20 Month Update

CAN NOT BELIEVE IT! AHhhhhhhhhhhh only 4 more months until I have a 2 year old! Jeesh, slow down time!

Hanley is such a joy and the light of my life! She is so incredibly smart and constantly shocking me!

She can count to 10 and she's been singing (sections) of the ABC song and it just melts me! I've been catching her singing "Now I know my ABC's" and my FAVORITE "Won't chu say, Love you Mommy!" because I'm always singing her the "I love you, you love me" song haha. She is starting to identify some shapes as well!

She is very polite, says "bless you " when someone sneezes and "thank you" if you give her something, usually without being asked! Puckering up and giving kisses, without being asked and tells us she loves us. She also will say "I missed you mom" when I get her out of her crib sometimes. (How can it get any better than that!?). She also knows its time to brush her teeth when I tell her it's time to get ready for bed and she just started to actually brush her teeth instead of just sucking all the toothpaste off! lol 

I would describe her as a cautiously curious little girl.
I feel like I say everything is my absolute favorite but seriously, it doesn't get much better than seeing her from across the room, kneeling down, throwing my arms wide open and her running into them!

She is such a great little mommy to her babies and stuffed animals. I adore quietly watching her care for them, pick them up with a blanket, shush them, sway while holding them, putting them in the baby cradle, covering them up, and rocking the cradle! SWOOOOON!!!

She hasn't been to the doctor lately but she looks to be losing some of her baby fat - especially in her big ol' belly and her chunky little thighs!

I'm very thankful that she had very few tantrums and is overall a very pleasant little human!

Her hair is getting so long and I can't figure out if it's going to curl or stay straight. She finally has started to cut all 4 first year molars at the same time. All the crowns aren't even out yet on all teeth but she's getting there, this makes 12 teeth in her mouth now! Finally!!

Sleeping is still going great! I've been thinking more and more about a toddler bed but I'm just not ready for all that big girl stuff yet!

Potty training is slow, nothing has really been happening as of lately when she sits on the potty but she's still willing to sit! Usually when its time to brush teeth!! Haha

I could brag on her forever, who doesn't like to brag about their little ones! She is just so bright and can pretty much tell us what she wants. She is getting better at putting words together to form little sentences and saying lots of multiple syllable words!

I love being a mommy to her so much, how could it get any better than this?

I guess I better start thinking of birthday ideas. Happy 20 months girlie! Now slow down!

School's Out For Summer!

So schools actually been out for a couple weeks now but I'm still just as excited! I'm a forever student (feels like), I ended the semester with an A and B {Deans List, woot!}--- these classes were SOOO time consuming! I'm glad to have the summer to relax, yet pack full of fun stuff to do! 

Hanley started swim lessons, even though we were already doing just about everything with her in the water they are instructing but at our own, faster pace. Oh well, it's nice to be with other parents and kids - even though the water is always freezing! I really want to find a cute one piece swim suit, I would like to wear it to her swim lessons and to my neighbors hot tub.

 

I have a very strong love/hate relationship with yard work! I did 5 hours of yard work yesterday and YOU.CAN'T.EVEN.TELL! Tell me where the fun is in that!? It's all stuff that needs to be done but c'mon!

We always have walnut trees that grow rampid in our bushes (silly squirrels) so I had to cut all 56337 of them out. Which involves putting the clippers through the fence, then putting my arms through the fence and squeezing the clippers with all my might to cut the thick 'trunk'...and my arms are intertwined with the bushes so needless to say my arms look like I'm a druggie. Bruises, scrapes, and scratches everywhere! It really is never ending! I did another 2 hours today while Hanley napped! 

For dinner tonight I made lasagna and brought half of it to a friends house that had surgery. I like helping out when people are in need and I'm capable!

I've been doing lots of odd and end things around the house! It's nice to cross things off to-do lists! I have been working on Hanleys baby book and adding pictures to the pages. Put up some shelves and working on some more organization!

Chicago

Hanley and I just got back from a trip to Chicago with my mom and grandmother! It was a nice trip after ending such a busy semester in school!

My oldest brother lives there with his wife and 2 kids. They actually live in a suburb of Chicago, called Evanston. It's a very nice town with lots to see and do! My brother just graduated with his masters degree in (some type of) art from Northwestern University. My sister in law, just obtained her masters degree also (some type of education degree). We went to celebrate their accomplishments and my niece and nephew had a dance recital we had the chance to witness.

