Bye bye 2010!

Hunter had a very merry first Christmas. Our family is pretty big, so we stayed busy! 2010 was the BEST year of my life. Scott and I were given the most wonderful blessing! Words can't describe how happy I am as we enter 2011. My new years resolution is to keep lovin' life...where ever it may take me. My goal is to embrace the good days, learn from the bad days, and love each day as they are all gifts!

Hunter update: He is a huge talker and tells long stories. It is so funny! He loves to talk to his monkey that hangs from his car seat. Sometimes his stories get so loud that I have to take the monkey off! He really dislikes the sound of soda cans opening and crinkling paper. He loves reading books as he analyzes every page with his eyes wide open. He thinks its hilarious when I sing and dance! And one thing that everyone says when holding him is, "Oh my, he feels so strong!" His back, neck, legs and arms are so sturdy. His favorite time of day is sitting on the table while Scott and I eat dinner. He puts his hands together, smiles and kicks his legs...this is how you know he is about to burst with joy!

This is what happens when "the boys" get a hold of Hunter! Notice-no clothes due to a diaper explosion, one sock which is hanging off, borrowed diaper is too big because his diaper bag got left at church service...Mom of the year award!!

                              

                                         

Pappy Stash

Help solve the pappy stash mystery? Which one of the doggies do you think is guilty?!
I have lots to blog about this week! First of all...I am proud to announce the birth of my new nephew Austin! He was born yesterday, and Hunter now has 8 cousins!! Austin is perfect and my sister is doing awesome...she is already fully dressed and walking around-amazing! What a special time of year for a "Santa Baby"...priceless gift! Another one of my friends just had her baby boy last week too...so many blessings to be thankful for. Well, our "football team" of baby boys is growing away!

Hunter totally has a crush on the young lady that works in the church nursery. He has good taste...she is gorgeous! No joke...his eyes pop open with a smile on his face when he hears her voice! He can't take his eyes off of her. He gets to see her twice a week while I am in Bible Study and in church. Lets just say that Hunter is going to REALLY like church!

Can I just give my hubby mucho credit?! He is SO involved...from day 1! Scott and Hunter have "guys day out" often! He totally takes over the second he walks in the door. I think it is so neat and special! Hunter thinks it is hilarious when I get irritated with Scott. I'll say something sarcastic like, "Oh whatever, get over it!" And it is almost immediate...Hunter laughs and smiles! Scott says, "Ya, laugh it up now because you won't be smilin' when she's mad at you!" Those two boys are going to be inseparable!

Hunter can hold his bottle all by himself for a few seconds...but, he drops it because he starts laughing at himself! He absolutely loves my chunky, dangle, noisy earrings and necklaces. I treat him like Bentley when he gets a good grip... I say, "DROP IT!" As of now, Bentley drops much faster;)!! Christmas time is so fun for Hunter. He can't get enough of all the Christmas lights. His eyes open real big on our evening walks, and you can hear him "ooooo, aahhh!" The day we throw away our Xmas tree will be the most devastating day of his life so far....I haven't told him that the beautiful nursery lady is taken (this will obviously be the MOST devastating!)

Okay...Pappy Stash! It's a known fact that my dogs LOVE pacifiers. I was just thinking, "Where are all of Hunter's pacifiers?" There they are!! I found a stash of them under a table. Is it Bentley or Zoe? Hard to know because both of their beds are by this table! Zoe has actually pulled the pappy out of Hunter's mouth! Hunter bites down and gets a death grip on his pappy when Zoe passes by...it is SO cute and funny!

                                  

3 months

WHAT...3 months old!? Time is going by so fast and Hunter is growing like a weed. He is a pretty laid back, easy going baby...especially when he is in his "magic green chair!" We have a bouncer/vibrating chair that puts Hunter in the best mood ever!! All of my friends know this, so they always make sure there are batteries in their bouncer chairs for when we visit...however, I usually travel with the magic green chair! When I know I am going to be at someones house for more than an hour....I never leave home without the chair! In fact, I started to feel embarrassed to send out pictures because he was always in the magic green chair...so I started putting blankets over the chair! What can I say...he LOVES his chair! He can be in the middle of a crazy scream cry, then absolute silence once his little bottom hits that magic green chair! I hope this chair still works when he is 15....hehehe!

The chair is Scott's answer to everything!! It's time for us to eat dinner...put Hunter in the magic green chair. I need to take a shower...put him in the chair. Let's go sit outside....put him in the chair. Hunter is getting antsy...put him in the chair. Let's watch our favorite show...put him the chair. Let's take a picture of Hunter...put him in the chair. Hunter woke up early and we don't want to get out of bed...put him the chair!! As you can see....the Magic green chair is the most amazing thing ever! To all you readers, either buy yourself or someone you know the magic green chair- it is the gift that keeps on giving!!

