Lydia is 8 years old!

Lydia is 8 years old!  Lydia has grown up so much in the last year!  Out with the pink and purple; in with the blue and green.  Out with the rainbows and butterflies; in with the guinea pigs and endless chapter books.  Out with the princesses and ponies; in with the ancient Rome and gladiators!

Lydia has the same teacher she had last year, which has worked out really well for her.  In first grade, her teacher recognized that she was quite bored with the math curriculum, so she challenged her to complete the 1st and 2nd grade curriculum.  This year, she joins a 3rd grade class for math.  It is hard work, and we are proud of her!  Lydia also LOVES to read! She devours all kinds of books.

Lydia has decided that swimming is her sport. She is in level 4, which requires her to do the front crawl and backstroke for 25 yards and butterfly and sidestroke for 15 yards.  She has all the skills except the butterfly.

Lydia has been talking for months about wanting a "guinea pig" birthday.  Guess what?  You can't just go to the party store and buy guinea pigs paper plates and napkins and balloons.  And what exactly do you do at a "guinea pig" party?  This was definitely going to require some imagination help from pinterest.  The decorations were limited, but I made a guinea pig cake and came up with two crafts.  I also made a "sling" for her to carry Milo around in.  Lydia praised this as "the best birthday party ever"! And I was just going for passing!

We also had a special day planned for Lydia.  Papa and Meemaw usually take each kid out to lunch and they go shopping for a present for their birthday.  But for this special lunch, we left Papa at home and it was just the girls at at the American Girl Doll store!