Hutson is 14 months!

My sweet little one is 14 months today! I just can't believe everything that he can understand and do at this age. I am truly enjoying every moment of this stage.

He has learned to...
-give hugs from behind
- blow kisses.
-Communicate! Ok, not by words really, but sounds, and he has created his own sign language, (despite me trying to teach him sign language since he was 6 months).
-listen. Most of the time, when I tell him no he abides. And, I am constantly amazed by how many words he understands.


His new fascinations...
-making everything a tunnel. Chairs, tables, he even attempts to go under the crack in doors. If it has an opening, he tries to crawl under it.
-jumping onto pillows. I don't blame him, in fact I join in every once and a while.
-getting on the couch with Dada and walking back and forth on the couch. anything with wheels. I am truly amazed at how this is just ingrained in boys.
- playing outside. Yes, he will ask to go outside.
- riding in the car. He will bring me his shoes, and this means let's go for a ride.
- bridges
- making anything a drum.
- hiding behind objects and playing peek-a-boo
- Brady! He loves his cousin.

Here he is giving Brady a hug

Favorite foods (still)
soy yogurt
 avocado
mandarin oranges
pinapple
bananas
spagetti and meatballs
 New favorites-
 The applesauce squeeze containers from Chick-fil-a
Chick-fil-a nuggets hot dogs

 Words
 Mama, Dada, and Dat (that, says and points),Dog (although we aren't hearing dog regularly anymore)

 The ga and na sounds are said frequently. Biggest accomplishment!

Stats
Diapers: Size 3
Weight: Guessing 21 ish lbs
Height: Guessing 30 1/2 inches
Shoe size: 3's needing to buy 4's (his feet really grew this month)
 Clothing size: Still doesn't fit into 12 month pants or shorts, little peanut, but wears 12 month shirts and some 12-18 month shortalls
Sleeps: From 7:30-8 pm to 6:00- 6:30 am, rarely 5:45 Naps: Still 2 napping at about 9 and 1

 Some pictures from the park

Our Stay at the Rowe Hotel

This weekend we were off to Birmingham, Al house hunting. We stayed at the most beautiful hotel. Have you heard of it? It's called Laura, Eddie, and Veda Jane Rowe's apartment. Absolutely the finest hotel in Birmingham.

They generously leave towels on your bed.



(I loved that Laura left one for Hutson too. So sweet)

Hutson thought his bed accommodations were fabulous.



He loved having a mobile again!



But he began to wonder why everything was pink.



We then did a photo shoot on the famous Veda Jane Bed.





But my sweet boy can't take a serious picture these days. (I almost put a cute bow on him, but I resisted.)

Then Hutson sat in their chair drinking his milk and hoping his friend Veda Jane would come and have a life chat with him. I assured him that since we will be living 3 minutes away from her for 2 months, there will be plenty of time for that.



We had a great time! Thanks to the Rowes for their generosity and friendship. Pictures of our new place coming this week! Thanks for baring with me while our blog is under construction!

Oh and for those of you that don't know Laura Rowe, she writes the funniest most adorable blog http://laurabrowe.blogspot.com/, and she is a wonderful photographer. I highly recommend that you check it out!

Hutson at 13 months!

My little boy turned 13 months March 26. Yes, I realize it is already April 6th, but I thought I would take this moment to share about my growing boy!

Month 13 has been a biggy.

He has learned how to:
shake his head no. Although he doesn't always use it correctly.
drink a sippy cup by himself (sometimes).
say ha ha when it is appropriate to laugh but he doesn't think it's funny.
crawl up stairs. I'm not so proud of this accomplishment.
walk fast. (watch out)
make anything a drum.

His new fascinations...
Crawling under everything
Putting shoes on and going for a ride in the car
The rocking horse in his room
Easter eggs (plastic ones of course)
The box from the water table we bought him
BOOKS! Yay!! He loves to bring Dada and I a book and sit on our lap and read.

Favorite foods
soy yogurt
avocado
mandarin oranges
pinapple
bananas
spagetti and meatballs

Words
Still just Mama, Dada, and Dog (although we aren't hearing dog regularly anymore)
The ga sound has started to be said more often though.

Biggest accomplishment!
We are 2 weeks bottle free and LOVING IT! Welcome back counter space.

