Hallie Highlights

I know...I have done an awful job of updating lately! I apologize! To say I've been busy would be an understatement. I have several pictures and several videos to put up, but I'll have to commit to doing that tomorrow (maybe!). Let me just give a few Hallie Highlights from the past couple of weeks. Just picture her cute little face as you read! :o)

*Kendra started back to school with new teacher orientation and then pre-planning.
*Jonathan took over the job of getting Hallie ready in the mornings--and he is doing a great job!
*Hallie started "school" herself. To say she enjoys it would be lying. We're hoping and praying that she will grow to love it. Sadly, she cries and screams when Daddy leaves her with Miss Pattie. Thankfully, she calms down and plays with the other kids her age for the rest of the day. She has even taken naps there! She'll get into the swing of things! She is in a highly recommended in-home daycare. Miss Pattie absolutely loves the children, and you can see it in her eyes! There are only about 10-12 kids there from day to day. There are about 3-4 toddlers Hallie's age and the rest are baby-babies who stay in a different part of the house. Hallie loves playing with the babies, though!
*Hallie is talking up a storm. She is the cutest little talker ever!
*New words from Hallie: "this"--referring to which car she wants to ride in, "this" means Daddy's car! :o); she said "I need this" the other day referring to some Wheat Thins; "appa joose"--apple juice.
*Hallie helps us keep things in order now more than ever. She loves to help with the dishes, putting the groceries away, laundry, and getting our shoes for us!
*Shoes...the girl loves shoes and I'm not sure this will change any time soon!
*Hallie has started hitting--uh oh! Yep. And we're trying to figure out how to stop this behavior (any ideas?!). But she's just so cute (which gets us in trouble) because she'll hit us (not hard, mind you) and then as soon as we say "Hallie, no no. No hitting. Don't hit Mommy/Daddy/whoever" she puckers up and goes in for the kiss and then, as sweet as you please, she throws her tiny little arms around your neck and gives the biggest hug...while patting your back.
*Hallie loves to go to Mommy's new school. There's just too much fun to be had there. We have a bunny, two school cats--Hattie and Maggie--and lots of fun math manipulatives for Hallie to drag out. She LOVES the bunny and cats! It's so sweet to see her loving on them. :o)
*Hallie still loves reading! Her favorites right now are: The 7 Days of Creation, The Belly Button Book, Night Night Sleep Tight, and Goodnight Moon. Every now and then she'll throw in Where is Baby's Belly Button and The Tale of Peter Rabbit. She has such a wonderful love for reading! That makes Mommy, Daddy, Nonna, Pop, Grammy and Gramps extremely happy! :o) We catch her from time to time "reading" to herself. It is SO precious!

As I'm sure you can tell, we love our sweet Hallie SO very much! We are so thankful to be close to family now. We just wish we got to see Nonna and Pop more often! We're hoping for a visit from them soon, though!! :o)

I'll post pictures soon!