One Year!

"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!

A Sweet Super Bowl Sunday

Hayes Man did it big for his first Super Bowl, y'all. Not only did we celebrate with all the football lovers across the nation, but we preceded the big game with a little smash cake photo shoot action. How else would you kick off your very first birthday month? The shoot marked the first time our Hayes had a taste of what  could arguably be considered one of Mommy's favorite foods- cake! While he wasn't super sure why Mommy and Daddy took him out into the middle of MiMi and Pappaw's orchard, without a shirt on and set the biggest serving of food he's ever been offered in front of him, he did love the taste of cake once he dug into it. I kept it simple and made a from scratch yellow cake with buttercream icing that was tinted baby blue, which was the perfect accent to add to our little man's dapper bow tie and suspender ensemble. We went full-on Pinterest with this shoot, complete with burlap banner, party hat and after-cake tub photos. It was so much fun and I can't wait to see the final product! After the photo shoot, some of the family came out to Lynn and Tami's to eat and watch the Super Bowl. I'm not sure I could really remember any of the commercials I saw, but I did enjoy the half time show tremendously and had a hard time refraining from busting a move all over the place. I guess the sound of throwback to high school Missy Elliott can do that to a girl. It was the perfect ending to a great weekend and now we anxiously await the big first birthday and all of the festivities that go along with it!

The smash cake in all its glory

"So you mean if I dig into this, or throw it off the high chair, I'm not going to get in trouble? I don't know if I believe you."

Much to our surprise, Hayes didn't dig into the cake. He instead methodically calculated each move- from taking off the cake topper, to inspecting the hole left in the cake by the topper, to then deciding it might be okay to sample a bit of icing. He finally dug in when Daddy grabbed a fist full of cake and gave it to him. I suppose we should be proud that the manners we are working on have been instilled, despite the anti climatic smash cake experience. After all, manners are long-term, people!

 Hayes loves his cousins! He reached over and hugged Claire several times on his own.

 Doing man things: watching the Super Bowl, stacking blocks and reading Green Eggs and Ham.

We were so excited Grandma and Grandpa were able to make it out for the evening!

Bringing in 2015

I know I'm a wordy person, but I can truly say that there aren't enough of those in the world to capture the amount of joy that 2014 brought us. A few specific words do come to mind, however, including (but not limited to)... grace, redemption, miracle, healing, blessing, home, family, adventure, child, strength. These are the words that will forever define the year that God showed up BIG time in our lives and blessed us with a return to the Lone Star State, our Hayes Man, kept me healthy and strong and brought Cody and I together more than we could have ever imagined. The pouring of help and support from our parents, family members and friends was beyond what we could've ever imagined, so here's a big shout out to all of you-- you have truly blessed us as we entered the journey of parenthood! After a year of so many changes, it seemed fitting that we would ring in the new year in San Antonio doing one of our favorite things. Cheering on the Spurs and playing board games with my family while our baby boy slept peacefully. Times have definitely changed for us, but we wouldn't have it in any other way. If 2014 was this awesome, we can't wait to see what's coming for us in 2015. Happy New Year to all!

 A boy and his dog on New Year's Eve

 We went shopping, so had to get an #OOTD pic. Plus, it's NYE.

 Eight New Years together and counting!

 Prior to the Spurs game, we mastered the art of the selfie. Thank you, iPhone 6.

 Not from NYE, but shortly after. Hayes knows the value of a good selfie, too.

While we were busy taking selfies and soaking up each other's awesomeness at the Spurs game, GG and Hayes had a fabulous NYE date night. Sure, he eats with his hands and sometimes throws his sippy cup, but isn't he charming?

11 Months!

 

 "Oh, you need me to be still? You have .05 seconds, Mom. Then I'm diving out of this chair again."

On January 11th, Hayes Man turned 11 months old. It is insane to think that we are rounding the home stretch to the big O-N-E and as I write this I am busy contemplating details of the ever exciting first birthday party. Our little man could not be more fun and continues to grow, thrive and learn each day. Cody and I have agreed that this is definitely our favorite stage thus far, as every day brings something new about our little man's personality or development. Now for the run down...

