Hayden and Halle

Day Out with Thomas

2009-12-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

In September, we traveled to Nashville to ride the real Thomas. We kept it a secret from Hayden until we were almost there. He was thrilled! Our family on the train ride
Julie and the sweet girls she's a nanny for...they decided to come along for the ride.

Halle had fun on the train ride, too!

Hayden and Michael checking out the sights

Here's the "Real Thomas!"

Hayden had the most fun playing in the tent with the toy trains. He loved the Lego Thomas train table.

They also had a petting zoo.

Halle was such a good sport...she endured hours in the heat and was still all smiles.

Halle - 6 Months

2009-11-30T13:24:00.000-08:00

Halle was 6 months on September 4th. At her check-up, she weighed 16 lbs., 7 oz. and was 25 1/4 inches long. At 6 months, she was working on sitting up and could sit for about a minute on her own. At 6 1/2 months, Halle's first tooth poked through! She also lengthened her nighttime sleep even more, often sleeping up to 12 hours straight. Here are some pictures of her that month.

Check out those rolls! At her 6 month check-up, the pediatrician walked in and said I could take all the rubber bands off of her arms and legs! Ha! I love her sweet little rolls.

Just before turning 6 months, Halle had her first taste of rice cereal. She was not a fan!

Halle sure loves her brother...and he is so great with her!

Hayden's First Day of School 2009

2009-11-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Hayden started a new school year at Central's Parents' Day Out in September. Here he is posing before we left our house.

He's ready! With backpack and lunchbox in tow, Hayden is ready for the day! Notice the change from excitement to apprehension as we made it to the classroom. :) He went in without a tear, so the first day was a victory!

Halle - 5 Months

2009-08-30T13:58:00.001-07:00

Here are some not so new pictures of Halle. She was 5 months old on August 4th, so these are a few weeks old! When I took these, she was more interested in eating her clothes than posing for the camera. :)

Halle loves her exersaucer. This was one of her first times trying it out. And the next picture was after a long day! :)

"Miss Smiley" as I call her.

At 5 months, Halle weighed 15 1/2 pounds. Between 4 and 5 months Halle started waking
several times during the night. She apparently went through a growth spurt and was ready to get out of the pack and play. We moved her from our room into hers, and she is much happier in her crib. After a few weeks of waking during the night, she was back to her normal routine, usually sleeping 8-9 hours. I was surely thankful for that! In month 5, Halle also got good at grabbing toys and reaching for anything near her. She is such a happy baby and we are truly blessed to have her and Hayden!

WOW 2009

2009-08-10T08:28:00.001-07:00

Hayden had a blast at WOW this year. He looked forward to going every night. Halle had her first WOW experience and stayed in the nursery every night since I was teaching and Michael was helping also. For her first time in the nursery, she did great. We all had a lot of fun, but we were exhausted by Wednesday night! :)

Halle - 4 Months Old

2009-07-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

As usual, I'm late with the updates! At least I'm posting this before she's 5 months old. :) Here are some pictures from the past few weeks. Halle turned 4 months on July 4th. She's started interacting even more and loves to smile and laugh when you talk to her. She still doesn't like to be on her tummy for long, but she will roll from tummy to back once she's tired of it. Halle loves to suck on her fingers or thumb. Her hands are always in her mouth! She sleeps great at night, but her naps are pretty short. I'm thankful for the good night's sleep though! Halle constantly watches Hayden...or tries to. He's always on the go! He has been the best big brother. He's so sweet with her! We are so blessed to have these two little ones!!!

Yummy fingers!

Stylin' in the shades

Uncle Eric was here for almost a week in June. Hayden couldn't get enough of him! They're great buddies!

Halle in her precious dress that Danna made. So sweet!

Halle - Three Months Old

2009-06-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

Halle was 3 months on the 4th of June. Here are some pictures of her at 3 months...and here is Hayden when he was 3 months old.
Halle has become quite the talker. She loves to try to carry on a conversation when you talk to her, and she coos at her toys as well. It is too cute! She weighs 12 pounds 13 ounces, and she has lots of cute rolls. She is sleeping great at night, usually about 8 hours before waking up to eat. Naps aren't quite so regular. :) She also started laughing a few weeks ago. Here are some recent pics of our little sweetie!

Last Day of MDO

2009-06-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

On their last day before summer break, Hayden's class had a reception for the parents to show what they learned during the year. They counted to 20, said the ABCs, and sang several songs. Then each child served his parents punch and cookies. It was really cute! I am thankful that Hayden had such a great year and such sweet teachers!

Hayden's Art Show

2009-06-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

So it's been a while...time to play catch up! Last month Hayden's Mother's Day Out held their annual Art Show. I am always impressed with the time and effort they put into the show. I loved seeing all of Hayden's artwork. Here he is posing in front of one of his pieces entitled "Under an Owl Moon."

"Push Paint Butterflies"

"Golf Ball Art"

"In the Style of Monet"

Hayden had some wonderful teachers this year! Here he is with Mrs. Kristin...

and Mrs. Joyce

Halle - Two Months Old

2009-05-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

Halle turned two months old yesterday! She had her check-up (and shots) today. She now weighs 11 lbs. 5 oz. (75th percentile) and is 21 3/4 inches long (25th percentile). She rolled over (tummy to back) at 4 weeks and has done so a few times since. She has started cooing and smiling, which makes interacting lots of fun!

Halle at 2 months

Hayden at 2 months

Finally caught her smiling in a pic!

Tummy Time

Bathtime

I love the sweet little dresses and barefeet!

Big Brother finally got to help feed her. He is such a great helper!

Hayden is 3!

2009-05-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday was Hayden's 3rd birthday. I think we celebrated all week! We decided to get a swingset for the backyard, so that was his big birthday present. My dad and Michael put it together the weekend before, and I hoped that we could surprise Hayden. But, he figured it out quickly, so he got to play on it a few days early.

Wednesday morning we met friends at the park to play and eat cake and ice cream. Luckily, the weather was nice and sunny in the midst of a rainy week, so it was nice to be outside.

Wednesday night, we let Hayden choose a restaurant for his birthday dinner. He chose El Acapulco, of course! They came and sang to him and tried to put a sombrero on his head, but he did not like that!

On Saturday night, we celebrated Hayden's birthday with our family. He enjoyed opening presents and eating cake!

Hayden got the Happy Birthday Thomas train and a few other trains for his train table.He also got a remote-control bubble jeep. It's been fun watching him figure out how to use the remote! :)He also got some rainboots so he can "clip clomp" as he says.

Happy Birthday Hayden! We love you!!!!

Halle - One Month Old

2009-04-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

Today Halle is one month old! She had a check-up on Wednesday (at 4 weeks old) and weighed 9 pounds, 4 ounces! She was 20 1/4 inches long. A lot of people have commented that she looks like Hayden. Here is a picture of her today.

Below is a picture of Hayden at one month of age. Do they look alike to you?

And here are a few random pics we took this week.

The Last 3 Weeks

2009-03-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Things have definitely been busy around here since we brought Halle home from the hospital 3 weeks ago. We've taken lots of pictures, and I'm finally getting a few of them posted! :) I had hoped to post each week, but since that didn't happen, I'll go week by week to fill you in on Halle's firsts!

The First Week - After spending 2 days in the hospital, we got to bring Halle home. She weighed 6 lb. 15 oz. when we left the hospital. She had her first pediatrician's appt. at 6 days old. She was up to 7 lb. 3 oz., so she gained an ounce per day once we were home. Dr. Ashodian was pleased and said she would be back to her birthweight in no time. Below are pictures from the week.

Here's Halle all dressed up for her pictures in the hospital.

And this is her first time in her car seat as we got ready to leave the hospital.

Homecoming! Daddy and Hayden carry Halle to her new home.

First sponge bath

First experience eating out...at Hayden's fave, El Acapulco. I hope the girl likes Mexican!

4 Days Old

Trying out her swing. Hayden's making sure she's okay.

