We had a WONDERFUL day yesterday!! I am so thankful for my family who made Nathan’s birthday such a fabulously fun day!

Nathan woke up late – which gave me time to make him some birthday blueberry muffins. He usually gets oatmeal for breakfast, so I think he was pretty excited about getting a muffin instead!

Afterwards, we hurried and got ready and went to the aquarium with Gammy and Nama. He had SO much fun! He loved the mantra rays, though he got a little freaked out when one swam right up to the plexiglass and splashed water on him. I’ve never seen him jump into my arms so fast! Ha!

“Yay for my birthday!!!”

We came home, he took a nap and I finished a couple of things for later that night. Jon got home from work right after Nathan woke up. We headed over to Gammy and Pops’ house for a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse birthday extraordinaire!! This is what we saw when we walked in:

LOVE it!! Nathan kept pointing to the Mickey balloon ALL night. He was so excited about it!

We had to get a couple of pictures of our bean with the decorations. Some of these are my new favorite pictures, I think. Such a smiley birthday boy!! 🙂

We ate one of his favorite meals – pizza!!

Did I mention he liked pointing to the Mickey Mouse balloon?? 🙂

Nathan was completely SPOILED ROTTEN by his great-grandma, grandparents and aunt and uncles. I guess it pays to be the only grandchild on this side! Ha! He made out!!

It was hilarious watching him open presents. He would open one and get so excited about it that he didn’t want to open anymore, he just wanted to play with that one. So cute. We actually ended up saving a few just for him to open at his party on Saturday because it was getting late and he was done opening, I think! 🙂

The slide from Gammy and Pops was a HUGE hit! The first time down, he was a little wary, but he caught on FAST. My arms got a workout today helping him up and down the slide!

We had to get a few family pictures before the cake smashing occurred. 🙂 I love these! Here we are with the new one-year-old!

Pops, Gammy and the Birthday Boy 🙂

Nama and Nathan 🙂

Auntie Cayce, Uncle Caleb and Uncle Bryant with the bean:

His cake was ADORABLE. I was so excited with how it turned out!

I did great the whole day – didn’t cry at all until everyone was singing Happy Birthday to him. I was holding him and he got so cuddly during the song and I started tearing up. But I held it in! I love these pictures:

I never doubted for a second that Nathan would enjoy his cake, but I didn’t count on HOW much he would love it! He crammed the whole thing into his mouth and kept pointing for more. We had to undress him in the bathtub, he got so messy!

After bath, he got to play with the Mickey Mouse ball pit Jon and I bought for him. I think he liked it just a little bit. 🙂

Then we packed up our sleepy birthday boy and headed home. I nursed him, he fell asleep and I just held him for a few minutes before putting him in bed. And THEN I cried. 🙂 I love that he’s growing up and becoming his own person, but I hate how quickly time is flying past.

Now, we’re just gearing up for his friend party on Saturday! I have been just SO overcome this last week with the blessings we have been given. I’m so thankful. I wouldn’t change one thing about my life – God has given us so much!

Sweet Nathan,

Today you are turning one year old! Everyone told me to treasure every second with you because I would not believe how fast it would go – they were SO right. This has been the fastest year of my life. It seems like it was only a few days ago that your daddy and I were walking into the hospital completely scared and nervous and very, very excited!

I can still remember the moment your daddy looked over and saw you for the first time. He had the sweetest expression on his face – I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. And when the doctor said, “It’s a big boy!” And then I heard you cry. The most beautiful sound I’d ever heard! Both Daddy and I burst into tears when we heard you cry. And then Daddy brought you over to see me. I will never ever forget how much I loved you the moment I saw you. I thought I would never be able to love anything more, but I was wrong. Every day since then, I’ve loved you more and more.

I remember holding you for the first time. I was so shaky from the C-section and I was so nervous that I was going to drop you! You snuggled right in and it was like you knew that I was your mom.

I remember when we got to bring you home and show you your new house and introduce you to Kody. You had your first bath and hated it – how much has changed!! I didn’t sleep hardly at all that first night – I was so worried about you and whether or not you were okay.

