"Ready for sawing flesh..."

At least that's what Dad jokes, in regards to Hadley's brand-new teeth. She cut her very first top tooth a couple of weeks ago, the left one. Surprised the heck out of me since it was there 24 hours after I had just checked for toothage. 

Another picture from the Flagstaff escapade

This weekend Haddy, Mom and I are up for a quick jaunt to Tucson to visit Grammy and reconnect with the band entourage...Mom's high school band, that is. Wish us luck, and a fuss-free trip!

Spring Pictures

Sitting outside with mom and Sissy...it's chilly out!

Rudy likes to hang out with baby Hadley

Playing with Sissy in Home Depot...Mom is in the background!

Haddy loves Sissy's new fish...the cats do too!

Return to the Scene of the Crime

I'm just back from feeding Hadley lunch...oatmeal with banana orange medley baby food. You know, you wouldn't think that "fully ripened bananas, mangoes, oranges and pineapples" would smell like dumpster fodder, and you'd be wrong!

Anyway. We've just returned from a little trip up into Flagstaff, the very same place that we took Haddy when she was just a wee 5 weeks old. (What were we, crazy??) If you remember, the trip was...not very pleasant. Hadley was pretty fussy up there and seemed to hate everything about it. 

Well, this time, I'm glad to say, was a lot better! She was too little to play in the snow this year, but she did have a fun time grabbing the icicles that Auntie Katelyn held for her, and she slept like a log. 

Trying to be inconspicuous about eating her carseat on the way up

Sitting up like a big girl in Mama and Dada's bed!

Another Tooth!

Hadley officially has two front teeth. On the bottom, that is. 

Sorry for the lack of pictures...sometimes I imagine it would be like one of those photos with the guys pulling open the shark's mouth for the camera... 

Haddy sticks her tongue out and chomps up and down when you try to get a look at her pearly whites.

In other news, she's finally getting more hair! She's not a little baldy anymore! Can't put any bows or anything in it, but at least the Rogaine is starting to work. (I'm joking, people!)

She also loves to eat oatmeal mixed with pureed fruit. Her favorite baby food is apples and cherries. And I caught her transferring a tiny basketball from one hand to the other yesterday. It seems like she's developing by leaps and bounds these days!

Lots of New Things

First, you may notice that you hear the tune "New Soul" by Yael Naim...Mom says it's Haddy's theme song. Listen. 

Another new thing is...drumroll please...Haddy's first tooth! It made its first tiny, white appearance on Saturday, January 24th. It is slowly poking its way through...I'm excited! A real, live tooth!

Haddy in the shopping cart with Mom and me

I'm a new soul

I came to this strange world

Hoping I could learn a bit 'bout how to give and take

But since I came here, felt the joy and the fear

Finding myself making every possible mistake

New Pics!

Having tummy time in the TV room

Enjoying the Christmas tree with Daddy

A baby butt!

Little Suns baby!

BEFORE (startled while eating lunch!)

AFTER (happy baby!)

Give Thanks

I know that Thanksgiving is usually the time when everyone is supposed to reflect on what they're thankful for, to count our blessings and only wish that our good fortunes continue and that our bad ones fade into the background. But as a new year dawns, I can't help but think of the things I've been blessed with this year. 

Hadley is the most obvious! It feels like so many months more than six, when she finally made her long-anticipated arrival in June. This time last year, at the birth of 2008, we were just embarking on our adventure of an unexpected, and eventful (to say the least) pregnancy. 

But it has been six months, and will soon be seven. In a way I'm sad to see her getting so big and tall; "standing" on the table with me holding her for longer and longer, until my arms get tired; making new sounds and trying to talk every day; and the way that I can no longer hold her cradled in my arms like I did when she was a newborn makes my heart ache in an almost tangible way. 

When I walk through the door after being away from her, she is the first one I want to see; I can feel my lips stretch into a giant smile and a need to hold her in my arms. She is so beautiful that sometimes I feel like I could shed tears for it. I could kiss her round and rosy cheeks forever, if she didn't try to push me away after she's had enough. I could run my fingers through the soft and downy fuzz covering her head until she falls asleep, and then some. I could die for her. 

This year will be amazing, and like no other. There will be crawling, walking, new solid foods, splashing in the pool, birthday candles and summer vacations spent on the beach with her.  I will collect shells for her and help build sand castles. I will kiss bruises and bumps when she falls while learning to walk. I will count new teeth and brush new hair. 

I will love her.