John Deere Green! May 30, 2011

Ok, so maybe Craftsman yellow, but you get the picture! After the boys so diligently mowed the lawn, Hasten loaded up Bailey and drove around with her for at least 30 minutes, if not longer. She had a blast and kept trying to drive!

Talk About Being Caught with Your Hand in the Cookie Jar! May 28, 2011

We took a drive out to Bellflower to see how bad the damage was from the tornadoes that came through this week. Bailey got real quiet all of a sudden (she had been jabbering the whole trip) and when I turned around, I found this:

She was so tired that she apparently fell asleep right in the middle of digging out a Teddy Graham! It made for a too cute picture that I just couldn’t pass up!

Modeling Already?!? May 26, 2011

Whenever we go anywhere with Bailey, people always comment on how cute she is. I’ve always thought so, but then I might be biased. 🙂

Today, however, I received a request from the wonderful photographer, Angelique Hunter, that took Bailey’s photos regarding a business associate who made one of the hair bows Bailey wore during part of the shoot. Her friend wanted to use Bailey’s photo on her website as a model!

I wonder if it’s because Bailey is just so darn cute or if it’s just because Angelique is such a great photographer? Maybe it’s a little bit of both!

See for yourself here: Bailey’s first modeling job!! Addie Bella Boutique

(she’s second from the end)

School’s Out! May 24, 2011

Hasten & Bailey

Today was the boys’ last day at school and they had their elementary school awards ceremony this morning. Since I was late getting Bailey over to Steph’s, she got to go along with us. For the most part, she watched and clapped, but towards the end she was definitely tired of the sitting. She did get really excited when she saw Tristan up on the stage for his reading award. YAY, Tristan!

But her highlight seemed to wait until all the fuss was over and Hasten was waiting with the other award recipients to have his picture taken for the paper. He won the 6th grade Citizenship award that is presented for leadership in the classroom. YAY, Hasten! But, while he was waiting, she got to sit in his lap and meet all his friends and be the center of attention. Something tells me she’s going to think this is the norm soon!

Plus, Bailey picked out a skirt to wear this morning and Johnny TRIED to put pigtails in her hair, but gave up and settled on barrettes instead (you can see she’s chewing on one of them). He posted on Facebook that he’s come the realization she’s a GIRL, like it or not! HA! And, big surprise, he’s worried what the next 10-12 years will bring. I think he needs to worry more like 15-16! 😉

All in all, a wonderful day with our wonderful family. I’m proud of them all!

Smile!! May 23, 2011

With all the crazy hours Johnny was working last week, he didn’t get his first morning Bailey smile every day this week since he had to go in before she woke up. And we are so fortunate that she wakes up every morning with such a wonderful grin!

So, I took this one for him so he’d have his morning smile! All I had to say was “smile for Daddy” and she simply grinned from ear to ear!

Look at all those new teeth!!

I’m a Big Girl May 21, 2011

It clicked today in Bailey’s head that she can move that faithful blue stool around the house and use it to climb up on anything. We’re in some serious trouble now!!!!

Here, she’s climbed up on the couch and you can see by her expression how very pleased she is with herself for this latest accomplishment.

After the couch, she moved it over to Johnny’s recliner to climbed up in it! But, alas, competition for the stool is fierce and Bella kept knocking her off as SHE wanted up there!

Turtle Time! May 20, 2011

Got another wonderful surprise couple of pictures from Stephanie today. Apparently, a turtle wandered up to the patio and the kids had a field day with it, especially Bailey.

I’m guessing if I hadn’t picked her up today (she has another ear infection, so off to the doctor we went!) I just bet Johnny would have brought the poor little thing home along with her! I know where she comes by her love of animals, but did she have to also get Johnny’s love of creepy crawlers?!?!?

Geronimo!! May 20, 2011

BEFORE

Being the wonderful grandma she is, my mother-in-law brought over a great big toy box for Bailey to stuff all her stuff in. So far, it contains a whopping 2 books and Quackster.

So, with Bella locked up in her cage, Quackster can come out of the toy box and play. (Bella and Quackster don’t get along because Bella thinks he’s a giant dog toy made just for her!) This means, of course, Bailey can joyously flop onto him and burst into giggles in the process. It’s truly a great time to be had by all.

Well, tonight, she took her flopping to a new level. Since I accidentally sat too close to the toy box (on which Bailey had already placed it’s very sturdy lid), Bailey came up with the bright idea that she could climb onto my folded leg and use me as a step stool to get up on top of the toy box. She’d then scoot over to the edge and carefully slide off to the ground. Mind you, it’s probably a good 2′ high, so it’s quite a slide for those little legs. Needless to say, several slides ended in a facedown splat. But, being the trooper she is, she never once cried (she laughed each time!) and got right back up to do it again.

On one particular feat, however, I happened to glance off just for a split second and she scooted too far to the BACK edge of the toy box and toppled right off the back, conveniently onto Quackster. And you could literally SEE the lightbulb go off.

She jumped up and ran back to the step stool (I was tired of being a human one and dragged that faithful blue one over there!), climbed up on top and THREW herself off the top of the toy box onto Quackster. Again. And again. And again, accompanied only with tons of giggles.

All i can say is she’s obviously gotten Johnny’s daredevil spirit because God knows I’d never do anything like that. Oh boy, are we going to have our hands full as she gets older!!

and After! GERONIMO!!

Cookies for Breakfast?!? You KNOW it’s a Good Day! May 18, 2011

When I was dropping Bailey off at Stephanie’s this morning, one of the other kids had chocolate chip cookies he was sitting there eating. Since it was a quiet morning with just a few kids, Steph allowed them to share and have a cookie each and some milk.

Bailey, of course, tried to cram the cookie in her mouth vertically instead of normal. So, Steph says, “No Bailey, take a bite this way (turning the cookie flat). No, WAIT, not THAT big of a bite!!”

What can I say, she’s her Daddy’s girl! So, as I walked out and she’s waving goodbye, cookie in the other hand, she grins and I see she’s already covered in chocolate. So, I naturally had to grab my phone and snap this cute picture!

Of course, she’s such a good girl, after I took the picture, Bailey immediately offered to share the gummed up nasty mess with Stephanie. Big surprise that Steph politely refused! 😉

Jack’s Big Music Show May 17, 2011

Monday morning was Johnny’s off day and so he interrupted our morning ritual to turn on Nick Jr. And he stumbled upon Bailey’s new reason to wake up each morning: Jack’s Big Music Show.

Johnny said, “I think she’s just a musical baby.” Not sure where she got that from, although God knows I sing at the top of my lungs to the car radio thanks to that positive upbringing of Mama AND Daddy! Maybe it is me. But, for the record, Johnny sings, too!!

Well, she sits there spellbound until she tries to start singing AND dancing along with them. It’s hilarious. If you haven’t heard of it, give it a google…maybe you’ll be spellbound, too. Or, maybe like the dance they taught today, you’ll just “wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, STOP!” Bailey found this uproarious!!

Jack’s Big Music Show!!!