Eric, Mandi, and Hadley Lewis

6 months later...

2011-06-20T20:44:00.007-05:00

This might be a record...(for the longest between posts!).

Quick recap:

January: snow
February: more snow and lots of ice; sad time when Mema passed away but nice time spent with family; Eric's birthday
March: warmer weather; Karah's birthday in Quanah
April: playing outside; Easter egg hunt
May: hot; Hadley plants a garden; Mandi forgets how to walk and hurts her foot; wedding dress shopping with Karah
June: even hotter; playing in the water to keep cool; quick trip to the ranch

That about does it.

Oh, and here are some pictures. (The real reason some of you want me to update this!) :-)

Snow!

2011-01-10T17:40:00.002-06:00

We have had fun playing in the snow the past two days!

2010 In Review

2010-12-31T13:28:00.019-06:00

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER
(Apparently I didn't take any pictures in September. ??)

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T11:39:00.010-06:00

Opening a present on Christmas Eve - Toy Story movies.

Cookies for Santa!

Our tree, and Santa's presents for Hadley.

"Tanta came!!"

Opening presents.

Merry Christmas from our family!

Christmas Eve 2010

2010-12-24T16:31:00.003-06:00

We are enjoying a fun Christmas at home, just the three of us. So far we have made pumpkin bread, chex mix, Christmas cookies, and white chocolate covered pretzels. Yum! We have watched lots of movies (mostly Hadley's picks) including Stuart Little 1 & 2, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Veggie Tales, and Toy Story (1 & 2). I think Hadley is excited about Santa coming tonight. Hopefully he won't fall off his big boy bed and roll under the bed like he did last night! We are excited to see his face tomorrow morning when he sees what Santa brought him!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T13:32:00.005-06:00

We had a great time in Abilene for Thanksgiving this year. We were there with Tim, Dina, Bailey, Emma, and Seaver; Nanny & Papo; Mema, Poppa, & Aunt Jackie. I am so glad we were able to go for the day and spend time with family. We have so much to be thankful for!

2 Years Old!!

2010-11-18T20:59:00.003-06:00

Dear Hadley,

Can it really be possible that you are already 2 years old? Where has the time gone? You are growing up so quickly and learning new things every day it seems. Sometimes I wish I could keep you little forever, but then I realize I would miss out on all the fun and exciting things you are yet to do. So I will just cherish all the snuggles you give me and love every minute I get to spend with you watching you grow.

I can't even begin to list all the things you are saying now because you pretty much repeat anything we say. Sometimes we have a hard time understanding what you are saying but usually we can figure it out eventually. A couple of my favorites lately are when you tell us how old you are and when you tell us the different animal sounds. But my absolute favorite thing is when you say I love you...melts my heart. You are also singing a lot lately, especially the ABC's, which is also super cute.

There are so many funny things you do, and I wish I were better at writing them all down so I won't forget them. Thank you, sweet boy, for totally changing my life and for brightening every single day. If it's possible I think I love you a little bit more every day.

Hugs & kisses,
Mommy

A Quick Update

2010-11-11T20:27:00.004-06:00

Once again, it's been a long while since my last update (are you really surprised?). Here's the latest (via facebook) from the last several months starting sometime in August:

My child + Elmo = pure joy

Another interview tomorrow for Eric (yea!)...this time at Sam Rayburn HS in the town of Ivanhoe (Go ahead and mapquest it...I had to!).

It's official...Hadley can climb up into his highchair and buckle himself in. Now if he could just fix his own meals first! :-)

We're about to move to a brand new bldg at work & all anyone here can do is complain (today it's the bathrooms at new bldg). Seriously?! Be glad you have a job!

Another first for Hadley occurred tonight - his first black eye. All boy!

Hadley's latest favorite Sesame Street character: Gogo. (That's Grover if you don't speak Hadley.)

Learned tonight that Hadley loves PB&J sandwiches. Who knew!?!

I love being a mom. I love knowing that, sometimes, I am the only one who can comfort Hadley the way he wants and needs.

More job disappointment for Eric. Good grief...will it ever stop!?!

What are we going to do this weekend???

Hadley is watching "mamo" (aka "nemo").

It's after 5:00...I guess we should get Hadley up from his nap. (Tired boy!)

‎9:00 on a Saturday night...think I'll go to bed. That's right - that's the exciting life we lead around here!

Today has been such a fun day with my silly little talkative boy!

Hadley is so much fun to play with right now, is hilarious without even trying, & is starting to carry on little conversations with us. I love it!!

Hadley's newest love: Mega Blocks.

People the NEW building is (almost) done. NO! They can't add doors, move built in cabinets, make your office bigger, or change rr from his to hers. Get over it!

Two good things about today: 1.It's Friday. 2.It's haircut day.

Sweet Hadley, thank you so much for waking up at 5:20 this Saturday morning. It was great to be up that early on the weekend. Love, A Very Sleepy Mommy

This time of year makes me miss teaching.

So glad I still have a few years before I send my baby to school.

Super frustrated about the job situation for Eric.

Hadley has a terrible habit of swallowing food (usually noodles of any type) without chewing them. Result: choking / gagging on said food. Any advise?

Weekend plans: play legos, laundry, watch elmo, grocery shopping, color, clean house, build block towers, cook a couple meals, play in the sprinkler...

My baby boy is growing up. *sniff*sniff*

Frustrated. It's September for goodness sake. C'mon.

Sitting in my recliner; watching tv; looking at the mess of toys in my living room; thinking of everything I need to do; thinking I'm not gonna do any of it.

Friday before a 3-day weekend...c'mon 4:00.

Long weekend - yippee!

Saw a fancy red sports car w/a middle-aged couple broke down on roadsode; funny dialogue / role playing then took place by this couple.

Watching some Texas Tech football!

Lazy day

Tomorrow we (the grown-ups in this house) start back on WW. Maybe we can motivate each other because we have got to do this.

Commonly heard @ our house: no no, sit on your bottom, wild wild elmo, pooh, mine, go mama, night night, uh oh, seat, papa mimi, daddy silly, shoo bug...

My sweet baby is snotty and congested tonight. Yuck! The only good thing about that is he is extra cuddly as a result.

Allergies have attacked everyone in this house. When will the noses stop running, the eyes stop watering, and the stuffiness stop stuffing? Bring on the Zyrtec!

Remembering...9 years ago I was teaching Geometry in Weatherford & we spent all day watching the events play out, starting right after the first plane hit.

I love, love, love to see the pure joy on Hadley's face when he laughs. Not much better.

Today is my Friday! Wooty hooty hoo!

Headed north...

Happy Birthday to my favorite sister and one of my favorite brothers. Happy Birthday Kim and Tim!

At the KC airport with Kim waiting on Stacy's flight. Ready for a fun girl's weekend.

Sure do miss my sweet Hadley!

Small glitch in girl's weekend (involving an 18-wheeler, another car, & us)...what a pain (literally). Now time to forget about that & watch some Tech football.

Headed home...ready to see my boys.

Driving south (toward Texas!) Listening to the Cowboys game. Not a bad Sunday afternoon.

Home again, home again, jiggity jog!

Biggest Loser tonight! Yeah!

These numbers are making my head hurt. (And I don't say that very often about numbers.)

Yeah for Friday tomorrow, and JBF sale this weekend in Sherman.

I'm in the mood for high school football.

Rainy Friday night; working puzzles, reading books, & coloring.

Cut Hadley's hair again tonight, which is no fun at all these days since we introduced the clippers and started buzzing it all off!. But it sure is cute when we're done (if you can overlook the spots we missed).

What a nerd I am! Super excited about my new 10-key printing calculator I just got at work!

And now it's October...and still nothing.

What a great day to be outside. Park this morning, home w/windows open now, and probably back outisde after nap time. Wish it would stay this way!

So not looking forward to going to work tomorrow.

Per Hadley, my new status is "Elmo".

Can we have a do-over on this morning?

Computer crashed today at work. Nice.

Not even 9:00 and I am in bed. Nothing wrong with that.

Going to the pumpkin patch tomorrow.

Pumpkin patch today...maybe not the best idea because someone was not very cooperative or happy. Perhaps getting up at 5:30 this morning had something to do with that (?).

Hadley is so funny about taking medicine. We all take a "turn" before him. But this morning I was already gone so the puppy took my turn for me. Silly boy!

Explaining the difference between "poo poo" and "poot / fart"...something I never thought about doing until I had a toddler. Fun times!

Please pray for Dina (my sister in law) and her family tonight.

Update: Dina's dad passed away around 1:30 this morning. Please remember her whole family right now.

Praying for my sweet sister in law, Dina, today.

Going to the Peanut Festival in Whitesboro today.

How many times is too many in a day to tell your toddler "no"? I feel like I was "mean mommy" all day today.

Headed to Abilene for a couple days.

Home!

Sitting at a complete stop on the hwy for 10 minutes now (and counting); thanks so much foggy skies for starting out my morning like this.

Not sure how much more of this stress I can handle

Follow up dr visit = 5 minutes w/dr (yes I timed it) = $50 copay = 100% irritated Mandi. Really doc is your time that much more valuable than mine?

RANGERS!!

Really Rangers? Take Cliff Lee out of the game!

Well this is not pretty at all.

Why am I still watching this?

Today I am remembering my sweet friend Anita. Can't believe it's been 15 years.

Are.you.kidding.me??

Um, Rangers, do the words "World Series" mean anything to you??

Go AHS Eagles!!

Headed to Zoo Boo with my little cowboy.

Can NOT believe my brother is at the game tonight. (Can you say "jealous"?) Have a great time Sam!

Today I am thankful for Diet Coke (even though Sonic gave me a Dr Pepper this morning instead).

Today I am thankful for the freedoms and rights we have in this country.

Today I am thankful for change (especially quarters). :-)

Today I am thankful for heaters, sticky notes, and Chick-fil-A.

Today I am thankful for possibilities.

Today I am thankful for naps (and hopeful for one today).

Very frustrated at my mommying tonight.

This morning I am thankful that, because of the time change, it is light when I leave the house.

Today Hadley is thankful for Elmo, fruit loops, crayons, blocks, puppies, choo choos, and marshmallows.

Today I am thankful for Bailey, Jordan (Happy Birthday!), Emma, Hunter, Isabel, & Seaver - my terrific nieces and nephews.

Today I am thankful for veterans, especially my Poppa (Jack Hancock) who will be 96 tomorrow. Love you Poppa.

Favorites, Habits, & Cute Things

2010-09-25T19:57:00.006-05:00

The latest favorites, habits, & cute things:

-All things Elmo...This is an ongoing love that includes books, toys, movies (especially Elmo's World: Wild, Wild West), etc.

-Grover...Known as "GoGo" around here.

-Winnie the Pooh...This is a fairly new favorite, and Hadley knows all the characters and what they say/do (i.e. Tigger-boing, boing, boing).

-Choo Choos...This includes any and all choo choos. He likes to see them, ride them, and make the proper noises ("chugga chugga choo choo" and "all aboard").

