May

May is always one of my favorite times of the year. Mostly because my little Hailey Mae was born in May. She is a bright light in our lives and brings us so much joy! Hailey was born 6 weeks before we moved to our little town where we have spent most of our adult lives... so her birth is a milestone on which I measure time. Hailey was always thinking. You could see it in her eyes. She was born into a world of two older siblings... She spent a lot of time watching. I don't remember her talking a lot as a toddler. I do remember her getting into things. She was sneaky. She also always had a pretty incredible bond with her daddy. They were buddies.

Hailey was the middle kid. Being the middle kiddo is hard. You aren't getting all the attention. You aren't getting things first and you aren't sure where your place is sometimes. Hailey always did a masterful job of negotiating. She was skilled at expressing her needs and being happy with her life. I have so many happy, funny memories of little kid Hailey and so many proud, joyous memories of teenage Hailey.

Once when she was about 3 she wandered into my bathroom where I was luxuriating in a well needed soak. I'm sure I had escaped and wanted a moment of solace. She started taking off her socks getting ready to join me in my bath. I said something about it just being a mom time for baths. She replied in her cute distinctive voice, "but mom, then there would be no Hailey Mae's in the bath tub!" And that just about sums it up. What would life have been like without any Hailey Mae's in the tub? It would not have been the same.

Having Hailey Mae in our life has been the best. She has added just the right amount of spunk, stubbornness, happiness, enthusiasm and motivation into our family.

I'm thankful for Hailey Mae.

Our May baby.