— my little corner of randomness —
Because I posted so many pictures yesterday of Dannie for her 7 month post, I thought I would wait until today to post another video of her. I was playing on the ground with her and she thought it was funny when I made a kissing/smacking noise and touched her nose. I hope this makes you smile today.
Time has been flying by and I am way behind on my blog. But I couldn’t let myself miss out on Miss Danielle turning 7 months old. Time sure flies. The even harder thing to believe is what a grown up little person Maddie has become. But that is for many other blog posts!
Sweet D is the happiest, silliest little girl. She lights up when Maddie is around, cracks up at everything and smiles with her whole face! I just love her to pieces and can’t get enough of her little snuggles.
She has started to get upset when I am not around. She made this abundantly clear at my mom’s house last weekend when family wanted to hold her and she would scream until I was holding her. And she has started reaching for me, too. It’s cute and sad and laughable all at the same time.
It’s happened…..our tiniest peanut is on the move. For a few weeks, she has gotten on her knees and elbows and rocked like crazy. We knew it was just a matter of time, but the other day, she decided she was ready to take off. She uses her feet and does a version of an army crawl and goes for it. I have seen her go across the living room for a toy. It’s not very fast, but it won’t be long before she is dashing around the house.
Here’s a video of her getting ready to move. She did a lot of rocking for a while until she started to figure it out.
When she was rolling around and working on crawling, she curled herself right up in a blanket. I couldn’t stop giggling at her. 
Yesterday we had a learning curve while she was all over the living room. She kept bumping her head on things because she would wiggle into a strange place and get stuck. She whacked her head on the couch a couple times, bonked her face on the hardwood (she must have thought it was soft like the carpet) and almost got herself stuck under the trampoline. Life is about to get crazy!
And you probably saw from the first picture that she is getting much better as sitting up on her own. She will still topple over, but she is getting stronger and more coordinated every day.
Dannie has started holding her bottle a little bit. She can’t hold it very long, but she’s showing interest at least.
We’ve been giving Dannie solid food for about a month now. She is not all that impressed by it. She really wants to do it herself or just suck the food off her hands. But she is getting better every day. I think she is really going to like puffs and foods she can grab and eat by herself. She made it apparent that I need to start vacuuming more often because she keeps trying to eat tiny specks on the floor.
We took Dannie’s pacifier away a few weeks ago. I stopped nursing, started bottles, started solid food and started making her nap in bed and cry herself to sleep. We thought we would give her an extra week with her pacifier with all the other transitions going on. One day in her crib, she proved to me how badly she liked it and I knew it was time to take it away. She went to sleep just sobbing. When she finally fell asleep, she only slept a short time. Then she woke up to find a pacifier I didn’t know was hiding in her bed, stuck it in her mouth and went back to bed. That’s when I decided she was done. I won’t tell anyone when to take a pacifier away from their kids, but I don’t like being attached to it and making sure it is always around or the world ends. So with only a couple rough days in there, she was done and we haven’t looked back.
When Dannie was learning to cry it out in her bed, I had to take a picture of the baby monitor. She was crying so hard, but was laying down. She was really trying to go to sleep. Thankfully she figured it out pretty quickly and goes down for naps and bedtime without too much fuss.
Dannie loves her sister. Those two just giggle at each other all the time. I think Maddie’s favorite pastime might be making Dannie laugh.
A couple days after she turned 6 months old, Dannie got a pretty high temp. I think 104.7 was the highest it got. One night she was so lethargic. She kept falling asleep on the floor mid-play. Poor baby. She was in good spirits when she was awake, but spent most of her days sleeping. Thankfully it only lasted a couple days.
Dannie is still putting everything in her mouth. She grabs anything and goes for it, (power cords being a new favorite to scamper for) and she has started to grab my face and lick me. It’s cute….but quite wet.
Maddie’s favorite thing to do when we ask her where she wants to go, is to go to the zoo. Dannie has been spending more of her day awake, so she has gotten to enjoy the sights at the zoo. She LOVED the fish!
Happy 7 months sweet peanut!
Here are Dannie’s previous monthly posts:
I came across this recently and I was thankful to have the reminder about keeping happy. I thought I would share.
