16 months old

You are 16 months old today. I can honestly say that I barely remember life before you. How crazy that 29 years of my life seems meaningless compared to the last 16 months. You are the sweetest and funniest little boy ever. You have really developed quite the personality as a lovable entertainer.

You love to make people laugh. You make crazy faces when people say something similar to "face" to get a reaction. You love to play hard to get... chasing or teasing with a toy. You get very "slap-happy" when you are sleepy. It is one of my favorite parts of the day. The tiniest look or tickle gets you laughing hysterically... the song of my heart.

You are really starting to try new words and you know we are loving it!
"ball!"
"Dada"/"Gaga"
"Mama" with a lot of encouragement
"ah ah" (like a bark)
"hey"
"bye-bye"
"ite!" (light)
"oop" (soup)
letters - can identify most of them and can say "o, a, b (buh), s, x, i, f, h, d (duh)"
You love to spell your name and will respond with a strong "H" when asked if you want to spell your name.
"muh" (more, with the sign)
You still sign "all done", "more" and "bye" more than you say them but you're starting to figure it out. You use your whole body to shake left to right for "no" - I'm glad you haven't learned that word yet :)
You recently started holding your hands out palms up and saying "uh?" when you are looking for something.

You are still a pretty good eater and will go through phases of not wanting to eat well-known favorite foods. You start everyday with a banana, cheerios and soy milk. You usually eat a snack (something carby like a peanut butter sandwich, goldfish, or a kashi cereal bar) mid-morning before your first nap (around 10am). At lunch and dinner you will eat a meat (usually chicken), an orange/yellow vegetable (carrots, sweet potatoes, corn, squash... ), a green vegetable (peas, green beans, broccoli, edamame... ), and a fruit (grapes, applesauce... ). You love love love soup. It's amazing how well you will eat soup! You usually eat a snack before your afternoon nap around 3 and then you're ready for dinner by 6.

You have been going to bed a little later - 8 pm at the latest - and I LOVE IT! I get to spend so much more quality time with you on my work days. You are back to sleeping in a better pattern now. The recent "fall back" time change really threw us for a loop! Your bedtime routine is usually bath, pjs, brush teeth, read Jesus Storybook Bible (you love this book and will sit as long as I will read it), bedtime prayers, you turn off the lamp, I put you in your bed, you go to sleep within about 5 minutes.

Play time
You love dress-up stuff - hats, glasses, Halloween costume (monkey). You are so funny when you wear something new (to you). You look up one arm and down the other studying the colors.
You love to play with kids your age. You are moving more toward cooperative play than parallel play. (awesome milestone :)
You love to greet with knuckles/fist bump/high 5/shaking hands. You generally greet men this way and women with a hug, wave, or shy smile.
Balls, cars/anything with wheels, puzzles and books are your favorite toys right now... and probably will be for awhile.
You love to make faces in the mirror and poke our eyes out identify body parts - especially eyes, nose, belly, feet, teeth/tongue.
Your favorite places are fat-man squeeze (finding the smallest passage and trying to get through), being up high, being upside down, or sitting in small chairs.
Music owns you. You will dance at the first beat and fuss as soon as the song is over. You request a song by waving your right arm up and down like a conductor. You love your Kindermusik class and your teacher, Mrs. Kelly.

You do really amazing things like following directions and answering questions.
"Find your milk."- will go to the fridge or actually find it if it's not in the fridge.
"You need a new diaper, let's change it" - will run to the changing table and wait.
"Do you want to spell your name?" - "H!"
"Time to turn off the light and go to bed" - pull lamp cord and snuggle in for a hug.
We can't really say "bye" around you without you going to the door, or "banana" without a meltdown to have one.
There are so many more but I could go on and on all day :)

You do not like to be confined in a stroller or restaurant high chair but don't mind the car seat. You still won't eat eggs but I really haven't tried lately. The only egg you've eaten without spitting out was in your pasta - that's my boy :) You hate when Mama has to go somewhere without you. Since Dede (is amazing) picks you up in the mornings, you really get upset when I have to leave you somewhere (even familiar places).

In order to lessen your separation anxiety, we enrolled you in our church's "day care" one day per week. It's really more like a "mom's day out" program because it's only for 4 hours. You are getting better each time about separating but it still breaks our hearts to hear you cry. Mrs. Tracie sends me pictures and texts to reassure me that you're ok throughout the day. We love Mrs. Tracie for that!! She says you are becoming more comfortable with your teacher, Mrs. Hope and will often go to her over any of the other teachers. You started napping and eating your lunch there a couple of weeks ago (both things you would not do at first!). It has really been a blessing to have you enrolled at Harvestfield and I know it will continue to help you grow and learn that we will always come back... no matter what.

