Mama Steg

"Backpack"

2011-05-04T11:44:00.003-04:00

I might think this is way funnier than it actually is, but at the very least, it's super cute!

Easter Fun

2011-05-04T10:03:00.007-04:00

Poor little Lydia has not had much luck with outdoor egg hunts in her three years of life. The first year, she was almost one, and she was walking, but the egg hunt we were going to got rained out. I felt okay about it, because I wasn't sure she would understand the whole concept of pushing kids out of the way, grabbing eggs, and tossing them in her basket as she ran to get more. :)

Last year, I thought Lydia might think an egg hunt would be quite fun. But, again, it rained, and then I remember her being sick with a fever, so maybe that is why we didn't go to the rescheduled egg hunt either.
This year, we again did not get to go to the outdoor egg hunt, this time for obvious reasons... it's been raining non-stop for months. (I might be exaggerating a little, but seriously, only a little). So, we had a fun egg hunt inside at grandma's house.
This was probably more fun for Lydia anyway, because there were SO MANY eggs hidden in the basement, and her only competition was Joel, who has only been walking for a couple months, so odds were good she was going to get most of the eggs!
Joel learned to walk just in time for Easter and egg hunts. He figured out the art of egg collecting quickly because he has an awesome sister who showed him just what to do.

On Easter day, during a break between rain showers, we headed out to G'mama and Papa's patio for an egg hunt.

With one egg hunt under their belts from the day before, Lydia and Joel were egg hunting pros at this point.

Well, almost. Joel did get a little confused, being outside for an egg hunt, and he did start collecting rocks instead of eggs. So cute!

And here is our other super cutie! Notice how she only has a couple eggs in her basket, but they are already open. Her motto this year was, "Why wait until after I've collected all the eggs to find out what's inside? I can open them immediately after I find them!"

Holidays are so much fun with little kids!!

Where's scooter?

2011-04-19T08:46:00.003-04:00

For months, this is how Joel got around:

Josh, Lyd and I called him scooter - it was especially cute when Lydia called him scooter!

Then, on his first birthday, he started crawling. But, on our hardwood floors, he still preferred scooting, which I think is actually pretty smart, because I'm sure it's better for his little knees!

Now, this is Joel's preferred method of getting around:

Needless to say, I'm a little bit busier these days! :)

FINALLY!!!

2011-04-19T08:39:00.002-04:00

On April 8, 2011 at 14 months and 14 days of age, Joel finally got his first tooth!!!!!

Ready for Spring!!!

2011-03-31T14:36:00.002-04:00

And sunshine!!!

And warm weather!!!

And dancing!!!

Aunt Cassie, I made the deadline! :)

Playing Together

2010-08-12T14:53:00.006-04:00

Things Lydia and Joel do together:

Read books

Play with dolls

Decorate with stickers

Play doctor

Pose for pictures

Four Generations

2010-08-12T14:51:00.000-04:00

Four Generations of Handsome Stegman Men

Super Bowl Sunday

2010-08-12T14:27:00.002-04:00

On Super Bowl Sunday, Aunt Krissy and I decided to plan a fun food menu with new recipes from the world wide web. Then, all the ladies, including little Lady Lydia, put on their aprons and whipped up a feast!

I realize now that I don't have any pics of the final products, but what I will remember most about this day is dancing around the kitchen as we cooked (Aunt Krissy, you can thank me later for not posting any pics :) ) and this picture:

Looking at Little Lady Lydia in this picture makes me think this photo should be black and white and dated 1835. And that the rest of us shouldn't be smiling. I love it!

Lydia, Meet Joel!

2010-08-12T14:20:00.003-04:00

This is a good sign, because Lydia does not share her pink bear with just anyone.

Baby Joel

2010-04-29T15:40:00.004-04:00

Joel Michael was born on January 25, 2010 at 10:39AM. He weighed 9lbs 3oz and was 23 inches long!

Joel's entrance into this world was much different for me than Lydia's entrance into the world. I delivered Lydia naturally, the old fashion way. I waited day after day for her to decide to make her debut. She ended up being a week late. Intense labor started around 8AM. The car ride to the hospital seemed to take forever and was super uncomfortable. Checking in to triage seemed impossible with all the questions. And then, finally around 4PM, Lydia arrived!

But with Joel, we woke up like any other morning - except it was a little unusually early for us (6AM), and I didn't get to eat breakfast. We arrived at the hospital at 7:30, comfortably walked up to triage to answer all their questions, understandably waited while the nurses attended to mothers who were in more immediate circumstances than us, went into the operating room nervously, but without pain, around 10:15, and then the next thing I knew, there he was... handsome little Joel!

Recovery was definitely much more difficult for me with Joel than with Lydia.

And changing Joel's diapers were much trickier than changing Lydia's.

But, we all made it, and now we can't imagine life without smiley, precious little Joel.

January Snow

2010-04-29T15:02:00.004-04:00

Remember the snow way back in January...

Classic Lydia picture - very serious.

There's a smile... and a snowman!

Christmas 2009

2010-03-01T15:25:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving 2009 Highlight

2010-03-01T14:52:00.004-05:00

This is a picture of Lydia with her cousin, Colton, on Thanksgiving Day 2008.

On that Thanksgiving Day, the only food Lydia was eating was pureed.

This is a picture of Lydia and Colton on Thanksgiving Day 2009. This year, Lydia was tall enough to reach the crackers sitting on the table. And so, she happily helped herself to an appetizer of Ritz Crackers. Being the polite little girl that she is, she also got crackers for Colton to enjoy, too!

My, what a difference a year makes!

