Happy Birthday to Mommy!

I know I am a little late posting this blog...but with Thanksgiving and all...it just seems to run together and I have very little idle time! My birthday was great!! I feel very blessed to have celebrated it with Hayley this year! This year when I blew out my candles I didnt know what to wish for, because for so many years I wished for a little one..and now I have a sweet, precious girl! Anyway, here are a couple of pictures from that day! Notice that my Hayley is the next NKOTB biggest fan!!! Like mother like daughter!!!

Funny Girl!!

Well, Hayley has really taken off in the last few days! She has learned how to climb up one stair!!! (Which I quickly discouraged until we get a gate). She is pulling up on everything and talking up a storm!! She has even learned "More" in sign language which she now says for everything or we get a grunt!! Hayley has quite the personality! She makes me laugh every single day! It is amazing to see how much she has grown in such a short time!! I just know she will be walking by the time Santa arrives!! She has learned how to give kisses and is really recognizing who people are! Yesterday, my mom stopped by to see her after work and as soon as Hayley spotted Grams she got all excited. When Grams went to wash her hands..Hayley boo hooed until she came back!! It was funny! Then Hayley wouldnt let Grams put her down! Can we say SPOILED??? Here is a funny picture I caught of Hayley while I was doing dishes after dinner!! Mark put it on her head and then she decided it was funny and kept doing it!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Yesterday we celebrated Mark's birthday! It was his first with Hayley! I think all the excitement of presents and a special dinner really wound Hayley up and it took us a while to get her to bed! She is always so afraid she is going to miss something! We surprised Daddy with his favorite dinner, cake and a present! Hayley even gave him a card. However, the most special gift of all was when Mark walked in the door from work and Hayley crawled right toward him and said Dada..Dada..Dada!! She has made the sound before, but we never thought she associated it with anything, but last night she knew exactly who Mark was and it made his day!

Well the weather is turning colder and we took Hayley out shopping for new shoes!! Her foot is growing fast! It was so cold that we had to take a hat for her!! Here is her reaction to her first winter hat!!! It was short lived, I can tell you that!!

LOST!!

Well it is a dreary day here...and I think Hayley and I might spend the day in PJ'S!! I titled this one "Lost" as my parents are out of town for the first time since Hayley was born!! They went to see their best friends(who we call Aunt and Uncle) in Maryland! My dad has known my Uncle Lee since the third grade! I think they celebrated 50 years of friendship this year! I am so grateful for that friendship as I love my aunt and uncle, and my cousins and couldnt imagine my life without them! I have to say that I am a little jealous as I am sure they will have fabulous meals prepared for them...and who could forget the awesome breakfast they will have tomorrow morning! I love going to the "farm" and wish that Mark, Hayley and I could be with them. Hopefully we will get up there this summer for some fun..and of course to break Hayley into "country living" and by that I mean fresh air, and of course the animals (which to my dismay she will probably love and I will have to suck it up and take her to the barn). Gee..the things you do for your kids! Anyway, I will miss my parents and their Fri. night babysittig duties..but I have managed to rope Heather in so that Mark and I can still go out to eat! Anyway, Mom if you are reading this..have a good time and I promise not to let Hayley grow too much while you are gone!! Love all of you!!!

Check up!

Well today we went back to the Dr. office....(third time this month) but it was only for her 9 mth check up. She put on quite a show for Dr. Jackson. She talked and yelled and screetched so everyone would know that she was there! Never seen a kid so happy to be at a Dr. appt. Little did she know the visit would end with a shot. Anyway, the Dr. said that she is growing like a weed. She is 28 1/2 inches tall and 20.4 lbs. He said that she has a small head...but that it probably is hereditary. She gets it from her daddy!! She is still above average in height and weight. I made the decision to give her the flu shot. After what we just went through...I couldnt imagine her getting the flu and feeling that bad. I hope I made the right decision. She didnt even cry or yell. I gave her a piece of paper to play with (her favorite toy at the moment) and the nurse stuck her and not a peep!! Such a big girl!!