-Coloring...Also not really a new thing, but we only color Elmo, Pooh, or ChooChoos.

-Food favorites are corn dogs, noodles, peas, ketchup, ranch dressing, black olives, popcorn, marshmallows, and almost any breakfast food (pancakes, eggs, donuts, cinnamon rolls).

-Animal noises...Currently Hadley can tell you what sound many animals make including puppies, cows, kittens, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, fish, turtles, owls, dinosaurs, birds, chickens, roosters, lions, snakes.

-Body parts...A favorite thing is to point out body parts on, not only himself, but on everyone else as well.

-Poo Poo...Yes, I said poo poo. The latest trend is to inform us when he needs to go, leave the room (or go into the corner or behind a chair), then come back and point out where (in his diaper) the poo poo is. While not really the most exciting thing for many people, I see this as a very good and exciting thing as we start thinking more and more about potty training.

-Ride...Hadley loves to go for a "ride" with daddy, which is basically backing the pickup out of the driveway, going down our little road, and then pulling back into the driveway. Of course, Hadley likes it because daddy lets him sit on the middle console in the front. Good times!

-Night Night...Often Hadley "pretends" to go night night in the corner of his room. We find him there, being super quiet, just waiting for us to find him (all while he pretends to snore as well!).

-Go..."Go daddy, go mama!"

-Telephone...Pretending to talk on the phone & carrying on a little conversation.

-Singing & whispering to himself...Most often this takes place in his bed first thing in the morning. Super cute to just listen to him when he doesn't know it!

Water

2010-08-06T19:26:00.004-05:00

This is what we did tonight. Fun!!

Summer Fun

2010-08-01T19:31:00.003-05:00

We found a fun way to spend Saturday mornings this summer, to beat the heat. Wanna' join us?

Happy Birthday PaPa!

2010-07-26T17:37:00.004-05:00

This past weekend we went to Quanah to surprise PaPa Max for his 60th birthday. Hadley & PaPa are buddies (as you can see in the pictures!).

Trying out PaPa's new toy

...and there they go.

Blog Slacker

2010-07-23T21:14:00.005-05:00

Yes, I know, I have been terrible at this blogging thin lately. Sorry (to the 3 or 4 of you who still read this).

My dear friend, Robin, took some picture in June so I thought I would share a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

20 Months!!

2010-07-18T19:21:00.014-05:00

I can't even begin to believe that Hadley is already 20 months old! When did that happen??

I took a little stroll down memory lane today...

November 2008 - 2 days old

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

July 2010

What a fun 20 months we have had!!

Abilene, Interview, Bluebonnets, & Cousins

2010-04-30T20:53:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we went to Abilene because Eric had a job interview in Moran for an ag teaching position. We saw LOTS of bluebonnets on our way so we stopped along the rode to take some pictures. We also got to hang out with the cousins Bailey, Emma, & Seaver. We had a fun weekend.

Puzzles, Playing, Parties, Pounds, & Possibilities

2010-04-16T20:57:00.009-05:00

There's been quite a bit going on here lately.

First, we had a fun Easter weekend. Saturday we went to the Ft. Worth Zoo and enjoyed a beautiful day outside. On Sunday PaPa and GiGi came for the afternoon and watched Hadley hunt lots of eggs.

Lately Hadley has been very interested in working puzzles. He got one for Easter and quickly mastered it, so we found some more for pretty cheap and got them as well. He will sit by himself and work the puzzles for a long time.

Last weekend we went to Starlyn's 2nd birthday party and had a lot of fun. The party was Elmo themed, so of course Hadley enjoyed it! He also enjoy swinging, sliding, and riding in Starlyn's car.

This week has been kind of crazy for our sweet babysitter, so mommy and Hadley got to spend two days home together having fun. Today we even went to the park in Gainesville and rode the train! Then tonight we all played outside for a long time together.

Hadley seems to learn new words every day, and I would really like to try and remember as many of them as possible. The latest one (that I can remember) are: pig, swing (sing), cracker, car, shoes, pea, ball, bowl, Ernie (as in Bert & Ernie).

In other (non-Hadley) news, both Eric and I are doing Weight Watchers. Well, I am actually going to the meetings, but he is doing the points and tracking his food with me. So far I have lost a little over 10 pounds and Eric has lost as well (not sure exactly how much). Hopefully we can both stick with it and reach our goals.

Some not so good news...a couple weeks ago Eric found out that Callisburg, for budget reasons, is downsizing the Ag department next year to one teacher, so he is out of a job after this school year. We were totally shocked to find out that news, as well as very disappointed. We kind of thought this might be where we would settle down and stay a while and raise our family. But now we are looking at moving (again) this summer. Eric has already applied at a few school districts and hopefully we will find just the right fit for our little family.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T19:53:00.007-05:00

Happy Easter from the Lewis family!

The Park

2010-04-02T21:19:00.003-05:00

We had a fun time tonight playing at the Callisburg park after supper. Hadley has been there a couple times with Miss Nola (his babysitter) and it was obvious what his favorite thing was (the yellow school bus!). He went down both slides (small and tall curvy) all by himself! He is becoming such a big boy!

To Remember

2010-03-30T20:37:00.006-05:00

Hadley is growing up way too fast. Every day he is looking more and more like a little boy instead of a baby. While that is exciting, it is also a little sad (for mommy). I want to remember every single thing about what he is like right now, so this post is really more for me, for memory sake.

Right now he is really into Elmo, and has even started saying it (sounds more like "memo"). He doesn't really have a favorite toy, but instead seems to find a new favorite item each day. Some days it's a sippy cup, or a certain book, or even a baby doll (at the babysitter's house). He also doesn't really have a "comfort" item (blanket, toy, etc.) specifically, but he does always need a burp rag (cloth diaper) when he naps or goes to bed. Some of the words he is saying (or trying to say) frequently now are: what's that, daddy, hi, bye, elmo, bite, cup, car, shoes, moo (the sound every animal makes!), and he has his own words that only mommy can understand for bink, burp rag, and book. He give such sweet hugs and kisses, and sometimes blows kisses. The funny thing about the kisses is the way he has to give them to both mommy and daddy each time. If only one of us is present, he always looks around for the other one, waiting to give them a kiss as well. Sometimes he is very friendly to others saying "hi" and "bye" to anyone and anything he sees, and sometimes he plays shy. He has started noticing things outside when we are in the car, especially animals, and will "moo" at them.

As of a couple weeks ago Hadley is completely off a bottle. I worry that he's not getting enough milk now, but we try to get him to drink some in a sippy cup when we can. Bedtime now consists of reading books with mommy, and snuggle time, before laying down to go to sleep. I am so glad that he learned very early on to go to sleep on his own since we have always put him in bed awake. (Note to self: do the same thing with any other kids we might have!)

I am so blessed and so happy to have such a sweet, happy, easy-going boy. Mommy loves you so much my sweet Hadley.

Toys

2010-03-02T20:12:00.004-06:00

This weekend we bought some plastic boxes for toy storage in the living room. So Sunday afternoon Hadley sat in daddy's lap and quietly watched as I sorted through all the toys in the living room and placed them in the boxes. When I finished Hadley looked at me with that sweet, innocent face and smiled as he crawled down out of daddy's lap. He then proceeded to stroll over to the toys and, in a matter of minutes, had done this...

Wonderful. Thanks, Hadley!

Once both plastic boxes were empty, he then decided those were not boxes at all but rather...

HATS!

Oh, silly boy! I love you so much!

Life According to Facebook

2010-02-24T09:45:00.003-06:00

(Starting around the beginning of December.)

Whew...I'm exhausted! Staying home with Hadley is definitely more tiring (and trying) than going to "work" every day!

Snow covering everything at our house this morning...got to work (30 miles away) and absolutely no sign of any snow at all. Hmph...Texas.

Mandi is ready to watch me some NFR starting tomorrow night!

Holy macaroni - it's cold!

Seriously - if you have to keep your coat, scarf, and gloves on INSIDE the office then it's too cold. It's called a heater, people, and it is meant to be used.

Mandi and Eric are snuggled up in our jammies watching night one of the National Finals Rodeo.

Mandi is hoping Abilene High wins tonight and Callisburg wins tomorrow night!

Mandi had such a good time catching up with some 'old' friends tonight.

Hadley got his first haircut today (thanks, April!). It's amazing how just cutting a little bit makes him look more like a little boy instead of a baby.

Mandi and Hadley had a (mostly) fun night; yummy hamburger helper, peas, & yogurt for supper followed by a shared oreo for dessert (which was hilarious), then we played mega-blocks and read books until one of us had a melt down. And now we are both bathed, in our jammies, and one of us is sound asleep. I just love every minute I get to spend with him!

I hope Hadley doesn't wake up with wet jammies (again) tonight.

Mandi is seriously frustrated with work right now. Did I make the right decision taking this job? I feel so under-used here and feel like all my experience & knowledge is completely wasted here. Frustration!

Sure signs that Hadley belongs to us: he loves mac & cheese (like mommy); he has very bad allergies (like daddy); he gets ear infections (like mommy); he likes to read/look at books (like daddy); he has ticklish feet (like mommy); he is hot/warm most all the time (like daddy); he really likes drinking water (like momm...y); he loves any kind of bread (like mommy & daddy).

Our Saturday so far: mommy & Hadley hung out this morning while daddy went and validated more hogs, lunch at Taco Casa, grocery store, and now home where H is napping, daddy is napping, and mommy is doing laundry & periodically checking the score of the Abilene High game

About to watch the final round of the NFR...don't think we are going to make it thru the whole thing without falling asleep. Thanks goodness for the dvr.

Yummy lasagna, peas (Hadley), salad (mommy & daddy), and chocolate chip cookies for supper tonight. Yummo!

Only 5 days and then I get two whole weeks to hang out with my two favorite guys!

I hate it when Hadley cries when I drop him off in the morning.

If you have a minute today please say a prayer for my Mema (Keva) and Eric's Grandma (Mollie) who were both taken to the hospital yesterday.

On the other hand, I love picking H up and seeing his huge smile as he runs towards me as fast as his little legs will go. And I love that as soon as he gets to me he looks around at everyone else and says 'BYE'!

Both grandmas (mine and Eric's) are still in the hospital.

Hair cut/color this afternoon - yea!

Dear Thursday, Please go by quickly so that I can get to important things after work (pedis with the girls!).

Good things about today: it's payday, pedicures after work, and only one more day of work before Christmas break.

Well hello Friday (aka the last day of work for 2 weeks)! I am super glad to see you!

Mandi is rooting for the Abilene High Eagles today!

Today's to do list: grocery store; laundry; clean the house; and somehow get in touch with Santa to make sure he's all set to come to our house!

Grocery store - check; refrigerator/pantry cleaned out - check; laundry started - check; Hadley happy, fed, and almost ready for a nap - check; still to do: cook, bake, and clean house.

