The comings and goings of the fab four

I have been meaning to post for a few days, it seems like there’s always something going on!

Lydia got sick a few days ago. It started with a little runny nose, but she’s now on her third day with a fever. We went to the dr. two days ago and they said it’s viral and she also has allergies, so she has a prescription for a decongestant/antihistamine. It’s working okay, but not really doing a *great* job. We have been watching a lot of Lydia’s favorite video, “Baby Songs”, and reading lots of books. It hasn’t been too hot this week, so we’ve been able to get outside in the mornings. Hopefully we’ll be able to go out to the community pool (which is supposed to be very nice) sometime this week.

Lydia has taken to calling herself and her babies the all inclusive term of “babya”. It is very cute and very funny.

Today I found a Little Tykes kitchen on Craigslist, so I just went to pick it up and she LOVES it. The camera battery is dead, so I can’t take any pictures, but at this rate, she’ll be entertained for a while!

As many of you know, Lydia doesn’t drink anything except water, which is fine with me. However, yesterday she went nuts over my gatorade. She has had gatorade before, but she REALLY went nuts yesterday. She would start grumbling if I took a drink. She has also started growling at me if I don’t do what she says. It’s hard not to laugh at her, and I think she’s trying to make us laugh when she does it.

Today we resurrected the crib because we have been having such a time getting her to stay in her bed at night. Sleep is still elusive for us. Hopefully it will end by the time baby is born in December!

Robert just discovered Karaoke on InDemand. Ayeayeaye.

We have been trying to keep cool the last few days. It got up to 107 earlier this week if you can even believe it! It’s been over 100 for the last 7 days, so we’re continuing our stir craziness! Today Lydia and I went to a splash pool with the FNDECPTA group and met several great ladies and their kids. It was wonderful to be social, although the pool water was h-o-t. They did have a great splash area for Lydia to play in that had all kinds of fountains and spigots pouring water. From the way things are looking, she’s going to be a water bug! There is supposed to be a great pool in Plano (the one today was in the next city), so we might try that next week sometime.

We also found out today that my sister got *the* job with the Team in Training/Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America as a TnT coordinator. This is exactly the job she has been looking for, and we are so excited for her! Her man Brian also closed on his house today, we’re very happy for him. In other exciting news, one of my best friends got engaged today – I am SO happy for her, there are no words! So today was a great day full of wonderful news! Here is a picture (or two if they will load) of Lydia eating some rice cakes after our pool outing.

Well we have had a wild and crazy week. First of all, it is hot here. Like an oven. It’s been at least 100 every day, usually 101-103. And the evenings are no respite, I think it’s a cool 95 right now, and it’s only 9:15 Central time. The dog and the child are getting a little stir crazy. Yesterday we took Lydia to the mall to get out of the house. We live right on the edge of the super nice area of town, so we are close to all of the super nice amenities (retail! retail! retail!). There seems to be quite an abundance of money in this area, considering the stores in the mall closest to our house, and the sizes of homes between here and there. We just kind of walked through the mall and looked in the windows of these crazy stores.

Today we visited the church where Lydia will go to preschool. We went to a breakfast/discussion that they are doing during the Sunday School hour during the summer and met a few families. Everyone was very nice and very welcoming. The head pastor was extremely nice, and seemed to genuinely care that we were there. A nice trait for a pastor to have. Lydia enjoyed the nursery, which will also be her preschool classroom in August. Lydia took about a 3 hour nap this afternoon, so I was able to get some cleaning done, and Robert was able to go to the YMCA down the street and get us signed up for our two week trial. He has two weeks until he starts his job, so it will be something else to do during the hot days!

Lydia and I are looking forward to our first Far North Dallas Early Childhood PTA (FNDECPTA) event – at a splash pool – on Friday. We are excited to get involved in something, and hopefully make some new friends.

Today Lydia jumped by herself for the first time. She has been very interested in jumping for a while, and trying to do it, but never really getting off the ground without help. Today she actually did it herself. She also said “pizza” for the first time yesterday. She said it, out of the blue. Robert and I were shocked. She learned the noise that a snake makes today to add to her collection. I think right now she can tell us what a dog, a cat, a horse, a cow, a duck (her favorite), a sheep, and now a snake, say. She also loves a cheesy video from the 80’s called “Baby Songs”. It’s kids singing different songs about their day. She just goes to the TV and says “babies! babies!”. Robert and I are so sick of it at this point, that we would love nothing more than to toss it. I seriously hear the songs in my sleep. Robert says he does too. It is a fabulous diversion, though, especially now that we are in the house practically all the time.

I can’t get the pictures to upload, so I’ll have to post some later this week.

We’re slowly getting adjusted to life in Texas. Getting around has been pretty easy b/c everything is on a grid. We are close to all kinds of great retail (like IKEA!) so that makes it very convenient. I went to drop off some paperwork at my new doctor’s office this morning, and it, as well as the hospital, were less than 5 miles from the house. Lydia is starting to sleep a little more normally, and seems to be feeling a little more secure w/ her environment.

My family is in town this week, and on Sunday, we were able to go to A Taste of Dallas, which is a big festival centered on food. They had all kinds of different events and booths set up. We took the train that Robert will be taking into work every day, so that was another exciting event. We walked to the spot where JFK was spot at Dealey plaza, but couldn’t get a good picture b/c people kept trying to sell us newspapers and other paraphenelia. Here are a few pictures from Sunday.

Here are a few from Lydia’s stay w/ Nana and Papa and Emkat while we were driving out, including Lydia’s first ride on a carousel and her first pair of gauchos.

I wanted to let everyone know that we, and our Pod, arrived safely in Texas yesterday afternoon. The movers came early this morning to move all of the boxes in. We’ve been unpacking all day today, and my family will arrive with Lydia tomorrow. I’m already very homesick, and am ready to pack it all up and come back to NC. I’m sure the fact that I’m pregnant and extremely hormonal isn’t helping things. At least it hasn’t been too hot. Today it was 92, but the humidity was low, which made it feel much cooler. I was expecting much worse. Luckily, several of our neighbors have unsecured wireless networks, so we haven’t had to go without computer. Hopefully we’ll get everything unpacked tomorrow in time for the princess to arrive with her entourage.

I miss everyone. Please email soon.

It was hot today (actually hotter here than in Dallas), but we still got to go outside and play.

Did you just say that Lydia STILL has a double ear infection? That’s right. Little Miss had to go to Urgent Care in Topsail Island last Monday because she had a double ear infection. We noticed that she was getting worse yesterday and today (read: not sleeping and screaming like a banshee more than not), so I took her in today, and yep, it’s still there. So we’re on round two of antibiotics. Luckily, our favorite Nurse Practitioner gave us enough samples to make it through this does of antibiotics. We love her dearly and will miss her. We’re pulling out on Wednesday AM, and Lydia will take her first plane ride on Saturday (another reason to get the old ears checked out!) w/ Nana and Papa, to meet us in Dallas. Wish us luck!

Here’s a picture from today. Notice the Elmo sticker, courtesy of Cary Peds, on her *chest*.