Week 2 - This week, Halle got to venture out a little more. We took her to church for the first time, and she did great! We also went out to eat with her a few times, and Gramma and Grampa kept her and Hayden while Michael took me to run some errands before I was able to drive. Michael also had an overnight business trip, so Halle, Hayden, and I spent the night with my parents. I think we took everything but the kitchen sink!

1 Week Old

Cooper's still not sure what to think!

1st Time to Church

Almost 2 Weeks Old

Week 3 - We've started to settle into a little more of a routine at this point. Halle's usually up a few times during the night to eat, but for the most part, she'll go back to sleep pretty easily. She grunts a lot, especially during the night when she's trying to get comfortable. Sometimes she likes being swaddled, sometimes she grunts and squirms and kicks until I free her. :) She's very alert when she's awake, and she likes to look at faces with her big dark blue eyes. Halle is really growing! We weighed her at 3 weeks, and she is already 8 lb. 9 oz.! She gained about 1 1/2 pounds in 2 weeks. Hayden loves "Baby Howie" as he says, and he is really very sweet with her. He likes to give her kisses and wants to know where she is at all times. We are truly blessed to have these two wonderful kids!

2 Weeks Old

3 Weeks Old

I tried everything to rotate this one, but it didn't work! I had to post it anyway because it was too cute.

Rewind

2009-03-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

So here are some pictures from my shower that I never got around to posting before Halle was born. My shower was wonderful, and Halle got so many great gifts. Special thanks to my friend Hannah who hosted the shower, and to everyone who helped!

And here are a few pictures we took the night before we met Halle. I love this one with Hayden. Isn't he the sweetest!?

Here's the belly shot from the same night. This is me 39 weeks pregnant. . . and probably the last time I'll have a big pregnant belly. :)

Halle Has Arrived!

2009-03-05T17:08:00.000-08:00

Halle Brooks Shumate was born yesterday (Wednesday) morning at 8:35. She weighed 7 lbs., 6 oz. and is 19 1/2 inches long. She is beautiful and healthy, and we are all doing well! We wanted to post some pictures yesterday, but we were all exhausted and chose to get a little sleep instead. :) Halle has been perfect!!! Hayden has been really sweet with her and has wanted to hold her every time he has come to visit. He also loves giving her gentle hugs and kisses. Here are a few pictures of our little princess!

Hayden's first time to meet his little sister!

The proud grandparents

and Uncle Eric.

Halle's Nursery

2009-03-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the nursery. I still have a few frames to hang above the changing table, but for the most part, it's finished.

We'll be heading to the hospital early in the morning to meet our little girl!!! Please say a prayer for us that everything will go well and we'll have a safe and healthy delivery and baby. Thanks so much! Hopefully Michael can post some pictures tomorrow, so check back with us!

Ten Things Tuesday

2009-02-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a while since I've done this, but I know I have a lot to be thankful for!!!

1. My car is parked in the garage! That may not seem thank-worthy, but we moved in this house in May and this is the first time either of our cars has ever entered the garage. This will make coming and going so much easier!

2. My wonderful husband who has spent the last few weekends working in the garage to clear space so that I could park there.

3. My sweet little boy, who is a big time "Momma's Boy."

4. Girls' Night Out tonight...it was nice to eat, relax, and visit!

5. Ladies' Bible Class this morning...Beth Moore had some great things to say.

6. The delicious Ghirardelli peanut butter and chocolate squares that I have enjoyed thanks to my "Secret Sister."

7. Halle will be here next week!

8. Halle's room is just about ready. I have a few more things to hang on the walls, but I'll try to get pictures posted later in the week.

9. I'm thankful that I've had another easy, healthy pregnancy. And just for the health and safety of my family in general, which is something I never want to take for granted.

10. I'm nearing the end of maternity clothes! They haven't been as much fun to wear this time around. :)

Captain Hayden, Potty Training, and a Trip to the Zoo

2009-02-23T17:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I promised some new pictures, so below is "Captain Hayden" as he calls himself. He loves wearing this pirate hat to read, and in this picture, while painting. He was a pirate for Halloween, but he has just recently taken an interest in acting like one. That may be due to an episode of the Backyardigans. Which is his favorite show now, by the way!

On Valentine's Day, Michael and I took Hayden to Memphis so we could make one more trip to the zoo before our membership expires. We had lunch at the Spaghetti Warehouse, where we got to sit in a trolley car. Of course, that made Hayden's day!

Then we spent the afternoon at the zoo. We all enjoyed watching the giraffes. There are 3 young giraffes, so it was neat to watch them all running around with their giraffe mommy.

Mommy and her Little Valentine

Daddy and Hayden posing with the tigers

I also mentioned potty training in the title of this post. About a month ago, I decided to give it a final try before Halle comes, and Hayden took to it pretty quickly. We had a small setback when he was sick, but other than that, it is going pretty well. We'll see if that continues once Halle enters our lives!

Oh, even though we scheduled our delivery date a few weeks ago, I keep forgetting to post about it. Unless she decides to come before then, Halle will be born on March 4! That's just 9 short days away!!! I can't wait to meet our little girl!

Quote of the Day from Hayden

2009-02-17T06:16:00.000-08:00

"When I close my eyes, the electricity goes off!"

Actually, he said "electricery," but it cracked me up. He has been so concerned about electricity since the ice storm, and he tries so hard to figure out how it works. Everytime the lights blink, he talks about it. He's so inquisitive these days!

I promise to post more soon, and actually add some pictures one of these days. We recently got a new camera, and I have yet to upload the pictures I've taken to the computer. Check back soon!

Halle Brooks

2009-01-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

So, I posted last week about deciding on a name, but not a spelling. Thanks to all of you who commented! Well, we did decide last week, but I failed to post it. Michael and I both agreed on "Halle," so that will be the spelling we'll use. Yeah! Another decision made! Now, if we can just get the boxes out of the nursery and get her room put together in the next 5 weeks . . .

She Has a Name!

2009-01-16T07:38:00.001-08:00

Yeah!!! We have finally decided on a name for "Baby G." Her name will be Hallie Brooks. Brooks was my grandma's middle name and we just really like Hallie. I'm not 100% sure on the spelling... my first thought was "Hallie," but "Halle" is also an option. I'm sure some people will call her Hayley either way. So which spelling would be the most likely to be pronounced correctly?

Christmas 2008

2009-01-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! Hayden understood what was going on this year and was really into Santa and how he brought presents on Christmas Eve. He was convinced Santa would wake him up to see him when he came to our house to deliver his presents!

Since Michael had to work on Christmas Eve, we weren't able to celebrate with his family at their house this year. Instead, they got to come on Christmas Day to celebrate with all of my family. We also decided to host our big Christmas lunch for all of my extended family at our house this year, so we had a great time with both families and got to stay here at home, which was nice for Hayden.

Hayden trying out his new tricycle

Opening presents from Santa

Checking out his stocking

And for what Hayden was waiting patiently for...a train table! He talked about it for at least a month before Christmas, and every time we would ask what he wanted Santa to bring, his answer never changed! It has already gotten many, many hours of play!!!

After checking out what Santa brought to our house Christmas morning, we went to Gramma and Grampa's house where Hayden got a kitchen and some "Cars" toys.

Then it was back to our house to start cooking for this crowd. With 20+ people who like to eat, we had a lot of food! Thanks to my parents, in-laws, and aunt and uncle, I definitely didn't have to cook the whole meal!

After most everyone was gone, Hayden got to check out his presents from Nanny and Pawpaw.

We finished the day with a homemade pizza supper at my aunt and uncle's house, then we all headed to the movies to see Bedtime Stories. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep, but Michael said it was a good one!

Hayden's First Gingerbread House

2009-01-03T09:25:00.001-08:00

We decided to try making a gingerbread house with Hayden this year. He loved it! He was so meticulous as he put the candies on, and he enjoyed decorating the whole house. Of course, we helped a little, too!

