Hadley, 8 Months Old

8 Months 

   Likes eating sweet potatoes, mango, bananas, green beans, and more. 

Shakes her head for "no". 

             Rocks back and forth on her hands and knees...but doesn't crawl yet!

Moves from her tummy to sitting position. It scared me the first time she did this in her crib! I couldn't figure out why I didn't see her stretched out in her crib! 

            Sleeps in 7-9 hour stretches, but sometimes wakes at night just to hang out with Mom and Dad. 


Loves to talk!  Her newest sound is "Blah blah!" 

         

She has never paid attention to her bear until now!

Fall with a Baby

I think this fall has been the most exciting time of the year that I've experienced with Hadley.  I've always loved pumpkin patches, dressing up in costumes, and looking at the colorful leaves, but now those things are more meaningful with a little girl who is seeing these things for the first time.

We took Hadley to a farm and pumpkin patch, and let her explore the animals, pumpkins, and people there.  She loved looking at the other children!

Today, we went "trick-or-treating" on Main Street in our town.  She didn't get any candy, but we really just wanted an excuse to put her in her strawberry costume!  She liked looking at the sparkly, feathery, and colorful costumes that we saw.

Hadley, 7 Months

7 Months Old!

Reaches out for people to hold her

             Loves feeding Kiowa her food

Plays on her Kick 'n Play Piano sitting up 

                    Is a mellow girl who loves people-watching.  She does great at restaurants and events!

           

                   

Hadley, 6 Months Old

6 Months

Sits up on her own

     Wears size 6-9 months clothes (just moved up...sniff sniff ) 

Has forgotten her good sleeping habits

               Wants to crawl but can't figure it out yet!

Has tried sweet potatoes, cereal, apples, bananas, squash, peas, and more...but really loves Mum Mums!

        Laughs when Dad kisses her face

Weighs 16 lbs, 5 oz and is 27" tall! 

Loves her doggy, Kiowa

Is this how I crawl, Mom? 

Sitting up! 

Mum mum mum!

The Cake That Changed My Life

There is a loaf of banana bread in the oven for our Bible study tomorrow night.  I have been relying on our nice friends to bring us treats so I didn't have to bake since Hadley was "baking". But, every once in awhile, I get the energy and motivation to make something special for us to enjoy.

And that burst of energy is what motivated me, at 8 months pregnant, to make the s'mores bundt cake that changed me life. 

I was in the grocery store on a Wednesday, buying cocoa and marshmallows for my cake, when I ran into a former student's dad.  He raved about his daughter's new school, and slipped in a promo:  "If you're ever looking for a job, you should apply to this school." It turns out that this dad hadn't been to this grocery store in at least two years. I had just updated my resume that week and was ready to start applying.

My new school has restored my love of teaching and has deepened my faith in God.  I come home happier, less stressed, and am learning about being a better parent to Hadley.  This is more than a cake can do. I am thankful that God brought me to where I am now. It makes me wonder where else a little motivation can take me.

Saying Goodbye

Hadley went on her third plane flight a couple of weeks ago when we flew to California for my grandpa's memorial service. Her first flight was about a month and a half earlier, when she went to meet her great grandpa for the first time.  As we were leaving his retirement home, I wondered if I'd ever see him again.  I didn't think we'd be back just a few weeks later.

My grandpa, at 93, had a great life up until the last couple of weeks.  He was still sharp and witty, and befriended almost everyone he met with his probing questions and big smile. He could remember so much from his long life, and when Hadley was born, he told me details about my dad's birth 67 years ago (my grandma was in the hospital for ten days after birth, which was standard!)

When we were walking into the chapel for his memorial, the foyer was lined with photos of him at different stages of life.  I overheard two ladies, close to my grandpa's age, talking. One said, "He sure was a handsome young man!"  Her friend caught my eye and said with a smirk, "Well, he was a handsome old man, too!" I can hear Grandpa's low, rumbling laugh now.

Hadley with her great grandpa in July. 

Hadley, 5 Months Old

I was doing so well getting Hadley's monthly photos up on time, but these past three weeks have been hard- a week long trip away from my precious girl, a sad event in California, and the first week of school at a new school. So here it is, eight days late.  

 

 

Hadley, 5 Months Old

 

 

Discovered her toes!

 

 

     Sleep regression has improved- but she had nights where she woke up every hour!

 

 

Laughs when Kiowa licks her toes

 

 

                             Rolls to her side and *thinks* about rolling to her tummy

 

 

              "Talks" in her crib when she wakes up for the day, but still doesn't like to be put down in her crib for naps

 

 

Gets angry when we eat in front of her!  She grabbed Nathan's spoon the other day and put it in her mouth.

 

 

 

 

Our trip to Iowa (a little over 4 months old).  Hadley explored her great grandparents' farm.