Grab your tissue

I watched Oprah today, and I was so glad I did. The topic was on babies/kids who beat the odds. And wow did I see an amazing story. A story that makes you realize how important it is to live your day to the fullest, and to NEVER take others for granted. It makes you see how blessed you are to have a healthy baby, and how you need to cherish that baby every moment. And the message from the mom on the show, (paraphrased) "I decided I was going to enjoy every moment and be sad later."
I couldn't get the video downloaded but here is the link: (copy and paste it)

http://www.ignitermedia.com/products/iv/singles/570/99-Balloons

Get ready to grab your tissues!

I think I have seen it all

Today we were on our way to pick up DeeDee in downtown Chicago and I was using the GPS..Hadley heard it say, "Keep Left and then Keep Left". Hadley then said (she likes to repeat the directions for me as if I didn't hear it).."Keep Left Mommy, and then Keep Left." A few seconds after that the GPS repeated it and Hadley leaned forward in her seat and looked right at the GPS and said, "I already said that!"

I couldn't believe my daughter was arguing with the GPS!!

Now, I do admit there have been times I have had a few choice words with the lovely machine..but to see Hadley do it was priceless!!

Meet the new member of our family!

Well, I finally gave in..we got a dog! Jason and Hadley, okay, mainly Jason has been begging for a dog for almost 2 yrs! I finally thought it was the right time and Hadley was more than ready for her first real pet..so the hunt began! We spent hours online looking, almost 4 hours at the dog adoption event at Navy Pier and then another 3 hours at the shelter..we finally decided after seeing her two different days and spending lots of time with her that DeeDee was it...


She is a 6yr old Sheltie mix, and at only about 15 lbs she is the perfect dog..not too big and not too small..yet I can still pick her up in one arm! Hadley was SO excited, she picked out the perfect toys and bed for her. On the way home from the shelter she kept saying, "It's okay DeeDee we are almost home." Now her name came with her, I offered to let Hadley change it but she loved the name..so it stuck!


We are going to have her sleep and stay in the pop up kennel for the first week or so..they thought it would help her get comfortable..and I wanted to make sure she was house trained! They think she came from a home due to the condition she was in and how social she is. She is very tame and cuddles a lot! She loves the bed in Hadley's room which is where she will be after the kennel goes away!
DeeDee loved her first bath, Hadley helped..and then afterwards she let Hadley dry her, brush her, and then cover her in a blanket...(and yes she is in her undies..Hadley that is,not DeeDee!)


So far it has been great..we will see how it is when she gets more comfortable in our house!!! Right now her favorite spot is on her belly and getting rubs!!

Love to PBS Sprout

I love PBS Sprout! I will never be the mom who says, "no TV time" for many reasons. 1)Both me and Jason are addicted to TV, 2) how else am I to get the millions of things done around the house that are on my list (yes I have a list)and 3) I think TV really teaches things..well..some shows!And that is why I love PBS Sprout! Hadley is addicted to Calliou and Sid the Science Kid. And she learns from them. One Saturday she was watching Calliou and then went and cleaned her room, reason: "Calliou did it." and another time she asked to help with laundry, reason: "Calliou helps his grandma with laundry." and today..Sid the Science Kid. After getting dressed Hadley ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth on her own (something I usually do, for which the dentist says keep doing it since her teeth are great..pat to me on my back) but..watching Sid talk about brushing your teeth made Hadley get up and do it herself!
Now I won't say the oh so wonderful things (notice the sarcasm) she has learned from other shows..but..a little of both good and bad never hurt anyone..right??