Day 1 of cooking brisket - check; all presents wrapped & under the tree - check; Christmas cookie dough done & ready to roll out/cut out/bake tomorrow - check; excited for Santa to come - check!

Making Christmas cookies!

Mandi has had a fun day playing with Hadley, making Christmas cookies, enjoying time with family, and watching it snow. Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!

Mandi is a lucky, blessed girl. We had such a great day; Hadley had fun playing w/his new toys & books, we played in the snow, we enjoyed time w/Nanny & Papo, ate good food, and most importantly I got to talk to Mema & Poppa, my dad, Kim, Tim, and Sam. Such a Merry Christmas!

On our way to Quanah for Christmas-Round 2.

33!!

Driving home...in the snow...not my idea of a good time.

Home again...home again...jiggity jog!

Lots to do today!

Mandi is not ready for my vacation to be over.

Here's a shocker - Hadley has another ear infection.

Happy 2010!!

Our family's goals for 2010: 1. Healthy (& wishfully thin) in 2010; 2. Save more, spend less.

Bleh...back to work tomorrow

I am trying to be thankful today that I have a job (instead of dreading being back at work).

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than youirselves. Philippians 2:3

I would very much like to be known as a "kind" person...but that little word has a huge meaning.

School not cancelled for me or Eric...but I am staying home with Hadley anyway today.

I don't care who you are - anything below 20 degrees is just plain miserable.

I am very sad to be missing my sweet friend Kelly's baby shower tomorrow.

Listening to some fun music and watching Hadley dance - too cute!!

It sure would make going to work a little better if people here didn't ignore all day long. I can count on one hand the number of conversations I have had here in the last week. Yesterday no one said a single thing to me. What's up with that?

I'm ready to go home to my sweet Hadley and see what funny things he'll do tonight, and get some sweet slobbery kisses.

I am trying very hard to make an effort to walk out of my office more and be 'friendly' at work. (Keep reminding me, Eric.)

I wish I didn't like Diet Coke so much!

Hadley weighed 6 lb 7 oz when he was born. What about your kids, mommies?

Thank goodness for spill-proof sippy cups!

It's amazing what you can learn watching Iron Chef America.

Friday! Friday! Friday! (And a 3 day weekend at that!)

In Quanah, getting ready to go to the local stock show later today.

Pancakes for breakfast - yum!

Maybe I'm crazy but I really don't care for pot roast - probably one of my least favorite meals.

I think my little guy is tired - he's laying on the floor "reading" a book and hasn't moved (or turned a page) in a while. Bedtime, anyone?

Hadley got a nice treat tonight - his first taste of Chili's molten chocolate cake - Yum!!

Preparing W-2s out of two different accounting software products (both of which are total junk!)...what a nightmare!

My tummy is growling

Seriously - no nap for Hadley equals ridiculous night for mommy.

Does anyone else's kid ever wake up during the night crying uncontrollably where the only thing that will soothe them is to be held? Hadley does this periodically and we have no idea what the problem is (bad dreams? growing pains? teeth?). Sometimes he goes back to sleep easily but then wakes as soon as we lay him back down and starts crying again. Any ideas??

Fort Worth stock show today

Hadley's newest treat - Nutella

I will be so glad when this week is over.

My wish list for this weekend: Hadley will sleep in tomorrow morning; I will start feeling better; and my house will somehow get clean.

A good day for everyone yesterday...let's repeat that again today.

Seriously...so ready to be done with anything related to W-2s.

Yippee - it's the weekend! Hadley's first week w/the new babysitter was great; Callisburg FFA Parent's Club supper & auction tonight; and date night tomorrow night!

So, so excited for my sweet friend Kelly who's having her baby tomorrow!

I am so excited for my dear friend Kelly as she gives birth to baby Klaire today and becomes a mommy!

Happy BIRTH-day baby Klaire! And congratulations Kelly & Kory!!

Today I'm sad because E is leaving for the rest of the week.

Listening to fun music and dancing and playing with Hadley...almost bathtime...back to the doctor tomorrow (for what I'm afraid is another ear infection!).

No ear infection today - a sinus infection instead. So Amoxycillin it is again.

Dear Hadley - Please sleep all night long tonight. As much as I love you, mommy doesn't really enjoy 4:30 wake up calls from you.

Crazy morning-up at 5 (thanks H), 2 changes of clothes (thanks to the dog & again H), turned around twice b/c I forgot stuff @ home, low fuel light on going to work, and oh yeah snow.

This snow is beautiful (from inside my nice warm house). However, it sure better not keep Eric from getting home tomorrow - we miss him like crazy!

Snow!! No work/school today; making Valentine's cookies for daddy; playing in the snow after nap time (hopefully); and looking forward to our family being all together again!

Eric & I met in August 2005 and were married in July 2006.

If you don't learn to be thoughtful, you end up regretting missed opportunities to demonstrate love. (The Love Dare)

Dear Hadley - I think mommy & daddy have finally figured out why you have been acting so weird this week (you know - waking up at 4 a.m., throwing fits for no reason, not eating things you normally would). Could it be those 2 (or maybe more) little molars we spotted in your mouth tonight while you were crying (screami...ng) about the stickers we took away from you in the bath tub? I think that just might be it!

Callisburg local livestock show tomorrow

Today's to-do list: haircut for Hadley; make a b-day cake for Eric; Callisburg stock show; laundry; play time and nap time for Hadley. So far only accomplished one of those - the haircut, but I did it myself so that's a pretty big accomplishment (just don't inspect it too closely!).

What a great day! Hadley was is such a good mood all day, and was super silly and fun.

I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband and a sweet, loving, silly little boy who loves to give hugs and kisses to mommy & daddy.

Hanging out at home today with Hadley (Hope you feel better soon, Miss Nola!). Maybe I'll get caught up on laundry. But mostly, we will probably just play and enjoy the day.

So not looking forward to the webinar I have to sit through all day today. Bleh!

If there's one thing I can't stand it's rude, accusatory behavior by someone who thinks they know everything. Attention: NO ONE KNOWS EVERYTHING!!!

Headed to Muenster to give E a little supper break from the Cooke county stock show.

Well hello, Friday! Thanks for coming back again.

Paid off two big debts today - that feels good!

Where did the weekend go??

Last night we introduced Hadley to the joy that is girl scout cookies. I think he is a fan!

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.

Apparently I put on my 'Invisible Suit' this morning without realizing it.

Wow - two blog updates in 24 hours - maybe I will get back into the habit.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-03T13:57:00.007-06:00

We had a wonderful holiday season this year. We got to spend time with family and friends. And Santa was very good to all of us!

Updates via Facebook

2009-12-01T12:15:00.006-06:00

Starting back around the beginning of October sometime...

Mandi is home with Hadley again today. Ear infection #4 for him. Thank goodness for Amoxicillin (sp?).

Mandi is back at work today while Eric stays at home with Hadley. I'm ready for my sweet boy to be all better!

It is definitely Hadley's bedtime!!

Dear Hadley- As much as mommy loves rocking and cuddling you, it would be great if we could avoid doing that in the middle of the night tonight. If you do wake up during the night and don't feel good, mommy will come get you, but she would really prefer if that doesn't happen. So, sweet boy, just remember how good it feels to sleep all night long and wake up rested and happy in the morning. Night, night baby.

Well hello, Friday! It's so nice to see you again.

The flu has infiltrated our house.

Mandi just spent over $200 on Tamaflu for the three of us (and it's only preventative for the two big people). This stuff better work or I'm not gonna' be happy!

Hadley appears to have a very mild case of the flu...to watch him play today you wouldn't even know he is sick...and his fever is gone tonight (hopefully for good!).

No more fever...happy/laughing baby...maybe we can get back to normal around here!

Pedi's tonight - yay!!

Oh beautiful sunshine - where are you hiding??

Mandi is in Dallas for a meeting tomorrow - missing my boys.

Mandi is, once again, playing with Hadley while Eric fixes supper...homemade pizzas - yum!

Mandi is exhausted

Mandi is super glad it's Friday!

Mandi is at a pig sale in Vernon.

Happy 11 month birthday, sweet boy...can't believe how quickly you're approaching a year!

Mandi needs diet coke...stat...an IV of it would be great.

seriously?? more rain??

Dear Landlord - Our roof is once again leaking, which means it wasn't actually fixed the last time we told you about it. I would appreciate very much if you would get this taken care of immediately as I don't like when it rains INSIDE my house. In addition, I don't plan on paying my next months rent if this matter is not resolved. Sincerely, Aggrivated (Wet) Tenant

One good thing about my drive home every day is the fall colors on the trees. I love fall.

Well, hello autumn! Thanks for bringing such pretty leaves with you this year. I hope you can stick around for a while.

Mandi is wondering what kind of crazy people run the air conditioner in an office when it's 50 degrees outside. Are you kidding me???

Mandi does not understand why some people are so totally 'in love' with (DOS based) software that is 20 years old, and think it is the best product ever! First of all, it's 2009 people! And second, do you know what a mouse is???

Are you kidding me??? Air conditioner is on AGAIN at work. Seriously? I still have my heavy coat on, little heater is running, and I'm considering covering up with a blanket. This is absolutely ridiculous.

Mandi could not be more tired of this rainy weather.

Mandi is excited to put Hadley in his halloween costume tomorrow - just wish we knew more people we could go see and trick-or-treat (aka show off how cute he looks!).

Mandi and Hadley are still hanging out in our jammies. I love lazy Saturday mornings!

Lazy morning over - now we're on our way to the Pumpkin Patch!

Why is it that my house is never clean and the laundry is never done??

It's so much easier to leave the house at 6:45 when it's light and sunny outside!

3 am??? Really Hadley??

Mandi is feeling a bit irritated right now

I would like a Route 44 diet coke, please.

Today's agenda: meetings all day in Plano. Good times!

Mandi is sitting in a freezing cold room listening to a guy talk about software that I don't even have access to yet. Nice.

Loooong day! So glad I'm taking tomorrow off!

Mandi dropped Hadley off earlier tonight with his Gigi and Papa to spend the weekend (first time to stay at their house w/out mommy & daddy) and I miss him already. But hopefully we can get a lot done around the house tomorrow.

Mandi and Eric spent the day scrubbing, straightening, dusting, sweeping, and mopping, and now we have a spic-and-span house. So as a reward we are going out on a date!

On our way to pick up Hadley!

Mandi had a good weekend and got a lot done, but is happy to be back to our little family of three!

I think I'll skip washing bottles tonight...we have enough to last a couple days w/out washing. I'm feeling lazy and ready for bed when Hadley goes to bed.

Thank goodness for iPods.

Today I am thankful for sweet smiles and slobbery kisses!

Today I am thankful for my Poppa, who turns 95 today. I am thankful for his wisdom, his bear hugs, and the amazing example and influence he has been on my life. I love you, Poppa.

This morning I am thankful for my job and even more thankful I can take days (paid) days off when I want.

I am thankful for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse because it keeps my little munchkin happy while I get ready in the mornings.

