Lately

The weather has been quite cold lately, but at least it is no longer raining. We are all still stuck indoors in the evening when we usually take our walks, so I'm sure Lydia is dying to get out. I try to take Lydia out whenever I can, like going to the dentist with Trung yesterday and taking a quick trip to the post office today, but it's not quite the same as fresh air. We paid both neighbors a visit this afternoon and gave them some sour cream cake. We used to visit the Sults, the neighbors to the left of us, almost every week, but it's been busy since the holidays. The Lews, the neighbors to the right, were home too, so we got to play catch-up with them (well, I played catch-up, Lydia banged on their keyboard). We are fortunate to have kind neighbors who give us a cup of sugar or even lend us their blenders.

*This part is more for me, but those mommies out there might find this information useful* Lydia has been waking up between 7-7:30 AM and taking only one hour naps as of late and I'm contemplating whether or not to start letting her take one nap a day. That dirty diaper is still waking her up during her naps half the time, but how do I time that right? A typical day goes like this...
7-7:30 AM - Lydia wakes up
7:30 - 8 - Lydia eats a snack
8 - 8:30 - Lydia watches a DVD (Baby Einstein or Sesame Beginnings)
8:30 - 9 - I do my morning stuff (brush my teeth, etc...) and then we have breakfast
9 - 10 - read & play
10 - ? - nap 1
12 - lunch
12 - 2 - run an errand or read & play
2 - ? - nap 2
3:30 - snacktime
3:30 - 5:30 - read & play, take a walk if the weather permits
5:30 - 6:30 - prepare (usually with Trung watching Lydia) and eat dinner
6:30 - 7:30 - read & play (more with Daddy)
7:30 - 8 - Lydia takes a bath and goes to sleep
8 - 10:30 - I take a shower, watch some TV or a movie with Trung, surf the web, go to sleep

Lydia has been really good about playing by herself, so I don't constantly have to entertain her. She loves "reading" her books and eating, especially her snacks; she's cutting her 11th and 12th teeth! While in Florida Lydia had learned to get down from the sofa, and now she is quickly learning how to get onto it (our sofa is still a bit high for her). She is still a rambunctious and happy toddler who loves to laugh, say "hi" to everyone, and blow kisses good-bye (and at Trung before every nap); and boy do we love her to bits! Just now, from across the room, this is what I see...