I have loved every moment of this year. You are the sweetest, most amazing boy I could have ever imagined. And the thing that astounds me is that you’re mine! God has blessed me more than I could ever imagine. I always wondered what it would be like to be a mom, what it would be like when your daddy and I were not just a couple but a family and you have completely surpassed everything I ever dreamed about what it would be.

I have loved every milestone you’ve passed – even if there have been a few times along the way when I’ve been sad that you are growing so fast! From your first smile to your first step, they have each been an adventure. It seems like yesterday we were so excited that you were following us with your eyes and now we’re racing to close drawers and doors before you follow us into a room with an un-baby-proofed mess!

You are so silly and make it your goal everyday to get Daddy and me to laugh. I love that! I love that you are so fun and goofy and smiley. Even from just a few weeks old, you were making silly faces and waiting for our reactions. You love it best when we’re laughing and clapping at something you just did.

You aren’t the biggest cuddler, which just makes the times when you do snuggle in even more precious. While I miss the days when you were content to just be held and snuggled, I LOVE these days of having fun going places with you! I remember our first Mom/Son lunch date at the mall – you were only about 2 months old and I sat and ate my lunch while you stared at me from your stroller. Now, we get to actually go have real lunch dates!

You are the child of our prayers, sweetie. Daddy and I prayed so hard that God would bless us with a baby and YOU are the answer to those prayers! I remember feeling you kicking when I was pregnant and aching to hold you in my arms. It is my favorite thing in the world when you crawl over to me and jump into my lap. It melts my heart every time!

It has been so fun to watch you learn things right before my eyes. You have always been so happy, so full of life! I’m so excited to see how you’re going to change and grow and to see the sweet little boy you will become. I pray for you more than I ever thought possible to pray for someone. You are so loved, sweet boy! Not only from me and Daddy, but your whole extended family loves and prays for you. I hope that you never, ever take that for granted.

I prayed so hard for a happy, healthy baby and God has blessed us more than I could even imagine. Sweetie, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and your daddy. We cannot even express how much we love you!

Happy first birthday, my precious son!

I love you so much,

Mommy

One year ago this evening, I looked like this:

…in the hospital and ready to meet our little man!! His birth didn’t turn out ANYTHING like what we expected – but God is so good.

Yesterday, we had a fabulously fun day hanging out with Nathan’s great-grandmother. I’m so blessed to have such an amazing grandma! And Nathan ADORES Nama – he was being SUCH a ham yesterday. It was hilarious.

She and my mom came over right before Nathan woke up from his nap and then took us out to eat at Nathan’s favorite place – Chick-Fil-A! Afterwards, Mom left and my grandma, Nathan and I did a few errands, then came home and let him play for a little bit before putting him back down.

Jon got home and Nama took all of us out to dinner at Chili’s – which was SO good!! I haven’t eaten out this much in a long time – I’m getting spoiled! Jon, my dad and brothers had a softball game last night, so Mom came back over and we watched Get Smart with Steve Carrell. So funny. We had a great night!

Nathan discovered that our end table has a drawer this morning. He spent most of the morning pulling everything out of it and then putting everything back in – including a few things that didn’t belong like my cell phone! I’m glad I saw him do that or I would have never found it! Ha!

I’ve got a haircut tonight (I’m SO excited! It’s been a long time and I’m going to take several inches off. Time for a summer haircut!) and I’m planning on just doing a couple of errands after Nathan wakes up from his nap. It took him an hour to go to sleep this morning, so his afternoon nap is now going to be all messed up. I’m wondering if he’s slowly starting to transition to one nap a day – although, some mornings he’s dragging after he’s only been up an hour and a half.

And then tomorrow…is my little bean’s birthday!! I have NO idea where the time went… wasn’t he only this big about three days ago??

My grandmother is flying in tonight to be here for Nathan’s birthday which means:

IT IS ALMOST HIS BIRTHDAY.

I’m in shock. Wasn’t I just praying that I would go into labor on my due date? Which, one year ago, was tomorrow??

Today has already been a fun day! Nathan slept VERY late today, thanks to a later bedtime after community group last night, and so we went and met my sweet friend Eryn and her precious baby Eve at Chick-Fil-A for an early lunch.

And, it’s Cow Appreciation Day at CFA today. If you dress like a cow, you get a free meal at CFA. So….I present the baby cows!

