Where Has the Summer Gone?

 I cannot believe that it is almost August.  I think I am in denial that I have to return to work in a couple of weeks.  This has been the best summer ever!  I have loved every minute of staying home with my little boy!  I am so blessed that I have a job that lets me be a stay at home momma 3 months out of the year.

At the end of June, Henry, mom, and I went up to St. Joe to watch Will play baseball.  We also got to see Ryan!  It was great catching up with him! 

Henry meeting his cousin, Ryan, for the first time.  June 2012

It was super hot at Will's game, and we were out really late.  Henry was such a trooper!  Here he is a little sweaty at the game.

June 2012

I don't think he went to bed until around midnight!  On Saturday, Henry was able to go swimming in the hotel pool.  This was his first time in a big pool, and he loved it!  He was splashing and kicking his legs a lot!

June 2012

Henry's first time in a big pool. June 2012

Henry did great on the four hour car ride!  This was his longest trip in the car so far.  Mom sat in the back seat with him and entertained him about half of the ride on the way up there and the way back.  Mom and I were also lucky enough to be able to listen to Henry's favorite song, "Hot Diggity Dog", on repeat for about the last hour of our trip on our way home ;)  We had such a fun weekend!

Eating lunch with Uncle Will.  June 2012

Going to sleep with Uncle Will  June 2012

We had a great 4th of July!  Everyone went over to mom and dad's house for dinner and to watch the fireworks.  When we got over there, we were all surprised to see that Henry and grandpa had matching outfits on.  Of course, we had to take several pictures :)

July 4, 2012  Henry and Grandpa are twins!

July 4, 2012

July 4, 2012

Henry turned 8 months old on July 7.  Seriously, where have these last 8 months gone???  It seems like just yesterday, I was pregnant with this sweet little boy.

July 7, 2012

July 7, 2012

July 7, 2012

Henry is now waving good-bye on occasion, giving high fives (pa pa taught him that), getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth (he wants to crawl so bad), reaching for people to pick him up, and crying if something is taken away from him or if he is told no.  Maw Maw makes him laugh so hard!  That little boy just loves his grandma to pieces!  He has 7 teeth now (4 on top and 3 on bottom), and he has figured out his walker.  Henry is just flying around the house in his walker and getting into everything :)  He just loves being able to move around!

July 18, 2012

July 25, 2012

 Nick, Will, and I left for Punta Cana on July 8 for Dirt and Baum's wedding.  We had an absolute blast, but I missed my little boy terribly all week long.  I am not ashamed to admit that I even had a couple of crying sessions while looking at my pictures of Henry on my phone.  We skyped with mom and Henry almost every day while we were there.  That helped me a lot!  The wedding was beautiful, and it was great getting to spend a whole week with my T-Babe!  I was so excited to see Henry's smiling face when we got back home on the 15th.

Punta Cana 2012

Taking some shots at the bar. July 2012

Will and Nick at the pool bar.  July 2012

Pool bar again  July 2012

Will and I on the beach.  Punta Cana 2012

July 2012

The guys played water polo every day at the pool.  July 2012

July 2012

Ready for dinner  July 2012

Will wishing Paige was with him on vaca!  July 2012

This past Sunday, mom, Katie, Henry, and I met the Bailey side of the family for lunch in Fulton.  This was the first time that Henry had met everyone (except Uncle Bob and Dylan.  They came to visit us right after Henry was born.)  We celebrated Uncle Ray's birthday and had a mini baby shower for Ashley.  It was a lot of fun!

Henry and his great-aunt Rhonda  July 2012

Henry and his great-uncle Bob  July 2012

Henry and his cousin Kennedy  July 2012

Like I said earlier in this post, I am refusing to accept that my summer is coming to a close.  I will miss spending every waking minute with my little boy, but I know that he is going to have so much fun at grandma and grandpa's house.  Hopefully this school year goes by quickly!

Laughing at daddy while in the bathtub  July 2012

Playing with mommy's hats and scarves  July 2012

July 2012

Helping mommy pack before I leave for Punta Cana  July 7, 2012

July 2012

Picking out a book for mommy to read aloud  July 2012

7 months

My baby boy is now 7 months old.  These past 7 months have flown by!  I wish time would slow down just a little bit :)  Henry now has two bottom teeth and four top teeth.  He loves using these new little teeth to chew wagon wheels, puffs (puffens), and his new favorite snack gerber cheese puffs.  It is so cute watching him pick up food off of his high chair tray and try to get it in his mouth.  He gets really frustrated with the cheese puffs if he can't get them in his mouth fast enough.  He is also loving mashed potatoes.  That is our go-to food to order when we are eating out :)

June 7, 2012

June 7, 2012

June 7, 2012

June 2012

June 2012

June 2012

June 2012

Henry has discovered his hair and ears and is starting to grab at both of them often.  He also loves to play with my hair, especially when he is tired.  I told Nick that I am never going to cut my hair short again because I need to have long hair for Henry to play with :)

Henry is moving all around his crib.  I had to put the bumpers up because he was getting his chubby little legs stuck.  He now prefers to sleep on his tummy, and he is now putting himself to sleep.  I have to admit that it was hard for me to give up rocking him to sleep, but I know that it is best that he learns to put himself to sleep.  We have a bedtime routine that works really well.  I rock him while I read him a story, and then we say our prayers.  Then, I put Henry in his crib with his bunny and turn on his music and fish mobile.  He usually falls asleep within 5-10 minutes.  There is nothing better than reading to my sweet little boy.  This is my absolute favorite thing to do with Henry!

