Family Pic Update (finally!)

~My text refuses to do right at the bottom of this post - Sorry!~

Well, I finally got my husband (around his deer-hunting schedule - lol) to the park for a few pictures. Ryan (my brother) ran the camera for me. Hadlee literally only smiled in two pictures (out of a LOT), so here they are. =)

(plus this "non-smiling" one) lol
















smiling #1
















smiling #2

and...my personal favorite =)

Thanks, Uncle Ryan, for your help and wild antics to get the smiles we got!

IBS Elementary Christmas Program

This blog is usually about Hadlee, but besides being a mommy, I'm also a big sister. :) Jordan had his program last night; here are a few pictures.

Jordan sang the solo in "There's a New Kid in Town." He's a 4th grader this year, and totally amazes me with his voice. (probably cuz I don't have one...lol) He was a little hesitant on the first verse, but was very confident on the second. The video quality isn't great, but you can still hear him. Check out his vibrato! =) (don't know where he got it!)

Busy Bee ~

I tried to catch some pics of Hadlee the other evening. But she was much too busy to stand still and look at the camera.

ummm...maybe this isn't "blog fitting", but it was funny! ;)

Hadlee loves to put purses on her arm...and she loves to have credit cards and a cell phone with her at all times. Doesn't she past the "true girl" test?? :)

Catchin' up...

My blogging is kinda falling apart. Maybe it has something to due with Hadlee and Madison....

Anyway, here's pics of the two of them. I took them several days ago, but I haven't been able to get them "blogged."

first car ride together :)

quick note...

just put a couple pics of Madison on my other blog. Take a look ~ http://arenderphotography.blogspot.com/

Still wanting some of Hadlee... she's not too sure about Madison being here though. :) Sometimes they play great together, and other times she doesn't like sharing her mommy. It's not a good time for pictures. lol

Madison

For those of you who are concerned (lol), I haven't forgotten my little girl! She was sleeping when I snapped these, and today's been rather busy. I'll have some of her up soon. (I hope!)

Madi wasn't really interested in taking pictures; okay, actually she was. :) She wanted to TAKE the pictures not pose for the pictures. So I had a "failed attempt". But these are a couple I snapped while she was coming my way. Sorry for the fuzzy-blurry quality. :(

I think this one would be really cute - if only it weren't blurry! :{

Next time we'll use the tripod and remote! :)

some quick photos

disclaimer: these are by no-means an attempt at professionalism. :) They had just both been cleaned up from lunch, and I wanted to see what trying to get two in one picture was like. lol

such cuties!

playing "peekabo" with me around the camera. :)

such a sweetheart!

I have a feeling those "baby blues" are gonna cause Madi's daddy some trouble in a few years. ;)

Hadlee and Madi - can you believe Hadlee is the younger by 5 weeks?? lol

Partners in Crime :)

Hadlee and Madi ~ lol...these two are already quite the pair, and I have a feeling they're just getting warmed up! What one can't think up, the other one has already thought about. Today they explored the cabinets. Here are some of their "discoveries"...



the food cabinet and the left-over party supplies were a big hit!

now on to the pots and pans... (notice Madi is still enjoying the party supplies lol)

lol...Madi did this first, but she wouldn't look at the camera. Hadlee picked it up and let me snap a pic.


just playin'




















Nap time ~

Madi

Hadlee

P.S. Madi will probably be in several of our postings, at least for a few weeks. I'm going to try to keep updates so Natalie (Madi's mommy) can see pics from her day. :)

Napping with Daddy

Hadlee has been going to sleep on her own - we just lay her in her crib and turn on some music. But after her shots :(, she's not feeling so great. Today she wanted to be rocked, and Daddy did the honors. But Daddy's long week caught up with him too! :)

Hadlee's new playmate

I am going to be babysitting Madi (Natalie Herring's little girl) for a few weeks, and Madi came for the first time Friday. Hadlee did very well I thought, especially considering she is not used to sharing her Mommy or her toys. :) They had a lot of fun, and I think it will be very good for Hadlee to have a playmate!

playing in their pj's :)


Madi started crawling on me, but it was hilarious - Hadlee was reading "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" while Madison was delving in to "Holiness and High Country." Morning devotions??




