It does a body good

Today's field trip to the dairy was our last preschool trip for a while, at least, until Hadleigh gets there. A misty, cloudy morning greeted us as our eyes opened for the day, but our enthusiasm was not deterred! Our local dairy has the best chocolate milk on the planet and their skim doesn't taste like skim. We love visiting and feeding the calves a bottle, grabbing some fresh ice cream and sitting on the porch in the summer. We are grateful for our dairy farmers.

hilarious naughtiness

During the stretch of 80s, we washed the van for Daddy.  I should’ve said we “washed” the van for Daddy.  We donned our swimsuits and played in the water and bubbles, with a good bit of hilarity involved.  I love that I happened to catch these images…You can see it in Hudson’s face.

“Oooo, I have an idea!”

Ensuing scream by little sister…..

He’s thinking, “YES!”

imaginary friends and fashionistas

My girl is a fashionista.  Seriously.  She loves clothes.

(this is Anna taking Hadleigh in for show and tell at preschool – awwww, too cute, right?)

She has a style ALL.her.own.  And she looks cute doing it.

She has more dress up outfits than your average local playhouse. Not kidding. I love her imagination – she has an imaginary friend, that she’s had since she began talking. Her name is Jula. No, I didn’t’ misspell anything – it’s pronounced jew-lah. Every once in a while, her other imaginary friend, Nina, pops in as well.

Anna has a REAL friend too. (Well, she is quite the social butterfly, so she has more than “a” friend). Her name is Courtlyn, and Court enjoys outfitting herself in various fancy-ness on occasion as well.

In the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep, I had this fabulous idea. Why not make a fashion show in the basement and I’d be a photographer for the girls? So we did. We made a sign, a runway, and set up a fashion gallery, complete with special guest American Doll Girl Julie, Ariel and Rapunzel. B-listers included puppy, Pooh, and kitty.

Work it…to the tunes of Disney Princess Pandora Radio. :-)

Strike a pose…

This special show also included a very important intermission for the guests to dine on delicious treats that were created by the model chefs in the Smith Café.

At the conclusion of the show, the models made one last appearance at the request of the audience.  Bravo!  Smashing success!

9 months in, 9 months out

Happy 9 month birthday, Hadleigh!  You’ve been out of mommy’s safe swimming pool belly for as long as you were in it. (Well, as long as we knew you were there!  God knew a lot longer than we did!)

This month you took your first sled ride with your brother and played in the odd late March snowstorm.  Only weeks later to be playing outside in a makeshift water play saucer (yes, that is a snow saucer Mama turned into a play area for Hadleigh) because it was 87 degrees!  You loved both, but you are a Smith for sure, because you were happy as a lark sitting and playing in that water!

You are mobile and on the go.  You do a really fun army man belly scoot – pull with your elbows and use one leg (usually right) to propel yourself forward.  You are becoming very efficient.  The gates are going up soon!    You babble a lot of different sounds and love when we talk back to you as if we are in conversation. Your beautiful blue eyes don’t miss a thing – you are absorbing it all.

You’ve just learned to do “soooo big” and will randomly do it to get our attention…you laugh and giggle freely.  You tried your first Cheerios and had a blast picking them up and chewing on them.  You still have 2 little teeth on the bottom, but the tops are on their way – you gnaw on everything!

So happy to have you in our lives – and are excited to see who God will lead you to become.

Piano prodigy

Daddy's baby piano prodigy.

the kiss

Here’s the beloved open mouth kiss that Hadleigh gives to Mama, at least 30 times a day.  First she grabs my face…then she leans in with her mouth open wide, and lastly she places her entire mouth over my lips and breathes.  It’s quite precious and quite hilarious at the same time.

nothing like a sweet baby kiss….

Eight Months of you…

Eight months of delightful you…what a gift.

And when I say delightful, you are truly a delight.  You are one of the most contented babies on the face of the earth and readily brighten the day of anyone that comes across your path.  You are adored by your brother and sister…and pretty much everyone else that knows you.

Strangers stop me in my tracks to tell me how beautiful you are. (You are continuing the tradition that your brother and sister began when they were “yittles” too.)  You smile for the camera – or a phone – it is quite hilarious….and you’ve developed a cute little giggle.  You enjoy being tickled and like to play peek-a-boo – you’ve even learned to pull the blanket off your head and squeal with anticipation.

This month you took 2 plane trips: one to Florida to see Grandmother, and one to Texas to see Uncle Bryan.  He spoiled you and you got soooo many kisses and cuddles.  (Even more because you didn’t feel well and we had to make our first visit to the ER with you…fever and a viral rash…turned into a double ear infection.)  But even then you were delightful and happy.

You got your first teeth this month – 2 cute little niblets on the bottom – and you love drinking anything from a straw.  You enjoy little bites of pancakes at times and get excited when mama gives you small chunks of mango, avocado and banana.

You do an adorable "HAPPY DANCE" when you are excited or are listening to music.  You sway from side to side; in a little movement at first, gradually getting larger and larger - like a pendulum.

 

8 months has flown by and I am trying my best to drink in every cuddle, every open mouthed kiss and every dreamy head.  We love you Hadleigh.