I was most worried about the drive, 6-7 hours, with Hanley in the car. Lately her thing is "hold you mommy" where she wants me to hold her at un-opportune times, ie: in a restaurant when she is supposed to be sitting in a highchair; or when we are driving around town running errands. I really just think it's a confinement issue at her age and wanting to run like a wild child!

 

Anyway, the van we rented for the trip had a DVD player which helped immensely and she never complained at any point during the long trip. I had snacks and drinks for her, as well as books, coloring books and other various activities for her. 

We visited the Baha'i Temple, 1 of only 7 in the entire WORLD. So intricate and beautiful. My niece and nephew were in a dance recital at the North Shore Center for Performing Arts with the Kaleidoscope Dance Studio. We also eat at tons of yummy places throughout the city, which is always a nice change then the typical chains!

 

It's always nice to see my brother and his family, I think Hanley had the best time. She is at such a great age where she loves being around other kids!

19 Month Update

Hanley is 19 months old. Growing so big, so fast. It's hard to remember her as a newborn sometimes.

Everyone says this about their children, I'm sure, but she is just so smart and her vocabulary is impressive. She repeats any word we say and is starting to string many words together! She's been saying things like:
Has it = if she wants something
Hold you momma = when she wants me to pick her up
Love you momma = melts my heart...
And lately if I tell her something, or say something to her she will answer with "Otay" or "Otay momma!"

She is also so polite and has the best manners (usually, lol) if she hears someone sneeze or cough she will say "bless you" and she uses please and thank you in the right context often and I am always reminding her of those words if she gets demanding.

We are starting to show some tantrums, I try to ignore her or speak calmly to her and ask her what is wrong and try to discuss it with her but she is too young to discuss just yet, I think.

She is starting swim lessons tomorrow, and I am so excited for her! She is finally getting comfortable in the water and actually likes to be in the pool, because before she wouldn't want to stay in very long.

She has only gotten one more tooth since last month, 8 total, all front teeth.
Currently 24-25 pounds.
Wearing 18 months and 18-24 month clothing.
She is back sleeping with her pacifier for naps and bedtime. It doesn't really bother me for her to have it, as long as she gives it up after she wakes up, and she does willingly. So for now we are riding out the pacifier.
Sleep hasn't changed, she still sleeps great! Every once in a while, not even once a week I will have to go in her room and comfort her because she will wake up crying. I don't have to pick her up or anything, just make sure she has her pacifier and lay her back down and cover her up and walk out and she goes right back to sleep.

My Engagement Story

I never thought what I knew to be an average day at the zoo would turn into one of the best moments of my life! 

I had absolutely no idea what he was up to, even though I passed over several oddities throughout the day. I didn't think much about not waiting in the ticket line or even when we were being waved through by the ticket collectors at the door.

We walked the zoo, just like everyone else, and just like every other time. Peering in on all the exhibits and animals. We were apparently on a time restriction, little did I know, as I tried convincing Michael to "waste time" lurking from random benches. He shockingly remained calm as his stress levels began to rise, I later found out. 

We approached the jellyfish exhibit, which was the last exhibit, and I was especially excited because I had never seen a real jellyfish before. We go inside and I was utterly amazed by all these creatures in their tanks, I began snapping dozens of pictures. I took so long at the very first tank of jellyfish that Michael said to me, "...c'mon!..." so I huffed and said "but I've never seen these before!" So we move on to the next jellyfish tank and I, again, could have starred at them forever so Michael says, "c'mon lets go!" I didn't understand what his problem was so I asked, "why are you rushing me!?!" Michael ended up saying, "Okay listen, I didn't want to have to do this, but, you have to listen to what I say and not ask any questions!" I recall calling him a "weirdo" and I pouted on the way out of the exhibit.

To leave the zoo, you have to pass through the gift shop. We walk in and right away Michael tells me to look around and walks away. He comes back a couple of minutes later, grabs my hand to follow him out, with my tennis shoes in his other hand. At this point, I am even more confused and clueless. We walk in the door of the administrative offices and there stands 2 ladies waiting on us. They ask me to put on my tennis shoes and tell me Michael has set up a "Behind the Scenes Tour." 

