Thoughts for Hailey

We have several nick-names for Hailey: “Hailey Bailey” “Hailey Brookie” and “Hailey girl.”

Hailey has said some cute stuff in the last few months: the other day I told her “You know the drill!” and later that day I heard her say, “I know the dribble!” She will say “Hailey is for H” when she points out the letter H. Once when Joey and I were hugging she walked in and said emphatically, “Stop squishing the baby!” When she was looking at a picture depicting the parable of the 10 virgins she spent a long time examining the picture and then exclaimed, “Baby Jesus has got to be in here somewhere!” Recently I told her I loved her, Miles, and Daddy. She responded, “You forgot to love the baby!” A while ago I read her a Cinderella storybook. On one page it says, “Cinderella and the prince danced….” After I read her the story she turned the pages of the book and “read” the story to herself. When she got to the dancing page she said, “Cinderella and the prince did ring around the rosie…”  She often responds to requests with a cheerful “Sure!” but she pronounces it like “Showa!” Often she’ll say, “Want to see me do ballet?” and then she’ll twirl around and dance and then say, "Now you try it!"

One story, kind of a special one to me: A while ago we took the kids to the temple and we got to sit in the visitor’s center where there is a large statue of Christ. Just the kids and I sat there in the empty room. A senior missionary came over and asked the kids if they’d like to hear “Jesus talk” and he pressed a button on the wall and we heard some of Christ’s quotes. Afterward it was quiet. Hailey, who was sitting next to me, looked up at me and said, “Did you hear what Jesus Christ said?” I was really surprised by her question. I said yes. Then she said, “Jesus Christ loves you, me, dad and Miles.” Again I was surprised by her words! I told her that she just bore her very own testimony all by herself! I felt like it was a special gift for me too. One of those moments where maybe, just maybe, Heavenly Father was reassuring me…through her. I am amazed that a child as young as Hailey is so perceptive to the Spirit….but maybe I shouldn’t be. Maybe it’s always the little children that are the most perceptive in that way.

I think back on the day we got Hailey. We hadn’t found out her gender before she was born, and I thought for sure we were having a boy, and when she came out a girl I was really surprised—but so happy and excited to have her! That was the best surprise! I love how she answers whenever we tell her she’s “special” or “smart” or “beautiful”--she says with complete confidence and perfect trust in our words, “Showa I am!”

 From tonight (Feb 01, 2011) She fell asleep during our family routine before bedtime.