI3YZVJ_Rjd34sr1uxWt0cFXzdWc1zv1UL5GRpcuOORnLChjJEP-5hjrDrkzREO-9Hy_3Zhr247v1gJL5SZbR-Lbb50_2g/s640/1391106921.672819.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="640" /></a></center>
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- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-36793771388664100452014-01-27T11:12:00.002-06:002014-01-27T11:13:09.104-06:00Monday MorningI can't seem to concentrate this morning. Lydia woke up in the middle of the night and had multiple long conversations with her lovies and stuffed animals. So, instead of working, I'll share some videos.<br />
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I found this video yesterday on a old (broken) iPhone that we use in Lydia's room as a sound machine. Who knew that pulling old clothes out of a bag could be so much fun? Lydia looks so tiny in this video!<br />
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Here's a quick one a took this weekend. Photographic evidence that my child eats broccoli. At least she did yesterday, smothered in yummy sesame seed dressing.<br />
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<br />Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-31770335868010131492014-01-24T10:51:00.001-06:002014-01-24T11:00:23.362-06:00Kombucha Tea: My New Favorite<br />
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100872461804047207476/AShowerFreshGarden?authkey=Gv1sRgCM_J2_PLlJfL5wE#5972505422595826002"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdkeLpzWc7fZxcGV3YVO6pPqfKyWZLGxr0Ojty5uXqLLoBYnYujTrNg2HsMWePiNyLVRIbY0rf00d25IFyAndlEt0wWi1dYfnTobOQg7eVAL_Qag0FrSWMLJAX3Kkp-_eYVUA5A/s640/1390582215.471925.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="480" /></a></center>
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Have y'all tried it? This "Trilogy" flavor is good. Kombucha, raspberry juice, lemon juice, and ginger juice. I love the sour flavor.<br />
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According to multiple articles, the stuff is better for you than soft drinks.<br />
<a href="http://www.refinery29.com/kombucha">http://www.refinery29.com/kombucha</a><br />
<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/09/30/226531998/kombucha-magical-health-elixir-or-just-funky-tea">http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/09/30/226531998/kombucha-magical-health-elixir-or-just-funky-tea</a><br />
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Oh, and the pic is my desk at work today.<br />
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- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-5614946930286276072014-01-23T18:38:00.001-06:002014-01-24T09:01:23.070-06:00Play Time<center>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/100872461804047207476/AShowerFreshGarden?authkey=Gv1sRgCM_J2_PLlJfL5wE#5972254719802789906"><br /><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJnY3Bus0dlNUlJnyQriigkjHzbGTS26PhJLdh06L56mauhNJxmFrdAO-_rVGRe3W19wm03mF7QJThZ72gqnlpfuWTNZ3VlQrN-fCwbRVrmt9Ou_EhZvWWn193M6JkMHY_v_5Bw/s640/1390523589.016918.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="548" /></a></center>
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The weather was insanely gorgeous on Monday, so we got outside for some playtime with Lydia. We have a long flat driveway that is going to be great for ride toys and such. We pushed her up and down the driveway on her puppy toy. My body hurts now just thinking about it. <br />
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Any recommendations for ride toys that can be easily pushed by parents but transition to kid-propelled?<br />
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- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-33376135499623986122014-01-15T20:43:00.001-06:002014-01-27T11:13:18.396-06:00Lydia and WalleI'm not quite sure what got into Walle the other night. He actually let Lydia get within a foot of him, then he let her <i>touch</i> him. That's a big deal around here, folks, so I am glad I captured it. Usually Walle bolts quickly when he sees Lydia coming his way. <br />
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<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/VbnqaWiOGqI" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VbnqaWiOGqI" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><!-- Fallback content --><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbnqaWiOGqI"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/VbnqaWiOGqI/0.jpg" width="400" height="300" />YouTube Video</a></object></div>
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-22232072162803393172014-01-15T20:31:00.001-06:002014-01-27T11:13:28.675-06:00Taking a WalkSomeone has finally figured out how to put her feet down and walk with our help! For the longest time Lydia always lifted her feet off the ground when we tried to practice walking with her. I think she finally has the hang of it! <br />
