Miss Hayden

Ok, so I know that I talk about Hayden growing up ALL the time, so I am going to talk about it again.

In just over a month my baby girl will be 2 years old. It is hard to swallow that she is getting older by the day. I was watching Hayden yesterday and was just so amazed at her abilities and her comprehension. That little girl is quite amazing. She understands almost everything I say and even knows when I am trying to trick her. From the time she awakes in the morning until she lays her sweet head on her pillow, she is full of energy and spunk. She is my little firecracker. She is always climbing and always on a full battery, which makes our household fun and interesting.

However, she does sit on the couch once in awhile to ready books and just cuddle. The older she gets, the more she is taking to cuddling, especially at night when she knows it is bedtime! She loves to take my arm and put it across her as if it is a shield of protection. She loves to entertain anyone who is watching her by running as fast as she can in circles and laughing with her high pitched laugh (you know…the kind that can break glass). She makes me laugh and even though she is only 23 months, she is like my best friend. She understands me. She knows when I am stressed…in which she comes up to me and puts her face up to mine and smiles. I know that sounds weird, but she does. She knows when I am overwhelmed and when she looks at me, it is like she sees right through me. Although she is a small person, she has the biggest heart. She knows when I am sad and will come up and play with my hair and put her precious arm around my neck as if to say, “mom, don’t worry, I am here with you”. I seriously sometimes have to remind myself that she is not even 2. She acts older. She is starting to really love reading and will bring me her books…especially her ABC book. Right now her favorite songs are Jesus Loves Me and the ABC’s. She gets her little pointer fingers going and does a little jig. However, her all-time favorite is Little Bunny Foo-Foo. My mom started singing this song to her when she was born and now she joins in with the motions. She is starting to organize and stack different things, such as her dinosaurs, stuffed animals, jewelry, and clothes. She helps me with laundry by taking the clothes to the washer (sometimes she even takes clean clothes), and folding the laundry by giving me the different clothing to fold, then taking it and throwing it in the hamper. She also loves helping me clean around the house by sweeping, picking up her toys, and climbing on the counter to help me cook. She loves feeding the little boy we watch 2 mornings a week and making sure he is happy. She loves her baby brother and enjoys making him laugh by putting his legs over his head and making silly faces at him. She already takes care of him by giving him his pacifier, trying to feed him, burping him, and holding him. I can tell already that she is going to be VERY protective of him. And boy does he admire her. He loves to just watch her with a huge smile on his face. I can already see a special bond between her and him and it melts my heart. He’s hers and she’s his.

She is also starting to know when she goes to the bathroom in her diaper and isn’t afraid to strip down to get that diaper off. She then runs around the house naked and lets her little cheeks jiggle in the fresh air! She has her own little potty that she likes to sit on. She thinks she is going to the bathroom on it and even wipes, but nothing comes out! At least she is starting to understand the concept…I think! She is starting to say more words. I always find myself comparing her to other children her age and notice she doesn’t talk as much. She uses her own language, but not actual words. But then I have to remind myself I can’t do that and she will talk when she is ready. Some of her favorite words are mommy, Bubby, Papi, daddy, doggy, fishy, pease (please), no, side (outside), wasthat (what’s that), pee, thee (three), up, baby, huh, and more. She is also attached to her brown blankie and her pink blankie (from Aunt Jaclyn). Not only is her personality extraordinary, she is also beautiful. Her blonde hair is growing faster and faster and she knows how to use her beautiful chocolate brown eyes. She melts my heart!

She is my angel, my joy, and my daughter….Miss Hayden Grace.