Who is Hailey?

I like to do this post every year because like all children she changes every year.  If I had to take a snapshot of Hailey at this very moment, this is Hailey at 3 1/2 years old....

She loves to play with her dolls, flashcards, the iPad (she has mastered the art of moving apps....it's driving us all batty!).  She loves jewelry, purses and new shoes.  I feel sorry for school today because she was sporting new sneakers when she left this morning.  She kept putting her foot up by her head to show everyone.  Her favorite characters at the moment...still Doc McStuffins and crew, Anna and Elsa from Frozen, Mickey Mouse and his gang, and Sophia the First.  She loves her brothers and asks about them all day.  If we are discussing an event that we are doing later, she always asks "E" and "Bray" to make sure they aren't going to be left out. 

She loves to play on the playground at school, at the park....anyone she sees.  Her favorite is the slide by far.  She likes the concept of the swings but then gets annoyed with it.  She loves being outside so we have to make sure all the doors are locked and have child-proof (for a little while anyway) covers on them. She loves amusement park rides.  She yells "ride" every time we drive near Kings Island.

Even the dolls have to slide.

She asks to go to bed at night and to take a nap during the day.  She will either crawl on your lap and say sleep or she will climb on a pillow and tell you "night".  That normally won't work because Hailey gets quite distracted by everything else going on.  We take her upstairs, tell her to sleep with Doc and Abby (this fabulous weighted doll she has that smells like lavender), cover her with her weighted blanket and shut the door.  She does still fall asleep in random places in the house.

This is her baby Abby.

Hailey loves to stack cups.  We have to rotate what cabinet we hide the kids' cups in because she is always stealing them to play with.

Hailey is a fantastic eater.  Sometimes maybe too fantastic.  She loves all food...especially if someone else is eating it.  I would say her faves right now are soup, yogurt, chocolate, oranges and green beans.  She will eat almost anything if she has a "dip".  Every new healthy recipe I try I swear she won't eat, but she surprises me and loves it.  She is the best weight loss program there is because you never get a full meal sitting beside Hailey.  The only thing that I can think of that Hailey won't eat is asparagus. 

At one time, that was my ice cream.  She claimed it and yelled "mine".

Some time the dog even has to join her for her meals.

Hailey loves to sing and dance.  She loves "Let It Go" from Frozen and Happy Birthday.  She dances in the car, in the grocery cart, in the stroller, etc....anywhere and everywhere that she hears music, the girl is going to move.

Hailey is moody and has an attitude.  Some days she will only speak to two groups...dogs and babies.  Everyone else is out of luck.  She won't speak, wave or smile to anyone else.  Then other times, everyone is her best friend and she is all smiles.  However, she throws very few tantrums.  She does get upset sometimes when we don't understand what she is saying, but she doesn't throw the typical tantrums that the boys did at this age.

Hailey's size is close to typical with the rest of the nation's 3 year olds.  However in the Down syndrome community, the girl is an amazon!  She looks like a brute but that's okay, they love her anyway.

Hailey is mischievous and likes to get into things.  Her brother's toys and video games...my purse, the junk drawer and the refrigerator...dad's wallet...  She rats herself every time because she cackles and giggles as she does it.  She loves getting someone's attention...good or bad :-)

Of course, after we made a trip to Disney last year.  Hailey has now decided that she likes all costumed characters and wants to say Hi to all of them.  The Panther is her new favorite.  It the the school mascot.  She points the panther out on all apparel and papers now.

I'm sure there is lots more that I'm missing.  She's quite the character and keeps us on our toes!