I love this picture! Eryn is WAY creative and made Evie’s bows and skirt. Seriously. With her own hands.

And, if you can believe this, I actually colored on Nathan’s onesie. With my own hands. I didn’t even trace those spots or anything. 😉 Ha! We had such a fun lunch today! Excited for a fun night tonight with Nathan’s great-grandma!!

Thank you so much for your prayers! Nathan stopped running a fever on Thursday and by Friday night, his rash was completely gone. And he is back to sleeping through the night and taking his normal naps. Thank you, God! 🙂

We had a great weekend. Jon had Friday through Monday off, so we spent the entire weekend playing, sleeping, relaxing and swimming. Jon and I both got sunburned being productive – a.k.a. washing the cars and Nathan got to eat chocolate pie for the first time:

I think this might be what he’ll look like in 30 years with a goatee. 🙂

He also got to stay up WAY WAY WAY past his bedtime and watch the fireworks display last night. We are in the midst of a horrendous drought, so most private fireworks displays were banned this year, but the annual city one still happened. We set out chairs on my parents’ driveway and watched. We could see the fireworks, but were far enough away that we couldn’t hear the noise. Nathan spent the whole time laughing, dancing, pointing and saying “OOoo!” He was a little hyper last night. That chocolate pie might have had something to do with it.

Today, we’re running birthday party errands! What did you do for the 4th?? I hope you had a safe, fun weekend!!

We’ve had a bit of a tough week.

Nathan broke out in the Hand Foot Mouth Disease rash yesterday morning. 🙁 We had the WORST night of sleep he and I have had since he was a newborn. I think I got about two and a half straight hours of sleep on Tuesday night.

I kept hoping it was his teeth. And it was – on top of the HFMD, he’s also cutting BOTH of his top teeth.

Poor little guy!

We’ve been doing Tylenol around the clock, eating ice cream for dinner to help with the blisters in his throat and watching a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while cuddling in our pajamas. Today is the first day that I’ve felt awake enough to not sleep during his afternoon nap (though, I did go back to bed this morning for his first nap). He slept better last night – from about 9-5 and only moaned once or twice without really waking up.

I hate when my baby is sick. 🙁

Since HFMD is only spread by direct contact, I think we might pack Nathan into the stroller tonight and go to his new favorite place – the frozen yogurt shop!! He does NOT let go of the spoon…even after we get home.

I figure it will feel good on his throat since the HFMD causes blisters on the back of it. And it will be good for us since we’ve been cooped up for a while now! I’m praying hard that he’s on the mend – the doctor yesterday said that the blisters on his throat were already healing so she thought he’d had the sickness for 2-3 days.

It explains the lack of sleep.

Poor baby. 🙁

This has been one of those weeks that felt really busy but when I look back on it, we didn’t really do that much.

Odd how often that happens now. 🙂

We spent most of the week just playing and doing errands for Nathan’s birthday bash coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Have I mentioned I can’t believe it’s been a year lately? 🙂

Thursday night we went to our new community group. Our old one got to be so big that we had to split into two groups – which is a good problem to have, I guess. This is the second time this has happened in two years!

Friday night, I got a message from our community group leader’s wife who let me know that their one-year-old daughter, Bella, who Nathan was playing with the whole night before had just come down with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease.

So, me being me, I immediately started looking info up on it online (the internet is a very dangerous thing in the hands of a hypochondriac), we kept Nathan home from church and we didn’t go to Lunch Bunch today because apparently, the incubation time is 3-7 days before they start showing symptoms. So, until Thursday we’re pretty much avoiding all of our friends. 🙁 I feel so bad for Bella! I’ve heard it’s just a yucky sickness.

We did, though, brave the pool this weekend at Pops and Gammy’s house because well, someone loves his swim time.

Only a little bit. 🙂

We had a great weekend! We didn’t do much other than head to Mom and Dad’s to swim, but I think we all needed a nice, relaxing couple of days.

The “big pool” was finally warm enough for the Nater Tot to get in this weekend, so we slathered him up with sunscreen and let him go in. And he – as we figured – loved it. He has a little float thing that he loved bobbing around the pool in. So cute!

Juicing up before hitting the water!

I kind of wonder if he thinks this is just a huge bathtub.

Here’s the splashing boy! I love, love, LOVE the faces he makes!!