Cake Decorator in Training

2008-12-21T22:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a belated post to honor Michael's birthday. He recently turned 30-something, and I let Hayden help decorate his cake. Hayden did a fantastic job, and of course, Michael loved it!

He started spooning a few sprinkles at a time...

then decided it was quicker to just dump the whole bowl!

The finished product!

Silliness with Stickers

2008-12-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

The best thing about Wal-Mart has to be the smiley face stickers. On a recent trip, the greeter gave us a whole sheet with a ton of stickers. After we came home, Hayden started decorating himself. Silly boy!!

Breakfast with Santa

2008-12-21T21:48:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, our church had a "Breakfast with Santa." Hayden had a great time eating pancakes and enjoying all the Christmas activities. He decorated a sugar cookie with lots of sprinkles. Of course, he didn't eat the cookie, but he did eat all the sprinkles! Then, he made an ornament for our tree.

And, of course, Hayden got to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus! He was a little scared at first, but once he realized Santa was handing out candy canes, he got over his fear and sat on Santa's lap.

Christmas Conversations

2008-12-08T20:09:00.001-08:00

I love having conversations with Hayden. Sometimes, he just cracks me up! Here are two recent conversations that had Michael and I laughing...

Me: When Baby Jesus was born, where did they lay him?

Hayden: In a manger

Me: Who came to see Baby Jesus?

Hayden: The wise men

Me: What did they bring him?

Hayden: Supper... rice and beans!

That kid is still crazy about El Acapulco. I think he would eat rice and beans everyday!

We had talked about the North Pole and how Santa lives there and that's where he makes toys. When we asked Hayden a little while later where Santa lives, I said "He lives in the North..." and Hayden said "North Carolina!"

She's Still a Girl!

2008-12-08T20:00:00.002-08:00

Just wanted to update on "Baby G," as Michael and Hayden call her. "G" is just for girl since we haven't yet decided on a name. My friend did another ultrasound for us a few weeks ago, and the baby was still definitely a girl! Not that she would change, but I've heard lots of stories of ultrasound mistakes. :) Anyway, I feel much more certain after seeing the last ultrasound confirm the gender. She was so cute during the scan. She kept opening and closing her mouth, then she sucked her thumb. It was precious!

At this point, I am 27 weeks, so I guess this is the beginning of the 3rd trimester. I'm still feeling great, just getting a little nervous that I have a little less than 3 months to get everything ready!!! We're wrapping up the remodeling here at the house and have ordered new furniture for Hayden so we can move the nursery furniture into her room and get it settled. Now, we really need to decide on a name! Any suggestions!?

In Mommy's Shoes

2008-12-08T19:52:00.000-08:00

I was looking back over pictures I've taken of Hayden in the past few months, and I noticed there were quite a few of him wearing my shoes and no pants. He is too funny! He loves putting on our shoes and always wants me to take a picture of him. I'm not too sure why he never has pants on when trying on my shoes!

Hayden's Halloween

2008-11-08T14:11:00.000-08:00

Well, of course I'm late posting again, but I wanted to share pics from Halloween. Hayden figured out how trick-or-treating worked this year, and he thought it was a lot of fun. He spent the next few days wanting to look at all his "treats!"

We started Halloween night by trick-or-treating at our neighbors', then we stopped at our friend Kaden's house to get a pic of the boys.

Then we went to Gramma and Grampa's house to trick-or-treat. By this time, Hayden realized he got treats when we went to the door, so he was practically running up the sidewalk! We stopped to pose for some family pics on their front steps.

Next, it was off to the Fall Festival at our church, where Hayden played games, ate, and trick-or-treated some more.

This is what Hayden enjoyed most during the night...Dum Dum suckers! Here he posed with his friend Rylan.

And finally, back home again, where I had to take some pics since I realized I hadn't even captured Hayden alone in his pirate costume. What a fun night!

It's a . . .

2008-10-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

Well, here's the little outfit that I bought at Old Navy today after our doctor's visit. Can you guess what we're having!!??

Yes, it's a girl!!! I was so excited when the ultrasound tech told us, and I'm still somewhat in shock. I really thought it was a boy. The baby looked great, so we are really excited!

Ten Things Tuesday

2008-10-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

Here's my list for the week. Sorry, it's mostly focused on the remodeling. Guess you can see what's on my mind these days!

1. Hayden slept until 8:30 this morning, so I did too! It feels great to sleep in occasionally!

2. We had another great Ladies' Bible Class this morning.

3. Jenny and I did two wedding cakes and two groom's cakes last weekend and survived! And, for the most part, everything went smoothly.

4. Our cake business has really taken off.

5. While we worked on cakes all weekend, Michael and my dad worked really hard at the house and finished our new shower. Here's a sneak peak, although the finishing touches still have to be done. Thanks Jamie, for your shower inspiration and ideas!

6. We're getting the rest of our new carpet installed on Monday!

7. Then I'll be able to get our bedroom in order and find some things that are still in boxes.

8. We have possibly found someone to refinish our kitchen cabinets, which is a project both Michael and I have been dreading.

9. If that works out, it will be the final major indoor project left in the house! But believe me, there are enough minor projects to keep us busy for a while.

10. We have our ultrasound tomorrow and will hopefully find out whether Baby Shumate will be a boy or a girl. Check back tomorrow for the big news!

10 Things ...Thursday

2008-10-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Since I can't seem to get it together on Tuesday, this is a little late. But, I have a lot to be thankful for, so here are my 10 things for the week.

1. I'm thankful that Michael absolutely loves his new job.

2. And he got a raise last week!

3. I'm thankful that Hayden is enjoying MDO.

4. And that his teacher bragged on his imagination. She said they were making things out of Play-Doh, and Hayden said he made an oval, a fondant ball (imagine that!), and pickled okra. Okay, so the last one's a little weird, but they were rolling the dough into hot dog shapes, and he said his was pickled okra...he and his daddy love that stuff!

5. I'm thankful that Hayden laid his head on my shoulder and said "I love you Mommy" while I was reading to him.

6. I'm thankful that cooler weather is on it's way. I just love fall.

7. We have another ultrasound next week. We'll hopefully find out the baby's gender, and more importantly, that he or she is healthy.

8. And I'm thankful that Hayden is over saying "No!" when someone asks if he wants a brother or sister. He says "sister" at this point, but it seems to change weekly.

9. Our new tiled shower in the master bath should be finished this weekend. After the master bath, we have only 1 major project (indoors, anyway) left!

10. My new washer is fabulous! Our old one was on it's last leg, and it gave up last week. So, we had to get a new one. The lid is clear, so you can watch it work. Hayden would sit through the entire cycle watching if I let him! I'll leave you with some pictures of him enjoying the entertainment...

The Past Few Weeks

2008-09-28T13:08:00.001-07:00

The fair was in town a few weeks ago, and of course we had to go. Hayden had a blast this year! We went on Monday night, then Hayden got to go again later in the week with Gramma and Grampa. The other day we drove past the fairgrounds and Hayden said (with a great deal of concern), "Where did the fair go!?" He's talked about it almost every day, and he's worried about when the fair will return.

Daddy got to ride the train with Hayden.

Hayden really enjoyed riding the fire truck!

He also loved riding the "green spaceship."

This one's a little blurry, but I loved his excited expression!

Last weekend, Hayden and I went to Lake Frierson to his friend's birthday party. Hayden got to choose a fishing rod, and of course he chose a "Cars" one.

He had fun practicing his casting, but ...

he decided the actual fishing lacked the action!

He did have a lot of fun feeding the ducks!

On Sunday, we had a kickoff event at church for the "40 Days of Community" that begins tonight. There were inflatable jump houses and slides for the kids, lots of BBQ, and even a special guest. Howl, the Red Wolves new mascot, came to greet all the kids!

Hayden loved bouncing in the giant hamburger.

And he especially enjoyed seeing Howl!

