A trip down memory lane

Normally, my blogs are about the recent past. But today I'd like to talk about the not-so-recent past.

Ten years ago this weekend, I moved my stuff into Salem College. More correctly, several cheerful and helpful orientation leaders moved my stuff in, and all I carried was my purse. I remember about 100 things about that day, a day that would literally change my life. Two months ago, I didn't get nostalgic about the fact that I'd graduated high school ten years ago. I feel like what really made me who and where I am today started ten years ago this weekend.

I remember Jen Pounders, carrying her purple cinder blocks with the fish painted on them. I knew instantly that was someone I would be friends with.  I remember Monique Farrell and the rest of the seniors, looking impossibly grown up and thinking there's no way I'd look like them in four years. I remember meeting my roommate for the first time, and seeing Kelly Delaney bounce from person to person, introducing herself. I remember the first look at my new dorm room and wondering how I could share a room so small. I remember meeting my "hall advisor"(now known as RA's) Piper Williams and feeling instantly comfortable. I remember meeting Shirley Southerland and thinking wow, this old lady does not know what she's gotten herself into with all these wild girls.

I remember standing on Clewell patio with Susan Jacobs, the one person I knew on that campus other than a girl that I went to high school with. We stood and talked, and met a new friend, Courtney Barron. Courtney was pissed that her mom made her wear a skirt, and after that day I only ever saw her in Abercrombie running pants and a ponytail. Susan still had her long, multicolored hair and years later I would find out that the sight of us terrified Heidi Schneble. I remember meeting Nan Tilley, the sweetest and most wonderful lady that would guide us through our first year. I remember being in awe of the amazingness that was Staci Lewis, a feeling that I would get for the next two years every time I saw her.

It seems impossible that this happened ten years ago, because I could swear it happened yesterday. I knew instantly that to be a Gramley girl was going to be something special. I had no way of knowing that, even with all the people I'd met, I hadn't yet met Liz Smith and Katie Burge, and how important that would be. I didn't know Lizard, but I heard she won a dance contest in her first 24 hours on campus. My roommate and I didn't work out but seven years later, we reconnected and became friends again. Girls came and went, for a semester or a year. Eventually we all moved away from Gramley (some of us after a second year) and one day we were all seniors, wearing caps and gowns and saying goodbye to our dorm rooms for the last time. But it all started ten years ago this weekend, and I can't imagine where I'd be today if a single thing were different that Saturday morning.

"And sing we of Salem ever,
As proudly her name we bear..."

Dancing baby

Daddy teaches Hayden how boys are "supposed" to dance, and he shakes his dragon tail!

Up, please!

My little sponge

Hayden is changing so much, it's hard to keep up with him! We've really noticed a change in him in the past month or so, and I think part of it has a lot to do with his new room in daycare. He's the youngest, so he sees all these kids doing big-kid things, and hears so many words that he just seems to crave learning. I can't keep track of all of his new words, but some of his favorites are: mom, dad, trash, dog, bubble, Oscar, bink, please, out, go, up, bed, bite, juice, milk, ow, uh-oh and my favorite, hello (ah-whoa) when he picks up the phone. Last week he learned "mine" and "no" at the same time, which has been pretty funny.  He is working on 1-2-3, and will follow along up to "D" when we sing the ABC song. His very favorite song is "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and he requests it by doing the "spider" hand motion that goes along with the song or by saying "it-ee".

He has also gotten really good at identifying his body parts. He has head, ear, nose, mouth, foot, toe and belly down pat; he gets a little confused with "eye" and "hand", I think because they sound so similar to "ear" and "head". His motor skills are really developing and he loves to color. His very favorite thing, other than jumping, is to read. He loves to grab one of his books and carry it around and stop to look at it and turn a page. He's very clear when he wants to read, and when he wants to be read to.

He's also starting to really come along on the potty. We still aren't in full-on potty training mode, but he knows when he needs to go and knows how the whole process works. We can get about one good pee out of him a day on the toilet, but not much on the poop. He's grasping the concept though, as he always squats now to get a little help from gravity! We did buy some pull-ups for when we're ready to start, and even picked up a few pair of big boy underwear! He is resistant to keep a diaper on sometimes, so we figured the underwear would be a logical step. He wore a pair to bed the other night over a pull-up, because it was just too hot here for pajamas.

He is absolutely a creature of habit, and requires a few things every day. He must have his cup of milk first thing in the morning, and he likes to pick out his clothes for school. He will not go to bed without a bath and brushing his teeth first, and makes a big production of throwing pup-pup (his sleep buddy) back in the crib when he gets up in the morning. He hates dirty hands, and loves to help us do anything. He loves to blow bubbles, and we have a hard time getting them away from him! He has also started to make "the face" when he doesn't get his way. It's a face he definitely gets from me, drawing his eyebrows way down and pursing his lips together. Despite his intention of looking fierce and angry, it's terribly adorable.

Out at the lake

The great thing about where we live is the proximity to fun, free stuff! There's a lake about five minutes from our house, and it's a beautiful spot to visit. We went last weekend just to take a walk somewhere different. Hayden had a blast exploring all the different playgrounds and new sights. He is such an explorer, and quite the fearless adventurer! He loves to climb and crawl over things, go up high, look down low and jump. Boy does he love to jump! He is a little weary of the sand, since it's an uneven surface and makes it difficult for him to go fast. We didn't venture into the water this time, but maybe next time!

This time we spent most of the visit exploring the little log cabin-like structure for kids to play on. Hayden made a little german friend and tested out the seats and the steps on the wooden playground. He ran around and watched the bigger kids try the skateboard simulator, and tried to escape from us more than once. He can be so insistent when he wants to go a certain way! We're hoping to go back soon on a nice day for a picnic, and so Hayden can do some more exploring.

Splash party

Little swimmer