I am thankful for birthday parties!! Can't wait until the big party tomorrow for my (soon to be) 1-YEAR OLD!!!

Today I am thankful for yummy and messy birthday cake and icing.

Today I am thankful for naps.

I am thankful for fun, noisey toys that make Hadley laugh out loud. (Ask me tomorrow and I might be more thankful for removeable batteries from those same toys!)

This morning I am thankful for a warm coat to wear in the cold wind.

I am thankful for pictures so I can always remember special days.

I am thankful for memories. I am remembering one year ago today (Nov. 17) when I had my last doctors appointment before Hadley was born. I remember how disgustingly swolen my legs were & how I could barely climb up on the exam table. I was excited and nervous when he said we were going to induce that Wednesday (Nov.19). Little did we know that Hadley had other plans!!

I could not be more thankful today for the gift we were given on this day one year ago. Happy 1st Birthday, my sweet Hadley!! I love you to the moon and back.

Although they were not enjoyable for any of us this morning, I am thankful for immunizations so my baby can keep growing healthy and strong.

Today I am thankful for: Fridays; Diet Coke; hot showers; bottle brushes; boots; pickup trucks; tiny socks; Chick-fil-A; applesauce; red lights....(to be continued)

More thanks for today: adding machines; YoBaby yogurt; napkins; skunk traps (that catch other critters too!); screen savers; crushed ice; Christmas music; sticky notes...

I am also thankful for Target; shopping baskets; not driving in traffic where we live; text messages; Fuddruckers; cruise control; toy trucks; sliced cheese; and toilet paper.

Mandi is thankful that, so far, Hadley seems to really like REAL milk!! My goal: buy NO MORE formula (until Hadley has a little brother or sister).

Mandi is thankful for family.

Today I am thankful for a healthy heart, regulated blood pressure, and the ability to breathe normally - three things I did not have a year ago today, and three things I have learned not to take for granted.

I am thankful for my sister who, a year ago, was staying with my tiny 5-day-old Hadley while I was in the hospital, and taking such good care of him; I knew he was in good hands and I had nothing to worry about. Thanks, Kim.

I am so thankful for the ability to buy gifts for other people - one of my favorite things to do!

Mandi is thankful for days off work...which means more fun time with my boys!!

Today I am so very thankful for my amazing husband who is my best friend and my precious son who fills my heart with love and joy. We have been so blessed this year and I am thankful for every moment I have with them. Happy Thanksgiving.

Mandi is excited to decorate the house for Christmas this weekend!!

Christmas tree is up & decorated; (some) presents are wrapped and under the tree; and today we are all going Christmas shopping. I love this time of year!!

Eric is putting Christmas lights up outside; Hadley is napping (totally off schedule thanks to a terribly rough night last night!); and I am making Chex mix, doing laundry, and enjoying my beautiful Christmas tree inside the warm house.

Dear Hadley - Do you have another ear infection? Is that why you have been so fussy all weekend, and why you had such a rough night last night? Does mommy need to call the doctor tomorrow?

Yep - another ear infection! One more and we will see an ENT and talk about the next step.

Birthday Party

2009-11-21T08:32:00.005-06:00

Mickey Mouse cake and cupcakes (thanks Kelly!)

Happy Birthday Dear Hadley, Happy Birthday to you

Yummy cake!!What a mess!Presents

What a fun day we had!

Happy 1st Birthday, Hadley!!!!

2009-11-17T20:23:00.006-06:00

Happy 1st Birthday, my sweet Hadley!!! You are a big 1 year old today!! It's hard for me to even imagine that daddy and I have had you with us for a whole year. You have been the best gift we could have ever imagined, and we love you more and more every single day.

This year has been absolutely amazing with you. We have had good days and bad days; fun times and not-so-fun times; laughter and tears; heartaches and joys; but through every bit of that our hearts have been overflowing with love for you. Thank you, my sweet boy, for bringing such joy and fulfillment into our lives.

Mommy & Daddy love you so much, and we can't wait to see what the next year with you will have in store for us.

Pumpkin Pat ch and Mickey Mouse

2009-11-01T11:08:00.005-06:00

Saturday we went to a pumpkin patch where we rode on a hayride, took lots of pictures, and got to pick a pumpkin to take home. Hadley wasn't sure what to think at first, but eventually decided it was fun.

Hadley was Mickey Mouse for Halloween. He did NOT like the Mickey Mouse ears at all, but we finally distracted him enough that he forgot about them for a little while.

11 Months

2009-10-18T20:38:00.005-05:00

Hadley,

Today you are 11 months old! I cannot even begin to believe that you are almost a year old. These past 11 months have been absolutely amazing (and tiring), and so much fun! If it's possible, I think I love you more every single day. I can't wait to see your smiling face each morning, and I can't wait to get home every day and see your excited face as you crawl towards me. Your sweet toothy smile and your cute laugh light up a room. And your precious kisses (and "forehead kisses") melt my heart.

Every day you seem to be learning more new things these days. You are now standing on your own, without holding onto anything, and you are getting better and better every day at walking while holding onto things (the table, the wall, our hands, etc.). I am convinced that you will be walking any day now, and while that is exciting, it is also kind of scary at the same time. I guess mommy and daddy need to get busy Hadley-proofing more things in the house!

These days you have two great loves...Mickey Mouse and Murph. The Mickey Mouse thing is not new - you have been a big fan of his for a while now. But one of your new favorite things to do is "play" with Murph through the back door. You will stand there and look for him, and then when he comes, you just laugh and squeal with delight. Someday you two will be best buddies!

You are still a really good eater, and we are trying more and more finger foods in place of pureed foods. While that seems to make you happy, it also makes a huge mess!! But, everything is washable, right!?!

Recently you have discovered lots of things that have buttons for you to press, and you love that! Some of those discoveries include your books and toys, and some of them are things you don't need to be playing with (like the computer keyboard and the dvd player).

You were sick for a week this month with (another) ear infection and the flu. We kept you home for a week, and spent lots of time cuddling with you. Luckily, you got better quickly (your case of the flu was very mild) and returned to your happy self.

Oh, my sweet beetle bug, I love you so much. Thanks for making every day an adventure, and for keeping mommy and daddy on our toes. I love you to the moon and back!

Mommy

My life...according to facebook

2009-10-07T08:53:00.003-05:00

Since I have not been very good about updating lately, here is a quick glimpse into the past month or so via facebook status updates...

Hello Friday afternoon - I've been waiting for you all week!

Tonight's plan: supper, bathe Hadley, bottle for Hadley, put Hadley to bed, and then play some Wii with Eric, Karah, & Doug.

Mandi is looking forward to a day at home tomorrow (laundry, playing with Hadley, making more baby food, etc.)

Last week at NCTC

Mandi has two more days working at NCTC and then I'm back to a school district (yippee!!) - not teaching (by the way).

Mandi is in Wichita Falls today getting my fingerprints done for the new job...you know-make sure I'm not a criminal or anything!

Dear Hadley - Mommy & Daddy got you a surprise at Toys-R-Us today and we can't wait to see your face when we give it to you!

On this day, terrorists attacked my country. On this day, thousands of our citizens were murdered. On this day, I will not forget......

Mandi is starting my new job on Monday (and I promise I'll give more info about it soon)

Mandi had a very productive day...5 loads of laundry, baby food made (green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes), and spent lots of time playing with Hadley. (Oh, and did I mention that Eric was gone all day? So that means I did all that by myself!)

Mandi is starting my new job tomorrow!

Mandi is going back tomorrow for day #2. (In other words, it was a good day.)

Happy 40th Birthday, Kim and Tim!

cough...cough...good grief!

Mandi could really use a Sonic happy hour break right about now.

Sore throat, ears hurt, snuffy nose, headache, coughing...bleh!

Mandi is watching football but the nyquil is kicking in...

Last load of laundry going; steaks cooking on the grill; and a happy baby swinging on the back porch. What a nice life!!

Mandi is listening to Hadley and daddy playing and laughing. Makes my heart happy!

Mandi is not a fan of thunderstorms

I wish I could get over this yuckiness I am feeling (without passing it on to anyone else at home).

Almost bedtime (for everybody in this house!).

Dear Hadley'S Immune System - Please stay strong and keep fighting off all the nasty, mean, sneaky germs swarming around my sweet boy right now. I will be unbelievably thankful if you could comply with this one request. Thanks! Hadley's Mommy

The verdict is in from the doctor...bronchitis...nice.

Family visit to the doctor yesterday. Here are the results: Eric-cough/cold/congestion, Mandi-bronchitis, Hadley-nothing (yet!)

C'mon 4:00 - hurry up and get here!

Mandi is off work and going to get my hair cut - two excellent things!

At home...hanging out with my two favorite people...feeling much better (maybe we have run the germs off!)

Mandi and the boys are messing around in Sherman today - fall clothes shopping for H, Sam's Club, etc.

Went to a JBF sale today (kids consignments) and got 6 longs sleeve knit shirts, 3 long sleeve button up shirts, 2 sweatpants, 5 jeans, 3 sweatshirts, and 3 jackets all for $70! That averages to around $3 an item in case you're wondering. Very nice!!

Mandi and Hadley left the house before 7 - ugh!

Mandi needs to go to bed...but instead I'm on the computer

5:30 is going to come really early in the morning!

yawn It's too early yawn

Mandi left my bagel sitting on the kitchen counter this morning...grrr

Mandi just loves when Hadley is cuddly at bedtime - makes my day!

Mandi is working on bond ammortizations - doesn't that sound like fun??

Mandi is playing with Hadley while Eric fixes supper - nice!

xnrcxud, Tazsb hsg (that's what Hadley has to say)

Just had our first bleeding accident w/Hadley - bumped his mouth on the coffee table...think his little teeth jabbed his gums. Scary (for mommy & daddy) but he's okay now.

Mandi is headed to Frisco for two fun filled days of investment training. Good times

I could watch Hadley for hours while he's sleeping. He has my heart.

Mandi had fun with my boys today at the mall in Frisco...got Hadley's halloween costume, got some work clothes/shoes for M & E, and Hadley rode a carosel for the first time...fun day!

Dear Cleaning Fairies - Please come clean my house this week. I have missed you very much lately and can't seem to get ahold of you, so I am resorting to this very informal, but hopefully effective method of communication. I will gladly bake y...ou cookies or even a meal in exchange for a thorough cleaning. Thanks!

Hello? Cleaning Fairy? You didn't come to my house today. Are you ignoring me???

Mandi is home with a feverish Hadley today

Another ear infection...poor Hadley.

Mandi is home with Hadley again today. Ear infection #4 for him. Thank goodness for Amoxicillin (sp?).

...and now you are up to date! :-)

Lately...

2009-09-30T18:26:00.004-05:00

Things are going as usual around here...busy with work and chasing Hadley around. He is growing and changing every day and we love it!

Messy face! (This is after eating/playing with a biter bisquit - yuck!)

