Christmas 2012

Well, considering it's a month after Christmas, I should probably go ahead and do a post about how our Christmas was.  This post seems daunting since we were in Virginia for about 2 weeks and it seemed like it was one constant Christmas celebration.  I'll try to make it short and sweet.

Kemper and Hudson had taken over Pops and MeMe's living room.  Kemper got an awesome microphone from one of his cousins and was giving us a concert.  Hudson was probably just trying to get his hands on one of the many breakable snowmen that MeMe has sitting around taunting him. :)

We finally got to meet Owen!  Hudson wasn't really being very sociable when Noelle and Owen came over to visit so this is the best picture I was able to snap of them.  There is about a 5 month age difference between the boys.  Owen is such a sweet, smiley baby!  

Our family before heading to church with Grandma Rita and Grandpa Phil.  Not sure about Kemper's pose....I think he may have been dancing mid-picture?

On Christmas Eve, we headed over to Grandma Rita and Grandpa Phil's house to open presents and have lunch.  Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jon were in Pennsylvania this year and we missed having them with us but were lucky that they came down to visit a few days before Christmas.  

Hannah, Alec and Kemper.  

Kemper and Alec are so funny together.  There is about a week age difference and even though they only see each other once a year, twice if we're lucky, they play like they're the best of friends!  Aside from when we were opening gifts, we barely saw the boys because they were downstairs playing the whole time.  

A little pre-lunch/present snack.  

The whole family!

Kemper and Alec (Hudson trying to photobomb)

So happy and blessed to have James home with us this Christmas!

Aunt Neci snuck him a sugar cookie....lucky boy!

Grandma and sweet Hudson

Hudson and Sara Beth

Meme and Pops with the boys

Hayes Family 2012

Christmas morning - checking out what Santa brought to MeMe and Pops house

Grandma Peggy with the boys.

Daddy and Kemper on Christmas morning

Love this kid!  He was so excited to open presents.  

Kemper showing off his new talking Woody.  

Hudson made it through breakfast on Christmas morning and then went back down for a nap.  He missed out on most of the present opening but decided a short nap was all he needed and rejoined the party.  Thankfully, Kemper had helped open most of his presents since he was only interested in the empty boxes.

Poor little guy was just all Christmased out.  

Before we headed back to Tennessee, we were able to go visit Ashley, Brian and baby Jack!  It's so fun to see these guys together.  Jack is such a cutie and so sweet.  

I love Jack's face in this picture...it looks like Hudson just told him something completely mind-blowing!  

We had such a great time in Virginia visiting with family and friends.  We are truly blessed (and spoiled)!  

Hudson is 10 months old!

Hudson, you are 10 months old!

This past month flew by...probably because of Christmas and traveling to Virginia but I feel like I just wrote your 9 month post.  Anyhow, at 10 months old, you weigh 21lbs 1oz and are 29in long.  You fell off of the growth curve you had been on through 6 months (probably because you no longer eat every 2 hours and through the night) but the doctor has us keeping an eye on your weight to make sure that you have hit a new curve.  Your 9 month clothes are getting tight and we're working our way into 12 month clothes....9 month pants no longer fit lengthwise (as evidenced by the pants Daddy dressed you in today...you were ready for the rain!).  

You have tapered off in how much you nurse and are averaging 4 to 5 nursing sessions a day.  Some days it's a struggle to get those in because you are always on the go and don't want to slow down.  You are eating breakfast, lunch and dinner and usually get 2 snacks if you're not napping at those times.  You are eating pretty much everything that we eat with the exception of peanut butter.  I still haven't pulled the trigger on that yet but according to your doctor, I can give it a try anytime now!  You still HATE avocado and love anything Italian.  Spaghetti or ziti nights are fun....Mommy learned her lesson giving you leftover spaghetti for lunch though.  That resulted in a mid-day bath which you loved but kind of threw off our entire routine.  

You now have 4 teeth...the bottom 2 middle teeth and 2 on the top that make you look like a vampire!  The upper middle teeth are no where in sight!  It looks like you've got a ton of teeth trying to work their way in which may be the reason that you sometimes don't want to eat much since your gums probably hurt.  Luckily (and I knock on wood as I type this), teething hasn't seemed to disrupt your sleep thus far.  

You go to bed between 6:30 and 7 and usually sleep until 7am.  Occasionally you'll wake up and cry until someone comes to give you a paci (you like to fling them out of the crib at night) or you'll wake up and happily play for an hour or so in your crib before falling back asleep.  While I'd rather be sleeping, it's rather amusing to watch what you do in your bed in the middle of the night.  You'll sit up, turn your crib soother on, clap and dance for a bit, lay down and watch the lights, then sit back up again.  Overall, your sleep has greatly improved and I can't complain too much.  You wake up extremely happy as long as you get to eat right away and get very frustrated if Kemper interrupts you while you're nursing in the morning.  

You have gotten better in the car as long as it's for short trips.  You did better on the way to Virginia for Christmas but not so great on the way back.  Being confined in that seat makes you mad, you would rather be crawling around and playing.  You are crawling FAST now.  You learned how to crawl up the stairs and are pretty pleased with yourself when you get to the top.  You immediately try to go into Kemper's room or the bathroom.  You certainly love baths and get frustrated if you crawl in there and we don't let you take a bath.  The front of the playroom has been "Hudson-proofed" and you work your way around it very well.  Sometimes you play with your toys but most of the time, you go for the toys Kemper has abandoned in your area or try to throw the phone off of the end table.  If there is an electronic device within your sight, you will go after it.  Toy phones and remotes do not fool you.  Your favorite toy is the push walker or a little book that sings songs.  You will tolerate being in the exersaucer for brief periods of time...usually long enough for me to jump in the shower but as soon as I'm out, you start getting antsy and want out.  

You have such a sweet personality.  You still take everything in and are slow to warm up to people but once they earn a smile from you, your whole face lights up.  You love to snuggle with your blanket and will never pass up the chance to rub your face on a soft blanket.  Kemper can always make you smile and you always need to know where he is.  As soon as I put you back in the car after dropping him off at school, you crane your neck trying to find him and usually fuss when you realize he's not in the car.  You love to clap and play Pat A Cake.  You're even beginning to clap and try to roll your hands in the right places.  I don't think walking will be too far off as you're starting to get very brave when cruising around.  Your balance is getting better and falling doesn't deter you.  Once you start walking, we're all in for a rude awakening!  

It's hard to believe that in just 2 months you will be one.  Slow down baby boy.