Spring has Sprung...My Heart is Full

Spring in the Midwest is finally here.  Temperatures have warmed up and instead of freak snowstorms we are getting thunderstorms and showers.  Days are getting longer and the boys' activities are filling those evenings.  Brayden's soccer and Ian's baseball are in full swing.  Our evenings and weekends are spent at one sports field or another.  Little Miss Attitude has decided that this round of sports isn't near as fun.  She doesn't like her stroller near as much as she did in the fall :-)  It is a work in progress. 

Hard to believe that this guy has been playing soccer for almost 6 years now!

He chose #4 because of Reds 2nd baseman Brandon Phillips.  He is such a sport nut!

 Spring and walking has opened a whole new world for Miss Hailey.  She seems to be looking everything with new eyes.  Birds chirping, grass, sticks, the kids playing, cars driving by, trees, etc.  Everything seems to catch her attention.  I love watching her play outside and try to chase down the older kids, which isn't too hard because they seem to stop by frequently to chat and play with her.  Each week she is also taking baby steps in her communication.  She keeps adding new signs and new spoken words.  This week, it was "E" for big brother Ian.  We all call him that.  She also has added "here" and "tank to".  Every time she hands you something she says, "here".  Sometimes she signs thank you and sometimes she says "tank to". 

Hmm...I might like this stuff

I wonder if I can sneak this in the house by hiding it in my shirt?

What me?  No, I haven't had any of the chalk near my mouth!  Blue on my face, really?

Wonder who I can find down this way?

Oh wait, guys!  I'm over here!

No mom, I'm not coming home.  I'm heading this way.

See...I can play basketball with the boys!

 Two years ago, these images were too hard to imagine.  So much of what Hailey has accomplished, I didn't know if she would do.  Her personality shines brighter than I ever imagined.  She is exhibiting so many typical 2 year old behaviors (there are a few I was okay if she skipped :-)  I'm so proud at everything she has accomplished and how hard she tries.  The funny thing is...she will never understand that.  She is just being Hailey.  She doesn't know anything else.  To her, she is just having fun, exploring her world, loving her family and friends.  She will never realize how much she has filled my heart by just being herself.

Sights & Sounds of Spring and Some Randomness....

There are a few given sights that Spring as arrived...

Spring blooms all around....

Warm weather clothes that show off chubby legs and arms...

 Spending hours outside and the fresh air causing a certain little girl to fall asleep anywhere and everywhere...

 Spring storms that leave beautiful rainbows and talk of pots of gold and treasure...

Skinned up knees and bruises all over the boys....

 (I decided to NOT include the pics of the runny noses and random tissues found through the house as a result to all the spring blooms and allergies :-)

We have been enjoying the weather.  The kids are having fun playing with their friends in the neighborhood.  There has been lots of bike riding, impromptu basketball games, walking, games full of imaginary characters and adventures, digging, exploring, soccer practices, and loads of landscaping work.  It has been making bedtimes difficult, lots of dirty laundry, a house full of chaos and some exhausted parents!  I love spring!  We all seem happier...we are enjoying the extra fresh air, extra friendly chats, and the sunshine.

I have neglected the blog recently...I've been in a funk (I'm now through it, but it lasted a little bit).  I think there was so much emotion with Hailey's birthday, her party, her follow-up cardio appointment, her EI evaluation, and her assessment at the Down syndrome clinic that I emotionally crashed after it all.  Hailey apparently did too...or it could be a growth spurt...or teething...who knows what hers was.  I was bummed...depressed.  Hailey had about 5-7 days were she wasn't herself.  She wasn't really that fussy...she was a little high maintenance but not sobbing.  More whiny than anything.  She stopped crawling on all 4s....she wasn't pulling to stand...she did absolutely NOTHING for her therapist...she basically sat staring at L for an hour.  I would read blogs of Hailey's other 1 yr old friends and they all were doing so much.  I know I shouldn't compare but it is impossible NOT to!  I was frustrated and sad and then started to worry.  I started to do the standard "I'm not doing enough"..."I'm missing something" routine that we all do from time to time.

I'm not sure what started the funk, but I did let it spiral faster and more than I should.  I know that all children learn at different rates, that children hit plateaus (everyone has a bad day or two)...I just let it get the best of me this time.  Fortunately, it was a short funk for both of us.  Like a light switch, Hailey is back to her old spunky, sometimes almost rotten little self!  She is back to 4 point crawling (as long as the item of desire is about 3 feet away...anything longer than that she army crawls because she can get there faster)...she is pulling to stand again...she has started saying "ni-ni-ni-ni" when it is close to nap time or when we are putting her to sleep at night...we have finally found a sippy cup that she will "attempt" to drink out of (avent 360) and not yell at us when we bring it to her...she has finally learned to release a toy or object when handing it to us.  Therapy this week went so much better than last week.  We actually got her to climb a few stairs (which she generally refuses).  Oh, and other big news....we now have a tooth!!!!

 I thought I would share a few pics of the cookie monster this week.  Brayden attempted to eat cookies and not share with his little sister.  As you can imagine, Little Miss Boss, would have none of that!

Ahhh...I succeeded!

Tired little boy with his new blanket and pillow from Mamaw.

 We are looking forward to a weekend filled with Easter egg hunts and soccer games.