Activity #14

There is a Walrus in her Dad's closet...or so she thinks. Sitting on the bed, she looks at her mom and proclaims that she is scared. Knowing that she has an upcoming surgery, her mother assumes that is what is on her mind. "Why, Hayden? Because of your surgery?" "NO! I think there might be a walrus in dad's closet!" With this girl, you just never, ever, let me repeat, NEVER EVER know what might be her next observation.

We are going to be up against another hospital stay on January 12th as Hayden has a surgery to remove a tumor that has grown back in her chest. Keep us in your prayers, and we will continue to report her progress to you. As of right now, we are happy to report that there is NO WALRUS in her dad's closet. Coast is clear on the walrus front.

Activity #13

Jennifer Whelan is Hayden's mother. Her Facebook status is another way that we are reminded of the wonder that is Hayden. Today, it reads as follows:

I was shopping for flower bulbs with Hayden yesterday she was trying to help me pick out what flowers to plant, I told her I wanted flowers that smelled good, she picked up a bag of bulbs and said smell these. : )

Activity #12

So, today my sister and her daughter, Hayden stopped by for awhile before going to Spencer's water polo game. Spencer is son and brother, respectively.

Hayden was enamored with my new parakeet. She sat looking in the cage for a long time, asking the normal questions we all would ask when meeting a yellow parakeet for the first time: "What's her name? Where does she sleep? Does she play with all of the toys in there?" After a few seconds of deep contemplation, she said she wanted a bird too. "NO!" exclaimed her mother, with no hesitation ,whatsoever. The next couple of minutes were spent revisiting the many "pets" that Hayden has helped to the "other side". Fish that didn't like living in a shoe, frogs that don't like to be held too tightly, and more fish that actually ate themselves to death after Hayden decided that it was better to give them all of their food in a yearly dose, rather than waste her precious time feeding them daily.

Moving onto the couch, Aunt, (that's me), was able to squeeze in a little snuggle time with her favorite 12 year old snuggler, Hayden Faith Elaine Whelan. One would think that this would be enough to make anyone's day, and it really was, until......it was topped by those two words that I live to hear: "YOU ROCK". Gee, thanks Hayden. I think you rock too!!!

Activity #11

Hayden goes camping---NOT!!!

It's Friday, and as we all know the school week is long, and we all get a little tired of the routine. For Hayden, her solution is to bypass her trip to school, and go camping instead. Or at least that is what she told her bus driver. All of this came to light when the driver called her mother to verify that Hayden did NOT need to be picked up this morning because she was going camping. "NO. Hayden is not going camping, and needs to be picked up this morning. Thanks for checking." When my sister asked Hayden if she told the bus driver not to pick her up in the morning because she was going camping, Hayden replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "Yeah, but it's OK, I'm not going anymore."

We are not too sure who should get the award today. Hayden, for her imagination, or the bus driver, for listening to a 12 year old who rides a bus for children with disabilities. Not much of a toss up in my mind.

Not to self: go camping, it's better than anything else I had planned today.

Activity #10

After the "sleep over" there is always a "morning after". In Hayden's case, the morning usually begins at 5am. Yes, 5 AM! Not that I wasn't warned by my sister's FB status a couple of days ago which is as follows: " woke up at 4:45am lights on Hayden not in her room found her watching TV downstairs, I said it's too early to be awake she said " I was getting bored sleeping, sleeping is not fun. Don't worry this is what I do." ( Haydens version of "this is how I roll")"... Lucky for me, her Uncle Peter intercepted her and directed her back to her pillow. OFFICIAL wake up time was 720am, and the before school preparation began. It's truly amazing that we forget so quickly the "routine" that is involved with this. Breakfast, getting dressed, packing up the backpack, brushing hair, brushing teeth,and finally, playing with the dogs.

Don't be alarmed, but Hayden is now married-----to Sammy, our dog. She asked him today if he wanted to get married as she was playing with him, and then promptly gave him instructions to "kiss the bride!". All of this happening while she was making him stand up on his back legs like a little person.

Finally, we ventured to Lightning McQueen for the trip to school. It is clear that the world is just full of Hayden's friends, and that every day at school is just another day for her to interact with those friends. While driving down the street to her school, she saw some of those friends. "KATHY!!!!!" being yelled through a rolled up window is not very effective, but she didn't care, and was just thrilled that she got to see Kathy before the start of her school day. A hug, a kiss, and an "I love you Aunt" was all I needed to start mine. I can't wait until Activity #11.

Activity #9

So,...Hayden is spending the night with us because her Mom and Dad are at a Kaiser event tonight. Picked her up from the bus, grabbed her backpack, and bag, and off we went in "Lightning McQueen" (that is what she calls my 2008 350Z).

First stop, 99cent store for some supplies. Camp Rock sunglasses: 99cents; Hannah Montana coloring/activity book: 99cents; arm band to put her ipod in so she can walk around and sing: 99cents. I got her to stop asking if we were done yet by threatening to put everything she picked out back on the shelf! She accidentally asked, but caught herself and said "sorry".

Next stop, Raley's. This is where the first ALL IMPORTANT question was not only asked, but answered while walking through the parking lot. "Do cars have birthdays?" "No. I don't think so, because they weren't born. Only things that are born have birthdays." After we solved one of lifes mysterys, we proceed into the store. Bathroom first. After that, a little shopping, with of course ice cream being at the top of the list. Cookies and Cream. Then, home to swim. While she was swimming, Aunt made spaghetti and watched her out of the kitchen window.

We have reviewed all of the animal's birthdays and ages, taken showers, and eaten spaghetti, pondered on a question I didn't have an answer to (who built my house) and are now lined up for the end of a perfect day---dessert! You guessed it, ICE CREAM! Gosh, I love this girl. And Ice cream.

ACTIVITY #8

WOW! We really need to be better about keeping this updated! There really are activities going on, but sometimes we get so busy, that we forget to write about them.

Let me start by saying that our little girl is growing up! She's 12. Turned 12 on August 19th, 2009. Her present from her mother of a karaoke machine, an ICARLY karaoke machine is a hit. Apparantly, all of the neighbor children come over for daily singing adventures, and Hayden couldn't be happier! The Ongoy family got her a Hannah Montana sterling silver charm to add to her collection. We began this tradition when she was a baby, and by the time she is sweet 16 she should have enough for a rockin' charm bracelet. Each charm is representative of what was going on in that year. Can't wait until she is old enough to wear it, and appreciate it.

What else is new? School is back in session, and little miss 6th grader is doing well! Plans to take her to the new Rite Aid on Marconi Ave for ice cream are in the making. It will be the official "congratualations on starting 6th grade", activity. I am sure there will be stories to tell after that! Especially since Hayden's number 1 food group is: ICE CREAM! You can pretty much con her into doing anything with the promise of ice cream! Except maybe cutting her toenails.

Until next time, happy September!