Why I'm so behind on blog posts

2010-02-11T14:14:00.005-05:00

On December 28, after a whirlwind of fabulously fun holiday events, Josh and I learned that Joel would be born a week early by way of a c-section, scheduled for January 25. From that point on, I was in full nesting gear, unable to concentrate on items not on my "Nesting List", which was prominently posted on my refrigerator. The good news: I finished my "list" before January 25. The bad news: updating my blog got shoved off the list when I realized I had too many other items on my list. So now, I will begin to try to catch up on blog posts, but it might take a while, because on most days, naps trump the blog.

Dress up

2009-12-30T15:06:00.003-05:00

Lydia really enjoys dressing up in her sparkly shoes, sunglasses, and beaded necklaces!

Papa Steg was a good sport, and he let Lydia dress him up, too!

Way to go Aunt Liv!

2009-11-19T14:23:00.005-05:00

The Girls Varsity Soccer Team at Wyoming High School had an amazing season this year. We are especially proud of Aunt Olivia for her hard work on the field, and for her awesome academic performance during the season! Way to go Aunt Livi! We love you!

Frankenstein and the Bee

2009-11-10T15:35:00.003-05:00

This year for Halloween, Lydia was an adorable little bumble bee, and Josh was an adorable Frankenstein. At first, Lydia was not sure about the Frankenstein mask, but Josh repeatedly showed her it was just daddy. The rest of the night (and the next morning), Lydia pointed to Josh's mask and said "Dada". We had a wonderful time showing off our little bumble bee to some of our neighbors. Then Lydia helped pass out candy to the other children from our neighborhood, while Josh tried to scare some of the older children from our street. He was really great with the younger children - when he saw them coming, he immediately took off his mask and showed off his friendly, big guy smile. We all had a really fun Halloween!

Good dog

2009-10-28T13:42:00.002-04:00

Scoot over Jersey!It's so much fun to sit with Jersey!
(I love the look in Jersey's eyes - "Oh no, not her again!" *sigh*)Hey, where did Jersey go?

2009-10-27T15:14:00.002-04:00

Newborn6 months1 year 18 months

Happy Half Birthday little Lydia!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-26T14:49:00.005-04:00

Over the weekend, we went to "Blooms and Berries" pumpkin patch. We saw chickens...

...and Aunt Olivia helped me feed the goats a special treat - Cheerios!

Then, we went on a hayride.

We walked around the field looking for the perfect pumpkins.

There were lots to choose from.

Mom found one!

Aunt Cassie showed me how to sit on this one! How funny!

After returning from the hayride, Dad showed me this really fun slide. He helped me climb up the bales of straw.

Then I slid down! Wheee!!!

I wanted to do it again and again!

Head Gear 2

2009-10-26T14:44:00.002-04:00

So, on Friday, I was doing some cleaning, and little Lydia, being the good little helper that she is, decided she also needed a cleaning rag. I started doing something, and then I turned around to find Lydia looking like this...

...as she was playing with her blocks. So, maybe she has decided she does like to wear things on her head. I'm going to have to find her some cute hats for this winter!

Head gear

2009-10-23T14:13:00.002-04:00

Lydia does not like to have anything on her head. She persistently takes off hats and hoods. She most definitely will not wear head bands. We use hair rubber bands to make her a pony tail every day, because she doesn't think twice about ripping out a bow or barrette, no matter how tightly it tries to hang on to her hair on the way out. Yet, this week, she found my ear warmer, put it on, and wore it around the house for a bit. It would be great if she kept up this behavior for the winter. We'll see, but I'm not betting any money on it. She was so super cute while it lasted though.

Ocean Isle Beach, July 2009

2009-10-22T14:20:00.007-04:00

Uncle Zak and Aunt CC got married!!!

2009-10-21T14:51:00.004-04:00

Way back on July 3, Uncle Zak and Aunt CC got married!!!

Aunt CC looked like a beautiful princess, and Uncle Zak was pretty handsome, too!

Dad was the best man...

Mom and Aunt Krissy were bridesmaids...

...and I got to be the flower girl!

Now, keep in mind, this is the first wedding I have ever been part of, so mom and dad were a little nervous about letting me participate. But, Uncle Zak and Aunt CC said that they loved me so so much, they just wanted me to be a part of their special day, even if I cried or tripped down the isle (which did happen during the rehearsal, which made mom and dad even a little more nervous).

Mom and Dad said I was really well behaved at the church, but when it came time for me to walk down the isle, I got cold feet. Mom and dad were at the front of the church telling me to walk towards them, and I really wanted to, but the isle just looked so big and long. Luckily, I have the best uncle in the whole wide world, and so he walked down the isle and came to get me.

After the hard part was over, we all went to the reception and had wonderful food with lots of fun and dancing.

Me and mom and dad sure do love Uncle Zak and Aunt CC a whole bunch, and we were all really glad to be a part of their special day.

Scapegoat

2009-10-21T14:41:00.002-04:00

So, this is the excuse I'm going to use as to why I have been an awful blogger. Yeah, sure, there is the excuse of mounds of laundry, kitchen floors splattered with breakfast, lunch and dinner, toys scattered throughout the rooms of our house, landscaping to be done outside...bla bla bla...but I've decided being pregnant and exhausted 95% of the day is the best excuse to use. Because, seriously, who's going to get mad at a pregnant woman?! I'd like to say that I will do better in the future, but I'm about to have a baby boy in February, so, things aren't looking so good for my little blog. But, I appreciate those of you who stick with me and check back every now and then. Every once in a while, you are bound to stumble across a great little treat!