A Great Day at School

2008-09-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

Hayden started back to Mother's Day Out 2 weeks ago, and his first day was a little rough. Last week was better, but not great. But today, the first thing his teacher said was that he had a really good day! She said he played great outside, ate a good lunch, and went right to sleep. Atta boy!!!

The first week, he cried all through nap. Then last week, he laid down but didn't sleep. He's usually a great sleeper, still napping 3 hours most days, so it bugged me that he didn't nap there. I'm sure he was just getting used to everything since he hadn't been to MDO since May. Since I never got around to posting them, here are some pictures from the first day of MDO a few weeks ago.

Ten Things Tuesday

2008-09-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

Here's what I'm thankful for today...

1. I subbed today and got to talk to Hayden on the phone during my lunch break. He is so cute when he talks on the phone!

2. Michael and my dad worked all weekend knocking down walls and building others to make a walk-in closet for us.

3. I finally feel like I may have some order and organization in this house soon. The lack of organization has been driving me nuts!!! The remodel should be done in the next month or two!

4. We have Oreo dirt cake in the fridge. Yum!!

5. I was in Hayden's room early this morning and heard him giggling in his sleep. I guess he was having a good dream!

6. I hear my hubby vacuuming in the other room as I type.

7. MDO starts Thursday. Time for all those errands I've been saving up.

8. Hayden's MDO teachers seem really great, and he loved his new classroom at Open House.

9. The school year has started, which means we can get back to our normal routine.

10. My morning sickness is easing up. I still have moments of nausea, but for the most part, I feel much better!

Jumpin for Joy

2008-08-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hayden in the obstacle course

Trying to go up the slide!

He wanted all of these to himself.

Coming down the big slide!

Jack, Hayden, and Chase

A while back, we went to Paragould to "Jumpin for Joy." It wasn't crowded and had a lot of toys for little ones. I think the boys had a great time!

Hayden's Big Announcement

2008-08-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard, we're expecting baby #2! I'm due in early March, so I'm around 9 weeks at this point. The first picture is really dark, but Hayden is wearing a shirt that says Big Brother, which he wore to tell Daddy, my parents, and Michael's parents. It was really cute, beacause he wore the shirt and kept saying "I be big brother!" We had our first ultrasound on Thursday, so here are a few of the pictures we got. The first is a 3-D image, which I thought was really neat!

Grampa's Helper

2008-08-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Hayden is at the age where he wants to help with everything. He takes it very seriously, too. Last weekend, Michael and my dad cut down part of a dead tree in our yard. Hayden wanted to help Grampa move some of the limbs, and he was a great help!

Cheesehead

2008-08-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, Michael went on his first business trip with his new job. He spent a few days in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He brought this giant cheese hat back for Hayden!

Disney World - Magic Kingdom

2008-06-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I'm just posting our pics from Disney World. I'm only 2 months late! We had a fantastic trip and were so proud of Hayden for doing so well. He was a fantastic traveler and did great with the long days. He even took a 2-3 hour nap each afternoon in his stroller while we were in the park! We spent several days at Magic Kingdom, so here are some pictures from the park. I have to warn you, I added quite a few posts and lots of pictures!

It's a Small World was the first ride we rode and Hayden still talks about it. Here he's taking it all in!

Animal Kingdom

2008-06-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

Although I had been to all the other Disney parks in the past, none of us had ever been to Animal Kingdom. It was really crowded, but we still got to see and do a lot. We tried out the new roller coaster, Expedition Everest, which was my favorite. Hayden enjoyed the petting zoo area and riding the train.

Tree of Life

Riding the Kilimanjaro Safari bus

Rhino

Here's a crazy ostrich that blocked our path during the safari. He did not want to move!

Petting area

Hollywood Studios

2008-06-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

We spent one day at Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM). Hayden had a blast at the Playhouse Disney live show. It was so much fun! I loved watching his face light up as his favorite characters came on stage. Gramma and Grampa watched Hayden so Michael and I could ride some of the thrill rides. We loved the Rockin' Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror!

"Rocket" from Little Einsteins

This isn't the greatest pic, but it's from the live Playhouse Disney show.

Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground

Hayden's Disney Friends

2008-06-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

We didn't know how Hayden would react to all the Disney characters. He knew a few from tv, but you never know what an almost 2 year old will do when he sees one in person. Well, he wasn't scared of any character we saw (other than Mater) and he excitedly ran up and hugged them all! I think meeting the characters was his favorite part of the trip. He also met Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and others, but those pictures are on my parents' camera.

A cheesy smile with Tigger

Note how comfy Hayden looks. He would have sat there all day. King Louie didn't want to let him go either!

He had to hug Pocahontas! She was beautiful.

Hayden and Pocahontas

Handy Manny - One of Hayden's favorites!

Little Einsteins

JoJo

Hayden was really excited to meet Mater...until he drove out and left his motor running. It was really loud and Hayden was scared. I had to go with him, and he was still reluctant!

Pop Century Resort

2008-06-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

This is where we stayed the week we were in Disney. The theming was really neat, and Hayden loved walking around and exploring. Each building is themed around a specific decade and has gigantic replicas of toys and other memorabilia from that decade. If you're planning a trip and are looking for a reasonably priced Disney resort, I would highly recommend this one!

Coming Home

2008-06-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately every vacation must come to an end. Although the week was busy and even a little tiring, we had such a great time, so we weren't ready to leave just yet. Maybe we'll go back in a few years . . .

Orlando International Airport

The beautiful view from our seat on the plane

Hayden checking out our plane after landing in Memphis

10 Things

2008-06-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

Well, today has been a great day. Here is my "thankful" list...

1. Michael got a job offer today from Jimco! He is actually starting tomorrow!

2. I'm thankful for caring friends who have said lots of prayers for us.

3. I'm thankful that Michael had several weeks to work on the house.

4. And that we've now finished the half bath and the den.

5. I'm thankful that God's timing is always perfect.

6. And that He always takes care of us.

7. Tonight was pizza night, which meant no cooking for me!

8. We shopped at Hobby Lobby tonight, too. I love that store!

9. Hayden and I had a lot of fun at the library today.

10. We have new library books now. (I can only read a book so many times!)

Hayden's 10 Things

2008-06-17T11:55:00.001-07:00

I love saying prayers with Hayden before we lay him down at night. We've done this since he was tiny, and we've always said thanks for Mommy, Daddy, etc, but now he's starting to pray with us and tell us what he's thankful for. So this week, I thought I would list some of the things Hayden mentions when we pray.

Hayden is thankful for...

1. Super Reader and Super Why (PBS show - I'm not sure why, but he always says this first!)
2. airplanes
3. bed
4. pacis (yes, we still have them)
5. new house
6. Bible class
7. Mommy
8. Daddy
9. Cooper
10. toys

There are many more, but these are 10 that come up most of the time when he's saying his prayers. I think we can learn a lot about being thankful from a 2 year old!

Ten Things Tuesday

2008-06-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to be honest. I've avoided writing this post like the plague, which is why I've skipped the past couple of Tuesdays. With all we have been dealing with the past couple of weeks, I thought I might have trouble thinking of 10 things to be thankful for. I really hate to admit that, but I AM human, and sometimes tend to see the glass half empty rather than full. But, I figure there's no better way to see the glass half full than by thinking of all you have to be thankful for, so here goes...10 things I'm thankful for as a result of Michael being home with us for the past few weeks.

1. First of all, I am so thankful for all of Michael's former HVAC technicians who spent hours one evening installing our new heat and air system and wouldn't let us pay them a dime. That meant the world to us!

2. We have gotten a LOT of work done on the house. Yippee! (Don't get too excited...we have so much more still to do. If we're done by Christmas I'll be thrilled!)

3. Our living room is (mostly) complete!

BEFORE - Notice the beautiful, stained carpet!AFTER

4. The dining room is, too! Well, at least the floor and paint. This isn't the furniture that will stay, but it works for now.

BEFOREAFTER

5. We took a family outing to the zoo in the middle of the week. Great weather and no crowds!

6. I've been able to run errands when needed and leave Hayden home with Michael. Since MDO is out for the summer, this has been nice!