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There are two types of people in the world: those who choose to be happy, and those who choose to be unhappy. Contrary to popular belief, happiness doesn’t come from fame, fortune, other people, or material possessions. Rather, it comes from within. The richest person in the world could be miserable while a homeless person could be right outside, smiling and content with their life. Happy people are happy because they make themselves happy. They maintain a positive outlook on life and remain at peace with themselves.
The question is: how do they do that?
It’s quite simple. Happy people have good habits that enhance their lives. They do things differently. Ask any happy person, and they will tell you that they …
1. Don’t hold grudges.
Happy people understand that it’s better to forgive and forget than to let their negative feelings crowd out their positive feelings. Holding a grudge has a lot of detrimental effects on your wellbeing, including increased depression, anxiety, and stress. Why let anyone who has wronged you have power over you? If you let go of all your grudges, you’ll gain a clear conscience and enough energy to enjoy the good things in life.
2. Treat everyone with kindness.
Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that being kind makes you happier? Every time you perform a selfless act, your brain produces serotonin, a hormone that eases tension and lifts your spirits. Not only that, but treating people with love, dignity, and respect also allows you to build stronger relationships.
3. See problems as challenges.
The word “problem” is never part of a happy person’s vocabulary. A problem is viewed as a drawback, a struggle, or an unstable situation while a challenge is viewed as something positive like an opportunity, a task, or a dare. Whenever you face an obstacle, try looking at it as a challenge.
4. Express gratitude for what they already have.
There’s a popular saying that goes something like this: “The happiest people don’t have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.” You will have a deeper sense of contentment if you count your blessings instead of yearning for what you don’t have.
5. Dream big.
People who get into the habit of dreaming big are more likely to accomplish their goals than those who don’t. If you dare to dream big, your mind will put itself in a focused and positive state.
6. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Happy people ask themselves, “Will this problem matter a year from now?” They understand that life’s too short to get worked up over trivial situations. Letting things roll off your back will definitely put you at ease to enjoy the more important things in life.
7. Speak well of others.
Being nice feels better than being mean. As fun as gossiping is, it usually leaves you feeling guilty and resentful. Saying nice things about other people encourages you to think positive, non-judgmental thoughts.
8. Never make excuses.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” Happy people don’t make excuses or blame others for their own failures in life. Instead, they own up to their mistakes and, by doing so, they proactively try to change for the better.
9. Get absorbed into the present.
Happy people don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. They savor the present. They let themselves get immersed in whatever they’re doing at the moment. Stop and smell the roses.
10. Wake up at the same time every morning.
Have you noticed that a lot of successful people tend to be early risers? Waking up at the same time every morning stabilizes your circadian rhythm, increases productivity, and puts you in a calm and centered state.
11. Avoid social comparison.
Everyone works at his own pace, so why compare yourself to others? If you think you’re better than someone else, you gain an unhealthy sense of superiority. If you think someone else is better than you, you end up feeling bad about yourself. You’ll be happier if you focus on your own progress and praise others on theirs.
12. Choose friends wisely.
Misery loves company. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with optimistic people who will encourage you to achieve your goals. The more positive energy you have around you, the better you will feel about yourself.
13. Never seek approval from others.
Happy people don’t care what others think of them. They follow their own hearts without letting naysayers discourage them. They understand that it’s impossible to please everyone. Listen to what people have to say, but never seek anyone’s approval but your own.
14. Take the time to listen.
Talk less; listen more. Listening keeps your mind open to others’ wisdoms and outlooks on the world. The more intensely you listen, the quieter your mind gets, and the more content you feel.
15. Nurture social relationships.
A lonely person is a miserable person. Happy people understand how important it is to have strong, healthy relationships. Always take the time to see and talk to your family, friends, or significant other.
16. Meditate.
Meditating silences your mind and helps you find inner peace. You don’t have to be a zen master to pull it off. Happy people know how to silence their minds anywhere and anytime they need to calm their nerves.
17. Eat well.
Junk food makes you sluggish, and it’s difficult to be happy when you’re in that kind of state. Everything you eat directly affects your body’s ability to produce hormones, which will dictate your moods, energy, and mental focus. Be sure to eat foods that will keep your mind and body in good shape.
