Mother's Day 2014

Hadley - May 2014 - 5 years-old

did I mention?

My Hadley turned 4 on July 8!

She loves:

* All things pink, fairy or princess

* Singing at the top of her lungs

* Playing with her best friend and her sister

* Swimming and Gymnastics

* Her goggles - permagrin on her face

* Dresses and skirts

* Snuggles and hugs and kisses

* Running in her princess sneakers

* Tomatos and Chocolate Almond Milk

* Helping with the laundry

* Playing with the hose

* School

* Books and reading

* Drawing and crafts

Dislikes:

* Bugs

* Poop

* When her sister bites her

* Lettuce and Pizza

* Dragons

* Being tossed in the air

Milestones of her third year:

* Completely potty trained - even at night

* Started and completed her first year of preschool, successfully

* Learning how to write a few letters of her name

* Coloring in the lines and drawing actual, recognizable things

* A love for swimming

* Entertains herself in her room when she wakes super early in the morning

* True friendships

3 a.m. conversation with my 2 year-old

Hayden: Turn. tv. on.
Me: No, it's night, night time.
Hayden: Is. it. broken?
Me: Yes, it's broken. Shut your eyes, it's time to sleep.
Hayden: Put baaaah-teri-es in it.


Later in the morning while two year-old is fast asleep in my bed, the four year-old conversation:


Hadley: Mommy, I'd like some milk please.
Me: In a little bit after your sister wakes up.
Hadley: It's OK, mommy, I'll take care of my sister. I won't wake her up.


Now who can resist that. She took care of her. I got coffee and she got milk.

wet (fake) uggs

This afternoon, Hadley decided to wear her purple Ugg knock-offs that look like butterflies. Yep, super cute boots, with cute little eyes and wings. I scored a pair for her and her sister this winter at Kohls, which interestingly at the time, they both refused to wear. But now that it's late June, humid and reaching 80+ degrees outside, she felt the need to wear them.

Today, she felt the need to wear them into our kiddie pool in the backyard. "But mom, boots are for getting wet!" she tried to reason with me after she jumped in. Then she decided to go inside. I peeled them off her feet and they are currently sitting outside "drying off", even though I know they'll make their way to the garbage later this evening.

Sigh.

dear hadley

Dear Hadley,

I'm embarrassed that I haven't kept up with my monthly letters to you. It's not that I haven't been inspired, because little lady, you inspire me daily. It's that life is busy!! But tonight, I feel inspired.

My sweet girl, you are quickly rounding the "four year-old" corner at the speed of a professional ball player. I can't believe it... I have an (almost) four year-old.  You are so grown-up and smart. I look at you and marvel... Is it possible that I grew you, birthed you and manage to not only keep you alive, but help mold you into this gorgeous little person?

The other evening we were all outside so you and your sister could ride bikes. You had on your Tinker Bell helmet, flip flops, a cute little skirt and sweatshirt. You were smacking on gum and zooming around corners on your big girl bike like it was no ones business. I looked at your dad and said "I can't believe we have a child who is doing this." And I can't.

Just last week you finished your first year of preschool. Your development leaped... You draw pictures now and almost write your name. You have one more year of preschool, but I think you are anxious for kindergarten - today you had me drive you by the school you will go to when the time comes.

You have made wonderful little friends, both in school and out, who you love spending time with. You have a little friend who comes over once a week (and you go to her house once a week) and you two hole up in your bedroom and spend two hours in your own little world. I have vivid memories of doing this with my friends and I'm in awe that you are old enough to do it too.

Now let's talk about swimming! You are starting to swim like you ride your bike. You have become quite comfortable in the pool and today I watched you dunk yourself underwater in the shallow end. Not by accident, but on purpose by all meanings of the word. You scoop and kick and when your floaties are on, watch out! I think you might be pretty close to being an independent swimmer by the end of the summer.

You and I are headed on a trip to San Francisco in a couple of weeks. No daddy. No sister. Just the two of us. And I am beyond excited. You make a wonderful travel companion and I think you will really enjoy seeing the beautiful city you are from. Plus, I get to show off my beautiful girl to my friends :)

My love, this letter is written quite poorly, but my thoughts poured out a bit. I love you more than words can describe.

I love you to pieces,
Momma

mad

Today Hadley made me mad. She was in a typical, almost four year-old, push your buttons mode. Not listening, doing exactly opposite of what I asked her not to do. "Hadley, crayons are for paper" and two minutes later I catch her coloring on the table top and the top of their push car. "Hadley, stay inside the fenced area (in our backyard)" and where do I find her? On the other side of the fence.

I got mad.

I got so mad that I gave their little table and chair set away. I had it. I have asked countless times not to color on things other than their drawing paper, none the less, it happened. And my almost four year-old knew better. If my two year-old had done this, I probably wouldn't have been as livid.

Following this extravaganza, Hadley decided she needed some privacy in the bathroom - fair enough - but she slammed the door in her sisters face before she had the chance to get her hand out of the door. This set me off too.

And I yelled.

Then I cried.

I don't like being mad. It's not fair that I was mad at my daughter who was doing exactly what she should be doing at this age. But I was mad. Pissed.

And so I apologized. For being mad and yelling. But I explained what the problem was.

But, I don't like being mad.

epic

We are home from our family vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. And I'm not going to lie... a little grudgingly. All of us enjoyed spending time with our extended family, many of whom my children have never met, some I haven't seen in 20+ years. We played together in the sand and the waves and the pool. We caught crabs, watched for dolphins and hollered when the flocks of pelicans flew over head. We hugged and laughed and cried. We celebrated those who are no longer with us and promised to not let 20+ years pass again. 

This is what it's about. Family. I am fortunate to have the family I do and feel blessed to be able to share that with my girls.