Hadley is ONE!!!

I cannot believe my baby girl is now 1!! The year has flown by to say the least!

We had a fun party on Saturday. Friends and family came to our place to celebrate. Hadley was a little overwhelmed but I think overall everyone had fun! My mom even made the trip up which was great!! Here are a few pics from the party:

 Hadley was scared of the fire on the candle. Then when she touched the icing on the cake she clearly did not like the way it felt on her hand. So she had nothing to do with her cake. Her reaction was so cute and so her! So she enjoyed a couple strawberries instead. Fine with me...no dealing with a baby on a sugar high!

Here's what Hadley has been up to this month:

+ Weighed in at 19.4 pounds at the doctor (44%) and is 28 1/2 inches tall (24%). 

+Wearing size 3 diapers and on middle snap on cloth diapers still

+Wearing 12 month clothes but they are really too big on her. I didn't want to buy 9-12 month (which is really what she needs) for spring so we are just going with too big for now!

+Loves eating and prefers things with seasoning. She hands anything bland back to me!

+Usually wakes once at night still

+Loves carrying a baby or stuffed animal around. A couple are her size or bigger which is pretty cute to watch.

+Signs "more", "all done", and is slowly picking up on "please"

+Started nodding her head yes and no

+Wakes up from naps and night time pretty happy and likes playing in her crib for awhile before fussing to get out.

+Loves to cuddle

It's been a fun 12 months with this little one. I am excited to see her continue to grow this next year. 

Happy Birthday Hadley! We love you!!!

Sugar

So for lent this year I decided to ditch sugar. If you know me well you know this has not been an easy endeavor. But after 3 1/2 weeks I have to admit it is really good. I didn't realize how much I let my sweet tooth control my days. If I had a rough day with the kids or was just feeling blah...I "treated" myself to something sweet. If I was having a great day and all was going well...I "celebrated" with something sweet! You get the idea.

When I was thinking and praying about what to give up, sugar kept coming to mind. I wish I could say I willingly and happily said "sure God I'll give that up". I didn't. I ignored it, searched for something else, and tried to keep moving on. But in the end I knew I needed to give it up. 6 weeks. wow. Didn't think I could do it. But again it's been so freeing...and I feel so much better. I have also started working out lots so the combination has left me a couple inches smaller and with more energy. Clearer mind too!

Two days in I had a night where I just wanted my comfort food...one being when Kevin was out of town for a weekend. Ayda randomly starting throwing up Friday evening. The child has never thrown up in her life...and even as a baby she didn't spit up either! So with Kevin gone and me on my own I was cleaning up that all evening. And Hadley decided it was a perfect night to be more clingy than ever. So while trying to comfort and clean Ayda, I had Hadley screaming at the top of her lungs. It was an awesome night. All I wanted was a glass of wine and a HUGE bowl of ice cream. I was even tempted to just load my sick child and cranky other child into the car and head to DQ down the road. But I didn't. I started praying. Praying for my patience, peace, Ayda's health and comfort, and Hadley's peace. I prayed the whole weekend would not be like friday had started. I put Ayda to bed holding my breath that we would not be up all night and put Hadley to bed praying she would not want to nurse all night for comfort. And God answered...neither girl woke up and we all slept great. Ayda didn't throw up anymore that weekend but we layer low at home and it turned out to be a nice weekend with my girls. We rested, played at home, watched movies. All without sugar!!!

I'm writing this post more for me than anyone because I want to come back in three months and be reminded that sugar is not my comfort. God is. He will always comfort me and He can actually make things better for me in the end. Sugar just makes me sluggish and fat! I'll be honest I will be excited after Easter to have a treat now and then but I don't want to get back into the routine I was once in. I've always heard it takes 21 days to break a habit and start a new one. Lent is 46 days so here's to hoping I am starting a new habit!! Oh and it's amazing how sweet fruit tastes to me now! I keep telling Kevin that our grapes are SO good and sweet. I have a feeling my body and taste buds are actually able to finally taste and enjoy natural sugar! Yay!!

Strength

My mom has always been an example of strength in my life. She has always had and still does have more energy than me. She is a hard worker in her job. She has endured quite a bit in her life. And she has never failed to be there for me when I felt my weakest. She heard my ranting and cries through nursing school when I thought for sure I would fail. She was there to encourage me after boyfriend break ups or just life's ups and downs. She was my strength when I had none by encouraging me, hugging me, and most importantly praying for me.

