The Fourth

For the Fourth of July, the kids and I spent part of the day at my parents'. Though the water was too chilly for my liking, these two definitely didn't mind. Switching back and forth from the new kiddie pools to the water table, Hadley and Caleb splashed joyously. If all that water fun wasn't enough, Mom and Courtney also took them for a ride on the chicken wagon (aka golf cart) up to see the chickens, over to the woods to pick some wild raspberries, and down to the creek to wade and catch some minnows. My mother said it was one of the best days of her life!

Cutie pie! (Probably the only age that this little girl will ever be seen in a bikini!)

Water wonderland or obstacle course?

After all that outdoor fun, the babies were ready to snuggle in the bed with Pop for some TV and a nap. 

Later that evening, just as we did last year, we celebrated with fireworks at the church. First though came the potluck! Hadley. who had just woken up from a nap. was a little cranky at first until our friend Kelli gave her a slice of watermelon. Then, all was right with the world again.

Dinner was followed by some outside activities - sidewalk chalk, Frisbee, and firecrackers!

We're #1!

I was worried Hadley would be afraid of the fireworks. Nope!

One of the biggest thrills was the homemade waterslide. At first, Hadley sat with Kelli at the top playing in the water and watching as Caleb had the real fun. Eventually, she kept standing and trying to walk down the slide like the rest of the big kids. Though it took some persuasion, finally everyone talked me in to letting her try it out too.

Sitting on the sidelines is only okay for a little while

Chloe was a great riding partner

Uh-oh, who's in line now?

Mommy only felt comfortable if Daddy was Hadley's riding partner

When I saw them spin and flip over, I was a bit panicked. Daddy had her though!

Keslie was a good riding partner too.  (And very pretty Caleb later told us!)

Good grip, Chloe!

Hadley had to go home for bed before the real fireworks began. While her and Dave walked to the house and got cleaned up, Caleb and I watched the display. One of the men at church had 48,000 firecrackers in addition to the normal show. It was a bit insane!  After the remnants began falling on our heads, our lungs filled smoke, and our eyes started getting coated, we retreated inside the church to take cover and wait out the rest. This gave Caleb the opportunity to spy a cupcake that he just had to have. Since it was ten o'clock or so, I didn't think this was the best idea and convinced him we could take it home in a cup and have it the next day. So, after the noise halted and the smoke began to clear, we went for our car, cupcake cup in hand and ready to hit the sack.

Hadley Highlights

Hooray! It is time to talk about my smiley girl and catch everyone up on the new things she can do. I hope this post also gives those of you who don't get to see her on a regular basis a good idea of her personality and what she loves to do. I am bubbling over with ideas of things to share about what makes Hadley unique, precious, entertaining, lovable, and beautiful. I guess I'd better get started then, right?

 

As far as skill development, she is starting to say quite a few words. Hadley even uses a few disyllable words and two word phrases at times in addition to the traditional ones you expect babies to pick up. It seemed to me that Caleb was saying more at that age, but I think he was just saying different words and I don't believe I ever made a list from when he was this young.  Here are some she's mastered: Dada (or Daddy or Dado), Mama, brother, NaNa, baby, kitty cat, duck, quack, cluck, cow (and woo for moo), bubble, uh-oh, more, there, drink, yeah, woo-woo (what she calls her pacifier), yay!, apple, bye bye, and wa-wa (for water). There are a lot of other terms she's begun to mimic too but doesn't use consistently yet. I also taught her a couple baby signs when she was very small - "more" (pointing to the middle of her hand) and "all done" (dusting off her hands), but for the most part I am just trying to get her to use the actual words. Even if she doesn't exactly know know to pronounce a word, Hadley is pretty good about attempting anything we ask her to try. When playing peek-a-boo, I can sometimes even hear her trying to say "there her is" as she yanks her sweet hands from her eyes.

Potty training has been another thing she's started. Within the past couple weeks, we've had several successes. One night Dave was getting ready to bathe her, and this big girl took the initiative to try out Caleb's potty. Since then, I've set her on it a few times when she's had a dry diaper and told her to go. To my amazement, she went! It's more of a game to her right now, but wouldn't it be great if come October the only one I had in diapers was our new baby boy?!?!

