Lots of Chewing

Hailey has begun to chew...on EVERYTHING! Anything she can grab and get to her mouth, she does. It's so cute that she's finally able to hold onto things and intentionally move or grab them. Here are some of the things she chews on on a daily basis...

Her paci...so glad she now likes it!

Her ball. Her favorite is to stick her tongue through the holes!

Her baby...we say she's "loving the baby"

Her fist...not just a finger or thumb, but the whole fist

Mommy's finger

Daddy's finger

and anything else she can get her hands on: burp cloths, shirt sleeves of ours, blankets, you name it.

She's also drooling A LOT. A lot of people have asked if she's teething; we haven't felt any teeth yet, but I know they're coming eventually.We'll hold off on that one as long as we can. I don't want to see my baby hurting. :(

We're getting ready for two weeks of fun in the sun with our families! Tomorrow we head to the beach! We're so excited to spend time with family. Hailey will finally get to meet her Aunt Kristin! Lots of pictures when we return!

First Hair Trim

one of Hailey's newborn pics...look at all that hair!

As you've seen in the pictures, Hailey was born with a ton of hair! Everyone kept telling us it would fall out, but it really hasn't. It's gotten a lot lighter and a little thinner, but still there. It's grown longer and was starting to look a little scraggly in the back. Julie kept telling Hailey she had a rat tail, so we figured it was time for a little trim!

before the trim

finished product!

Not much difference, but still a first!

5 Year Anniversary

Saturday was Ryan and I's 5 year anniversary! It has been a wonderful 5 years with many changes, challenges and triumphs, but God has led us through them all! This last year alone has brought many changes...2 days after our anniversary last year we found out we were pregnant with Hailey, Ryan graduated with his Masters, Hailey was born, Ryan was hired at Providence, we moved to Raleigh, I began staying home with Hailey, and we started making wonderful friends here. We had a lot to celebrate this year and so much more to look forward to!

Because it was a special day, Ryan planned a night out for us. Hailey had her first babysitter, Sarah. She is one of the girls in the Singles Ministry at church and amazing with kids. She's a Children's Librarian and all of the pastors have her booked way in advance, because everyone loves her. I know they had a great time together!

Ryan and I had a nice dinner out at Firebirds! So yummy!

Us on the way to dinner. Ryan wouldn't tell me where we were going!

So excited to celebrate 5 years, and looking forward to celebrating 95 more!

Wordless Wednesday

Too sweet for words!

Doing ministry with Dad

Yesterday (Saturday) we had the opportunity to participate in a Super Summer Adventure (SSA)! SSA is the VBS program that Providence does. Different families in the church host SSA in their backyards for their neighborhood. It's a great tool for families to use to get to know their neighbors and have a witness in their community. This weekend the Singles hosted one in an apartment complex behind the church.

The SSA team

They led a Bible story (Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead),

played a game (rolling each other in toilet paper like Lazarus),

had a snack and made a craft.

For kids that attended the whole program, we had a slip-n-slid afterwards!

 Hailey and I came along for the fun! We couldn't do a whole lot to help except talk to some of the parents and older siblings of the kids, but we had a blast doing ministry with Dad!

Don't you just love her hat?!

How Hailey spent most of the day. She loved the carrier!

Trip to Charlotte / Tennessee

Last week Hailey and I traveled to Charlotte to see Grams and then all three of us went to Tennessee to see the Great-grandmas and other family that hadn't met Hailey yet.

Our first stop was in Banner Springs to see Granny and several of my cousins. She got to see my cousin Cailin again, who loves her "baby Hailey".

sleeping on Granny before traveling to Nashville

Granny, Cailin and Hailey

Cailin and Hailey

Then we traveled on to Nashville to see Gigi, Mitsey, Jacob, and David. Hailey did lots of playing and loved being held by everyone! Mitsey made Hailey lots of cute monogrammed things including the bibs for her picture each month (shown in my last blog).

I hate that this turned out so dark...sleeping on Gigi

with Jacob

playing makes me SO sleepy!

Grams and Hailey at dinner one night.

On our way home we traveled back through Banner Springs to see Granny again and then back to Charlotte to hang out with Grams for a few days so I could clean out my classroom for the move to Raleigh. (I didn't clean it out before the move because school was still in session.) Julie showed me how to use my birthday present from Mom and Dad...a sewing/monogramming machine! I was pretty proud of how my first few projects turned out!

Playing at Grams' house

Grams loving on Hailey, loving on her baby

While we were gone, Hailey decided she liked her paci. Yay! This time she was holding it in herself!

First few monogramming/sewing projects...with Julie's help!

 We had a great time on our trip! Can't wait to see everyone again!

3 months...a little late

Hailey turned 3 months old on June 8th. We were in Tennessee visiting the great-grandmas and family so this post is a little late.

At three months, Hailey weighs about 12 and a half pounds. We just started using size 2 diapers and she is in 3 months clothes except for sleepers. She outgrew the 3 months ones so we are wearing 6 months.

Like my cute bib that Aunt Mitsey made?!

She discovered her hands and loves to chew on them! She has started to hold toys but not for very long. She loves to sit up in her bouncy seat and bumbo seat. I don't think it'll be long before she is trying to do it alone. A lot of times if she is laying on the bed or floor and grabs our fingers, Hailey will try to pull herself up to sit or even stand.

Hailey generally goes to sleep around 9:00 and sleeps until 4-5 in the morning. She will then eat and go back to sleep until around 10. She doesn't really take consistent naps during the day...I think she's afraid she will miss something!

Love my happy girl!

Daddy dressed me...Can you tell?!

We love you Hailey Grace!