Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Hatcher's Play Time Favorites
I thought it might be fun to provide a list of the toys Hatcher is really liking right now. If you're like me, you are often trying to find new and exciting toys or ideas to entertain your little one. Many of these are not things we have bought him but things that he was given for either his first birthday or Christmas. Hatcher is full of energy and goes 90 to nothing all day long so it's nice to have an assortment of toys for him to play with to keep his attention.
Hands down his favorite toy by far is this Sesame Street Elmo guitar. It lights up and play several different songs. This is the toy he goes to first in the morning and has even started bringing to the breakfast and dinner table! If you have a little one that loves Sesame Street, this is a fun interactive toy for them!
Buy it here
I'm a big fan of this Little Tikes lawn mower because it's great for indoors and outdoors. It has a pull string that allows the child to crank up the mower as well as a gas can to refuel when needed. The fun balls on the top pop and make loud noises when the mower is being pushed.
Buy it here
This Vtech grocery cart/kitchen in one is super cute and has many features that will help your child learn and a toy they can grow with. While Hatcher doesn't fully understand all of the features right now, he loves to play with all the pretend food and pushing the cart around the house. Some of the cool features for this toy are that it tells the child which foods to cook and what buttons to press and it reads the grocery list aloud and tells them what to put in the cart next.
Buy it here
The Vtech Alphabet Train is so cute and Hatcher has enjoyed it a lot. This toy is very interactive and they can push it and ride it. A great way for your child to learn the alphabet!
Buy it here
Oh, the cozy coupe!! By far, Hatcher's favorite toy. Hatcher is just getting the hang of making it go forward but he has going backwards down pat. He likes to just sit it in and "drive" and blow the horn. A great toy for indoors or outdoors in my opinion. We don't have the perfect driveway for using it outside so letting him play with it indoors has been a great solution.
Buy it here
The Fisher Price Little People cchool bus is another absolute favorite! Hatcher loves anything with wheels and with the plus that this one plays music and makes noise, what's not to love?! He carries this toy all over our house & has even brought it to the kitchen table for breakfast a few times! :)
Buy it here
This fun Disney ball pit brings loads of fun & laughs in our house! It's compact design makes it suitable for any bedroom or playroom. Hatcher has really enjoyed this since he got it for Christmas. It comes with about 20 balls but we added some additional ones for added fun!
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Buy it here
Monday, January 20, 2014
Rookie Moves
As parents we don't always have it all together, at least I don't. Some days, I feel like I really succeeded and can give myself a pat on the back. And on other days, I feel like I have failed. I couldn't juggle it all and felt like I needed to apologize to my son for failing him. I guess that's all very normal. We can't always be super heros and get it all right. That being said, this weekend I made what I would call two rookie moves. Things as a mom I should have known better than to do. This is my first rodeo though so I get to make some mistakes along the way.
So, we are always looking for new and fun things to do with Hatcher. Something to change it up a bit and give him some new adventures to experience. My best friend, Becky, gave me the idea to do shaving cream paint in the bath tub. It was super easy and fun. I'll include the "recipe" for how to make it below. After dinner, we got everything together and got Hatch into the tub and introduced the paint. He LOVED it and had a blast! We put the paint into a 6 cup muffin tin I picked up at the Dollar Tree. Once all the paint was gone, he wanted to hold the tin and fill it up with water and then pour it out. I thought there was no harm in this and let him have at it. Well, apparently there was a sharp edge and he cut his middle finger. It was a small cut and wasn't very deep but this cut bled forever!
So here's rookie move #1...I had ZERO band aids in my house! Are you kidding me? I'm a mom now, band aids are a given to have in the medicine cabinet. Yep, I had none...zilch...nada. Total mom failure! So while my son bled all over his bath towel, changing table, pajamas and had wiped blood all down the walls of his bedroom my husband had to run to the drug store to buy bandaids. I have to hand it to Hatcher, he was a trooper. He never cried. He struggled at first to sit still so mommy could apply pressure until Daddy got back but he managed. Thomas & Friends and a cold cup of milk to the rescue!!
Y'all this finger bled for an hour & a half. This little bitty cut bled like he had chopped his finger off! He was bleeding through band aids and it was way past bedtime. Thankfully, Johny's cousin is a nurse and we texted her and she told us what to go buy to stop the bleeding. So finally, after two trips to the store the bleeding finally stopped and we could go to bed. So, lesson learned here...NEVER EVER make the mistake of not having band aids in your home with an accident prone toddler running around!