Summer Trips to the Zoo

2009-08-31T15:54:00.007-04:00

Grandpa Don and Grandma Phyllis were generous enough to get us a zoo pass last Christmas. It has been such a wonderful gift that we have utilized many, many times this summer!

Here we are one our first trip to the zoo back in April.

In May, we went with Harper and Elise. Here is Harper enjoying the train ride as much as Lydia does!

We went to the zoo with G'mama on a cool morning in June - it was perfect!

Then, we went with Aunt CC on one of the hottest days in June ~ but we still had a blast!

We celebrated Aunt Cassie's birthday at the zoo in July, and Aunt Olivia came, too!

In August, Grandma Phyllis went to the zoo with us!

We hope that Daddy will be able to enjoy the zoo with us soon. We are looking forward to more zoo trips this fall, and we are looking forward to the cooler weather! Thanks again Grandpa Don and Grandma Phyllis!

A Surprise From Granny

2009-08-25T14:56:00.004-04:00

For as long as I've been alive, my grandparents lived in south-east Ohio very close to the original Bob Evans Farm in Rio Grande, Ohio. As a child, we would go to the farm/restaurant for dinner each time we went to visit. Like all fabulous grandparents, each time we went, they allowed us to pick out a little treasure from the gift shop to take home. A couple weekends ago, my sister, Cassie, went to visit my granny, and they went to Bob Evan's for lunch. While they were there, they picked out this little treasure for Lydia.

Lydia loves her new toy! She takes the animals out of the barn, then puts them back in. She squeezes the animals to hear the noises each makes. She puts the animals in her baby doll stroller, and sometimes she lines them all up on the bottom step of our staircase. And her new trick is to hold all the animals and the barn all at once,...

...and then drop them and let them all hit the floor! What great farm fun!!!

Camping

2009-08-06T16:21:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago, we met Josh's parents at their campsite at Winton Woods for Lydia's first camping experience.

We ate yummy food cooked over the camp fire.

Lydia got to walk Zoey...

...or maybe it was Zoey who got to walk Lydia.

And, Lydia played on the playground.

We ended the evening with delicious smores, and then went home and curled up in our own cozy beds! That's my kind of camping!

The Stegman family's first yard sale

2009-07-21T14:19:00.004-04:00

While Josh and I have gone to many yard sales together, we've never had our own...until this summer! And so, the Stegmans' had their first family yard sale together. It was a big hit!

Bike Rides with Dad

2009-07-21T14:14:00.002-04:00

Josh's mom found this bike trailer for Lydia at a garage sale - still in the box, never been used, for $20! I think it's probably the best garage sale find ever! (at least for our family) Lydia now loves to go for bike rides with her dad around the neighborhood. Now all we need to find are helmets!

Noah's Ark

2009-07-21T14:02:00.004-04:00

Lydia and I have been to the Noah's Ark water park at Winton Woods a couple times this summer. Sometimes she really likes it, and sometimes she's not that interested. But, she is always adorable!

Lydia likes Skyline

2009-06-22T14:58:00.004-04:00

Checking out Dada's 3-way.

Willing to give it a try.
Yum, open wide!

Lydia is a true Cincinnatian.

Making Mother's Day Cards

2009-05-21T16:06:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday Lydia and Uncle Zak!

2009-05-21T15:46:00.005-04:00

My family threw a birthday party for me...

and Uncle Zak!

But, let's face it, when it's your very first birthday party, it's hard to share the attention.

So, we surprised Uncle Zak with a little party of his own... well, it was a surprise, until mom spilled the beans! Way to go mom! Oh well, it was still fun!

Our little Dave Brubeck

2009-05-08T16:32:00.003-04:00

Thanks, Aunt Cass, for capturing this awesome video!

Birthday gifts for Lydia

2009-05-08T16:17:00.003-04:00

For Lydia's first birthday, her Dad put together this video of her various stages of learning how to walk (with a little help from Uncle Zak). It's amazing to watch her grow and learn so much in just a few months. Josh did an awesome job!

Lydia also received another special video for her first birthday. This one is so very special because it is set to the song that her Aunt Krissy and Uncle Zak wrote for her! The lyrics capture so many of Lydia's characteristics ~ it's fabulous! I choke up every time I listen/watch.

Butterfly Show 2009

2009-04-30T14:52:00.005-04:00

Last week, my mom had the fun idea to take Lydia to the Butterfly Show at the Krohn Conservatory. This year they are featuring butterflies from India.

Maybe it was just me, but the colors of the flowers and butterflies this year seemed especially bright and vibrant. It was beautiful.

I think Lydia noticed a butterfly or two while we were there, but she was much more interested in sticking her tiny fingers in the little waterfall and walking up and down the metal ramp which made a fun noise if you stomped your feet.

"G'mama, look at that waterfall!"

"I want to stick my fingers in that waterfall!"

Birthday Girl

2009-04-28T10:43:00.009-04:00

Dear Lydia,
I've come to realize that all parents say this, but they all say it because it is so very true - I can't believe you are a year old! Time is flying by! When I think back over the year, I am amazed at how much you have changed.

On April 27, 2008, you were so tiny and delicate. You needed help learning how to eat. You needed help holding your head. If you were awake, some part of you was always moving - your fingers, your toes, your arms, your legs.

By the time three months had passed, you had become a champion eater. You liked to play with the hair on the top of your head, especially while nursing. Your neck muscles grew strong and you held up your neck by yourself. Yet, you were never a fan of tummy time. I think it's because you couldn't see everything as well when you were on your tummy. You have always wanted to know everything that is happening, determined not to miss a single detail.

