little baby sadie

Sadie Jane came for a visit with her mama and Dare loved to love on her!

oops

I had a scary (but thankfully short lived) crazy mom moment.  I locked Dare in the car.  It was running.  My purse was in the locked car.  My extra set of keys in my purse.  My phone in the console.  Not so good!  But, thanks to Midvale City Fire and their LARGEST fire engine they have, about 8 minutes later Dare was unshackled from the prison that he didn't even know he was in!

Glad I got out of that one pretty easy!

two year update

 These are the photos that Auntie Raenie was able to capture of Dare on his 2nd Birthday

Dare has grown so much in the past 6 months... it's unbelievable! He talks all the time, using full sentences and very clear dictation. I'm not saying he's a prodigy, because he still has those times where there are phrases that he uses, and you really have to tune in, and listen to understand what he's trying to say. But, overall, he's quite the little legible chatterbox! He says things like: "Thanks for dinner mommy, or Thanks for dinner daddy!"  He is very good at using his manners of: please, thank you, excuse me, you're welcome, I'm sorry.  I've been very determined to make sure that we raise a polite little boy! He is still really into balls, and loves to throw them, catch them, kick them, and rough house around any type of playing with balls! He loves to jump, which means: jump on the trampoline! Good thing Andrea and the Jacksons across the street both have trampolines! I'm not sure that the purchase of our own is anywhere in the near Baileyhood future! 

He eats mostly everything we put in front of him, unless he's in "a mood". Which, those moods have been happening more and more since he's gotten closer to 2, and now that he is 2! Some days he just decides that he's going to be stubborn, and believe me, he knows how to be stubborn! He has grit, and I'm afraid he's inherited it from yours truly! I know it's good, but it sure can be frustrating at times! Especially because it comes with a huge dose of ir-rationale!
He loves his animals, the plastic ones and the real ones! Bogey, his doggy is his favorite. But, he also loves the horses and feeding apples to them! He and his daddy take drives all around Bountiful while mommy takes a shower on Friday and Saturday mornings. Their favorite places to navigate are to see the llamas and the horses! Even before they arrive at the destination, Dare knows right where they are, and will start talking about what they are approaching, even before you can see it in the line of vision! He's pretty funny! 

It's hard to sit here and try to think of all the words that he says, because I don't think there's many that he doesn't say. Even if he slaughters them a little bit, nothing holds him back from conversation! If we want him to say it, we say it, and then he repeats it! He's really observant, and very in tune to his environment. One thing that he says that is so cute, is often we will ask him a question, which requires a yes or no, and when he replies "yes" he says it like "zehess".  He does seem to have a little bit of a lisp, which I'm sure is partly due to his major obsession to the binkie! We are not that worried about it thus far, as he still is very young, and learning to phase out of it gradually. He is getting better and better at understanding when it is appropriate to have a binkie, and when it isn't. Mostly he wants it at naptime and bedtime. But, he also will beg for it when he's tired or frustrated. And, I'm not going to lie, sometimes as a parent I just want to "put a plug in it"!

Overall, Dare is a very happy and content little boy! He is very adaptable to any environment, and doesn't seem to be bothered by change of atmosphere or people. He will present as a little timid when in a new situation, or when transitioning from one place to the next. But, after he warms up, he fits right in, and wants to be a part of whatever is going on! Ryan and I feel very blessed to have such a little treasure in our lives!  He has brought so much happiness and so much joy to us in these two short years! We never could have predicted what a constant ray of sunshine he would be when we were trying for all of those difficult years to have him! The end result was very worth all of the pain and frustration!  We look forward to the next 12 months of his life, and soaking in all of the little tiny moments. Those that to some on the outside may seem very trite, but to us on the inside, the most important things that could ever be happening in that very moment! 

We are so grateful to have Dare in our family; for without him, the Baileyhhood that is today, would not truly exist, or be even as close to as much excitement and fun!  

Mommy and daddy love you little D!

His phrases are countless, but here's a few:

Shawo sit! (Shadow)

good boy

bogey sit! 

good one boges!

ewe! gross, that's nassie mama!

bogey pooped!

bogey tooted!

bogey burped!

I burped mama, cuseme!

bless you mama! (sneeze)

He interchanges between calling his dad:  daddy, dada. dad, Ry, and Ryan

And he calls me: mom, mama, and Hannie

He calls auntie Mijken: missie and Carmie: CeeCee and Carmen

happy second birthday

Dare is T.W.O. !!

His cake, thanks to the confectioners at our local Parson's Bakery!

And, opening and unwrapping presents was so much easier and exciting for him now than at Christmastime!

We took him to the "Living Planet Aquarium" in Draper.  A place we have been wanting to visit for awhile now, so I was determined to make it happen on his birthday!  I took half a day off, picked him up from Andrea at 1 pm, and off the Baily Family went to visit the animals! 

He was so tired after the visit to the Aquarium, he almost instantly fell asleep on our drive home! But! NOT without his new "baseAball mit and baseAball"  one in each hand!  

We told him to blow out the candles, and I was fully expecting to have to explain and help with what "blow" meant. But, no, without any prompting, he completely understood, and here are the photos to show!
What a 2 year old GEM!  .
Happy Birthday Dare!

diy

 I have been wanting to change up the dining room and kitchen area in our home for awhile now.  So, lately I have gotten my DIY on, and have been pretty busy.  I built and painted a bench for seating around the table, sprayed the table white, changed out the chairs, painted and sprayed the barstools and the wood underneath the bar overhang.  And, finally, for my birthday Ryan helped me paint the cabinets.  I am loving the final result of everything, and the only things left are the new backsplash and a new light fixture above the table. 

copycat

Dare is such a copy cat.  He mimicks everything and everyone.  It is so cute to watch.  Lately he has been wanting to watch shows like this.  On his belly with his chin cupped in his hand.  Just like sissie Aisyln!

because

 He is such a growing boy.  We cannot get enough.  Kinda think we are addicted!

thirty nine years old

Happy birthday to me!  All I wanted is what Ryan made sure I received!  A new and fresh look to my kitchen with a back splash just how I wished for it to be!  And it was his first time ever doing tile! 

 A great way to start off my last year in my thirties!  Thank you so much RHB!

easter

For Easter I decided to try out an idea that I saw on the internet...easter colored pancakes.  I was mostly excited about making the easter egg pancakes in color, but then I decided to try other things too.  Dare loved them, and kept asking for "more, more"

 The Easter Bunny was so good to him! He got bubbles, a kite, candy, army guys for the bathtub, glo sticks, a baseball, and a soccer ball.  He was so excited!

 

 He was so darling flying the kite.  And, the wind was blowing perfectly for the occasion!

 

He loves to watch the movie "The Sandlot" and now wants to mimic the boys who stand at bat on home base.  It is the cutest!