18. Exercise.
Studies have shown that exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft does. Exercising also boosts your self-esteem and gives you a higher sense of self-accomplishment.
19. Live minimally.
Happy people rarely keep clutter around the house because they know that extra belongings weigh them down and make them feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Some studies have concluded that Europeans are a lot happier than Americans are, which is interesting because they live in smaller homes, drive simpler cars, and own fewer items.
20. Tell the truth.
Lying stresses you out, corrodes your self-esteem, and makes you unlikeable. The truth will set you free. Being honest improves your mental health and builds others’ trust in you. Always be truthful, and never apologize for it.
21. Establish personal control.
Happy people have the ability to choose their own destinies. They don’t let others tell them how they should live their lives. Being in complete control of one’s own life brings positive feelings and a great sense of self-worth.
22. Accept what cannot be changed.
Once you accept the fact that life is not fair, you’ll be more at peace with yourself. Instead of obsessing over how unfair life is, just focus on what you can control and change it for the better.
I decided to start a new little spot to write about little lessons I have learned about various things. From lessons I have learned from being a parent, lessons about kids, life lessons and anything else that is something worth learning from.
I also believe that we learn something (if not many) new things every day. I liked the idea of documenting these “lessons” or even having a way (in the future) for people to add to their own lessons as well.
A little back story….I stay at home now, but some day I want to go back to work (or work from home or work during school hours….) but I don’t know what I want to do when I “grow up.” I had been pondering starting some kind of new blog with ads and sponsors and all those fancy blog things that make you money on the side. But I couldn’t think of a great topic that wasn’t already very saturated in the blog world and that I thought I could write enough about to keep anyone interested. One idea I had was a blog on “lessons learned.” I started to think this might not be worthy of its own blog, but I can always add it on here.
I created a new twitter account for my lessons called @mini_lessons. (My Twitter name is @minihays.) I thought it would be fun to keep a bunch of them there and then I could expand on some really good ones here.
This is in its infancy and is kind of a trial and error process to see how it goes. I added the @mini_lessons feed to my sidebar on the right (along with all my other twitter accounts) which will show current tweets. But if you read this from a reader program instead of coming to the site, you probably won’t ever see it!
If you have any lessons you have learned that you think I should include, let me know. (I will, of course, give you credit for them.) If you think this is a terrible idea, fell free to tell me, but that isn’t going to stop me from doing this. 
I shall see what evolves from this, but I am hoping it will be fun no matter what!
* Image from http://www.chappellroberts.com/resolutionary/.
I can’t believe I did it, but I read Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)
Isabella Swan’s move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife-between desire and danger.Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.
I didn’t have huge expectations for the book. I knew it was a teen love saga (barf), but I had heard from so many people that it was a good book. Since I was between books, I thought I would give it a go since there wasn’t a wait at the library for it. My heaven’s Bella is whiny and annoying. And Edward, just ish. “Wah wah wah,” “I love you,” “why are you mad at me,” “turn me into a vampire,” “stay away from me – I’m dangerous,” “wah wah wah,” “my dad gave me rules and a curfew”…..Ugh, I wanted to slap them both!
I was really hoping the story would have a little more oompf to it. I love movies, shows and books about vampires and werewolves. But this was just a little disappointing.
Also, I should mention that when a book comes out that is a huge hit, I usually stay away from them. Which was one of the reasons I stayed away from this one for so long. I haven’t read the Harry Potter books, Shades of Grey….I’m just not interested in them when people are talking about them all the time. I like to wait until they are forgotten enough where there isn’t a waiting list for them at the library. 
(I did read The Hunger Games books, though. Some friends were passing around the books.)
Want to know the really sad part? Even though I really disliked the book, I will probably read the other books in the series. Because I just can’t help myself knowing there are more books in a series and not read them. I am the same way with moves.
So, if you haven’t read it, don’t bother. Because if you are like me, you’ll probably end of reading all the books and then feel dumb for doing so.
This ad was going around Facebook and I wanted to share it here. It’s something I want to remember to show to my girls when they get older. It’s a video of an artist drawing a woman the way she describes herself and then drawing that same woman based on how others describe her. It’s a wonderfully done video and I think it is important for females of all ages to watch because we have a skewed perception of how we look to others.
