Family Time

Lately we have been able to really spend some family time together. Justin was layed off at Bowater and we took advantage of that time. We went on the lake in the boat, all three of us. Hayden loved it. She just wanted to drive! We rode around for a couple hours on Lake Wylie and just enjoyed the fresh air.

We also packed up and headed to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. The drive took about an hour and a half but Hayden did surprisinly well. This was such a fun age to take her because she knew the animals and the sounds they made so she was very interested in seeing them alive and in action. We brought our own lunch and sat at the tables for a break then headed back for more. We did bring her backpack "leash" and found it useful. I would never walk around the store with her wearing one but somewhere like the zoo, I thought it was perfect. She felt independent and could squeeze through tight areas and yet I had her the whole time. She was so funny, she would mock the monkeys, saying "eh eh eh mon-key" She did this with a lot of the animals.

We got to feed the giraffes too! That was pretty neat. I think Hayden was a little scared but definately comforted being in daddy's arms. After one long, but wonderful day, Hayden was knocked out all the way home making it a good car ride home. I think I even napped a little ways while Justin drove. :)

And to clear things up, Justin does now have a job. He was hired on at Domtar 2 weeks after Bowater. Straight 3rd isn't exactly what I was thinking but it seems to be working out pretty well. We still get time together and it actually helps me out when I have to work over or have a house to clean in the morning or something but it is still 3rd shift and I know he doesn't get good sleep having to sleep during the day. I have to say I am proud of him!

New Discoveries

At 16 months Hayden Ann can say her ABC's and 123's! Haha. I am just kidding but she sure is close! ;) She said A B C D E for the babysitter and she says 2 and 3. She can brush her teeth - with mommy going back over them of course. She can rock the baby and give the baby a paci or bottle. She can say many words: "bi-bu" Bible, "ight" - light, no, "um" - yum, hey, hel-lo, bye bye, "ni ni" - night night, "bat" -bath, dog, apple - plain as day, momma and dada, nana and paw paw, "sa-ra", shoe, "suice" - juice, all done, baby, ball, "sack" - snack, eat, amen, "peas" - please, "tank u" - thank you, "cuse u" - excuse you, "bess u"- bless you.
She can make the sound for dog, cow, duck, lizard, monkey, tiger. Working on train and many others. She has many gestures, many! She can do fishy kiss, blow a kiss, clap, shake head yes/no, signs please, thank you and all done. She can name almost all body parts from head to toe. Not quite go knees and elbows ;) She climbs on everything and is not afraid of a thing! She dances on command - anytime anywhere!

Oh let me keep thinking and adding to the list as we go. ;)

Oh Boy!

Was this Christmas wonderful or what? We had so much fun with our little toddler princess! We stayed at moms Christmas eve (after an eventful night at 3 different family gatherings) and Jeannie stayed too -- so my mom had all her girls home for Christmas morning. Justin and I got to play Santa and set up a few of Hayden's toys. We left a couple bigger gifts at home for later. Sara Jeannie and I satisfied mom and threw reindeer food out on the lawn and mom got some pictures. We then played Twister and Justin was in charge of directions. What a fantasy. *eye roll* We woke up Christmas morning and all walked down the stairs together (even Miss Hayden Bug) She ran to her toys just like she knew what this was all about. Sara was a little jealous that there was a baby taking her morning glory but she got over it quick! Mommy and Daddy did Christmas with Hayden and Santa even came to visit. Hayden is getting used to the fat man with a big beard b/c she didn't get nearly as scared as she had a few weeks ago seeing santa for the first time... and around 7:20 daddy set off to work. We had breakfast dinner with family and friends and played all morning. We enjoyed nap time and then set out for more Christmas with family. We headed to The Timmons Christmas that evening at 6pm. We ate dinner and exchanged gifts where Hayden got yet another baby doll. That is what she is totally into right now and I am sure that she will be for a long while. It is okay that she got 4 for Christmas because she plays with everyone of them. Now we can toss the other 2 that have made their monies worth. :) We were able to video tape Hayden's Christmas with our new camcorder! We will have these memories forever!

The day after Christmas I was blessed to be able to go shopping and hit the great bargin deals stores had. I have really needed some clothes since having a baby and losing weight. I was able to really put a dent in my closet - Thank God! My best deal was at Belks where I spent a total of $111 and saved $259! I thought that was pretty good!! I also got to get a few things for Christmas next year on the half off sales. Like my cheesy Christmas Villages that I totally wanted and Justin makes fun of me for it. They were originally $70 and I got a couple for $13! Hey! Can't beat that! It was so hard not to go buy Hayden something, just one thing (although she doesn't need ANYTHING) so I bought a couple books! You can never have too many of those! They make for such great gifts and kids love them - well, Hayden does right now at least and I will continue to encourage it. I got home yesterday and a wonderful lady I clean for had given me a Shark steam mop for Christmas! I was stoked. Never expected that at all but how wonderful! This is definately a good incentive for my business, along with my wonderful basket full of supplies from my in-laws. Is that silly I get so excited over cleaning products. Haha. I am so glad that I love to do it though. I get it from the best - my lovely clean mother ;).