Hunter is so in love with our Christmas tree. We are thinking about keeping it year around;)!! We put the magic green chair in front of the tree and you can literally hear Hunter laughing across the house. He thinks the lights are hysterical! Hunter has the best laugh and biggest smile. His whole body smiles when he is happy....arms up by his face, legs straightened and eyes squinting! After our morning feeding, I always read him "Wheels on the Bus." When I just touch the book, Hunter starts laughing and gets so excited! His favorite part is the "wipers on the bus go swish swish swish!" I use Zoe's paws and do the hand motions....Hunter gets tears in his eyes he laughs so hard! He also has full out conversations. He is a loud talker! Scott says, "I KNOW he didn't get that from me!" I know what he's implying;)!! It is hilarious to listen to Hunter talk. He will ramble for 5 minutes and pause here and there for you to talk back. His eyes get real big when his voice gets louder. He will talk himself until he is out of breath! He is so expressive...this is going to get more and more fun! He was the only boy invited to our annual "Girls Xmas Party," and he loved the attention!               

Lesson in Disguise

Hunter is 12 weeks old!! We got asked to play "Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus" in our church Christmas presentation. People got to walk around and take pictures, etc...we were the "Baby Jesus scene!" Hunter did awesome, everyone thought he was a fake baby!! It was during his nap time...so needless to say, he didn't move a muscle! He slept through the whole thing- who knew baby Jesus had a bright green pappy?! If you have seen "Four Christmases" with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn, you'll know that Scott and I went into this thinking we were going to laugh at each other the whole time!

Scott and I thought we were doing the church a "favor"....in turn they did us a favor! Doesn't God work in funny ways! The first group that came through were adults and children with special needs...this is where the lesson in disguise began:

Lessons learned from people with special needs:
Lesson #1: Live in your imagination- They got real close to Hunter with an amazed look on their face.."THIS is the REAL baby Jesus!!?" They were so wrapped up in the moment and believed everything they saw...we witnessed true bliss and innocence! One man even shook Scott's hand, like he was saying, "Congrats on baby Jesus!" This reminded us to let our imagination take over sometimes!
Lesson #2: See the good in people- I think many people are so quick to assume the wrong and see the bad! These lovely people just thought we were wonderful, beautiful, perfect, and "awesome!" It made me want to be the "best Mary I could be!" Just a reminder that positive breeds positive!!
Lesson #3: Let your friends know you love them- The angel that announced the birth of baby Jesus had special needs, and Scott and I really clicked with her! Well, a group of her friends was coming through to see the presentation...and she was absolutely excited to her core! Her smile was ear to ear- she was almost shaking with excitement! Reminder to love our friends and get excited every time we see them...friends are one of the most special gifts!
Lesson #4:Don't take things for granted- My heart was breaking piece by piece as each person passed. Scott and I kept looking at each other, and I know we were thinking the same thing, "We are so blessed!" Reminder to be forever grateful for God's blessings...in whatever form they come in!

I'm sure I could go on and on...we learned so much! In all the seriousness, Scott and I had fun and laughed SO hard!! The "Joseph" costume was too short for Scott so you could see his Nike's. A few people commented, "I didn't know they had Nike's back then!" So, Scott put a sheet over his feet- good sport! To state the obvious...Scott and I have no problem laughing at ourselves or each other...as you can imagine, we had to be on our best behavior (the pictures below show why!!) Hunter loves our Christmas tree. He is mesmerized by the lights, and he laughs so hard when the lights blink! We push the button to set the lights on "blinking motion" and whaa-laaa "built in babysitter!!"

                                                    

"Momma Mafia"

I know "Momma Mafia"...kinda cheesy, but a fun way to embrace this wonderful time with great friends! Two of my close friends just had baby boys! Just another 2 to add to our growing play group! No joke...there are 12 of my friends that have babies all within months of each other...11 of them are BOYS!! We have our own football team! The number 12 is quickly growing as we are meeting so many young mothers! The more the merrier...I am loving meeting so many people! So, if you know me...you know that I am always "planning" something! As you can imagine, I am having a BALL with all my friends and babies. We are always walking together, having a Bible study, "pot luck" lunch, play date, or on the phone asking each other bogus questions. Needless to say...we are the MOMMA MAFIA! Our bond started off tight and is only getting stronger and stronger (kind of like the mafia!!) We can always count on each other and we are a little "crazy!!" No one messes with the Momma Mafia...or our babies!! hehehehe ;)

Ahh Haa!! I am proud to announce that Hunter's GRUNTING has become minimal!! Don't get me wrong- the boy can still grunt...but the amount has greatly reduced. Happy Mommy! Hunter is "talking" up a storm. If you don't look at him- he will talk louder and louder until you look at him and smile- attention hog! His smile is huge and is usually followed by a laugh. His laugh is priceless! Other new discoveries- he rubs his eyes, holds toys, pulls mommy's hair, and doesn't "poo" after every feeding- again, Happy Mommy!