7. Sleeping in...need I say more!?

8. Family lunchtime - Michael was cutting grapes for Hayden and got creative. Hayden thought it was the best. A grape snowman in June...what could be better?

9. We finally got Hayden's birthday present (a sand and water table) out and put it together last week. It's been sitting in our garage for over a month! Hayden's expression was priceless when he saw it. He kept saying "Gears! Gears!" in the most excited voice!

10. Although I'm not thankful for this situation, I am thankful that because of it, I have a great opportunity to develop patience, faith, and perseverence. Although it's difficult, I'm learning everyday to wait on God and know that He is taking care of us.

He's a Graduate!

2008-05-12T20:47:00.001-07:00

Although we might think Hayden's smart enough to earn his MBA, my brother is really the one who earned the degree!

This past weekend, we went to Tuscaloosa to Eric's graduation at the Universtity of Alabama. He earned his MBA and we're all so proud of him! We had a great time visiting with Eric and Kelsey, too. She also graduated on Saturday. My parents got some pics of both of them, so I'll have to post one later. We also got to hear Eric's band, The Rufus Hawkins Band. They are really talented and have a lot of fans! I'll try to post some pics from the show later...

2008-05-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a busy couple of weeks we've had! We finally got our Internet hooked up here at the new house, just in time for Ten Things Tuesday! Some of these are from the last few weeks...

1- Last week, Hayden and I (just the 2 of us) went to McD's for pancakes and sausage on his birthday. We had a great time!

2- Our trip to Disney World was fabulous. Hayden did great and we all had a blast!

3- Last week, so many friends showed up to help us move! Thanks everyone, we couldn't have done it without you!

4- Our new neighbors are really friendly and welcoming.

5- We have a nice, leak-free, mold-free laundry room, thanks to my dad. He has spent countless hours since Friday sheetrocking and finishing it out for us. Just one of his hidden talents. :)Thanks Dad!

6- My father-in-law, a talented electrician, spent the weekend upgrading and fixing our electrical service.

7 - My mom and mother-in-law have helped so much with Hayden and they even did a lot of our laundry, too!

8- As of today, all of my appliances are installed. I guess that means I have to start cooking again!

9- After a week, we now have Internet service!

10 - This weekend we're going to visit my brother and see him graduate from Graduate School. I missed his first graduation because Hayden was only a week or two old, so I'm excited that we'll get to go this time!

Happy Birthday to my Little Man!

2008-04-29T05:40:00.000-07:00

Today Hayden turns 2! It is hard to believe that it's been 2 years since he came into the world. He has a great little personality and is so much fun! Of course, we think he's amazingly smart and the cutest kid we've ever seen. :) Here are some of his favorites...

toys - cars, trucks, basically anything with wheels

food - pizza, hot dogs (healthy, I know), lots of fruits, carrots, pancakes, rice and beans

restaurant - El Acapulco

drink - milk, apple juice (I finally let him have a sip of soda, but he didn't care for it! Yeah!)

song - Wheels on the Bus, Jesus Loves Me, Blue Skies and Rainbows

book - The Little Engine that Could is one, but really he just loves to be read to!

tv show - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Jay Jay the Jet Plane

dvd - "Songs from the Station" (Thomas the Tank Engine)

Disney character - Goofy, Mickey, Minnie (I had to throw this one in since he's been talking about them since we got back from Disney World.)

Of course, with the 2's come some interesting times as well. I won't call them "terrible," just interesting! Mealtimes usually fit into this category. For example, we ate at El Acapulco the other night and got a to-go box for Hayden's leftover rice and beans. Right after I filled it up, Hayden slung it over his head, launching rice and beans all over the floor, just missing the next table. Maybe it's time to start taking advantage of take-out!

Anyway, we are so thankful for Hayden and the little guy he is! I hope he continues to grow and learn and enjoy life the way he does now. Happy Birthday, sweet little man!

We celebrated his birthday before we went on vacation, so here are some pictures from his party...

I took lots of pictures on our trip, but we're now in the middle of moving, so I'll post them in a few days. Stay tuned...

Ten Things Tuesday

2008-04-15T13:17:00.001-07:00

Wow, it's Tuesday already! I've been looking forward to 10 Things Tuesday, and it's here. Here are the 10 things I'm thankful for today:

1. In the middle of snack time today, Hayden turned toward me and said "Mommy, nose kisses." (his name for Eskimo kisses) What could be better!

2. Our house sold in just 2 weeks! What an answered prayer that was!

3. Tonight was pizza night, which means I didn't have to cook.

4. I got about half of our guest bedroom packed today. I'm glad I made a dent!

5. I'm thankful for our upcoming family vacation.

6. At Ladies' Bible Class today, lots of us had praises to share.

7. We saw lots of sunshine today.

8. I got almost all of my "to do" list done while Hayden was napping.

9. Family time - We played hide and seek with Hayden tonight and I love seeing the pure joy on his face when he gets excited!

10. My friend Julie just called to tell me she's engaged. How exciting! Congrats Julie and Chris!

I've been tagged!

2008-04-14T19:03:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by both Jenny and Danna, so here are 7 random facts about me:

1. I spent 2 weeks on a Native American reservation during my senior year at Lipscomb.
2. I don't like elevators . . . they make me claustrophobic.
3. I could eat Mexican food every day.
4. I started college planning to be an architect.
5. I can't whistle or roll my tongue.
6. I've become a night owl lately.
7. We're moving in 2 weeks, and I am so overwhelmed with packing I haven't even started!

Here are the rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules in your blog entry.
Share 7 random, or weird, facts about yourself.
Tag 7 random people at the end of the post, linking to them.
Leave a comment on their blog so that they know they’ve been tagged.

Here are the taggees. Lots of people I know have already been tagged, so sorry if I've gotten you again!

1. Stacy B.
2. Christy B.
3. April
4. Jamie
5. Christy Mc
6. Polly
7. Marti Jo

I've become a slacker...

2008-04-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

with my blogging. Our life has been so crazy lately, I haven't updated like I would like. But, I've been encouraged by all my blogging friends who keep blogging along...especially Danna, who posts to hers daily! And she has 3 little ones!

I've been really enouraged by reading everyone's "Ten Things Tuesday." I'll have to start that next week. It really makes a difference when we take the time to reflect on our blessings!

I'll leave you with a sweet picture of Hayden and his new friend Jenna. We were able to visit with some old friends last weekend and meet their sweet little girl. Hayden had a blast playing at Jenna's house and even tried to show her some wrestling moves! :) Thanks, guys, for letting us come visit!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

Trying to stay awake...

2008-03-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

Lately Hayden has been taking a while to go to sleep. He's not fussing, so we usually let him be. He likes to talk to keep himself awake. Here are some of the funny things we've heard lately...

*** The other night, we hear the following over the monitor : "Pulco, taco, meat, rice" This kid's hungry all the time these days and he LOVES El Acapulco. Every time the waiter comes by he says "rice, beans" and when he gets his food, he cleans his plate!

*** One day at naptime, Hayden's still wide awake after laying down for 45 minutes. I'm thinking, "What's going on???" I decide it's time to "help" him get to sleep, so I get him out and rock him for a minute. Here's our conversation:

Hayden - "Mommy, like it, shirt"

Me - "Thanks, Hayden. That's sweet. Now it's time to go to sleep."

H-"Mommy, like it, Mommy's shirt"

Me - "Thanks, Buddy, now close your eyes and go to sleep."

H- "Hobby Lobby . . . Chuck E. Cheese"

Now, what is going on in that little head of his? I promise I feed him, but he's always talking about food. He woke up the other morning and said "strawberries" the minute I walked in his room!

***Nanny asked him where he wanted to go eat as we were driving. We expected "pulco" (El Acapulco), but without hesitation, Hayden said "Burger King!" He's only been there once before, so I'm not sure where that came from!

