Just Another Day in Paradise

After a long and busy few months, there's nothing better than a trip to the beach to clear the mind and soothe the soul. Between work and parenthood, Cody and I haven't had much down time to just relax and soak up a little sunshine at our favorite place, so we were thrilled to have the chance to go down to the Island for a morning at the end of May. Katie and Addie were in town as well as Kirby and her friend Michael, and we couldn't wait to take Hayes for a legit beach trip where he could put his toes in the water and the sand. (The first time we went it was still too cold and windy to do this.) This weekend marked the beginning of Kirby's stint as "the nanny", and I have to go ahead and dub myself the best boss ever due to the fact that her training took place mostly at the beach. Talk about livin' the dream! We had a blast with the family just lounging, visiting and breathing in the beach air, and I think it's safe to say that our little man shares our love for the salty air. I was told that if he didn't hate the experience at this age, he'll grow to love it as he gets older, so I'm looking forward to lots of future trips full of sandcastle building and splashing in the Gulf!

4 Months!

"Mom- could you speed this up a little?"
 

Well, here we are again! Hayes turned 4 months on June 11th and we continue to be amazed with all that our little man learns and discovers every day. We are officially in all 3-6 month sleepers and mostly 6 month clothes. Hayes is one big boy! He had his four month checkup on June 18th, and here's the rundown...

Weight:16 lbs, 3 oz (75th percentile)

Height:26 inches (80th percentile)

Loves: Hayes loves to sit up like a big boy! His favorite place is sitting up so tall in his Bumbo chair while having conversation with anyone who will listen. He also has developed a love for his toys-- especially the balls, which thrills his Pops. Hayes would much rather be sitting, standing (with help) or kicking while stretched out on the floor than to be held these days, but Mama is usually able to steal some snuggles when he's sleepy, thank goodness! This boy is BUSY and at this rate, I should probably start training for a marathon to develop the amount of endurance I'll need to keep up with him when he starts walking running. We still love outside and enjoyed our second trip to the beach a couple of weeks ago. Hayes also loves to sing "If all the rain drops were lemon drops and gum drops" and can't get enough of tummy kisses and tickles. We're most likely to get a laugh during these activities! His little social personality continues to develop every day and we couldn't love it more!

Sleep: Well ladies and gents, we've hit the four month sleep obstacle. Our little man is still a great sleeper, all things considered, but he has reverted back to one middle of the night wake up each night, usually sometime between 3 and 5 AM. Sure, it's not ideal, but the kid definitely needs that middle of the night bottle, as evidenced by his rapid chugging. Mama doesn't have the heart to make him cry it out (nor am I sure that I ever will), so for now we'll just keep doing what we're doing in hopes that maybe one day a full night of uninterrupted sleep will return. In his defense, he does go back down very quickly and his random awakenings outside of this are minimal. He will sometimes lay awake in his crib and talk for an hour or so after the feeding, but he's gotten pretty good at putting himself back to sleep, which makes it easy for us to hit the hay again (halleluiah!) with minimal effort. Thank goodness for sleep sound machines with a projection setting. :)

Food: We hit a bit milestone this month with the start of rice cereal! Hayes wasn't too sure about the texture at first, but he has gotten the hang of it and now eats almost 1 tbsp of cereal mixed with his formula at breakfast. He's gotten much better at getting his tongue out of his way and can open wide for big bites. He gets very excited when it's time for breakfast, and will kick his legs and wave his arms while grunting until that first bite.

Personality:Let me tell ya, this little boy has a BIG one! He has become quite animated and good at letting us know when he is less than pleased with our behavior. For the most part he is still our happy, smiley boy, but when something does not meet his expectations, this boy sure does know how to yell! (Yes, I know, he get it from his mama.) His last week of school before summer vacay with Aunt Kirby, Hayes couldn't get enough of being on the floor with the older babies in his class. He lunges for other children when we're out in public, too! He has started to squeal, laugh more regularly and make more definitive "mama" noises-- especially when he cries. I'd be lying if I said I don't love every minute of this, though Cody has been practicing "dada" very fervently with him.

