Hayley: One Year

Happy Birthday to my little miracle! Time is going by so much faster now that we have a kid, and I don't know about Dan but sometimes I do not feel old enough to have a one-year-old. Telling myself I'm the Mom of a one-year-old does things to my mind. And at the same time, it's the greatest thing ever! I love our little Hayley and I am so grateful she came into our lives and made me a Mom a year ago.

Hayley is really the most entertaining little child ever. She has the biggest personality for being such a little thing. She brings me such joy! To say I adore her is an understatement. Her top two front teeth finally pushed through her gums and it looks like the next two on the top are going to be coming through too. She officially took her first steps on June 27. She can only take a few before falling, so not walking yet but that's ok with me. She will start walking on her own, without someone holding her hands, just by using some object to get herself up. She is getting better at standing for longer periods of time. She can stand up using just about anything to help her but has only done it once by herself with no aids. Anytime she sees flowers she scrunches her nose and sniffs, and she has to put her nose on them. Her 9-month clothes still fit but I've busted out her 12-month ones too because they're cute, even if they are a little big. She loves going to Cherry Hill, we've gone on days that Daniel has had to take his practice MCATs. She loves being in the water and will only tolerate her floaty for a little bit at a time. She laughs and kicks her legs when we go down the blue slides. Aunt Nikkole got a pass too and comes with us. We all love it! Hayley has started humming and "singing". She absolutely loves to crawl up and down the stairs. I don't know if it's because we don't have any but she often makes her way to them at both Grandparent's houses. It's pretty funny when turns around and backs up to go down the stairs. She's like a little dump truck doing a three-point turn and reversing. She started taking morning naps again around 10:30/11:00. She has started making this new face where she scrunches her nose and it makes us laugh. She surprises me all the time with how smart she is. One of her balls rolled under the couch so she got down on her tummy and stuck her hand under to grab it, she kept trying until she got it. She always wants to eat what we're eating and if you have food she will come up to you like a little puppy and just point at it or just stare 'til you give her some. I stopped breastfeeding her about two and a half weeks ago. It was like she didn't even notice because that was the end of it. She has made things so easy for me. She spoils me too. She has gotten a little better about drinking milk but still doesn't seem to like it. Hopefully, she won't take after me with this and learn to drink it up. I was ready to be done nursing sooner but because she wouldn't take a bottle we had to keep going and the only thing I'll miss about it is her being so close. She's not much of a snuggler but when she was nursing I could hold her tight and soak her in! She fell asleep in my arms yesterday and I loved it. I have to cherish those moments a little more now because they are few and far between. She has no sense of height and will try and dive off the couch and bed like it's nothing. The only time she isn't pretty happy is when she is teething, but who could blame her? Especially when she's getting 4 teeth at once! She says hi to everyone, even without being prompted by someone. She loves little kids and babies. It's fun to see her interact with them.

First time trying the pigtails.

Picnic with friends.

At our favorite place, Cherry Hill.

Sleeping mask anyone?

Swimming at Grandma Susan's.

Enjoying her birthday Slurpee.

We celebrated her birthday with friends and family on July 9 at my parent's house. Her birthday theme was Up, Up, and Away. I had tons of fun putting it all together. Maybe when I grow up I could be a party planner ha. We are certainly blessed to have such amazing family and friends who love and spoil Hayley. I am so grateful for all the people Heavenly Father has placed in our lives. We had burgers and hot dogs and other treats along with cake, of course. It was fun! Thank you to everyone who came and helped out! As always, a big shout out to my parents, Dan's parents, Aunt Nikkole, and Uncle Mike for all their help, it would not have been possible without you. Hayley took a nap after she had some cake and our families played some volleyball while she was sleeping. Once she woke up she opened her presents. You would've thought she'd done it before because she was so good at pulling the tissue paper out of the bags and reaching in for the good stuff. She got some cute, new clothes and awesome toys. She was pretty excited.

Today we played with her new toys when she woke up. She had a Doctor's appointment at 2:00. It makes me cry every time I hear her cry when she gets her shots. But she got a sucker and that seemed to make things better. Plus we got Slurpees on the way home too. Her head is almost 18 inches, 67th percentile. She is 28 inches tall, 37th percentile. And she weighs 18.8 lbs, 34th percentile.

Cake Smash photos done by Alexis Foust Photography.

Cake Smash cake done by Kiss Me Cake.

Balloon photos done by Moments by Ally Photography.

Hayley: Eleven Months

It's a good thing we only have to take this picture one more time because it is getting so hard to get her to just lay still! She is a little busy body. ALL. THE. TIME.