***The other day as I was driving, Hayden randomly yelled "Roll Tide!" from his carseat. It's been a while since he's heard that, so it cracked me up that he would think of it. My brother goes to the U of Alabama, so after he said it we started talking about Uncle Eric. Now when he sees Eric's picture, I ask who it is, and he answers "Roll Tide!" Sorry Eric, I guess that's your new name!

Sorry for the long post, I just had to share the conversations we always get a good laugh out of at our house...now I'll leave you with a picture. I asked Hayden to carry his diapers to his room, and this is what I found when I went to check on him. He knows I keep diapers in one of his drawers, so he opened a drawer and got all the packages to fit inside. You're such a great helper, Little Man!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

2008-03-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

Hayden decorating his hat

Reading Mommy a book about trains

Hayden with his buddy Chase

Chase and Hayden with the "Cat in the Hat"

Yesterday, we went to the library for a special storytime in honor of Dr. Seuss. We actually missed the story, but Hayden got to make a hat and see the "Cat in the Hat." My friend Haley and her little boy Chase were there, too, so we got some cute pictures of the boys with their hats.

A trip to the Zoo

2008-03-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a beautiful day! Sunny, 70's, just perfect...however, it's now 30 degrees and has been spitting snow off and on all day. Crazy Arkansas weather! Anyway, since Saturday was so nice, we decided to take Hayden to the Memphis Zoo. My parents got us a Zoo membership for Christmas, so hopefully we'll take many more trips there this year. Hayden and I rode the train, and he sat so still and quiet during the ride. I tried asking him what animals we passed as we rode, but he would only whisper, because he was taking it all in! He really liked the fountain, the elephants, and the farm area, where he got to pet a few animals.

Can it be done?

2008-02-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

So, is it just me, or can most of you get your almost 2 year old to pose for a picture? I try and try, but it just never happens! Here are some pictures from a few weeks ago, Valentine's Day actually, when I just wanted to get a picture of Hayden in his "Mommy's My Valentine" shirt. Granted, we were about to head out the door to Mother's Day Out, but I just couldn't seem to get it!

Run!

Hide!

Charge!

Hayden says his name

2008-02-12T20:07:00.000-08:00

Hayden counts

2008-02-12T19:37:00.000-08:00

Hayden's buddies

2008-01-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

Our friends came over over the weekend and we took a few pics of the kids. Hayden had a lot of fun playing with his friends!

Hayden with his buddy Grayson

Here is Hayden with Grayson, Haley, and Savannah. Leave it to Hayden to ham it up!

The Paci King

2008-01-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

The other day, Hayden stuffed 2 of his pacifiers in his mouth and thought it was really funny. He is really attached to his paci, especially for naps and bedtime. He often goes to sleep with one in his mouth and one in each hand! During the day, he usually does great without the paci, so we leave them in his bed when he wakes up in the morning. Sometimes, he sneaks a paci out if he can reach one through the slats of his crib, and he runs to find me with a paci in mouth and often one in his hand. You can also see his mischievious grin sneaking out from behind the paci! This time, he grabbed 2 and tried to put them both in his mouth. I'm afraid this may be a hard habit to break when the time comes!

Happy Birthday, Gramma!

2008-01-13T19:14:00.001-08:00

We've had a lot of birthdays and anniversaries in the past month or two. Last week, we celebrated Gramma's birthday. Nanny and Pawpaw were in town, too, so Gramma wanted everyone to go to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate. We all had a great time! Hope your birthday was wonderful, Gramma! We love you!

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

2008-01-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

Last week was my parents 33rd anniversary. We celebrated with them at Brickhouse, then I cooked dinner for them the next night. Here are a few pictures we took downtown on their anniversary.

Happy Anniversary!

Santa stopped here!

2007-12-31T13:36:00.001-08:00

It looks like Hayden was on the nice list, because Santa came to see him at our house and at Gramma and Grampa's. He has spent the past few days playing, playing, and playing some more! Now if we could get our house in order and figure out where all the toys go... Our living room after Santa's visit

Hayden watching his new train

After opening presents at our house, we went to Gramma and Grampa's house. Hayden found a few more gifts from Santa there. Then we had Christmas with the whole family. We had a delicious lunch (Great job, Mom and Dad), then we traded presents and played games. Later that night, we went to the movies and saw "Alvin and the Chipmunks." It was Hayden's 3rd time at the theater, and he was GREAT throughout the whole movie. He thought the Chipmunks were funny, and even now he keeps saying "chipmunk" and making me sing their Christmas song!

Here is Hayden's new car, which he calls "big car"

Below is our silly boy! He thought the bows were lots of fun!

Our family's 2nd Christmas picture

Christmas Eve

2007-12-31T12:58:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas Eve with Michael's family. Hayden was a pro at opening presents this year. He knew exactly what to do! We enjoyed spending time with Nanny, Pawpaw, Granny Paul, Uncle Joey, and Hayden's cousins, Summer and Cody. Thanks guys for a great time!

We didn't get to see Aunt Priss and Uncle Herman, but they sent Hayden a neat scooter that he had fun trying out!

Hayden and Uncle Joey

Nanny and Pawpaw with Hayden

Summer, Hayden, and Cody

Library and Winter Wonderland

2007-12-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

Last week, we had some holiday fun at the Holiday Open House at the library. Hayden would literally go to the library every day if he had his way, so of course we couldn't miss the day when Santa visited. The children's library staff sang songs with the kids, then Santa came and read to them.

Hayden's second time visiting Santa...he did not want to sit on his lap!

Here's Hayden checking out the train. This is one reason he loves the library so much.

I love this one! He actually looked at the camera and smiled...he's so busy, these are rare these days!

Later that day, we took Hayden to Winter Wonderland. He loved it this year! He especially liked watching the spinning penguin, the singing dog, and the trains. Below are a few pictures from Winter Wonderland.

Since Thanksgiving . . .

2007-12-07T13:03:00.000-08:00

We have been busy! Last weekend, Michael and I celebrated our 7th anniversary! We spent the night in Memphis, then got up early and ran the St. Jude's 5K. What a way to celebrate! It was the first 5K for both of us, but it was so much fun. We plan to do it again next year, and to run some local ones in the meantime. I finished in just under 33 minutes, and I was pleased since it was my first time to run a 5K. I posted a pic so you'll have proof! :) Michael ran, too, but the picture they sent him was not him, so I don't have one to post. Other than running, we got to enjoy some shopping and eating in Memphis. Hayden also had his first sleepover at Gramma and Grampa's house. I know he had lots of fun with them!We've also been busy getting ready for Christmas. Our tree is up, and Hayden's done great keeping his hands off! Michael and I went to see the Nutcracker early in the week, and last night we took Hayden to the Christmas Parade. Our friend hosted a get-together in his office on Main Street, so we got to stay nice and warm before the parade and we could take a break from the cold when we needed. Thanks, Toby! Hayden really enjoyed the parade and was mesmerized by all the sounds and lights. Here are some pictures we took during the parade.

A new florist in town handed out roses during the parade. Here Hayden is sniffing his!

Our Thanksgiving-Part 2

2007-11-27T13:06:00.000-08:00

After eating lunch with my parents, we headed to Vilonia to spend a few days with Michael's parents. As soon as we got there, we had another big meal with Michael's parents, grandmothers, brother, and neice and nephew. We forgot to unpack the camera once we arrived, so I missed getting pictures with all of them! We did take a few pictures later in the weekend, so I have a few to share from our time in Vilonia.

Hayden loved watching the squirrels play in the yard. Here, he and Papaw are putting some food out for them.

Hayden and Papaw

Hayden also tried to help Nanny in the kitchen. Here they are together!

Our Thanksgiving-Part 1

2007-11-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

We had a great Thanksgiving this year! First, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at my parents' house. We got to see lots of family and Hayden had a blast! My aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents all joined us, so we had a nice time visiting with all of them.

Here Hayden is saying "Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!" Not really, but he is a big talker :) I'm not sure what he was saying when this one was taken.

