Neurosurgeon

The pediatric neurosurgeon got Hayden in very quickly and it looks like her head just needs more time to totally close.  Her doctor said that it is rare for soft spots to still be present by 2 years old, but not bad.  He gave me a list of warning signs that things are not going right and said unless I saw something like that not to worry.

This was a relief to hear, but basically what I expected.  I am so grateful for personal revelation, I just knew that this was going to be okay!  I am a little peeved that her pediatrician couldn't just call the neurosurgeon and ask and help us avoid a 2 hour round trip drive and doctors bill!

Wicked

Saturday Paul and I had tickets to Wicked and the Mendenhalls were kind enough to watch Hayden for us all day.  We have wanted to see this play for a long time, so we geared up all week by listening to the soundtrack. 

The play was at the Fox Theater which was an awesome building and first opened to the public in 1929 as a movie theater.  

This picture is in the foyer, wish I had a camera that did it justice, just beautiful.

Great music, great story, I just loved everything about it.  I also love how everyone in the south is good about dressing up for events like this.  I just think it's a nice way to show respect for the arts.  Afterwords we went to the Vortex in midtown which is a famous hamburger restaurant in Atlanta.  It was delicious.  We had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed being together as a couple.  Hayden didn't miss us at all and had so much fun with the Mendenhall's 4 children.  

Cobb County Fair

Friday night was got invited to go out to the Cobb County Fair with our friends the Mendenhalls.  Once you've experienced Cheyenne Frontier Days, I feel like no County Fair will ever measure up, but we still had a great time.

• Watched BMX show that was amazing!  I thought it was going to be teenagers or something, but they were professionals that have won X games and have invented stunts.  Hayden thought it was amazing and loved clapping for the riders.
• Awesome petting zoo.  Hayden got to feed and pet the goats and sheep.  She loved seeing the ducks, cows, chickens.  They had lots of animals.
• Tried my first funnel cake and can I say amazing!
• Hayden went on her first ever carnival rides.  We went on the teacups and merry-go-round.

 Porter, Kimball, Hayden & Boston before entering the petting zoo

 Of course Hayden would not look at the camera at all, she was much to busy looking at all the animals and people!

 Kelly trying to convince his boys to put a chicken on their shoulders.  They were not convinced this was a good idea.

 Hayden loved the merry-go-round, but wasn't brave enough yet to go on other rides alone, maybe next year.

2 Year Check-Up

Hayden had her 2 year check-up today.  Here are her stats:

Height: 35 inches 77th percentile
Weight: 25 lbs 26th percentile
Head Circumference:  49.5 cm or 19.5 inches 92nd percentile

She also had her polio vaccine and the flu mist.  Crazy Hayden didn't cry at all during the shot, the exam, even when the Dr. looked at her tonsils, but lost it when she had to put her clothes back on and leave the office.  She wanted to stay and "play." 

My main concern was the soft spot on her head.  At her 18 month appointment they told me not to worry about it and if it was still present at 2 years old then we would take action.  Well it is still there sadly and she has been referred to a pediatric neurosurgeon.  I guess not many doctor specialize in this area so we could have to wait awhile to get an appointment.  I hope we can do what needs to be done this year since we have already met her deductible!!!  The pediatrician did say that usually they are most concerned when a soft spot is still present and the head is growing at abnormal rates.  But because Hayden's head has always been in the 90th percentile, they view this as steady growth.  So we'll see what happens. 

Here is a picture of Hayden with the rubber gloves from the office.  She ate lunch with them on today!

"Happy Birthday To Me"

Isn't this the perfect shirt for a 2 year olds birthday?  Hayden seems to think everything is all about her these days!  I started September 16th off by singing happy birthday to her when I went in her room and she was so happy to start the day off in song.  I then dressed her in her b-day outfit and crown.

We went down stairs and she found this:

Hayden loves balloons so much, and I am mean and never buy them for her, so I figure I at least need to get them every year on her birthday.

Hayden had so much fun playing with her balloons all morning, it was hard to take a pictures because she was all over the place!

 Aunt Michelle sent Hayden some Hello Kitty stickers which also kept her occupied.

At 10 am we went to Champion Kids which is a gymnastics center that has open play times.  We invited some kids from church to help celebrate Hayden's birthday and they all had so much fun.

 Hayden loves to "hang" from anything, so this was way awesome to her.

 Maddy and Hayden had so much fun in this little house.  Hopefully someday Hayden will smile big for the camera like Maddy!

 All the kids eating lunch

opening presents

 Cupcake time!  I tried out a new butter cream frosting and it was yummy or as Hayden would say, "mummy."  I took off her cupcake wrapper and the next thing I knew, Hayden had eaten most of it!  Seriously, she won't eat most vegetables, but she'll eat a cupcake wrapper?

Hayden and Mason.  This may be on of Hayden's future boyfriends.  He loves being around Hayden and feeling her arms.  It is pretty funny.

That night when Paul got home we opened presents from mom and dad, Grandma Anne and Papa Steve and the Eastmans.  She was a bit overwhelmed and would start to open something and then look at the others and then back at us like, "What is going on?  Where did all these come from?"

