Lydia's growing up!

This morning Lydia told me, "that baby is clever."  She said that right after she informed me that there were s's all over sister's blanket.  Three of them to be exact.  Yesterday she said, "the witch didn't have any energy because she was eating bad food."  Over here our identity's are ever changing, but currently Jon is Poppa Pig, I am Grandma, Lydia is Alpha Pig and Sophie is Red.  For those of you unfamiliar with Super Why we totally recommend it.  It's fun and educational, and if you wonder what kids shows are really teaching kids, this is one you can trust.  At least we do.

Previously Lydia was Tod the Fox.  Only when she'd introduce herself it sounded more like "Tod the box."  We're working on that F sound. And believe me when I tell you that she'd really introduce herself that way.  To anyone that wanted to know her name; from people at church to total strangers at the grocery store.  "I'm Tod the Box."  Jon was Chief, I was Vixie and Sophie Copper.  The fox and hound from the Heiselt cousins were an immediate hit.  Well, maybe not immediate, but it sure didn't take long for Lydia to warm up to them and decide that they were hers and that she needed to take care of them.  In the past couple of weeks I've watched Lydia put her animals down for naps in the wicker baskets in our bookcase day after day after day.  She'd give them blankets and know when they were hungry, and tell me they were crying and that she needed to take care of them.  I asked her if we should check on them and she said that "their whomidifiers and monitors are on.  So they should be okay."

The other night Lyds kept herself from falling asleep by singing, "Everbody Wants to Be a Cat" from AristoCats.  It makes me wonder if that's how she keeps herself up on the night's she doesn't fall asleep right away.  By whispering songs or telling herself things she doesn't want to forget or simply has going through her mind.  I've also heard her whisper and  repeat "Mom.  Dad.  Sophie" on another occasion.

She just started deciding what Sophie wants.  We were playing in the snow at the park yesterday and she got up on the equipment and found two steering wheels side by side.  She told me that Red wanted to drive one.  So Sophie and I hopped on the playground equipment and Sophie got to steer us around.  I'm pretty sure that that was only the beginning.  I love it.  Eventually Sophie will be able to tell us what she wants, right?  And until then, we have Lydia to help us out.  The not as lovable moments have come as soon as Sophie starts crying.  As soon as she does Lydia starts repeating, "it's okay baby, it's okay!!  It's okay!!!" While simultaneously bursting into tears.  Something about seeing a little person cry really upsets her.  I imagine that's true with lots of little kids, but I know that seeing me cry does not set Lyds off.  Thank goodness.

Last Friday I tended a friend's two little boys. It was really fun and I really enjoyed watching Lydia interact with someone her own age.  I was warned that this little boy might give Lyds a run for her money and that if he did start crying it was absolutely not Lydia's fault, but was sure that no kids are as sensitive as my own.  While I was trying to get Sophie down for a nap I heard crying and went to investigate.  What I found surprised me.  At least a little bit.  The little boy was crying, telling me that Lydia wanted him to eat dinner, but he didn't want it.  Lydia had been busy in her kitchen making a sandwich and had interrupted the farm fun to feed her new friend.  Surprising that Lyds would be making food in her kitchen?  Not even a little bit.  Surprising that she hit it off so quickly with her new friend?  Definitely.  She hasn't stopped talking about giving him food and how he cried, but it was later in the afternoon when all four kids were crying that things got stressful and I just couldn't spread myself around enough.  Sophie had had too many distractions and refused to fall asleep even though she was desperately tired.  The two month old just needed his pacifier.  And the two year-olds??  I'm pretty sure that even they couldn't tell you why they were crying.  They just were.  It took some time to comfort and console, but after a few good books everyone was sleeping.

I love Lydia's enthusiasm for caring for her animals.  I love that she cooks in her kitchen and helps me in the kitchen too.  I love it when she uses new words that she may or may not fully understand.  And I really love that she's aware of her sister and watching out for her.  For the most part anyway.