Christmas morning

Christmas morning began with bubbles and with balloons.

It ended with a very happy little girl. What else could I wish for?

Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve we went to church and then it was on to Dot and JR's house to spend time with family,

enjoy a little music,

give a few gifts,

play with new toys,

try on new pajamas,

and end the evening back at home, wide eyed and excited about Christmas Day!

Daycare Christmas Party

Lydia is too small, or maybe it's too big, to be a real elf, so this year she is an elf apprentice at Miss Nancy's party.

Luckily for Sophie (pronounced SOPH by Lydia), this elf in training isn't too big to be picked up.

She is just the right size for doing the "reindeer pokey" and for eating yummy dairy free treats. Thanks Nancy!

The only thing better than a new toy, is the box!

I got a new dishwasher, an AMAZING new dishwasher. Before you get too jealous, keep in mind that the old dishwasher was warn to the metal in several places and that metal was getting RUSTY! Lydia was also getting very curious about said dishwasher and would occasionally try to climb into it to play with the rusty spiky parts and try to get to the shiny knives. The solution is a two drawer dishwasher, no spikes, no rust, and the knives can go in the, momentarily too tall for Lydia top drawer. Isn't it PRETTY? Thanks mom and Dad, I LOVE it!

Lydia loves it too, not just because we are delaying her need for a tetnus shot. She is loving that the new dishwasher came in a big box that PJ turned into a house for her. I wonder what kind of pretend kitchen appliances she has in there?

Santa!

Well, we went to see Santa again this year. I was worried because Lydia is now able to protest when she doesn't want to go to someone. She wasn't as smiley as she sometimes can be, but she didn't freak out either. It took 28 frames to get this semi-smiling picture, so enjoy!

The Liddy Pokey!

Lydia has begun to have a life of her own. She comes home from daycare and starts doing these things that we didn't teach her.Like spinning around and sometimes falling down. Apparently, her own combination of the Hokey Pokey and Ring Around the Rosies. She does the Hokey Pokey and she turns herself around. Then it isn't finished until we all fall down! She likes that falling down part a lot. Apparently that's what its all about!

Fantasy of Trees

OK, Fantasy of Trees was a week or more ago, but its been busy. Here are the pictures I took of Lydia, with her bear backpack/leash.

Playing on the toy train, her favorite activity of the day.

Coloring.

And enjoying the lights, my favorite part or the day.

Lydia at the Museum

Lydia, mom and I went to the art museum this week for the East Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibit. I have four students with work in the show! Not as much as some teachers, but more than I have had before. Considering that I teach all beginning level students, I am excited to be learning to push them to do their best, even if they have never had art before. One of the kids I worked with this year is an advanced sculpture student who wanted to make a dress out of recycled materials. It was fun to put on my best Tim Gund impression and point out areas that she needed to consider about the project. It was even more fun to watch this kid come up with her own unique solutions to the problems I pointed out. So here is Lydia pondering the newspaper dress, which was awarded Best Sculpture at the exhibit.