 

Weight: Holding steady right around 24 pounds (estimated)

Height: 28 1/2 inches

Loves: Hayes is definitely still happiest when outside. He loves to swing, but is not impressed unless you are pushing him well beyond the limits of what most would consider safe for an almost one year old (sorry, peeps-- this boy has adventure in his blood). He also loves his little red wagon that MiMi and Pappaw got him for Christmas, and still lights up when Rio enters the room. He is particularly fond of throwing Rio's toys himself these days, as a matter of fact!  Hayes is pulling up on everything and cruising around like a champ. He loves to push his walker and has graduated to running and "marching" when we hold his hands and help him walk. His ornery streak continues to grow and he loves to scoot at lightning speed while making Mommy chase him. Case in point: I will blantantly say, "Hayes, come here" and he smiles, giggles and rapidly scoots in the other direction. Yes, I know, we need to work on the obedience factor a bit, but ya gotta have a little fun, too! Hayes LOVES his toys, especially his new toys from Christmas. He often fights and yells during diaper and clothing changes simply because it takes him away from those little plastic treasures. I keep trying to convince him that they won't go anywhere, as evidenced by the mess in our living room floor pretty much 24/7. Hayes also LOVES books, and especially pulling his favorites off of his book shelf and having someone read them. It's amazing that he knows exactly which ones he wants at such a young age! This warms his mommy's heart, and there's nothing I love more than sitting and reading with my boy.

Sleep:We are back to our winning sleeping habits, thank goodness! Hayes has really reached new levels of awesome in this department this month, chalking up his first day of sleeping in until 10:00 AM!! I know. Insanity. My immediate response was to check to be sure he was still breathing, in fact. He was and it turns out he was just beyond exhausted after the first week back to school after Christmas break. (He wasn't alone!) Our naps have leveled out for the most part, and he tends to take 1 1/2 hour naps once in the morning and once in the afternoon. On busy days when he doesn't get the best morning nap (usually on weekends and especially Sundays), he will sometimes sleep almost 3 hours in the afternoon. The only challenge we've faced in this area as of late is Hayes Man's recently developed affinity for sitting up on his own after Mommy puts him down in the crib, followed promptly by a quick scoot to the end of the crib to pull up, stand up and be sure that it's really bed time. He'll talk a while, yell "Mama" and then throw all of his loveys (Lambie, lovey blanket, and bunny) out of the crib and then lose it before Mommy or Daddy come to the rescue. Gotta love that persistence, or as some call it, hard headedness! Disclaimer: I have NO idea where he gets those qualities from... haha!! I tend to think it comes from our desire to not want to miss any action, even if we're barely able to keep our eyes open due to pure exhaustion. Hayes actually fell asleep sitting up on his bumper over the weekend, which definitely provided a good laugh for his daddy and a "aw, poor baby" from his mama.

Food:We have graduated to pretty much all finger foods this month, with the exception of Mommy's "sneaky green purees" that get stirred into anything and everything that will hide the flavor. Read: pancake batter, yogurt, mac and cheese... the list goes on! This boy loves him some carrots these days, and is a fan of pretty much anything he can feed himself. He has also become quite skilled at feeding himself with a spoon as of late, which both thrills and saddens his mama. Life has definitely gotten easier in the food department, and while I do miss the excitement of trying a new taste for the first time, I don't always miss the hours of labor that came with that. :) Mommy and Hayes had our first Chic-Fil-A date on MLK day and he loved his kids meal complete with grilled nuggets and apple sauce. You know I had to sneak him a couple of waffle fries, too! We still do squeeze pouches for the convenience and extra nutrient factor, but for the most part Hayes is eating what we eat (or a modified version). Hayes sampled blueberries and peanut butter for the first time this month and couldn't get enough. Add it to the list of faves, right up there with cantaloupe! Hayes is down to three 7 oz bottles per day, and we are starting the bottle weaning process thanks to his amazing day care teachers. I have also begun to introduce 2 oz of whole milk to him in his sippy cup during dinner. He isn't a fan yet, but we'll keep trying!

