Where to Begin

I have completely failed at documenting Hadley's life. Before she was born, I was convinced that I would be filling out her baby book daily-furiously documenting every day of her life. I haven't, not even close. In order to fill in the entries, I will have to review over a year's worth of facebook statuses. Despite that failure, there are a few things that I'm pretty sure I will remember all the days of my life...Hadley is an amazingly easy baby with a sweet spirit and cheerful disposition, she moves ALL. THE. TIME, and I love her so much it hurts.

I'm often torn between wanting to have a conversation with her to find out what she thinks and wishing away this time that is already flying by. Parenthood is amazing and exhausting, and I'm sure as she gets older the more exhausting it will get. We are so blessed because Hadley is relatively healthy-she meets/exceeds her milestones, she has a great vocabulary, her problem solving skills look like they will be more like J's and less like mine (thank you Lord), and she doesn't have any life threatening problems. But, the chronic ear infections, URIs, and such are getting old. This week we have a surgery scheduled, 2 in less than 8 months. I'm not thrilled, but I think this is necessary. Unfortunately, we are having trouble moving air and that could stand between us and surgery Thursday-its a little stressful, we're ready to be past this.

I've been thinking lately about how quickly time passes and how it is almost cruel to think that we are turning the calendar toward the last month of 2011. I graduated high school 10 years ago this past May and college 6 years ago. It is amazing to me to think that I've been Baylor Alum longer than I was a Baylor student. I feel 'right out of college' and I'm definitely not. I'm thankful for the changes in my life (good and bad) that have brought me to this season. I've learned a lot and grown a lot, but I still have lots of growing to do. We were in Waco last month for a special event. It was wonderful and I'm so glad we were able to go. But, I was reminded of the person I was as student. I was so passionate about so many things and was involved in amazing outreach, effective ministries, and felt so fulfilled by it all (in most areas of my life). I made mistakes that I'm not proud of, but definitely have seen how all of it has shaped me into the wife, mother, and person I am today. Good and bad, its all there. A huge part of me wants to dive right back into the ministries I served, do the things I did back then. But then I look at this beautiful little face that is beyond thrilled to see me come pick her up from school and hear the "Mama!" come out of that tiny little mouth. Its then I know that which I'm passionate about outside of my home can wait for the time that I mold this child with passionate purpose as her mom. One of these days, I'll get back to my roots. But, now is my time to comfort, play, and baby hold (okay, baby chase). Someday soon the ear infections, fevers, breathing treatments, and all of the antibiotics will be in our rear view mirror and there will be more that I can give elsewhere.

Can I also just say that I miss Brinkley like crazy? After we got home from vacation in August, we started a month long journey with the beag. I know he was just a dog, but I'm pretty sure I won't ever fully get over this. For the better part of a decade he was my constant. Brinkley was the one 'person' in my life that was happy to see me regardless of how I looked, smelled, or what I had done that day, he was a bed warmer, and the joy of my life covered in fur. Its been almost two months since I laid nose to nose with him on the floor of the "comfort room" at the vet's office. He was so sick and it happened so fast. I'm quite sure I left a part of my heart in that room with him. I find myself looking at other dogs, trying to find one to bring home. But, it doesn't feel right (I know it will in time). I don't want another dog, I want Brinkley back. I want the comfort of knowing that I know all about him and he knows all about us. He had us trained and he knew how we roll in this house. Somedays I have to remind myself that he won't be waiting for me when I get home. Today was one of those days, so was yesterday. I think it boils down to realizing that everything I learned about parenting I learned from a beagle. That should be scary, but it really isn't.

Never Gonna Catch Up, Reset, Go Again

I'm never going to catch up on everything that has happened since Hadley came into our lives. So, I believe that I will just start fresh from now.

Today is my Friday off, just in time! Unfortunately, Hadley is home with a virus that is causing her to run a fever. Her fever is currently under control, but only because of Tylenol and Motrin. We're a little concerned because she has just gotten over an ear infection and had to come home from daycare with a fever yesterday. So, we'll be taking it easy the next couple of days and try to get well before Monday!

Hadley turned 7 months on Tuesday. I don't even know where the time has gone. Everyday has been an amazing blessing and I am having a BLAST with her. What a sweet sweet girl that I am so undeserving of!

