Bubba

No, I didn't forget about my Bubba. We have been hit pretty hard with the flu and I've gotten behind. Most people think it's bizarre that we call our daughter Bubba. The nickname started when she first started to talk. She called her baby doll Bubbas so we started calling her our Bubbas. And eventually the "s" was dropped and she's been our Bubba ever since. Even with such a masculine nickname she still manages to be pretty girlie. She loves to play dress up with her friends which typically includes make up. She loves to wear her hair down and really likes when people notice how long it is. Lately she has been telling me that she doesn't want to look cute, she wants to look pretty instead. Lyda loves to do crafts. She often asks me to set out a craft for her at night so that she can get up and work on it in the morning. (I think I've only done this once, but she loved it). One of her favorite crafts is just cutting out hearts and decorating them. She loves to make things to give to others. Steve and I were just talking about what a "giver" she is. She loves her friends. Everyday when I pick her up from school she asks if _______ can come over to play. It's usually Zoey that she's asking to have over. Her and Zoey have been having play dates since they were a few months old. The funniest thing about those two is that they really are so different from each other. But they love being together so much. Those two are so funny to watch and listen to. They are so grown up. Kindergarten has changed my little girl so much. She is learning to read and is doing a stellar job. She is a great student and rarely if ever gets in trouble. She has never been given the dreaded pink slip, she's come close apparently, but has somehow weaseled her way out of it. Lyda is a nice girl. Her teacher told me that there was a little girl who came to school with hardly anything to eat for lunch and Lyda split everything in half from her lunch to share with this girl. I was so happy to hear that she had done such a nice thing. It's hard when you send your child off each day and you really don't know how they are behaving and treating others. I love hearing good reports and I hope that she will always be so sweet. As much as I love how much Lyda is learning, I really do feel sad when I send her off to school. Partly because I know she'd rather stay home with us and because I feel like she's gone for so long and misses so much around here. She totally riles up her brother and sister and can be quite the tease, but she is such a bright spot too. She helps me so much. She knows when I really need help and she's always quick to step in and help out. She can even change a poopy diaper! We don't make her, but every now and then she asks if she can do it. Kind of funny.


Lyda's smile has been changing a lot this year. She has lost 4 teeth so far. She is very careful to put her tooth under her pillow and is always so excited to collect her dollar in the morning. Lyda loves to be with her Grandma Crandell. She invites herself over every chance she gets. Her latest tactic has been to ask for a ride home from church with grandma. Grandma is always so patient and kind about it. She gives in to these self invitations more often than I'm sure she'd like. Like Kode with grandpa, Lyda is always sure that grandma has something that she can help with. Baking, gardening and whatever other things grandma needs to do. Lyda has become quite fond of the monkey bars at school and has trashed her poor little hands. She seems to always have a new blister to show me. She is always telling me about the progress that she's made at recess. In fact, I hear more about recess than any other part of her day. Lyda is a big "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" girl. For quite some time now that is how she'll respond when I ask her if she likes something or how she's feeling. So a little while ago she added the sideways thumb. She just points her thumb off to the side. It's probably used more often than up or down. Everything seems to be just ok. I love Lyda's laugh. She has such a contagious laugh. When she gets laughing about something really funny she can get me to laugh just from listening to her. She loves jokes. When we drive in the car we either play "I spy" or Lyda will say, "Let's do jokes". The jokes are the most nonsensical things you've ever heard of. For example: "Mom, do trees drink gasoline?" And then I just have to say "no" in the most obnoxious voice you've ever heard and this provides plenty of entertainment. Especially since I'm the one who typically has to come up with the jokes. Maybe it's my own fault that our jokes are so meaningless. Hmmmm. One last story about Lyda was from this morning. We watched the movie Enchanted together. We were at the end when the evil queen poisons Giselle and then there is all of the drama about who her true love is and fortunately he kissed her just in time. Well I don't know if you noticed that the queen had a sword in her hand, but Lyda did. So Lyda pipes up and says, "Why didn't she just slit her throat"? That's my sweet, sweet non-violent little girl. Oh how I love my Bubba. She is just so full of love (other than the throat slitting comment). She is the cuddliest, huggiest, back ticklingest girl ever. I am so proud of the choices that she is making as she decides what kind of a person she will be. Love You!