The one thing most noticable about Hadley to people seems to be how friendly she is to everyone. She's not a clingy baby. Not matter where we are she's trying to make a friend, jabbering away at complete strangers. And, boy does she melt their hearts! She can get the attention of an entire waiting room. We've noticed a time or two that she is especially drawn to old men like my grandpa and my great uncle C.D. I am not sure what excites her about them but she gives them extra special attention and affection. 

 

While Caleb means the world to her, she is not a little sister that's going to be left behind or stand in her brother's shadow. That's for sure! Hadley is absolutely full of personality. As a result, people often comment that she is such a happy baby, smiling most of the time. Most grumping is pretty short lived in her world. It's not just her smile that's captures people's attention though; her body language and facial expressions make you just want to eat her up.

Not only are people drawn to her, but she is drawn to people. There are a few particular individuals, who when they walk through the door, she is over the top excited about though. Her daddy is one of them. As soon as the door to the garage cracks open, she's on alert and often running to give him a hug. Dave usually greets her with some lovin' and a comment about how pretty she looks in her outfit. (When I questioned why he doesn't tell me the same thing, he retorted that I don't come running to him at the door on a daily basis with that enthusiasm.) My mom and dad are two more people that get her stirred up when they visit. She'll kick her feet if she's in her booster seat, run to the door and clap, or just give the biggest cheesy grin you've ever seen. There's definitely no hiding how she feels.

There is one person she is especially hooked on though. Hadley is absolutely crazy about her brother! When Caleb wakes up in the morning or after a nap, she gets so excited smiling, jabbering, stomping her feet, and running to hug him. If she falls down or gets bumped, just a hug or kiss from Cay-Cay can immediately stop the tears from rolling as a sweet smile appears on her little face. As much as she loves that boy, I know she'll do fine with having another brother come October! 

The only problem is that sometimes she loves being with him and being involved in what he's doing a little too much. Caleb is very orderly and, like I've mentioned on here before, he loves to line up his toys. Hadley is always coming along and grabbing one of the trucks, dinosaurs, cups, etc. that he's organized and messing with his set-up. Anything he wants to play with, she's right behind him trying to get those dainty baby girl hands on too.

Since she loves doing whatever Caleb is doing and because there are so many boy toys laying about, Hadley can frequently be found roaring at a dinosaur, pushing trucks across the floor, or lugging around some type of toy tractor. (Enjoy the throw-back pics here from several months ago that I never got to post!)

Ride 'em, Dinosaur Girl!

She is not afraid of a little dirt either. Right after we got home from the ultrasound a few weeks ago, Caleb wanted to play in the rain and, of course, she took off too. While he stopped beside the big puddle in the driveway to throw in some rocks, this little princess stomped right through it, drenching her delicate white sandals and dipping the hem of her pretty dress right in the muddy mess. A few days prior we planted some flowers in the yard and miss priss had herself covered in dirt then too. It makes me smile.

What's clenched in those chubby baby fists?

Dirt can be an accessory, right?

Don't get me wrong though, this truck lovin', puddle splashing girl loves all things girly too. At only a year old, I'm quite surprised with Hadley's love of shoes - a trait she definitely did not inherit from her mother.Usually I am discouraged with hunting for shoes because I have a hard time finding ones that are comfortable. Hadley loves them all. Boots, sandals, heels, even her brother's old dinosaur slippers catch her fancy. While most kids fight when they have to wear shoes even to go outside the house, Hadley wants to wear shoes every time she spots a pair. Plop! Right in your lap or on the floor she'll flop down and attempt to put on her own shoes or motion/fuss for someone to help her. I can't tell you how long she can keep herself entertained bringing different pairs to Mom or I to try on. Usually little ones want to yank their footwear off as soon as they can, but she's completely content to keep her piggies inside them. My mom bought her a pair of heels recently that I was skeptical about since she hadn't been walking that long. Hadley put them on and prissed across the floor like they were made for her. Some days she might be strutting around in just a diaper but at least her shoes look good, right?

Clothes are also exciting to this little lady. They might not excite most kids, but she just grabs them and hugs them, smiling all over herself about the outfit we are about to put on her. Even at her birthday party, you could tell she was just as excited about the clothing as the toys.

