We're moving!

While I wish this meant I was moving out of my home and into my beautiful dream home, I just mean that we're moving blogs. In an attempt to make this a little more personal, family-wise, I'm moving domains. You're more than welcome to follow me at this new url, but I won't be moving my followers or transferring this domain over. This blog grew into something that I didn't really know what to do with and then I stopped blogging. I'd like to continue blogging, but I'll be moving to WordPress, continuing to talk about Hailey, our life, etc. I'm pretending that I will have the time to do this.
I don't have intentions on doing giveaways or any compensated posts at this time. The point is to get back to the basics and focus on the reason I started this blog: to keep family and friends abreast of our life.

It's going to take a day or so to propegate and I'll be taking the next little while to design it (a perk of doing what I do, I guess) and I will transfer posts over so everything can be in one place so bear with me for a short while.

The new url will be:
http://www.mrsmommyandmrdaddy.com

Come on by to continue reading about our goings-on and learn why the new domain is called what it is.

Thanks for reading these last few years! I promise lots of fun adventures to come.

Oh, hey...

I know, I know...
But let's just pretend that it hasn't been for.ever since I last posted. Things have been just going around here. As usual, we've been traveling...going to classes and play dates galore. Hailey is my mini teenager these days. She says "no!" and runs away when she doesn't want to do something (luckily, I'm faster than she is...I always win). Sometimes she even pretends she's sleeping so she doesn't have to do something. But then she's helpful. She wants to put her dishes in the sink, throw trash away and put the rocks on the correct side of the driveway (I'm fairly certain she has my OCD).

She's talkative, as usual, which is overrated. Her vocab is in the hundreds. She can identify any common animal, what sound it makes, people's names (including her own: first, middle and last), every day objects, etc. She's even saying some 3 and 4 word sentences (the longer the sentence, the more likely she repeated it, though... something like "Hay-ee bwush your teef?") One of the mom's in her music class even asked if I did some sort of program with her to get her to talk. LOL...I just had this image of me sitting on the floor with her like massaging her jaw and then showing her flash cards, drawing out vowel sounds. In all honestly, I don't do anything special. She watches tv (albeit all really good shows for her), and I talk to her, but she's been verbal since before a year. She could say the alphabet in its entirety at 14 months, count to 10 by 15 months, and count to 20 by 16 months. Believe me, there are no secrets...that's not me...that's allllll Hailey.
But it can definitely be overrated. Seriously. At a wedding this past weekend, I made the decision to sit in the "quiet room" at the church so Hailey didn't ad-lib any part of the ceremony. Good thing, because the whole time she was saying "Hi, e'rybody!", asking for her daddy, who was the Best Man, commenting when people stood up and sat down, wanting to see the princess (bride), etc. I had my very own broadcaster as we watched from afar. About ready to pull my hair out by the tenth time the guests stood up ("e'rybody stand up??"), when the flower girl appeared in the "quiet room" not-so-quiet, I realized I didn't have it that bad, even if I only saw the vows from behind the glass. In fact, when the flower girl came in crying, Hailey looked at me and says, "Crying? Share book? Happy?" It was one of those Oh you're really not so bad after all realizations.

She does have her overly cute moments, too...the moments that overshadow the "NO!"s... Like when she says, "Bwess you mommy/daddy" when we sneeze, or sharing with that girl, saying "I yuv you", taking her toy dog, purse, and shoes and asking to go out...to name a few. Yeah, she's not so bad.

I am in slight denial that we are closer to the 2 year mark than we are the 1 year mark. I am excited, but it seems a little strange. I am ready, challenges and all, because with every challenge, there is a reward. Remember when I posted that she wasn't a good sharer? And then did you just read that she wanted to give the crying flower girl a book to make her feel better. Yeah, there are rewards with the challenges.

Conversations and a playroom wrap up (finally!)

