Here is a preview of Haley's big Birthday party. There are lots of Birthday and beach pictures to come' when I have a chance to upload, sort, and edit them all. Work, three birthday celebrations, a beach trip, and a move have put me a little behind again. 
You went to the beach and went camping for the first time.
Your hair is still looking like it might turn red.
You still stick out your tongue some and make the “haley face” I haven’t heard you razz in a few months but you love to make a “lala” type sound while you stick your tongue in and out.
You can stand up petty well but do it best when you’re distracted by a toy. When you realize your standing alone you tend to get scared and sit down. I think you could walk, you just aren’t interested. You know you’re faster if you crawl.
You took one step, but it was in a pool so it didn’t fully count. You like to walk with the shopping cart.
You are a quick crawler and we practice crawling up the stairs several times a week. You always get to the top and want to go down head first.
You are very clingy when you want your parents. When mom and dad are silly it makes you smile and do your silent giggle. You get shy around new people but you do well going to them if the time is right and it’s on your terms. (it’s better if I put you down and let you go to them instead of placing you in their arms)
You love your big brothers from Watkins, especially AW and JL. You especially like it when Big Red calls you booger butt.
You are our little ladybug. The kids at the home all adore you, you are their Haley bug.
You are a little explorer. You love to go off on your own, and eat dirt. Even if no one is following you. You are not one to stay in the lines or be held back by boundaries. You are clever at finding your way around things, even if it means climbing on tables, over your parents, or under chairs. You are also developing a great memory, you know right where to go for the Tupperware, the checker boards and more.
You love toys that light up and make noise.
You started sleeping with a sound machine, which was a big improvement on most nights. You slept through the night some more but you also had several nights where you would wake up 3 times screaming until I fed you and gave you Tylenol. Sometimes circumstances don’t allow for crying it out. Plus growing teeth is tough work, you should know, you have 6; with an adorable gap between the front 2.
Your binky is almost always clipped to you as you crawl around dragging it in the dirt. You don’t seem to mind and you like having it handy. You love having one finger in the side of your mouth, in your ear, or even up your nose. It’s pretty cute and funny.
You will eat almost any vegetable or cereal, even if you don’t like it, as long as it’s drizzled with fruit or I alternate with fruit every bite or two. You love ice cream and will fuss loudly for more. You have expanded your palate with very few rashes as a reaction. I think you just weren’t ready yet in the past when food gave you a rash.
You love pulling books off the shelf, toys out of the box, clothes out of the drawer, night light out of the wall, and Maggy Monster off of the top shelf and into your crib.
You like pushing the buttons on your mobile when you wake up and playing with your toys contentedly until we come to get you.
You are a happy baby, and people often brag about how god you are. You are observant and sweet. You love to snuggle and place your head on our shoulders. You love to go back and forth: from mom to dad and back again. You love to get down and crawl around, in movies and at church, whenever it’s most inconvenient to track you down.
You watch TV by standing in front of the screen. You love the computer even though we try to keep you away from it, especially after you ruined the cord twice. You are Giga Byte because you love to sink your teeth into anything electronic.
You like pulling on the filing cabinets at work and rocking back and forth. You open doors when they’re ajar. You are blocked from our dining room by a chair stuffed with a body pillow, you like to stand up by it and peer into the forbidden abyss.
You clap so well and you figured out how to clap with the crowd while we were at the beach, although it still startles you when there’s a loud round of applause. You did a great job of clapping at closing. You would get startled, look around, and then join n every time. You also wave, give high fives, and blow kisses.
You started dancing a little to the beat of music. You like to shake your shoulders.
You love holding books and exploring the pages. Of course that means we can only really read you a story if another book is in your hands. You still find great joy in going to the bookshelf outside of the office and pulling as many books down as possible.
You love baths, unless you have a fever. Then you scream like a banshee. You hate having your clothes put on. You would rather be in your birthday suit. It’s a fight to get your diaper on, but you do ok if you’re on your changing table. I seriously have never seen a baby scream and squirm so much when they needed to get dressed.
You like talking and singing, especially at church and when you’re in the back seat of the car. You just want to make sure your voice is heard too. and make sure that you are the center of attention.
You have a phone of your own that you love to turn on and chew on.
You get along well with other babies. You like dogs, even big dogs like pacer, you even let them lick your face. You are also fascinated by cats; You like to pet tigger, the kitten next door who runs into our house, but you haven’t really figure out how to be gentle yet.
You understand much more than “let go” but you don’t always listen. You are starting to understand commands like “come here” and you will follow mom around most of the house. The tops of your feet and your knees are always caked in dirt, and sometimes even bruised up. But you have no problems crawling over rough surfaces and paved paths. You are not that easily deterred.
You still hate when long dresses get under your knees and make it difficult to crawl quickly.
You charm everyone you meet with your sweet smile and they all agree that you are a beautiful baby.
You nod yes and no at the funniest times. And you head-butt me all the time, especially in the jaw, ouch!
You have an incredible ability to find things on the floor, that seem to be invisible to the naked eye, and then stick them straight into your mouth.
You love swinging on big swings and baby swings. I thing we will try to get you one soon.
I love flipping you around, on and over my shoulders, and than placing you on the floor to crawl around. You tuck your head perfectly to lead to where you want to go, on your back or tummy. You love to wrestle with mommy and daddy.
You always look for things even if I try to hide them. You reach for things when they drop, even if it means lunging for the floor. But you also have a neat sense of when you are in danger of losing you balance and falling.
You like playing the piano.
You like to try to unroll the TP and pick little pieces of it off.
You have been practicing saying momma, daddy, and up. You’ve kind of said other things, but none have really counted. You are good at the “ba” sound.
Your pincer fingers are still so cute, although you’ve started pinching yourself a lot, and pinching me too. You make the milk sign, but not really on purpose. The awkwardness of your hands is about my favorite thing in the world.
You throw fits when you don’t get your way, especially if you’re sleepy, hungry or teething.
You usually just nurse 3-4 times a day you. You can eat 2 containers of gerber food plus some puffs in one sitting. You have also almost figured out how to drink from a sippy cup, but only if we feed it to you.
You laugh when I say boogitty boogity boo. And when you hang upside down.