Rookie move #2...taking your child to church without a change of clothes. In my defense, I honestly thought we were past this. It hasn't happened in at least 6 months. We are no longer using a diaper bag and instead he got a back pack for Christmas. You just can't fit as much in it so yesterday morning I chose to forego a change of clothes. Big mistake! During his two hour stay in the nursery, where I believe he cried a large portion of the time he also wet through his diaper and soaked his clothes. Thankfully, the church had some spare clothes and found something that somewhat fit him. Poor baby! Lesson learned here, always pack a change of clothes for your child. Things happen and you should always be prepared!
So I went easy on myself after two rookie moves. I laughed it off and realized that sometimes we just don't have it all together. I don't have it all together most times but I can fake it with the best of them.
Shaving cream paint recipe: Here's what you'll need.
-Muffin tin
-Baster brush
-Shaving cream (I bought the type for sensitive skin and it was unscented)
-Food coloring
How to make it:
-Squirt shaving cream into muffin tins and then put one to two drops of food coloring into it. Mix well with a tooth pick.
I bought my muffin tin, shaving cream & baster brush at the Dollar Tree & spent less than $5. Hatcher had so much fun and it cleaned up very easily.
So, we are always looking for new and fun things to do with Hatcher. Something to change it up a bit and give him some new adventures to experience. My best friend, Becky, gave me the idea to do shaving cream paint in the bath tub. It was super easy and fun. I'll include the "recipe" for how to make it below. After dinner, we got everything together and got Hatch into the tub and introduced the paint. He LOVED it and had a blast! We put the paint into a 6 cup muffin tin I picked up at the Dollar Tree. Once all the paint was gone, he wanted to hold the tin and fill it up with water and then pour it out. I thought there was no harm in this and let him have at it. Well, apparently there was a sharp edge and he cut his middle finger. It was a small cut and wasn't very deep but this cut bled forever!
So here's rookie move #1...I had ZERO band aids in my house! Are you kidding me? I'm a mom now, band aids are a given to have in the medicine cabinet. Yep, I had none...zilch...nada. Total mom failure! So while my son bled all over his bath towel, changing table, pajamas and had wiped blood all down the walls of his bedroom my husband had to run to the drug store to buy bandaids. I have to hand it to Hatcher, he was a trooper. He never cried. He struggled at first to sit still so mommy could apply pressure until Daddy got back but he managed. Thomas & Friends and a cold cup of milk to the rescue!!
Y'all this finger bled for an hour & a half. This little bitty cut bled like he had chopped his finger off! He was bleeding through band aids and it was way past bedtime. Thankfully, Johny's cousin is a nurse and we texted her and she told us what to go buy to stop the bleeding. So finally, after two trips to the store the bleeding finally stopped and we could go to bed. So, lesson learned here...NEVER EVER make the mistake of not having band aids in your home with an accident prone toddler running around!
Rookie move #2...taking your child to church without a change of clothes. In my defense, I honestly thought we were past this. It hasn't happened in at least 6 months. We are no longer using a diaper bag and instead he got a back pack for Christmas. You just can't fit as much in it so yesterday morning I chose to forego a change of clothes. Big mistake! During his two hour stay in the nursery, where I believe he cried a large portion of the time he also wet through his diaper and soaked his clothes. Thankfully, the church had some spare clothes and found something that somewhat fit him. Poor baby! Lesson learned here, always pack a change of clothes for your child. Things happen and you should always be prepared!
So I went easy on myself after two rookie moves. I laughed it off and realized that sometimes we just don't have it all together. I don't have it all together most times but I can fake it with the best of them.
Shaving cream paint recipe: Here's what you'll need.
-Muffin tin
-Baster brush
-Shaving cream (I bought the type for sensitive skin and it was unscented)
-Food coloring
How to make it:
-Squirt shaving cream into muffin tins and then put one to two drops of food coloring into it. Mix well with a tooth pick.
I bought my muffin tin, shaving cream & baster brush at the Dollar Tree & spent less than $5. Hatcher had so much fun and it cleaned up very easily.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
15 Months
On Christmas Eve, we also celebrated Hatch turning 15 months old. The amount of knowledge a child can gain in 30 short days continues to amaze me. They really are like tiny sponges.