Three weeks ago she began showing me once again how strong she is. And how great a mom she is. She fell and broke her leg really bad (honestly...break is putting it lightly). She's been through 2 surgeries, numerous doctor appointments, and still can't really get off the couch (finally made it to her bed to sleep last night!) more than to go to the bathroom. Yet, her spirits are high, she is finding ways to laugh at things, and she is still smiling. I have been down to ATL to visit her twice since her fall. Each time it was such a blessing to serve her. For 29 years I feel she has served me in so many ways. To finally give back has been so important to me. To do something as simple as painting her toe nails because the surgeons just really messed them up! I hate seeing my mom like this and seeing her go through pain. I want so bad for the healing process to speed up, though her doctor says she is doing fabulously! But even with a long recovery, her strength still shines! I hope that I am to my girls what she has always been to me. 

Hadley 10 and 11 Months

With the move and finding a new routine, I have fallen terribly behind on poor Hadley's monthly updates. And I bring VERY sad news...we lost Tommy the Monkey in the move! I am so so sad about this. Tommy has been through some milestones with both girls and I can't believe we have no idea where he is. Anyway, Hadley's final few months of her first year are pics without her little friend :(. 

In Hadley's 10th month she started taking steps, weighed in at 18.3 pounds (no weight gain from 9 to 10 months), was about 27 1/2 inches, started signing "all done", waking only once at night to eat (unless teething or cold), was wearing size 3 diapers still and on the middle snap of her cloth diapers, and overall a happy little girl!!

Big Sister wanted in on the pics!

11 MONTHS!

Ok since she just turned 11 months last week I will be able to recall more! ha! 

What Hadley is up to these days:

+Weighs 18 lbs 8 oz

+Length is 28 inches

+Changed to the convertible car seat

+Wears mostly 6-9 month clothes. She can wear 9-12 months but

they are big on her and pretty baggy!

+Wearing size 3 diapers and middle snap on cloth diapers

+Still waking once to eat at night

+Eating pretty much what we eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner

+I swore up and down she would NOT be allowed meat before 1...

Until she refused to eat what I gave her and insisted on eating my food.

And now she loves ground beef! Yikes!

 +Signs "all done" or just starts yelling (we're working on the yelling part)

+Says Mama, more, and yea

+Started nodding her head "yes"

 +Still loves to snuggle

+Is 100% mama's girl!

+Lights up and gets really excited when Daddy get's home

+Thinks her sister is hysterical and laughs all the time at her

 +On the go...walking everywhere now! If she falls she stands back

up and tries walking again. Not crawling much anymore.

+Loves paper

+Is obsessed with Kevin's computer (which because we don't have a desk for him

it is in her reach so the temptation is just too great!)

+Loves playing in a pile of clothes

 Hadley is just overall a fun, chill, sweet little girl. I can't believe we'll be celebrating her birthday in a few weeks! I still watch her during the day and wonder where the last year went! It's crazy to think we almost have a 1 year old and 3 year old. Wow!

 It's been a great 11 months indeed! 

Instagram

So I started taking pictures in Instagram again the other day. And I love it! I then did some editing in my Light Room program and got a pretty cool pic of each girl! Anyway, here are the 2 I like!

Valentine's Day

We've had a nice couple of weeks. I think each week Kevin gets busier with work but that's a good thing. The girls and I are doing our thing and keeping with routine...life is better when we are in our routine! ha!

Valentine's Day was very fun here. Kevin brought his girls beautiful roses and a sweet treat for me and Ayda. Hadley will join in on that next year! Ayda brought Valentines to her friends at school and got a bag to have fun with at home. I decided even though it's a hallmark holiday and I know my husband loves me everyday of the year it is still a fun day. Pink (my favorite color) is everywhere and we just had fun! I made the girls home-made heart cheese crackers, packed Ayda a red lunch, and then we had a red dinner. It's just fun to do something different for a day! Below are some pictures I took before school. Trying to get a picture of Ayda and Hadley together is near impossible!

This past weekend we took a trip to ATL to visit my mom and step dad. I was able to help my mom with somethings and it turned out to be quite a productive trip! I am really enjoying being so close to her again. But of course we now miss Kevin's family so much. We are looking forward to their visit in March!!

Well Ayda is up and ready for a snack...

Picture Post

I have a blog post in my head ready to go but I wanted to first just do a picture post from the past month or so. Enjoy!

(Family Pictures in FL: Grandparents, Great Aunt and Grandkids!!)

Chinese New Year 2012

 (FaceTiming with Kevin in NC!)

Celebrating Nathan's 2nd Birthday

 (The Year of the Dragon!)

Playing on the bounce house and relaxing at home!