Micah James

Little Micah James Hayes made his way into the world on April 24, 2012. The labor was short, only lasting two hours at the hospital, from 2cm to 10cm in an hour and a half. He came into the world in the water, and had the cord wrapped around his neck three times. He is healthy and gained his birth weight back in under two days!! We are in love with him, and his focused stare and his sweet coos. Maya has turned into the post protective, gentle big sister, and we couldn't be more proud of both!

I love my Uncle Walt

Beautiful life

Today I feel so blessed...

I've been battling with the idea of homeschooling and wondering if I have the discipline and creativity to keep Maya enjoying it. Lately we've started our week days with either playgroup, library, or our simple homeschooling, and the last two mornings Maya has asked to do her writing books. Today I started to feel like I can do this and love every second of it. We do our little work books, sing some songs, talk about the days of the week and the weather, do a crafty art project, and then go outside. I have literally gotten zero house stuff done this week, but this afternoon while we were outside in the dirt and sunshine planting bulbs I felt like the luckiest person around. We live in a very small dome, don't drive brand new cars, we don't take tropical vacations, but today I felt so rich. As Maya called me "darling" and kept looking up to the trees when she heard birds chirping, I really don't think I could ask for anything more... Except maybe for this little boy in my belly to come out as sweet and smart and caring as my Maya...

Catch up

It's been a VERY long time, so there will be slot of posts, some not in order to catch you up on this last year... We missed you.

The Things She's saying

Maya found a feather...

Maya - Look a feather!

Mama - Did that come from the pillow?

Maya - No, from the duck...

Duh..

Crayons are all over the floor of her room...

Mama - Maya! Who made this mess?!

Maya - Daddy did.

70 Degrees at the Oregon Coast

Maya was sick all week long with a fever and more, and Omi and I took her to the beach to soak up some 70 degree February weather. I think it helped, because she's back to herself today!

Maya Does Yoga

This sweet little one is all about the yoga, she follows along with a video, and gets really excited about the whole thing. We also started a new swimming class which is a bit more challengeing and Maya LOVES it. She's now swimming a bit all by herself, and starting to roll over to her back. She's also starting to get the hang out of climbing out of the pool more smoothly. She's such a water baby!

Happy 2nd Birthday Maya!

Two years ago, you made us the happiest two people on earth, and everyday since has only gotten better. Your sweet, gentle nature and clever little ways make us want to stop time.

Merry Christmas

This Christmas was my very favorite ever. Along with just making me smile everyday, Maya was a little angel this Christmas. She spend much of the month being a little afraid of "Ho Ho", or Santa. She learned to sing Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer. She learned about baby Jesus' birthday, and loves to pick out him, Mary and Joseph out in the many manger scenes she saw. She had fun at a playgroup Christmas party, helped decorate the tree on a daily basis, made Christmas cookies, helped make Christmas ornaments for the family, and learned the meaning of presents! She woke up at 6:00am Christmas morning, and unwrapped many of her small gifts, but said "too much" after opened her favorite-her mini slide. In the afternoon we headed to Omi and Gramp's house for a yummy fancy dinner, and then opened presents with the family. I think her favorite of all her loot, was her Dora backpack and her new "glass slippers". We headed back to the dome early to catch our 6am flight to Syracuse. Maya was a champ. Running through the airports with her new backpack on, and sleeping on the planes. When we finally got to Noni and Papa's house, she was immediately comfortable and fell in love with Noni's three dogs. She spent a whole week meeting new relatives, opening presents, introducing everyone to Dora, riding a carousel, and playing in the snow. What a holiday it was. We are glad to be back in our little homey dome getting back to the swing of things. Now for her 2nd birthday party!

The little fish

22 Months

Maya's vocabulary is massive! I know I'm totally a biased parent, and I think she's the smartest little thing ever, but seriously. Two months ago we made a list of how many words she could say. In a matter of three hours, our list was well over 300. Now she's actually talking in sentences, and knows the difference between you and me. She calling me Joy and daddy Jimmy when she wants our attention and says some of the funniest things. Her newest thing being "do myself". Yesterday we found out a nasty situation... we have a mouse in the car... ew. Well first thing this morning Maya says to daddy-

Maya-"Daddy, mouse in car!"
Daddy(very groggily)- "oh yeah?"
Maya - "yeah, he eats Maya's yum yum"
Daddy - "He eats your yum yum?"
Maya - "oh yeah, mouse eats sushi"

This is another thing... the kids loves sushi, yes including the raw stuff. She asks for it more often than I wish to purchase it! She digging down on the fruits and veggies, but still has to be manipulated into the carbs... we continue to wonder, if she is in fact Italian.

She's doing awesome in swim class, and gets passed through the hula hoop under the water, while she kicks and paddles with he arms... She's seriously a little swimmer. I'm starting to let go of her, and she totally kicks her way up to the surface. When she's out of the water her favorite thing to do is jump. She goes around the house jumping(and actually gets air) saying "hop hop hop".

She is totally attached her her panda bear, her Elmo doll, Knut the baby polar bear and "Murry". Murry is a little black lamb, and somewhere between Murry from Sesame street and the song "Mary had a little lamb", Maya's lamb is now Murry. She scream for him before bed and when she wakes up so she can hug him. We also have to drag these favorite stuffed animals everywhere we go, to the store, to the pool, to the park, to church. I have to wash them while she sleeps! Which is what I need to go do now, more later!