Family pic at my parents' house

Hayden with Gramma and Grampa

Uncle Eric got to come home for a few days, so we were glad to see him!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-18T19:07:00.000-08:00

We hope you all have a great week, get to spend time with your families, and eat a lot of turkey!! :) Hayden made a "Happy Thanksgiving" placemat at Mother's Day Out last week, so we thought we'd let him share his artwork! I also posted a few other recent pics. I'm sure we'll have more to share after the holiday.

Hayden showing off his artwork

Pointing out the turkeys he painted

Pushing his police car - one of his favorite toys

Posing with Grampa on Grampa's birthday a few weeks ago

This one is a month or two old, but I still had to post it!

Our Little Lion

2007-11-02T19:27:00.000-07:00

Here is our little lion on Halloween. Hayden got to trick or treat at a neighbor's house, and then we went to our church's Fall Festival. He had lots of fun playing games, eating, and trick or treating at the festival.

Here's Hayden practicing his "roar" before we left the house

What a big boy! This was his first trick-or-treat experience at a neighbor's house.

Wow! He was in awe of all that candy!

Hayden and his superhero friends - Wonderwoman, Supergirl, and Spiderman!

"Trick-or-treat!"

He also loved the toddler play area. Here he's posing on the slide.

Family Pic

Hayden's so busy, it's hard to get him to pose these days. His eyes are partially closed , but it's the best we could do!

My Cake Blog

2007-10-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

My friend Jenny and I are trying to start a little cake "business," doing cakes out of our homes. I decided to start a blog to show cakes I've made, so you can check it out at customcakesbyamy.blogspot.com or use the link to "Amy's Cakes" on the right. I've done several cakes since I posted cake pictures on Hayden's blog, so you can check them out there! Oh, and please leave a comment to let me know what you think of the cakes. Thanks!

Hayden and Ethan

2007-10-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

From mid-August through the end of September, I kept my friend's little boy, Ethan. He and Hayden got to be good buddies! Hayden woke up most mornings saying "E-en" and looking for Ethan. They had a lot of fun playing together. Here are some pictures I took of the two of them. Hayden and Ethan

Hayden with the maracas

Ethan shaking the maracas

Such a sweet hug!

Trying to get them to pose!

Here is Hayden waiting on Ethan to arrive one morning

Ethan, we miss you and hope you are having fun at your new school!

Where a kid (or adult) can be a kid!

2007-10-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Hayden riding the rocket
He was very intent when working the controls!

Posing with Chuck E. Cheese

A pic with Uncle Eric

Riding the carousel

Tonight we took Hayden to Chuck E. Cheese again. My brother is in town and my mom thought it would be fun if we all went to watch Hayden have some fun. Of course, all the adults had fun playing games, too, hence the title of the post! Again, the rocket was Hayden's favorite, but he also got to try some new rides and games.

Our Vacation

2007-09-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

We spent last week in Destin with my parents. We had a great time at the beach with fabulous weather, clear water, and lots of fun in the sun. Although Hayden didn't care for the sand, he enjoyed playing in the water, both in the ocean and in the pool. He did great traveling and being away from home. We had such a relaxing week, we weren't ready to come home! (I have to warn you, I took so many pictures and had a hard time deciding which to post, so I posted quite a few! There are also 2 additional posts below from our trip.)

Hayden's first reaction - We walked down to the beach just to look around once we got to our condo. He wasn't too sure about the sand or the water.
All ready to head down to the beach!
Daddy's goggles and a paci ... what a look!
Stylin' in the sunglasses
Lounging by the pool with his cute towel my friend Jamie made for him.

Keeping cool in the shade

Since Hayden wasn't a fan of the sand, we bought a tiny pool and set it up under the umbrella so he could use his sand toys in the water.

Hayden absolutely loved watching, chasing, and especially feeding the seagulls with Gramma and Grampa.

Watching the seagulls go after the bread. If you can't tell from his face, he was quite amazed!
Here's Hayden chilling in the boat, sitting back, relaxing. What a life!
Showing off his treasure (a little plastic flag) we found while walking on the beach
Hayden and Mommy in the beautiful, clear water

Family PicGramma and Grampa with Hayden on the balcony (Perfectly color-coordinated, I might add, which was not planned. They came out of their room with the exact blue and lime green Hayden was already wearing, so we had to snap some pictures.)

Family Pictures on the Beach

2007-09-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

Out and About in Destin

2007-09-12T12:05:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Hayden enjoying some activities while we were in Destin. He got to play mini-golf for the first time, got to see lots of sea animals at the Gulfarium, ate a little seafood, and even spent some time shopping! Playing mini-golf at Big Kahuna's
Watching the go-karts speed by at The Track
Doing some serious shopping at the Gap Outlet. He had trouble finding his size :)
He found a stuffed dog at another store and liked it so much he gave it a kiss.
After the kiss, he checked for a price tag to see if he had enough $ to buy the dog. Turns out he didn't!
The Gulfarium - A dolphin came up to the window to give us a close-up view!Hayden and Daddy watching the dolphin showHayden clapping for the dolphins!

Michael snapped this great picture of a dolphin in mid air, jumping through the hoop!A family picture by the aquarium

Mommy and Hayden riding the "Gator" at Fudpucker'sHayden and Daddy inside a sharks mouth!

Chuck E. Cheese

2007-08-31T10:06:00.001-07:00

I see that Michael posted some pictures of the cake I made last night. I've been taking cake decorating classes at Hobby Lobby and last night was the end of Course 2. During the course, we learned to make tons of different flowers that we used on last night's "Grand Finale" cake. I'm going to start another course in October which covers fondant and tiered cakes. I really have lots of fun decorating cakes. I started taking classes around Hayden's birthday, when I decided to make his cake. Although the flowers are pretty, kids cakes (or cupcakes) can be lots of fun, too. If anyone needs a cake made or knows of anyone who is interested, I would love to start making some! I don't think I ever posted the pictures of the cakes I made for Hayden's birthday. The one above is the mini-cake we used for Hayden's 1 year photos. Below is his caterpillar birthday cake from his party.

Now back to Hayden, here are some pics from our visit to Chuck E. Cheese a few weeks ago. As this couple started to leave, they stopped and gave Hayden a balloon and a birthday crown. He loved it! He also loved his pizza, although I don't think he ever looked at what he was eating. He wouldn't take his eyes off the entertainment! After we ate, Hayden had a great time exploring the games and rides.Eating pizza, watching the show Hayden driving the racecar. If you can't tell from the picture, he's also adding his own sound effects!
Going up and down in the rocket. I think this may have been his favorite!

Amy's new hobby

2007-08-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is to let everyone know of Amy's new hobby that she has picked up lately, and I must say she is getting very good at it.

Computer Issues

2007-08-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I guess I've become a blog slacker. I've been trying to get some pictures posted, but we have been having some computer problems. Hopefully Michael can get the computer going soon and I'll post again.

Last week and this week I've been keeping my friend's little boy, Ethan, who's 2. I think Hayden's enjoying having a playmate! Needless to say, between the two of them, I've been busy! But, we've had lots of fun! Last weekend we went to Vilonia for Michael's Granny's 90th birthday. We got to see lots of family and some of them met Hayden for the first time. Other than that, we're just getting ready to go on vacation before long. I'll try to get some pictures added in the next few days if we solve the computer issues. Hope everyone is doing well!

15 Months

2007-08-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hayden had his 15 month check-up last week. He didn't enjoy getting his shots, and they made him cranky! Other than that, his check-up went great! He weighs 21 lbs. 7 oz. and is 30.5 inches tall.

About 3 weeks ago, Hayden realized how easy walking really was and he gave up crawling. Now I'm just trying to keep up with him! He's talking quite a bit these days, and he uses quite a few words already. He'll also try to imitate a lot of words we ask him to say, and it's so funny to hear how the harder words come out! He loves playing with cars and trucks, and he says "vroom vroom" whenever he sees anything with wheels. He loves to read books, dance to music, and has started wanting to climb. It seems like he changes so quickly, and we are having so much fun watching him learn to do new things. 15 Months
Hugging his "buddies" before going to bed
Trying on Daddy's cap
This is the typical playtime picture - pushing around a truck (with sound effects, of course!)

