Our creative 2 year old

Hailee is quite a creative little girl! I am so amazed with all the things she comes up with.

Every morning Hailee asks for muffins. She wants to make them all by herself. 

Of course, she can't resist tasting the batter each and every time. 

 

Most days, she doesn't even ask for a snack or lunch. She just helps herself...

Nap times are a joke these days... I will put her down around 1 or 2 and she will play in her room QUIETLY (sometimes I think she is really sleeping)... and then about 1-2 hours later, she is finally REALLY asleep and I find this disaster. So her naps aren't really starting until about 4 everyday. Not sure what to do about that.

Oh, and usually I find her this way, or in a completely different outfit.

She says some of the funniest things...

"Are you serious?" (and she said it like a teenager)

"Whateber" (whatever), just like a teenager 

I usually have a new nickname for her each day, So the other day I went to get her in the morning and she says "Hi Monkey! you sleep good?"

"Oh Honey!!!!" she says this whenever she wets her pants, or makes a mess (because that's what I say when she does something that I am not happy about).

"Oh Good Job MOMMY!" and pats me on the back whenever I put a DVD in the player, or go potty in the toilet, or anything that seems so simple to me. (she makes me feel really good about myself)!

"Mommy, The baby is COMING" She got that off of Ice age #3. (I'm glad she's learning things from movies! haha).

"OH!! You look CUTE!!" (she told my dad and Kory this the other day. haha)

"Panties... sad." (that means she peed her pants).

When I tell her good job, I sometimes say "HOT DOG", so she copies and says "Hot GOD." (haha)

She is SOO loveable. She kisses and snuggles me and then says "oh, You're sweet"

In her room, when she is playing all by herself she will boss her baby dolls around and say "Don't poop your panties", "You get time out", "You be nice", "Say your prayers... Heabenly Fader..." "Oh GOOOD JOB" 

She is just so creative and busy that I have had moments when I can't reason with her because she is so set on her ways and wants to continue doing her own thing and not listen to me or Kory. And then the tantrum would start. Once the tantrums start, there is not reasoning with this child.

 So we cracked down on the "time outs". I feel awful posting these pictures because she was SO miserable the first day, but it works! Every time I would tell her to do something up to 2 or 3 times, and still no reply, she got time-out immediately for 2 min minimum- or until she could calm down for 30 seconds after the 2 minutes.  She is suppose to sit on the chair, where there is NOTHING to do or distract her. She would not sit on the chair for 2 minutes. I kept putting her back until she realized she was not going anywhere. She eventually gave up and crawled in a ball and breathed heavy with anger. 

 This is how the entire first day was spent. She learned to just lay down on the floor right when I said "time out!" I just had to laugh because she thought 2 minutes was an eternity.

It was amazing how awful she thinks sitting on a chair for 2 minutes is. By the 2nd day, we were only needing  to warn her and she would quickly obey!

It is amazing how inconsistent I have been as a mom, because before this she already knew how to work me! she is just too smart. I would always do the "time-out" method before this, but I guess she didn't take it as serious or maybe I gave her too many chances. It is hard to be consistent all the time and follow through, but it really works. (who knew? haha) well.. we are still working on it, but it has made all of our lives a little easier.  Even for her! We have added a few more techniques to our parenting lately, and I feel like they really work for our busy girl, while still giving her the confidence in herself and allowing her to still be her creative little self.     But it's definitely a work in progress for her AND especially US!!

Well.. here is an update of the growing belly (and face, and legs, and arms, and ankles, and everything else on my body). 

                                                                 30 weeks

                               This is 30 weeks with Hailee....  (just thought I'd compare a little).

                                 I think I am poking out more this time, but I am about the same weight in both pictures. My ankles are beginning to get a little swollen again... but not nearly as much as with Hailee. Hopefully I can avoid that this time. I am feeling pretty good, but getting VERY anxious to be done with the pregnancy and meet our little girl (and have my belly space back). My ribs and back are starting to hurt with little feet pressing against them, and my legs have some minor pains most days, but that's all normal stuff. So I really can't complain.
Hailee is really excited for a baby sister to come. She still kisses my belly at night and prays for her baby sister each night. She has been practicing swaddling her baby doll and putting her to bed, giving her kisses, and telling her "sweet dreams." She rocks her baby and bounces her when she stands. She is a good mommy to her baby dolls. The only thing that I am worried about is that she still gets jealous when I hold other babies. I held her baby doll today and pretended to snuggle with her and kiss her. Hailee just stood there watching, with tears quickly filling up in her eyes because she was so jealous! So I snuggled with the doll and Hailee and she was all better.
  I am so anxious for May to come! I am FINALLY graduating college (in 5 weeks!!!!) and having a baby in 8 weeks or less! But until then... I have SO much to do!