What's black and white and "red" all over?

The picture of Lydia on page two of the newspaper!!!

A little sad

First let me tell you Chinese New Years was great. It's always wonderful to be around other children who were adopted from China. They fill me with so much hope for the future. They all have such beautiful souls and they are so happy. There is nothing I want more than for Lydia to be happy. Happy from deep inside happy. But sometimes watching her be happy makes me a little sad, even though her happiness is truely what I want.

See the day Lydia came to us, she became a part of my body. Literally. I couldn't wedge her off me with a crowbar...for about 2 months I dreamed of what it would be like to go to the bathroom by myself. But she was so insecure and scared about her new surroundings her dependence made sense. Now...no longer insecure about my love and curious about her surroundings Lydia has "detached", no longer as dependent she often leaves me behind looking for new experiences. Oh she still runs to me...she still wants cuddles and hugs and love almost constantly. But it used to be constantly, and I know that what that means. She's becoming her own person. And while I know it's a good thing...it also hurts a little. It's her first baby step away from me...and while I applaud her and encourage her...my heart weeps just a little because I know it's the first of many steps.

I do take solace in this though. No matter how far away she goes physically. She is now and always will be a part of my body. Because every body needs a heart in order to survive...and she is, without a doubt, my heart.

Red Envelope Excitement

"Come on Mom, hurry up! They've started handing out red envelopes!"

"Oh Wow!! They gave me TWO!!"

"Hmmmm....I'm not sure which one to open first."


"Okay! Let's go with this one!"

xin nián kuài lè

The hazards of listening to Lionel Ritchie CD's

Oh what a feelin' to be dancing on the ceiling!

Trust Issues

I've been in rehearsals for the last two weeks, so Russell is spending a lot more alone time with Lydia than ever before...and I've noticing some changes which are concerning me.

First off...we have a lot of remote controls in our house. We are media hounds hubby and I and everything has a remote. But I've noticed when I come home the remotes are not where they are suppossed to be. They are in the hallway, in the dining room, in the kitchen and in the baby's room. None of these rooms have a DVD player, a VCR or a TV. It makes me wonder...

Secondly...I've noticed my daughter is going through socks a lot faster than usual. She takes her socks off all over the house...I'm used to a tiny pair of socks lying around the house...but 3 pairs??? What's going on??

Lastly...My baby has begun to speak words in Klingon. She screams Qapla (Prounced Kah-plah)which means success, almost constantly now. (I am NOT going to share with you how I know some Klingon...I know this is a public blog, but some things MUST remain private!)

My theory...wild Star Trek parties with multi footed Klingon children watching old episodes of science fiction television in every room of the house are going on behind my back!!

Or am I just being paranoid?

Missing my favourite time of day

A post-shower/pre-bed snuggle with my girl.
Night Mom! I'm off to bed!!

I am a theatre professor. I love my job, but what it means is that when I am directing, since I "profess" during the day, I direct at night. That means little to no Lydia time and it's KILLING me. Yes, I see her every morning. We get up, snuggle, have breakfast, dance to the doodlebops, get dressed and go to work/daycare. But that's only an hour. If I don't have any meetings I can pick her up between 3 and 4 and be with her until 6:30...which is another 2-3 hours. Which, okay...that's NOT no time...but it sure is a whole heck of a lot less time than I'm used to. What I miss most though is bedtime. I like taking my shower then giving her a bath and rubbing her with lotion and then doing story time. I like the holding and the snuggling and then the waving as I say night night as Daddy takes her off for her final bottle and off to the land of Nod. I miss it alot. It's Jan. 25 now, the show goes up Feb. 14...(sigh)...I can already tell, it's gonna be a LOOOOOOOOOOONG 3 weeks!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

"Your present will be on the way soon!"

The Doodlebops!

"Come on Mom...lets get on the bus!"
Dancing to the Doodlebops!

