Life in May

May 4th at the beach with Grandpa John

Whew! Catching up on your blogging life can be exhausting. I am happy for the payoff of having the pictures uploaded and organized (for making my annual picture album) and the memories recorded. But there have been so many times over the past few months that I have created funny, interesting or clever blog posts in my head that obviously never made it to the computer, which is a little disappointing. But now I am finally able to sit down and write the blog post I have been waiting to write!

It amazes me how fast Sydney is growing up and how she has changed just in the last few months. She is talking in full sentences now and rarely are we not able to understand what she is saying. I recently noticed that she likes to end sentences with the word "though".  For example, "I want to get down though" or "mommy read books though" or "these shoes on though". It is kind of funny out of context.

She loves listening to music in the car and will often sing along to some of her favorite songs. The other morning she bursted into spontaneous song when we were eating muffins...she started singing "Happy Birthday to Jane"...I guess she thought the muffins were cupcakes:) 

Sydney has now discovered flip flops and will entertain herself for hours by putting them on alone and walking around the house or yard. Watching her shuffle around the house like a little old lady is pretty cute.  And bring her to the beach with a bucket and shovel in hand and she will be happy for at least a half hour.  It is glorious.  

She is still as social as ever and has just started NOT wanting to leave the toddler room at church when we go to pick her up.  This of course makes us look like really great parents...yes our daughter would rather stay and play than come home with us!  This is particularly enjoyable when she starts crying to stay...you get the idea. She almost never forgets to pray before meals and likes to name certain people that we should pray for. We have even caught her praying (eyes closed, head bowed) on her own for her friends and family...so cute!  There isn't much that happens around here that goes unnoticed by Sydney.  I know she thinks she runs the house and I hope that she isn't right, but there is a good chance she is! 

We talk about the baby in mommy's tummy but Sydney still doesn't really get how our family is growing.  Although recently she has been convinced that she is having a baby brother! We'll see ;) She has been a trooper while I walked around in a trance for my first trimester.  Although sometimes I think I gave her more attention when all I could do was lay on the couch. Instead of running around trying to do ten things at once I would often just read her story after story. 

Sydney has also taken to caring very intently for one of her baby dolls.  The other day I overheard this conversation with James:

Sydney:  My baby is crying

James:  You should pick her up

(she picks up the baby and pats the baby's back)

Sydney:  Baby needs milk, daddy.

(I walk in and help her find the bottle, she lays down with the baby)

Sydney:  Blankie on, please!

Here is what that looked like :)