We are also trying to get her back on some type of schedule. She kind of slipped out of her old one when she got sick..so now we are down to two naps a day and she is in the bed by 8 and up at 7AM!!

She had her first fall this week! She is pulling up on everything, but is not so steady on her feet. She fell into a toy and it left a mark under her eye!! I felt so bad for her...I tried to catch her but wasnt quick enought. I think it hurt me more than it hurt her! I know that I have to prepare myself for many more falls but it is hard to watch your baby hurt.

DOWN TIME!

Ok..I finally have a moment to post some pictures. We took Hayley to a Pumpkin Patch..picked out our pumpkin and went on a hay ride. She loved every minute of it! Here are some of Hayley's latest!!! Love to all of you!!

SICK DAYS!

What a crazy last two weeks!! Poor little Hayley has been so sick! First with a sinus infection, then with a stomach virus! It all ran together and it has been awful! It was coming out of both ends and I learned what it was like to be a mother to a sick child and get my hands dirty.....(which you all know I hate to do). Yes Cavey's....I even gagged and could have used a shower a time or two!! It may have been worse then the barn!!!! Anyway, we went back to the Dr. yesterday b/c she isnt getting any better and on the way home we were rear-ended...(well I should say Mark was). He was driving Hayley home b/c I had to go to work. Everyone is okay thankgoodnees!! Now we just have to deal with all the insurance stuff and get the car fixed. When??? I have no idea!! So..that is why I havent been posting! I will try and get some new pictures downloaded soon. Till then....

Looking back!

Today I was looking at some old photos of Hayley on the computer. I found myself looking at slideshow of her for about 30 min despite the many things I have on my "TO DO" list. I was captivated by how much she has grown and changed. I have always thought she was beautiful from the first time I laid eyes on her, but wow...is she a cutie!! Guess I am bias, but she is the most beautiful child I have ever seen! She has such personality now. While I know she is her own person, it is humbling to see some of the traits she has no doubt inherited from me. She is not the most patient person in the world, and probably never will be. She gets frustrated easily when things dont go her way the first time, but she is sweet and loving and happy. It is very surreal to see your self in another human being, and makes that of GOD's work seem even more spectacular to me. Once again, I have to tell you have very blessed I am to have the opportunity to experience motherhood, especially to this sweet girl. I have a feeling that the both of us are going to learn a lot...together. I am excited about journey! Here is one of my favorite pics and memories!!

PUPPY LOVE

The other day Hayley spotted our neighbors two new puppies! One is a mini Australian Sheppard and the other is a welsh corgi. Their names are Lucy and Peaches!! They are both really cute and sweet! They were just as interested in Hayley as she was them. Here are a couple of pictures from that day.

Uncle Bob's Pumpkin Patch and The Dawgs!

Yesterday Mark and I were able to go to the UGA vs. UT game in Athens! It was a fall day with a great breeze..even a little on the chilly side. The game was a little slow but the Dawgs pulled it off with a win over Tennessee. Mark and I left in the third quarter b/c he wasnt feeling well (sore throat), but all in all we had a good day.

Hayley spent the day/night with my parents and they took her to Uncle Bob's Pumpkin Patch!! A little on the "Deliverence" side of things but they had a good time. Hayley loved the hayride, and the BIG tires! Mom and Dad said that she was a good girl and even waved to everyone!! She got her first pumpkin (just her size). She is quite the charmer and loves to be around people!! They got some great photos but they are all on my dads camera! Maybe I can get some uploaded soon!!

NEW TOOTH!

Well all of those sleepless nights (2 weeks worth) have paid off! Hayley has her second tooth (on the bottom). Putting your finger in her mouth isnt quite as much fun as it once was! She has teeth and she knows how to use them! She has become a HUGE fan of Cheerios! Loves them! Would eat a hundred of them if I let her! She also had some green beans and lima beans on Sunday! She loved them too! I dont think there is a thing that this child will not eat! At least until she learns what her daddy wont eat!!! However, if she baulks on cheese I dont know what I will do!!! I cant have two people in this house disliking cheese!! That is just unamerican!! Hayley is getting ready for Halloween. She has her PJS and bib, her costume, and her pumpkin for collecting goodies. I decided to get some use out of the PJ's for the month!! She looks so cute in them!

