Potty Training!!

Apparently you were ready to start potty training, because MAN O MAN do you get it! We decided to go all the way about a week ago - no more diapers. (Except while sleeping of course) And you have only had 2 accidents - and that includes while at school! Amazing. We even went to dinner the other night at Beau Jo's and you went there! You were outside on the patio with daddy and you came running in holding your bottom doing the "pee pee dance" and said "MOMMY HADLEY GO PEE PEE!!!" So we ran into the restroom and you went!

I am so proud of you!

iloveyoumadly.
mommybeardet

(haha - that's the new name you've given me - apparently you must see your sister and me as one unit these days...)

Big Sister

Well, it's official. You're a BIG SISTER! And what a big sister you are. Berit Louise was born on 4.14.09. As you can see, that was a month ago. Sorry for the delay in updating this blog but we've all been a bit busy trying to adjust!

You love your baby sister. In fact, it was love at first site. You came to visit us at the hospital the day after Berit was born and you immediately wanted to hold her. Once you had her in your lap you were all smiles and kept kissing her little face. It made me cry! I was so happy to have both my girls together.

Before I got pregnant with Berit I was convinced that I could never love another child as much as I love you. Logically I knew this wasn't true, but I was almost afraid to get pregnant because I didn't want to take away anything from my baby girl. Everyone who had two kids told me my love would grow exponentially and my heart would just expand to love both children. But I never knew - or expected - that once I had you both in my arms not only would my heart expand to love your baby sister, but my heart expanded to love you even more than I did before. You are spectacular and I love you so much. Thank you.

In the last few weeks you have grown up so much! I don't know if it is because of your new role, or just because you are hitting your developmental milestones, but it is so much fun to watch! Your vocab is especially fun. Here are a few highlights:

1) "What doon mommy?" This is my favorite question. You are so curious and you always want to know what we're doing. Whether it's folding laundry or nursing Berit.

2) "The curious case of the missing 6 & 7." You love to count. In fact, you love to count so much you count everything! Trees, cars on the road, your own fingers. It's wonderful. You've mastered 1-5. But things get a bit confusing after that. For some reason, you've decided numbers 6 & 7 don't exist. You skip right over them and go straight to 8!

3) "Time-outs for bad stuffed animals." You rarely seem to express jealousy over one of us holding Berit, but you certainly don't like it when daddy pays special attention to one of your stuffed animals. Two in particular: Mommy Fly and Masher (these are your little Ugly Dolls - both of which came with their own names, but you chose your own for them instead. Why Mommy Fly & Masher? We have no idea, but we went with it). When daddy holds these little guys during story time, or carries them around in his shirt pocket to be funny, you don't like it at all. But instead of getting mad at daddy, you punish the toys! You give them time-outs, forcing them to sit ont he floor and face the wall!

4) "Mommy is a chair-bubble." I know you love me. I don't question it at all, even when I am usually the one you get mad at for no reason, the one who witnesses the most tantrums over picking the wrong shirt for school. These things don't really upset me. But I have to say, being called a "chair bubble" was a bit....disconcerting! We were celebrating Aunt Ba's birthday a few weeks ago and we went around the table choosing which animal we each were. You decided you were a puppy. And you made daddy a giraffe and Aunt Ba a turtle. Me? You decided I was a chair bubble. Yep. A fart. And you were dead serious about it.

iloveyoumadly.
mama

Phish Head

My darling girl.

YOU ROCK! We were in the car today, taking our 200th trip of the winter to Babies R Us, listening to a mix CD I made for your uncle C Bones' 18th birthday. Tweezer Reprise came on, and your daddy and I turned it up (it's an awesome tune), started bobbing our heads to the music, and I turned around to see you staring out the window bobbing your head with it too!

When the song was over, you asked us to play it again. We didn't listen to anything else the entire way to Westminster. My baby's a Phish Head. I couldn't be prouder.

iloveyoumadly.
mama

Twenty Five Months

"Happy Hadley!"

This is something we now ask you to say in the morning as you wake up, afraid of who is in your bed to greet us. It could be the transition into your new room, or the new big bed, or the fact that we talk a LOT more about your soon-to-be role as a big sister. Whatever the cause, it's been WEEKS since you woke up happy, willing to get your diaper changed, or use the potty, or get dressed or do ANYTHING before having your "gummies" (vitamins) and a quick dose of PBS.

