ONE

One year ago Robbie and I woke up at 4:30am and headed to the hospital to have our baby. We knew our lives would change forever that day, but we did not know the amazing blessings that would come from Hawkins. He fills our lives with laughter and fun. It is crazy that he is a blending of Robbie and me - looks, personality - everything.

We jumped right in, and I was surprised at how well Robbie held Hawkins and just knew what to do with him even as an infant. He gave Hawkins his first bath and never flinched at changing a diaper. I have always trusted him and never had a second thought about leaving my 2 boys together. They had this amazing Father/Son bond from day one.

The first 6 months flew by in a daze of diapers and nursing and spit up. Things started to get fun (so we thought) when Hawkins sat up then crawled then started pulling up on everything. We took a few trips and before I knew it Hawkins turned into a little boy. I blinked and his hair grew into this beautiful blonde "business cut" as we call it (ha!).

Hawkins' personality has really started shining these past few months. He attracts attention where ever we go - the grocery store, restaurants, anywhere. He smiles and waves at everyone and is so friendly. He LOVES attention. He wants to play with you, but can also play by himself and be entertained.

Last weekend he took his first steps and is well on his way to running! It is the cutest thing ever! He starts preschool next week and I am so excited for him to play and interact with other children his age.

Hawkins is ONE YEAR OLD. Here is what you are up to:

-Smelling the flowers - Your Honey taught you to smell the flowers and you take it very seriously. You literally do it 10 times an hour. You smush up your nose and snort air out - it is hilarious. You are so smart though - you only do it when you see a real plant or flowers and then you remember where they are and randomly "smell them" throughout the day.

-You love to open and close doors

-You love to play in the car - not in your carseat of course. Either in the drivers seat holding onto the steering wheel or in the way back holding onto the seat. You could play in there for hours!

-We put up a babygate to make a play area for you and you love to do pull ups on the gate. We call you Bambam b/c you are so strong! I am trying to teach you "no", but you just don't get it yet.

-You love Lady and her bed. You will go back your little booty up to sit on her bed whether she is in it or not! She is really sweet to you and y'all love to play together.

-You LOVE hats - love them. We play with your Daddy's baseball caps and you call them "da" I think b/c they are Dada's

-Says "ba" for his bottle, ball, and Beau. If we ask you to get your ball you can pick it out of your toys - so smart!

-Now says Bye Bye while waving

-The day before your 1st birthday you started saying "tractor" which was very fitting for your party :) Of course you aren't saying the real word, but imitating it saying "da dr" or something like that.

-You love the pool. We have been several times recently and it is a great activity to get us out the house and to wear you out! I went without an inter tube once and it was a big mistake. You tried to jump out of my arms the entire time and I was more worn out than you by the end of it.

-I cannot put sunscreen on your face b/c your eyes get all red and swollen and you break out - it is scary! It was ok b/c you used to wear a hat, but now you pull it right off your head and refuse to wear it. I just don't know what to do with you.

-You sleep great. 7:30pm-6:30 or 7am then take a long morning nap from 9:30am-11am or later. Your afternoon nap is iffy, but you go down around 2:30pm and sleep anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes.

-You start preschool 2 days a week NEXT week! I can't believe that. I am worried b/c you will go smack in the middle of your favorite morning nap...

-You are getting much better with eating, but not great yet. You eat a mashed banana and oatmeal cereal for breakfast with cinnamon toast or a waffle. Lunch is usually a grilled cheese with some apple and yogurt sometimes with diced strawberries in it. I am trying to sneak fruit and veggies in where I can! Dinner is rice cereal and some pureed veggie - sweet potato, etc and always tator tots. You seriously love tator tots!

-You still love goldfish and puffs, but I don't give them to you as much. You are getting more of your calories from "real" food and not snacks.

-I took you to get your second haircut. You were so sweet (again) and it looks so good.

-You want to be held and to play with me alot, but recently you have been a little more independent and if you find something you are interested in (my purse, Lady's bed, a hat, etc) you will sit and play by yourself for 10 or 15 minutes. I think this is important for you to learn how to solo play and not be entertained my me all the time.

Hawkins, you are such a special child and I cannot believe a whole year has flown by. We love you!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from your first year:

Can you believe...

that this sweet little boy will be ONE tomorrow??

The Swiffer that changed my life

This is really lame, but totally blog worthy at the same time. My Mom introduced me to this beauty:

and I have been hooked ever since. Not only it is the best thing that has ever happened to me cleaning-wise, but Hawkins is obsessed with it too. If I ever need to keep him occupied for 5+ minutes I just hand him the swiffer. He can turn it on and off by himself! When he cries every morning when Robbie leaves for work - I just hand him the swiffer and the tears turn into giggles. Miracle worker, I tell you.