While I'm a bit embarrassed to show a picture of her closet, you can see that she isn't the only one with a clothes addiction. Thanks to friends and family for hand-me downs, great yard sale and consignment finds, and NaNa's love of Gymboree, Hadley has an over abundance of outfits for us to enjoy.

Let's not forget accessorizing. Just like with the shoes, it is a game to Hadley to try on different types of sunglasses, hairbows, or jewelry, and she thoroughly enjoys it. She especially likes to put on the gold baby ring my mom got her for her first birthday and show off her precious finger to anyone who will take notice. It doesn't have to be fancy jewelry though to excite her. For two weeks or better, she wore a toy stethoscope around her almost every time she spotted the thing. Bibs are also a fun thing to take on and off - or dump a stack of on the ground for that matter.

There are a few girl toys she enjoys too. For example, cuddling dolls up to her cheek or playing with her vanity set is always fun.

Blankies are super high on the list of important things to her right now too. Neither of my children really attached to a "lovie," but Hadley's always enjoyed snuggling blankets. Up until the past few weeks, she was content to drag the blanket with her for about a minute after waking up until she found toy to steal her attention. Lately though she's been a lot more like the Charlie Brown character Linus, carrying her blanket with her throughout the day. I am not sure if this is new attachment was a result of her cutting several teeth lately or if it was a response to me weaning her about a month ago, but either way the blankets aren't going anywhere soon. I was also a kid who loved blankets, so much so that my mom even had Santa take them in exchange for toys one year to try to break me. Pillow cases work just as well though you know, so her scheme didn't work. I guess time will tell if Hadley's going to be as fanatical as her mother.

Unlike Caleb who's been an avid TV watcher since he was a baby, Hadley has shown little interest in the television until recently. Even as of late, she doesn't pay much attention unless Bubble Guppies comes on. But if her favorite show pops on the screen, smiling and dancing ensue. She gets right up to the screen as close as she can and keeps going back no matter how many times we scold her "That's too close, Hadley." (If I had to throw a birthday party for her right now, I definitely know what the theme would be!) Many mornings she even wakes up saying "Bubble Bubble" before she even gets out of her crib. Other mornings she begs for it as soon as we come down to the living room and she spies the television. Mommy usually holds back and makes her play toys for a while before allowing any TV watching for the day though.

I've been thrilled for the most part that she wasn't interested in watching much TV because I'd rather she not. Plus, I don't want have to fight the battles that we often do with Caleb. On the other hand, it is good that she has one show that excites her and captures her attention since it is one of the few times I can get her to slow down long enough for me to pop supper in the oven, sweep and wipe up after meals, get dressed for the day, or deal with a potty training situation with her brother. She is such a busy girl that these TV shows also give me more opportunities for keeping her still so that I can get some quality snuggling out of her too.

She is definitely not a kid that stays in one spot for very long for anything though. Even in the womb I said that she was a lot more active than her brother.  Hadley is always moving, opening things and pulling out anything she can find. I am often so exhausted by the time she takes a nap that I feel desperate for one too. It is no wonder that I was below my pre-baby weight after I had her when this third pregnancy began.

Sitting amongst the cheese crackers she pulled out of the pantry and skewed across the floor

The pantry  has been rearranged on a number of occasions to keep only safe items with in her grasp.

"Get down from there, Hadley!" and "You aren't supposed to climb the stairs without Mommy and Daddy!" are both phrases you might hear around our house on any given day. While Caleb was never much of a climber, Hadley always wants to be standing on or scaling something she shouldn't. The steps are the main problem. We have two sets - one that leads upstairs that are all hardwood and another carpeted set going to the basement. For the first few months after she learned to walk we didn't have functional baby gates since Caleb accidentally broke one of the ones we used when he was small. I was about insane trying to keep up with this busy girl and keep her away from the steps. Now things have gotten better since we've ordered another gate, but any time she sees the opportunity, you better believe she'll take it! Climbing on her and Caleb's rocking chairs has also been at the top of her list for favorite dare devil activities as well as balancing on top of Caleb's Pooh train or her grocery scooter. She can't just pick something sturdy and stationary, this girl goes for items that rock and have wheels. Don't leave a ladder or step stool sitting out or the dishwasher door open for that matter; she'll try it! She even got in trouble by at lifeguard at the WARF pool for trying to climb the sliding board. I have my hands full!

