Hadley's 10-month update!

The word of the month is....SLEEP! Yes, that's right, this month, we can really, FINALLY say that Hadley now SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT! It only took her ten months, but for about two weeks now, Hadley has been going to bed around 7:30pm and sleeping (almost always without waking) until 6:30am! Napping has also gotten somewhat better. She usually takes one long nap in the morning (1.5+ hours) and then her second nap of the day tends to be more unpredictable, ranging anywhere from 35 minutes to an hour and a half again.

Hadley has become a super walker & now attempts to run at full speed when she wants to get somewhere, particularly when Daddy walks in the door from work. It's actually pretty funny because if he doesn't come to see her immediately, she starts to cry. She won't even let him go to the bathroom or change his clothes without taking her with him! I guess it's a good thing so that Daddy can get a little taste of how Mommy feels all day (especially the baby in the bathroom part! LOL)! In true Haddy fashion, she also decided a little late that crawling actually is a necessary skill, particularly for those times when you fall down with nothing around you to pull up on. Her version of a crawl looks more like the bear crawl (hands & toes), but it serves its purpose!

Hadley is also learning more and more about how to communicate. She waves often, which we've come to discover is sort of her universal communicant. Instead of pointing at something, she'll wave at it. If she wants something, she'll wave at it. If she likes something, she'll wave at it. Of course she still waves hello and goodbye, too! It also seems like Hadley understands us more and more everyday. If we give her something and say "give this to Daddy," she will (usually) walk it over to Daddy. Or if you say,"Go get a book to read with Mama," she'll often come back with a book and plop down beside you or in your lap. It's especially funny on days like today where she went and got the TV remote, gave it to Mama, sat down beside her & kept looking from the remote to the TV, waiting for something to happen! What can I say? She loves her Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with her breakfast!

Despite the fact that she still has no teeth, Hadley is a super eater! She doesn't necessarily eat a great deal in quantity, especially at lunch (she'll eat half a jar of stage 3 baby food meat dinners and some puffs or fruit), but there is basically nothing that she won't eat for us! We took her out to eat over the weekend and she was eating rice and lo mein at PF Chang's & then today, she ate baked chicken pieces & bits of broccoli, just like Mama & Daddy! She usually has a cup of yogurt & half a banana for breakfast, half a jar of baby food & puffs for lunch, and then oatmeal & some of whatever Mama and Daddy are eating for dinner. She's great at gumming her food!

Hadley is also still wearing a size 3 diaper. Her growing definitely seems to have slowed down, now that she has eliminated her nighttime feeding. She is still wearing mostly 9mo clothes with some 12mo thrown in there, but they're really still too big - she's in that "between sizes" stage where everything just seems to be too small or too big! She's just such a little peanut!

Haddy got to meet her Great Uncle Jim, Great Aunt Lisa, & cousin Jimmi!

I can't believe it, but preparations are underway for Hadley's first birthday party! Yes, in less than two short months, Hadley will be a year old! Where does the time go? Next month's update will be full of fun things from a visit to the Pumpkin Patch to a trip to Disney World!

Hadley's 9-month update!

Hadley is nine months old today and what a crazy month it has been! As per her 9-month checkup at the pediatrician's office, Hadley is now almost 17 pounds (16lb, 13oz) & is 26 1/4 inches tall! She is in the 10th percentile for weight, height & head circumference - our little peanut! Haddy is still wearing size 3 diapers (though we tried 4s for a bit, but noticed no major difference, so we might as well stick with the cheaper size!), and mostly 9-month clothes. She still has no teeth & no sign of their impending arrival anytime soon. She has, however, began babbling up a storm with ga-ga, maaam, and DA-DA being her favorites, lucky for Daddy! Hadley has also begun to eat chunks of fruit and whole puffs this month, which she finger-feeds herself (mostly the puffs, the fruit is still a little difficult for her hand-eye coordination).

Haddy's new "talent" this month is standing up in the bath tub, which she finds highly entertaining. When Mommy and Daddy tell her sternly, "Hadley Rebecca, NO STANDING UP! PLEASE SIT DOWN!," she simply laughs at them! Oye! We're in for it! She is also getting better at creeping (army-crawl style), but makes it about two inches before getting frustrated & rolling over. She would prefer to walk, and has taken about 4-5 steps on her own.