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<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/8em61lHou9Y" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8em61lHou9Y" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><!-- Fallback content --><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8em61lHou9Y"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/8em61lHou9Y/0.jpg" width="400" height="300" />YouTube Video</a></object></div>
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-23946131856598963962014-01-06T06:08:00.000-06:002014-01-06T06:08:31.361-06:00Christmas Vacation 2013I'm enjoying my last couple of hours of Christmas vacation this morning. It is 14F outside right now, with a high of only 16F. Tonight it is supposed to be 7F. What a way to welcome me back to the working world!<br />
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I've had lots of time off with my baby girl, and it has been wonderful! Here's the recap.<br />
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The weekend before Christmas, Lydia ran fever all weekend. We didn't get to spend Thanksgiving with family because Lydia had the flu, so I was paranoid about her being sick for Christmas, too. I took her to the doctor on Monday, and all that was wrong was a sore throat. She ran fever on Christmas Eve morning, but was fever free by that evening. We had planned to go to church at 4 pm on Christmas Eve, but we ended up staying home. I did not want to expose her to any more germs or to expose the other kids to hers.<br />
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Christmas morning was fun. I made a breakfast casserole, baked some Millie Ray's orange rolls, and Chip made his wonderful cappuccinos (as always).<br />
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Lydia played with her toys from Santa and opened her gifts from Mom and Dad. Santa brought her bath drums, a shapes puzzle, a mallet toy, and some clothes. Mom and Dad gave her a quilt, art smocks, and some books. (Bear with me on the photos. Baby girl does not sit still much these days.)<br />
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After opening gifts we finished packing the car and headed to Chip's parents' house in Hinds County. Lydia was a hoot. She even sat through Christmas dinner in her high chair. She faded fast after dinner, and we had to put her to bed before she could open all her gifts. The good and bad thing about having a set bedtime every night (7:30 pm) is that she is does not like to vary from the routine. Around 7:15 pm we reach meltdown stage if she isn't already in her jammies reading a story with Mom or Dad.<br />
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On the 26th we headed to Sallis for my nephew Lawes' first birthday party. It was a pancake party for breakfast, which I thought was so much fun! At the end of the party all the kids got on ride toys and rode in circles around the pool table in my brother's rec room. A toddler derby! Lydia rode a train while I pushed her around. She loved going fast with the other children. My legs were killing me!<br />
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We went back to Chip's parents' house after the birthday party, then I worked from their home office on Friday. On Friday night we went back to Sallis for Cain family Christmas. It was a fun night. One of my uncle's grandchildren gave Lydia her first bite (a nibble really) on her finger. It was all very dramatic. She loved playing with all of the other children and had a ball in the middle of the floor playing with wrapping paper, tissue paper, boxes, bags, and bows.<br />
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Saturday was rainy so we ended up staying inside to play most of the day. Then, on Sunday it was time to come home. We headed to the barn just before we left to let Lydia pet the horses and her uncle Scott's dog Ernie.<br />
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I worked Monday, then was off the rest of the week. It has been so great to be a Mom for a week. We went to the library, went shopping, took walks, and played, played, played. I'm so sad to see my time off come to an end. Lord knows I will miss her today.Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-20092429851213444562014-01-03T22:40:00.001-06:002014-01-03T22:40:53.255-06:00This Little Lady Has Stolen My Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I meant to write a 15-month post, but life has been moving in fast-forward and I haven't been motivated to blog lately. Fall was busy with football season, then in late November Lydia got sick with the flu, then it was a double ear infection, then a cold. She is finally well and is now cutting her sixteenth tooth. That means once this one has cut through we are done with teething until her four 2-year-old molars come in. Then we are DONE with teething. Yay!<br />