Yesterday was also a big day for Hayley! Grams bought her her first Christmas dress! It is adorable. It is red corduroy with a white bib-like collar that I am going to have monogrammed. She also got her first pair of pattened leather shoes (My personal fav). I have always wanted a little girl to dress up and to wear pat. leather shoes!!

NEW ADVENTURES!!!

Hayley has made a lot of progress crawling! She can really go now!! You cant turn your head for a second before she is out of sight! She is really exploring the house! She is facinated with the hardwood floors! After a while though she wants you to pick her up, because I think it hurts her poor little knees! She likes the sound of them when she bangs her palm on them!! She just giggles! She is also really looking to Mark and I for approval on everything she does! She will touch something and then wait for one of us to say "no, no"! It is too funny!

The weather here has been gorgeous and Hayley and I have taken full advantage of it by going for walks every day! Wehad all intentions of feeding the ducks by the lake, but the ducks werent there, so I decided to take her to the playground and put her in a swing to see what she thought....Well she just loved it! She just giggled and giggled! After she had enough of the baby swing, I sat on a big swing and sat her in my lap! I think that made her feel more secure, and it also brought back so many childhood memories! I used to love to swing and I totally enjoyed acting like a kid again!! As Hayley gets older..I am begining to realize that one of the joys of having children is that it allows you to let go of the day to day responsibilities and have a little fun!! I love being able to take life not so seriously!! I hope you enjoy our pics from that fun day!

SO TIRED!

Ok.. so no one in this house has been getting much sleep! It is taking its toll on all of us! Here is a cute pic I captured of Ms. Hayley calling it quits for the day! So precious!!!

Eight Months Old!!!

This one is just for you Aunt Wanda!! Ha ha!! So on MOnday, Hayley turned 8 months old! She is such a big girl and doing big girl things! She holds her bottle on her own (one handed most times), she is getting better and better at crawling everyday, and she is bound and determined to get the spoon from my hand when feeding her! (Anyone know where I can get big sheets of plastic to put around the kitchen when she starts swinging the spoon????) It is also Fall here in GA and the weather has been beautiful! I was able to get her 8th pic outside! She just loves to feel new textures and laughs at the feel of grass! We are also having issues with bathing her now! She hasnt used the baby tub in a few months, but now she doesnt want to sit in the tub..she wants to lay down and roll around in the water. So.. since I cant hold her and bathe her at the same time...Mark has to get in with her and hold her up!! (Here is a great picture of the two of them...Mark will probably kill me for sharing). Again, each day brings joy and new challenges!!! Did I mention we arent sleeping much b/c tooth number two is wreaking havoic in Hayley's mouth....but more on that later! Enjoy the pics!! -Tammy

ZOO!!!!!!!

Yesterday Mark took the day off work and we took Hayley to the Zoo!!! Believe it or not..this was the first family outing we have had with just the three of us! It was so much fun!!! Nothing like having a kid to let you be a kid again!! Hayley wasnt much on the animals (more interested in looking at the trees and people), but she was such a good girl!! She just rode around taking it all in! She was a trooper!! Mommy's favorite exhibit was the gorilla exhibit!! Like my dad, I am facinated with them! Mark liked it all and was just glad to be off work!! Hayley's favorite part was the carosel!! She was too small to sit on one of the animals, but was sat in one of the little sofa seats (we sat in a peacock...Just for you Jennie :). When the ride started she just started laughing and screaming!! She was so excited. She thought the animals going up and down were the greastest thing. I have never heard such excitement from her! I am glad she had a good time! We also took her on the train ride. She wasnt all that thrilled with that and neither was daddy!! Anyway, it was great to spend the day together as a family! I look forward to more days like that! I truly am so blessed to have Hayley and Mark. I love them so very much!

BIG HELPER!!!

Hayley decided she wanted to be a part of the laundry process. Isnt this adorable!!! She is just so curious about everything!!! Gotta love it!!!

NEW FAVS!!