And on a lighter note, here are two spoofs someone made where guys do the same thing. 
Both of them are hilarious.
The other day, Maddie, Dannie and I took a little trip to a new bakery called Taste of Love. I heard that they had a play area for kids and their pictures of food from their Facebook Page looked so delicious.
The bakery was very cute and the staff was very nice. Maddie picked out a cake pop and they gave her a bag all to herself. She thought that was pretty great! There are a few tables to sit at in the main room. If you go down the hall, You can see them baking all their goodies and just past that is the play area for kids.
What a brilliant idea. It makes it low stress to bring them with you and you know that they don’t mind your kids being there when they give them a place to play!
They have all kinds of goodies….muffins, cake pops, cupcakes, slices of cake, doughnuts, coffee, a few sandwiches and more.
This was a Raspberry Lemonade Cupcake…lemon or vanilla cake, filled with raspberries, lemonade frosting, drizzled with raspberry and topped with a raspberry. I am drooling just remembering how yummy it was!
It was a fun new place for us to try and I definitely recommend checking it out!
A friend in book club bought Gone Girl
Marriage can be a real killer.
One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.
On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?
As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?
With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.
I loved it. Most people I talked to about it said they couldn’t put it down. This was the case with me, too.The only problem was that I wanted to read it more often, but being a hard cover instead of my kindle, it was hard to read with two very handsy little kids.
I won’t say too much about it, because you should go get a copy and read it yourself. I will say that the ending was not what I expected. If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear what your thoughts were on the ending.
This is a fast read and worth the time and money. Very creatively written and a great story!
Happy reading!
Our little Dannie is half a year old! She is getting so big!
We had her 6 month check up yesterday and she was 15 pounds, 2 ounces. She is growing perfectly on her growth chart. She was healthy and happy the whole time we were there. She only cried for a few seconds after her shots.
Dannie loves playing with her feet and her toys. She has become very mobile in the past week. She will roll all over the room. I never know where she is going to end up. I have also caught her trying to get her butt in the air and move forward. She only manages to scoot backwards. But more moving isn’t far away! She will also turn about 90 degrees when she reaches for a toy that is next to her. She also loves playing with her feet!
With her ability to roll around more, she has been happier to play on the floor for a longer period of time. This is VERY nice!
She loves being upright and likes being carried around or sitting in her exersaucer. I always forget to put her in her Bumbo. I need to do that more often. She’s very strong and likes trying to stand.
She can’t sit on her own yet, but if you place her in a sitting position, she will put her hands down and play with toys….until she tips over. 
Last night we are started her on solid foods. I took a funny video. She made the funniest faces! I nursed her for 6 months (just like I did for Maddie) and now it’s time to move to bottles and solid food.
Along with the food change, it’s time for this little peanut to learn to self soothe and cry herself to sleep. She did fall asleep at nap time (after a long bout of crying) but didn’t sleep very long. I’ll try bed time crying it out tomorrow. She had shots today and was out of sorts and we made a bunch of other changes for the day. I’ll give her a little break.
I apologize to anyone who sees us this week. With the transition to bottles, solid foods and crying it out, we might be a little out of sorts. But, a short period of transition makes everything better in the long run.
Dannie is really good with her hands and plays well with all her toys. She likes to turn them around and chew them up! I don’t see any teeth making their way in, but she sure chews on everything like she has teeth coming in.
She is also quite the “talker” as I am sure you have noticed in some of the pictures. She likes to babble and yell and spit. Her noises may be loud, but they are really adorable, too!
Dannie is such a sweet, happy and easy going baby. We have really lucked out with her! We love her to pieces!
Here are Dannie’s previous monthly posts:
I had a wonderful Mother’s Day and a great weekend! I was spoiled, got to celebrate a little with our moms and step moms, made muffins with Maddie, snuggled my almost 6 month old, chuck cooked some amazing food, DQ the other night, hung up my new wind chime, went to Pilates, and Chuck worked on the yard and garden. It’s been fabulous!
I am spoiled everyday by my wonderful hubby and great kids! I think I’m the luckiest mom ever!
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! Enjoy your day!
