I Am Learning How to Spell, And I Think I Do It Rather Well

This morning I was busy getting kids off to school while Hayley was playing with the magnetic letters.  I didn’t pay much attention to what she was doing until she said, “Mom, these are the people I want to invite to my birthday party.”  After all, now that she has reached the 3-1/2 milestone, 4 is just around the corner and it’s time to start planning the party.  I looked at the fridge and recognized the names of her friends and cousins. 

Can you tell who’s invited?  Alex, Reagan, Emery, Abby, Sophie, Lucy, and Ansley.  She was so proud that I could read them all.

(Do my sisters remember the song referenced in the title??)

Glasses at Two--Take Two

It's official.  Hayley is very farsighted.  She kept telling me she needed glasses but I didn't take her seriously.  I thought she just wanted to be like some of her older siblings, but I scheduled an exam anyway because of our family eye history.  She was right!  She was so excited to choose her frames and then she couldn't wait to pick them up from the eye doctor's office when they came in.  When she put them on, I was taken back in time to when Jillian started wearing glasses at the same age.  See the similarity?  (besides the same shirt!)

Hayley at 2-3/4 years old

Hayley and Corinne

Jillian and Alyssa (2-3/4 and 10 years)

Jillian--budding artist

Naptime

Hayley is barely two.  She still needs naps.  I still need her to need naps.  See exhibits A and B below:


But she won’t admit it.  She fights the nap war every single day.  Lately, however, she’s become a little more resigned and logical about the inevitable.  This was our conversation one day last week.
We eat lunch, take Corinne to kindergarten, read a story—the usual routine.  “Hayley,” I ask, “now what time is it?”
“Naptime!” she exclaims.
I carry her up the stairs while she tells me that she wants exactly 3 blankets in her bed.  I put her in her crib and cover her up with the right number of blankets.
“Mom—I’m going to be crying soon,” she informs me.
“Why are you going to cry?” I ask.
“Because you’re going to leave.”
“You’re right, I am going to leave your room.  But I’ll be downstairs and I’ll come and get you when you wake up.  Good night, Hayley.”
“Okay, good night, Mom.”
I leave the room and close the door as the crying begins in full force.  Between sobs she is saying, “I. Don’t. Want. To. Take. A. Nap.”
I go downstairs and jump right into project mode.  In a few minutes, all is quiet.  She’s sound asleep.
I love that girl.  She knows a nap is required but has to warn me that she’s really not as grown up as she often acts and that sometimes she feels like crying.  It’s so much easier to handle when she has prepared me first.

It's been a year already???

She's starting to walk and talk. She's got teeth (fangs--her top eyeteeth came in first!). She knows how to make us laugh. She loves to dance and move to music. She refuses to smile at strangers. She packs away more food than Corinne does. She weighs in at 19.5 lbs and the doctor was so impressed that she jumped from the 3rd percentile to the 25th. (That's huge by our standards.) It's been a big year and I can't believe how fast it's gone. I feel as if I should be a little sad that her babyhood is gone but I'm not even a little teary. She has been such a sweet baby and I'm looking forward to her next milestones. A year ago I wasn't sure how I would survive the sleepless nights, the round-the-clock feedings, and schlepping the carseat and gear all over town trying to keep up with all the other kids. I am happy to report that I made it and that we can't imagine life without Hayley.