Hanukkah

Papa and Savta came to St. Louis on the 28th, so we got to celebrate the last night of Hanukkah with Jonathan’s family at Sarah and Dave’s house.  It was a great night!  Things are a little crazy when you get four kids under four years old under one roof, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

 Joseph and Haidyn.  These two really love to play together.  So cute! Sweet Simone Haidyn and Samuel snuggle up to enjoy a beverage together. Every once in awhile I need a picture with this guy.  I love him a lot. The beautiful menorahs   Melt my heart!  Samuel put his arm around Haidyn without any prompting.  Could he be any sweeter? Papa and Savta gave Haidyn this great wagon for Hanukkah.  It was really nice out, so I decided to get it out and take her for a ride.  That is, until I realized it had to be put together.  Guess we’ll have to wait for daddy to get home from work!

Christmas

Jonathan, Haidyn and I headed to Tulsa to celebrate Christmas.  We stayed with Papa and Savta for a couple of days before heading to Bartlesville.  I got to go to Oklahoma City with my great friend Melissa to see Marianne and her sweet new baby boy, Cooper.  Susan also came over, and we enjoyed an afternoon of catching up, snuggling Cooper, and watching Davis (Marianne’s oldest son) dance to Spaghetti Eddie.  I love these girls and am so thankful that we met so many years ago at the good ‘ole KAO house at OU.  While we were in Tulsa, we took Haidyn to meet Santa at Utica Square.  My parents took my sister and I there every year, so it was really fun for me to continue the tradition with Haidyn.  While we were at Utica Square, we saw my friend Britney, her husband Ryan, and their darling little boy Jaxson.

 Savta and Haidyn waiting to meet Santa Savta and Papa with Haidyn at Utica Square Waiting to meet Santa Haidyn really want to give Jax some lovin’Haidyn looks so happy to hug Jax, and he could care less.  Love it! Blowing a kiss to Jax

Hanukkah fell right around Christmas this year, so we got to celebrate with Papa and Savta while we were in Tulsa.

 Lighting the menorahCelebrating the third night of Hannukah   Checking out her new blue and gold shirt from Papa and Savta

We celebrated Christmas in Bartlesville this year.  Haidyn ended up with a fever on Christmas Eve night and Christmas day, poor thing.  Luckily with some Tylenol she seemed much better and didn’t get any sicker.  We really enjoyed being with family and watching Haidyn enjoy the “magic” of Christmas!  For me the highlight was the Christmas Eve service at my dad’s church.  The last month had been pretty hectic, and I needed the reminder about what this season is truly about.  It was great to worship and be together on this holiday.  On Christmas day Mike and Judy came to my dad’s for a late lunch and more hanging out.  It was a wonderful time!

 Grandpa got her a jack-in-the-box because she loves the pop-up clown at music class.  She loves it! Her first Cabbage Patch Doll.  Love   I absolutely love this picture.  My sister and Haidyn explored the whole backyard.  She had just really started walking right before we left for Oklahoma, so this was a whole new world.  My little family.  I don’t think I could love them any more.

It’s Christmastime!

And you know what that means…Christmas jammies and posing by the tree.  LOVE!

 Her shirt says, “Santa knows I’m sleepy” “Here guys, open this one!” I love these thermal ones!  Too cute.Showing me Lola’s menorah toy.  Again, we’re working on celebrating two holidays at once.  It can be a little confusing. :)

Happy Hanukkah

Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah.  Jonathan and I are so excited to celebrate this holiday and pass on this family tradition to Haidyn.  As an added bonus, my cousin Amanda and her boyfriend Steve joined us for dinner.  It was a fun evening!

 Some of Haidyn’s Hanukkah gifts.  I wasn’t really sure where to put them, but I didn’t think under the Christmas tree was appropriate!  We’re working out the details of celebrating two holidays at once around here. I love this Noah’s Ark menorah I found for Haidyn at Target.  The only problem is that the wooden candles have glitter all over them, and she like to put them in her mouth.  Maybe next year… Posing with Daddy by the menorah An attempt at a family picture with the menorah Our little Hanukkah miracle!

Bath Time

One Year

 

We made it.  The one year mark.  Our little girl isn’t a baby anymore…she’s a full-fledged toddler.  The day before her birthday she took 5 steps all by herself!  We were in her room changing a diaper, and she was looking at a book.  When I was finished changing her I put her down, and she took those five steps from the changing table over to her book basket to put her book away!  I couldn’t believe it.  She took another 7 steps for Jonathan in the basement later that evening.  (And yes, I’m totally counting.)  Other times we just try to “trick” her by having her hold things in both hands and walk toward us.  We try to scoot away from her until she gives up.  She’s so close to becoming a walker! 

Haidyn is such a joyful child.  She almost always has a smile on her face and is really fun to be around.  There are times, however, when she throws a fit.  It’s usually when she’s really tired, but we have seen this other side of her every now and then.  It doesn’t last very long, thank goodness, and then she’s back to being her happy self. 

She is still talking a lot, saying “LaLa” for Lola, up, “eese” for please (we’ve only heard this a couple times, but it gives me hope!), “ight” for light, “ot” for hot, “ba” for ball and/or balloon, dog, baby, Papa, Mama and Dada. 

Here are her stats from her 1 year check up with the doctor:

Weight: 18 lbs 18.5 oz (10-12th percentile)

Height: 29 3/4 inches (75th percentile)

Head: 44.5 cm (35-40th percentile)

Our doctor also has us fill out the Denver Developmental Rating Scale at each of our well baby visits.  I’ve joked with my friends about how my teaching side comes out…I tend to look ahead on the scale and try to work on things she needs to master at her next visit.  Poor kiddo, nothing like having a mom who pushes you from day 1!  But honestly she is doing really well developmentally, all on her own.  The doctor said she scored at 15 1/2 months…wow.  The only downside to this is that she told me that in her experience, the smarter a child is, the harder they are to discipline.  She also called Haidyn “strong-willed” a couple of times while we were there, which is definitely the case.  For every bit of sweetness this girl has in her, she also has her own mind about how she wants to do things!  Once she sees you doing something, she has to try it.  Right now it’s “writing” with pens, turning the lights on and helping me open and close every single door in the house.  It’s amazing how much she picks up on just by watching us!

Haidyn brings us more love, joy and laughter than we could have ever imagined.  We are so blessed.

Here are a few more pictures from her actual birthday.

 Haidyn woke up to pumpkin pancakes (made by daddy) and blueberries.  Yummy! Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Haidyn, happy birthday to you! Opening a few gifts from family and friends.  Aunt Kay and Uncle Izzy started a collection of Madame Alexander dolls for Haidyn.  How special! Gammy Nancy (Nancy Woods) sent the book On the Day You Were Born and this card.  It made me cry.  Haidyn shares her birthday with my mom, and this was my mom’s favorite Bible verse.  On our last family vacation to Colorado in July 2009, my mom woke up every morning and quoted it.  It was like she made an appearance on Haidyn’s birthday to quote her favorite verse once again! Before going to lunch at Jilly’s Cupcake Bar with Mommy and Daddy Being silly with Daddy After dinner we had to finish our cupcakes from Jilly’s……and open another gift……and one more  Happy birthday, sweet Haidyn Elizabeth.  Mommy and Daddy love you more than you’ll ever know!  You are our gift from God.