Okay..I have to take the time to share these classic pictures of Hayley with you!! Each of them captures the essence of her personality!! There are so many facets of her personality and it seems that each day we see something else from her. So far I know that she is a very determined little girl. She is also impatient like her mother...(wants everything yesterday), she can also be happy go lucky like her father and she is a very loving!! Hayley has never been one to turn down a meal, but with her teeth coming in...she hasnt been as hungry. You can see in the pic that she doesnt want anymore food!! The other...I wasnt getting her out of her highchair soon enough. She is also infatuated with picture of her cousins that live in Maryland! I tell her about them all the time, but it wasnt till I put their picture in her photo album that she went nuts over them!!! She loves to look at that photo and she always smiles big and lets out a chuckle!!

SO EXCITED!!

Today I found my college roommate Deecie!! We havent spoken in nine years...just lost touch!!! She called me on the phone and we talked for an hour. We had so much to catch up on! She is married and has two kids, boy and girl...Grey and McKinley! They are adorable! She still lives in Columbia, SC and we hope to be able to see each other soon! Too bad Mark and I arent going to Columbia for the game this weekend!! We made a lot of memories at GSU, and reminising about it today was a lot of fun!! I am so happy to have found her and to have talked with her! I hope we stay in touch this time!! Uh-oh---gotta run! Hayley is up from her nap!!!

GNO!!!!

Last night was GNO (Girls Night Out) at my house!! What a great time it was!! We cooked, drank a little wine and of course talked...talked...talked!! Hayley was at my parents for the night and Mark was off with Heather and Chris so it was just me, Steph, April, Malin and Patricia!! Malin and Patricia left fairly early and April and STeph and I talked FOREVER!! Steph and I have been like that since we were fourteen, and it was nice to add another to the zaniness!!! Before we knew it, it was 3:40 AM!!! I havent been up that late in a long time...well maybe with Hayley but not by choice! It was so great to be able to talk "Girl" talk and find out that we share so much in commmon!! Dont get me wrong...motherhood is fantastic, but it is an adjustment and it is nice to have people to relate too!!! I am not sure they know it, but I am so grateful to them!! Especially Steph!! She may be younger but I look up to her! She is a terrific mother, wife and friend and I am so blessed to have her in my life!! She keeps me sane in more ways than she will ever know!! Luv ya girl!! Well it is Sat. and Georgia kicks off in last than an hour!! I better go and get ready....GO DAWGS!!!! SIC EM!!!

LABOR DAY COOKOUT

My parents had a cookout today with some of their friends and invited Heather, Chris, Mark, Hayley and I over for dinner! I was at Target earlier in the day and saw a kiddie pool on clearance for six bucks!! I thought today would be a great day to use it!! We could all be outside and Hayley could be entertained! Heather's neighbor Shannon also came over with her little girl Kiley who will be one in two weeks. Hayley and Kiley just sort of looked at each other, but didnt know what to do. Kiley didnt get in the pool, but Hayley was in for a good 30 min!! The water was quite cold but she didnt seem to care!! We didnt even bother with a suit, just put her in with a swim diaper and she splashed and played and had a big time! I think this pool could become my new best friend! It will be hot here at least for another month and we should be able to get some good use out of it since she is sitting up pretty well now! Hayley is growing up so fast and is loving some of the freedom she has learned. She wants to hold her bottle on her own, she wants to crawl and gets into her yoga pose (downward dog) often. She also loves sitting up and being able to play with her toys without the assistance of mom or dad! I know that this is just the first steps of many and while it is very exciting to see her learn and conquer new things, it is a little bittersweet knowing that we will never get the newborn days back! IT was funny, Mark is also realizing how fast she is growing. This mroning Mark got up with her and tried to rock her in the chair to get her back to sleep and Hayley wanted no part of it. Mark said that he misses falling asleep with her on his shoulder when we first brought her home!! So with that said, I think Mark and I plan to slow down a little and take it all in!! Before we know it, she will be starting her first day of school. AHHHH!!!

GAME DAY!!!!