Lydia loves the Doodlebops and I have to admit I like 'em too. Just about every morning on Playhouse Disney you can see DeeDee, Rooney and Moe rockin' and rollin' with Mazz and Bob the bus driver as they "get on the bus" and promise to share, care and stick together as a team! It's a really positive entertaining way to begin your day. The music is great, the sets and costumes are bright and colourful and they are educational and uplifting all at the same time. It's great to honestly be able to look forward to watching something on television with my daughter. I only wish they'd tour!!

Don't forget...DON"T PULL THE ROPE!!!

My daughter is not made of china, nor is she a doll.

My daughter is not a china doll. She is not fragile and delicate and so she shouldn't be placed under glass or high on a shelf protected from the world. She is not a plaything whose sole purpose if for the pleasure of another.

You can love her, you can hate her. You can repect her, you can fear her. But NEVER diminish or trivialize who she is...she is Lydia, she is an individual...she is a future woman...and that should be respected.

I was tagged

Here's an online blog game that's all the rage. :-)

I got tagged and to my 5 friends, you're it next!!

What were you doing ten years ago?
I was living in Florida working in professional children's theatre. I had just finished directing a huge children's, and was about to direct a Shakespeare for kids production. I was dating Russell and hoping to get a University job soon.

What were you doing one year ago?
We had just gotten over the dissapointment of not being DTC in December and were waiting to find out our LID. Russ was fed up with his job and getting more and more frustrated daily and I was about to direct The Laramie Project and bring a gay rights activist to a small provincial town to speak about the show. (No one has ever accused me of being a coward!)

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Cheese
2. Chocolate
3. Sunflower seeds
4. Corn Nuts
5. Snow Pea Pods

Five things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Not worry so much
2. Help out Mine and Russ’ family more
3. Move to a bigger house
4. Donate more money to the arts
5. Travel

Five bad habits:
1. Don't exercise
2. Leaving empty water bottles everywhere
3. Forgetting to call people back
4. Becoming so focused on the world of adoption that I lose sight of other
things
5. I procratinate on things

Five things I like doing:
1. Spending time with my family
2. SIMS!!!
3. Spending time on the forums and blog
4. Talking on the phone
5. Watching movies on TV

Five things I would never wear, buy, or get new again:
1. High Heels
2. Fur anything
3. Cologne (Hubby is allergic)
4. Liquid Candy (GROSS!!)
5. Sadly, Slushies (Like liquid death to a diabetic!)

Five favorite toys/games:
1. My computer
2. SIMS!!!
3. My DVD Player
4. My Camera
5. Goth (The board game) No one will play me though…I’m kicking at that
game!

Here's the deal; remove the blog in the TOP SPOT from the following list and then add YOUR BLOG to the bottom spot.
http://www.rileysgirl.blogspot.com/
http://lovinglydia.blogspot.com/

Then select FIVE PEOPLE to TAG!
Becca
Astra
Scott & Tina
Brandy
Trish

"Mom. What's all this white stuff?"

"It's snow baby."

"It's really beautiful Mom!"

"Really is it beautiful? I didn't notice...I was too busy looking at the most beautiful thing in the world."


Her First Snow!! :-)

"Autographs will be signed after the show!"