Ducks!

2007-08-01T09:38:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend, we took Hayden to Craighead Forest to feed the ducks (well, mostly geese). Although he saw lots of animals, including ducks, when we went to the zoo, he was mesmerized watching these ducks and geese. It's so funny to watch his serious facial expressions when he sees something new. He has to study everything! Feeding the ducks
After we watched the ducks and geese for a while, Hayden was ready for some fun on the playground. He loved riding the motorcycle . . .
and, of course, he had to swing!

Helping out Mommy

2007-07-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Here is some footage of Hayden helping Mommy out by vacuuming .

Pizza Talk

2007-07-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of Hayden eating pizza and talking to mommy. Be sure to listen to his sweet little voice.

Memphis Zoo

2007-07-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

We recently took Hayden to the Memphis Zoo, and he had a blast! He really enjoyed seeing all the animals, especially the ducks, flamingoes, and the polar bears. It was hot, but he did great, even with only a 40 minute nap all day. Hayden and Dad looking at the sea lions
His first ride on a carousel, and he loved it!
Checking out the chickens
In the China/Pandas exhibit
He certainly slept well after our trip! This is how we found him a little while after laying him down!

14 Months

2007-06-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

Wow, Hayden is 14 months old today! He has taken so many more steps since we posted the video a week and a half ago. He's taken about 15 at a time, so he's getting there. He still crawls most of the time unless he's walking to one of us or holding onto a finger. But he's definitely more sturdy and sure of himself! Here are some recent pictures. Helping Daddy stir sugar in the tea Don't boxes make great toys!? From that expression you'd think not, but he really does have fun playing with them.
Hayden loves to sit by the window and "read" his books.
I give Hayden kitchen gadgets to play with while I'm cooking and he's become attached to this Pampered Chef roller I have. He carries it with him all over the house!
With the roller, again. Maybe he will be a chef?

My Water Baby

2007-06-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hayden and I just finished going to a Water Babies swim class. He absolutely LOVES the water! As long as I was right beside him, he wasn't afraid at all. He even went under water! I'm so glad he enjoyed it. Now he'll be ready for our trip to the beach later in the summer! Posing in his cool swimwear from Gramma
He loved the kickboard!
Blowing bubbles - the pool we used was a therapeutic pool, so it was warm and had an area with jets and tons of bubbles. All the babies enjoyed playing in the bubbles and making some of their own!

Walking Tall

2007-06-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

Here is our little man starting to walk. As you can see he is learning fast.

"The BahBah"

2007-06-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since we updated. I just realized it's been almost 3 weeks! Anyway, here are some new pictures of our sweet 13 month old. I know I mentioned his love of balloons in an earlier post, but this kid is crazy about them. He calls them "bahbahs." We ran in Dollar Tree and he spotted them. He kept pointing and saying "bahbah" and I looked up and sure enough, there were the balloons. Then we went to Pizza Inn and our waitress gave him his own balloon. He was so excited!

Hayden loves to jabber away these days and has fun trying to repeat what you say, although it usually doesn't come out just right. But he's saying more and more everyday! He isn't walking by himself yet, although he'll walk with his push toys all over the house with no problem. He's so unsure of himself if he isn't holding onto a toy or a finger, and he sits down the second you let go. It will happen one of these days!

I took Hayden to the library for the 1st time last week. The Children's Area has lots of neat toys, a model train, and a wooden fire truck. He had a lot of fun playing and checking out books. Some of the pictures below are from our visit.
Hayden (13 months) with his balloon
Riding the fire truck at the library
Close up - So serious!
Posing in the front yard

First Haircut

2007-05-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Hayden's hair before

Getting his hair cut

And . . . after!

No more mullet!

12 Month Update

2007-05-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hayden had his 12 month check-up a few weeks ago. He weighed 20 lbs. and 1 oz. and was 29 3/4 inches long. His weight is around the 15th percentile and his height around the 25th. He's eating mostly table foods now, and he especially loves meat! We've had an easy time switching to whole milk, he loves it! Hayden's not walking on his own yet, but he loves to walk behind his ride-on airplane or while holding your hand. He's really into talking on the phone. He'll hold anything up to his ear when he sees us talking on the phone. It is too funny! Hayden also loves to point. He points at everything he sees! We are having so much fun watching him learn and grow! 12 Month PictureTrying out his new swing on his birthday
Me and Hayden (pointing at the camera:-)) on Mother's Day
Under the table . . . it's a whole new world!

Birthday Party

2007-05-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

Hayden's checking out his new SwingAlong Castle with Gramma, Haley, and Savannah
Hayden got lots of help opening his presents!
His new ride-on airplane is lots of fun!
Grampa's watching Hayden and his buddies check out his new red wagon
Nanny, PaPaw, and Great Granny Paul enjoyed watching Hayden celebrate!

Hayden had his 1st birthday party on Saturday! He had lots of fun eating cake (see pictures on previous post), opening presents, and playing with his buddies. His grandparents, a few cousins, and church friends came to celebrate with us. The weather was perfect and the kids enjoyed playing in the backyard. We had such a great time!

Happy Birthday Hayden!!!!!

2007-04-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today is our sweet boy's 1st Birthday! Here are just a few pics from his party. I'll post more soon. Happy Birthday Hayden! We love you!!!!

Hayden's First Easter

2007-04-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

Hayden's checking out what the Easter Bunny left for him!
He's quite amused by the card
My two handsome boys after church
Hayden was excited to see Uncle Eric again and to meet his girlfriend, Kelsey!
Hunting for eggs at Gramma and Grampa's house

It's taken me all week, but here are some pictures from Easter weekend. Eric and his girlfriend, Kelsey, came in town for the weekend. Hayden hadn't seen Eric since Christmas, and he was all smiles once he saw him. On Saturday night, we had dinner together at my parents' house and watched Hayden hunt for his Easter eggs. Actually, "hunt" might not be the word. Hayden would see one, crawl to it, and try to eat it until we showed him another. It was still a lot of fun. Before church on Sunday morning, we got Hayden up to see what the Easter Bunny had left for him. In his basket, he found a book, a Baby Einstein DVD, and a dancing chick that plays "Chicken Dance." His favorite is the dancing chick, which he follows around, giggling like crazy!

Visiting the Easter Bunny

2007-04-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late posting these pics, but I had to share Hayden's picture with the Easter Bunny from a few weeks ago. Hayden wasn't scared of the Easter Bunny at all, he just wanted to check him (or her?) out. Next year, he might be more apprehensive. While we were at the mall, we also let Hayden check out the play area since there were only a few kids there. He LOVED it! He had so much fun crawling, climbing, and cruising. Unfortunately, it is usually pretty crowded so we'll have to try to go again when it's not as busy.

I hope everyone had a great Easter! I'll get some pictures from our Easter weekend posted soon.

Riding the Rhino

2007-04-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

In the Rhino with Daddy and Pawpaw
Hayden driving the Rhino! (In parked position, of course!)
Climbing on Nanny and Pawpaw's new chair

A few weeks ago, we went to visit Nanny and Pawpaw. Hayden got to take his first ride on Pawpaw's Rhino. He loved exploring outside and his face was in serious study mode as he took everything in. We couldn't get him to smile because he was so focused on figuring everything out. Hayden got to hang out with his cousins Cody and Summer, and he got to visit Uncle Joey and Great-Granny Paul, too.

11 Months

2007-04-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad I can finally add a post to our blog! We had computer problems last week and were without the Internet until yesterday. Last Thursday Hayden was 11 months, so here are some new pictures of him. I can't believe he'll be a year old in just a few weeks! Time has flown! We have more pictures to share from the past few weeks, so hopefully I'll add another post or two tomorrow.