Pumpkin Patch

For the last three years we have went to the same Pumpkin Patch: Johansen Farms in Boilingbrook. It is a bit of a drive, but so worth it! The last two years my mom happened to be up so she has been able to make the adventure with us! There is a ton there to do: inflatable slides and obstacle courses, petting zoo, hay rides, pony rides, mazes, pumpkins, pies, you name it! And the best part is you pay one price and kids can ride all the rides unlimited!!It was unseasonablly warm that day..when we left chicago it was 76 and when we got there it was 90! But we had a blast!!
Going through the maze:

Hadley on one of the slides:

Holding the baby chicks:


Group photo on the Hay Ride:

Bye-Bye Full Nights Sleep

About a year ago after Hadley started having all her sleeping problems..restless nights, nightmares, etc I moved her into our room on a make shift bed next to ours..a very comfortable one..I didn't just let her sleep on the floor! Anyway, she would go to bed in her room and then around midnight end up in our room on her bed. I did this as I wasn't sleeping with her in the next room not knowing if she was having nightmares, and she would wake me up anyway.Well, problem solved in June when she had her tonsils out..yes it has been 4 amazing months of sleep!!! But she never broke the habit of coming to our room in the middle of the night to sleep..until now that is! Tonight will start the first night we will remove the bed from our room and work on Hadley sleeping in her room ALL NIGHT! So..here come the sleepless nights again! Now, I don't really have a problem with her in our room..I like having her next to us at night, but I know it needs to be broke sooner or later..and since I am sure it will take a while, I have choosen sooner! As for her prize for sleeping in her room all night..a table and chair set. She has been asking for this since before Christmas last year!! So hope this will help get her to do it!!
Well..wish me luck (notice I say we, Jason sleeps through everything!)

Navy Fear

My favorite place in Chicago..Navy Pier..I just love how much there is to do there: rides, shops, kid stuff, the lake..it's always a blast! And at Navy Pier now it is 'Navy Fear' for Halloween! Hadley is of course too young for some of the things..but she liked the decorations. And of course..Build a Bear. This is becoming her favorite place. She doesn't always get to make a bear or buy an outfit, but this time she did! She picked out a blue bear and dressed it as Cinderella..we named it Cindy!



Her are some of the decorations they have around:


Hadley and Grandma playing around (my mom was in town!!!)

New addiction

We got a new cable system this past month and with that came a free try of showtime..to which I thought..I want to check out this show I am always hearing about: Weeds. Watched it and then realized I love it..so now that I have missed the first three seasons, Jason was able to download all four seasons and we watched then like addicts! We would try and watch 2-3 episodes a night! Then last night..we watched the season finale of Season 4 and thought..now what??? And then when we realized we would have to wait until June of 2009 to see what is next..well..it was the topic for us all night.."Do you think she is pregnant?" "What about Celia..is her husband going to pay for her?" and "Is Shane going to start his own buiness?" and "Is Andy really in love with Nancy?" Now if you don't watch this show you have NO IDEA what I am talking about..but gotta say..fully addicted to Weeds now!! Anyone else??

Tee Time

We took Hadley to play Miniature Golf for the first time! She absolutely LOVED it!! We had so much fun. Of course she scooted the ball in most of the time..but she did great on 2 holes. One hole she even got a hole in one!! (better than I ever got!) and on another she actually made it in 2 tries!! She loved dancing after she made it in and also loved teasing everyone else ( the last pic is her as she was doing her dance!)

A new season..a new wardrobe

The one thing that I love about a new season is being able to buy a whole new wardrobe for Hadley..of course this is something I HAVE to do also, but she has moved out of her tomboy stage and now wants to dress as a girly girl! She has also moved into the big girl section of clothes..she is a XS!! So this has made our choices so much fun!!! And she loves clothes..she is the only kid I know who will choose shoes or clothes over a toy!!

Picnic in Hadley's Room

Jason has gotten the Sunday Ticket..meaning all day on Sunday Jason is watching about 10 football games, I run errands and Hadley either comes with me or plays around the house..last Sunday she decided to play around the house..when I came home, along with the tons of toys scattered around the house, Hadley's room was the site of a large doll and suffed animal tea party! I came into the party when the tea part was over and everyone was taking their naps!



Then me and Hadley spend the rest of the day cleaning up!

Fall Day at the Zoo

We headed out to the Lincoln Park Zoo last weekend (I know a little late on posting..see my dear husband put the camera in the camera bag..the one place I don't think to look for it all week) Hadley loves to see the animals..and there were actually a ton out this time. She also LOVES the ant maze in the children's zoo area..she does it several times..