Belated Birthday

Hailey turned 5 on June 4th! It was the everything birthday. No real theme, just many things that Hailey loves! It started with a fun filled morning at Chuck E. Cheese with the Hendershot cousins (with butterfly cupcakes), later that afternoon we opened presents, had a "pizza picnic" (a little tradition we enjoy: when we have pizza we spread a blanket on the floor and eat in the living room instead -- when they are really lucky, we watch a movie too!) and we watched "Star Wars" with the Tueller Uncles (selected scenes, of course). Then we finished up with a castle cake (I had fun making that one).






Tanner opted not to pose with Chuck E. I can't say that I blame him; he makes me a little uncomfortable too.



Yes, Hailey finally got a bike! (Granted, not this bike. We realize quickly that we estimated wrong on the size she would need and we exchanged it for a bigger bike. She is so tall!) We now live in a lively cul de sac with lots of kids playing and riding regularly. Hailey has jumped right in with them and is getting pretty good on her bike!

Back to the birthday . . .
The castle cake; another satisfying moment in motherhood. If I can't hold my temper, at least I can make them the fancy cake they request on their birthday!

It is so surprising watching Hailey grow up into a little girl! It's refreshing to see how the more she realizes what she is capable of, the more responsible she becomes. She still keeps us on our toes with her "spirited" personality, but she also loves to help and teach her little brother (when she's not teasing him) and is developing her own little testimony. She's always telling us when she can feel the Holy Ghost, particularly when she feels it with music. There are times when I get so frustrated with her and I loose my "nice voice." She calls me on it saying, "Mommy, please talk nicely to me." That doesn't necessarily calm me down most times, but it does bring me back to reality. One night at dinner, I lost my patients. I took a deep breath and told her in a silly way, "Hailey, I've lost my patients and I don't know where to find it. It's gone." She smiled and said, "Hmm, I'll help you look for it." I think she found it under her plate and said, "Here it is! Where should we put it? I know! In your mouth! Open wide!" I think we had to repeat the process one or two more times that meal, but Hailey is quick to forgive.