Work has gotten insanely busy and is strangely unimportant in my life after 5pm these days, not much more to say there.

We are gearing up for Easter around here. I LOVE Easter! For the past 10 years or so, we have been so busy on Easter Sunday that we end up going out to the Japanese Steak House for Easter lunch. It is a fun tradition-I loved it! But, this year, we wanted to stay close to home and worship at our church and with our friends. We are hosting Easter Lunch at our house this year. I'm trying to think of what to serve and what traditions we want to start with Hadley.

Pretty lame "come back" post, but its the most I've got for now!

Hadley's First Christmas and New Year's

Ok, so I definitely have some catching up to do!

 

Let me start with Christmas…

 

December was FULL of activities. We opened December with Cookie Baking Weekend at Gigi’s, we attended a couple of Christmas parties, met Santa, and prepared for the holiday. Joe and I built our annual gingerbread house on Christmas Eve and we took a dolled up Hadley Grace to Christmas Eve services at Gigi and Papa’s church.

 

We were very lucky to have Grannie come to Mom’s for Christmas this year. It was fun to have her celebrate Hadley’s first Christmas with us! As usual, we were tremendously blessed and Santa was good to everyone!

 

Hadley got a doll stroller/walking toy combo from Santa and Santa assigned Hadley her elf, Lola that will be with us each Christmas. Mom and I wrote a song for Lola, the Show Elf…I bet you know the tune! Hadley got a lot of teething toys in her stocking-boy does Santa know what he’s doing! Gigi and Papa spoiled Hadley with books, some sweet outfits, and toys. We bought her several toys as well-drums, maracas, a play kitchen (that sings in English and Spanish), some videos, and other assorted toys that she can crawl toward. We had a fun morning opening gifts and a great lunch that Gigi put together.

 

By Christmas, Hadley was rolling over fairly regularly, but by the first week in January, she was rolling all over the place! Normally, we go to Moody Garden’s Festival of Lights on NYE. But, I won’t lie, this year we were lame and stayed in. I played with Hadley by styling her hair and we were in bed by 9:30. New Year’s Day, we had my parents over for lunch. It was a nice, laid back, afternoon followed by a trip out to Moody Gardens. Hadley did great and enjoyed looking at the lights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I may be behind the times, and am not sure if this is really going to work…but, can I really email my blog for an update??? Seriously? Blogging may have become MUCH easier for me!

 

 

 

Callie Holland-Edwards

 

Waste Management

 

Ethics and Diversity

 

1001 Fannin Street Suite 4000

 

Houston, TX 77002

 

713-287-2515

 

 

 

Roll Over, Roll Over

My boss' boss, Linda lives in my parents neighborhood, which is weird because I see her out in public at stores and out to eat at places around their house. Its kind of like seeing your teacher at the grocery store...they aren't supposed to have a LIFE outside of work! But, it is nice when we have meetings at her house, because then I pop in and spend time with my parents. We had our annual Christmas lunch at Linda's on the 16th. Since the lunch wasn't going to be over until 4:00, and traffic would be a NIGHTMARE, Joe and Hadley met me at my parents' house. We spent some time with them and then went out to eat. It was nice. Hadley was perfect.

Joe and I both had the next day off and planned to do some errands and go on a date. We got up and played for a couple of hours and took Hadley to daycare (I felt pretty guilty sending her when I didn't have to work), then we set off about our day. We went to breakfast and then to run some errands at the mall before going on our "date." There was nothing playing at the movies that we wanted to see, so we decided to go to Main Event. We walked right up and were told they were closed for a private event...great....we couldn't find anything to do, how lame is that? So, we went and picked up our baby. I ran in to get her and the teacher says, "Oh, she rolled over today." WHAT??? I missed it? Seriously?? She had almost rolled over while we were playing that morning, but she'd been almost rolling over for weeks. I got huge tears in my eyes from happiness and guilt. How could I miss such a big thing on a day when I didn't even have to work???? I compose myself, get Had in her car seat and go to tell Joe that she rolled over! Here's how it went:
Me: "So, um Little Miss Hadley Grace rolled over today! I can't believe I missed it."
Joe: "Oh."
Me: "I can't believe I missed her first time to roll over and I wasn't even working." ( I couldn't get over the fact that I took her to daycare when I was off work)
Joe: "Welllll, today wasn't the first time she has rolled over."
ME: "WHAT? When did she roll over????"
Joe: "Mary Grace told me she did it yesterday."
Me: "She rolled over and you didn't tell me???"
Joe: "I didn't want you to be upset that you missed it."
So, Hadley really rolled over for two days before I knew anything about it. Talk about feeling like a failure as a mom. When we got home that day, I put her on the floor determined we were NOT moving until she rolled over. No joy. We tried again Saturday. No joy. But, something wasn't quite right with her Saturday, so I didn't make her stay on the floor all that long.