At six months, you were sitting up on your own, pulling off your socks, and beginning to eat solid food. You enjoyed riding in your stroller and swinging at the park. Watching daddy play his guitar always made you happy and filled you with intrigue.

By the time you were nine months old, you learned to clap, to play pat-a-cake, to wave, and you began to love trying to walk. You were happiest when you were on your feet, and it never mattered how many times you fell down, you always wanted to get right back up.

Now you are walking all over the place. Sometimes, it seems as though you are about to start running! It doesn't matter if you are sitting down or laying on your tummy, you can get to your feet all by yourself from any position. You enjoy reading books, especially The Itsy Bitsy Spider. You shake your hips and dance whenever you hear music. You tell us when your hungry, thirsty, and when you want more. You say "Dada" most frequently, sometimes you say "mama", and your first word was "dog". You like to point to things with your finger, and you smile and laugh when we play peek-a-boo. One of my favorite things you do now is give kisses and hugs.

Little Lydia, you are so much fun to be around. I thank God every day for the blessing to be able to stay home with you and watch you grow into a beautiful little person.

Happy Birthday my little one-year-old! I love you more than words can say!

Lydia's new favorite food

2009-04-28T10:26:00.003-04:00

Spaghetti!

Easter

2009-04-28T09:58:00.003-04:00

When I was child, Easter was a basket of goodies from a bunny, going to church, and searching for eggs with coins inside.

As a young adult, Easter was remembering that Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins so that I can spend eternal life with Him.

As a mom, Easter was realizing that God sent His son to die for us, because it would have been easier to die Himself. But, that is how much He loves us! Amazing!

Cute as a lion cub

2009-04-28T09:41:00.003-04:00

I'm having a little trouble deciding who looks cuter in this lion towel.

Dad,

or Lydia?

I think it's a tie!

Our little bunny

2009-04-07T13:50:00.004-04:00

Last week Great-Grandpa Don and Great-Grandma Phyllis gave Lydia her first pair of bunny ears. I think they look especially adorable on her!

I put them on her...

and then she decided she could put them on herself! Such a big girl!

This picture is my favorite!

Bunny Basket

2009-04-07T13:36:00.003-04:00

This year as I got out some of our little Easter decorations, I found a little purple bunny basket that Lydia received last year while still in utero. I never imagined last year that this year Lydia would be walking/trying to run around the house with it, and yet here are the pictures to prove it:

Yep, it's Monday!

2009-04-06T15:12:00.003-04:00

Here is Lydia with the second victim. Luckily, Mom stepped in and saved Tigger's life.

I think Lydia's face says, "But, Mom, why can't I put my toys in the toilet?"

Mommy's little helper

2009-03-20T20:28:00.002-04:00

Today mom said she had to clean the house, and I was going to be her little helper. Mom pushed around this big thing that made a really loud noise. Then she put a rabbit sock on my hand and said I could help her wipe up the dust bunnies. But, I had a better idea. I decided to pull all daddy's ties off the tie rack, and then mom could dust it. By the look on mom's face, I'm not sure it's what she had in mind.

Cleaning makes me sleepy!

Happy St.Patrick's Day

2009-03-20T20:11:00.002-04:00

Lydia loves to get mail, and on St.Patrick's Day, she got two cards! One was from Great Aunt Jill and the other was from Great Grandpa Don and Great Grandma Phyllis.

She could hardly control her excitement! :)

Danny's Birthday

2009-03-20T19:19:00.003-04:00

Last weekend we went to cousin Danny's birthday party.

Aunt Jan had lots of fun toys to play with at her house, but what I really wanted to do was walk around outside. I'm a pretty good walker these days, but the grass was bumpy, and I felt better holding someone's hand. Luckily, I had lots of safe hands to hold!

Mom and Dad are in trouble now!

2009-03-20T18:59:00.002-04:00

Pat-a-cake

2009-03-10T15:53:00.001-04:00

These Shoes were made for Walking

2009-03-09T11:27:00.003-04:00

A couple weekends ago, Josh and I went to Stride Rite and got Lydia her first pair of walking shoes!

Although they were a little awkward to walk in at first, Lydia immediately began to break them in, and she quickly got the hang of it. (Probably because she likes to practice walking for hours each day, as shown in the video below!)

60th Anniversary Party

2009-02-26T15:44:00.005-05:00

Earlier this month marked Grandpa Wally and Grandma Marge's 60th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, the family got together and threw a party in their honor. They were surprised to see all the beautiful decorations!

Dinner was delicious!

And so was dessert!

Happy Anniversary Great-Grandpa Wally and Great-Grandma Marge!

Our little Sponge

2009-02-20T11:00:00.002-05:00

Over the past couple months, Lydia has learned many new tricks. Here are a few of them:

Windy Wednesday

2009-02-13T11:51:00.004-05:00

On windy Wednesday of this week, Lydia and I went out to run some errands and have lunch with G'mama and Aunt Cass. Each time the wind blew against Lydia's face, she would wrinkle up her little nose and make the funniest faces, as seen below:

Aunt Jill warned us it was going to be a windy day. Don't worry, Aunt Jill, we held on to Lydia tight so that she didn't blow away! :)

More Christmas Photos

2009-02-10T16:25:00.004-05:00

These are photos from Christmas that I just got off my parents' computer. Enjoy!

A Walk in January

2009-01-28T23:00:00.004-05:00

Last Friday was an unseasonably warm January day for Cincinnati, and Lydia and I decided to take advantage of it by getting some fresh air at Winton Woods.