Well folks...it is that time again!! Fall is no where in the air and Georgia Football has offically begun!!! As most of you all know this is Mark's passion and we were lucky enough to be able to attend the game together on Sat. Georgia beat Georgia Southern! We had a good time, but Mark is a little shook up that one of the defensive tackles was injured and may be out for the season (gee, I almost sound like I know what I am talking about). He said that this could really mess "US" up!! We got to see a lot of our tailgate friends that we only see during football season due to time, schedules, and distance!! Mark is fired up about the season as Georgia is ranked NO. 1 in the SEC!

Wedding Bliss

Sat. August 23rd we had the honor of attending Jessica Waynick and Chris Mucha's wedding!! I have known Jess since she was little (she used to come into Baskin Robbins when I worked there almost everyday for a scoop of vanilla on a cone), and she is the daughter of the owner of Lizard Thicket (the store that I work at and Heather manages). Anyway, she made a beautiful bride and we had a fabulous time! Everyone looked amazing, especially one of the bridesmaids (Heather)!!! Here are a few pics from that day!! I just LOVE weddings!!

SEVEN MONTHS AND RARING TO GO!!

Hayley is officially seven months old! She is still such an awesome, happy baby! She has a smile that can light up a room! She brings such joy to our hearts. I cant say enough about what a great little girl she is! Not much on patience...but still a wonderful blessing (Gee...I wonder where she gets that from?????). Her seventh month b-day was uneventful as I had to work. She did get to go out to eat with Grams, Gramps and her daddy! They had pizza of course (what else would Gramps want on a Friday night???). Sat she got to spend the afternoon with Nana and Papa so that her daddy and I could go to a wedding. Mark and I had a great time and I got to dance...(which I love to do). Heather was in the wedding and she looked beautiful as always. I will have to share some pics later.

Yesterday I had to work all day and Mark played Mr. Mom! The love you have for you husband is amazing in itself, but when you see him interact with your baby and love and care for them in a way only a father could, it makes you love them even more! I am so grateful to be married to such a wonderful man. I may not tell him enough, but I think he is a wonderful dad.

Well..nap time has come to an abrupt end!!! Gotta run!!!!

Whew....

Well last night we got a full nights sleep and so did Hayley! She had a full days worth of meds in her and she seemed to do much better. She was a very happy girl yesterday! She had a friend come over....("Cousin Lauren" as she likes to call herself) to play while I got some much needed house work done! Lauren is a girl that I work with at Lizard Thicket! She loves Hayley to death and has been begging to come over and watch her, so I took her up on the idea. She did great with her and Hayley really seemed to have a good time! I heard them both laughing a lot! Then Mark took Hayley to little Mark's flag football game! Hayley loves to watch the game and be with everyone. Mark said that her and little Mark just love each other so much! Hayley just looks at Lil Mark with such admiration! It is so cute! I was at work, so I was unable to go with them, but I am glad that Mark was able to spend some one on one time with her, plus get more comfortable at taking her places! It is also great that Nana and Poppa, Aunt Lisa, Uncle Kenneth and Maggie are there to help him and entertain Hayley. Well today Hayley is officially seven months old. She is growing so fast. Now I understand it when all moms say that the time goes by too quickly. I will post a picture of her today on my next post. Hope everyone had a great day.

Trial and Error....

I just have to vent my frustration with medicine and doctors!! As I have written about before, Hayley is not a sleeper!!! Never has been since we brought her home! We finally discovered that some of her problem were due toAcid Reflux . We had to take her to a specialist at downtown and she was put on Prilosec! She has taken it for four and a half months now....! Still not sleeping. So.. when we were on vacation at the beach.. I wasnt as religious about giving her the med. We were busy and totally off schedule. She seemed to start sleeping better. I decided to wean her off of it and amazingly she started napping and sleeping better through the night! Well after four weeks or so of not taking it she slowly started showing signs that she needed to be put back on it. She started coughing alot, grunting and making really sour faces, as if she tasted something bad! She also started getting the hiccups like she did when she was tiny (lasting 20 min or longer). So I decided that she needed to go back on it despite the lack of sleep!!
The prilosec is a compound that only certain pharm. can make. I always knew it was made with Cola flavoring. I finally starting thinking that the cola flavoring could have caffeine in it which is keeping her up! So I asked my pediatritian and he was certain it didnt have it in there. Then I went to get her refill and asked the pharmacist. Sure enough it is a ingredient in the flavoring. So after all this time I have been thinking that my child is a horrible sleeper... it really might just be the meds!! I feel like a horrible parent for not noticing this sooner!! I am going to try and have them remix her meds in a different flavor and hope for the best!!!