She gets into anything and everything she can get her hands on. And because of that I have had to try and teach her what is and isn't acceptable for her to touch/play with. She definitely knows when she isn't supposed to be doing something because she'll try and run away as soon as I get up to stop her or she'll just laugh at me when I try and have the stern Mom voice. She is going to give us a run for our money. I try not to laugh, but sometimes it's just too funny. She lifts up her hand in the direction of things she wants, which again is anything and everything, and will make the most adorable little "ooh" sound. It's fun to see her experience new things and try and figure stuff out. She wants to walk everywhere, but is still too hesitant to take steps by herself. She likes to have both your hands, but just barely started being ok with only holding on to one. She is getting better at standing up by herself and continually does it for longer periods of time. I hope she never grows out of her excited squeal because I love it and how her little toes and hands wiggle when she's excited. I didn't realize that her cheeks had thinned a little until I looked at past pictures. They are still chubby, but not as big as they were, which seems to happen when babies become more mobile. I am pretty positive that if I let her eat all day long, she would. I swear she is bottomless pit, like her Dad. She loves to play peek-a-boo, be asked how big she is so she can put her hands up, look at books, clap her hands, wave, snuggle her stuffed animals with her face, and we're currently working on high-fives. She will also give you hugs and kisses, most of the time, if you ask for them. It is the sweetest thing! She will dance whenever she hears music, including the organ at church, or when you tell her to shake it. She is a smart little baby, an example being that she'll point the remote at the TV and push the buttons until it turns on. We are going to have to start being a little more cautious of the things we do and say in front of her. She will also pull her clothes off her head. I have to get her arms out but she does the rest. She picks things up easily. She sleeps with her cute, little butt in the air most of the time. Besides hi, she also says Dad and bob, which we think means ball, and the occasional uh-oh. She has been fighting naps more lately and is down to 1-2 a day. She did well while we were in California but was definitely happy to see us again. It made me a little teary eyed after she recognized us and got all giggly and giddy. She is a little water lover! We went to the splash pad and she was happy as could be to just sit and play with the water. I am excited to take her swimming lots this summer. Summer is pretty great with a little one.

Hayley enjoyed Pizza Pie Cafe.

I'm thinking this is her, "Another picture in the tub?" face.

Hayley's arena. Her makeshift bed while we stayed with Great Grandma Harris in St. George.

She really wanted to pet those ducks.

4 generations. 

The attempted first ponytail.

Hayley comes to work with me sometimes.

Hopefully my future teammate.

Hayley loves the water! We had fun at the splash pad.

Seriously, she's going to be a little mermaid. She wasn't happy that she couldn't get in but loved watching it.

Hayley and her buddy, Vince.

Because of horrible things I read about and see in this world there are moments where I have to hold Hayley extra tight and close, even when she doesn't want me to, because I know how precious those moments with her are. I know why I have been blessed to be her Mother, not entirely but I have a pretty good idea most of the time. And I don't know why there are others who have yet to receive such blessings who have been yearning for them far longer than me, but I am grateful that she is mine and that she is healthy and happy. I am grateful I get to raise such a beautiful little child. I am grateful that she came to us when she did, even though that meant unforeseen challenges. I am grateful I get to spend so much time with her. I am grateful that mine is not the trial to want for a child and not receive, and my heart goes out to those who experience that. My heart is full today that I bear the title Mother.

Gordon B. Hinckley, "You have nothing in this world more precious than your children."

Graduation Trip to Disneyland

My husband is the best man ever to give me a trip to Disneyland/California Adventure. It's definitely an act of true love to be willing to wait in a bunch of lines for rides that sing Disney songs. It was a nice little escape from reality and responsibilities and I loved it! Thanks Daniel.
5/18 We ate dinner with my family and then my Mom took us to the airport. It was weird saying goodbye to Hayley knowing I wouldn't see her until Sunday. We flew to California at 8:15 in the evening and got there around 9:15 PM. We picked up our awesome Kia Soul rental car and made our way to Embassy Suites after we got some food. We were both pretty tired by the time we finally got to bed.
5/19 We spent the first day in Disneyland. We got in all the rides we wanted to and skipped the ones we didn't really care for. Thank goodness for Fast Passes, whoever came up with those is genius. I met up with one of my companions, Ashley Stokes, at Hyperspace Mountain and we rode it together. We had been trying to see each other for months and things kept popping up so naturally we meet up in Disneyland haha. We were at the park from about 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. We went to dinner at BJ's, mostly for the dessert but the pizza we had was pretty delicious too. The outlets were right by BJ's so we looked around them for a little bit and then hit up Ross because Daniel always has to go to Ross when we're on vacation. Sadly we left empty handed. My feet and lower back were killing me so we decided to hot tub instead of going back to the park. Then it was time for bed! It was a long day.

Finding Nemo.

Splash Mountain.

Stokesy and me after riding Space Mountain.

The man, the myth, the legend. I love Walt Disney.

Pizookie trio at BJ's.