I admit that we set up your new room for a little girl, not a baby-turned-toddler who is still in diapers. My reasoning you ask? Why invest in a changing table when you're going to be out of diapers in a few months. So I thought we might as well just use your bed for now. Only this new "routine" is just as hard on you as it is on my 35-weeks-pregnant back, and you don't like getting dressed in your room anymore. So when I wake you up in the morning, we now immediately go upstairs and just bring your outfit and fresh diaper and we do the deeds upstairs.

You also have started to refuse Daddy or me come within 20 feet of your head if we're holding a brush. And yet, you come home from school with the most beautiful french braids....you're sitting still for someone!

And there's the whole food thing. You have always been a good eater - something I've actually taken great pride in. But lately not only are you lacking in appetite in general (something I've heard is normal for two year olds), you're getting quite picky. It has to be a pear, not an apple. But if you choose the apple it better be peeled. And if it's peeled, it better be peeled the right way so that there is NO CHANCE the yucky red stuff could come close to your mouth.

If any of the above, or any of the other multitude of things you suddenly have become opininated about, goes in the wrong direction - and who's to know what that is - it's meltdown city. I mean lower lip hanging out, crocodile tears streaming, cheeks turning bright red meltdown. Thankfully, your mommy taught you a little something from our natural birth class than seems to calm you down. It's called....DEEEEEEEP BREEEEEEAAATHING! And it's enough to distract you until we can figure out how to fix the problem.

And when that doesn't work, your daddy uses candy.

iloveyoumadly.
mama

Ask Nicely

So we're trying to teach you basic manners - you know, "please" and "thank you" - stuff like that that a two year old could understand. When we ask you to say "please" you do - but it comes out more like "mees". And your "thank you's" come out like "ank choo", but we get the drift. And it's very sweet.

What's funnier is when one of us reminds you to ask for something "nicely." It comes out like this:

"Hadley. Tuppy. Nicely."

Translation: "Can I have my cup please?"

iloveyoumadly.
mama

ummmmmm......Mommy.

You're language develops exponentially everyday. You're a total sponge for everything you hear. At the end of the day - when we're all at home after work and school - you chitter chatter through the last hours of the day and we start to realize how many words you really know.

Two of the most distinct developments happened in the last week - and I think it was gradual since I can't pinpoint exactly when it happened.

#1: When asked a question, you start your response with "um." This is hysterical, as "um" is clearly not a word, rather a response when you are stuck without an answer. It's very funny to hear you say it.

#2: This one is bittersweet. I've somehow morphed into Mommy. No longer Mama. (You also started calling Dada "Daddy" but I don't care as much about that!). I know this means you are growing up, and I am so proud that you are. But there is such a sweet innocence about the way you called me Mama that it makes my heart ache.

You can call me Mommy all you want. But I will always be your Mama.

iloveyoumadly.
MAMA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

My sweet baby girl. You turned TWO this weekend!

...and boy was it fun. We threw you a party. But not just any party. It was an ELMO party. Because - quite frankly - you wouldn't have had it any other way. So there were Elmo balloons, Elmo streamers, Elmo cake, Elmo plates and napkins, and an Elmo tablecloth. And you got Elmo cards and Elmo games and Elmo videos. Really? I can't believe you aren't Elmo'd out yet. I am.

But we also had a pinata filled with candy. You and Neva, Ellary and Ainsley weren't quite sure what to do. You tried to hit it, but I think you were a little uncertain of what the result was going to be. Finally daddy took a good THWACK at it and all the candy fell out. Even then you didn't know what to do until I told you it was OK to have a sucker. Pretty sure that's the last birthday party where you don't bum-rush the candy.

At one point during the party, you, Neva and Ellary started chasing each other through the house while SCREECHING! I had yet to actually witness you participate in this female phenomenon. I don't really understand it, but according to Nana it is another stepping-stone in your development. It was even funnier when one of you would fall down - the other two would immediately turn around and give hugs before continuing. Girls are so darn cute! Such nurturers we are.

So now we are racing against the clock to move you downstairs. Daddy has your room painted and your bed set-up, but we don't want to move you until it is all put together. Hopefully it will all be ready by this weekend. I can't wait!

iloveyoumadly.
mama