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This week has been a good one. I worked Monday and have been off work since Tuesday. I haven't done much but hang out with my little girl, and it has really recharged my batteries. Over the past two weeks there have been lots of hugs and snuggles, but the BEST PART is that my girl started giving us kisses. She started with Chip the week before Christmas. Long story, but I was putting her to bed each night. Chip would give her a kiss before bed, and she started leaning in to get Daddy's sugar. That progressed to open mouth kisses when we asked for one, which progressed to what I got tonight: five kisses in a row initiated by Lydia. We were playing kitty cat (where we both crawl around and meow... yeah, I'm trying to get the hang of this pretend play thing), and I guess Lydia must have really liked it because she crawled over to me and gave me a kiss, then another, then another. Five kisses. Then Daddy tried to get one, and she crawled away ;)<br />
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My eyes immediately welled up with tears, and for anyone that knows me even a little bit, crying is not something I do much. Ok, ever. But that little act of love from this child I work so hard for, well, it made my heart overflow.Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-43781727468067850382013-12-10T18:16:00.001-06:002014-01-27T11:13:45.521-06:00I Can Sing!I discovered this weekend that Lydia likes to sing along with the lullaby that this house toy plays. I finally got it on video. <br />
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<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/oCfSyE9S18c" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oCfSyE9S18c" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><!-- Fallback content --><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCfSyE9S18c"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/oCfSyE9S18c/0.jpg" width="400" height="300" />YouTube Video</a></object></div>
- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30698486.post-482396189691067862013-11-18T22:06:00.001-06:002013-11-18T22:09:37.942-06:00Birthday PartyingLydia turned 15 months old on Saturday, and somehow I never posted about her birthday party. I remember selecting all the photos I wanted to use in my post. I'm just not sure how I failed to write about it. Well, I do know, but I won't go into it.<br />
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The theme was Peter Rabbit. </div>
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We had ham and Swiss, chicken salad, and pimento cheese sandwiches, a veggie tray with hummus and ranch dip, carrot-shaped cheese logs, pretzels, breadsticks, and fruit with fruit dip. I tried to pick things that were kid-friendly.<br />
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The <a href="http://shewearsmanyhats.com/2013/03/cheese-carrots/" target="_blank">cheese carrots</a> were definitely a hit, and so easy!</div>
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But the highlight of any birthday party spread is the cake! </div>
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I made homemade carrot cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting and homemade chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting. The carrot cake recipe is from Come On In, the Junior League of Jackson's cookbook. I have made other carrot cake recipes, but none of them top that one. It is the same recipe I use for my <a href="http://showerfreshgarden.blogspot.com/2011/02/happy-easter.html" target="_blank">Easter bunny cake</a>. </div>
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The cupcake toppers on the carrot cake cupcakes were the inspiration for the entire party. Chip bought them for me years ago. When we were making birthday party plans, I just knew I had to use them. </div>
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The chocolate cupcake recipe is Magnolia Bakery's. I got the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/129785327/whimsical-peter-rabbit-vegetable-garden" target="_blank">tiny fondant veggies</a> on Etsy and made the flower pot seed markers from junk I got at Dollar Tree and some clothespins. </div>
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Ok, enough about the food! What about the baby?</div>
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She was a sweetie. And she loves chocolate buttercream. She didn't eat much cake. Mostly just chocolate frosting. But oh did she love that chocolate frosting. </div>
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The guests ate. We opened gifts, Lydia and I. She sat on my lap and watched mama. I liked that. </div>
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The kiddos played with drums and the piano and later some <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/170503535865454836/" target="_blank">foam shapes</a> that stick to the window with a little water. </div>
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Before my brother and his crew left, we all loaded on a blanket in the front yard and took a few pictures of the kids and of our families.<br />
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It was such a wonderful day. I loved having family and friends over to share the event with us. It was the perfect way to celebrate Lydia's first year. </div>
Lisa Blairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06288352630209939371noreply@blogger.com1