 Hayden loves her new purse and likes to put it over her shoulder and say, "let's go"

 Hayden & Mom

 Her Graco car seat for her baby.  She is such a good mommy to her baby (most of the time)

 Dyson Vacuum from Grandma Anne and Papa Steve.  I love that she's got her baby on her hip and vacuuming at the same time.  Also we got her a broom because she loves to sweep and at one point she was vacuuming and sweeping at the same time!

I made her favorite dinner:  Hawaiian Haystacks and then we were ready for more cupcakes.  Hayden was a little worried about the candle though. 

 She didn't want to pick up the cupcake and instead licked/ate it like this.

 Finally got a smile :)

First experience with a ring pop, it is "so pretty."  

After dinner we skyped with my mom and dad and let Hayden open her presents from them.  She got a diaper bag with bottles and feeding supplies and a stroller among other things.  She loves being a mom to her baby!  We also skyped with my sisters Shannon and Michelle. Because we were skyping I failed to get pictures of her playing with these presents, sorry!!!

Here are a few videos of the special day:

Whenever Hayden answers how old she is she whispers it!

Can't believe my baby is 2 years old.  Paul and I felt that we should celebrate having made it 2 years.  What a roller coaster ride it has been.  But we are so grateful for our little Hayden. 

Charmer

I've debated writing this post publicly because in no way do I think my child is perfect!  She has many characteristics that I could truly do without.  But she has some characteristics that really make her Hayden.  Today when I went to pick Hayden up at the day care at the gym, one of the daycare providers said, "Hayden is my favorite child to watch, she entertains us the whole time you are gone, she is the cutest kid we have here!"  It was very sweet of her to let me know how much they enjoy Hayden.  My sister Michelle put it very well when we went to visit her: "she is such a charmer."  Everywhere we go, she attracts people to her, puts on a little show for them, and leaves a smile on their faces.  I hope Hayden can keep this personality characteristic for the rest of her life.  Right now it's my favorite thing about her!

This is a homemade dress given to Hayden by my friend from Indiana, Rachel Neal.  Isn't it such a cute dress...

Latest Project

This one has taken me SEVERAL months!  I went through a home in the Air Force where the wife would decorate one room in her house to match the culture of where she was living.  I liked this idea and decided to make my dining room a little southern.  People out here love plates on the wall.  So I've been collecting plates, returning plates, and trying out different patterns for awhile now.  I feel like I could have kept looking forever, but finally got tired of looking at my stacks of plates and hung them up.

"Seat"

I don't know if this is normal for most people or not, but I can usually remember where a gift comes from.  For example I know that Nancy Jacobson gave me a bread-maker for a wedding gift and that my mother-in-law gave me all my mixing bowls for my bridal shower.  Anyway, thanks Kate Baker for this bucket you gave Hayden filled with soaps and lotions when she was born!  Hayden recently figured out that she can turn it over and use it as a seat in the tub.  When she gets in the bath one of the first things she does it turn it over, say "seat," takes a seat and reads her bathtub book!  It's pretty funny.

Ole Miss vs BYU

Paul's oldest brother Russ lives in Oxford, Mississippi which is about 5 hours from Atlanta.  He invited us out for the Ole Miss vs BYU game.  Paul of course couldn't pass that up, and I was excited to see Russ, Heidi, and all my cute nephews.  We got in late Friday night and Saturday got our day going by going to The Grove for the tailgate party.  This is Paul and I's second time to an SEC football game and it is always shocking to me how people dress for football games out here.  All the women are in sun dresses and high heels and the men come dressed in collared, button-up shirts, khakis, etc. I feel so under dressed in my shorts and t-shirt!!!  Most of the tents had chandeliers in the center with fancy platters serving the food.  It is just unreal to me how proper they are in the south.

How hard is it to get your child to eat good food when they are surrounded by tastier, yet less nutritious food?  

 I'm pretty sure Hayden ate crap all day long, but oh how she LOVED it!

 Cooper & Hayden

 Dad & Hayden

 My sister-in-law Heidi & Quincy above and Paul & Hayden below at the pep rally.  Hayden loved hearing the band play and clapping for the players.

Paul was really worried about missing the kick off, so Heidi and Russ took the kids home and Paul and I went to the game.  There really is a neat energy when you walk into a football stadium and see this!  The blue section to the right is the BYU fans section.  Needless to say we were surrounded by Ole Miss fans.  So Paul made me be quiet when BYU did well!  It was hot during the tailgate but once the game started it was really perfect weather.

The game started out kind of slow, but it got really exciting in the second half.  As you can see, BYU came out on top!  I was pretty excited, that's my Alma mater.  Paul got embarrassed as I cheered them on to victory and was pretty sure he was going to get beat up as we left the stadium.  

We stayed with the Pratts through Monday and left Tuesday morning.  Hayden had so much fun playing with her cousins and warmed right up to Russ and Heidi.  All Heidi had to do was look at Hayden and she would start laughing hysterically.  Hayden loved sitting next to Russ and taking it easy.  

On Monday we went to a jump house and also to the mall.  Here is a cute picture from Paul's phone of the cousins holding hands.

Quincy, Hayden & Garrett

 This is Jett and he will eat ANYTHING you put on his tray.  Such a mellow, cute little guy!

Hayden, Quincy & Jett trying on Halloween costumes.  They had so much fun!

On our drive home on Tuesday we found some awesome outlets and had way to much fun shopping.  We got such great deals, how can you not love a good sale?