Hadley *hearts* Mickey Mouse!

Swingin'

Somebody please let me go outside!

10 Months

2009-09-18T19:41:00.006-05:00

My Hadley,

Could it really be that you are 10 months old? You are growing up so quickly and I am trying to soak up and remember every single thing you are doing as you grow.

Lately you are busy, busy, busy...crawling (very quickly) everywhere and pulling up on everything. You have even walked your way around the coffee table a few time lately. You try so hard to stand up on your own (without pulling up on anything) and you have done it a few times, but I think it was just luck each time. You like to play chase with me and daddy, and you just laugh and laugh when you catch us or you think we will catch you.

Your laugh is my absolute favorite thing to hear - it just makes my heart melt.

You have become an expert at blowing bubbles/spitting/making noise with your mouth, and you do the cutest thing with your fingers and your mouth (can't really explain it in words and haven't captured it on video yet, but I will keep trying).

Mickey Mouse is still your favorite, and you love anything and everything with Mickey on it. Every time you see any of your Mickey toys or books you give him a big kiss. In fact, you have started kissing lots of your toys, especially the mirrors. So cute!

You are still eating really great, and have become better and better at picking up stuff and actually making it to your mouth (crackers, puffs, etc.). Sometimes I try to give you lots of finger food at meal time just so you can practice picking it up and chewing it. However, YoBaby yogurt is still your favorite (and I think always will be!).

Thanks for making each day an adventure and an absolute joy. It just keeps getting better!

I love you always and forever.
Mommy

New Job

2009-09-13T19:31:00.004-05:00

So tomorrow is a big day...the first day of my new job as the Director of Accounting for Sherman ISD. I am getting more nervous the closer it gets. I am excited about the job and am looking forward to it, I am just not looking forward to being "the new girl" again. Hopefully tomorrow goes well and I like the job as much as I think I will.

To be continued...

Baths

2009-09-01T14:09:00.002-05:00

Hadley has always loved bath time and is so fun to watch splish and splash. Lately he has figured out that smiling for the camera (or for mommy & daddy) is a cute, fun thing to do as well.

Picnic

2009-08-31T08:32:00.002-05:00

Saturday we went to the Eisenhower State Park in Denison and had a picnic - Hadley's very first picnic. And...guess who forgot to take the camera! So there are no pictures from the fun day at the park (sorry Nanny!). But the Burger King (mommy & daddy) and sweet potatoes and cheerios (Hadley) were very yummy, and I think Hadley had a fun time.

9 Months

2009-08-18T14:04:00.011-05:00

Hadley Max,

Today you are 9 months old...9 months!! This age has seemed so far away and so "old", but now here we are. Daddy and I have had you to hold and cuddle and kiss for the same amount of time now as you were in my tummy. That's just crazy to think about.

This past month you, once again, learned lots of new things and seemed to grow and change so much. You are an expert crawler now, and you can get anywhere you want to go. Gone (for the most part) are the days of scooting on your tummy, because you have the hands/knees crawl down. However, you do a bit of a bear crawl sometimes on one foot - super cute! Pulling yourself up to standing is no problem for you at all, and you do it ALL the time. Sometimes it scares us because you seem to have absolutely no fear at all! We have also noticed that you are very trusting, and will lunge off of things or out of our arms trusting someone will catch you. Again - very scary for mommy and daddy!

This is mommy's view of you most of the time lately.

This past month you continued to be a really great eater, and you are now eating even more different things. We finally gave you some meat, and you gobble it up just like everything else. You have gotten' quite a few new fruits lately too. But, your favorite it still YoBaby yogurt; you just devour that stuff! You also really love "puffs" (snacks) as well. We get pretty tickled watching you eat those sometimes. Usually you still want us to put them in your mouth, and you beg like a little baby bird for them. But you did manage to get some in your mouth a couple days ago (maybe just luck - who knows!), so hopefully you will get better at that. We sure give you lots of practice! You are an expert at drinking from a sippy cup, and you always want it. Until this past week all we had given you was water, but we did give you a little watered down juice the other day and your drank it like it was the best thing you had ever tasted!

As far as teeth, you now have three. You got the two on the bottom last month, and this now you also have one on the top. You're not quite sure what to do with those little teeth yet, but I'm sure you'll figure it out soon.

You make the silliest faces sometimes, and I have tried to capture some on the camera. Sometimes you're too quick though, so I'll just have to keep trying.

The latest funny thing you are doing that absolutely cracks me and daddy up is your sudden interest in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on tv. Whenever you hear the music to that, or hear Mickey talking you perk up and just stare at it like it is the most amazing thing you've ever seen. I'm not sure what it is about that show, but you LOVE it! So funny!

Here you are watching Mickey!

You still love bath time and just splash, splash, splash in the tub. We tried taking you swimming in a big pool while we were in Lubbock, but you weren't too sure about that, and you wouldn't let daddy let go of you at all. We even got you a little floaty, but you didn't want anything to do with that. (You do love playing with the box it came in, though!)

I could go on and on about the things you do that make me smile, Hadley. You are the best gift daddy and I could have ever asked for, and we love you more every single day. Keep growing and learning new things. Daddy and I promise to keep teaching you things, and keep doing our best to raise you in a home full of love and laughter.

This is what you do every night when you are supposed to be going to sleep!

Love forever and ever,
Mommy

Our lives lately

2009-08-06T10:21:00.014-05:00

Apparently I have not done the best job lately updating my blog. So I will try and give a (somewhat) brief update on each of us...

Hadley: Hadley is growing and learning new things every day, it seems. He has two teeth and another one (or maybe two) coming in. He has started pulling himself up on everything, which is fun but super scary at times! He can pull up to standing, and is trying to stand on his own without anything to pull himself up on, but just can't quite figure it out completely yet. He still crawls mostly on his tummy, especially if he's in a hurry, but he can crawl on his knees if he wants to. Last week he got to spend a few days with Nanny and Papo, and I know they all had a really fun time. It's hard to believe that he's almost 9 months old - time goes by so quickly! A few things I want to remember that he is doing right now include: always propping his feet up on something (a table, a toy, my leg, whatever); always crossing his legs (usually right over left) when he is in the car seat or just laying in my lap relaxing; his new discovery of spitting/blowing bubbles/making funny noises with his mouth; how much he loves baths; how he peeks at us through the slats in his crib; how he throws his binks out of his crib.

Eric: Eric has spent most of the summer working up at the school either getting ready to, or actually moving into the new ag shop. (There's lots more to the story on the ag shop, but I'll let you ask him about it if you're really interested!) The first part of July he spent a week in Dallas at the State FFA Convention, and then last week he took us all to Lubbock to the state Ag teachers conference. Other than work and work trips he has kept himself busy at home getting things done around the house during his "summer vacation".

Mandi: I have spent the summer working. That's it - just working. (Sounds fun, huh!) I did enjoy my vacation last week in Lubbock at the teachers conference with Eric. We got to enjoy a little time with just the two of us while Hadley was having fun with Nanny and Papo. I have been doing Weight Watchers this summer, and have lost 13.2 pounds so far, so hopefully I can keep that up.

So there you have it - a quick update on our family. And here are a couple videos to entertain you as well!

8 Months

2009-07-19T12:53:00.007-05:00

Sweet Hadley,

8 months!! It seems like I was just writing about you being 7 months old, and now here you are turning another month older. Slow down!!

This past month has been a fun one (mostly) with some new milestones for you. First, you now have 2 teeth! We knew you were probably getting at least one tooth, and one morning we woke up and there they both were, poking through your gums like little weapons. I know you were in a lot of pain for a couple weeks, but I think now you have passed the worst part. We watch every day as a little more of those cute little teeth are visible. No more sweet gummy grins, but now I think your little 2-tooth grin is even cuter! One funny thing about the teething that I don't want to forget is the silly face you have been making where you stick your bottom lip up over your top lip. Daddy and I crack up every time we see you do it!

You also experienced your first July 4th celebration this past month. We had a house full of people that day for you to entertain, including PaPa, GiGi, Aunt Karah, Doug, Mitzi and her dog Raider, Toni and her girls Ashleigh and Kayla, and of course mommy and daddy. You didn't make it for the fireworks (way past your bedtime) but you had a fun day anyway.

You got to celebrate your first Father's Day with daddy this month as well. You have the absolutel best daddy in the whole wide world, and he loves you more than you will ever know!

You got to see lots of mommy's family this month as well when we went to the Hays family reunion in Forsan. I know you enjoyed seeing Mema and Poppa and Nanny and Papo, and they all were so happy to see you as well. Uncle Tim and Aunt Dina let us stay at their house for a couple nights, and you got to play with Bailey and Emma and meet your newest cousin, Seaver.

These past eight months have been so much fun, and I can't believe how quickly you are growing and learning new things. You have totally mastered the scooting/army crawl thing and I'm sure it's only a matter of days before you figure out how to crawl on your knees. You try it all the time so we are just waiting for you to take off! I had to lower your crib mattress this month because you are starting to pull yourself up on everything! You have also mastered the laying down to sitting up thing, and you are so proud of yourself every time you do it. The steps in our house have presented you with somewhat of a challenge, but you try your hardest to climb up them. We haven't let you do it completely by yourself yet, but I'm sure you probably could if we let you. Going down in another story though! You also love bath time these days. You love to play with toys in the tub and splash, splash, splash!

Hadley, mommy and daddy love you so much. Thanks for making our lives so much fun.

Family Pictures

2009-07-17T12:24:00.006-05:00

My sweet friend, Robin, took some amazing pictures of Hadley and our family a couple weeks ago. I am so lucky to have such a talented friend. Thanks, Robin!

I tried to just pick my favorites, but ended up putting quite a few on here - couldn't decided on just a couple!

Update in pictures

2009-07-06T15:55:00.010-05:00

I'm a little behind on here, so I thought pictures would be the best way to update (since that's what you all really want to see anyway!)

My brave little crawler...we find him in new spots every day!

Totally asleep - like a limp rag-doll

Pool time with daddy

Kisses from Murph (gross!)

Nap time (this is a typical position - face pressed up against the bumper)

Bath time in the big bathtub!

Cute little floating head!

Surprise!

So cute in Daddy's hat

Hi - Happy 4th of July!

All this holiday fun (and picture taking) has worn me out!

Fun times

2009-06-25T11:56:00.003-05:00

Our day at the park...

Father's Day 2009

2009-06-23T08:25:00.003-05:00

Happy Father's Day to the best daddy Hadley could ever have. Thanks, Eric, for loving Hadley (and mommy) like you do.

Eating and Reading

2009-06-19T14:49:00.003-05:00

A couple videos to tide everyone over through the weekend...

7 Months

2009-06-18T09:21:00.022-05:00

My Hadley,

My, oh my! You are 7 months old today! And you are growing up and changing every day, it seems.

This past month was filled with new things for you - new tricks, new foods, new toys, new adventures.