13 1/2 months

On 9/2/12, you took your last bottle and never looked back. I really miss you taking a bottle. The cuddle time first thing in the morning was a very special part of my day. I'm thankful that you're still pretty cuddly and will sit on the couch with me. Now you drink soy milk (cow's milk gave you a nasty diaper rash) and water from sippy cups during the day. I don't think you drink enough but you're getting better with it every day. Your food intake has really increased since getting rid of the bottle. Your favorite foods right now are: crab stick, carrots, edamame, all fruits - especially bananas.

Your 10th tooth came in 8/26/12. (top first molar right side) You are getting better at chewing your food but still try to eat too much in one bite. Your hands are constantly in your mouth so I know that the other two bottom molars aren't far away. You ran a fever all weekend so I think it will be any day now.

Your tantrums and lack of patience are out of control. I'm really at a loss. It's heartbreaking to see you so inconsolably upset about things that are so small. I think your teeth hurt and you haven't been feeling well. I also think that you're frustrated because you just don't have the words yet to tell me what you need. I'm frustrated for you... and at you sometimes. I have to keep reminding myself that you're just a baby and "this too shall pass". I'm so ready for you to TALK!! You say "bye" and "mama" but it doesn't help your overall communication. I know you understand so much.... time to put some words with it! The most consistent advice I've heard is to walk away but stay within eyesight during your crazy tantrums. That's what we'll try. I just pray that you know our love and intentions through the hardest parts.

Your separation anxiety is no better... possibly worse? Church is really difficult to manage. I was going to take your Meet the Letters DVDs today but you were still running a low-grade fever so we had a pajama day instead. I think the DVD will give you enough of something familiar to transition a little easier. You've gotten to where you won't even let other people hold you with me standing next to them. Honey, everybody that sees you wants to love on you and you will have none of it. I'm so blessed that you know I am "mama" and you want to be with me but I also want you to enjoy new experiences and people as easily as possible.

I just started reading "Shepherding a Child's Heart" in hopes of some insight or direction to help you grow out of this phase as quickly as possible and be the child of God you were created to be. It's a good reminder that you are a ministry for me and your Daddy. Our job is to teach and show you God in a consistent and true manner. Your baby dedication was 2 weeks ago. Before the sermon began, we were asked to stand on the stage and dedicate ourselves to teaching you about God. We will do everything we can to make sure that  you grow to become exactly who God wants you to be.

1 year, 3 weeks

"Where has the time gone?" I feel like I say this every day. The past year has flown by... alternating moments of pure blur and pure bliss. I can never fully put into words how amazed and blessed I am to be your Mommy. At 12 months, 3 weeks, you amaze me every day with how much and how fast you have developed.

You barely walk anywhere. You run... and you have skinned knees to prove it. You climb anything you can. You can get off the couch with very little assistance. You love to slide, swing, and be outside as much as possible. You are learning to stack blocks and you are so proud of yourself! You can stack 5 or 6 high... I'm pretty proud too. You've figured out how to put large legos together. You're learning to "clean up" now that you understand how to put small things into big things. We are constantly finding the remote and our shoes in your toy box. Anything in your reach is fair game!

You show me everyday that you understand what we say to you. After your nighttime bottle, I say "ready to brush your teeth?". You wiggle out of my lap, run to the hall bathroom, and wave at me to come brush your teeth. You are pretty cooperative with brushing your now 9 teeth. Your first molar cut through yesterday (8/20/12). When Dede and Pawpaw came to pick you up yesterday morning and said "are you ready to go?", you amazed us all by running to your car seat (by the front door) and rocking it, as if to say "let's go!".

You have developed quite a little temper. You can throw a tantrum with the best of them! We're doing our best to ignore it... especially if we don't know the source of your hissy fit. I think that the tantrums will get a little better as your expressive communication develops. You've learned to use the sign for "all done". You use it a lot during meals but it doesn't always mean that you are done. Sometimes it means that you're ready for something else... usually fruit. You wave bye bye most of the time and sometimes you'll say "bye".

There's no way we could possibly tell you how much your Daddy and I love you. We know you feel it.

Walking!

At 11 months, 6 days, you took your first steps.

Our air conditioner quit working on July 4th so we spent a couple of nights at Dede and Pawpaw's until it was fixed. As we were playing Friday (7/6/12) morning before I left for work, you amazed us by taking some steps by yourself. (you love it when we put stuff on our head)


I spent my lunch break with you later that day. When I ran up the stairs to get some nail clippers for you, you tried to follow me by climbing the stairs. YIKES! We had no idea you could do that! Time for some more baby gates!

