Hailey's one year video

So we had a little Party for Hailey on Sunday (and when I say little I mean, just family and very close friends...so 36 people). I guess low key with my family never really ends up being all that low key. Anyway, I put together a little video of Hailey for the party and I thought I'd share it with the online worl. Enjoy.



Oh, just so you know, this song has been waiting for a little baby to turn one for years. LONG before I ever had Hailey. In fact, I had planed to use it for the twins when they turned one, and since that never happened, I think it is so perfect that I get to use it for my amazing, perfect, Rainbow Baby. Hailey.

For my Records

So I have big plans to 'blurb' this blog one day. And since I'm the ultra-procrastinator...and WAY to unorganized, I haven't really kept a baby book for Hailey. But I think this blog has been good enough, I've kept track of most her milestones - sorta. So Anyway, just so I remember what she's up to and where she's at right now (figuratively speaking...of course I don't mean that she's in her crib napping right now, which of course she is. because she loves me so much and knows I LOVE her naps. Isn't that the way it works?? NO?? Sometimes the best babies don't nap...even if they love their moms to pieces?? Oh, man I'm soooo in for it when I have another baby, I just know) Anyway, I digress. So...I'm just making a quick Hailey post, something that I can look back on and remember what she was like at ONE! This is for you Hailey,

At one year old, you:

1. still like to take two naps a day, but can handle one
2. hardly ever wake up at night anymore, although this weekend you were sick with some stomach bug and you puked in your bed, which meant you were up for a LOT that night
3. have your 8 front teeth, two molars and one that will pop through any day/hour/minute/second. Who knows
4. only walk...crawling is sooo last month
5. just barely learned how to come down the stairs...just days after we bought that baby gate.
6. your feet are getting bigger every day. You now wear a size four....which might actually be kind of small for your age, but WAY bigger then they were last month
7. your hair is long enough on top for a little pony tail...and long enough in the back for some pig tails (we might actually go out with the pig tails...if we liked the mullet pigtail look..but we don't really, so you have to deal with the pony on top)
8. LOVE...can I say it again? you LOVE dogs. Anytime you see a 'duh-ee' you squeal with joy and laugh and squirm and fight to get to that dog. In fact, we've been babysitting Daisy (G-ma and G-pa McCance's dog) this week and you wake up ever morning asking for "Duh-ee??" So cute. You love to cuddle and pet and touch Daisy. And Daisy, being the sweet dog that she is, lets you.
9. Can say mommy, daddy, duhee (doggy), lub(love), Huh (hug) and baby
10. you have no fear...of pretty much anything. The slide at the park?? No problem. The water at the Beach? No problem. The stairs? No problem. Ok, they're all problems for mom, but not for you!
11. Are in the 90th %-ile for height and 5oth for weight...still
12. You are soooo loved by everyone around you. SOOOOOOO loved.

And that's it for now. And for those of you who just look at pictures and don't read. Here are some pics of the family in Waterton a few weeks back.

One of my all time favourites of Hailey and I...I LOVE the little arm on my back

Hailey and her dad

The family

The girls

The girls again...and a really mean mom who had no idea her baby was upside down. oops.

Guess who turned one???

Hailey did!!!



Isn't that the craziest thing you've ever heard? I know it happens to everyone, but wow, MY baby? No way. I can NOT believe that the tiny little thing I held in the hospital one year ago...the one who looked at me with the faintest bit of recognition; the one who cried and cried and cried until we figured out she had reflux; who made us cry with her sweetest first smile; who took 7 months to learn to roll over, and 9.5 months to learn to crawl, and only 4 more weeks after that to walk; the girl who could jump for hours in the jolly jumper and still want more; the baby who would not cuddle...at all; that tiny little thing who somehow grew up to be a walking ... babbling ... cuddling ....happy little baby, is now a TODDLER!! I just can not believe it. And somehow, when everyone said that time would fly I didn't think they were telling the truth. And although those first 6 weeks did NOT fly past by any means, the rest of this first year has been a blur. A blur of memories that I'm so grateful for. I'm so grateful that I got to keep Hailey...and I know it sounds weird, but I just never imagined I'd actually be able to bring a baby home from the hospital and watch her grow up. I never imagined the joy I would feel when she looked up into my eyes the first time...and then how much better it got each day. Like today, when she just wanted to cuddle all day. Forget the laundry and the floors that desperately need to be washed. I have a little girl that suddenly wants to cuddle with her mom, and I'm totally fine with that. Totally fine.