We stayed until Lydia gave me her sign language signal for, "I'm ready for my nap". On the way back to the car, we passed a flock of geese, some walking on the frozen pond and others taking turns swimming in a small unfrozen patch.

I thought geese were supposed to fly south for the winter. This is not far enough south.

Dress up

2009-01-23T17:04:00.004-05:00

Aunt Cass came over the other day, and as she shed her outdoor winter gear, her scarf and hat landed on Lydia. The results were adorable!

Grandpa & Grandma's Anniversary

2009-01-23T16:50:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday, on January 15, we went to Cracker Barrel to celebrate Grandpa and Grandma's Anniversary. This first picture was sent to me compliments of Aunt Jill, with a caption reading "Mommy and Daddy, look at my teeth!"

Here's Lydia with Grandpa Don and Grandma Phyllis! Happy Anniversary!!!

Aunt Krissy and I worked very hard to get a good pic. If you're wondering why we are off center, it's because the photographer said that's how you take a good picture. :)

Check out Lydia's expression in this photo...I laugh out loud every time I look at it! What do you think she is thinking? Maybe she's thinking, "Come on, not another picture!" :)

New Year's Day

2009-01-22T20:26:00.002-05:00

On New Year's Day, Lydia and Harper got together for their first play date of the year. I can't believe they are both about 9 months old now! It's fun to watch them interact with each other as they grow. My how time is flying by!

Lydia's first Christmas

2009-01-22T16:40:00.003-05:00

Everything about Christmas was more fun for me this year, and I think most of Lydia's family would agree - having a little one around at Christmas makes it 100 times better! Like most babies, Lydia loved the paper and liked the toys. But, now that all the paper has been thrown away, Lydia loves her new toys!

Around Christmas time, Lydia's favorite thing to do was imitate sheep - take a listen...

A new aunt

2009-01-22T16:23:00.003-05:00

On December 22, Uncle Zak flew to Florida and got a new aunt for Lydia. (Read the whole story here: http://thezoneofzakness.blogspot.com/2009/01/status-change.html )Her name is Christin, but we like to call her CC, and now we call her Aunt CC. Lydia knew about Uncle Zak's plans to propose, but she did a great job of keeping it a secret! God has blessed Lydia with so many wonderful aunts, all of whom are amazing and beautiful women that will enrich the rest of her life!

Christmas Spirit

2009-01-08T16:03:00.004-05:00

Stegman Chicks Christmas Pics

Pictures from the shooting of this year's Stegman Christmas Video.

Lydia's debut in her first Stegman Christmas Video...(drum roll please)...

Meeting Santa

2009-01-07T15:35:00.003-05:00

Back in December, Lydia sat on Santa's lap for the first time! It went surprisingly well. I thought for sure she'd cry, but she didn't! She didn't smile either...she basically looked exactly as she does in the picture the whole time. After the picture was taken, she became very interested in Santa's facial hair. So I quickly uncurled her fingers from the death grip on Santa's beard, snatched her up and said thank you to the Santa with a fake beard.

Black Friday

2009-01-07T12:10:00.004-05:00

The day after Thanksgiving, instead of going shopping at 4AM, we headed to Gatlinburg to spend the weekend with the Magnotta side of the family. Here they are on Thanksgiving day...we weren't there yet, but still a cute picture (even though Lydia's not in it) of the family making dinner.

When we first arrived, the weather was pretty mild. So, we went for a walk.

While in Gatlinburg, we did hit up some of the sales at the outlet malls. But, most of the time we hung out in the cabin and visited, played games, and played with babies.

Lydia had a playmate her size while there - cousin Harper!

Lydia liked playing with Harper, and her toys!

Thanksgiving

2009-01-06T13:28:00.004-05:00

As the holidays came and went, so did the time, and now I'm really behind on blog postings. But, I figure the old cliche applies in this instance - better late than never! So, we'll begin the updates with Thanksgiving.

We began Thanksgiving Day at Grandma and Grandpa Stegman's house to have dinner with Grandma Lori's side of the family. When we arrived, we discovered that Lydia and Aunt Krissy secretly planned to dress alike.

Lydia met Uncle Russ's new dog, Sophie. She was soft, and luckily very patient with Lydia who liked to pet her.

Lydia had sweet potatoes for dinner, while her mom and dad had sweet potato casserole - Yum!

We took lots of pictures of Lydia and her second cousin, Colton, especially when it looked like they were holding hands!

Earhart Family Photo (Lydia, you're looking the wrong way!)

On Thanksgiving Day evening, we went to Great Grandma and Grandpa Stegman's house. After Lydia pulled off her socks, as she always does, Aunt Jill showed her how to make a sock puppet.Later that evening, Lydia sat with Uncle Ed and looked at the ads in anticipation of black Friday!

Snow

2008-12-16T12:33:00.003-05:00

On November 17, the first snow flakes of the season began to fall. Wanting Lydia to fully experience the first snowflakes since her birth, we put on her coat and headed out.

There were really only a couple snowflakes falling, and I think Lydia just felt confused as to why were standing outside in the cold, but I got her first picture with snowflakes in her hair, so I was happy.

On December 5, Lydia saw her first "real" snow, when things were actually covered with snow. We didn't go out in it to take pictures this time, but we did look at it, talk about it, and felt the cold glass door.

Video for Dad

2008-12-06T09:25:00.002-05:00

Table Tops

2008-12-06T09:22:00.001-05:00

Tummy time is more fun on table tops!

E for Everyone?

2008-12-06T09:07:00.005-05:00

I recently read an article which stated that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV programming for children under the age of two. But, what about playing Nintendo Wii Fit? It is rated "E" for "Everyone"...