Dislikes:As mentioned previously, we aren't the biggest fan of being held these days. Hayes is much too busy exploring this big 'ol world to sit and snuggle... unless it's nearing nap time. Speaking of naps, he is also not the biggest fan of these. He fights them like a champ, and often manages to get through a day with only one substantial period of rest. He's still sleeping great at night though, so we'll just chalk it up to the fact that he's just not a napper and can remain a happy camper without tons of sleep! (He definitely doesn't get that from his mama.) Hayes man doesn't really enjoy shirts and rompers that have to go over his head, though we're warming up to them sometimes. Daddy is definitely the champ at these, while Mama is still not super comfy with the process and tends to prefer button down attire or apparel with extra large head holes. 

We are loving every minute with our growing, busy boy! Hayes Man, you are the light of our lives!

A Mother's Day Fit for a Queen

I've always been a proponent of holidays, and when those holidays involve gifts, pampering and extra snuggles, well, I'm sold! This was exactly the definition of my first Mother's Day, and I couldn't have asked for a better day with my boys. After Kirby's graduation, we drove over to Houston to spend Saturday night with Katie, Jason & Addie. We loved seeing their new house and hanging out, as we don't get to do that nearly enough. It was so much fun watching Addie interact with Hayes, too. I can't wait to see them continue to grow and play together! On Sunday morning I woke up to a smiley, chatty baby boy and the most amazing gift from he and my hubs: a spa day! Thanks to my little prince (and his beyond amazing daddy), I'll be looking forward to my "Queen for a Day" package at Desiree's, my favorite spa in Harlingen. Let me tell you, this will be a much needed escape after the last three weeks of craziness we've had at work! Hayes also made me the sweetest Mommy's Day card complete with a bouquet of flowers with his little footprints and a handprint on the cover. I couldn't help but shed a couple of tears when I saw this, which Cody definitely predicted.


We spent most of the afternoon in the car driving back from Houston, but that night upon our return home I got lots of snuggles with my Hayes Man before getting ready for another busy week of work and school. There truly is nothing quite like being a mommy, and I'm so thankful that I've been blessed with the opportunity to raise our perfect little man. He has already taught me so much about myself, life and most importantly, trusting God, and I can't wait for many more Mother's Day celebrations in the future. Here's hoping all you Mommas out there felt just as special and loved as I did, and shout out to my madre, who taught me the meaning of the selfless love that is required for motherhood. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful role model to show me how it's done!

So thankful for the little man who gave me the title of Mommy. It's the best job in the world!!

"Are we there yet?"

"If not, you may or may not hear me yell."

My sweet friend Rachel sent a package for my first Mother's Day complete with a couple of cute outfits for Hayes and this precious "Mommy's time out" wine glass. It's already gotten lots of good use! :)

3 months!

Here I am again, better late than never on the Hayes Man update. Our sweet boy becomes more and more fun every day, and now that he is 3 months old it seems as if he is growing at an incredibly rapid pace! He has outgrown most of his 0-3 month clothes, is on his last leg of size 1 diapers, and has the cutest little rolls I've ever seen. Hayes has officially been a "student" at Calvary Christian School for one month, and he is already helping write the handbook and manage the everyday demands of the infant room (with his Mimi). He still loves his teachers and for that we are so thankful! I'm sure it won't be long before he's telling me "see ya, Mom" like it's no big deal. And now for the full report...

Weight: about 14 pounds

Height: around 24 inches

Loves: This boy still loves outside more than any other place. Whether we're going for a walk, to the park, the zoo, or shopping at an outdoor mall, he is perfectly content! I'm thankful for a child that loves the great outdoors, as his daddy and I spend most of our time there, too. Hayes also loves to "kick, kick, kick" while laying in his bouncer or Mamaroo. He clenches his fists and pumps his legs at the speed of light! The more we cheer, the faster he kicks! Hayes is starting to have more of an affinity for reading books, though he still doesn't like to sit still for very long. Our best bet for reading is usually in the evening when he's winding down for the night, so we take advantage of those times for cognitive development. :) He has also taken quite a liking to bath time, and it truly is one of my favorite times with my little man. (Who doesn't love a chubby, clean baby?)

Sleep: Hayes is still a great sleeper, and will go some nights without waking up at all for his middle of the night feeding. We usually put him down around 9:00 and he'll sleep (with the exception of his late night and sometimes middle of the night feeding) until 5:00 or so. He has had a bit of a stuffy nose lately, so that has been keeping him up a little more than usual, but he is still the sweetest little angel in the sleep department and I couldn't be more grateful for that, especially now that I'm back at work! We still aren't the best napper, but as long as he's not fussy, we can't deal with that. After all, who wants to sleep when there's things to do and people to see? (He might come by that naturally from both momma and daddy!)