One of my new favorite things...Hunter's stretch!  Arms over his head, back arched, head back, eyes tight shut, toes flexed, knees straightened...a full out "big boy stretch!" SO cute! If his stretch could talk, it would say, "Why am I awake?!" Heaven forbid I wake him up at 9:30 to start the day!! The kiddo loves his sleep...uh oh, do I see a grumpy teenager on school mornings in the future! He still wakes once during the night for a feeding. I am looking forward to this disappearing...all in good time;)

Scott and I are having the time of our lives. Each day is better than the last! I can't imagine our journey getting any better. I am starting to appreciate and laugh at the "bad" times too...being new parents really is funny sometimes! Live and learn!!!

   

Blessed Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Scott and I say our prayers with Hunter as we tuck him in, and we never run out of things to thank God for! I say Hunter's prayers "for him" aloud. Scott laughs because I use a baby voice and thank God for things like trees, swings, and walks! Other things I pray for...Scott and I will be here when Hunter has children, Hunter will stay on a good path (although...kids are kids and I know he will "have too much fun" sometimes- and that is OK as long as he comes back on the right path!), Scott and I guide Hunter through example, Hunter is always nice to others, and that he embraces life...the ups and downs of his own journey!

Most of all...I am so THANKFUL for Hunter's health! I don't take that for granted! I pray for continued health and my heart hurts for parents with sick children. I truly can't imagine the pain and heartbreak! So, this Thanksgiving...my heart goes to parents with ill children, my prayers are in "thanks" for our many blessings, my soul stays intertwined with my mom, and my appetite stays right here at home!!!

Hunter is actually laughing, tons of smiles, eats like a champ (seriously...like 6-7 oz at night!), can hold his head up for minutes at a time, tries to suck his thumb...ya ya, people say don't let him. But, my motto- oh well, if it stops him from crying! He'll stop when he gets made fun of at school;) One of my favorite times of day is when we put Hunter's bouncy chair on our table as we eat dinner. He keeps his eyes focused on Scott and I as we talk about our day...and he smiles, laughs, and coos like he knows what we are talking about! LOVE HIM!!!




                

2 Month Check up!

2 month stats: 

Weight: 10.11

Height: 23 inches

Hunter is really growing in size and personality! If he's awake...he's smiling! We love him more and more everyday...I can't imagine it being possible to love him more than I already do! Now I understand why my mom said that the hardest part of her dying so young was leaving her children!!!!!!!! Love you Mom, wishing you were here!

All looks wonderful. We are grateful for his health, we don't take that for granted! He didn't enjoy the shots, but he recovered with his "big boy" pouty face! The doctor said that it is so unusual that a baby nearly doubles his birth weight and grows 4 inches in just 2 months! Either he will level off soon.-or-we have the future National Champion for the hot dog eating contest!! I suspect he is just playing catch up from being so tiny! Enjoy the pictures, I captured some great moments.

Boys will be Boys!

8 weeks...hard to believe that 2 months has already passed! We have our 2 month appt. next week, so I will let you know how much he has grown! Things are going great...we have "mastered" bedtime. Hunter is asleep by 8:30 and doesn't wake again until about 2:00...pretty good! We are working on his "crib nap." The dr. says to establish one nap a day in his crib to avoid a fussy toddler that won't nap in his crib! Some days he will take a 2 hour nap- smooth as silk!! Other days, he will fight it! We have an outing everyday usually between 11:00-2:00. We either go to a play date, lunch date, Bible Study, or shopping. We go eat lunch with Scott every Wednesday. Hunter is still eating good, sleeping good, and playing hard!

Hunter already does things that make us say...."he is such a boy!"  We love him SO much and he makes me laugh often!!

So here is a list of things that prove that "Boys will be boys:"

He pees in the bathtub, lifts his leg when he toots, manages to already have dirt under his nails, loves his dogs, has "his chair," falls asleep after pooping, smiles when he toots, laughs when he burps, responds well to bribery, highlight of his day is when there are boobs near by, doesn't listen when I talk, naps in front of the TV, and grunts with the best of 'em!!

Life is Good!

7 weeks and time is flying by! The title of this blog says it all, "life is good!" Better yet...God is good! We are so blessed with such a sweet baby. He still eats every 3-4 hours during the day and he is giving us 5+ hour stretches during the night! We are on a great schedule and Hunter gets 3 naps a day...how nice! We get out everyday and Hunter is a real "party animal!"

Speaking of party animal...Hunter was very embarrassed by Scott and I on Halloween! We had a neighborhood progressive party (walked from house to house.) Scott and I were dressed as 'Snookie' and 'The Situation' from "The Jersey Shore!" Hunter wasn't so sure about mom and dad...it could have been that he was tired -or- my leopard velvet top with fringe and Scott's red dragon silk shirt! He stayed in the stroller and slept the party away! Hunter and I have many play dates- he is going to have so many great guy friends! He has 4 new friends about to be born (with in the next 3 months!) My-o-my....we have many dirt baths, frogs, bruises, and baseballs in our future!

We have our 2 month appointment coming up...I am anxious to see how big he is getting! I leave you with lots of pictures of our sweet boy!