We survived the Memorial Day weekend! Drew was in Florida for Phillip's bachelor party for the weekend, but my mom and sister came to visit so we had a good time. Ashley brought Bailey the chihuahua and the kids had a ball chasing poor Bailey around. Bailey is about 3 or 4 pounds and mean Abby the cat is around 17 pounds and she hissed at him the whole time he was here. Ash and I went to Natalie's birthday party on Sunday night and had the best time--Natal is 30!
Of course while Drew was gone my car started acting up so we took it to the shop yet again yesterday. We're getting it fixed but have decided it is time to trade the old girl in. She is 11 going on 12 years old and I feel like she has been through alot with me. I have resisted trading her in for a really long time, but even I know that it is time. I'm so sad, which I know is silly--it is a car after all. Now we just need to figure out what car to get next. The Marsh is only my 2nd car ever, so getting a replacement is a big deal!
Today at the gym the childcare ladies told me that Hayden lost track of Hadley for a minute and got really upset--apparently he sticks with her the entire time they are in the childcare and he gives her toys and watches out for her. She must have walked off when he wasn't looking and when he couldn't find her he started crying. I thought that was sweet, he is protective of her there. Hayden starts summer school on Monday! Next Thursday the kids and I will drive to Houston for Nannie's 65th birthday party on Saturday!
This past Sunday the weather was so nice so we took the kids to the zoo, and they loved every minute. The Austin Zoo is very Austin. Mostly goats, sheep, turtles, birds, and the occasional monkey, panther, lion, etc. The train was the big hit though...you don't really see any animals on the train ride, but just riding on a train was huge for Hayden. He would yell "there it is there it is!!" when we'd pass the pretend UFO and alien (Keep Austin Weird is no joke) or the knomes and elves and Christmas lights. Hadley just liked riding around and seeing what there was to see. I'm so glad we went on the cool day!
It is so hard to believe that my baby girl is a year old--very cliche, I know. But the past year has gone by so quickly! Like most parents, we think Hadley is beautiful and smart and sweet. She makes us laugh and she makes Hayden laugh. I love watching them in the rare moment when they are playing together happily and making each other laugh so hard that they both get the hiccups. She and Hayden are two little peas in a pod even though they make each other completely crazy. Sometimes I try to envision what it will be like when they are 16 and 17 and I wonder which is harder, then or now? I think the answer is both, so I'll just try to survive "now" and not wish it away!
Hadley's party was on Saturday afternoon, and we had her neighborhood friends over for cake. She had her little smash cake in her highchair, but true to form like Hayden, she really didn't want anything to do with the cake. She poked the icing a little bit but mostly wanted out of her highchair so she could run around with the big kids. She was beautiful in her party dress, but I didn't get a very good picture of her while I was running around.
Highchairs are a big point of contention in our house. We have two of course, but the one Hayden sat in was getting too small (it was mine 30+ years ago) and had a scary paint job on it so now Hayden usually sits in a booster seat attached to a chair. But it is so low that when Hadley gets impatient (which is always) in her highchair and gets down she runs over and pulls Hayden's plate on the floor so that ketchup and food flies everywhere. So then I switch Hayden to Hadley's highchair after it is cleaned off and he finishes in there. Why don't I just put him in her chair in the first place? Because neither one of them will have it. They have certain ways of doing things, little Drew #1 and little Drew #2. A house full of Drews!
Hayden and Hadley love playing with Hadley's new sand and water table in the backyard. We turn on the sprinkler and they have a ball splashing around and eating popsicles. They both beg at the back door to play outside every afternoon. We all got in our pool on Mother's Day and they both loved every minute of it. Hayden starts his swim lessons in a few weeks, and he is very ready!
Hayden got another haircut on Sunday...and he got his first lollipop! He actually got 2 in one day, one from the grocery store and one from Travis the Barber. Hadley wanted one I think but I can just imagine finding her lost lollipop in 2 months stuck under the cushions of our couch. We found Hayden's from the grocery stuck to Abby cat's fur on her back. Abby was not pleased about having the lollipop yanked off her back by Drew.
Today was Hayden's end of school ice cream party--he and Hadley had a great time eating ice cream and playing with their friends. We are hoping that Hadley will have Ms Cristen and Ms Danielle next year, but we're not sure if she'll get them yet. Ms Cristen will have Hadley this summer during the summer women's bible study though. Hayden starts summer school at Bethany Lutheran, a different church, in June. Hooray for summer school!
Last week was busy, I drove the kids to Houston on Thursday for Lanie's wedding weekend. It rained the whole way there, but we made it without stopping! Hadley and Hayden were so good at Nannie's house and they were especially good for Ms. Kay, the nanny who took care of them while we were out at the rehearsal dinner and the wedding. Hayden and Hadley had big fun at the mall in Houston with me and my mom on Thursday afternoon--we did the carousel twice and rode in the double bus car thing all around the mall. Then we did the park, and then we collapsed! The whole weekend was beautiful and Lanie was a gorgeous and relaxed bride. We were all tired on Sunday but we made the roadtrip back (again without stopping) and were happy to be home in our house.
All last week our disposal was making this terrible noise but I didn't see any mashed up spoons or anything in there, and I even stuck my hand in it to see if there was something I was missing. After a few days of the awful noise Drew used a flashlight and fished out a rock from our back yard that apparently Hayden had thrown in the sink and down the drain.
Hadley is going to be one year old in less than 2 weeks, it is hard to believe. She is the happiest little baby, she cracks herself up. She loves to steal Hayden's blankie and run away with it while she looks over her shoulder and grins and makes sure that everyone is watching her, especially Hayden. This all makes Hayden irate, but he'll go and get her her own blankie from her crib and try for an exchange. She would much rather have his blankie than her own though, the fun is in the game. She loves to give kisses and if you say bye-bye or kiss she starts kissing and waving. She is trying all kinds of new food, I am trying to get to where she and Hayden can be served the same meal. She likes tator tots and chicken nuggets and a few other things that he eats. For some reason she loves crackers with cream cheese or laughing cow cheese on them. She really likes getting the cream cheese in her hair, which is pretty yucky.
Today is Abby cat's birthday, she is 4 on Cinco De Mayo. She sure is a beast, she attacked both kids yesterday, but I think she went after them after they went after her first. Hayden tries to hit her and says "mean" to her and then she lunges with the claws out. Hadley just meanders a little too close to Abby and Abby starts batting in Hadley's direction. We're having margaritas and mexican food tonight in mean Abby's honor!
Hadley's new words this week are gaga and uh oh. Uh oh was probably Hayden's favorite word for almost a year when he was Hadley's age.
I met our new little cousin James last night at the hospital! He was born on Wednesday night here in Austin, and he is precious. He has tons of hair and looks like his Dad. What a cutie, congrats to Jen and Zac!