Robbie thinks I am slightly swiffer obsessed since I use it MULTIPLE times a day. It picks up all the dog hair, grass, etc that boys and dogs drag into your house.

I love it! Go get you one to entertain you and your child :)

More walking videos...

Hawkins is WALKING!

It happened like everyone said it would - all of a sudden Hawkins just let go and started taking steps! He has been pulling up and even standing by himself for quite awhile, so we knew it would not be long before he took off. He is right on time a week before his first birthday.

Hawkins, we are so proud of our big boy!

Back to reality...

I left this last week to return to reality...scorching hot temps in Thomasville.

This is the view from the porch in Cashiers. Wow, it was beautiful...and cool. Well, maybe not cool, but not hot.

I make it sound like I drove home kicking and screaming, but I was actually itching to get home. I wasn't sleeping well and was ready to get back in our routine. Hawkins and I hit the road by ourselves and made a stop in Atlanta to break up the trip and visit with friends. One more stop in Americus and we were back home last Thursday. I have been unpacking and going through mail ever since.

I am so glad to be home! My sweet husband helps me so much with Hawkins and even let me sleep until 7:30am 3 days in a row! (That is late in our household, b/c the little rascal gets up at 6:30 or 7). Hawkins has been glued to his Daddy ever since we got home and will not even go to me when Robbie is holding him.

Ok, off to get ready for the pool. A few more mountain pics to come...

4th of July

I realize that I am using the same pictures over and over in my last few posts and that Hawkins is wearing his 4th of July outfit over and over, but oh well. At least I am blogging on my vacation.

We spent Independence Day in Cashiers, NC this year. A much different experience from our family tradition of going to the beach, but it was a nice change. Robbie was able to come up from Thomasville on Thursday and be here the whole long weekend! He was SO READY to see Hawkins! He even made it in time to see him Thursday night before bedtime. We were apart for a whole week, so I was nervous that Hawkins might not want to go to him, but he reached right out for his Daddy and would not let go! So sweet.

Friday we went out to lunch at Cornucopia and then went on a short hike after Hawkins' nap that afternoon. It was a good hike, but not too strenuous. Robbie bought this pack to hold Hawkins so that he could go along. Hawkins loved it! He didn't cry one bit and loved looking around while riding on his Daddy's back. Then we cooked steaks at the house and ate dinner outside on the deck looking at the gorgeous view.

Robbie and I started out our Saturday with a little 30 day shred DVD workout :) Virginia joined us around lunchtime and was also glad to see Hawkins - he is usually the hit of the crowd. I tried to get H to take a late afternoon nap, because we went to an early 4th of July cookout.

We went to the "Smokehouse" that overlooks a waterfall and lake on Bernie's property. No one even showed up until 7:30pm (H's bedtime), so we knew this was going to be a long night. Hawkins was occupied playing in the cooler and showing off. He was one of two children there, so everyone loved him. Mom and I headed home (leaving the boys and Va to have fun) around 8:30pm to put him to bed - he was so tired!

Hawkins with his Mommy

With Aunt Nina

All the girls

He LOVED playing with the ice in the cooler

I thought maybe he would sleep late the next morning, but oh no, he was up and adam at 6:15am. Why can't my son sleep until 7am - that's not asking too much, is it? We went out to lunch at the Orchard and then had some friends over to cookout hamburgers on Sunday night.

On Monday, the 4th of July, Robbie talked us into hiking again - this time Yellow Mountain. You might remember me discussing (or cursing) this in my Memorial Day post when we were up here with the Evans. It was the hardest hike of my life and doing it again did not make it any easier. We went slower this time around, but it was still super hard. I really don't know how Robbie did it with an extra 25 lbs on his back!

This view was worth it from the top though.

Please excuse the sweat and tears in this photo

Playing in Big Daddy's truck after the hike

My parents had some friends over and we ate delicious BBQ and watched fireworks from our deck. (The Farmer's Market in Cashiers has the BEST BBQ and potato salad on earth.)

Happy Fourth of July!

Robbie left bright and early on Tuesday morning and headed for Atlanta. He was able to work there all week and is coming back to Cashiers today - yay! That means Hawkins and I got to stay all this week with Honey and Aunt Nina. We have been shopping, made a day trip to Highlands, having lunch out and just relaxing. Thank you Robbie for letting us stay in the cool weather just a little bit longer. We will return to scorching hot temps next week...