Shake your Booty!!

I randomly told Hailey to shake her booty today and she REALLY got into her little dance. I caught it on video on my cell phone and had to share it here!

Click HERE

The Toddler Leash

I think all moms can relate with me on this... I had a huge list of things I swore I'd never do as a parent. Several things were included on this including pacifiers (which we all know how that turned out!). One of the many things was Toddler Leashes. I HATED them. With a passion to be exact. I thought they were inhumane and treating toddlers like dogs. I can assure I no longer feel any of those feelings anymore. 
However, once again there are things you just to not know you will attempt with your kids until you are actually a parent. Once you have kids, half that list goes right out the window! (don't even get me started on birth plans!!) I had promised myself to not look at parents differently for certain things they may be doing with their child because it very well could be for a reason! After the first Zoo trip we went on last month, I finally understood!

There comes a time in a toddlers little life where sitting in the stroller for long periods of time or being held just doesn't cut it. They want to run & explore. Of course add this with a VERY busy and crowded venue and it equals a mess & potentially dangerous situation (not trying to dramatize this but seriously, it could). She doesn't want to sit in the stroller consistently but she also wants to RUN and as much as we, as parents, think we can catch them or keep up with them... we are really just kidding ourselves. The small feet and legs of a toddler can move fast and be pretty exhausting.

So on zoo trip #2, the first thing I did was buy a toddler leash. I'll admit (and part of this could just be me justifying it further to myself and my former subjective mind) they look a lot better these days. Hailey's is a money backpack with a leash coming out of the bottom. It goes over her shoulders and snaps around her waist.

Hailey LOVES her backpack (bag-gak as she pronounced it). It took a little persuasion but in the end, she accepted it with no problems. And it worked beautifully!! She was able to feel like she had some freedom and I felt like I still had some control (with a toddler?!? ya right! ha!).

Of course I had to take some pictures to document this (with the intention to blog about it too!).

At least its cute, right?? And of course she makes it look darling!! ;)

Late Spring Zoo Trips

I have been a bad blogger, I know. We went on these Zoo trips about a month ago and I am finally getting around to posting them. Life with a toddler is BUSY!!

Anyway, Hailey was lucky enough to go to the Zoo 2 times in 2 weeks. Once with her cousins Andy & Zach (whom she ADORES!) and again with her Grannie. She loves the Zoo and the monkeys are definitely her favorite!!

And with Grannie...

Diva in training

Hailey has started to become quite the girly girl. She LOVES to go through my make up bag and have me show her everything (I won't let her touch it). She knows what all my brushes are used for, which one are for the eyes and cheeks. This kid has a solid memory!!

Another girly thing she loves is jewelry. She loves having bracelets on and will show them to you as she twirls her wrist. She also loves these 3 necklaces and has to wear all three at once. One is an old old necklace she found in one of my drawers in the bathroom, another is a gold necklace that belongs to my friend Autum, and another is one of those mardi gras bead necklaces that my mom gave her (purple, of course!). I had my camera out so I had to get a picture of her wearing them. She insisted on keeping them on when we went to Grandma's house.

You'll have to excuse the fact that none of these consist of her looking at me. Hailey has definitely developed "photographer mom" syndrome. She hardly looks directly at my camera when its out. Although, she is starting to pose when I tell her "Say cheese," however, not on this particular day!

Mother's Day 2010

For Mother's Day, I got am amazing new camera! So we headed to the beach and of course I had to test it out! Here are a few, I will upload more soon

Hose

I think one of everyone's favorite chlildhood past times involved a hose or even sprinklers. The other day, while Randy was washing his quad & car, Hailey got her first taste of it.

She LOVED being squirt by the hose and would cry when he would stop. She was soaking wet by the time they were through. She kept telling me (with pure excitement) "et! et!" (wet). She was so excited!

The fun ended with some Jake love. Of course he steared clear of the hose.

Pigtails

Gotta love the pig tail sprays!! Lately Hailey has been asking for a ponytail and asking for a bow. I am so happy she finally has enough hair to do something with it!!

Here are a few shots I got of her. She's a bit serious in these but we were at a party and she was on the move!!

She REALLY wanted cake and was not happy when she was told she had to wait! Pouty face!!

Another vocab lesson

Here I am documenting Haileys very recent vocab boom. She is quite the chatterbox these days!

*Old List*
Mama/Mommy

Dada/Daddy
Nose (Noe)
Moon (Mooooo)
Balloon (boooon)
Ball
Bath tub
Right there (rye der)
Spider
Diaper
Hi (iii)
Hello (eh-yo)
Bubble (she now shouts it!)
uh-oh
Nana
Papa
Whats that? (Wha dat?)
All Done
Duck
Junk
More (moooooeee)
Dog
Car (she's says nun-nun for car. Which is really Vroom-Vroom)
Fish (isshhh)
Up
This (diss)
Yes (esss)
Cracker
oh wow, wow or whoa

*New List*
Avacado
Costco (yes, she says Costco!)
button
trash
toes
please
radio
milk
down
pasta
Elmo
Grape
Hot
water
elbow
sock
Grampa (bamba)
Grandma (wahma)
bike
cake
bite
bottle
noodle
turtle
apple
banana (mana)
woo hoo
go
waffle
purple
bird
stuck
off
help
open
Jake
 
She is such a parrot these days and such a sponge. We really need to watch what we say around her now! She said her first 3 word sentance the other day. "More apple please" Such a smartie pants!

Hailey's Bubblefest 2010

While at the Bubblefest, we couldn't leave without some sort of bubble toy (of course!). So I bought Hailey a Monkey bubble set. I thought it would be pretty easy for her to use herself (it has a fan to blow the bubbles for her). So with the help of Grannie, here is Hailey playing with her new bubble toy.

Bubblefest 2010

Since Hailey LOVES bubbles, I decided going the The Discovery Science museum for their annual Bubblefest would be perfect. Her Grannie came along too. She sat through the entire 40 minute bubble show in total awe. We then played around the museum. She had a blast!

Here are some photos from the day:

Gorgeous Baby Blues

I know I am partial, but Hailey certainly has stunning blue eyes!!
Being able to capture images like this makes this photography SO worth it!