"I'm clapping because this is the last time you're going to make me pose for one of these monthly pictures. Right?"
Weight: 23 lbs 7 oz.(confirmed at 12 mo. checkup)
Height: 29 3/4 inches
Loves: Hayes Man still loves becoming one with nature above all activities. As soon as we get home from school/work each day, he scoots himself to the back door and starts banging until we take him out to swing. He has also developed quite an affinity for playing fetch with his puppy brother. It is the cutest thing ever to watch him hold the dirty tennis ball and then throw it as hard as he can for Rio to fetch. Rio is such a good sport and fetches it (even if it's right in front of him), promptly returning it to his littlest master. Hayes claps and we yell "Go, Rio, Go!" every time Mommy or Daddy throw it far, too. It is so much fun to watch our boys interact and play together. Rio hasn't quite grasped the concept that he doesn't get a snack just because Hayes does, but I think we are making progress in the human vs. animal department at least. I have to say it's pretty entertaining to be cooking dinner and look down and see both of them begging for a taste of whatever I'm working on. Naturally, I appease them with a bite of cheese most evenings, as any good mom would do. Hayes still loves to scoot EVERYWHERE and has gotten really good at leaning forward and propelling himself with his hands as he scoots on his booty. He is pulling up on most everything now and taking a few steps with the assistance of any piece of furniture within his grasp. He is even getting brave enough to remove one hand and stand 50% independently... Mommy is bracing herself for our world to get rocked, as I feel the first steps are right around the corner. :) Hayes still loves to read books and can even turn them right-side-up if they are upside down. He will often start "reading" them himself and loves to turn the pages when I am reading to him. Hayes loves to talk on the phone and will pretend most toys are a phone, holding them up to his ear and saying "eh?". Think we talk on the phone a little in our house? Haha.
Sleep: Hayes still sleeps great at night for the most part. He has been waking up coughing lately so Mommy will get up and give him water, which results in a short rocking session before laying back down and going to sleep, but I won't lie- I'm treasuring those few minutes each night since most of the time this kid is WAY too busy to snuggle. Hayes is still napping twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon for between 1-2 hours each. Sometimes he'll get away with only a 45 minute nap but we can definitely tell if this is the case by the end of the day due to an instant change in his mood come dinner time. Poor kid- he's kin to his mommy and we need our sleep! It still takes a while for our little man to settle down and go to sleep, and he loves "bouncing" in his crib before bed time. When he wakes up in the morning he will usually sit up and talk for a while, then pull up to standing and bounce while yelling "Mama?" "Dada?" "Ruh Ruh (Rio)?" until one of us goes to get him. Hayes is still an early riser and definitely doesn't sleep in most days. He is usually up by 7:00 at the latest.
Food: Hayes is now eating pretty much whatever we eat, but is becoming more picky by the day, much to Mommy's dismay. He isn't a fan of most green veggies, but can be convinced to ingest a few green peas still, and canned green beans (boo hoo!!). He still loves zuchinni, carrots, squash (any kind), sweet potatoes and most fruit though, so we tend to eat that more than anything else. I can't say I'm super surprised given the fact that I prefer fruit to veggies most days... I suppose I just had high hopes that he might enjoy greens more than I do, and definitely more than his daddy! Hayes loves mac and cheese and of course, birthday cake and ice cream. He had his first taste of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla this month thanks to his first birthday and Pappaw, and he decided that stuff is pretty good. When we ask him "Is that good?" he will smack his lips in approval and say "Mum, mum". This kid has a sweet tooth that rivals his mommy's, but I guess that shouldn't be all too surprising either! He had ribs for dinner on his actual birthday day and that kid can put those away, too. Pretty sure he ate more of them than I did! Hayes has transitioned completely off the bottle and onto sippy cups only, thanks to the help of his amazing teachers Ms. Rachel and Ms. Amalia. Don't know what we'd do without them! He has also started taking one 6 oz. cup of whole milk in place of formula in the morning, and only two 7 oz cups of formula throughout the day as we wean him off the formula for good. He has decided whole milk isn't so bad and is doing very well with the transition... fingers crossed it continues!
Personality: Cody and I joke that Hayes is definitely on his way to becoming a politician. When we are out to eat or anywhere in public for that matter, Hayes can often be found waving to strangers and holding out his hand for them to "shake". He is always the charmer with the ladies, and loves to interact with other kids. When we eat out he usually sits backwards in his high chair so that he can "talk" to the people at tables around us. This kid is a social butterfly! He has also become very inquisitive and likes to explore and understand how things are constructed, which makes his mama think he's going to be an engineer. An engineer turned president wouldn't be a bad career path, would it? ;) Hayes is very intrigued by containers, especially Mommy's makeup and will explore every inch of them to see how they are constructed. He loves to take lids off and put them back on and bang objects together to make noise. He also loves to open and close cabinet doors and bedroom doors. This kid has gotten super fast and sneaky, too... if we take our eye off of him he is gone in an instant, and probably banging on something or splashing in Rio's water bowl! Hayes is still our little buddy and while he has become good at playing independently for a little while, his social side definitely still prefers to be where we are. He has mastered scooting over the step from the family room into the formal dining room, so he can even get to me when I'm cooking in the kitchen. What talent! Hayes is very independent and has become quite resourceful in getting to whatever he wants, whenever he wants it. He is head strong and does not quit easily, and is SUPER active and busy, busy, busy. Hayes also loves to laugh and is very good at lightening the mood when Mommy or Daddy aren't feeling their most joyful. His squeal and giggle are contagious and he often ends meals with his loudest versions of these, which instantly makes us forget whatever it was that had us grumpy for that moment. :) Hayes is saying several words now, including "nuh-nuh" (no-no), "mama", "dada", "ruh ruh", "dat" (that), "pop-pop" (Pops), and "ba-ba". He can wave bye bye and blow kisses, claps when we say "yay" or "good job" and definitely knows when he's in trouble. :) He hangs his little head and quickly gets his feelings hurt when he's being corrected nowadays, and it's SO hard for us not to laugh!
Dislikes: If there is one thing Hayes isn't a fan of these days, it's being told "no". In fact, he'll tell us right back most of the time when we initially correct him, which results in him committing said crime again and getting his hand swatted with a more stern "no". He definitely understands this process and most times won't commit the crime in question again, though he is a a bit of a stubborn one and will test us once or twice if he's feeling feisty. I am definitely the reason this little guy is headstrong, so I take full responsibility for the attitude that is displayed from time to time when he is deterred from his own agenda. It's our way or the highway, people! Haha. For the most part Hayes is a very sweet boy, but he does tell you when he isn't a fan of something. He still doesn't particularly care for the changing table, especially if it takes him away from his toys. He flails and yells until the process is over and he is no longer being forced to lay down. I can't really say that I blame him... I don't particularly like to be held down or forced to relax when I'm busy either. :) I suppose I should reiterate his distaste for most green veggies in this category as well. Eh, you win some, you lose some I suppose.
Our Hayes is easily the most fun and entertaining person we know these days and we can't believe he has been with us for a full year! We love you little man and can't wait to watch you continue to grow and learn!