The first big thing you started this month was eating solid foods! We waited as long as we could before we gave you anything but formula, but we finally decided (since you were grabbing at anything we put into our mouths) that you were ready for some food. And you love it! So far you have had rice cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes, squash, yogurt (Yo Baby), applesauce, peaches, carrots, and pears. So far your favorite seems to be the rice cereal. I have decided to make some of your baby food so it is healthier and cheaper, and so far I have made sweet potatoes, squash, and applesauce. This eating food thing has also helped us get on a really good schedule both at home and at daycare.

As of sometime during this past month you are now MOBILE!!! That's right - you are crawling (or rather scooting) everywhere these days. It kind of looks like a mix between an army crawl and an inch worm. Super cute!! You are beginning to get braver and more adventurous lately as well. At first you just stayed on the rug in one little area, but you have discovered the tile floor in the living room and I think you like it. It won't be long until you are following us all over the house.

You are also sitting up on your own (most of the time). Sometimes you get a little excited and topple over, but you are getting better and stronger every day!

This past week you got a new "toy"...a little swimming pool for the backyard. We have tried it out a couple times and will probably spend a lot of time there this summer. You're not quite sure what to think about it yet, but you definitely like being outside (no matter what you're doing), and you like watching (and trying to pet) Murph.

Earlier this week we took you to the park for the first time and you got to swing (which was lots of fun!) and slide with me. I'm sure in the years to come we will spend lots of time at the park as well.

The only negative thing about this past month is that you were sick (again) for a portion of it. Originally the doctor said you had allergies so he put you on Zyrtec. But after several days on that you were getting worse (stuffy nose, coughing, fever) so we went back to the doctor. That time he said you had some kind of bug (possibly brought on by the allergies) and he gave you an antibiotic (your third in four months) and some cough medicine. That was a couple weeks ago and you are still coughing some and your nose is still stuffy sometimes. Hopefully you will get completely over this stuff very soon.

I think the stage you are at right now might be my favorite so far. You are so much fun, you love to play with me and daddy, and you laugh and smile all the time. Your little personalitiy is starting to really show and it seems like you are a lot like daddy - laid back and pretty easy going.

I love, love, love being your mommy, Hadley! Thanks for being my sweet boy!

Love,

Mommy

Misc Pictures

2009-06-12T13:08:00.007-05:00

Here's some fun pictures of me!

Love,

Hadley

Aunt Karah sent me this shirt!

Look, me and daddy match today

Mmmm...squash

Sometimes a boy's gotta take a little power nap

Drinking from a sippy cup like a big boy

Can you find me?

I love bathtime!

New toy

2009-06-10T13:17:00.003-05:00

...for mommy & daddy that is...we got a Flip camcorder this past weekend so we are going video crazy at our house now. I'll try not to bore you with too many videos of him doing the same things, but how can you resist such a cutie!

Play Time

2009-06-10T08:59:00.002-05:00

Hadley was cracking us up last night while he was playing.

Allergies

2009-06-05T10:15:00.003-05:00

Hadley has been full of snot (literally) lately due to allergies. Yuck! This entire week has been a blur of runny noses, coughing, yucky eye boogers, and not much sleep. We are all ready for this to clear up!

I'm ready for this smiley, laughing boy to be back!

My Happy Boy

2009-06-02T08:28:00.005-05:00

Hadley is so much fun these days. He is trying to crawl and actually does a pretty good job of it sometimes (more like an army crawl or an inch worm but super cute!). He is very happy most of the time, especially if someone is down on the floor playing with him.

A Day in the Life

2009-06-01T10:39:00.007-05:00

Here's what Hadley did yesterday...

First he played in his jammies for a while

After breakfast he played in just his diaper

In the afternoon he crawled (scooted) everywhere playing

This table is in my way...maybe I can move it with my feet

I think I can fit under this couch Mommy, you need to clean under here!

Chillin' in my highchair...mmmm these fingers taste yummy!
...and soon after all this excitement it was time for bed.

Playing

2009-05-27T08:47:00.003-05:00

Just for fun, here's a glimpse of what our lives sound like right now...

Food!

2009-05-26T11:05:00.005-05:00

We finally decided to start Hadley on some solid food, and he LOVES it! So far we have just had rice cereal and bananas. Tomorrow we will try something new, probably avocados. Good stuff!

Full tummy = nap time!
Daddy's turn
Yummy!

Time for another nap!

Doctors, kittens, and grandmas

2009-05-20T08:27:00.004-05:00

Doctors:

Yesterday was Hadley's 6 month visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, that meant more shots. He is very healthy, and is growing just like he should be. However, I think he remembered what happened last time we laid him down on the table with the crinkly paper, because he totally freaked out every time I laid him down on that yesterday. It was lots of fun (note the sarcasm). Here are his stats:

Weight: 16 pounds 6 ounces (about 50th percentile)

Height: 27 inches (about 50th percentile)

Head: 44.5 cm (about 75th percentile)

All of his measurements are pretty much right where they have been every time so far, so it appears as though he is growing very proportionately. And the best part of the visit...no more shots for six months!

Kittens:

This part of the post is very sad (just warning you). This morning when we were all leaving to head to work we had a little accident. When I started my car we all heard the most horrific noise (coming from my engine) so I quickly cut the engine back off. Eric was getting into his truck at the time and obviously heard the racket and came shooting around the front of his truck to see what happened. That's when he saw it and looked up at me with a pretty terrible look. One of our kittens (about 2 months old) was apparently in my engine when I started the car, resulting in the horrific noise mentioned above. At this point all we could hear was the poor kitten crying and meowing as loud as possible because she was in so much pain. Eric told me to go on because he was going to have to shoot her. I couldn't bear to watch, and he didn't want me to watch so I backed up and drove away, and as I did I heard two shots as he (mercifully) put her out of her misery. Although all of our cats are just barn cats, there to catch critters, it was still very sad to see, and I feel terrible about it. Not a good start to the day!

Grandmas:

I decided this post needed something happy to end on, so in honor of Mother's Day (yes, I know it was a week and a half ago) here's Hadley with his grandmas and great-grandmas who love him so much.

Nanny (Mandi's mom)

GiGi (Eric's mom)Mema (Mandi's grandma)
Grandma Molly (Eric's grandma)

6 Months

2009-05-19T08:08:00.007-05:00

Hadley,

1/2 a year! Can you believe it?? It doesn't seem possible that you are already 6 months old. I know I say this every single month, but I just can't believe how quickly you are growing.

This past month, thanks to you, I celebrated my first Mother's Day as a mommy. I couldn't ask for a better gift than being your mommy. I love being your mommy, and every day I am reminded how thankful I am that you are my baby.

"I'll love you forever; I'll like you for always; As long as I'm living my baby you'll be."

You are learning so many new things these days and you are so much fun. You have recently discovered what a great range your vocal chords have, and you love to demonstrate that to us. You squeal with delight, you shriek with both pleasure and disgust, and you blabber on and on sometimes telling us all about what's on your mind. The only (somewhat) word you seem to say right now is "baa", but I'm hopeful that very soon that might turn into "ma"...we'll see!

You still love playing "super baby" with daddy, but you seem to be quite a bit more attached to me these days than to daddy. You don't like for me to leave the room you are in and you usually would rather me hold you than daddy if you have the option. You have started reaching out for people (which I love!) to pick you up and it is super cute! You like to lay on the floor and play, but usually you prefer for someone to be down on the floor with you. We have learned, however, that it doesn't matter where we lay you on the floor, because you will always roll over/rotate/flip until you have half your body under the coffee table. Silly boy!

At night you usually sleep pretty well. You go to bed between 8:30 and 9:00, and you sleep until about 6:00. Most nights we don't hear you at all during the night, but sometimes (around 4:30) you wake up and need your paci. The funny thing is, all we do is pop that paci in your mouth and you are instantly asleep again. You usually sleep kind of on your side, but sometimes you roll over and sleep on your tummy. That's okay, except it tends to lead to diaper accidents resulting in wet jammies and sheet.

We still haven't started you on any food, and you seem pretty okay with that. However, lately you have become very interested in anything we put in our mouths, so I'm thinking we might be getting close to starting you on some food. In fact, we might try some this weekend. (Get ready for some messy pictures!)

Today you have your 6 month visit to the doctor, where you will get more shots (sorry!). I really don't look forward to these visits because I don't like watching you get poked. (I sure wish daddy would handle these sometimes!) But, on a happy note, we will get to find out how much you have grown!

These last six months have been absolutely amazing, tiring, fulfilling, frustrating, exciting, happy, exhausting, busy, fun, and the best six months ever. I love you, sweet boy, and I can't wait to see what you teach me next!

Love,

Mommy

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-18T09:09:00.006-05:00

So I'm a little late in posting about Mother's Day, but what's new!

My first Mother's Day as a mommy was wonderful. My boys made sure I felt special all week leading up to Sunday. They sent me some very pretty flowers at work, and then gave me several sweet gifts. They gave me a poster with pictures of Hadley, a Bible cover, a "mommy" book, a necklace with Hadley's picture on it, a day-by-day calendar, and a devotional book that Eric and I are doing together. We spent Saturday and Sunday in Quanah at GiGi and PaPa Max's house. Overall, a very nice Mother's Day. Thanks Eric and Hadley - I love you both very much!

Flat Stanley

2009-05-07T08:29:00.004-05:00

I guess I should explain who Flat Stanley is, and why he is currently at our house...

A couple weeks ago Emma sent me a letter she had written at school along with Flat Stanley. Her 2nd grade class had just read a book about a boy named Stanley who was smashed flat when a bulletin board fell on him. Each student in Emma's class then made a Flat Stanley, wrote a letter, and sent their Flat Stanley to someone for a few weeks. While he is with us we are supposed to take pictures of him at our work, in our home, and places that we go. And in a couple weeks I will write a letter to Emma telling her about our adventures and send the letter, pictures from his visit, and Flat Stanley back to her.

So there you go - a brief explanation of Flat Stanley (or the "flat man" or "Flat Fred" as some refer to him).

Dallas

2009-05-04T11:42:00.003-05:00

A week ago we went to Dallas to visit Eric's Aunt Sue. Here are a few pictures from that weekend.

Flat Stanley went with us, of course.

Hangin' with daddy...has anyone seen my other sock?

Aunt Sue

Back at home

I love, love, love sleeping pictures...the positions crack me up!

Hadley's new friend

2009-04-30T11:06:00.007-05:00

Getting ready to take a bath

My new hat
Flat Stanley is visiting us for a while. (Thanks, Emma!)
Hang on, Flat Stanley!

Flat Stanley's first night at our house

Friday

2009-04-24T10:20:00.004-05:00

Happy Friday! How about some more pictures!!

Helping mommy in the kitchen

Just playin'
Tummy time

Just some pictures

2009-04-22T09:28:00.002-05:00

5 Months

2009-04-18T20:38:00.005-05:00

My sweet Hadley boy...

