Smart Ass

Yesterday Jennifer had to work late so Lydia and I ate dinner on our own. She had several pieces of chicken, a bunch of corn and Popsicle. Then after some time we began out night-night routine and began getting ready for bed.

At about this time Jennifer came home and started to prepare her dinner, an aromatic smelling Indian dish. Lydia smelling the food, said "mmm, I want that." I tried to tell her that she had already had her dinner and that was Mama's. She was persistent. This is our conversation following her persistence:

Lydia: Papa I'm hungry.

Papa: What do you want?

Lydia: Chicken.

Papa: Are you sure you're going to eat the chicken or are you just jerking my chain?

Lydia: Uhmmm, chain!

Needless to say, she didn't get any chicken.

Lydia's Yogo

Dima was demonstrating some isometric exercises he's been doing. Lydia watched with interest and immediately got up to give it a try. "I want more yogo, Mama!"

Dress Shirt Pants

Jen found a really fantastic pattern for making kid's clothes from old and not so old men's dress shirts. Here are a few photos of her first set of test pants up-cycled from a man's dress shirt. This shirt was bought at a thrift store. Check out the cuffs, how absolutely cool are they! (And what an adorable model.) Jen's inspiration came from: http://www.etsy.com/listing/48667933/4-men-shirt-recycling-projects . For Lydia Violet's next pair, I would like to see a pair of tuxedo shirt pants with cuff links.

My, what a big "E" you are.

Jen bought a massive five foot E on eBay. It pretty cool, painted gray/brown metal and backlit with LED lights. The idea is to hang it on the wall in the foyer of our new house. Welcome to the house of E.

Lets Go Riding

Our friends re-gifted the snowboard, boots, bindings and helmet to Lydia. They told me that they had received the gift for their daughter from a family friend and that they weren't planning on using. "We're not skiers." And since they knew that I am an avid snowboarder they thought it would be a perfect gift for Lydia. Indeed.

Communication

Yesterday, after I picked Lydia Violet up from school, I got a call from my mother saying she had something for me to pick up. Not wanting to get Lydia too excited about the fact that we were going to Dusia and Ded's house, I just told her we need to go some place and pick up something.

On the drive over to my parent's house, Lydia said a number of times that she wanted to go home and wanted water. I in turn told her that I need to go get something and afterward we would go home.

As we drove into my parent's neighborhood, Lydia chimed in from the back seat, "Papa we go Dusia's house?" And I replied that we were. She then said, with a perturbed pitch in her voice, "Papa, you got talk to me!"

I felt bad. Next time I'll just tell here where we are going and why.

Punk Rock Girl

Lydia is ready to tackle the day. We have this pair of very long socks
and a pair of very short pants. Yes, pants. When we first got these
pants they were long enough, but Lydia wasn't nearly fat enough to
keep them up. Now that's she's grown they fit in the waist, but the
inseam is that of a pair of clam-diggers.

Stir, Stir, Stir

Lydia cooks up a scrambled egg and cheese dinner.

Modern Art

First Watermellon

Hanging out with Deda in the background, eating watermellon.

Lunch

On a typical day I walk Lydia Violet to school and I carry the bag with her lunch and snacks. Today, she insisted that she carry my lunch bag. "A lunch for a lunch," if you will.

This photo took some sneakiness on my part. She didn't want to have her photo taken (bershan), so I tricked her. I set the camera up to where I wanted it, she kept turning her head away. Then we started walking. When I was ready and sure she had forgotten, I stopped, pointed and click. Since the phone's camera has a slight delay, it gave Lydia enough time to look up and start laughing. Foiled again!

Mohawk girl

Actually

Lydia talking to Djed and Dusia on the phone this morning.

College Dinner

Lydia Violet has her first bowl of cereal with milk, consumed with a spoon. She's getting to be a big girl.

Hat

This morning, on our way out the door, Lydia paused and said, "hat. Hat, hat, hat." Walked over to the winter drawer and pulled out one of her hats. Pushed the drawer back in, I helped. As I watched, she used both hands and quickly and easily put the hat on. Cute and a smarty-pants too boot.

Boogie Down Girl

Last week we met friends for dinner in Silver "Sprung." While Lydia and I waited for Dima in the car I let her sit in the front passenger seat and play with the radio. Once she figured out that she could control what music was playing by using the tuning buttons there was no stopping her.

Now tell me, doesn't this stance remind you of that crazy African dance that Patrick Dempsey did to impress the ladies at the school dance in "Can't Buy Me Love?"

Budding Artist, Lydia V.

I got a new application for my iPhone called idoodle. True to its name, it lets you doodle. It also has an easy-to-use kid mode and Lydia drew this for me.

Bathing Beauty

Lydia loves a nice warm bubble bath. Ahhhhh...

Sent from my iPhone

Mothers' Day Pizza BBQ

Bob Appetit

Lydia the gourmet.