We went for his 15 month c/u at the pediatrician's office the week after Christmas. He weighed 25lbs 11 ozs (90th%) and was 33 1/4 inches tall (off the charts)!! Dr. Smith says he's going to be a big boy! He'll definitely be tall like his Daddy if he continues growing like he is. He had to get 3 shots and although there were some tears he handled it pretty well. Those shots sure do get harder for the parents as the child gets older because they understand what's happening and holding them down just feels so wrong. But, I am a big advocate for vaccines and I believe all the pain they go through is worth it in the long run.
Hatcher is getting his 4 molars in and to say it's been tough on him would be putting it lightly. At his 12 month c/u, his doctor said he was beginning the process of getting them and that his gums were very swollen. Fast forward 3.5 months and those teeth have just started breaking through the gum. It has been no fun at all for anyone involved. The sleep we had begun getting used to has become a thing of the past and temper tantrums are at an all time high. I will say though that since they've broken through things are starting to calm down a bit. He's beginning to sleep better and he seems to be tolerating it better. We usually alternate between giving him some Motrin or Benadryl before bedtime to help him rest and to calm the pain down. He likes chewing on frozen teething rings and his fingers seem to be his favorite teething pain reliever. We tried using Orajel for a few nights and after getting bitten multiple times to the point of tears (on my part), we stopped doing that. It just wasn't worth it. Maybe I'm being a baby but no one likes to be bitten!
We are beginning the process of dropping his morning nap. A friend recommended trying it to see if he might start sleeping better at night. We did it for the first time yesterday and he took a 2 hour afternoon nap. He went to bed at 7:30 and slept in his own bed without waking up until 5:00 and then slept with us until 7:00. We will take it!! Round 2 today and so far so good!
He has learned a new favorite song, Old McDonald. He loves the EIEIO part and will sing it over & over. It's the cutest thing! He learned it in one day and I was shocked. We have also been learning body parts and we have gotten "nose" down pretty good. Now, we're working on "eyes."
When Hatcher takes a nap or goes down for the night, Dooley has to get in his kennel because he's a barker and barks at every car, squirrel or leaf that moves outside of our house. So, he gets a milkbone and takes a nap while Hatcher naps. Hatcher's new favorite thing is to get the treat out of the jar & he has to walk Dooley to his kennel and give him the treat. Then he tells him "bye-bye!"
Every month just gets more fun and the more he learns to do the more amazed we are with him. Below are some pictures from the past month. Enjoy!
We went for his 15 month c/u at the pediatrician's office the week after Christmas. He weighed 25lbs 11 ozs (90th%) and was 33 1/4 inches tall (off the charts)!! Dr. Smith says he's going to be a big boy! He'll definitely be tall like his Daddy if he continues growing like he is. He had to get 3 shots and although there were some tears he handled it pretty well. Those shots sure do get harder for the parents as the child gets older because they understand what's happening and holding them down just feels so wrong. But, I am a big advocate for vaccines and I believe all the pain they go through is worth it in the long run.
Hatcher is getting his 4 molars in and to say it's been tough on him would be putting it lightly. At his 12 month c/u, his doctor said he was beginning the process of getting them and that his gums were very swollen. Fast forward 3.5 months and those teeth have just started breaking through the gum. It has been no fun at all for anyone involved. The sleep we had begun getting used to has become a thing of the past and temper tantrums are at an all time high. I will say though that since they've broken through things are starting to calm down a bit. He's beginning to sleep better and he seems to be tolerating it better. We usually alternate between giving him some Motrin or Benadryl before bedtime to help him rest and to calm the pain down. He likes chewing on frozen teething rings and his fingers seem to be his favorite teething pain reliever. We tried using Orajel for a few nights and after getting bitten multiple times to the point of tears (on my part), we stopped doing that. It just wasn't worth it. Maybe I'm being a baby but no one likes to be bitten!
We are beginning the process of dropping his morning nap. A friend recommended trying it to see if he might start sleeping better at night. We did it for the first time yesterday and he took a 2 hour afternoon nap. He went to bed at 7:30 and slept in his own bed without waking up until 5:00 and then slept with us until 7:00. We will take it!! Round 2 today and so far so good!
He has learned a new favorite song, Old McDonald. He loves the EIEIO part and will sing it over & over. It's the cutest thing! He learned it in one day and I was shocked. We have also been learning body parts and we have gotten "nose" down pretty good. Now, we're working on "eyes."