Mommy's little alarm clock  June 2012

Henry has officially upgraded from his baby tub to a big boy tub, and he is loving it!  He loves playing in the bathtub with all of his toys and his rubber duckies.  Oscar likes to jump on the side of the tub and watch.  I think he is jealous of all of Henry's bath toys ;)

Last bath in the infant bathtub  June 2012

Last bath in the infant bathtub  June 2012

First bath in our big boy tub  June 2012

First bath in our big boy tub  June 2012

Oscar is jealous of all of Henry's bath toys.  June 2012

Henry has figured out how to use his walker, but he can only walk backwards right now :)  He loves being able to move around the living room and kitchen.  We are in the process of baby proofing the house now. 

Trying to figure out the walker.  June 2012

June 2012

Henry and Oscar Mayer have always been close and gotten along, but recently these two have become inseparable!  They are best buddies.  Oscar always brings Henry his toys...he hasn't figured out yet that Henry can't throw them for him.  Henry loves to pet Oscar, and Oscar is just so patient and good with him.  Anyone who knows Oscar Mayer knows that he is a tad on the crazy and wild side so it is really sweet to see him be so good around Henry :)  I am so thankful for my sweet little boys!

Best buddies  June 2012

Oscar makes a good pillow :)  June 2012

My two little boys.  June 2012

 Nick and I just celebrated our 2 year anniversary.  He surprised me with a date night downtown.  We went to dinner at Top of the Riverfront which was so cool.  It is a rotating restaurant at the top of the Millennium Hotel.  It had the best views!  I can't believe that we have been married two years already.  They have, by far, been the best two years of my life!

June 3, 2012

Life is good!   I am absolutely loving spending time at home with Henry.  I could get used to this stay at home mom gig :)

June 2012

June 2012

Our Summer is Off to a Great Start with a Visit from Uncle Will

I am really enjoying my time off, and I love to think that I still have over 2 1/2 months before I go back to work.  I could really get used to staying at home with my little boy every day.  Nick might have to drag me back to work kicking and screaming :)  Henry is on the verge of crawling now.  You can tell that he is really wanting to figure it out and get moving.  I tell everyone that Oscar Mayer is in for a rude awakening when Henry starts crawling.  Henry is always looking for Oscar.  Those two are best buddies!

Henry is getting the hang of drinking from his sippy cup.  We fill it with water during his meals.  He looks like such a big boy using it!  He also has a new tooth on the top left side of his mouth.  This makes 3 teeth total now.  He is also starting to chew his food when he eats.  It is so cute watching him eat!  He makes a "mmmmm" sound after every bite :)

Will came home this past week, and Henry loved seeing his Uncle Will.  We spent a lot of time at mom and dad's, and yesterday Henry got in his kiddie pool for the first time.  He loved it!  I knew he would because he loves being in the water when he takes his baths.

My First Mother's Day

I have had an absolutely wonderful Mother's Day weekend!  My boys really do know how to spoil me :)  I was showered with gift cards and a kiddie pool for Henry and I to hang out in this summer. 

Nick and I took Henry to the zoo for the first time yesterday.  The zoo is my absolute favorite place to go on a nice day, and I hope that Henry will grow to love it as much as I do.  Henry loved petting the goats at the petting zoo.  He is wanting to touch and feel everything he sees right now.

 After the zoo, we went out for dinner, and Henry sat in a highchair at the restaurant for the first time.  He loved sitting at the table with Nick and I and kept reaching for the loaf of bread on the table ;) 

Today, we went over to Lexi and Mike's house this afternoon where Henry met his great-grandma Voss for the first time.  This evening we went to mom and dad's house to celebrate mother's day.  Henry was exhausted by the end of the day and fell asleep in the car on the way home.  We had such a fun-filled family weekend.

Earlier this week, Henry celebrated his half-birthday.  He went to the doctor for his 6 month check-up and weighed 22 lbs. 14 oz. He was 27 3/4 inches long.  Our little boy is growing so fast.  He is currently wearing size 18 month clothes.  He has now started consistently rolling over.  He tried eating hamburger this week and did not like it at all so we are going to try chicken this week.  He loves eating frozen bananas out of his mesh feeder and is starting to get the hang of chewing his sweet potato puffs.  I only have two days of work left, and I am so anxious to start my summer break with my little babe.  I cannot wait to spend all day every day with my sweet little boy!