18 Months of Hayden

Well it is hard to believe that we've had this girl for 18 months (not counting the incubation period.) She is so much fun and sunshine...with a little bit of sass and challenge thrown in to keep boredom at bay.

We visited Dr. S. today and had a fantabulous well visit. Apparently she is practically perfect in every way. Height is 30+ inches (30th percentile), princess crown is 18.5 inches (75th percentile) and drum roll please...........weight is 21lbs. 6ozs.!!! (12th percentile!) Hello, forward facing car seat! (thankfully she waited until we got home to have two big poops) The doc seemed fine with turning her around at this point though the current APA recommendation is 2 years. Hopefully this will be the miracle cure for the screaming, crying, car hating kid we've enjoyed thus far. (if not I may have to resort back to earplugs and loud radio)

Hayden is jabbering up a storm...in either Japanese or perhaps some space language yet to be identified. She is saying ma ma, mommy, da da, daddy, bye bye, hi, night night, baby, what's this, no (started just this week) and uh oh very consistently. We've heard socks, shoes, outside, and a few other words thrown around sporadically. We still do some sign language for more, please, thank you, and finished. We are enjoying all the new communication and sounds around the house. Though according to my late grandfather..."you spend months trying to get them to talk and then years trying to get them to shut up." Apparently our enjoyment may wane...

Hayden loves to carry around her baby and also loves to pat and hug on Baby Deucie (aka Mommy's large belly). Little sister in the womb is quite sweet, though I'm sure the reality of real live baby sister may be a tad different. The doc said kids under two seem to have a harder time initially, but settle in quickly while older than two sibs will have a better initial reaction with a longer adjustment period. We shall see...

Bryan and I are so thankful that Hayden is healthy and such a joy. We continually marvel that she is ours and just being her happy (or even cranky) self can bring us such feelings of love.

Lord, thank you for our sweet Hayden. Thank you for positive check ups and growth. Please continue to be with us as we parent thru these next stages

(potty training, new baby, big girl room, discipline challenges...)