Hadley had gotten really clingy Friday and Saturday nights, and she would SCREAM anytime we put her down. On Sunday she seemed fine, so we went to church. She started screaming in the nursery and we ended up going to the ER. Hadley was starting to get another ear infection (2 in 2 weeks). I'm hoping the first one just never went away, but I'll never know. Poor baby was not feeling well at all. But, thanks to her meds, she was on the mend quick. Finally on Monday at her follow up appointment with her doctor, I saw her roll over. After the nurses had taken all her information and gotten her weight, I got her dressed and was holding her. Then the blowout. So, I stripped her down and was trying to change her (it was an awkward set up, I was trying to dig through the diaper bag, there was no place to put anything and it was chaos) and she decided it was high time she roll over for me. She rolled right into the thick of things if you know what I mean. I was still pretty happy to see her do it. I cleaned her up, got her dressed, and policed up everything we got dirty in the exam room. It was quite the ordeal. Somehow it seems fitting that the first time I see my baby roll over is in the doctor's office in the middle of something that resembled a calf scramble at the rodeo.

Hadley Grace meet Santa Claus

We took Hadley to meet the big man in red on December 6 after I got off work. I figured since it was a Monday night early in December, no one would be there in line. As we walked toward Santa I heard barking...LOTS of barking. It was weird. We round the corner and there are tons of people in line to see Santa with their pets! Yep, we went on pet night...classic. Santa was on a break feeding the reindeer so we had to wait and wait and wait. Hadley slept and slept and slept. We were trying to figure out the perfect moment to wake her and feed her so she didn't scream bloody murder at the jolly ol' elf. The line moved so slowly because people were dressing up their pups and using props. Next year, I will check to make sure it isn't pet night! Hadley did great though, she snoozed until we woke her up for her bottle, she ate and then threw up down the side of her dress, and was ready to sit on Santa's lap for a picture. She did great! I'm a little bummed that her dress matched Santa's chair perfectly. Out of all of her Christmas dresses, I picked the one that matched the upholstery, go figure!

Cookie Weekend and 3 Months

This weekend was our annual Cookie Baking weekend. We set aside two days to make tons of cookies. This year was so different (and much harder) with a baby to care for in the midst of it all. All in all, we made over 70 dozen "pieces." Hadley enjoyed herself for the most part, but wasn't feeling well. She woke up Saturday morning with a fever of 100.8. We went to the doctor as a walk in (we went to the doctor that I used to go to) and they thought her ear looked slightly red, so they put her on antibiotics as a safe guard. I think tomorrow we will probably go back to Hadley's regular Doc just to be sure he thinks she looks okay. All in all, it was a successful weekend and Hadley seems to be feeling better.




Hadley is 3 months old today! In some ways time has flown by and in other ways it seems like it took us a long time to get to this point. My parents taught her La Cucaracha today, she thinks it is hilarious. She is working on rolling over (back to tummy), holding her head up fairly well, reaching for things (especially her reflection in the mirror), and turns in the direction of who is talking (most of the time). We weighed her in tonight at 10 lbs 10 oz! She has been gaining weight slowly and I've been a bit worried. On Wed we weighed her and she has gained 4 ounces since then! That is a crazy amount for her to gain in such a short time! Hadley Grace, we love you so very much, its hard to think about what life was like before you. I am torn, I want you to stay small, but I also want to be able to have a conversation with you and know what you are thinking in that beautiful head of yours. For now, I will hold you and cuddle you as long as you will let me. I know it will go by in a blink!



Hadley was having floor time this morning and fell asleep as she was rolling over. She rolls over about half way (from back to front).

One of the cookies I made for Hadley. BU class of 2034!

It was much easier to take this month's picture than last! We got several cute ones before she fell over. She almost rolled over, but then started having a melt down, so we saved her!