I realized that I should write a post on here when I was about to make a Facebook status seemingly every hour today regarding (what I thought were) funny things Hailey said or did. In an effort to not "be one of those people" (you know the ones. The hourly posters or those who post things that really are really only funny to them), I decided to keep my nerdiness to my blog, where people choose to care about things that may or may not be funny.

So this morning, I was bringing Hailey a plate to the table and in true Sid the Science Kid style, she says, "Breaakkkfffassssstt ttiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!!!!" and runs to the table, except was thwarted by the corner of the couch which brought her to the ground. For the first time, I actually busted out laughing *at* her. She stands up and looks at me. Trying to keep the straightest face that I could, she puts her hand on her head and says very matter-of-factly "head". HA! Yes, Hailey, you hit your head. I guess I prefer that over crying.

Not too long after that, I started singing to her. Common toddler songs. Nursery rhymes. Apparently I wasn't good enough. "NEXT!" she said, repeatedly. Then something I couldn't understand. Turns out, it was "button". Sometimes deciphering what she means is simply a matter of understanding past events. Yesterday in the car, she asked for the "next" song in the car and when I didn't do it she started screaming at me. So in an effort to stop her, I told her to tell me to press the button please. Zing. 1 for Hailey. Oh, and definitely 0 for mama since it's clear that my vocal cords are not up to par, as judged by the most honest of them all: an 18 month old.

My response to all of this was, "You know, Hailey, I'm not a CD". She looked at me a bit confused, and replied, "EFGH!"

Hailey 2, Mama 0 (she should get another point because it actually took ME  a second to figure out why she said that).

While putting her to bed, she gave me a hug and a kiss, as she does each night. Tonight, she hugged me a little longer, sort of unusual, but I embraced the moment, and she said to me "eyes?" So I said, "Uh yes, we have eyes." "Ears?" she asked. "Yep, we have ears too." "Mouth?" ... you get the point. I needed to reassure her, apparently, that all of our features were existent and in tact. Elementary, but it was what she needed. I walked out of the room and heard her say "night night". I just smiled, shook my head and shut the door.

Talking to Hailey is rather hilarious. I enjoy our semi-conversations immensely and mostly because it either has to do with the two of us yelling back and forth (her demanding food at all hours of the day and not liking the word NO) or her misunderstanding me and pulling a card from "...the things kids say". Oh, or, her trying to now say sentences. As one or two word strings, I usually know what she is saying. But otherwise? I sometimes swear she is speaking another language.

Here is a "for this blog only" video, in which you'll see the looks I get first hand and the endless deciphering I go through.

Oh, and in a follow up to the playroom attempt, my first and only bad seller experience from Etsy came through...4 months later (I ordered this in December and it finally came like last week). I present to you Hailey's new book nook. 

Each shelf is embroidered with a different word reading "My Reading Corner". She can't reach the top one (which is good for me because I know that at least one of them can remain in tact!). I asked this Etsy seller to create this but if you're at all craftier than me (read: own a sewing machine), you can probably do this too! Here is the tutorial that I sent to the Etsian and despite the ridiculous turn around time, she did a nice job. I purchased and sent her the fabric from fabric.com. I could definitely do this again in the future (you know, for my future house that I keep searching for and won't move into for another couple years)... The good news is, except for little hands that bring toys around the house during the day, I no longer have a living room full of toy storage! Mission: accomplished!

Mama: 1, Hailey 2 (damn, that didn't work out how I intended...). I guess she's always gonna win, huh?

18 month photo session

Well, almost 18 months. I only have a sneak peek, but these are fun! Her hair is a MESS and in a couple she's mid-chew with goldfish, but that is so *her*. I told the photographer I didn't even care if she was stuffing her face, because really, that's Hailey.

So, without further ado...

#s 2 and 3 are by far my favorites and I'm hoping she has a bunch more that I will love.

That all said, when she wakes up from her nap I am going to try and find a stretch of cherry blossoms since we are in prime c.b. peek time and snap some shots with my cam! YEAH for a pretend spring (it is not really spring weather lol).

