You Never Know Who is Watching

I want this blog to be a place where I can write those sweet memories of Lyla as she is growing up. Those memories that you beg your heart and mind to remember, but you find as the days turn in to weeks, it becomes harder to remember how your sweet newborn smelled, or when she first smiled at you, or what she sounded like when she said her first word, or when she snuggled in close to you as she fell asleep on your shoulder, or cried those big tears when she got her first boo-boo. I went to see a friend who just had her first baby almost two weeks ago now and boy is he precious!! He is as small as Lyla was when she was born and I can hardly remember her actually being that small! Uhhh, this is going WAAAAY too fast!! But I keep trying to soak up every moment with Lyla and try to remember to thank the Lord for each sweet moment as it comes. Here are a few cute things I would like to remember.

So the last few weeks, we have not been able to kick this winter cold going around. The sore throat, the coughing, the snot. Yes, we have had it all in our house and it is finally clearing up...I am sure only for it to return again in a few weeks since we sent Lyla back to the nursery last week at church. Anyway, this girl hates for us to wipe her snotty nose and personally I cannot blame her. How awful to just have to let it drip down your face and then have a mommy or daddy have to "sneak attack" you (as daddy calls it) to wipe it off. Her poor nose, I am sure, felt so chapped and raw. So the other day I was feeding her breakfast and needed to blow my nose. I did it while sitting in front of her and she thought it was pretty neat and wanted to try for herself. So I decided to make "blowing" her nose a positive experience and I made a big deal about her blowing her nose like mommy. I put the tissue up to her nose and she actually blew out of her mouth, like she was really blowing her nose!! So funny! So for the whole day, every time I blew my nose, she did it and boy did it make for a pleasant experience.

So Lyla is still as picky as ever when it comes to eating, but oh well. I am learning not to stress about it. She still says no to milk, but I started trying vanilla flavored almond milk and she seems to like it so far. I mean, she is at least drinking it and not spitting it out, so we will see. She has also decided that she would like to try out the spoon and feed herself. It makes for a longer feeding process and is a lot more messy, but such a wake up call that she is growing up SO fast. I love to see her develop and learn, so I can't hate watching her do it, but at the same time can't help but feel like she is not a baby. She will move the spoon around her tray and then actually put some food on it with her other hand. It does not always make it in her mouth, but she is still so proud and so am I!

Today, Lyla and I were picking up Adam and mine's room. I turned around at one point and she had gotten a scarf of mine. The last time she had done this, she just handed it to me and moved on. But today, unknown to her, I just watched what she did with it. She ACTUALLY put it on her. Around her neck and everything. I had no idea she even knew what to do with it. It was too cute not to snap a few pictures.

Ready to go somewhere with mom's phone

"I am tired of cleaning mom" 

So the other day Lyla was playing with her picnic basket that she got for her birthday from her best friend Eva. She decided that she needed to go somewhere else to actually have her picnic so she picked up her basket to go. She put it on her arm right in the crook of her elbow and started walking somewhere with it. To that, Adam said "I wonder where she got that from?". I guess maybe that is how mommy carries her purse??

Today, after Lyla's nap, we were walking out of her room and I asked her if she wanted to go get a snack. She looked up at me, walked over to me and reached up with her hand to grab my hand. We walked out of her room together hand in hand. Melt my heart. With her new to walking, she does not want our help with it. So this was a first. It was only for a moment, but it made an imprint on my heart.

Helping me wrap Christmas presents the other day.

She had a little fun with the ribbon!

Cannot express how much this girl L.O.V.E.S her juice.

Love this girl!

I guess she is watching me more than I realize. I so desire to be a wonderful role model for her. I know so often I will fall short, but thank goodness she is quick to forgive and love me regardless. She is making me such a better person and for that I am ever grateful to her!!