5 months.

dear haley, 

i almost didn't write this letter, because even though i've published it on the appropriate date of your five month anniversary, i'm actually writing this in late july.  i didn't want the letter to be less authentic by writing it at a later date {and i'm already working on your six month letter}.  you keep reminding me i owe you a letter, though, and i don't want to let you down, so i will give it a shot. 

here's a little about you this past month: 

• you spent time with aunt deniese while we were on vacation and you had the opportunity to babysit parker for justin and lindsay
• at the end of your week's stay with aunt deniese, you headed for a long weekend at megan's; you were so excited to get to see her
• once we got home from vacation, i had to turn around and leave for houston for a week.  it worked out, though because you spent most of the week with justin and lindsay so you could babysit
• we were worried that you spend the entire summer stuck indoors and home alone, but as it turns out, you've been in high demand.  you love babysitting parker and you've started babysitting levi and asher, too.  ashey is your new best bud. 
• you were with us when we got the news that my aunt frances died.  on father's day.  it wasn't a great day for any of us. 
• you gifted travis with a video game for father's day 
• aunt lou came in and you finally got to meet her, caitlyn and kyle.  just like the rest of the family, she embraced you as if you had always been around.  she even took you shopping and got you a new swim suit so you could hang out at the hotel pool with everyone

it's been a really full month for you.  i've been proud of you for taking on extra responsibilities babysitting kids you started out not really knowing well -- and now you just love them.  {i think the never-ending compliments from asher about how beautiful and pretty you are help}.  every day we hit our stride a little more.  you now ask when we're going "home" instead of saying "yours and travis's house."  the boys hate when you're gone, and they get so excited when you come in.

we've had a lot of changes over the past few months and keeping up with this blog has been a little difficult for me.  it's important for me to journal the adventures of our family, so even if i'm a little late, i always try to document the important moments and even some of the moments that don't seem so important at the time, but we end up cherishing for years.

know that we love you and are here for you always.  even when life gets busy. 

<3,
travis, rhiannon, conor, & oliver