Brown County

2008-11-26T22:42:00.008-05:00

A couple weekends ago, Lydia went on her first Stegman Family Vacation to Brown County, Indiana. Unfortunately, the weather was cold and damp, but Lydia was able to find some handsome guys to keep her warm as we scurried from shop to shop.

The baby backpack I found for $10 at a rummage sale this fall was worth every penny! And the guys were FREE! What a deal!

Lydia was so comfy, she fell asleep!

While on our weekend get-away, Lydia confirmed that she likes Uncle Zak's beard...

...and she loves Aunt Krissy's silver purse.

Cute pics of Lyd...

The "VEST" Family Portrait No. 1

The "VEST" Family Portrait No. 2

Already looking forward to next year!

Exploring autumn leaves...

2008-11-26T22:29:00.001-05:00

...but not for too long, because Lydia kept trying to eat them!

Lunch with Jill

2008-11-26T22:08:00.003-05:00

Back in October, Lydia and I went to have lunch with Aunt Jill. I just now got copies of these pictures on my computer, and they are just way too cute not to post for everyone to see.

Lydia wore her custom made shirt that reads "I love my "GREAT" Aunt Jill". It was a big hit!

We ate lunch outside, and there was a little bit of a breeze, as you can see in this photo...

Aunt Jill had a surprise for Lydia in her office...

...Her very own pumpkin!...with ribbon!!!...and her name on the back!!!

In this picture, Lydia is wondering, "Where's daddy?"
It was a fun day!

Cold Toes

2008-11-13T20:23:00.004-05:00

Lydia's new favorite toy is actually not a toy at all, but her socks. She can be surrounded by toys that make noise, light up, vibrate, and some are even cold from being in the fridge. These days, she ignores them all and instead pulls off her sock.
After a thorough investigation......she pulls off the other sock.
I fear it will be a cold winter for her little piggies!

Election Day

2008-11-12T14:13:00.003-05:00

On election day, Lydia wore the shirt that Melissa got for her when she went to Washington, D.C.

After Lydia was appropriately dressed for the day, she went to the park and had lunch, which consisted of bananas.

Then Lydia did one of her very favorite things ~ SWING!

She was surprised to see that G'mama knew how to swing, too!

There's Aunt Cass...

and mom!

What Lydia is eating these days

2008-11-12T13:33:00.005-05:00

On Lydia's six month birthday, we gave her rice cereal for the first time. Josh fed her, I was video taping, and so we ran out of hands and didn't take any pictures. But, these pictures were taken the next day, which was the second time she had ever eaten rice cereal.

Lydia was definitely ready for baby food. She opened wide, and even though the texture was a little weird, she ate up the cereal.

So far, Lydia has had sweet potatoes, bananas, carrots and apples. This is what Lydia ate last night for dinner:

Apples, rice cereal, and for the first time (drum roll, please)...green beans!!! Yum! Doesn't it look delicious?!

Lydia likes it best when her dad feeds her. When he is feeding her, she always eats all of her food. Last night was no exception.

6 months old

2008-11-08T12:56:00.007-05:00

Before Lydia was born, I bought these outfits for her. The one on the right is size "newborn". I bought this one first knowing that I wanted to bring her home from the hospital in this adorable, yet comfy, little outfit. The one on the left is size "6 months". I found this outfit on sale at TJMax for just a few dollars, and although it's the exact same outfit that I had already bought for her, I justified my purchase because of the bigger size (and of course the price!). I packed the outfit on the right in our suitcase to take to the hospital, and I hung the outfit on the left in Lydia's closet, thinking that it seemed so big, I didn't know how she would ever fit into it.

Lydia arrived a week past her due date on April 27. She was 7lb 15.8 oz and 21 inches long. She was so fragile and delicate, and the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I couldn't believe we had a little baby girl. I was overwhelmed by all the information I received from the countless hospital staff, and I remember joyfully, yet anxiously, bringing little Lydia home in her new red outfit, hoping that I would remember all the right things to do to keep her healthy and as happy as her parents.

Fast forward 6 months...

It seemed as though Lydia grew out of her little newborn outfit the moment I took it off of her. All of the sudden, she was wearing her six month outfit. And then, as Lydia approached her half birthday, I realized that the outfit I thought was so big she'd never fit into it was now too small! All day I kept trying to pull down her pants legs as I was in denial that my little baby was growing up. Knowing it would be the last time Lydia would wear this cute little red outfit, I took some photos of our baby that has changed so much in 6 months. Now she is 17 lb 11oz, 26 inches long, sitting up, rolling over, eating baby food, watching and exploring everything around her, and developing her own personality. All this rolled up into one little girl whom I love immensely.

Fun-Filled Fall weekend (for mom and dad)

2008-10-28T14:41:00.004-04:00

A couple weekends ago, our family had a fun-filled fall weekend planned. Saturday evening, we went with some friends to Niederman Family Farm. I anticipated wonderful pictures that we would cherish forever as part of Lydia's first pumpkin patch experience. While we did get pictures of Lydia's first pumpkin patch experience, they were not what I had envisioned. Here's Lydia - cold, hungry, tired, and uninterested in waiting for the hay ride to the pumpkin patch.

Here's Lydia again, sucking her thumb for comfort after crying all the way to the pumpkin patch.

We did not get a pumpkin. We just got out of there as quickly as possible.