Hadlee "showing Madi the ropes" on the stereo
Timothy gets of at 1 on Fridays, and he was helping the girls play "catch"

Hadlee's 1 year check-up

Hadlee went to see Dr. Harris today. She is now 30 inches long/tall, and 20 lbs. 12 oz. She has been staying right in the middle of normal in her height and weight, but this time things were a little different. She's still in the middle weight-wise, but her height is now up at the top of normal. Dr. Harris said, "Long and lean! That's how I like 'em!" lol
Okay, that's the "nice info"; unfortunately, a 1-year check-up also calls for shots. I know...I know, that's nothing to blog about. It's not the fact she had shots; it's the "how many". All I gotta say is the genius who invented the chart - ya know the one that says when a baby gets what shots - is NOT a mommy. :) They poked her 5 TIMES in her poor thighs - 2 in one, 3 in the other. Then they had the nerve to send us down to the lab to do the lead blood test. I thought it would be a simple toe prick - nothing she'd even feel. But of course they have to get out a tourniquet and needle on a syringe and draw a "couple cc's" while I lay beside her and pin her to the bed. (AFTER I had pinned her down for the exam and held her head while she held her breath through the shots) I'm really not sure who's "worse for the wear" - Hadlee or Mommy!

Hadlee with her bandages posing accordingly...lol. The blue coconut slush around her mouth just adds to the pitiful look. (thanks, daddy!)

With turning 1 comes....

front-facing car seats!! Oh how we've waited for the day...lol. Hadlee has always been awesome in the car, but the few times (very few!) that she's been out of her seat, she has LOVED seeing out the windows. So we wasted no time in getting an update. We've obviously only had it a week or two, but I strongly recommend the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 convertible seat! It is good from 20 to 100 pounds (nice on the pocketbook!), with a 5-point harness life up to 65 lbs., a regular seat booster, and a bottom-only booster up to 100 lbs. It's a new model, but I've read only good about it. The base is so compact that it will fit anywhere, and she sits up straight (which I think has got to be more comfy than your legs stuck up in the air. :)) My only concern was her head position when she was sleeping, but she slept in it today and looked quite comfortable. If we have problems later, I'll update, but so far I really like it!

A couple more nice features - the padding is awesome, and the hard plastic (or whatever it is) arm rests will be much easier to clean!

passes inspection :)

first ride - Taco Bell here we come. lol

Happy Birthday Princess!!

One year ago today Hadlee Ryann Arender entered our lives at 9:05 a.m. weighing in at a tiny 6 lbs. 9 oz.

she has since grown to fill our hearts and home in a way I never would have dreamed possible.

Daddy and Hadlee ready for church this morning

Mommy and Hadlee at Hadlee's party yesterday

Happy 1st birthday, baby girl!

We love you more than you'll ever know!

Hadlee's Princess Party

We had Hadlee's birthday party a day early since her birthday fell on Sunday. Timothy's parents came over along with Phil and Katrina (Timothy's sister) and their kids. Anthony (Timothy's brother), Adrian, Alexa, and Taylar (Adrian's niece) also came over for the party. We had a full house just with all of them, but my parents, Ryan (my brother) and Shelly (Ryan's girlfriend), Jordan (my brother), and my grandparents were also here. Hadlee wasn't too sure about all the people, but she enjoyed the gifts and cake. :)

Here's some glimpses of the day...

Hadlee on her "throne" and the table

the Birthday Girl!!

we opened presents first at Daddy's suggestion....a VERY good one considering what she did to her cake!!

Daddy's gift...he was SURE she needed some of those Schleich animal figurines. He wanted a bull and horses, but we settled for a puppy and a pony. I think he needs a boy....but no news yet! ;)

Hadlee's princess clock from Grandma and Grandpa Jackson

tea set!

part of Uncle Ryan and Shelly's gift - although I'm sure this was JUST from Uncle Ryan - children's acidophilus. :) (For those who don't know my brother, he's a health fanatic! He's constantly reading Hadlee's food labels, and making suggestions.)

her first car!

too much attention! she was getting embarrassed. lol

peeking out with a smile :)

the cake!

(Thanks, Mom!!)

she started very "princessy", but....

it got really messy! :)

"Wow, Mom...."

"...sugar makes my insides feel funny!"

"the girls" - Marissa, Taylar, and Kristen

Thanks to everyone who helped make Hadlee's day special!! Hadlee is playing with her new toys as I write. :) Ummm...you veteran mommies....how long does it take for batteries to run out?? J/k, but she did get a LOT of noisemakers!! :)

Happy Birthday, Hadlee!!!