Two Year Old Hadley

Two years old! Hard to imagine life before you! I love to watch you in the mornings when you get up. You amaze me. You teach me so much. You don't worry about what you are going to wear or how your hair looks (beautiful!) You aren't concerned with food or drink. You are...happy. Just the purest, most beautiful form of happiness. You come down the hallway and your eyes are already twinkling to find your toys. Now your toys have a myriad range from pink Barbie dolls with a house, furniture and clothing, to your new birthday Octopus who blows bubbles in 8 different methods with his 8 different appendages, to the baby blocks, phones and rattles, to your beautiful and personal kitchen equipped with the prettiest pots, pans, dishes utensils and cool wooden food pieces that Velcro together like you really are the great sandwich master and drink preparer, to the thing that sits on your hearth, that you love, that I love, that I bought for you when I first heard the word "Christmas" last year: your Disney Princess Castle. It has Disney Princesses and Princes and other Disney folk and they come to the castle and dance and twirl and if they sit in the right seat they can talk to you and sing for you. So your little eyes take in the wonders of your home and you decide which things need your attention first. I'm pretty sure you make the rounds to all of them, except maybe the baby blocks, cell phones and rattles. But you have added strollers and baby dolls to the menagerie. Each of these stations allows learning and role playing and problem solving and creativity. When you wake up, you don't lay in your bed and wonder which toys you should play with, and if you could have played with something else yesterday, and played it in a different, better way. You don't second guess yourself about which toy to play with today and which ones to put off or how you can get them all accomplished in this one day, or whether you will have appointments come up this afternoon that keeps you away form some of your friends. You merely walk down your hallway (at one time in was your parents place, but since day 1 when you took up residence in their hearts, it has become your home, a place for your things, too). You find some toys and you begin to play and think and role play and chatter and you do it all with joy until either you move on to the next thing or you are needed to make a change in your routine. If it is of your own doing, or something you like, it is not a problem. If it is something you don't like, it is a little more difficult to consent to it, but you are always a trooper and do your little best to accommodate people and then jump right back into your playing. We adults around you know that your playing is your work. Your job to play with these things that are growing your motor skills and brain development, your creativity and imagination. You don't give a thought to later today, tonight or tomorrow. You trust those who love you will be there for you to meet your needs. This is such a beautiful thing to watch. To see a precious little person living life each moment and not worrying about next hour, next week, next month or next year. To have true unabashed joy and feel free to discover. To  know complete and pure trust in the ones who love you.  I think that is why older generations are so blessed by younger generations;  to see the development process unfold, yes, but also to be reminded how joyful it is to live in the moment and not sweat the small things like planning, arranging and coordinating. My goodness, some people spend over 10 hours a day on what to wear for certain events. You could be dressed 5 minutes beforehand and look more beautiful that anyone there, not just because you look beautiful but because you are unconcerned and whatever you are dressed in is just fine with you. You don't worry about fad or fashion, extravagance or expense.  You won't always be this way, in a year, maybe 2 or 3, things will be different and you will have opinions and cares over theses issues. Right now, tho? At the Terrific Age of Two? You are just happy to play and be near those you love, who you feel safe with. It's taught me  a  lot about what plans to make, what plans to just let go of, what to do and how to do it. You are my bright shining example of love and joy! I want to see you every day and encourage how wonderfully you are navigating life. I love my little monkey with all my heart,
Love, Mimsi

Hadley Holidays

Hadley, you just celebrated your 22 months old milestone! I cannot even imagine what life was like 22 months ago, because I can't imagine life without you! You have turned the corner from baby to little girl, and oh-what a cute little girl you are! Your hair is growing so much. You are pretty independent and we are very excited to celebrate the upcoming holidays with you. Aunt Lyndi and I have been working on a very colorful turkey shirt for you. You are getting to be such a big girl. We love our little monkey!

Growing

Dearest Hadley, You are growing and growing! You eat about anything now and loved grandma's lasagne! You walk, run and dance. You talk and repeat so many words. Your mama calls you a lil sponge! You recently watched The Little Mermaid for the first time and mama got you an Ariel doll! You are getting good at shape sorting. You are so precious and fun to play with, we enjoy every minute spent with you! Ashee!  All my love, Mimsi

Baby Pie!

