Well, Hello There!

I know it's been forever but life has been crazy busy around these parts. Having a whole day at home is a luxury these days.

We went to Jamaica in September and I've just now found the time to attempt to post a few of the 1,000,000 pics we took. Her aunts (my sisters) spoiled and indulged her and gave her constant attention. I think it was quite an adjustment for her when we finally came back home.

My sisters: Tricia, Tasha and Marsha

My Auntie Jackie - my mother's sister

Someone looks like they're trying to obtain a modelling contact. I won't say who.

She did.not. like the water at first. Then she LOVED it...but you can't tell from the pics. Lol.

Playing in the sand was her favourite thing! She ate it in between drinking the sea water. Thankfully my mother intervened and reminded us that saline is a laxative. Her diapers were UGLY for the next few days. I shudder to think how much worse it would have been!

Wake up Daddy! You tired already?!?!

Mutual Admiration Society

Sleeeeeeepy

My mother had her first birthday party...ever. This is right before Syd helped her cut the cake.

My Auntie Blossom - my mother's sister. They look sooooo much alike. I never noticed it when I was growing up but man!

Baby Love

Trying to get in on the domino game

The authentic way to do jerk chicken/pork. We were there for 9 days and I think B got food from this place 6 of those days. It's fantastic!

The view from my mother's house. Amazing!

Happy Birthday Baby!

Baby Girl turned 2 yesterday. How awesome is that?? 2 years ago there was so much anxiety surrounding her birth and looking at her today brings us so much joy. She's a happy, healthy child who is developing just the way we hoped. God is good.

She had presents and cake and ice cream and partied with her friends, Emma and Eden.

One of the birthday presents - a tricycle

Daddy, why did you stop pushing?? I'm not happy!

Most.pathetic.singing.ever! They claim they were tired because they were at the third verse.

Meet Dr. Tate

He delivered Sydney and saved her life:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/may-29-2009/dr-t/3115/

You can click the link to just read a transcript of the interview.

I worried about having a daughter...

Long before I ever got pregnant, I feared having a daughter. That seems strange since I have only sisters and well, I'm a girl. I just think life can be harder and much more complicated for girls. My husband begs to differ but what does he know? Growing up isn't easy for anyone but so many insecurities and fears seem so much more acute in girls... the social anxiety, the pressure to look, be, speak a certain way.

Lately she's been emulating me. She wants to sweep when I sweep. She brushes her hair when I do mine. She looks at me in awe when I get my hair done or wear makeup. She's fascinated by nail polish and sparkly things. I put her swim suit on her and she twirled and danced and was so happy in it. I've been more and more conscious of how vital my role is in her development and how she values herself. Of course we need to make healthy choices and I'm working to show her that but I also want her to love herself and know her worth regardless of how she thinks she looks on any given day. I want her to know God loves her with a pure and true love and she doesn't have to settle for anything less.

I heard this song recently and it gave me chills. I sing the chorus to her every single day now.

More Beautiful You

Recorded by: Jonny Diaz

Lyrics

LITTLE GIRL FOURTEEN FLIPPING THROUGH A MAGAZINE
SAYS SHE WANTS TO LOOK THAT WAY
BUT HER HAIR ISN’T STRAIGHT HER BODY ISN’T FAKE
AND SHE’S ALWAYS FELT OVERWEIGHT

WELL LITTLE GIRL FOURTEEN I WISH THAT YOU COULD SEE
THAT BEAUTY IS WITHIN YOUR HEART
AND YOU WERE MADE WITH SUCH CARE YOUR SKIN YOUR BODY AND YOUR HAIR
ARE PERFECT JUST THE WAY THEY ARE

THERE COULD NEVER BE A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU
DON’T BUY THE LIES, DISGUISES AND HOOPS THEY MAKE YOU JUMP THROUGH
YOU WERE MADE TO FILL A PURPOSE THAT ONLY YOU COULD DO
SO THERE COULD NEVER BE, A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU

LITTLE GIRL TWENTY-ONE THE THINGS THAT YOU’VE ALREADY DONE
ANYTHING TO GET AHEAD
AND YOU SAY YOU’VE GOT A MAN BUT HE’S GOT ANOTHER PLAN
ONLY WANTS WHAT YOU WILL DO INSTEAD

WELL LITTLE GIRL TWENTY-ONE YOU NEVER THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD COME
YOU STARVE YOURSELF TO PLAY THE PART
BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU THERE’S A MAN WHOSE LOVE IS TRUE
AND HE’LL TREAT YOU LIKE THE JEWEL YOU ARE

