Lydia Log: Wakka-Wakka-Wakka

So - what is new in the ongoing development of my progeny? The fruit of my loins? My offspring? Our Lydia? Well...

Whilst in the safe confines of our home or car - or that of her Grandparents - Little Miss becomes quite a ham. She does bang-up impressions, not just of barnyard animals, but of SAD barnyard animals, wherein she mimics the whinnying of a horse, mooing of a cow, barking of a dog (etc.) with a small, downtrodden, whiny voice. Then she mugs for her audience and laughs hysterically along with us/them. While I'm preeeetty sure we'll regret encouraging such behavior in a few years, right now it's pretty entertaining.

Conversely, while in the presence of strangers, or even fairly familiar acquaintances, Miss Lydia folds up into her parents' arms, lap, or knees - sometimes with a shy smirk, sometimes with a worrisome stare. This is not unlike her father, who often retreats into an anti-social cocoon/lap of ten foot tall imaginary parental figures when forced to interact with humans outside of his immediate circle of friends. Unlike her father though, Lydia usually rebounds within a few minutes and can be found passing her toys around, waiting to be tickled, playing games of her own invention, and/or checking the imaginary diaper status of stuffed animals. Meanwhile, her Dad is alone at the snack table.

As for vocabulary, she can repeat specific words when asked to (Albert, Nanny, happy, dog, car, etc.) but doesn't often offer them up voluntarily. However, it is evident that she clearly understands most things we say and do, and is starting to pick up on our habits - both good and bad (see: wiping up messes with sock feet, laughing at farts). More than ever, Moms, Dads, Grandparents and Aunts have to be careful what they say and do in her presence, lest they want Lydia's latest embarrassing talent to be attributed to them (see: laughing at farts).

Another obsession: the telephone. No one gets to talk without Little Miss getting a turn. A cooperative voice on the other end can ask any number of yes/no questions, and they shall all be answered "yes". This can go on for a while, and usually ends with a whispered "bye" - whispered as usually to imitate the voice of a parent trying to encourage an end to the (cute) monotony, whispering "say bye".

And that about covers it for now.