A really late 18th month post.

So lets really call this a 19th month post.  The Hads is actually 20 months as of last week, but everything I wrote down is 19 month related.

Seriously, I know how crazy things are in my life by how frequently I blog.  I just can't find the time anymore!!  But I am taking a break from photography until after the baby is born so I should have a LOT more time on my hands now.  Man, I was busy!!

Anyway, onto miss Hadley.

Stats at 18 months were (I don't remember the numbers):

-20th percentile for weight

-60th percentile for height

-90th percentile for head

She loves:
-Her dogs (charlie in specific)
-Books
-Barney
-Dancing
-Being outside
-Rice with soya sauce
-Yogurt
-Cheese
-Her family
-Bunny
-Crazy playing with Daddy

At 19 months Hadley is a ball full of energy more than ever!!  Lets not sugar coat anything - this is a HARD stage!!  Especially being 28 weeks pregnant.  I find myself exhausted pretty much every second of the day.  Hadley has definitely hit the terrible two's.  Our sweet girl is still there, but mixed with an alter ego who I don't care so much for.  If she doesn't get her way, watch out!!  We are working on it with time out's and such and I am hoping it will end before the baby comes cause she has been at this whole tantrum throwing, bratty, whiny, crazy thing for a while now.

What's really helped though is that she is talking up a storm!!!  Right now we are at 70+ words.  She is seriously adding a new one (or 2) to her vocab daily.  And she can put some sentences together.  Its made life WAY easier cause now I can understand what she wants and I can reason with her.  She understands EVERYTHING we say.  Thank goodness!!

And its made her about 100 times cuter in my mind cause she is able to do things like greet daddy with a "Hi daddy" when he walks through the door each evening.  Or in the morning when she walks into our room its "Hi mommy!!".  Or at night when she is falling asleep and pulls up her sleeves and request "tickles".  Or when she helps me clean out the dishwasher and with each dish says "here you go mommy".  Or at bedtime when we read a story and she knows she is only allowed one so when she picks one out she puts her finger up to indicate one and says "only one" (pronounced "own waaah"). Ah, SO CUTE!!

Here is a video of her talking.  I only got a few words in cause I made the mistake of asking her to say "soother" and then she wanted it. haha But you get the idea.

She also moved to a big girl bed!  The first couple weeks went stellar (ie. went right to bed and never got out of bed) and then we hit a bit of a wall after the excitement of a new bed wore off, where she wouldn't go to sleep for nap and bedtime.  But we have that figured out now and she is back to sleeping great - despite the fact that she is trying to cut naps out - that's my next point.  I have to lay with her for about 20 minutes each night, but I kind of enjoy it.  I figure she wont be this little for long and pretty soon she wont want me to cuddle with her every night so for now I do it and I don't mind it at all.  Its our special time together.

Naps, now those are a different story.  She is trying to cut them out in a big way.  Some days if she is REALLY tired then they are super easy.  But on normal days I am currently resorting to allowing her to fall asleep on the couch watching Barney.  I have tried making her naps shorter, cutting them down earlier, and letting her cry it out in her room.  But NOTHING work other than Barney.  So, for now that is what we are doing.  At least she is still taking one everyday (with the exception here and there - like today) even if they are only a hour or hour and a half sometimes.  Ugh, that just about kills me going from a solid 3 hr nap.

She used to hate TV and wouldn't sit for more than 2 minutes to watch it but one day about a month ago, wham, she decided she loved Barney.  And now that's all she wants.  She is allowed to watch 2 episodes a day, which I feel is a bit much, but the break that it gives me is sooooo needed (an I know will be needed even more so when this baby comes) that I allow it.  At least she loves barney and not some of the other garbage out there. 

Have you noticed the trend with this post that I have?  It seems, as I am learning more and more each day, that parenting is a balancing act between my mental sanity and what she needs.  Its picking my battles and deciding when to just give in.  Pre-Hadley I never would have thought I would have given into anything, because what is that teaching them, right?  But now, I realize that you can't fight everything.  Its just not possible.  Or it is, but the only memory she will have of her childhood is "Hadley no", "Hadley, don't do that", and crying all the time.  I am super strict when it comes to manners and being nice.  There is no grey area there.  There is a standard that is expected of her and if she doesn't meet it then there are consequences.  But then, I find myself allowing cheezies at 10am sometimes, or maybe 3 episodes of Barney here and there, or fine, I will lay with you for 45 minutes tonight cause I know you just want mommy.  Those are the battles I choose not to have.

Its hard to think of specific changes because I feel like she changes in little ways everyday, but overall, she just isn't a baby at all anymore.  She is SO SO SO independent.  Like at the park, she climbs all over the things that only the big kids do.  Moms are always asking me how old she is and when I say her age they are shocked and I always get something along the lines of "that's it!?  She seems so much older".  Yup, tell me about it.  I am curious to see if that lasts or if it fades.  I think she is just smart - its who she is.  A little strong-willed, firecracker.

Anyway, now that I have written a book, there is a catch-up on the Hads.  We love her!!