Chilling with Daddy in the 95 degree hot tub after swimming. He was so cute, just leaning back on Jon.

My boys after church on Father’s Day!!

Nathan was very excited to help Jon open his presents. This is his warm up to opening his birthday presents, I guess! Ha! 🙂

I love this picture!! Making that shirt was an ADVENTURE and a half, but it turned out okay. There’s blue paint smears all over it thanks to a baby who wasn’t too excited about just putting his hand on the T-shirt and pulling it right back off, but Jon even thought those were cute. 🙂

“There’s my handprint, Dad!”

Silly bean. He spent half the afternoon on Sunday with that straw in his mouth like that. It was so funny. I think he kept doing it because we were laughing so hard.

Helping Pops open his present. 🙂

I’m so thankful that I have such a wonderful Dad and such an amazing husband who is a great father. What a HUGE blessing!!

Y’all will have to bear with me this coming month, I think. 🙂

One year ago, almost to the day, I looked like this:

And yesterday, my little Nater Tot took his FIRST step!!

I can’t even believe it. And of course we missed it with the camera, even though we seriously have like three in arm’s reach all the time. He’s still very shaky – I don’t think we’re close to walking – but he’s never stood up as much as he has in the last two days. He’s also teething HORRIBLY and so we haven’t been getting very good sleep and naps have been rough too.

I have a question for you moms out there – did your child ever stop sleeping well when they were in the midst of mastering different “milestones”? Nathan went through a period when he learned how to crawl where he didn’t sleep either. I’m wondering if we’re also in the midst of that too with the standing/walking.

We haven’t done too much this week – just ran some errands and I’ve been trying to get some writing done. I got asked out on a date tonight by a super cute guy, so we’re ditching the Tot with his grandparents. 😉 What are you doing this weekend?

I think this month is hitting me the hardest because y’all,

NEXT MONTH MY BABY WILL BE ONE YEAR OLD.

Next MONTH.

It’s killing me, Smalls.

This month has been so fun. He’s really the class clown, my son. He will do almost anything if it makes you laugh and that both makes me so excited and so terrified about our future with him! Ha!

He’s been sleeping GREAT for a long time – sometimes 12.5 and 13 hours at night – but then last night, he was up for almost three hours in the middle of the night. He’s cutting a tooth on the top (but it’s his right tooth next to his front teeth! So weird!), so I don’t know if maybe that was hurting him last night. Needless to say, Jon and I are pretty zonked today. Nathan moved into big boy jammies this month because the footies were way too short for him. 🙁

He’s eating almost everything. He loves yogurt, he loves chicken nuggets and his new favorite is blueberries! We have to hide the blueberries from him or he will not stop eating them.

He’s still not walking. Has zero interest in it, actually. He’ll walk along furniture, he’ll walk behind his little push toy if he’s got an audience cheering him on, but otherwise, he’d much rather zip around on the floors on all fours. I’ve tried holding his hands and having him walk, but he just makes his legs go all jelly-like and wants to get down and crawl. I guess he’ll walk when he’s ready!

He can now wave, clap his hands, blow kisses (he usually, though, misses his mouth and blows you a kiss from his ear. SO CUTE), throw his hands up to say “all done!” (and sometimes he even says it!), “pound it” (touch knuckles), points, rubs his tummy and says “mmm!”, and splashes in the pool when we tell him to splash. And he started playing catch with us! He is SO fun and like I said, he’ll do anything if it gets everyone’s attention (including dumping all of his dinner on the floor).

He loves when people come to visit! He absolutely adores when Gammy or Pops or his aunt or uncles stop by. He loves being with his friends – it is so sweet. He stood there and waited for them to come today.

He went into the nursery at church for the first time yesterday and I cried more than he did (I teared up and he didn’t even bother to blink away a tear for his mama). I talked to the nursery worker afterward and Nathan just played the whole time. I almost wished he’d at least pretended to be sad! Ha! No, I’m SO thankful that he did so well!

He lives for the pool every day now, as you can maybe tell by the theme in these pictures. So days when we don’t swim, it’s up to me to find something even more fun to do (that usually means the grocery store. Ha!). And he loves, LOVES the zoo!

Have I mentioned how much I love being this guy’s mom? 🙂