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!

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!

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!

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! :)

Hatcher 12-14 Months

As my sweet boy is getting bigger, it's hard to stay as up-to-date on my blog as I would like. To say he keeps me busy and on my toes would be an understatement! The past two months have flown by and Hatcher is learning at warp's speed. It is amazing how much these little ones can learn in such a short period of time. He is at such a fun age and his personality is contagious! He can go 100 miles a minute and I will be so exhausted by the end of the day, I can barely hold my eyes open. But once he's asleep and I've had time to unwind, I miss him so much! He is so loving and gentle yet 100% boy and into everything and anything he can get his hands on; especially the things he knows he's not supposed to get into. Isn't that how it always is, though? Here's a snapshot into what he's been up to lately and the fun things he's learned to do.

-He LOVES to eat. I swear to you he can eat like a grown man. I try not to worry too much though because he's so active that he's working off all of those calories he's taking in. Lucky for us, he likes to eat healthy food and the occassional not so healthy foods. He isn't a picky eater at this point and will eat anything you put in front of him. He can be a bit agressive at the table because he gets impatient when he wants more but he has learned to say "please" or as he says it "peeaassse." We have also taught him how to sign for "more" and that has worked nicely most of the time especially when we're in public.

-Sleeping has improved somewhat over the past two months although some nights aren't as great as others. For about 3-4 weeks now, he's been sleeping through the night in his bed. He typically wakes up about 5:30 and gets in bed with us until around 7:00. Some nights though, he's up and down and ends up sleeping with us because it's the only way he'll calm down and rest. We've learned to pick our battles and this is one that we feel he'll eventually grow out of but we're not pressuring him. We didn't start doing anything differently and he started sleeping better all on his own. I know this is a hot button issue for a lot of parents but co-sleeping has worked for us and honestly a well-rested baby and mommy makes for a happier day!

-He's starting to say more things. Although he doesn't say many words, he is very "talkative" and has lots to say. I have no idea where he got that from?!?! He can say...momma, daddy, dooley, please, hello, hey, and bye-bye. And he has also said "go dawgs" or at least that's what he's trying to say much to the delight of my hubby! :)

-He has 8 teeth and is currently getting his bottom molars in on both sides. Hence, a few sleepless nights and some intense irritiablity. Yikes!

-Things he enjoys playing with: Elmo guitar, Cozy Coupe, VTech Alphabet train, trucks and tractors, lawn mower, Little People school bus and his sports activity center. He loves to pull down all of his books & flip through the pages. Still not a big fan of sitting still long enough to read a book from cover to cover but we do attempt it. He loves bath time and has the best time splashing the water. He has also started putting his face down in the water and thinks it's hilarious. Hopefully, that means he'll enjoy swim lessons! He will steal an iPhone in a hot minute and he talks to Siri very often. I think she's confused most of the time. He loves to play football with his Daddy and I love hearing him squeal and laugh.

-Sweet boy loves playing in the laundry room and helping Mommy put clothes in the dryer. He also enjoys playing in my pantry and is constantly strewing food all over the house. It is both funny and annoying. If a bathroom door is left open, he will flush the toilet at least 5 times. He likes to give his puppy, Dooley, treats and loves for him to chase him around and play. He thinks Dooley is so funny and is obsessed with his tail. Dooley is not happy about that.

-My sweet angel has been sick a good bit the past two months. He has had two ear infections one of which was a double ear infection. He also had walking pneumonia and was very sickly for two weeks. He passed that on to several people and our household was under the weather for several weeks. I hate seeing my boy sick and feeling poopy. Glad we are on the mend...if these teeth would just hurry up and come in! :)

-His favorite tv shows are Sesame Street and Thomas & Friends.

-He learned to blow kisses recently and it's the most precious thing ever. He gives the absolute BEST kisses and hugs in the world! Melts my heart every single time. He can get away with ANYTHING with a good slobbery kiss and he knows it too!

We are so excited for Christmas! I cannot wait to see him on Christmas morning. I'm sure there will be a special twinkle in his eye as he sits in front of the tree opening his gifts from Santa and family! And although that part is exciting and fun, I always want him to know the real reason for the season and that of course is the birth of our Lord & Savior. I also want him to know that it's better to give than to receive. I don't want him to always think of the gifts he's going to receive at Christmas. I pray we can always instill those values in him as he grows up.

His 15 month check-up is after Christmas and I can't wait to see how much he's grown in the past 3 months. We'll update then! :)

Merry Christmas to all of you & God bless you in the New Year!

His first goose egg & being sick all in a two day period. Poor baby! 

Helping Daddy work!

What a stinker! :)

Picking out the perfect pumpkins at the pumpkin patch!

So silly!

Our scary monster on Halloween!