OK... six hrs later I am getting back to this entry after having jinxed myself complaining about DRS. Hayley had some type of reaction today where she broke out in hives, had watery eyes and runny nose!! It scared me so bad that I immediately drove her to the Dr. office! We had to wait about 2hrs for her to be seen, but I felt better being there in case something went really wrong. Well, the Dr. doesnt seem to know what is wrong, or what caused the reaction. He said that they could do a blood test to see if she is allergic to cows milk, wheat, or corn, but they have to draw blood from a vein. He said that it is very hard to get blood from veins of babies, but we could try it! I really hate to put her through all that and then ot get enough! Not to mention that it would break my heart to try and hold her down!!! I have decided to take her back to the specialist on Sept 2nd to see if they can figure it out!!! I have been playing detective with all of this for six months now and I just want to make her feel better.....and sleep!! I will keep you all posted!!!

I LOVE BITER BISCUITS!!!

Well...I decided to see what Hayley would do with a biter biscuit (these are new since my day). They are like a sweet cookie!! I gave it to her and at first she just kind of looked at it, then she really got into it, then was mad when I took it away when it got too soggy!! She loved the experience and I loved watching her make a complete mess!! It was in her hair, up her nose, all in her fingers and under her chin!! I gave her a bath right afterwards!!


Last weekend one of my best friends (Jennie) came back into town. She moved back to Iowa last December and she hasnt seen Hayley since she was six weeks old!! She and her boyfriend Drew came over for dinner and we had a great time! She loved seeing Hayley and couldnt believe how much she had changed. It was also great to catch up with her...although the visit was way too short!! I dont know when we will be able to see her again, with the holidays approaching! Perhaps she will have luck and sell her house here.....I know it has been hanging over her head!!

Well, my short break is almost up..as Hayley will be ready to get up from her am nap! I appreciate

Wonderful Weekend!!

Our family had such a great weekend! Although I worked all day on Sat, I was able to relax and spend quiet time with Mark and Hayley! It was fun to play with her!! The best part of all is that Hayley slept for two hours for each nap!! We are so proud of her! Hindsight being what it is, I am starting to think that the reflux medicine we had her on might have been keeping her awake!! It is made with cola, and cola has caffine!! I havent given it to her for two days now!!! We will see! She is a little restless at night, so we will just have to watch her and see how it goes!! Since she napped like a champ, Mark and I were able to clean out our closet!! For those of you who dont know...my closet is like my worst enemy!! I hate it!!! It may be big in size, but as far as actual usable space..we are limited!! Anyway, I finally had the time to throw out PJS that I have had since high school (why I was keeping them..I have no idea), socks with out a match...and of course the famous high school jeans that you just swear you are going to fit back into at some point!!! Well after having Hayley, my hips are wider and I have offically resolved myself to the fact that those size 6 gap jeans...are just hanging there laughing at me...saying.. AS IF!!! So, I said goodbye and packed them up for goodwill!! I feel like I have accomplished a huge undertaking!! It feels good! Now.. if I can just get the rest of my house as organized I will feel great!!

I am getting ready for my first consignment sale!! My sister in law is a pro at them and I am going to follow her lead!! I am excited to be able to get rid of stuff and maybe find some great things for Hayley!! She is growing so fast and it would be nice to find some gently used things for her to wear and play with!!!

Tomorrow is Hayley's six month check up!! I am excited to see how much she weighs and how tall she is!! I think she has lost a little weight since she is moving so much!! She also has to get her shots!! Poor thing..it breaks my heart to see her crying!! She usually is such a trooper though!!

Till then...here is a cute picture of Hayley!!!! She is always so happy!!