Now we head into a new year... with lots of reminders of how important family and friends are to us. How blessed we truly are and how important every moment is. I am so excited to start off a new year with new goals and aspirations! Personally I would like to improve and learn so much more as in true appreciation and patience, learn to just say no and to turn the other cheek. I want to work on my relationship with my God and my husband to make them stronger. I am not going to let the small things get the best of me -- "and in the end they are all small things". Psyically I would like to help my family to be healthier. I will try harder to exercise. I am going to work on better management of our money and paying bills. All this comes down to ME, changing myself!! But I am motivated and excited about seeing these changes happen!

Deuteronomy 31:6 Amen!

Life is wonderful

and all the glory goes to God! Christmas is right around the corner and I am all in the holiday spirit this year! Thanksgiving was wonderful, as food and family is always a wonderful thing! I cannot wait to share the joy and peace of the holidays with my little Hayden. We have done really good this year with shopping and all. Almost done actually. Hayden is going to have a great Christmas! I can't wait to watch her eyes light up on Christmas morning. She may not quite understand yet but I know she will still feel the excitement. Justin has to work 1st shift on Christmas day so we are thinking that we may get her up before he goes to work so that he can be apart of her morning. He hates that he will not be able to watch her play all day but soon enough he will be on top of the ladder at work and he will not have to work Holidays like this. Soon enough! Hayden is really an amazing little girl. I need to put up pictures and give you her status... I will work on that shortly!

Catching Up

Catching up...

We celebrated Hayden's 1st birthday on Aug 29th 2009. She had many friends and family over. We had a slip n slide and baby pools. She had a blast and her friends did too! We had cake and Hayden dug into hers and made a beautiful mess. I have been waiting for that moment. :) And yes, she got a lot of toys which is now over-powering the living room! She barely plays with them... so then, "what does she do?" She walks from room to room over and over agian. Heehee. She just loves to walk. She is so funny and really building her own little personality. She is so smart too. She knows where her head is. She can squat when you say "down" and stand when you say "up". She can find her paci and milk. She tries to put the lids on all the tupperware when I am putting dishes away. She just cracks me up. I have been working a lot lately with my part time job and now the cleaning jobs have really picked up. It is very good but I hate it as well. I just don't like leaving before she is up, coming home just to get ready to leav for work again. Not all days are like that and it really makes me appreciate EVERY moment I am with her but those days that it does happen are no fun. I love what I do too so that makes it easier. Here is my vent: I really like my part time job and my boss has been asking me to get my license to sell Life Ins but I just don't think I am too motivated for that. I mean I want to if it is just to get it behind me to do it later but I don't know if I can devote myself to that right now. In a couple years I want to have another baby and be home for a while. I don't want to do this and it change my plans. I just don't know. I don't know that it is what I really wnat to do either. I would LOVE to be a lactation consultant. I would LOVE it! But you see that I have not done anything about that either. See, no motavation! But I have been motivated to do something... and that is to walk. I love walking and wish I could do it everyday. We try to get out and walk in the morning or if I am working we have been going that evening. It is wonderful and something I think Hayden enjoys too. I would really like to get back to the gym but hasn't happened yet. There is always an excuse.

My little sisters birthday is in an hour! WOW! I cannot believe she will be 20! Look out! I love my baby sister. She is my best friend. We are very different but so much alike. We always have a good time together and can always count on the other. I know that she would do anything for me and likewise. It is so good to have that best friend that you can go to for anything whether it is for a favor, a vent, or a good laugh. That is Sara. True friends are hard to find and should be treasured if found. I hope she knows that I treasure her friendship. I love all of my friends and I feel very blessed to have such great ones.

Life as we once knew it....

will never be the same again, no; it will only be better and better. As I sit and reminence over the past year I have come to realize that the small things in life are what mean the most. I look at things so differently, with a new approach. I cannot begin to describe what my life and the people in it mean to me. My family, friends, Church family... it is just so amazing. I am so glad that I am seeing these things now and not a few years down the road and regret not doing the little things. I love that I will look Hayden in the eyes and we will just admire each other. I love going in there after she has fallen asleep and picking her up just to cuddle for another minute. I love stopping everything around me and just focusing on a great hug from my husband, or the favorite toy Hayden is into, or having dinner with the family. Yeah, I may be exhausted, I may have my plate a little full and at times I may get frustrated but tomorrow is never guarenteed and yesterday has gone... today is a gift, which gives the name the present!

We are planning Hayden's first birthday party and I am getting so excited! We are having it here at the house with a little blow up pool and pizza and it will be a ladybug theme. The stuff is so cute. I can't believe she is almost 1 year old! Ya'll, if you don't already know, this little girl holds my heart. Her smile will light up any room. Even her cries are cute ;) She babbles all the time now and she eats everything, boy can she eat. lol. She loves playing with other kids. And she doesn't have seperation anxiety! I am so thankful for that! For the other people who watch her more so than for me... it is probably because we have been so okay with leaving her with others from the beginning. I am taking in every moment and milestone with her and not rushing to have another one anytime soon... one day, 3 years is good. Then she can be more self sufficient and "help" mommy out and I can put her in a 3 half day daycare so that I will have one on one time with the new baby. I think that is very important. I am kinda scared to have 2. I guess it would come to me just as it did with one, huh? One day, one day!

It is amazing

how quick this little girl is growing! All in the past week she has clapped her hands, finally, she has taken her first step (only one) and she puts her hand to her mouth and says "ah ah ah ah" heehee... I just love it! I enjoy everyday, every moment, every milestone! I can't get enough. She is such a great baby and such a joy. I went in her room the other night just to get her out and snuggle up with her for a little bit. I could talk for hours about my little ladybug!