5/20 We made sure we got to the park right when it opened, and we stayed in California Adventure all day. California Adventure was a lot less crowded, especially in the morning, so we were able to get in all the rides there that we wanted to do. It had been 10 years since I had been there so it was fun to ride new rides, although several of them were pretty similar to rides at Lagoon. We went back to our hotel in the late afternoon and went to Roscoe's Chicken 'N Waffles for dinner. I will never understand the concept but Daniel loves it. We took a little snoozer and then went back to California Adventure for a few quick rides before World of Color.
Those who know me better than others know that I absolutely love Disney. I have had the tradition of "Disney Movie Sunday" since I was a little girl, I gave my speech in 7th grade theater class on Walt Disney, and I dressed like Cinderella to my Jr. High School Prom, it ain't no thang. So call me crazy if you will, but World of Color reminded me why I love Disney so much. Yes, the songs and princesses are pretty grand, but Disney is about so much more. It's about making dreams come true and teaching children that they can do whatever they want and that they deserve happy endings. I love it. I want my kids to think that way and be raise to believe those kinds of things. If there more Walt Disney's in the world, Disneyland wouldn't be the only happiest place on earth.
Off my soap box now. The park closed for Grad Night after World of Color so we just went home because I was having my old lady back problems and Disneyland Forever (fireworks) got cancelled.

California Screamin'

Cars ride.

Grizzly River Run.

He definitely showed me how much he loved me on this vacation. Thanks love!

Toy Story Mania.

I was player 2. I have document whenever I beat Dan at something.

Dan had never been on Tower of Terror so I rode it for him. I hate the straight up and down rides.

Paradise Pier.

I had to get my corn dog from Corn Dog Castle.

5/21 We planned on getting up to get to the park when it opened but when that 7:00 AM alarm went off we decided that sleep sounded better. So we got to the park around 10:00 AM and looked through shops in between riding our favorite rides. It was nice to be able to do whatever we wanted, when we wanted. We went back to the hotel in the late afternoon again for some dinner and then came back for Disneyland Forever. We caught some of the parade before the fireworks started. They almost cancelled them again, but thankfully they didn't because they did the other two nights we were there too. Dan enjoyed the Buzz Lightyear ride, probably because he always won (but I did beat him at Toy Story Mania) so we rode that a few times afterward and then went back to the hotel to hopefully get a few decent hours of sleep before waking up at 5:00 AM to get to the airport and fly home. Our flight left at 7:15 AM and we landed around 9:45 AM.

Thunder Mountain.

Splash Mountain take 2.

The best Disney Princess.

Disneyland Forever.

It was a wonderful 3 day vacation, but man it was almost one of those "you need a vacation from your vacation" kind of trips. We walked 27 miles over the span of the 3 days we were at the parks, and both of our feet were fine, but my lower back was not happy at the end of every day. Ever since having Hayley it has not been the same. Speaking of Hayley, it was super wonderful to see her! I did video chat with her twice while we were gone but only for a few minutes and obviously she doesn't fully understand what's happening. Paul and Becky picked us up and met us inside and it took Hayley a minute to recognize us and believe that we were real. Once she did she was laughing and smiling like crazy. It made me a little teary eyed to see her again. It was a little weird having her in my arms again because California was like a separate world where she didn't exist, I don't know how else to explain it. Luckily it was nap time for her when we got home so Dan and I could take a nap too. We were both exhausted, my eyes would not stay open.
I am glad that Daniel and I had some time to ourselves. It was nice to be able to talk about things besides Hayley, work, and school, and just be the two of us again. I sure love him and am grateful that he is mine forever.

Hayley: Ten Months

I think this is the first month where I can actually believe another month has passed. The last few weeks of school seemed to drag on forever, especially finals week. But anyway, this is about Hayley bug. She has grown up so much in just one month!

She finally figured out how to crawl! She is still pretty slow and a little clumsy but she is getting the hang of it. She has also started pulling herself up on to her knees and can occasionally make it to her feet. She can stand by herself for a few seconds at a time. We started putting her in size 3 diapers because I ran out of 2s and we have quite a few of 3s stocked up. She is a little champ at waving and will wave at just about everyone, if she's in the mood. Her first word was hi. She's been saying it for several weeks now and Dan didn't think it should count but she has started using it at the right time. I love it, I love it when she says hi and waves and says it back to me after I say it. It just warms my Mama heart. She has also started snuggling a little more. After I feed her at night she'll put her head on my chest and sit there for a little bit. It's the best. Moments like those make all the harder times worth it. I am so excited to be spending more time with her. She has two bottom teeth. I was planning on starting to wean her from nursing once school was out but now that she won't take a bottle I'm not sure what to do. We're working on getting her to take one, but so far nothing has been successful and we have tried quite a few different things. Wish us luck. She likes to open doors herself, it makes me smile to see her little fingers wrap around them and pull. When you ask her how big she is she'll put her hands in the air. Sometimes she'll give you a high five. She loves cheese sticks. She loves to be outside and seems to enjoy being out and about. She does have some bad stranger anxiety and could definitely be termed a Mama's girl. She loves to put her feet up when she's in a shopping cart, her stroller, and now even her high chair. She makes my heart soar!

She's my exercise buddy.

Before she learned how to move forward.

Watching Mommy play soccer from the car. 

She loves bath time!

That eyebrow.

Mother's Day was special last year but this year was definitely even more so. And it wasn't because of the flowers or breakfast in bed, but it was because I have been entrusted with this little human and she will look to me for just about everything, I hope, and it is the greatest feeling and blessing. I am so grateful I get to raise Hayley Hayward.