Hi Baby Pie! Tomorrow will be your ten month birthday! You have encountered so many firsts in these ten months. Your first Mother's Day holiday, your first Independence Day, your first Labor Day, your first Halloween and coming up on your first Thanksgiving and Christmas! Mommy got you a little turkey shirt that has your name on it! You have 2 new teeth with 2 others trying to come in any day. You can crawl all over and stand by yourself. You are so good at entertaining  yourself and will play with about anything you have near you. The only time you are fussy is when you have to go to bed, because you don't like leaving your people:( You are so much fun to play with, fun to bathe,swing and read to. You love all the stimulus. You have learned to cover your face and then rapidly uncover it and this is your adorable way of playing peek a boo with us! Aunt Lyndi and I took you to the park to swing and you loved it. We love every second that we get to be with you and can hardly wait one more week to see you! We love you so much and have lots of exciting plans for you. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving on your very first Thanksgiving, I know I am so thankful for you!
All my love, Mimsi

Seven Months Old!

Dear Hadley Elise, Today you are seven months old! What a blessing you have been to us! Every time we see you, you smile and giggle. It is so much fun to hold you and play with you. You enjoy your toys and books so much! It is a blast to be around you. You are very cuddly, huggable and kissable.You are such a little people person-you love to look at everyone in the room until you have their attention and then you smile your charming little smile! Everyone always comments on how beautiful you are. You are a busy little helper to your mommy and are moving all about your home now. We had so much fun with you on vacation and you learned how to wear sunscreen and play in the big swimming pool. You liked the outdoor pool much better and even smiled when grandpa floated you around in your little pool chair. You are enjoying all your food very much and are so helpful with opening your little mouth for bites. Your mommy said when you got your latest round of inoculations you hardly cried at all-that is GOOD! Grandma hates to see you ever cry! I hope you are having lots of fun every day and gma looks forward to seeing you soon-All my love, Mimsi

One Half!

Dear Hadley, Happy one half year birthday! Today you are six months old! It's hard to believe you have been here for one half a year already! You are such a happy little girl! You smile and giggle so often. You are crawling like crazy and have been for several weeks. It's so funny to see you moving all over your living room! You respond greatly to books and giggle when your mommy makes the sounds of the animals in the book. As far as I know, you don't have any teeth yet, but your pediatrician says it won't be long:) We are very excited to come see you soon and see all the changes and give you lots of hugs and play and read! All my love, Mimsi

Five Months Old!!

Dear Hadley Elise, Gma can hardly believe the changes in you over the last 5 months. It has been so special to have you close and see so many firsts-quite  a gift from God! I look back to the first weeks and months and I can hardly believe that tiny, helpless infant is this big girl who is eating cereal and fruit, who recognizes her name and loves standing, rolling and moving. You are such a happy little girl and you love to play. You love to stand on my lap, hang over my shoulder and sing a little sweet song, one that I call your Dino song! Because we watched Dino Train on Public TV and you liked singing and moving to the theme song. Besides the eating, the thing that astounds me most is your vocalization and communication. You use one voice for chew toys and mobiles, and quite another for soft toys. You have become so much fun to play with and at many a nap time, I stroked your beautiful little head while singing the Meow Mix song in a kitty voice. Of course, before you were tired enough to sleep,you had to roll this way and that, and scootch forth and back. You and I giggled and sang. I tickled your tummy and legs and you giggled and cooed. Then you would turn into me and I knew it was time for you to go to sleep. So I patted your back and you snuggled in close and it was such a precious time to Gma. It was with great fun to watch you take your first bites of food. I have never seen anyone embrace anything with such unbridled joy! You smiled, flailed your hands and legs into the air and inhaled happy little shrieks! You devoured each bite with gusto and embraced the experience with such excitement-it was absolutely precious! You are now residing in your new home with mommy and daddy and seem to be adjusting very well. You like your pretty room and crib. You are growing by leaps and bounds and bypassed sizes 3 and 6 months, now you are on 9 months and moving quickly into 12 months. You are very tall and it is amazing seeing pictures of you in the car seat-that is shrinking!!You become afraid during stormy weather, and since it is summer, there are plenty of thunderstorms. You love books, and some favorites on TVlike Curious George and of course, Dino Train! Gma keeps finding things for you, so the Postal Service will be busy for awhile. I love looking at the pictures and videos of you and look so forward to when I can see you, hug you and play with you again. Until then, have fun with mommy and daddy and seeing all the new things that surround you right now. All my love, Mimsi