When I started Loving Lydia I didn't think anyone would read it...I did it for Lydia. I wanted to be able to chronical our journey for her so she would know her history and have a sense of how much she means to us. I continued Loving Lydia because My family and friends were reading it. We are far away from Granparents and Aunts and Uncles who love her but don't get to interact with her due to distance. I'm not surprised by the fact our families read this blog...it's important to them so they can get to know Lydia. I'm also not surprised by the fact many of my friends read this blog. They are overwhelmed daily with news on Lydia as I kinda talk about her a lot. (blush blush) But I understand them reading the blog too because...well, one they care about me and two I think they fear that I'll give them a pop quiz over the material covered here. (Me give a pop quiz...NOOOOOOOOO! Ask my students they'll tell ya about my pop quizzes. LOL) What does surprise me is total strangers read this blog. That was unexpected! I know it's happening though because occassionally I hear from you. Yesterday I heard from somebody and it truely touched me. I won't share their name as I don't have their permission...but they told me they were overweight and never thought they could adopt and this blog has inspired them to go ahead and begin the adoption process. And honestly...that made me cry I was so happy. I remember being terrified at the beginning of this process about my weight and how I would be perceived. And ya know...it never came up. Even during the physical...it never came up. No one ever said to me "You can't parent because you are too fat". It was me who worried about that...never anyone else. When doing great things, the first obstacle everyone must overcome is themselves. I am glad I overcame...

Treenapping!!

"Where'd the tree go?"

Russell and I finally got the tree down. We were slow about it this year, but in our defense, this is our first year with a baby. And ya know...at the end of the day when you still have a ton to do taking down the tree is just not on the high priority list. And right now if it ain't on the high priority list...well it's usually not getting done!!
Anyway with Chinese New Yeats right around the corner the tree went onto the high priority list finally and Lydia was sorta sad to see it go. She "helped" as mommy took down ornaments and daddy took away the tree.
She was really good about tree this year. I hope she's as good next year. She wanted to touch it, but the texture of it "turned her oof" so she would just stare at it and point occasionally to an ornament she thought was particularly nifty.
Now we are getting ready for Chinese New Year. We have gotten tickets for a dinner with our Local FCC and we are starting to learn about the New Year and it's traditions. One tradition we will keep is on the first day of the New Year we will abstain from eating meat. The Chinese believe this ensures long and happy lives. We will also honor the tradition of wearing a new outfit that was bought specifically to be worn for tne New Year. We will hang banners on our door wishing happiness for all those who enter and we will eat oranges and peanuts. (The orange is for happiness and the peanut is for long life.) As for activities we plan to give Lydia a red envelop which she won't appreciate too much now, but as she gets older she will enjoy as it has cash inside. We will also light firecrackers on the New Year's Eve.
What more we will do I have no idea. I am sure CNY will evolve as we learn more about it. It's been a lot of fun learning about the New Year though and I am hoping The Year of The Dog treats us all very well.

Definately NOT a backseat driver!

Honoring a Fan Request.

Well here per your requests here are a couple more of pictures of Lydia in hats. I hope you enjoy them, because gettin' happy hat pictures are really difficult and I think I've just about hatted her out for awhile. She is difficult to keep in a hat...well difficult to keep happy in a hat anyway. I have more pictures of her crying because she has something on her head than I care to admit. (See Scrooge picture in December Archives as proof of her anti hat sentiments!)

Under the Weather

Lydia had her 15 month physical complete with booster shots yesterday. She has gained 11 ounces and now qualifies for forward placement in the car seat. (She can now see where she's going as oppossed to where she's been!) She has grown 1/2 an inch so is now 29 inches tall and her head has grown 1/4 of an inch!! She's a little grower she is!!

Unfotunately the shots give her a fever and she is feeling a bit cranky today. Whenever we are tired and cranky we get on the recliner with mommy or daddy and with a blankie and bluebear...but today she wanted up there on her own. Daddy and I sat with her until she fell into an early nap.

Vans

Mommy loves her Vans ALOT. I wear them all the time. They were one of two pairs of shoes I took with me to China and they were definately the pair I wore the most. My students think my Vans make me cool. My co-workers think my Vans make me quirky. When I found the "Baby Vans" I went nuts and bought 2 pair--one in a size she could wear now and one for later. They are expensive shoes and my usually very frugal hubby was extremely generous because, well...he is. He knows how much I love my Vans and he knows how much I love my daughter. Well, apparently Lydia loves her Vans too. This child who tears her clothes off at the drop of a hat and who cries when we dress her because she prefers to live life as nature intended, wanted her shoes ON last night. She wouldn't take no for an answer. She had me put them on and she'd clomp around and smile and laugh and sing. If one came off (cause they're still a little big on her) a scene worthy of grand opera would ensue and Mommy would have to run to replace the shoe on her foot. When the shoes finally came off because it was bedtime, she had to hold them for awhile before she'd finally settle down. I guess she's finally decided if ya gotta wear clothes...you might as well love them.

