Check her out!!

This was after Lydia's massage the other night. I always try to do some therapy with her after her massage...when she's loosened up a little. This was the first time I was ever able to take my hands off of her while holding herself up on her belly! It was so exciting! Martin and I were both snapping pictures of her and cheering her on! She even made it look easy...she kept herself up for a long time. She, of course, needed breaks every few seconds...but, then when I'd put her back up, she would do it again. She was even trying to pick her bottom up in the air and move her legs to crawl. I could hardly contain myself! I told Martin that I wished Susan was there because I didn't really know where to put my hands to help her, but I wanted her to get some positive feedback from what she was trying to do. Yippee for Lydia! She even tolerated tummy time on a boppy-like pillow for a long time yesterday...she usually cries after just a couple of minutes. I think it is getting easier for her. I am so proud of her! Here she is on the pillow yesterday:

Lydia did not sleep well at all last night...it was just like a couple of weeks ago when her congestion was so bad....I finally figured out the problem this morning. I think she is cutting 4 new teeth....yes, 4! And, she just got her first two last week...which I figured out was the real cause for her not sleeping well then. I'll be a little more proactive tonight with soothing measures so that she can rest (and the rest of us can too:). She also has a little teething rash on her face. I was a little nervous at first that it might be a virus, but I think it is just from teething. She doesn't have any other symptoms.

My little Elise is talking up a storm lately!! She is using more two and three word phrases...I think she feels more confident that we can understand what she is saying. We are still working on getting her to imitate the correct beginning sounds of words, but she is becoming a little resistent to that...it's not fun anymore. Suzanne and I talked about it last week, and we decided that I can demand it from her when she wants something (more, milk, ...) .I can demand that she look at me and imitate the sounds that I already know that she can say. Otherwise, I'll just keep it light...I won't demand that she always look at me and pronounce the words correctly. I think she feels like it breaks up the continuity of our conversation...and sometimes she doesn't want to do it because it is just too hard. We all know how that feels...when something is hard for us, sometimes we feel like putting forth the effort...sometimes not.

Audrey and Elise are really becoming quite a pair lately....typical sisters, sometimes fighting, sometimes playing together. It is interesting to watch. They love to sing and dance together. This weekend, I woke up to them singing, "Hit the road, Jack." It was so cute....Elise would chime in on the last word of every line...right on cue...she would anticipate it ahead of time. They both have some pretty cute dance moves too...I'll have to take a video of it soon. :)

I've been hard at work lately on creating a video presentation of the pictures that Audrey's teacher took of her class this year....all 798 of them! I did have to weed some out...it was quite a task...but fun, especially to see the finished product...a 20-minute video. We will go to Audrey's school tomorrow for her last day- Splash Day - and show it to the class...we'll also give copies to each of the students. Elise gets to come with us and splash around too! I think it will be fun! Lydia will stay home with Ms Pat. I have been very encouraged lately by her eating...still eating very well...and feeding for more people than just me! Yeah!! Her weight is 14 lbs. 9 1/2 oz....not much gain lately, but she still looks good...plenty fatty tissue... so I'm not going to worry about it.