She will settle down for a few minutes and look through some books but most of the time she isn't still long enough for you to read through one in its entirety. Sometimes I just keep reading to her even when she's up wandering around the room and playing. Books that keep her attention the most are ones with flaps, pop-up features, or holes to stick her fingers through. Caleb was so good about sitting even at a very young age to listen to books that I've pretty much always been in a good habit of doing so with him. Hadley is so busy that I sometimes need reminders to stop her for a few minutes to sneak in a book. The summer reading program at our library has been a great motivator and accountability source since I have to log all the books we read together for the week. More and more lately though she has been coming to me or Dave with a book in hand ready to at least look through it together. Our pediatrician says at this age just trying to make sure they have good feelings about books is more important than reading from start to finish anyway.

Kitty Boo - One of her favs

 

Brushing her teeth is another favorite pastime. Almost every time she spots in on the bathroom counter, Hadley grunts and reaches, begging me to let her clean those baby pearly whites. When I finally have to confiscate it, tears often begin to flow unless I distract her somehow with a toy or something. Some mornings when we are in a hurry to leave, the toothbrush even ends up making it in the car with us just to keep everyone happy and cooperative.
 

Notice her hand - moments before we are about to leave for MOPS

Toys, shoes, and accessories entertain for awhile, but what brings the most thrill is probably any opportunity to play with water. From the bathtub to the pool to the water table at NaNa's (even to the puddle as you saw above), Hadley is a water baby. She turns her sippy cup over at times to make puddles on the hardwood floor or her highchair tray for more water fun. We could not get Caleb to put his face in the water at swimming lessons, but Hadley readily will dunk hers right in given the opportunity. In the tub, she flops around on her belly, laps up the water, and splashes like crazy. I am so glad summer's here and she'll have more opportunities for outdoor water fun.

Food definitely tops her list of favorites too. Don't let this dainty girl fool you; she has the appetite of a teenage boy. No kidding! Last August, she started the ball rolling by going after an ear of corn on the cob as her first official food. Soon after we tried some rice cereal. Though she was raring to go, she was a little grumpy after she got what she asked for - no quite what she expected!

While Caleb ate pretty much anything when it came to baby food, Hadley was much more picky. (The crazy thing was that I can't tell you how many times I caught her munching on stink bugs like it was nothing out of the ordinary.)  Now that she's on to real people grub, she goes at it like she hasn't eaten in a week - often out eating her brother at meals. No joke, two weeks ago we went out with the twins (Daniel and Anabella) to celebrate Granny's birthday and this child out ate all three three-year-olds hands down. There is no sharing off our plates at restaurants usually either; she needs her own kids' meal. She's not indiscriminate and definitely shows preferences but is less picky than she used to be. Her mommy has a hearty appetite too and they used to call Granddaddy Eddie "Goat," so I guess we know where it comes from, right?

Often she will eat two waffles plus Cheerios for breakfast.

 

Hadley loved nursing too. Just a little over a month ago, I finally had to wean her though. Neither of us wanted it to happen quite so soon, but with a new sibling on the way she needed to transition well before she'd be forced to later on. We tried introducing her to a bottle right before she turned a year old with some cow's milk. She liked it the first go around but afterwards went on strike and refused any other kind of milk aside from Momma's. Eventually she relented and started drinking from a sippy cup like we'd hoped. I stopped the night feedings and cut back slowly until finally we tried the cold turkey approach because I thought dragging it out was making it harder on her. She really did much better than I expected, and it has freed me up some because now she can stay the night with my parents and I don't have to worry about stopping to find a spot to nurse when we go out in public. Occassionally she'll seem to vaguely remember and tug at my shirt, but for the most part I think she's content and has pretty much forgotten already.

Upset because she wanted more milk after the first bottle. I thought the transition would be quick and easy at first. About two months later, we finally got the job done.

That's my girl in a nut shell. Hope you enjoyed seeing just a little of what makes her tick. We sure are crazy about this little lady! I wish I could remember ever single special detail. The clock moves too quickly...