When Hatcher takes a nap or goes down for the night, Dooley has to get in his kennel because he's a barker and barks at every car, squirrel or leaf that moves outside of our house. So, he gets a milkbone and takes a nap while Hatcher naps. Hatcher's new favorite thing is to get the treat out of the jar & he has to walk Dooley to his kennel and give him the treat. Then he tells him "bye-bye!"
Every month just gets more fun and the more he learns to do the more amazed we are with him. Below are some pictures from the past month. Enjoy!
Playing with his new farm he got for Christmas
Walking in Daddy's boots!
Vacuuming at PaPa Outlaw's house. He's a good helper!
A little risky business!
Successfully got his sippy cup!
Loves walking his puppy on Dooley's leash
Story time with Daddy
Stinker face!
Feeding Dooley
War Eagle!
Sitting in his chair from Santa while watching Thomas
Cutest little lion!
Wagon ride!
Sporting his Gamecock gear for our South Carolina family!
Friday, January 17, 2014
Holidays 2013
The holiday season for us this year was so special. Of course, we had Hatcher for the holidays last year but this year he knew more about what was going on and was so fun to watch. We were so blessed to be able to host both Thanksgiving and Christmas at our home this year. It really makes you feel like a grown up when holidays are no longer spent in your parent's homes because you want to start making memories for your child in their home. Our families have been wonderful accomodating us with this change and we are glad that we are able to have both sides of our family together at once. For many years like most families, we shuffled between Macon and LaGrange for the holidays to make sure we got to see everyone. I have always enjoyed that but I also am enjoying not having to drive all over the place!
Thanksgiving is Johny's favorite holiday...I can't imagine why...the FOOD of course!! So we had a traditional Thanksgiving feast and then enjoyed the afternoon spending time with one another. It's fun learning how to cook the famous recipes of those that have come before us and keeping them in the family for the future. I have to say Hatcher was a big fan of his lunch and dinner!
Christmas took on a whole new meaning this year! Buying for Hatcher was fun for all of us I think. The child got SO. MANY. NEW. TOYS!! Such a wonderful blessing but our house is literally busting at the seams with toys. He loves it and that's all that matters. We had my sister and both sets of parents here for Christmas morning so everyone could see Hatcher's face when he saw what Santa brought him. I think he was more concerned with why everyone was here so early and staring at him!! Once he saw the toys though, it was on! He played his little heart out so much so that he slept right through lunch. Poor guy. But don't worry, he got to eat when he woke up and he enjoyed it. After lunch, he got round two of his gifts from all of his grandparents, great grandparents and aunt. It was a blast to watch and I honestly can't wait for next year already!
Here are a few pictures capturing our sweet little love on Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Thanksgiving is Johny's favorite holiday...I can't imagine why...the FOOD of course!! So we had a traditional Thanksgiving feast and then enjoyed the afternoon spending time with one another. It's fun learning how to cook the famous recipes of those that have come before us and keeping them in the family for the future. I have to say Hatcher was a big fan of his lunch and dinner!
Christmas took on a whole new meaning this year! Buying for Hatcher was fun for all of us I think. The child got SO. MANY. NEW. TOYS!! Such a wonderful blessing but our house is literally busting at the seams with toys. He loves it and that's all that matters. We had my sister and both sets of parents here for Christmas morning so everyone could see Hatcher's face when he saw what Santa brought him. I think he was more concerned with why everyone was here so early and staring at him!! Once he saw the toys though, it was on! He played his little heart out so much so that he slept right through lunch. Poor guy. But don't worry, he got to eat when he woke up and he enjoyed it. After lunch, he got round two of his gifts from all of his grandparents, great grandparents and aunt. It was a blast to watch and I honestly can't wait for next year already!
Here are a few pictures capturing our sweet little love on Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Hatcher's artwork for our table scape!
Hatcher & Aunt Britney
My little family! :)
Hatcher with Poppy & Grammie
Hatcher's Granddaddy & Nana
Hatcher with Santa at Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens
Baking cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve
He was the taste tester! :)
And then he ate Santa's cookies!!
LOVED the Thomas train Santa brought him!
Playing in Poppy's hat
Our family on Christmas Day
He was so pumped about his wagon that he was squealing with excitement!
How cute is that backpack?!?!
Watching Thomas on tv while sitting in his wagon!
That boy loves his Aunt B!
The most precious gift in the world! :)
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