Happy Birthday Uncle Jason

We had Jason, Sarah & Madison over for dinner on Thursday night to hang out and celebrate Jason's birthday. I'm sure Jason didn't need the candles, when I picked up Hailey from daycare, this is how the conversation took place....

"Hailey, guess who's coming to your house tonight?

Who, Mommy?

Uncle Jason, Aunt Sarah & Baby Madison!

Uncle Jason, Aunt Sawa & Baby Maason?

Yes, it's Uncle Jason's birthday. Do you want to sing to him?

Yeah, I'll practice: Happy Birthday Uncle Jason, Happy Birthday Uncle Jason, Happy Birthday Uncle Jaaa-son, Happ Birthday Uncle Jason! And then he will blow out his candles."

Well, at that point, I had to call Shawn, who was in line paying at the grocery store and made him get out of line to get a pack of birthday candles.

So Madison got to help her Daddy blow out his birthday candles....
OOHHH...bright lights....let me grab them!!!
Hailey is clapping, YEAH!!
UH-OH...the progression of Madison completely DEVOURING the largest piece of chocolate fudge cake...

This lasted about 10 minutes, and if we hadn't stopped her she would have continued to shove chocolate in her face....first birthday party should be fun! (and messy) Below we see Hailey TRYING to show her how to eat like a lady....
This picture is HILARIOUS! Her face is priceless!
All clean! Watchin TV in our jammies with Uncle Jase.
Jason is Hailey's uncle how? Not at all, just good friend of Mommy & Daddy, but when Jason said, "Hailey, if I'm Uncle Jason, who's brother am I?" She doesn't get it but I find it great that she's picked up that he's "Uncle Jason". It sounds so funny her yelling for him. She still calls Sarah just Sarah. Every once in a while she'll throw in an "Aunt". She's got so many Jason's & Sarah's & Madison's to keep straight in her life!! Poor girl. But she's catching on. They want to take Hailey home to entertain Madison...we told her the only way we'd approve of that deal is if they took Tyler to...they weren't so willing to take that deal. But Hailey and Madison played very well together. Madison will be 1 in October. I hope Hailey plays with her brother this well when he gets more mobile. It will be great when they can use each other to keep entertained!!

Completely random, but when we first started our family, we started with Tanner. He was a very high strung dog that ALWAYS wanted to play ball. So we got Rocky to give Tanner a playmate, in hopes that he wouln't be so High Maintenance. Well, Tanner is just as high maintenance with or without Rocky for a playmate. So then we had Hailey (no, not for a playmate for the dogs)....well, I mentioned to Shawn that we shouldn't have a second child just to have a playmate for the first.....HA HA HA....don't worry Tyler...we really did want another baby and not just a playmate for Hailey. Mommy is just teasing (don't want to give the poor boy a complex!)

Playtime with Jake

Aunt Melanie, Jake and Madison came over to watch Tyler a few days this week. Tyler and Jake enjoyed playing with each other.....

Buddies...holding hands!

They both laid on the play mat and cooed at the toys. It was very sweet! Totally loving these guys being so close in age and being able to grow up together!!

Bath Time with Daddy

Trying to play catch up for the week of no blogging! I've been asked when I find time to blog...the answer is I don't! I have to make time. And sometimes I don't have the time to make. (if that makes any sense!)

The kids took a bath in the big tub with Daddy. This was the first time that both of them got a chance to to use the big tub...They both had a BLAST!!!

Check out the faux hawk!!

After Tyler got out of the tub, Hailey and Daddy turned the jets on. Hailey also took her first shower this weekend...I couldn't resist the little hiney!
Tried to have a liltte photo shoot of Tyler to show how his facial expressions have changed....it was a little too close to bedtime...We have a picture of Hailey about this age in a comparable position/expression....I know it's not nice to giggle at their misery...but you can't have pictures that are all good...you have to capture some of these memories! Mommy.....get rid of that camera and PUT ME TO BED!!!