On Sunday, we went with our neighbors to the Cincinnati Zoo for HallZOOween. Once again, I was anticipating wonderful pictures of Lydia's first trip to the zoo, thinking they would be exceptionally adorable since she would be dressed up in her monkey halloween costume. My dream of framable pictures quickly began to fade when Lydia refused to nap before we left for the zoo. Here we are comforting Lydia and convincing her to let go of her thumb as she was trying to put herself to sleep so that we could try to have a Kodak moment.

It kind of worked. This is definitely the best photo from the weekend.

Here is Lydia in her monkey costume, with a real monkey (ok, it's a gorilla) in the background.

This is Lydia with our neighbors' daughter, who is dressed up as Yoda from Star Wars. Lydia had just woken up from a restless nap that was not nearly long enough.
If Lydia could talk, I don't know how she would describe the weekend. But, Josh and I had fun experiencing fall-time firsts with our little Lydia, even if she was fussy.

Swinging

2008-10-22T14:51:00.003-04:00

During Lydia's almost six months of life, she has greatly enjoyed her infant swing at home. However, until this month, it didn't dawn on me to let her try a playground swing, because in my mind, of course she's not old enough yet. Alas, our little girl is growing up, and while at the park with some of our friends, my friend Laura suggested I put Lydia in the swing with her son, Sawyer. Surprised by the thought that she was big enough for such a venture, I quickly decided it sounded like fun and plopped her in the swing. As you can see, she loved it!

Parky's Farm

2008-10-22T14:28:00.004-04:00

One afternoon in early October, Lydia and I decided to soak up as much of the warm fall weather that we could. So, we went to...

While there, we saw...

Lydia looked at the animals quite intently.

We had a wonderful afternoon together!

Another day at the park

2008-10-22T10:47:00.003-04:00

Back when the weather was still warm, Lydia and I met Harper and Elise for a picnic at Glenwood Gardens park. Lydia is so adorable in sun bonnets. This is the one that Harper's mom and grandma got for Lydia before she was even born.

Here I am trying to make Lydia smile. As you can see, Lydia is unamused. However, Harper thinks I'm hilarious.

Finally, a smile from Lydia! But now Harper's not smiling. I'm convinced they somehow communicate and work out a plan so that they don't smile at the same time. After many pictures, I eventually out-smart these 5-month-old geniuses and catch them both grinning.
Then Harper tries to roll over, bumps into Lydia...
...and starts trying to suck on her arm. I can't say that I blame him ~ she is super sweet! Luckily, Elise is there to save Lydia, since I'm just watching, laughing, and taking pictures.

A visit with Grandma

2008-10-22T10:42:00.002-04:00

Lydia's Great-Grandma Carol came to visit a few weekends ago. We had a fabulous weekend, which made me wish we didn't live 3 hours away from each other.

Turtle Creek Flea Market

2008-10-14T20:50:00.005-04:00

Wow - time has been flying by! I know it's cliche, but the older I get, the more I understand why people say it all the time, and thus, have created this cliche.

On another note, way back in September, we took Lydia to Turtle Creek Flea Market for the first time. While Lydia's mom and Grandma Lori did some selling, Lydia hung out with the Stegman guys.

As you can see from the photos, hanging out with the boys is both fun and exhausting

Also, Lydia would like to take this opportunity to say "Happy Birthday Grandpa Mark!" Mom forgot her camera the day of Grandpa's birthday celebration - way to go mom! So, Lydia wanted to give Grandpa a shout-out next to the picture of them together at turtle creek.

Lydia's first wedding reception

2008-09-23T14:47:00.005-04:00

Over the weekend, daddy was in Jimmy & Leah's wedding, and mommy went with him. I stayed at home my great Aunt Jill. These are some pictures of me while Aunt Jill was babysitting to prove to mommy that I really am ok when she is gone.

After a little while, mommy came back home and dressed me up and said we were going to a party. Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Krissy and Uncle Zak were all there!

Secretly Rolling Over

2008-09-23T14:20:00.003-04:00

Lydia has never really liked being on her tummy. I think it is because she always wants to know what is going on in every direction, and her range of motion is just too limited when she is on her tummy. Consequently, we have to force Lydia to have tummy time since it is beneficial to her physical development, but to be completely honest, she doesn't spend a whole lot of time on her tummy, because we (ok, it's really just her mom) can't stand to hear her whine in distress - even if it is for her own good. So, while Lydia's friends have been starting to roll over, Lydia has not...that is until last Friday. I had given Lydia some tummy time, and she hadn't complained about it too much. But, after almost 10 minutes, she seemed to be getting a little tired of holding her head up, so I flipped her on to her back. I then ran downstairs to put some laundry in the dryer, and when I came back upstairs, Lydia was on her tummy again! Of course, after spending almost every waking hour with little Lydia, I missed her first rollover! I told her she was a little stinker!

Here's Lydia as I excitedly cheered and took her picture.
Lydia quickly decided she wished she could roll back over onto her back.

Aunt Olivia's soccer games

2008-09-23T14:07:00.004-04:00

Aunt Olivia is on the Wyoming High School Varsity Soccer Team this season, and so Lydia has been going to some of the games to cheer her on!

Lydia sits, and sometimes stands, in the bleachers with the "Olivia fan club".

Lydia tries to stay awake for the whole game, but sometimes it's just too hard.
Good Luck this season Aunt Olivia!!!

First trip to Granny's

2008-09-11T11:46:00.003-04:00

During Labor Day weekend, Lydia went on her first trip to Granny's house.

While we were there, G'mama helped Aunt Cass can some of her garden grown tomatoes.

Lydia enjoyed exploring the plants outside. She likes to touch everything these days!