A message for Grandma and Grandpa

"The package made it here just fine>"

3 months ago...

She still answered to the name of Hua when this picture was taken. It's the first picture I ever took of her. Now her name is Lydia. But I remember 3 months ago like it was yesterday. The room was blazingly hot. It was just after 6pm and we could all hear the babies in the next room crying. The government official was talking for what seemed an eternity...and finally they opened the doors and the babies filed in, one by one, carried by their nannies. As they came in the room audibly gasped as 12 of the 13 families saw their child (not just a picture...but the actual child) for the very first time. For three months we lived with a picture and a few random words about her personality. (Likes bright colours, very attached to principle care giver and will cry when seperated, becomes excited when she sees her food.)I loved her...the second I saw her I knew I would never stop loving her. Some people talk about how attaching took time...but it didn't for me. She owned me from the first second I layed eyes on her. I was a-okay with that then and I still am now.

Her First Love

As we pack up Christmas there is one seasonal item that will not be put away this year or ever...Lydia's Bumble. Lydia loves this toy! I got her "The Bumble" as it was one of two leftover animated singing toys at the drugstore. I didn't mean for it to be anything more than an afternoon's worth of fun....but she took to it like a duck takes to water. We play The Bumble's song 10-15 times a day (at least) and she loves and hugs on The Bumble constantly. It makes me happy she has bonded with a toy finally, but also sad as The Bumble is not a resilient toy. I don't see him lasting very long at all. The day he goes will break Lydia's heart and mine as well...so for that reason he's earned a special spot on the blog. Because your first love is always the sweetest!

Lydia dancing with "The Bumble"

The Kitchen Dweller Vs Lydia!!

"Wait!! You aren't Oz!! You're the one mother calls Jack...the one who lives in the kitchen waiting for treats and dropped food!"


"BACK!! Back where you belong kitchen dweller!!"


"Have no fear mother...he is now back in his proper domain and the living room is safe again!"


OUR HERO!!

Lydia of Borg

"Resistance is Futile!!"

Uncommon Ground (AKA The Free To Be Me Edition)

She finds blond hair attractive
She likes Barney
She doesn't like Chinese food
She's very good about taking medicine
She's NOT a couch potato
She's still a Rocky Horror Picture Show Virgin (And will be for quite some time. LOL!)
She loves to dance
She's not into politics
She's a big fan of green vegetables
She was born and raised in the country
She wears pink often
She has an "outy"
Short!

Common Ground--Dad Edition

Both are early to bed and early to risers
Both enjoy rearranging the DVD collection
Both "borrow" mommy's cell phone a lot when they can't find theirs
Both lose stuff often
Both think Mommy is the greatest lady in the world
Both of them have gorgeous brown eyes
Both like french fries
Both prefer to be "as nature intended" (Nekkid!)
Both have really long fingers
Both are musically inclined
Hairlines!!

Common Ground--Mom Edition

We both prefer to be barefoot
We both are both grumpy risers
We both LOVE chocolate
We both think Dada is the best guy in the world
We both look good in purple
We both like to play with hair
We both like to play with the cats
We both prefer our water with ice in it
We both dislike milk
We both like rock music
We both are "untidy"
We both like playing with the computer
We both want control of the remote
We both hate wearing coats
We both are outgoing, but shy around new people
We both like the Doodlebops (I really do...I even watch it when she's not around.)
We both love to go places and see new things
Moodswings!

I have a feelin'...

...it's gonna be a great New Year!