Today Hailey held her own...

We attended an open play at Hailey's gym today. I am sort of split with this time because on one hand it gives us a chance to get out of the house and give her something to do. On the other hand, it allows mixed age groups to be in the same room and that can be dangerous.


I always let Hailey do her thing, whatever that may be. She ran straight for a ball this afternoon. Whatever. I see this cute little blonde girl (3) talking to her. Hailey actually looked like she was responding (I could see her head moving back and forth). She's kind of smitten with older kids so I kind of laughed, but I quickly stopped when cute little blonde girl took my girl's ball from her hands. Still, whatever. Hailey didn't seemed phased by this and went on her way.

Maybe 10 minutes later, I was a little closer to the girls and this time blondy holds her hand up. Not really sure where she was going with this, I stepped closer. Hailey said to her, "Nice! Niiiice!"
Wow, so many things to say about that. Maybe she was just mimicking me. But, no, it was more than that. She knew what she was doing. She was telling the other girl to be nice to her in the only way she could. Blondy didn't listen though and legitimately pushed her down. Hailey fell to the floor, stood up, and yelled at her "No, no NO! Nice!" Obviously I stepped in at that point and told the other girl that Hailey was little and she needs to be careful (where was her mother?!) and this woman...sitting right in front of me... says "Oh, what happened?" Yep, there was her mother. Not watching her kid push mine down. Then she proceeded to yell at her daughter. Whatever. Her mother, sitting right there, was just as much of a problem in my mind.

But more than anything else, I'm proud of my girl. Not just talking to talk. But talking with a purpose. Standing up for herself. Being independent and strong. And entirely appropriate. I'm going to ignore the fact that she had a major attitude all the while and focus on the fact that I'm raising a strong girl who is not afraid to handle her own business. YA! Momma win!

I have a blog?

Quite honestly, I've spent so much time designing other people's blogs, I often forget that I have one myself. I am determined to keep this going, even if it means only posting every now and again!

Hailey is always an adventure, always has been and always will be. People call her independent, precocious, drama queen, trouble for my future, etc. The girl knows what she wants (except when she tells me very specifically what she wants and then decides that she no longer wants it, or better yet, I did not do it the way she intended me to. That's not so fun.) and she knows when she wants it to happen. People give into it. Her teachers. Relatives. Her daddy. Even I give into her. But I try to hold my ground, giving her options or at least limitations so that she is does not completely overpower me.

She's a tough one. Smart. And that makes it tough. She needs to be challenged. She's not into these cartoons that have no lesson or purpose. Gym class doesn't really do it for her. The days she is the easiest are the days we have music class. She's *good* at it. She sings all of the songs, dances all of the dances, and gets praised all the while.

She doesn't enjoy being in a stroller. Never has, really. She wants to walk and explore herself. She will hold my hand but there are moments where she will stop, eye something, and make a run for it.
She doesn't like being in a high chair in restaurants. She'd much rather be in a chair, so we've succumbed to a booster seat, which she seems to do better with. I am fearful that bibs are becoming a thing of the past, as well (but I'm not giving up on them when it comes to things like feeding herself yogurt or apple sauce).

There are days where all she wants is bread. Days where all she wants is pasta. Days for fruit. Days for vegetables. Days for everything. And days for nothing. Days where she just wants to feed herself. And days where she wants to be hand fed. It can be exhausting simply trying to figure out what kind of day it is, so I can cater to it.

I do cater to it. I cater everything to her. I am sure that she knows this. Oh, Hailey...

But despite her exhaustiveness, she's amazing. She stays by me at the play ground (for now, anyway). She'll sit with me for a snack. She is intrigued by older kids and they try to hold her hand and play with her, too. She surprises herself when she says a new word. And then will continue saying it until it sounds just right to her.