SO TURN AROUND YOU’RE NOT TOO FAR
TO BACK AWAY, BE WHOYOU ARE
TO CHANGE YOUR PATH, GO ANOTHER WAY
IT’S NOT TOO LATE YOU CAN BE SAVED
IF YOU FEEL DEPRESSED WITH PAST REGRETS
THE SHAMEFUL NIGHTS, HOPE TO FORGETS
CAN DISAPPEAR, THEY CAN ALL BE WASHED AWAY
BY THE ONE WHO’S STRONG CAN RIGHT YOUR WRONGS
CAN RID YOUR FEARS DRY ALL YOUR TEARS
AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THIS BIG WORLD
HE WILL TAKE YOUR DARK DISTORTED VIEW
AND WITH HIS LIGHT HE WILL SHOW YOU TRUTH
AND AGAIN YOU’LL SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF A LITTLE GIRL

It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A!

First of all, let's just pretend that it hasn't been a month since I posted. Deal?

Ok.

As part of our plan to start doing more stuff, Syd and I have been going to the Y daily for about 2 weeks. I get to workout and she gets to spend 1.5 hours with other kids and caregivers at no additional cost. This is amazing because the Y is so much less expensive than other gyms and the child care is not just about them sitting the kids in a room for the whole time. They read stories, they dance, they sing, they play with developmental toys, they learn letters and numbers, play with play-doh. The care-givers are all either trained teachers or nurses and are really good with the kids. It's pretty much, awesome. Plus, the interaction with other kids is good for her.

The first day, I left the area before she noticed. She cried a little but then settled down and had fun the rest of the time. I kept looking at her from the exercise room and was very happy with how she was doing. There was one point where she was playing with a toy and a boy, who had to be about 4, snatched it from her.

She punched him square in the face. *blank stare*

He gave it back to her.

I guess we can skip the, "Don't let anyone bully you" talk for now.

Day 2 did.not.go.well. She wailed the second we walked in the door and after15 minutes, they came to get me because she was completely inconsolable. I hung out with her in the room and interacted with the teachers myself so she could see that they were harmless. Day Three, we got in the door and she turned around and ran right back out. I handed her over, kicking and screaming but she settled down with only occasional outburts. Day 4 she cried for 10 minutes and was done. Day 5 she whined but didn't cry at all and had tons of fun. Yay! It's been smooth sailing ever since.

Besides that, everything is good with her. Her separation anxiety has morphed into this need to have both Brian and myself in the same room with her at all times. If he's home and she hears him downstairs, she stands at the top of the stairs and cries out to him until he comes up. If I leave the room, she cries until I come back. It's cute but it makes it hard to get stuff done. Of course we could just do what we need to do but that pathetic, whiny cry of, "Mamamamamamamamaaaaaaaaaaaaa" is hard to ignore.

These pictures were taken randomly over the last few weeks:

She likes turning every object into a hat. Most times, she insists we wear it too
The Pepsi Generation

What, you don't get this excited to go to the grocery store?

Sydney goes to Dallas!

We spent about 20 hours in Dallas and that included about 8 hours of sleep time. It was short but it was so good to see Syd with her cousins and how excited she was to be with them.

With Heaven and Amanda. Heaven is Uncle Che's sister's daughter. Got that? Sydney really, really, really loved being with them. That's her screaming and being really excited - pretty much what she did the entire time.

Amanda and Uncle B

Josh and Syd. Amanda loves actively playing with her and Josh just lets her do anything to him. The kid was in heaven.

Grandy reading to the grandkids. Yes, that's B under Amanda.

Auntie Sam. See how she just leaves her dentures laying around? For shame!

Syd and Uncle Che

Love this!

Sydney goes to Texas!!!

We went to Texas last Friday through Tuesday and visited family. We had a really good time and it was so awesome to introduce Syd to all these people who love her but had never met her. I worried about how she would handle her first trip away from home, air travel, sleeping in new surroundings and being around people she didn't know. She exceeded my expectations and slept great, was fabulous on the plane and especially loved the turbulence (which is weird because she gets scared easily) and had a wonderful time with everybody. It was a blast!

L-R, Gran Gran, the family matriarch; Auntie E (Eleanor), Gran Gran's daughter and Grandy's sister; Shanna, Auntie E's daughter and standing: Sarad, Auntie E's son.

Being read a story, her favourite thing these days.

Fascinated by Gran Gran's shirt

Napping on Auntie E. It took her a few minutes to warm up to each person but she was immediately attached to Auntie E. We think (a) she reminded her of Grandy, (b) she felt a certain kinship with her since Auntie E previously held the record for a preemie in the family, weighing in at just over 2lbs at birth or (c) a combination of both.
Pics from the Dallas leg of the trip tomorrow!