16 months

Well, she made it! Hailey turned 16 months old today! I remember telling Korey once that if Hailey made it to 16 months I'd feel like I could do anything...and at the time 16 months seemed so far away! But, she did it!! She survived "babyhood" without her Mom doing something awful or wrong and killing her! And, I was right, I do feel like I can do anything- in the mornings, anyways, after 9 at night I don't feel like I can stand long enough to brush my teeth, let alone any great and wonderful mommyish feats! :) This kid is definitely a ball of energy! I know this is why God gave you a whole 16 months of cute cuddlyness before he made them like this. I think if she would have been this crazy and full of energy when I brought her home I may have just sent her right back!!! hahaha...just kidding! I love her more now than the day I brought her home from the hospital. In fact, I feel like I have been completely and utterly gifted with such a treasure in my life and can't wait to see all the exciting things that God has planned for her little life! She's already roaring and pulling at the tether lines to get out and experience more of life...she's been learning things like crazy, lately, and it's so exciting. But, at the same time, super sad. I think if I weren't having another little baby I'd be heartbroken to see my little baby looking and acting so grown up! I can't even count the number of times people have said to me lately, "wow. she just doesn't even look like a baby anymore!" and it is so true!

Here's a few of the new things she's learned lately:

-she can ask for milk or juice, depending on which one she wants...and speaking of that, boy, does she have an opinion on EVERYTHING. I've started having to slap her hands at least once a meal for food thrown on the floor, 'cause that's what she does with the stuff that she doesn't like- throws it on the floor for Allie, who is more than ready to eat it! (it actually rarely, if ever, even hits the floor...)

-she can say "hungry" and go by her highchair when she wants a snack or is ready for lunch!

-she dances to music and has sort of learned how to turn on the cd player by herself...she pretty much just pushes buttons until it plays something!

-she can sit on her zebra and make it go backwards and forwards

-she says GO when she wants to go outside

-she tells Allie to "go away" when she wants to sit on my lap without Allie bothering her

-she has favorite books, and has memorized her favorite parts of them...she'll even make me rush through the whole book just to get to the elmo that pops up or the Vroom noise!

-she loves to read to herself and spends a lot of time going through her books and "reading" them to the chair!

-she calls my belly "baby"

-she calls herself "baby"

-she says Momma when she wants something and if I don't answer she says it louder and louder until I do!

-she knows that she can chase allie around the house and how to get a rise our of her...she loves it when allie gets mad and sighs or growls at her- she runs away giggling!

-she knows who her Papa is and goes running and giggling to the door when he comes home from work

-she loves to play dress up with a pair of shoes that someone gave us...she brings them to me and says "on" and then clomps around the house in them laughing and having a super fun time!

-she LOVES the water and her little duck sprinkler. She often goes up to it and says "on" and gets mad if I say NO

-she definitely knows what NO means and can throw a pretty good fit when she hears it!

-she chases any kind of bug- as long as it moves, she chases it!

-the dirt must call her by name, because she spends every waking moment either wanting to go outside and play in it or playing in my pots or flower gardens outside!

-ice cream and chocolate are her best friends...or maybe their her mommy's and she just gets to go along for the ride...i'll leave that one for you to decide!

-meeting new people is still her passion, but she's a little more obvious with who she likes best, now. Most often, unfortunatley, she picks men and the ones who do the silliest faces and make her giggle usually win!

-she has a big girl sippy cup and is done with goats milk and onto whole milk

-she loves to eat cheese and blueberries. I think if I'd let her that's all she'd ever eat- unless I was eating something different then she'd want whatever is on my plate!

I love you, Hailey Elise. You light up my life and I thank God every day that He blessed me with you! I know that you are going to be a great big sister and I am so excited to see you "play" with your little brother!