Hadley is also obsessed with paper these days. She can't get enough of playing in Daddy's recycling bin, tipping it over, spreading the contents all over the floor, and then ripping up the paper into itty-bitty pieces. Because of this, she has also learned the word "NO," which she actually responds appropriately to (we let her rip up the paper but she hears NO when she tries to put it in her mouth).

We started the month out with a family photo at the beach with EVERYONE from Daddy's side of the family - all of his brothers & sisters & their families came to Grammy & Granddad's shore house in Ocean City for a picture. It was really crazy having everyone there all at once. Haddy especially had a good time chasing around the kitty & "talking" to her cousin, Abby.

After returning from the shore, Mommy & Daddy took Haddy to Daddy's church softball picnic. Hadley was such a good girl there! She slept in her stroller & enjoyed walking all over the inside of the modular while Daddy was in the hot sun playing his game. We also took another camping trip this month. Haddy was a "decent" sleeper while we were there, but that's a relative term, of course! She enjoyed her stroller rides & started eating small pieces of puffs & veggie straws while we were at the cabin.

Haddy also visited her friend Payton this month, when Mommy and Daddy went to Payton's parents' house for a picnic. Hadley had a good time playing with Payton & even tried to give her a big kiss! We think it was really nice for the girls to get together and it was really neat to see them interact!

Finally, we went to the shore again this past week. Haddy (along with Mommy, Daddy, and Aunt Kate) experienced her first earthquake, while she was finishing up her lunch. What a crazy experience that was, but everyone was fine, thank goodness! Hadley seemed to enjoy the beach more this time. She loved the sand and even didn't seem to mind getting her feet wet...that is until a wave came up to her belly button & the cold water made her cry! Hadley also took a surrey ride with Daddy, Grammy, Aunt Ellie, Aunt Mel, David, Caroline, and Kathryn (basically everyone but Mommy, as she was back at the house sleeping). She was a very good girl and seemed to enjoy the ride.

We had been planning to stay at the shore until this coming Saturday (tomorrow), but Hurricane Irene had other plans, so we left last night to beat the rush (as there is a mandatory evacuation of Ocean City). Hopefully everyone stays safe & I don't have to write about any crazy hurricane stories in Haddy's 10-month update!

Hadley's 8-month update!

I guess since I wrote Hadley's last update two weeks late, it would only be appropriate to write this one a bit early! Hadley has continued to amaze us this month with the things she picks up on and how quickly she learns (including how to get what she wants, when she wants it!!)!

This month, Hadley went on her first camping trip with Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Jenna, MumMum & Pops at MumMum & Pops's cabin in Pine Glen. She was an ok sleeper there (for the most part) and she also learned (while camping) that her stroller isn't half bad! Mommy's friend Stacey came to visit while we were there, along with her husband Seth & their daughter Mady.

Since we were just a few minutes away while we were camping, we also went to Hadley's first parade in Snow Shoe (where she scored a nice, big bag of candy for Daddy). She loved watching the bands and twirling groups go by, but she wasn't as thrilled with the loud firetrucks.

We spent Hadley's first fourth of July at the shore (we had an early picnic at MumMum & Pops's house the weekend before), where Hadley was her usual non-sleeping self!

We went to the beach for a little bit while we were there, but Hadley (again) wasn't too sure of the sand or the water! Aunt Jenna went on this trip with us, as well, so that was fun for everyone!

While we were there, we drove over to the Cape May Zoo! Hadley loved looking at the animals & she did a great job in her stroller, despite the fact that it was so hot! As a special treat before we left, Hadley, Mommy, & Aunt Jenna rode on the carousel (Haddy rode on a zebra)!

We also took Aunt Jenna mini-golfing (Hadley slept almost the whole time, which was super!) & Haddy had her first lick of a lollipop after we had breakfast at Uncle Bill's restaurant!