5 months!!! Has it really been that long?!? You are getting so big and changing so much every day. Daddy said just a few minutes ago, "he's growing up way too fast!" and I couldn't agree more. It seems like every day you do something new that we haven't seen before. Yesterday, for example, was a big day because you finally rolled over! Well, okay, you've actually been rolling over for a couple weeks, but no one ever actually witnessed it until yesterday when daddy and I both saw you do it. We were so excited!! And since then you have showed us your new trick over and over.

You talk all the time, but your favorite time to jabber seems to be when we are in a public place like a restaurant, or church, or some other place where your cute, but loud, voice is not necessarily appropriate. Oh well...we'll work on it.

We haven't started you on food yet because you seem to still be satisfied with just your formula. Maybe sometime in the next month we will start on some cereal. That should be fun, and will surely result in some cute pictures!

This past month we moved you into your own room to sleep in your crib. I don't really know why we waited so long, because (for the most part) it has gone really well. Some nights you wake up more than others, but you can usually put yourself back to sleep. We got you a cute mobile to look at while you lay in bed and I think you really like it.

You did get sick again this month with a slight ear infection and sinus infection, but I think they are just about cleared up thanks to our friend, amoxicillin. Other than a runny, snotty nose and a little cough you seem lots better.

Your favorite things to do include: playing "super baby" with daddy, playing in your exer-saucer, laying on your tummy and kicking your legs, looking in the mirror at yourself, and going outside with daddy to play with Murph. You are still full of smiles, and greet us with one almost every morning when we get you out of bed. What a great way to start the morning!

I can't believe how lucky daddy and I are to get to spend every day with you. We love you so very much sweet boy!

Mommy

A Birthday Party and Easter Eggs

2009-04-17T11:17:00.009-05:00

Last Saturday Hadley participated in two firsts...his first birthday party and his first Easter egg hunt. We went to the 1st birthday party of Starlyn (Eric's teaching partner's little girl) where they had both a birthday as well as an egg hunt. Lots of fun! Hadley was feeling kind of "blah" all last weekend, so we didn't get many smiles. Turns out, he had the beginnings of both an ear infection and a sinus infection. He's on anitbiotics and cough medicine now so hopefully he's on the mend.

Oh, just a little FYI...at his four month checkup on March 24 Hadley weighed 13 pounds 15 ounces, and this past Monday (3 weeks later) he weighed 14 pounds 10.5 ounces. I'm thinking he's eating well!! But, he's also getting longer, so we'll blame some of the weight gain on that.

Look mommy, there's an egg!

That's not an egg...it looks like a baseball

This egg hunting thing is hard work, mommy

The birthday girl hunting for eggs

Hadley's future girlfriend???

Happy 1st Birthday, Starlyn!

Yea for Starlyn!

Yummy cake!

All partied out

Say cheese

2009-04-09T19:38:00.005-05:00

Hadley has been sleeping in his crib in his room for a week now. I know, I know...it's about time. But we did finally make the move, and it has actually been a fairly smooth, easy transition. The first night was really the only "challenge" so I consider that a huge success.

For a couple months now I have been trying to capture Hadley's huge gummy grin on camera. However, he seems to know that this has been my goal and he has just been playing a game with me. He just smiles and smiles until I pick up the camera to take a picture, and then...nothing...just a blank stare. However, I was persistent the other night and here are the results...

A cute smile...but not the huge grin I'm trying to get...

Still trying...make sillier faces mommy!Why are you acting so silly, mommy?
Maybe if daddy plays along too...

And then finally...after much silliness on both mommy and daddy's part...

SUCCESS...here's my super happy baby!!

Busy Boy

2009-04-01T21:03:00.006-05:00

Last night Hadley...

Played in his exercauser

Stretched out on the floor and played
Played with his toes
Played on his tummy

And bounced in his bouncy chair

...and all that was before he took and nap, had his nightly bottle, and went to bed. What a busy evening he had!

New toy, New pictures

2009-03-28T21:32:00.005-05:00

Mommy and Daddy got me this super fun new toy last weekend. It makes lots of fun noises and songs, and there are lots of bright things to look at and play with. I know I am going to spend many hours playing with this!

Here are my 4 month pictures (a little late).

I am determined to ride this silly pig!

Super Baby!!

Shots, Thumbs, and other Things

2009-03-27T08:52:00.006-05:00

So I'm a little behind in posting a few things. First, Hadley turned 4 months a week ago and we didn't take his monthly "teddy bear" pictures until this week. And even with that, I am still not posting them here because they are on my camera at home and I am at work (that's right...I'm updating this at work!). So I will try and get those on here sometime in the next few days.

Hadley has started doing some pretty cute things lately. He has been sucking on his hands for quite a while, but just in the past week he has found his thumb and can now find it (always the left one) every time. Although I don't know that thumb-sucking is the best habit for him for start, it's just so cute and at this point it is just as soothing to him as a pacifier but better because it's always there with him!

He's not rolling over yet, but I really don't think it will be much longer. Last night I had him propped up on a pillow on our bed while I was starting a load of laundry and when I turned back around to him he was not propped up on the pillow but instead laying on his tummy in front of the pillow. Since I had missed whatever he had done to get into that position I decided to try propping him up again to see if he would repeat the same thing. Luckily, he did it again (over and over since I kept propping him back up). The process was this: I would sit him / prop him up against the pillow, then he would leeeeeean forward as far as he could before he just toppled over forward and ended up on his tummy. Super cute! A couple times he tried really hard to get back over onto his back once he was on his tummy but he just can't quite make it yet...soon!

Tuesday of this week Hadley had his 4-month checkup and shots at the doctor's. He did pretty well with the shots - still cried but only for a couple minutes. I thought this time around was much better than the 2-month shot experience (or maybe I was just more prepared!). The doctor said he looks good, his ears (which I asked him to check since we hadn't been back since the ear infection several weeks ago) looked good, his heart sounds great, and overall he is a thriving, healthy boy. Here are the stats:

Weight: 13 pounds 15 ounces

Height: 25 1/4 inches

Head: 42 1/2 cm(?)

He is still right around the 50th percentile in both weight and height, and his head size is a little under the 75th percentile. All of that is right where he was at 2 months, so I guess he is growing pretty proportionally. Overall, a very successful doctor visit.

This afternoon Hadley and I are going with Eric and Gary (his teaching partner) with a group of their students to College Station. We just decided that instead of spending tonight and all day tomorrow alone we should just tag along on the trip. So, off we go!

After putting these pictures on here I now realize just how far behind I am with the pictures. Hopefully I can get caught up this weekend and post some from this week (before another couple weeks pass by!)

Home

2009-03-21T21:59:00.001-05:00

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jog!!

Hadley and I are both very happy to be home and sleeping in our own beds tonight. We had such a great time seeing friends and family this week, but there's nothing like being home with daddy!

Day 7

2009-03-20T22:31:00.006-05:00

We spent today at Sam, Stacy, and Isabel's for our final full day of Spring Break Tour 2009. This morning we just played and took our time getting ready. Then we went with Stacy and Isabel to Lubbock where we piddled around and had lunch. This evening we went to supper with Sam and then came back and played some more. After Hadley went to bed Sam and I played Guitar Hero (and I am absolutely horrible at it...but rest assured that I would get better with practice!).

Tomorrow we will head home and we are both REALLY ready to get home! We have had fun, but we have missed daddy terribly and can't wait to see him!

Day 6

2009-03-19T22:11:00.008-05:00

This morning we left Nanny & Papo's and headed east. We met my sweet friend, Kelly (and her husband Kory) for lunch in Lubbock. From there we went to Levelland to see Uncle Sam, Aunt Stacy, and Isabel. We spent the afternoon playing with them and having a fun time.

Hi Kelly! I'm so glad I finally got to meet you!

Look - I found my thumb!

Kory, Kelly, & Hadley

Mommy - look at this cool tool! I need one of these at home.

Kisses from Isabel

Day 5

2009-03-18T23:10:00.005-05:00

We spent all day today at Nanny and Papo's house playing, reading books, napping, singing, and just having a relaxing day.

4 Months Old

2009-03-18T22:42:00.006-05:00

Dear Hadley,

Today you turned 4 months old! Wow - I can hardly believe it's already been that long. I can't remember what it was like before you were here. Mommy and daddy have never been happier. You are absolutely what we get out of bed for every day.

Right now you are smiling all the time (especially at daddy!) and you even giggle sometimes (again - mostly for daddy!). You really have the sweetest personality most of the time. We are very lucky that you are such a happy baby. You like to talk to us, especially in the morning or if someone is talking back to you.

You love your stuffed sea-horse that lights up and sings to you - sometimes you give it hugs and kisses. Your favorite toys right now are probably your hands and your feet. You like to suck on and lick your hands, though you haven't quite found your thumbs yet. And just last week you discovered your toes and feet, and you seem absolutely amazed by them. Whenever possible you like to grab your toes, or your socks, and hang on to them. It's so amazing watching you discover new things.

You haven't rolled over yet, but I think it won't be much longer until you do. You like to lay on your tummy (sometimes) and when you do you hold your head up so well. You are getting really strong!

You really like baths if the water is just the right temperature. We bathe you in the kitchen sink because we decided it is the perfect place for someone your size. Bath time is still a two person job, but that's okay because mommy and daddy like that time together with you.

You love, love, love your daddy! I think he is already your best friend! You like to play "super baby" with him, and sometimes you play (Play Station) football with him too.

One of my favorite things every day is when you wake up in the morning and just smile at us. I can't think of a better way to start each day!

Happy 4 Month Birthday, sweet boy. Mommy and Daddy love you more every single day.

Day 4

2009-03-17T21:21:00.005-05:00

This morning we said goodbye to Uncle Tim, Aunt Dina, Bailey, and Emma and headed north to Tatum, New Mexico to see Nanny and Papo. Hadley, once again, slept most of the trip, except when he woke up hungry. Luckily, he's a really good traveler! We had a pretty uneventful afternoon and evening playing with Nanny and Papo, reading books, and taking several naps. Hadley has been kind of fussy this afternoon, which is unusual for him, so I'm hoping he's just tired from the past few days.

Day 3

2009-03-16T20:56:00.016-05:00

Today was a very special (and busy) day for Hadley. We started out this morning with a visit at the AISD Administration building. We got to see and visit with lots of people I used to work with. Hadley got lots more kisses and hugs and lovin' while we were there.

Ann, Melissa, Nancy

Misty

Carole

Linda

Cindy

Sandy

After that we met Mema, Poppa, and Aunt Jackie at the beauty shop where Mema was getting her hair fixed. This was probably the highlite of the week for me because I have been so excited for them to meet Hadley (They are his great grandparents.) . Mema and Poppa are so special to me and it meant a lot for them to finally see Hadley.

This afternoon we met April and Marcella at the Abilene Zoo and made a quick trip through the zoo. Hadley was terribly excited about the whole thing (as you can tell from the pictures)! After the zoo we visited for a while and watched Marcella and Hadley play.

It was hot...we were trying to keep cool with the bandana!

