Hadley's milestone mania

It all started with the Jumperoo, around 5 months. Like most babies, Hadley loves it. He will stay in there and jump for as long as I will let him.

I suppose that made for some strong legs, for at 6 months he surprised us with this.

Around the same time, he started sitting up alone.

Which made baths soooooo much easier (and fun)!

P.S. I can't figure out how to rotate my pictures on here - somebody help!

Not just fun for Hadley, but for Brendan, too! He loves having a playmate.

He doesn't mind the bath seat either. He just takes a turn when Hadley is finished.

Getting Hadley to eat solid foods got off to a really slow, tedious start. He would barely open his mouth and most of it ended up on him (as you can see). However, just recently -- around 7 1/2 months, he just suddenly started loving it. Literally overnight he went from eating 2 T. of rice cereal and rejecting all fruits and vegetables to eating a full 1/4 cup of cereal plus an entire container of any and every fruit or vegetable available. Whew.

Then, right at 7 months, this happened. He had been scooting a bit before that, but we were shocked when all of the sudden he was up on all fours and starting to move. He still mostly does an army crawl/inchworm crawl, but when he wants to get somewhere fast he knows how to do it. Some people let out a sad sigh when kid #2 starts to crawl, but I am really glad. Pretty much the only time Hadley whines is when he cannot not reach a toy he wants. Now he can get it himself. Nice.

Random fun

This is the toddler rock band recently founded by Brendan and Josh. We SOOOO miss having Josh's family living next door to us!

Josh is one month older than Brendan and Hadley is six weeks older than Kira.

They sure can be sweet... sometimes.

Brendan rockin' Momma's high-heel boots.
Why is it that he can walk better in them than I can???



Ready for a run, Mom!

More from Kentucky

Well... at least no one was crying this year!

Post-Santa mall fun

We enjoyed many a trips to the hot tub and dearly miss it now that we are home.

Thanks to MaMaw, Hadley had his first Ale-8. Somehow she manages to slip this treat to my kids each visit, despite how old they are. Lucky kids.

I came in from running one morning and Brendan had found these skates in my parents basement. He said, "Wear these Mommy! Wear these skates!" What could I do but fulfill his request? I had not had these on since I was about 14 and had a blast skating all over our kitchen and basement. Brendan had only seen skating on Sesame Street, so he thought it was a hoot.

After that, Dan and I decided to take it up a notch and go ice skating. This was the first event of our night away from home. My parents sent Dan and I out for a night alone -- the first one we have ever had since Brendan was born! We drove to Louisville and went ice skating and out to dinner, stayed at a hotel, and enjoyed sleeping in, having someone else fix our breakfast for us, and not waking up in the night to take anyone to the bathroom.

Dan was a pro skater.

I thought I was doing pretty well...

... until this. I fell pretty hard and ended up with a horribly disgusting bruise on my hip that was the size of a baseball. The fun made it worth it, though!

Christmas Morning

This was our best Christmas ever! Brendan knew exactly what was going on and was so excited to prepare the house for Santa's arrival. He sat out cookies for Santa and carrots for Rudolf (which were enjoyed -- see below), and had a blast discovering his new toys on Christmas morning.

Santa and Rudolf's leftovers



Brendan enjoying Hadley's present




Santa actually made TWO stops for Brendan! He brought part of his train track and trains to Kentucky but, knowing that we would have to travel back to Georgia with it, he made an additional stop at our house in Georgia where he left the train table and additional accessories. Finding the rest of the present when we got back home made it even more fun! We'll post a picture of the total package sometime soon.

Hadley enjoyed his new presents and usually found a way to get each one into his mouth!

Everyone should ride a horse while watching television.

Don't worry everyone. I have this Christmas fire under control.

Batman to the rescue!

Brendan and PaPaw found this in the basement. I am sure it belonged to one of my brothers many, many years ago.

Why can't I fit this in my mouth?




Merry Christmas, everyone!

Hughes Family Christmas Party

Our immediate family's Christmas celebration was incredible! The aunts and uncles sure did spoil Hadley and Brendan, and, of course, so did MaMaw and PaPaw. We had a blast opening presents, eating superb food, and chatting away while the kids played. I wish so much that we lived closer!!!!

One of many presents that Brendan loved

Here are all the grandkids except Addam, who we certainly missed. Helena is hoping that someday another girl will join her! The boys are quite close in age, so I don't think we will ever have a dull moment at family gatherings. Here, Hadley was 6 months, Parker 18 months, Brendan 27 months, and Will 5 years.

Crissy, Parker, Will, and Travis

Lenore, Helena, and Rick

Sweet Hadley.

We tried for a family picture, but Brendan was due for a nap and it didn't turn out so well.

30th Birthday!!!

So today, January 18, 2010, is LaLona's 30th birthday. I thought I would jump on here and wish her a very Happy Birthday! Oh and also post a few fun photo's of the young 20-something LaLona!

Seattle - where we first met... Sassy huh!

Trust me... she was not this dressed up the first time we met

LaLona's first apartment in Atlanta - missing from the photo are her roommates... the cockroaches - oh wait, I think she just killed one

On the honeymoon - I think the thought of riding horses convinced her to go through with the wedding

LaLona's first time skiing - I pretty sure her favorite part was getting warmed up with hot chocolate at the end of the day

It is always easy to tell when LaLona is cross with me!!

Some say she is a bit DRAMATIC!!

I think she is the best!

(and ridiculously good looking as well!)

The boys and I are lucky to have her in our lives!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LALONA

I LOVE YOU,

DAN

Aunt Debbie's Christmas Party

On Christmas Eve, for many years before I was born, our family has been getting together to celebrate. We used to have it at Gran-Gran's house, but several years ago we outgrew her home and we recently began having it at Aunt Debbie's house. I absolutely cherish this celebration. The food is, again, just dreamy good. I rarely get the good, home-cooked, southern favorites and no one makes as well as my aunts, mom, and grandmother. But way beyond that, of course, is the fact that this is sometimes the only time all year I get to see my extended family. Each year I get more and more sentimental about being so far away from them. I am truly blessed to have such remarkable aunts, uncles, and cousins, and am amazed to look at my little grandmother and know that she raised this big family. My grandfather passed away before I was born, so she has been single-handily leading our family for 30 years with her incredible love, tender care and compassion, and wonderful Christ-like example.

The little kids all draw names and buy presents. Brendan received a fabulous Thomas the Train bath toy from Kennedy that Uncle Rick and Aunt Lenore graciously put together.


Chillin' in Uncle Rick's shades

Aunt Debbie and Uncle Rocky's backyard was a haven of fun for Brendan. He was fascinated that Uncle Rocky had a "cave" in his backyard!

We were so thrilled to have Addam celebrate with us. We don't get to see him very often and we love and miss him very much. Hadley thought he was super fun!

So we got a picture of Hadley with Debbie at Vicki's party, and a picture of Vicki with Hadley at Debbie's party... whatever works, right? He was too fascinated with her necklace to look at the camera.

Do you like the boys' shirts in this picture? Ugh. I guess I can't be too picky about family photos with a 2-year-old and 6-month-old.

Here is our family shot: my parents, Gran-Gran, oldest brother Rick, his wife Lenore and children Addam and Helena, and my family. Travis and his family had already returned to Chicago. They were in town for my parents' Christmas party though (yes, another party!), and I will post those pictures next.