It's cuz she's two...???

OK. Here is my phrase for two year olds. The good times are FABULOUS...the bad times are HORRID! We have had a rough weekend with Hailey's behavior. It's like a switch that only she has control of an no matter which type of discipline techniques we use, she wins! (Don't let her know that)

Yesterday we were walking down the aisle of the grocery store...Hailey is sitting in the cart and Tyler is riding in the Bjorn. I stop to get some canned peas and she starts batting at Tyler, who is sleeping peacefully on my chest. I look at her and sternly say, "Hailey! Do not hit your brother." She looks at me sternly and says, "Zip it, Mommy!" GASP!!! Where did she get that? I can't help but chuckle under my breath, but of course I can't let her see I find it humorous, or she will continue to do it. I was FLOORED! We return home to her definance, and in attempt to take her up to her bed for a nap, Shawn say, "Hailey, come now!" She looks at him and says, "No Daddy, You leave me alone! I'm busy!" WHAT?!?!?!

Her independent/strong willed personality has its good attributes and its bad! This weekend has been bad!

This morning at church she had a crying fit in the sanctuary before service began. You can't reason with a two year old. And the more attention people gave her by asking, "Hailey, what's wrong?" the louder the wails became! She's also on this "PICK ME UP" phase to anyone holding Tyler. I know that is an adjustment to her new sibling. But he's been here for 4 1/2 months now, what gives? I know she's two and this is what they mean by the terrible twos, but seriously??? Then on the way home she's a complete angel, "I had fun at church today, Mommy. I played with my friends. When we get home can I have ABC's and juice for lunch? Please, May I?" Where was this child 2 hours ago?? Like I said, she holds the switch. We really need prayer on our parenting techniques, as we need to begin laying the ground work so that she does not continue to manipulate us forever.

She returns to daycare on Monday, and I think the routine and structure of "school" does wonders for her. She's been a little out of sorts with the sporadic nature of the past week. Here's hoping!

Amy & Gwen

My best friend Amy had a beautiful baby girl on June 10th - Gwenyth Louise Ricker. I've been so guilty for not going to see her, as she came to see Tyler within a few weeks of his birth. They are visiting their condo in OC this week, so I packed the kids up this morning and took a personal day to go see her. (Much needed, as there would have been NO way I could have worked with no one to watch the kids today)

Drum Roll Please....And now, for their internet debut, it gives me great pleasure to introduce...as their first appearance on the Hunt Family Blog....AMY AND GWENYTH RICKER!!!OK, maybe the intro wasn't necessary, but Amy's been giving me slack that she "hasn't made it on my blog" So every picture we took today was prefaced - "Look cute, this is for the blog!" HA HA HA Isn't Gwen amazing? She's a sweet kid! I love her! She's got her Dad's mouth, her Mom's eyes and nose. She doesn't look like her Grandfather, Ron G, but at times when you glance at her you can see one of his looks. When I told Amy that, she goes, Oh My! I don't want my daughter to look like my father! Don't worry Ame - Hailey looked like my dad as a baby, but she's still a beautiful girl in spite of his genes HA HA....sorry Dad and Ron....just ribbing ya! You both have gorgeous grandkids!!!! That itself is a compliment!