Halloween

Maya LOVED Halloween this year... We lucked out with a break in the showers, and got to go out two nights and do some trick-or-treating... The first night Daddy had to work, so Mommy and Omi went out with Maya. Maya dressed up as a Geisha, and was more than happy to repeatedly hold still for applications of hair spray and makeup.(even eyeliner)... We went to downtown Grants Pass, and collected some candy from all the stores... Maya doesn't know what candy is, but was thrilled to see more and more little objects in her goody bag. We then went to Daddy's work for Sushi, but had to leave early because after the first trip the the potty Maya had to go more, and went all over her costume, and Mommy forgot the backup outfit! The next day, after church, Maya dressed up as Cinderella,(a costume she's been wearing for the last month). We went to Ashland and met up with Shaya and Madeline for the parade. Ashland knows how to do Hallween and Maya was super interested in all the costumes, drumming, and stilt people. We ended the evening at Caldera Brew house for some beers and chatting.... Happy Halloween!

The Pumpkin Patch and Petting Farm

The pony ride was THE CUTEST thing I've seen in a long time. Maya took this whole thing so seriously. She watched for a while as the other kids went around the circle, and she was first in line. When it was her turn the lady asked her which pony she wanted and she pointed to the smallest one. Once she was sitting in the saddle, she paid close attention to how the lady was strapping her in and then fell in love with her little pony. She petted the pony, and then held tight while the pony started walking slowly in the circle.

Next we petted all the other animals including a tiny baby pig... Maya was very gentle and gave each animal lots of attention which telling all the other little kids to "Look, a duck!" To end the day we went to Fort Vanoy Farm to pick out a pumpkin and go for a hay ride. Poor daddy got stuck carrying pumpkins while Maya got her picture taken trying to find the best "baby pumpkin"...

Fall

The leaves have been changing, we FINALLY got some rain, and every morning starts with a warm fire. Fall is finally here. Maya has been bundled up in warm hoodies and trying to figure out her silly hello-kitty rain boots. We've been cooking soups and banana bread, and feeling homey. We've made several weekly trips to our local farm to pick flowers and veggies. Maya's favorite has been the flowers... They give her a basket and let her go to town on the sunflowers, needless to say our dome has been filled with flowers!

Slacker Mama

Sorry we have been MIA, we'll do our best to blog more.... :)

Mommy and Daddy

Mommy and Daddy actually got to go out on a date... Thanks Omi..

Maya at 18 months

What a little monster we have our hands on... Maya has turned into a little teaser, giggling like crazy when she hides behind our clothes and jumps out to reveal herself. She purposefully splashes water on us, or just pours cold bucket fulls down your back when you least expect it. What a little stinker, but her big toothy grin melts our hearts. She has turned into a little person and is not longer a baby, until sleep sets it, when she needs Mama and Dada, not "mommy and daddy"... She is insisting on wearing big girl underwear, or "undies" as she calls them, which is keeping us on our toes with the potty training. She is pretty good, until she doesn't want to come inside to go.. luckily we live in the sticks and she's starting to be ok about going outside too. She is staying dry through the night and naps though, and always tells us when she has to go poo, so the pee pee accidents that rarely occur aren't so bad, (unless they happen to be on the slide in front of the other kids in the playgroup, no one wants to slide down the pee pee slide.) She's become quite the talker, and is putting together sentences like, "Illy eat yum yum too" or "Mama earrings big" or "Gramps, pool, Plllleeeeaase" and her favorite "Mama says NO" and then she says "no no". I have to admit most of her sentences are demands... It's adorable, especially since everything is taking on a sing-song tone... She says so many words now, and it's surprises me all the time, when she knows a new one that I've hardly mentioned.. She's becoming very particular about her food... She likes sushi, tofu, and LOVES edamame and asks for it all the time, today she asked for peas for breakfast, and last night would only eat blue berries and peaches for dinner. She also now asks for these things. She's VERY good at telling us what she does and doesn't want. Her favorite toys are her swing, her babies, her vacuum, and her flash cards. She HATES woopie cushions, and will freak out when you bring them near. She also knows how to dress and undress, and though she could take all her clothes off at church last week, and got very upset when we wouldn't help her take them off. She goes to play group once a week, and LOVES any chance she gets to see her big cousin Jessie, who she kisses freely and is the only person she has said "I Love You" to. She LOVES the river and the pool, and puts her head under by herself (especially when swimming with Gramps). She helps water the garden daily, and eats strawberries, and peas right from the vines. Her favorite thing to watch is Charlot's Web, and laughs out loud at the part when Wilbur is kicked out of the house with the broom, which makes Mommy laugh even harder. She thinks the basic point of the grocery store is for the "Lady" to give her cheese (at the deli), and the only point to any other store is to buy "shoes! shoes! shoes!) Daddy loves this idea.;) When she hugs, she pats our backs, and she wakes us up in the morning with songs and kisses. We feel so lucky for the time we get to spend with her, and every day gets better.

Bend Trip

We headed up to Bend to shoot a wedding and had some fun where it all started... We walked around downtown, went to the river, saw some good friends, and enjoyed all the Inn had to offer... Our only complaint was too little time.. we wish we could have stayed longer!

Naked River Days

We havn't been uploading lately, because we've been so busy hanging out at the river and soaking up summer... Maya has turned into a little fish.

First Ice Cream Cone

This weekend was super warm, and we allowed Omi to buy Maya her first ice cream cone... She LOVED it..