FAMILY FUN!!!

Yesterday Hayley and I had the pleasure of spending some time with Mark's family! Hayley and I had a fun filled day at the GA Aquarium with Nana, Poppa, Aunt Lisa, Mark and Maggie! I had never been to the Aquarium and it was FANTASTIC!! I loved it....too bad Hayley wont remember it..but we will show her pictures! It is a great venue and I recommend it to everyone! Luckily it was not very crowded..so we manuvered fairly easily through it...(strollers and all). Hayley had the best time with her cousins!! She was such a good little girl! No peeps from her! She slept great...and couldnt take her eyes of her cousin Mark!! With each bite of her lunch (Sweet Peas) she had to look at Mark to make sure he was still there! I think we all had a great time!! I wish big Mark could have been with us to make the trip complete. Next time we will go on a day he doesnt have to work! Here are some pictures of our day!!!

FIRST TOOTH!!!

The time has come....Hayley is cutting her first tooth! Unlike the books say..she is actually getting the top right one first!!! She is drooling like crazy ( I thought she wet the bed but it was actually drool from her mouth while sleeping). She is also attacking anything and everything that fits in her mouth!! Bless her heart...I can totally understand why she is not sleeping good!!! This is a very exciting time...but sad too! She is growing way too fast. I hope that as she gets bigger she continues to love cuddling and accepts all my kisses as she does now!! She is such a sweet girl and I just love her so much!!!

Zzzzz...trouble!

Okay...As you all know Hayley has never been a very good sleeper!! Well lately we have been having some napping issues! She is now down to two naps a day and getting those in have been rough for both of us!!! She loves to be on the go..but I cant leave home everyday!! I am frustrated that my house is a wreck....If I find one more cob web...we can open our house up for Halloween as the neighborhood haunted house!! ok..I digress...So yesterday I was at my wits end as to how to get her to sleep during the day ( I think we have nighttime mastered). So I talked to my cousin in MD and she told me about a book called How to Solve your Childs Sleep problems by Richard Ferber! I stayed up late last night reading and it makes a lot of sense. I know that a schedule is best for baby, but I am not a hardcore scheduler by nature so it is hard for me to be so regimented. However, I have come to the conclusion that I must!! So.. today we are trying it out! I will have to be consistent...and so will Mark when I am not here!!! Keep us in your prayers!! Hayley is such a good baby and usually adapts pretty quickly so I am confident we can do this!!! Wish us luck!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

On Wed. July 22nd Hayley turned six months old! I am amazed at how time passes so quickly and how much she has grown! It seems like yesterday Mark and I brought her home from the hospital and she was to tiny and fragile! Now..she is a healthy, bright eyed, little girl!! We just love her so much! Everyday brings something new! She has now found love for her sippy cup!! She is also starting to develop quite a little temper when things dont go her way!! Umm..wonder who she takes after!!! Ha ha! Yesterday, she was so mad that she held her breath and stiffened her arms and grunted for about 20 sec! I couldnt help but laugh at the sight!! She is learning to express herself and I am thrilled!!

Anyway, here she is on her six month birthday!! So cute..dont cha think??

SEAGROVE

Well, we did it! Our first family vacation. We made it down and back without a hitch! We overpacked of course but....you can never be prepared enough with a little one! We had such a great time! Hayley loved everything about the beach!! We are convinced she is going to be a great swimmer! She loves the water...and hates getting out! She is a natural kicker in the water. Her daddy and I even got to enjoy a night out while my parents watched her. We had a great meal at Bud and Alley's with Heather and Chris and danced the night away listening to a great cover band called the Peeks! It was so nice to get away and relax in the sun!! I know we all didnt want to come home! I know my parents enjoyed getting to spend the entire day from morning till night with Hayley! Hayley blessed everyone with her adorable smiles when waking every morning! She is always so happy to see you!!!

On the way down there we stopped over at McDonalds. This was Hayley's first time in a Micky Dees! We had to capture this monumental event with some photos!!We are just sorry that Daddy wasnt there! Daddy was driving down with Uncle Chris!!!

EATING TOES!!!!!