I have always wanted to do something like this and immediately started to cry even before they told me which animal we were getting to see.

Still at this point, I can honestly say, I never thought a proposal was coming...

As we leave the office, go back in the zoo, and back through some private gates, she tells me we get to visit the penguins! I love penguins! As the private gates opened, there sat about 15 animal keepers all sitting on a picnic table, later to find out they were waiting on us to watch the entire thing unfold.

We go in the penguin building and meet up with the main penguin animal keeper. In the kitchen area she tells us all about their diet, we walk up these stairs and she shows us where they sleep and then down another hallway, explains all the special tests baby penguins have to pass before being cleared to the main exhibit.

Much to my surprise, the next door she opened led out onto the rocks of the actual penguin exhibit!

At this point, standing in the penguin exhibit, I am still extremely naive to what was about to happen. As the keeper is holding a penguin, she proceeds to tell us why there are so many rocks in the exhibit and how rocks play an important role in the lives of mating penguins. She goes on to say the male penguins will search and search for the perfect rock and once he finds it, he will present it to a female and if she approves, they mate for life.

And at that very moment, Michael began to kneel. He told me he found the perfect rock for me and asked me to marry him! 

I started bawling instantly and of course answered, "YES!" There had been a growing crowd of onlookers and everyone started cheering, clapping, and shouting!

It most certainly surpassed anything I could have ever dreamed of and was overwhelmed at how perfect everything turned out! 

My parents already knew, he took them to breakfast prior and asked my dad for my hand, seriously!? He also asked both of my brothers, which I thought was so sweet and thoughtful

The keeper gave us a stone to keep out of the penguin exhibit and took some pictures for us! Afterward, Michael was telling me how no one had ever proposed inside the penguin exhibit like that at that zoo!! It was so special to me! The local paper even did a story on it and we would hear random people talking about it, which is just so crazy! 

 

I guess I better start jogging...

Hanley and I are going to Chicago with my mom to visit with my brother and his family in May. I love it where they live, seeing the kids, and doing all the things we get to do. I'm a little nervous about the car ride. Hanley has gotten restless after about 2 hours in a car and I think it will take us around 7ish hours. Eeek! I've already been getting ideas from Pinterest and making a list of things to bring for her. We will manage, I guess.

A week after we get home, I am running a 5k, The Color Vibe, with a friend of mine that insisted. I did the same one last year and it was fun. I need to start running though, I know that... I have been going to the gym regularly but I am enjoying the weights way too much and didn't really want to do much cardio lately. I'm hoping to start jogging outside with Hanley now that the weather is starting to break!

Hanley has been cooped up in the house for far too long! The last time Hanley played outside, she was still only crawling or walking with her push walker. I've been waiting forever, it feels, to take her outside to let her explore! So happy it seems the weather is getting warmer and we can spend most of our days outside and finally have outside play dates with our best friends!

18 Month Update

The time has come. My little girl is a year and a half old. Time sure does fly when you have a little one. It's certainly exciting but at the same time so very sad and bittersweet. She is growing and developing into such a beautiful, happy, and polite little girl!

We got her 18 month/spring/Easter pictures taken a couple days ago and they turned out so cute but I won't get them back for another week or so.

She picks up stuff so incredibly fast, sometimes I wonder where she even learns some of the things she does and says.

She is sitting steady at 25 pounds and still only has 7 teeth.

Her vocabulary is huge and still growing. 

Her sleeping habits are exactly the same. The only difference is we are slowly phasing out her pacifier. She was only getting it during nap and bedtimes but for a week now, she hasn't had it at all, for either times. It's actually not affecting her sleeping, except maybe its taking her 5-10 extra minutes to fall asleep. But she just got sick yesterday and she was having a hard time sleeping so I caved and gave it to her so we both could get some much needed sleep. My goal is to have no more pacifier for nap and bedtime by 2 years old so we still have a little bit of time.

She is fitting into only a small pile of 12 month clothing anymore, we have moved onto mostly 18 month and some 18-24.

She is such a little lady, it's hard to imagine my life prior to having her in it. I'm so grateful I get to spend each and every day with her for the past 18 months. 

Last year at this time, when she was only 6 months, I decided I wanted to start a little family tradition with her and celebrate her HALF birthday! Nothing fancy, no big party, just a little cake and a lot of love. I plan to keep this tradition alive for a long time.