Stats
Diapers: Size 3
Weight: Still 20 lbs
Height: Guessing 30 inches
Shoe size: Moving into 3's
Clothing size: Still doesn't fit into 12 month pants or shorts, little peanut, but wears 12 month shirts and some 12-18 month shortalls
Sleeps: From 7:30-8 pm to 6:00- 6:30 am, rarely 5:45
Naps: Still 2 napping at about 9 and 1

Here are some pictures of my sweet boy!



This is his, "Seriously Mom?" face. It's starting already.



Pretending to be a dinosaur



Yummy beans!


Still loves his ball pit!



Hutson the clown. My little goofball!



Swinging with Aunt Mary!

The youngest member of the clan

A couple of weeks ago I got the opportunity to finally meet my littlest cousin Eila. Eila is my cousin Emily's daughter. Eila is technically my first cousin twice removed and she is Hutson's second cousin once removed. Gotta love family trees.

Whatever you call our relationship one thing is for sure, She is a cutie pie!!



I'm in love already! It's so funny how quickly you forget those sweet days.

Hutson thought that she was adorable too!



I just can't wait for all the fun these two will have spending holidays and family events! It is going to be so much fun watching them grow up together.



Hutson trying to steal Eila's binky



Hutson feeding Eila puffs. He's such a good sharer

Oh Me Oh My

Do you ever feel like one day you have everything figured out. You know what every noise and gesture your child makes means. You have managed to do the laundry, clean the whole house, grocery shop, make dinner, run an errand for your husband, and still have a little relaxing time for your self while your toddler takes a nice long nap. Your know your dreams in life for you and your family and how you are going to achieve them. And you have all of the business aspects of your relationship such as, health insurance, financial security, and where you are living in 2 and 1/2 months, tidied up and in check.

And then the next day you are clueless. Your child is going through yet another phase. Your place is such a mess that you don't even know where to start. You feel like you had a better answer to the question "What do you want to be when you grow up" when you were 5 and the answer was ballerina. And all the changes that are coming in a couple of months make you so anxious because you hate change, especially when there are so many questions to be answered that you don't know where to start.

Today is that day for me. All of a sudden I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. Fragments of thoughts of things I need to do are flying through my head, and when I write them down, I become overwhelmed by them.

And yet, in my overwhelmed state I am grounded by a few things. The knowledge that I am not alone. That this time will pass and worrying only makes it worse. That these changes are for the betterment of my family and their future. That God gave us this blessing, and he knows that we can handle the changes it brings. And that it doesn't matter where we live because my home is where my heart is. And that is with my two boys.

And lastly... tomorrow is another day.

Fun to be 1

February 26th. Could my little boy really be 1 already? I just can't believe it.





The celebration began when my Mom, Dad, and Nana came up on Thursday and spent the weekend at our place. It was so nice to have them around. Then Gaga, Papa, and Mary came up the night before Hutson's party and we celebrated by getting mexican.







He looks so dang big in this picture!

We told the server it was Hutson's birthday, and you know what happens at a Mexican restaurant on a birthday.




You get to wear a sombrero!

We celebrated with a Sesame Street theme. I said that if we were going to go there, then we were really going to go there. It turned out to be so cute!









For food we had pizza, goldfish (both Elmo's favorites of course), a fruit salad, vegetables with dip, mummums, dinosaur shaped grilled cheeses for the little tykes, and or course Elmo cupcakes. I wanted to keep it super simple on my end.

We were so surprised and overjoyed when Aunts Miche'le and Kim were able to make it from Chattanooga.


Family Pics




Hutson had so much fun with some of his besties and new toys!











He did miss his good friend Grayson.

Then came time for the cake.


I thought for sure that my child, who had only had one taste of ice cream in his life, would LOVE his Elmo cake. Truth was, he wanted nothing to do with it. He didn't want to touch it, and then when he finally did take a little piece to his mouth he cried.


We then tried a little cupcake thinking the big cake was overwhelming. That was a no go either, as was our second attempt the next day on his actual birthday. His dislike for sweets really does make sense though, because I wanted nothing to do with them when I was pregnant with him.



The party was an absolute blast! Thanks to everyone for making this day so special.