Now let me explain our adventure at the pool...3 babies vs. 2 adults. NOT RECOMMENDED! It started off OK. I spent some time enjoying the pool with Hailey, who by the way is FEARLESS with the water, which scares the crap out of me! But we were having fun and Amy was holding Tyler while Gwen was chilling in her carrier. Well Gwen was having an "off" morning, so upon her fussing, I took Tyler and let him join us in the pool in his shaded floaty. He was having a great time and fell asleep within seconds. Gwen got too fussy so Amy took her upstairs to the condo where her friend Kristen was able to watch her. While she was gone, Hailey decided to give me some difficulty with her newly found "defiant" stage. I kept telling her she needed to stay on the steps or let me hold on to her, but she wanted to swim by herself and she doesn't quite "have it down" with swimming or floating on her own. So when she got mad for me not letting her "do it by herself" she decided to hit me. To further set the stage, I was surrounded by 10 senior citizen women who just completed Water Aerobics and were EW-ing and AH-ing at how cute the kids were. So what is the appropriate way to discipline your 2 year old in said company? As a woman was walking over to me to chat about how neat Tyler's floating device was, I was taking Hailey by the hand to get out of the pool, while also attempting to take Tyler out of his float and out of the pool. During that scene, Tyler is stuck in his float, the chubs that he is! So we finally get over to our chairs, Hailey gets "time-out" while we discuss what she did and why it's not acceptable to treat people that way and why she needs to listen to Mommy so that she doesn't get hurt. She says she's sorry and that she understands, so we head back to the pool and I get both kids in and situated. I now realize that Tyler is not floating his head as well and his ears are getting wet. The air of the tube was leaking out. I must have yanked the plug out while I was dragging him out of the pool OY VEY! So I get them out of the pool AGAIN to fix his floaty. Back in the pool for a third time, this time we are in good shape and we get to play a little "Ring Around The Rosy" before Amy comes down to see what looks like a Mother perfectly caring for 2 children in the pool. HA! Needless to say, no time to monkey with the camera!

Now the next picture is VERY unflattering of me...I look GINORMOUS! But I couldn't resist - after an exhausting morning, the kids both passed out on me. I LOVE this part of motherhood! So here's Tyler with his new girlfriend! 3 months apart by a day! They are almost the same height, but Tyler is exactly double her size. HA HA! Isn't it great! I can't wait to watch them grow up together being so close in age. Ame - we are gonna have to make this happen! Hassle or not!
"My new GIRLFRIEND!"
What is this dude doing to me?

Piggies....Almost the same length - Gwen to the left has a normal foot. Ty to the right has Elephatitis of the Foot! Check it out! He even has rolls on his heels and ankles!
OK, this progression of pictures is priceless. I know the quantity of pictures may be over kill...but if only you could have been there. They were both COO-ing and having a blast. Tyler was smiling during all of it, and there are few pics that you can catch a glimpse of a smile on Gwen too!

Drool Man (Dad - you told him he had to lose the drool to get chicks, but apparently at this age it's a pick up technique)

HI Gwen...I'm gonna getcha!
Your Cute!
I wanna eat your piggies!!
OK, I'll take the binky instead, but this chick is cool!
See...she likes me too! She's laughin' at me!

I'm gonna getcha! (That is Amy's arm on Tyler, pulling him away from her daughter, trying to save her from "That Hunt Boy"...good thing her daddy wasn't there!)
AWW....(I know, your first impression is "How sweet" then in the same breath you say, "My goodness that boy has a big head! You can thank his Daddy for that one!)
My friend!
WHEW! What a great play date! Gotta do it again some time!

Now that Princess Hailey has awoken from her slumber, she gets some time with the baby....

And if you could only see the look she was giving under these shades, it was to say..."I'm in a MOOD, don't mess with this Sister!"
Trudging through the sand dunes down to the beach....which by the way was amazing today! Mid 80s, slight breeze, the water was in the mid 70s. You couldn't ask for a better beach day!

....Innocence & Excitement....I wish I could read her thoughts....
Hi Mom...we are at the beach, YEAH!

OK, after the above picture was taken, a wave came up and got her dress wet. Even though I told her it was OK to get wet because we had a change of clothes in the car, this upset her very much. SO the below pictures are of her running away, and it pretty much ruined her mood for the rest of the afternoon.
Get the water off me mom!!
And I can't tell you how many people were pointing at me as I held both kids. Then because Hailey threw a giant temper tantrum, this is how I took both kids back up the sand dunes....Why I don't have massive biceps is beyond me!
What a great day! Thanks for the wonderful day at the beach, Amy & Gwen. We promise to do it again some time VERY soon!!!