Since your first steps, you have gotten braver and faster every day. You look so proud when you walk by yourself. You even stood up by yourself several times and walked across the room like you had always done it! I was more shocked when you stood up by yourself than when you took your first steps. (Probably because I've watched you cruise around furniture for a couple of months now... it just seemed so natural)

That weekend, you also tried eggs, toast, oranges, and strawberries for the first time. You loved the eggs at first but haven't really shown an interest since. You are still loving the whole wheat toast/bread. You always love fruit... any and all fruit... so the oranges and strawberries were a big hit! I love how you will try anything.

You have been dropping things off your high chair with a defiant look on your face. At first we popped your hand (mostly because the look on your face was clear that you knew better)... you laughed. So we started taking the food away and showing you the sign for all done. Lately, I've been trying to make a new game out of it... feed Mommy. When you start trying to throw stuff off, I'll open my mouth and let you try to feed me, which usually results in you putting it in your mouth instead... it works for this week at least!

You are such a fish! You love the bathtub and baby pool/splash pad. You love to lay back (with head support of course) and let the water come up to your ears. You are so stinking adorable.

Hudson, your Daddy and I are so in love with you and each other. We are happier now than we've ever been. We would rather spend time with you and each other than do anything else. Saturdays and Sundays have never been so fun :)

10 Months

Huddy man,

You are 10 months old! We are starting to plan your FIRST birthday party! I can't believe it's already time to kick the planning in gear!

Things you LOVE right now...
walking (while holding on to something)
dancing
finger foods
toys that are not toys (cup, empty water bottle, hair brush, silicone trivet, spatulas...)
opening cabinets
peek-a-boo
kindermusik
blanket swing (daddy wraps you in a blanket like a hot dog and swings you back and forth)
chewing on everything
water in a sippy cup
Fisher Price apps on my phone
babbling
looking under furniture for toys
being tickled

Things you don't like right now...
being confined (you want DOWN!)
being too tired or too hungry
teething

You are such a great baby! You seem so grown when you're playing and eating... then you NEED your bottle and I'm reminded of how much of a baby you still are. We are so blessed to be your parents. I am amazed by you every day. Watching you develop is one of the most rewarding things I've ever experienced.

9 Month Check-Up

We had your 9 month appointment today. You did not have to get any shots today! You weigh 20 lbs, 10 ounces and are 28.25 inches long. Your head circumference is 44.5 cm. Dr. Nagji said your physical, social, and language development were "perfect"... I have to agree. You have been very clingy the last couple of days. I think you are getting another tooth!

DD had her camera so I will add pictures to this post when she uploads them.

Mother's Day Beach Trip

Friday morning, May 11, Daddy got home from work early. We finished the last minute packing, got ready, and waited for you to get up. We were at DD and Paw Paw's by 8:00. Lexie met us there and we took your "8 month" pictures. We had a great shoot at the river. I spent a lot of time as a kid playing in these backyards and learning how to fish with Paw Paw. I'm sure Lexie got some amazing shots of you... how could she not?? You are so precious! After the pictures, we stopped by City Tan to see Granna at work and give her a Mother's Day present. We were on the interstate by 10 and headed to the BEACH!

You were great on the ride to Gulf Shores. Paw Paw drove Daddy so he could sleep and DD rode with me and you so she could help entertain you. We got there around 4 and went straight to the room, changed clothes, and headed for the beach. You didn't mind the sand at all... as long as it was on your feet. You did not like the ocean. The water was cold. The weather was overcast and rain was in the forecast. After we played on the beach a little bit, we got ready for dinner at Mikee's.

At dinner, there was a wooden bird hanging above the table with fishing line that made the wings flap. You were beyond fascinated.

You also love water from the straw!

We ended the day playing on the balcony, enjoying the ocean view, and cuddling. Fantastic end to an amazing day!

The next morning, we headed for the beach as soon as possible. There was still a huge chance of rain for the afternoon so we wanted to to get as much time as possible out there.

still not sure about the water!

Nap time!

First time in a pool!

You loved the zero-entry with the water jets!

That night, we ate at our favorite restaurant... The Original Oyster House. You were so good even though we were out a little later than usual. You only had one crazy hissy fit toward the end when you wanted your bottle. You are such a great baby!

Yes, we brought a tripod on vacation :)

Of course we went to souvenir city!

Your first balloon - at Lambert's on our way home.

My first Mother's Day

We stopped at Peach Park on the way home. You love to explore with your feet!

So sad this trip is over! We had a great time and we're already planning on coming back  for a whole week soon!