Marcella...places to go...animals to see!

Can you tell Hadley really enjoyed his first trip to the zoo!?!

Day 3 has been my favorite day so far...

Day 2

2009-03-15T21:24:00.007-05:00

Spring Break: Day 2 has been another fun day. We started out this morning going to church at FBC where we got to see lots of "old" friends. Hadley got lots of hugs and lovin' from people who have known me since I was a little girl.

After church we went to lunch at Sharon Allen's BBQ (yum!) with Tim, Dina, Bailey, & Emma. I have sure missed eating there (especially the potato salad!).

This afternoon we just hung out, played a lot, and took a couple power naps (Hadley, not me!). This evening Grandpa Tom (my dad) and Pete came over for a while for burgers and to visit.

Aunt Dina and Bailey and Emma helped give Hadley a bath tonight and now it's bedtime.

...another good day for everyone...

Mandi & Hadley's Spring Break Tour 2009: Day 1

2009-03-14T21:38:00.010-05:00

Today Hadley and Momma hit the road for our Spring Break Tour 2009. We got a little later start than we planned, and Hadley slept all the way, but we made it to Abilene and had a fun evening with Tim, Dina, Bailey, and Emma. Momma saw her good friend, April, who did her hair before we went out to eat at Zoochini's.

I tried to help Momma get things ready this morning...first we did laundry.

Then I helped make the bed. (I was gonna' help pack, but I got tired and needed a nap!)

Here I am with my Aunt Dina. (My baby boy cousin is in her tummy!)

I hung out with my Uncle Tim a lot tonight. He is fun (but has scratchy whiskers!)

My cousin, Emma is fun to play with and makes me smile!

My cousin, Bailey played with me and held me too.

Momma's friend, April fixed her hair pretty, and then we ate supper together.

And here's me and Momma at the end of the day. Day 1 was a fun day!

An Interesting 24 Hours

2009-03-11T12:42:00.007-05:00

The past 24 hours have been filled with "wetness" where Hadley is concerned, and I'm writing about it because someday all of these things will be funny. (Some are already, but others...not so much yet.)

When I picked Hadley up from the sitter's yesterday he was in a different outfit than when I had dropped him off that morning. Now, for some babies, this is not an unusual concept, but for Hadley that was only maybe the second time he had an "accident." Miss April said during his nap his diaper leaked quite a bit and his entire front side was soaking wet when she picked him up. Luckily I had stuck an extra onesie in his bag long ago so he had something to wear the rest of the day. (I say luckily because of the "mom of the year" stunt I pulled later in the day!)

Next event (this is the "mom of the year" stunt referred to above): Last night Eric, Hadley and I went out to eat at The Smokehouse in Lindsay and as we were getting Hadley out of the car I realized that I (super mom) had not brought a single thing for the child...no diapers, no wipes, no burp/snot rag, no bink...nothing! Way to be prepared, Mandi! You would think this was our first time to take our child out in public, but no...just me having a complete "what? I'm a mom? My child requires supplies to leave the house?" moment! Luckily, we made it through supper and even made a quick trip to Walmart without any incidences requiring the above mentioned forgotten items. Oh...forgot to mention that all of the above happened after I made one trip back into the house during the leaving process for something else I forgot. Nice!

Later last night (and this one is pretty funny), Eric took Hadley outside for a little while since it was so nice. He later came back in to tell mommy that Murph (our dog) had licked Hadley from his toes to his nose. I'm not sure if he smelled the restaurant on him, or just wanted to know what "baby" tasted like, but Hadley didn't seem phased a bit by it. Good thing since I'm sure there will be much "licking" in the years to come!

Now here's the one that was not funny at the time and is still not really that funny to me. (Maybe someday it will be.) Hadley has been sleeping between 8-10 hours almost every night for several weeks now (very nice, by the way). But last night he decided to wake up at 2:30. I really think it was the wind and rain that woke him up, and I think he would have gone back to sleep if we had left him alone. But...we're not that smart. So once he saw us, the crying began and there was really no consoling him at that point. So (against my better judgement) we fixed him a bottle and I sat down to feed him. He seemed to devour the bottle in very little time, but I decided I had just dozed off while he was eating so the time seemed to go by faster. No...not the case. When I sat him up to burp him I realized the burp rag that was laying on his chest was soaking wet, as was his night-shirt (front and back), as well as the entire front of my shirt. What in the world? Turns out, the lid on the bottle was screwed on crooked and the milk had just been pouring out of it rather than going down the desired hole (Hadley's mouth). At that point both Hadley and I were unhappy, wet, tired, and needed a change of clothes. The rest of this story is not really important, but it did make for a not-so-restful night. Note to self (and to Eric): always make sure the lids to bottles are screwed on straight and tight unless you want this episode to be repeated.

Here's the best super-mom thing about all of this...Hadley didn't get a bath before, during, or after any of these events took place. Wow...I'm doing good!

Sweet Memories (and some old pics)

2009-03-08T22:04:00.004-05:00

I just want to always remember how cute Hadley is at this stage. He is talking and smiling all the time these days and it is absolutely the cutest and funniest thing ever. He just talks and talks like he has so much to tell us. Sometimes it even sounds like he's saying "mama" and "uh-oh." (I have witnesses to that so I'm not just making it up!) One night last week he giggled for the first time, and we have heard it a couple times since then. Eric and I try and try to get him to do it again, but I think he's saving most of his giggles for a little later.

These pictures are from Thanksgiving when Hadley was just a little over a week old, but they are wonderful pictures.

Texas Tech

2009-02-28T17:29:00.002-06:00

Our little red raider fan.

Ear Infection #1

2009-02-25T17:29:00.006-06:00

Well, Hadley got his first ear infection this week. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come!

Can you tell I don't feel that great...no smiles today!

Still no smiles. (Hey...who stole my other sock?!?)

Hanging out at home with mommy
Starting to feel a little better, but still no smiles
And here is what the past couple days have consisted of...

3 Months

2009-02-18T20:27:00.005-06:00

I can't believe my little Hadley is already three months old! Here are the monthly pictures to see how much he is growing. He is getting quite a bit more squirmy so we didn't really get a good one, but I figure more pictures are better anyway!

Eric, Mandi, and Hadley Lewis

6 months later...

Snow!

2010 In Review

Christmas 2010

Christmas Eve 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

2 Years Old!!

A Quick Update

Favorites, Habits, & Cute Things

Water

Summer Fun

Happy Birthday PaPa!

Blog Slacker

20 Months!!

Abilene, Interview, Bluebonnets, & Cousins

Puzzles, Playing, Parties, Pounds, & Possibilities

Happy Easter

The Park

To Remember

Toys

Life According to Facebook

Christmas 2009

Updates via Facebook

Birthday Party

Happy 1st Birthday, Hadley!!!!

Pumpkin Pat ch and Mickey Mouse

11 Months

My life...according to facebook

Hello Friday afternoon - I've been waiting for you all week!

Tonight's plan: supper, bathe Hadley, bottle for Hadley, put Hadley to bed, and then play some Wii with Eric, Karah, & Doug.

Mandi is looking forward to a day at home tomorrow (laundry, playing with Hadley, making more baby food, etc.)

Last week at NCTC

Mandi has two more days working at NCTC and then I'm back to a school district (yippee!!) - not teaching (by the way).

Mandi is in Wichita Falls today getting my fingerprints done for the new job...you know-make sure I'm not a criminal or anything!

Dear Hadley - Mommy & Daddy got you a surprise at Toys-R-Us today and we can't wait to see your face when we give it to you!

On this day, terrorists attacked my country. On this day, thousands of our citizens were murdered. On this day, I will not forget......

Mandi is starting my new job on Monday (and I promise I'll give more info about it soon)

Mandi had a very productive day...5 loads of laundry, baby food made (green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes), and spent lots of time playing with Hadley. (Oh, and did I mention that Eric was gone all day? So that means I did all that by myself!)

Mandi is starting my new job tomorrow!

Mandi is going back tomorrow for day #2. (In other words, it was a good day.)

Happy 40th Birthday, Kim and Tim!

cough...cough...good grief!

Mandi could really use a Sonic happy hour break right about now.

Sore throat, ears hurt, snuffy nose, headache, coughing...bleh!

Mandi is watching football but the nyquil is kicking in...

Last load of laundry going; steaks cooking on the grill; and a happy baby swinging on the back porch. What a nice life!!

Mandi is listening to Hadley and daddy playing and laughing. Makes my heart happy!

Mandi is not a fan of thunderstorms

I wish I could get over this yuckiness I am feeling (without passing it on to anyone else at home).

Almost bedtime (for everybody in this house!).

Dear Hadley'S Immune System - Please stay strong and keep fighting off all the nasty, mean, sneaky germs swarming around my sweet boy right now. I will be unbelievably thankful if you could comply with this one request. Thanks! Hadley's Mommy

The verdict is in from the doctor...bronchitis...nice.

Family visit to the doctor yesterday. Here are the results: Eric-cough/cold/congestion, Mandi-bronchitis, Hadley-nothing (yet!)

C'mon 4:00 - hurry up and get here!

Mandi is off work and going to get my hair cut - two excellent things!

At home...hanging out with my two favorite people...feeling much better (maybe we have run the germs off!)

Mandi and the boys are messing around in Sherman today - fall clothes shopping for H, Sam's Club, etc.

Went to a JBF sale today (kids consignments) and got 6 longs sleeve knit shirts, 3 long sleeve button up shirts, 2 sweatpants, 5 jeans, 3 sweatshirts, and 3 jackets all for $70! That averages to around $3 an item in case you're wondering. Very nice!!

Mandi and Hadley left the house before 7 - ugh!

Mandi needs to go to bed...but instead I'm on the computer

5:30 is going to come really early in the morning!

*yawn* It's too early *yawn*

Mandi left my bagel sitting on the kitchen counter this morning...grrr

Mandi just loves when Hadley is cuddly at bedtime - makes my day!

Mandi is working on bond ammortizations - doesn't that sound like fun??

Mandi is playing with Hadley while Eric fixes supper - nice!

xnrcxud, Tazsb hsg (that's what Hadley has to say)

Just had our first bleeding accident w/Hadley - bumped his mouth on the coffee table...think his little teeth jabbed his gums. Scary (for mommy & daddy) but he's okay now.

Mandi is headed to Frisco for two fun filled days of investment training. Good times

I could watch Hadley for hours while he's sleeping. He has my heart.

Mandi had fun with my boys today at the mall in Frisco...got Hadley's halloween costume, got some work clothes/shoes for M & E, and Hadley rode a carosel for the first time...fun day!

Hello? Cleaning Fairy? You didn't come to my house today. Are you ignoring me???

Mandi is home with a feverish Hadley today

Another ear infection...poor Hadley.

Mandi is home with Hadley again today. Ear infection #4 for him. Thank goodness for Amoxicillin (sp?).

Lately...

10 Months

New Job

Baths

yawn It's too early yawn