Halloween 2013

Outlaw Family Reunion in Dublin

Serenading me with Elmo's World!

War Eagle!!! 

Hatcher is One! :)

My sweet baby turned ONE on September 24th!! I absolutely cannot believe how quickly the first year of his life went by. People always told us not to blink because he would grow up so fast. Boy, was that the truth! The past year has been amazing and a gift I am forever grateful for. I dreamed of being a mommy and what that role would be like my entire life. I can truly say it's far better than I ever imagined it would be. Hatcher has made me see life from a whole new perspective and he will forever be mommy's baby even if he is quickly becoming an independent toddler!

We had the most wonderful birthday celebration for our little guy which I will post about later this week. It was everything I had hoped it would be for him & much more. So, here are the things Hatcher is doing now & the things he's enjoying! :)

-He's WALKING up a storm! Let's be honest, it's more like running at this point! We have finally given him pretty much the complete run of the house. We keep the stairs gated off & any rooms he doesn't need to be in closed off. That includes the bathrooms because he has found the toilets & our bedroom because he's found the dog bowls. Yes, he has turned the water bowl over his head! He thought it was funny, Dooley & Mommy not so much.

-He's starting to make the "n" & "b" sounds when he's talking. The words he knows best are dada, mama, Dooley, hey & bye.

-Big guy is eating all table food now. He loves chicken (grilled or fried), any kind of fruit, sweet peas & carrots, goldfish & yogurt to name a few!

-He officially is a MILK drinker now! We made the official transition on 9/25, the day after his birthday. Since he did have milk sensitivity earlier, we made the transition slowly. I started adding milk to his formula in early September. He did really well & now we're working on the transition from bottle to sippy cup. He really likes the Nuk sippy cup with the soft nipple but we're working on the Nuk cup with the hard nipple now because it leaks less. He's taking 3 cups of milk a day. Typically, first thing in the morning, before his afternoon nap and just before bed. He takes water or very watered down apple juice at meal time.

-Some new tricks he has mastered are dancing...he likes to shake his booty when he hears music! Too cute!! He can point to his belly and we're working on pointing to our nose. One body part at a time! He loves to sing Patty Cake and when you get to the part where you say, "and mark with an H for Hatcher & me, " he marks the palm of his hand likes he's trying to make an "h"!! One of his absolute favorites is to make the "ahhh" sound and then to run his hand over his lips. It's so funny & he cracks up! Waving hello & bye bye has become a new favorite too. He knew how to do it months ago but now he does it any time you say it.

-His favorite toys are his John Deere tractor, Elmo guitar, sports activity center and pretend cell phone! He enjoys pulling all of the books off his book shelf and flipping through the pages to see the pictures. He will rarely sit down long enough to read the book with us so sometimes we read to him while he plays.

This boy is growing up way too fast!! We are so in love with him and can't wait to see what the next year of his life holds! I've said it before & I'll always say it, Thank you, Lord, for our precious son! :)

Seagrove Beach - August 2013

I've got to get better at blogging...I'm so behind! I want to share a little about our beach trip & some pictures from our fun trip.

We got to spend 8 full days at the beach in Seagrove with my parents. It was such a fun and much needed vacation! We hadn't been on vacation with my family in more than 5 years so this trip was a great get-away and such a good time. We stayed in a condo right on the beach and boy did Hatcher enjoy himself. On our trip back in May, he wasn't a big fan of the sand or the ocean so we spent most of our time at the pool. This time was completely different...he hated the pool & loved the beach! Perfectly fine with us because that's where we'd rather be too! He loved playing in the sand & sitting at the edge of the ocean with his daddy and letting the water run on his little feet. It was the sweetest sight! We ate great food all week and even enjoyed some nice dinners out. Since it rained some while we were there, we did some shopping & sight seeing. My parents were awesome & even let Johny & I have a date night one night which was so much fun! Hatcher did catch a little bug while we were there so we did keep him in out of the heat one full day. Not sure what was going on with him but he had an upset tummy & just couldn't seem to stop crying. So unlike him & it was hard to see him feeling yucky on vacation. Being away with my parents and my two boys was so much fun & I'm already looking forward to next year's trip! 

First ice cream cone! 

Toes in the sand!

I want to remember moments like this forever! :)

Grammie & HT on the beach! 

My boys in the ocean!

Be still my heart.

This is the life!

Dinner out on the town!

He thought he was so big riding in the race car buggy at Publix with his Daddy & Poppy!

HT with Grammie & Poppy in Destin for dinner!

My whole world.

Look at that baby in his Polo baseball cap. Too cute!

My little family!

Sacked out in our beach wagon.

Which he could also stand up in & thought was too funny!

With the gator at Bayou Bills!

Family dinner night at Bayou Bills minus Johny.

On the beach with Grammie & Poppy

I could eat him up!