Anyway, here are some pictures I wanted to share from the last few days. This last weekend was an awesome weekend for Ben's family. Ashley...his baby sister is going on a mission, so we spent the weekend down south with them as we said goodbye and hung out one last time. She had her farewell on Sunday...which means she gave a great talk in church and then we all got together for an AWESOME lunch after at the farm. We had fun. I forgot to take pictures, but someone did capture this cute one of Ben and Hailey:


And then, on Hailey's actual Birthday we had the lowest lowest key gathering you could have. During the day, my parents came out to give Hailey her B-day present which they absolutely could NOT wait to give her....and I'm so glad they made the trip, because the babe LOVED it!





And here is one of Hailey and her G-ma and G-pa


Ok, I'm so totally in love with that picture. Hailey is so in love with her G-ma...and you can tell because she's resting her head on my moms face. Now if you know Hailey, that's the best kind of cuddle she gives. It just makes my heart melt to see her love on someone like that.

And onto this one of Hailey and I:



Oh and of course I have to share this one of Laura's little girl Heidi and Hailey...oh man, they are so cute together.

Laura and her girls came out for the day, which was perfect, and so much fun! I have more from that day, but they aren't all on my computer yet. I'll share later.

And next is the cupcakes I made last minute with a baby in my arms. She didn't want to be put down, so if you look closely, you'll see the sloppy decorating (i.e. the polka dots are actually spikes, the plaid stripes don't line up, and so on). But I still think they're cute:



And then a few of her waiting for her cupcake...and then eating it.







Ok...so funny thing about the cupcake. The pictures I took do not match the video we took. Wonder why? Well, Ben thought he was recording...hmmm, it turns out the guy who is total control freak, super organized, never messes anything up, and is the best (or worst??) perfectionist I know, somehow forgot to press record. hehehehe...Ben doesn't read the blog, so he can't defend himself; am I evil or what??? Anyway, enough ripping on Ben. So after the whole first Birthday, cake smashing, icing in the hair incident was over, we realized there was no recording of it. So of course, me being the blond I am...at heart at least...I said half crying "oh well, there's always next year". And then Chris and Lauren...being the problem solvers they are, suggested we just wash Hailey down and give her a new cupcake...Hello...brilliant!! So that's what we did. We now have pictures of one cupcake, a video of the other, and a totally sugar high baby. But it was fun.

Ok...final picture. Hailey opening a little kiddie pool from us...after the MUCH needed bath:



And that's it, I think I've reached my quota of sappiness...at least for today that is. There's always tomorrow.

I'm BACK!!

So I finally have my computer up and running...and even better, I finally have my new camera!! Yippee. I've been dreaming about and planning this purchase since ... oh ... Christmas. Seriously, when Ben asked me what I wanted for Christmas I knew instantly that I wanted a real camera. But he asked too late, and I wanted a good deal. So I spent the next few months researching and fighting with myself over what to buy, where to buy it from and what lens to get. In the end, I decided to buy a Canon Digital Rebel Xti wit the kit lens. I know it's not the best lens, but for the price I got the camera for,the lens was practically free. Actually it was only $20 more to get the lens and I figured it was worth it...and I'll just buy a real one down the road. Overall the camera and lens are perfect for what I want to do. Anyway, here are some pictures I took the other day with the camera. I've only had it less then a week so I really have no clue what I'm doing yet. But when I have a minute I'll start doing some more research and trying to figure it all out.

Let's see, what else have we been up to? Oh yeah, last weekend we went to Kalispell. It was totally last minute and totally unplanned, but it was so fun. We were there for the 4th of July and it was so awesome! I've never been down there on the 4th, so I was a bit overwhelmed by all the fireworks! I LOVED it!! We went out to Lauren's family cabin for the evening and EVERYONE was setting off fireworks on the lake. EVERYONE!! So Ben and Chris made a quick trip to the Firework stand down the street and bought some for ourselves. It was so fun! I swear, if fireworks were legal up here, you'd see a LOT more Canadian pride on Canada day. Speaking of which, we had a little campout on July 1st at my parents and some of the family. It was so cute to see Hailey and Alisa interacting for once. Up until now they haven't even really cared that the other existed...but I now think I'm seeing the buds of a little friendship developing. Sooooo exciting!! I hope they're best cousins!! Anyway, that's it!

A little Hailey and Dad time!

A beautiful day on Echo Lake

Hailey and Mom Posing...sort of

Lauren and the fish she 'caught'

Oh wait...one more thing. A few weeks ago Lauren and I went to a Garden themed Enrichment for Church. AT the end, one of the ladies in our ward gave away some of her old flower pots...so of COURSE Lauren and I grabbed some. We repainted them and then took a trip to Beaver Dam Nurseries (the best Nursery out here) and picked up some flowers. And here's the final result:




I can't believe I actually started and finished a project...so unlike me! And that's really all. Later.