Personality: As long as we are on the go, Hayes is happy. He is a busy, busy boy and loves to talk to everyone he meets. He has become quite the flirt, and will bat those big blue eyes and long eyelashes at all the ladies, young and old. I have a feeling I'm going to be in trouble when he realizes that he can get what he wants with the bat of an eye... oh, help me! He is still happy as can be except when forced to wait more than 1 minute for his bottle, or when he has fought sleep too long or has been awakened from his slumber for a diaper change.

Dislikes: There really isn't too much that upsets this little man these days, thankfully. Aside from a lack of patience when he's hungry, Hayes is usually pretty easy going. He had a bit of a hard time adjusting to our tour of TX travelling for Kirby's graduation and Mother's Day weekend, but all things considered, we think he bounced back pretty well!

I didn't think it was possible to love this boy anymore, but guess what, I'm wrong again! Hayes is the light of our lives and it's so fun to watch him grow and change everyday. I don't know what we ever did without him!

Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of '14

It's hard to believe that the time has already come and gone and my little sissy is a college graduate! Last weekend we headed to good 'ol Aggieland to celebrate the grand finale of her undergrad career. It was Hayes' first time to see College Station with his own eyes (he had been there already for the Ring Dunk, but obviously could only experience things through sound and taste at that point, haha!), and we had lots of fun hanging out with my parents, reminiscing on our own college days and most importantly, visiting a few of our favorite spots in our old stomping ground. I definitely had the best intentions to accompany Cody, Kirby and her friends to Northgate on Friday night, but alas, I chose sleep… what new Momma wouldn't? :) I figure there will be plenty of time for me to revisit my college bar hopping days once little man prioritizes sleep a little more, and for now, I wouldn't miss the snuggles that come from putting him to bed for the world! Returning to the graduation topic… I couldn't be more proud of my sister, who wrapped up her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration Management from Mays Business School with a  3.9 GPA and a membership in a very elite group of honors grads. She is definitely the genius child, and I just hope that Hayes got her intellectual genes. She will be staying in College Station to complete her Masters degree in Human Resources, but until classes start in August she will begin gainful employment with perhaps the most demanding boss: a four month old. We are so excited that Kirby will be playing nanny to Hayes for about 6 weeks this summer in between apartment leases, jobs and classes starting. I can't wait to spend some quality time with my sis and know Hayes is going to love hanging out with her everyday!

Congrats again, Sister! Gig 'em!!

Hayes Man's First Easter

Easter has always held tremendous significance in my heart for a number of reasons. When I was 10 years old, I asked Jesus into my heart on Easter. When I was 23 years old, I entered remission for Crohn's Disease on Easter weekend, and ever since then the day has become a tremendous reminder of the new life and renewal that we receive thanks to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Last year, I struggled to remind myself of God's mercy and goodness as we struggled to get pregnant. My body was being its crazy, walking science experiment self and I just wasn't sure that it was going to happen until we attended the Easter church service and something inside my heart told me that at this time next year we would be celebrating the first Easter of our own precious baby. I left that church service with my faith renewed and restored, and continued to wait for that amazing gift that God would give us. Sure enough, when Easter rolled around this year, I was holding our sweet baby boy in my arms and have never been so thankful for new life, miracles and a spirit of renewal and hope that only the resurrection can provide! And the icing on the cake... we were celebrating Hayes' first Easter in San Antonio at my parents house with my parents, sister, aunt, uncle and cousins! God has been so good and faithful and we enjoyed every moment of our first trip to San Antonio since Hayes arrived. I must also add that our little angel was the perfect road tripper, sleeping the entire way to SA and the entire way back (with the exception of one feeding each way). Hayes loved spending time with his GG, Pops, Aunt Kirby and extended family and didn't miss a beat in the sleep department. He even withstood a trip to La Cantera and an entire afternoon of shopping. I know it shouldn't surprise me that my child would be a natural born shopper, but I must say I was very impressed with his endurance! Perhaps it had something to do with us being at an outdoor mall... :) In any event, we had a blast with family and can't wait for our next visit!