Grand Opening

Big day today!  It was Nathan's first day in his new office!  Very exciting (and stressful)!!

Happy Birthday Hailee!

Why must they get so big so fast?  Even though she's pretty small for her age, she's still just so big!  She's really seemed to grow up a lot in the last month or two, not talking a whole lot yet, but she understands and can follow directions and that's something!

We celebrated her birthday the day after... it was Mother's day, and we had everyone over to our house.  I made her a cake- and like last year, not happy at all with how it turned out.  Whatever.  Maybe someday.  It tasted good at least *grin*  Between the 2 layers I added sliced strawberries and cream cheese frosting- yum!

Unfortunately, she had a late nap and woke up to a very busy house with all our family here... she usually likes to wake up nice and slow- lay in her bed for 15 or 20 minutes snuggling her blankie and sucking her thumb and 'singing' songs to herself... instead, one of her cousins got her up.  She wasn't very happy...

For whatever reason, while we were singing "Happy Birthday" to her, she went from grumpy, to this:

and she was over it!

Hailee is our little princess- her brothers love her to pieces... and call her 'Hai-bug" more than anything. 

She likes girly things, but plays like a boy.  

She loves to sing and be sung to- if she's not on board with having to have her diaper changed or her hair brushed or any number of things a two year old isn't in to, all I have to do is sing to her and she is immediately transfixed- the other day we were at the ENT for a tube check and found out BOTH her tubes were out of the eardrums so he removed them under the microscope- which required her to lay very still- which she isn't capable of- so she had to be held down... of course she was mad and crying and resisting until I started to sing to her and then she just calmed down and let them do their thing.  She often 'sings' to herself before going to bed at night, or in church after the hymn is done... because of her speech delay, I do NOT like to shush her vocalizing, but she gets pretty loud sometimes- especially in a quiet chapel!

I have made peace with my bathroom drawers being in a state of persistent chaos- every morning she busies herself exploring the drawers while I get ready.

She loves to be outside, and if a door is left open, she is sure to make an escape- usually with whatever shoes she can find first!

She is a great helper and is especially good a helping me unload the dishwasher... and any other task which will win her a 'yay' and me clapping my hands for her...

She loves her blankie- and her lovie- I crocheted her pink blankie when I was pregnant with my first daughter Bryson- a single crochet was the only stitch I knew... it took forever to finish.  I learned a new stitch when I was pregnant with my second daughter Dallin (yes, I've thought ALL my boys were girls)- and started a new blanket with the same soft pink yarn... I quit when I found out HE would not be needing a pink blanket so it never got bigger than about a 1 foot square- after Hailee was born and grew very attached to the first blankie, I dug out the 2nd, unfinished blankie, tied it off and it became her lovie.

She loves to eat fruit, especially oranges and apples.  She can hear the pantry door opening from a mile away- she loves the 3rd (out of reach) shelf for all the snacks and dried fruit treasures it contains.  She loves cereal with milk and must use a big girl spoon and make a thorough mess with it.

She loves to be a big girl- stand on a stool at the kitchen counter to eat (she prefers to eat leftovers on other peoples plates rather than the exact same thing on her own plate), imitate whatever her brothers are doing, hold my hand and lead me all over, ride on a scooter (she can push herself now on the 3-wheeled scooter) and get up and down from e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. all by herself (she does NOT need help).

She hates stuffed animals, real animals and baby dolls... I can't even hold them...

'Reading' books is all on her own terms- she picks the book, sits on my lap, holds the book and turns the pages.  I am not allowed to touch the book, read the words or point out things on the page or the book is ruined and she must immediately pick a new book.

Her words at 2 (in no particular order):

'mama' (usually only when crying)

'dada'

'boop-boo bopah' (poopy diaper- it was one of the first recognizable 'phrases' of hers... nice...)
'up'

'off' (also means 'put me down')
'out' (when her brothers are outside and she's not!)

'da-dih' (blanket)

'nana' (banana)

'bopple' (apple)

'boop' (shoe)

'deet' (feet)

'no' (nose - only used when trying to pry your nose off your face... she does not use it as the word 'no'... yet)

'mouse' (mouth-as she shoves her finger in your mouth)

'nie-nie' (night-night)

'ti-tu' (thank you- said after every single item is handed to me as she's unloading the dishwasher)

'owa' (shower -loves loves loves showers and baths)
'wa-wa-wa' (wash wash wash- when we're washing her hands)

Her pediatrician said by 2 1/2 she must have 50 words and be putting 2 words together to avoid speech therapy... I think she'll be there- she really has made tremendous progress in sounds and words and cognition in the past month... like she now actually "gets it"...

Deet and Boop

Have I ever mentioned how much this little one loves feet?  And shoes!?!  So she's a little 'speech delayed' (but has recently really started making progress)... however, the first 2 words that she spontaneously says AND that I can actually get her to say on command are 'deet' (feet) and 'boop' (shoe)... I know, not Einstein, but it's something!

For a very long time, she has been obsessed with shoes and feet... she loves to wear all of our shoes around the house and when I tell her it's "time to go," she runs to her closet to get a pair of shoes- and always comes with a matching set.... when I get home from work or just being out for a bit, the first thing she does is runs and giggles as she touches and plays with my shoes (kinda gross when I've been at the hospital...)  Nothing makes her laugh more than when I tickle her with my feet... weird, I know, but it's so dang cute.

I keep a pair of old shoes in the garage for when I work in the yard, and the other day, she discovered them... She tromped around the garage, and then out onto the driveway...

 She thought she was pretty big stuff...