Mommy and Haddy went up to MumMum & Pops's house to stay for a few days while Daddy was playing softball. While there, Mommy introduced Haddy to the finer points of central PA yard sales! It worked out great for Hadley since she got a nice start on her fall-winter wardrobe! Mommy also took Hadley to her old church's annual picnic, where Haddy got to go on her first hayride! She also got to meet Mommy's friend Jen & her son Cody that weekend!

As far as new milestones, Hadley is getting so strong! She still hates to be on her belly, but will occasionally push up onto her hands and knees. She doesn't rock or attempt to creep really (maybe a little) because she doesn't like being there, so she just cries and then rolls over! She does, however, love to walk & gets frustrated when you hide your hands from her, because she just wants to take them and walk all over the house (particularly when she can chase the cats at MumMum & Pops's house)! She likes to stand beside boxes or furniture & is slowly starting to get the hang of holding onto it! She is starting to pull herself up onto furniture, etc, so I feel that lowering the crib will be in the very near future (like today!)!!

Hadley also waves at herself in the mirror (and occasionally at people she sees) by raising her arm and sort of slowly turning her hand over (like a beauty queen!)! She also likes to kiss herself in the mirror!

Hadley continues to be such a great eater! Mommy has gone a little crazy making baby food this month, so Hadley has eaten green beans, carrots, pear/blueberry/banana, peach/banana, as well as chicken and turkey blends (though Mommy didn't try her hand at making those last two yet). Haddy eats pretty much everything, which makes this Momma happy! She even tried a little lick of an ice cream cone and (like her Daddy!) loved it!

Haddy also got to meet her Aunt Kasia (from Poland) this month! Here she is with Aunt Kasia and Uncle Robbie (Haddy likes to play with Uncle Robbie's beard).

And a special shout-out to Hadley's "Uncle" Nicholas who is bravely serving in the Navy in Afghanistan! Go Navy!

Hadley's 7-month update

I know, I know...I'm more than two weeks late with this update, but better late than never, right? We've been away for basically the past three weeks straight, so my computer time has been even more limited than usual! Hopefully I can get this published before she turns 8 months old!


Hadley has really started to become a "big girl" this month! She sits up on her own and will reach for you to hold her if you put your hands out to her. Her eye sight is impeccable; Hadley smiles at you from across the room & can see even the tiniest speck of anything lying on the floor - unfortunately for Mommy & Daddy - gotta watch that girl like a hawk! Along with her eye sight, her manual dexterity is pretty amazing! She transfers from one hand to the other & can reach for & grasp things as tiny as a hair...which she then tries to put in her mouth! She also says "MA!" quite often, but I'm still not convinced it's used in reference to Mommy! Hadley also decided that now was the time to roll onto her belly! She will willingly roll from back to belly now (sometimes without any motivation), and then back again!


Hadley got too big for her tub, so we started giving her baths in the sink, sitting in her Bumbo and she is finally starting to sleep through the night (minus the time we were on vacation, of course!). She is still in size 3 diapers, and in mostly 6 month clothing, with some 9 months just beginning to fit her.

Hadley's favorite toys this month are her Taggie blankets and Potsy (which she loves to dump over & then throw the pieces). Mommy & Daddy also let Hadley watch 10 minutes or so of a show here & there. She really likes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse & Sesame Street, but doesn't have much of an attention span for it, which is great!
Hadley went swimming in the pool at Grammy & Granddad's house for the first time this month! She did really well, but we couldn't be sure if she actually liked it or not!
We also let Hadley gnaw on a pretzel this month, though it's hard to tell whether she enjoyed it or not (the second time, she seemed to like it a bit more)!
Hadley went on her first trip to the shore this month (for Memorial Day), and then again with our friends from Daddy's work in mid-June. Aside from sleeping, she did a great job! She didn't mind her toes in the sand, but wasn't too sure of that cold water!
Haddy celebrated Daddy's first Father's Day this month, too! It was a really special day for Daddy, even though he spent much of it playing softball!

Hadley also said goodbye to her Great Grandpop Scholl this month. Although they never had the chance to meet (Hadley was just 2 weeks old when they had a party at the nursing home, celebrating his 99th birthday), Hadley will grow up hearing many stories of what a special person he was!

What will Hadley's 8th month bring?