Last night we were at my hub's aunt's surprise birthday party. H knows "happy" (actually she can spell it thanks to a song she knows ;) but she's never said birthday. We did not really discuss it at any point. But after everyone sang happy birthday, H started yelling "BIRFDAY! BIRFDAY!". And that went on for the rest of the night.

If she seems someone with glasses, she wants to point out everyone who has glasses. Same with eyes, tongues, etc. She will go around a table and point to people, asking them to show her their features. She gets a kick out of it. I guess that despite her complexities, she really is simple deep down. Just yearning to learn.


She's back to saying seven. I don't know why it was bothering me so much that she would skip it when counting, but it did. Not in the sense that I thought she was never going to say it again, but more like an OCD bother. Like I'd shiver when she skipped it. But seven is back in our lives. And we've added 11-20, but she does get tripped up a bit. It's complicated, I know.

The best is listening to her say and spell her name. When she was an infant, I created this lame song that has a screwed up tune to "I've Been Working on the Railroad". Anyway, it spelled her first name out and then I'd sing her first and middle name. Well now she knows that song and it's really nothing short of adorable to listen to her sing it.

So the point is, we're busy, but we're doing really well. I might complain here or there, but it's likely a complaint that things are straying from perfect. We have pictures being taken later this week and I am over the top excited because the photographer is ah-maz-ing. I'm just hoping Hailey doesn't do her silliness when you tell her to smile, she just gives you this cheesiness mouth-full-o'-teeth grin. I'll post pics when they're up.

17 months - Whine and cheese?

While I would gladly take wine and cheese, my daughter has only been providing me with whine lately. Why?? She doesn't get instant gratification. It's the only reasonable explanation I can come up with. Communication isn't the issue. Yesterday she said, "eat" [whine] "please" [whine]. So I said fine, let's look at what we have. She pushes me out of the way to see what we have in the fridge. "Apples" (aka pineapples). I told her no (because she's on the BRAT diet due to some nasty reactions to antibiotics). So she said, "pastas". I go to heat up a small bowl of leftover pasta and she tantrums on the floor (aka throws herself on the ground and says "DOWN" … in case I didn't already know she was down there). 20 seconds later…literally, because that is all I heated up the pasta for…she's happy again. When she's finished, whiiinnnnneeeeeeee "more" whiinneeeee. It's enough to pull your hair out. I'm thrilled she has the words to express what she wants, but then why does the whining continue?

It comes and goes, the whining. Like today? She's been great. Very little complaining. Maybe she's bored. On the days we have stuff to do, she seems to be okay. On weekends or days that she doesn't have an activity, she is probably a bit whinier. I haven't really paid attention to correlations. I do know that it doesn't all just make sense, even if I were to pay attention to correlations. We could offer her a vegetable in her high chair and it's like we are asking her to eat fire. "Noooooooooooooooooooo. nonononono." But if we go to the couch in the living room to have a snack, even if the snack is broccoli and cheese… "More? Please! More! Please!" So now it matters where she sits? UGH. I just hope she puts this newfound communicative skill on hold while we go on vacation tomorrow.

I guess it's actually good she can speak well, because I think we'd be in trouble. If she whines as much as she does and can communicate, I don't even want to think what it would be like if she couldn't communicate verbally.
It does helps her redeem herself. How? When she does speak, it's amazingly cute. I know I'm biased, but how many kids under 2 will ask for something and say please, thank you and "welcome". Welcome is new. She doesn't totally understand it, but it's funny. She says "bless you" when you sneeze. And she told another little person to be "niiiiice" when they went to go touch her in a class the other day. Her precocious attitude is a very redeeming quality, but yet another reason she needs to be in school next year, at least part time.

I'm not kidding when I say that it's always an adventure…The thing is, while I complain, I do know that she's not really that bad (you should know that my version of whining is any pitch that rises about normal speaking voices) and at the end of the day, her whining will just lead to my wining, and that's not a bad thing!