Personality: Our little man just grows and grows in the personality department! He keeps us entertained, laughing and ALWAYS on our toes. Our house has become a bit of a death trap due to his curiousity and fearless ways, but hey, that's how boys are supposed to be, right? His new favorite word is "nuh-nuh", which he clearly hears a lot from Mommy and Daddy these days when he is getting into mischief. Hayes has a bit of a temper (again, no idea where he gets that! haha) and is quite insistent that things go according to his plans, but he is still oh-so sweet and affectionate in the rare moments that he slows down and sits still. He loves to give hugs and kisses and definitely recognizes his MiMi, Pappaw, GG, Pops and aunts and uncles these days. He is quite the little charmer and loves to face backwards in his high chair at restaurants to give all of the ladies within a 5 foot radius his most flirtatious googly eyes. Hayes loves to laugh, yell and clap when he's excited, and he's doing very well at mastering the sign language that Mommy and Daddy have taught him (more, all done, milk). He loves to play with other babies and interact with children, which is so fun to watch. He's definitely an outgoing and very busy little guy!

Dislikes: Hayes is not the biggest fan of the word "no", but then again, who is? He is very headstrong and does not take well to being corrected, but none the less, Daddy and Mommy have decided it's time to begin establishing who's boss (and it's not Hayes Man). He has had his hand swatted quite a few times at this point, and does get very upset when he realizes he is in trouble. He will put his head down and pout in the most pitiful manner, which has proven incredibly difficult not to laugh at, but we are just thankful that he does understand right and wrong! I cried the first time I had to swat his hand and it hasn't really gotten easier at this point, but I know that it's incredibly important so I'll follow the lead of my mother-in-law and pray with him after his spankings. :) In other news, Hayes isn't the biggest fan of scrambled eggs or hats on his head, but I suppose those are things we can work around. Our independent guy has also decided recently that he prefers to not be rocked to sleep, much to Mommy's dismay. So, we read our bedtime books, sing our bedtime songs, and he lays down in his crib awake until he puts himself to sleep (or scoots and pulls up on the end of the crib and causes a scene until an unsuspecting parent comes back and lays him down). Oh my, he's growing up!

We couldn't love our little man more and just can't get enough of his feisty, full-of-life personality. Not sure there ever was a dull moment in our family, but if there was one, now they're definitely gone!

 

 

Tour of Texas, Hayes Man Style

When embarking on a road trip with an infant, there are many things one must take into consideration and ensure are easily accessible. For Hayes Man, these items include: Puffs, Cheerios (really any kind of snack in general), diapers, toys, the never-ending CD of nursery rhyme remixes, a momma who can make crazy faces and most importantly, Rio. This was our strategy for surviving the tour of Texas this year as we drove from Harlingen to San Antonio and beyond to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family. Hayes got to meet many relatives that had only seen him on Facebook up to that point, and it was so fun to watch the excitement that a baby brought to everyone's Christmas festivities. It's still a little surreal to me that I brought my very own child to my grandparents' houses, but that just made the experience all the more exciting. I would be lying if I said we weren't all beat by the end of the journey, but it was worth every mile to see family members that we don't see nearly as often as we wish we could. Hayes Man also couldn't have been a better sport about all of the driving... he napped when he needed to and entertained himself in the back seat. And when this and our many other strategies listed above didn't work, the sight of his puppy brother was all he needed to engage in happiness again. We sure are glad our itty bitty likes to stay on the go... he's fitting right into Mommy and Daddy's adventures!

Because there were way too many pictures for a blog post to document Hayes' first Christmas in SA and visit to Comanche and Corsicana, I decided to showcase a few highlights from our travels. The full collection can be viewed on Facebook for those who are interested and haven't yet taken a gander at them.

We are so thankful for all of the family that loved on Hayes during his first Christmas celebration. There's nothing better than family, and we definitely have lots of that to go around, for which I feel incredibly blessed!