I know that babies only find their toes for a short time. That is why I am so happy to have captured Hayley trying to eat her toes!! She actually got them in her mouth for a short time...but I think decided they didnt taste as good as the bottle did that was waiting on her!!!

We (or should I say I) are in the process of packing for our trip to SeaSide/SeaGrove Florida! I am so excited to have this opportunity to go on vacation. Mark and I didnt think we would have a chance to get to the beach with all the expenses we have incurred having Hayley this year, but my sister and brother in law were kind enough to share their free condo with us and my parents! It should be so much fun being all together and experiencing Hayley's first Beach trip! I always stress about packing...but usually it is just worrying about myself! Now I have a little one to think of and she needs SOOOOOO MUCH STUFF!! I am not usually a list maker, but last night about 10:30 I found myself listing all of the things that Hayley needs to get through the day! WOW!!! I hope we have room in the car for us!! Mark is going to flip when he sees it all!

This will probably be my last blog until we get back!! I will then share pictures of our trip!! Pray all goes well!!

SOOO BIG!!!

When I was a little girl..I remember my mom and dad always playing this little game with me. They would lift my arms up to the sky and say...."SOOO BIG" I caught them doing this to Hayley over the weekend and it brought back memories. I saw it fitting that I share with you this photo we took of our little punkin (pumpkin) on Sat. She is weighing in at every bit of 19 lbs!! In fact, she has outgrown her infant car seat and a new one is on the way!! Hard to believe that thing only lasted 6 months!

DADDY DAYCARE!!

As you know, I am working part time at Lizard Thicket (the clothing store that Heather manages) in Newnan. There are times when Mark must take over the feeding duties while I am away!! Here is the result..... I think more green beans ended up on the bib rather than in her belly!!! I just love this picture!!!!

Happy 4th!

The Sayer family had a busy weekend!!! For the fourth, we enjoyed a cookout with friends "The Cirillos" at my parents old neighborhood. They have a pool and Hayley was able to take her first dip!! She loved it! It helped that the water was about 85 degrees! Hayley was a great first timer, until it was time to get out! I do not think she enjoyed being wet!! It was a challenge to peel her suit off, but after a few screams we finally got her dry and in a clean diaper!! Whew!!! DRAMA!!! After a great afternoon of food and fun, Mark and I came home, bathed Hayley and settled in! We didnt make it to the parade or fireworks this year...thought it might be too much for Hayley, but maybe next year!!

Thankful!!!

I havent written in a while!! Seems I have had my hands full and have been very busy working! Hayley hasnt been sleeping well...at least her naps havent been longer than 30 min at time and I havent had a lot of free time to log on! I have a feeling she is just taking time to get used to her food!! Also, my experiment with weening her off Prilosec has back fired and I have determined that she still needs it.

The title of my blog today is Thankful!! I am thankful that I have such a wonderful husband, beautiful daughter and such a supportive family!! I am thankful that we are all happy and healthy! I say this..because today I read a blog about a little boy who was taken from this earth too soon! I believe he was only a couple months old, and spent all his time in the hospital! The family put together a beautiful video tribute of Luke's life. I dont usually read their blog... but I was thinking of them today and decided to see how they were doing. I dont know this family personally, but have prayed for them often. The video was amazing! I sat hear and cried as my heart ached for them!! I cant imagine my life without Hayley. I waTched that video and immediately thanked God for Hayley and her health. This family has amazing strength. After all they have been through, their faith and trust in God is unwavering! They are truly an amazing family.

I think the humanity in us all often lets us take things for granted. After reading about this family and watching the video of Luke I am going to make more of a daily effort to count my blessings!!

GENE SIMMONS!!!

OK..I know that this is my second post for the day..but this picture is equally entertaining and I had to share!! As you all have heard before, Hayley loves her walker!! She wants to be in it all the time!! I am under the impression that she is in the beginning stages of teething, as everything that enters her mouth is knawled on!! She especially loves to chew on the bar that goes across her walker. Mark has nicknamed her either "chewy" or Gene Simmons...as sometimes that tongue sticks out pretty far underneath!! She is so funny!!