After she was finished exploring, G'mama helped Lydia wash her hands.
Here we are ~ four generations!
Thankfully, Lydia slept almost the entire way home!!! When we took her out of her car seat, she had some major car seat bed-head.

Daddy's music makes me happy

2008-08-28T17:13:00.002-04:00

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without. ~Confucius

At work with Aunt Jill

2008-08-28T14:38:00.002-04:00

A couple weeks ago, Lydia got to be her great Aunt Jills's first visitor at her new job. Lydia got to sit on Aunt Jill's desk...
and wear Aunt Jill's name badge!
After taking a little walking tour and hearing about how hard Aunt Jill works all day, Lydia was exhausted! So exahusted, that she fell asleep while sitting up in Aunt Jill's lap!

Nicole's Baby Shower

2008-08-28T14:29:00.003-04:00

Earlier this month, we went to our cousin, Nicole's, baby shower. Here is Lydia with Nicole and Grandma.
Aunt Krissy was there, too. She is so cool ~ she always lets Lydia play with her jewelry.
Aunt Teresa and Brandae were there as well.
Aunt Teresa let Lydia wear her sunglasses while she made her smile.
We can't wait for Lydia's new playmate to arrive in October!

Harper comes to visit

2008-08-28T14:19:00.003-04:00

Harper came over with his mom and grandma for lunch.

Unfortunately for Harper, his mom sat him right next to Lydia, who likes to grab things now, including Harper's arm!
But, Harper didn't seem to mind. He rested his arm on Lydia's leg, and it looks like he's about to shake hands with his mom.

In this picture, Harper and Lydia seem to both be thinking, "Our moms are crazy!"
G'mama and Aunt Cass came over for lunch, too!
We had lots of fun, and of course, took lots of pictures!

Afternoon at the park

2008-08-14T12:38:00.003-04:00

Last week, Lydia decided to go out with her mom and Aunt Cassie and enjoy the beautiful summer weather at Glenwood Gardens.

We snapped lots of wonderful pictures, which Lydia's mom has now posted all over the house.

Grandpa Don's Birthday

2008-08-14T12:27:00.003-04:00

At the beginning of August, we celebrated Great Grandpa Don's 79th birthday!

Lydia spent some time sitting with Grandpa Don.
Then, Lydia's dad reminisced about playing with some of the toys that Grandma Phyllis got out for Lydia. As always, we had a fabulous time hanging out with the great Stegman grandparents!

Catching some z's with Uncle Z

2008-08-06T12:51:00.001-04:00

Aunt Cassie's Birthday!

2008-08-06T12:25:00.004-04:00

On July 28, we celebrated Aunt Cassie's birthday by picking her up from work and taking her to lunch. G'mama and our friends Doug and Laura went, too.

This motorcycle was parked in front of the restaurant we ate at, so we decided to get our picture with it. Unfortunately, Lydia sneezed right as G'mama clicked the picture.
Lydia wore the dress that Julia got for her, because we wished Julia had been here to celebrate with us, too!

Later that night, we grilled pork chops for dinner and ate peach cobbler for desert ~ it was deeelicious!

Lydia was looking adorable ~ as always!

We ended the wonderful evening with the High School Musical wildcats dance. We still need some work getting the moves synchronized, but we had tons of fun anyway!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT COOS!

Lydia's Keds

2008-08-06T12:21:00.003-04:00

Lydia looks super cute in the Keds that Grandma Lori got for her! They're much better than Dad's old Nike's! :)

First trip to the airport

2008-08-06T12:11:00.003-04:00

On July 24, Lydia went to the airport for the first time to pick up Aunt Cassie. She had just gotten back from a trip to England. We're glad she's back, because we missed her terribly!

What Lydie is up to now

2008-07-28T10:11:00.002-04:00

Recently, Lydia has been grabbing on to her own fingers. Sometimes I think it looks like she is praying.
I added this photo because I like it. I'm not sure it's the best picture, but when I took it, Lydia was smiling and cooing and moving her arms around excitiedly. Maybe it's the memory of this picture that I love so much.

Sitting at the Big Kid Table

2008-07-28T09:48:00.005-04:00

Lydia has been accustomed to sitting in her swing while mom and dad eat dinner. Yet, recently, Lydia has decided she wants to sit at the big kid table. So, we pulled out her high chair, and now Lydia feels better knowing that she is not missing anything.

Even though Lydia is sitting at the big kid table, she's still not old enough to eat big kid food. However, she has been trying the "Elephant Stew" recipe that her mom got from Great Granny! :)

Daddy's Nike's

2008-07-28T09:41:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, Josh's mom brought over his first pair of little Nike's. We had them sitting in the family room, and Lydia decided to try them on.

They're a little big, and Lydia said she'd rather have a pair of Ked's (stay tuned...)

First trip to Dayton

2008-07-28T09:23:00.004-04:00

About a week ago, Lydia (and her family) went to Dayton to visit Harper (and his family). I can't believe they are both 3 months old now!

The mom's wanted to get in the picture, too!

New Trick

2008-07-16T11:12:00.004-04:00

On Sunday, July 5 as we drove back from Ocean Isle Beach, Lydia intentionally used her fist to hit her lion toy for the first time! Ever since then, Lydia has practiced using her fist to hit other toys as well. This past Sunday while at church, Lydia opened her fist and grabbed her lion toy! I almost interrupted the pastor to tell the whole church of Lydia's new trick, but I refrained. Most of the time, Lydia still uses her closed fist to hit things, but she is practicing open-handed grabs more and more each day. Here is a video of a closed fisted hit. It's a little long, but greatness cannot be rushed.