One WHOLE Month?!

WOW...I cannot believe he is one month old! I am trying to find a cute (and appropriately sized) stuffed animal so I can compare how big he is every month (I am copying Courtney on this since it was such a great idea!) but the only stuffed animals I have are comically large (and super cuddly). I'll keep working on this!

Things he likes to do now:

- Sleep on your chest (more specifically Uncle Jack's chest, but in the middle of the night mine will do ;))

- Watch you talk....it really looks like he knows what you are saying! Grandmother asks him, "Have I told you lately that I looovve you?!" and Hayes will smile so big!

- Early morning BMs...a very interesting way to wake up...and I completely make this Joey's problem since I am the ultimate feed bag ;)

- Have his picture made - well he hasn't so much said that he likes them but since it's not going to stop any time soon, he better get used to it!

- Push off with his feet AND hold his head up - we are amazed at how strong he is for just being one month old. He loves to hold his head up to look at you (especially when lying on your chest!). He loses control and bangs his head on your collar one every once in a while (at which time he gets mad and it's completely your fault)

- EAT - oh my Lord, can the boy eat! I don't know how much he weighs now, but I KNOW he's growing (the double chin tells me he's getting enough to eat...no need to count wet diapers!)

We are having some good nights (I actually got 9 hours of sleep total the other night and I was a happy camper) and some not so good nights where he wants to play in the middle of the night or he just wants to sleep with us. He is pretty good at getting what he wants because we hate to listen to him cry and Joey and I both love to sleep ;)

He has been a relatively easy baby though and he is so much fun! We love him more and more each day ;)

I'm Starving!

From day one of Hayes' life, he has made it very clear when he is hungry. He starts doing the "bird mouth" and will wrench his neck in every direction looking for food. I promise I feed the child, but he would constantly eat if I let him (a true product of our two families!).

Here he is trying to convince Uncle Jack that his mother is starving him to death!

Just Chillin' with Mom

Just for fun: you asked for more videos so I am trying to comply!

The Great-Grandparents are Here!

We are having a big weekend in Richmond! Grandmother and Granddaddy have come to take care of Hayes when I go back to work on Monday (boo for going back to work but YEAH for them coming to stay with us).

Hayes sitting in Granddaddy's lap:

Grandmother and Hayes getting to know each other:

I'm so excited that they are here and I'm sure that Hayes is too!

Uncle Jack is here!

Hayes was anxiously anticipating Uncle Jack's arrival. He woke up from his nap at 4pm and proceeded to eat off and on (without much off) for the next 7 hours (without sleep) until Joey got back from picking Jackson up from the airport. These pictures were taken a mere 30 minutes after Jackson came into the house...note that Hayes is cashed! And he slept for the next 7 hours! Way to go, Jack!

Hanging upside down in Daddy's lap

Cutie

Our Future Pilot!

He's growing up so fast!

After two and half weeks in the bassinet alternating with our bed, Hayes has officially moved his residence to the crib! He was not in favor of this plan the first night but was mesmerized by the airplane mobile (thank you Aunt Emlyn!). Here he is tucked away for the night and so peaceful!

Soapasaurus

Hayes is starting to enjoy bath-time a little more now...he still does not like the vitamin drops we give him while he's taking a bath though. Here he is after his bath yesterday in the towel that my mom got for him that has a soapasaurus on it!

Roll Tide...again

Aunt Karan bought Hayes two shirts: one Alabama and one Auburn...guess who dressed him for gameday yesterday!!

Don't we look so cute together?!
He did look this cute until he wet himself while Joey was changing his diaper...and NO this was NOT a statement from Hayes about which school he likes better!!

Hayes' Sleepy Noises

I did this one sideways too! Oh well...

Roll Tide

Sorry that it's sideways, but it was too cute not to share!

Hiccups

We're getting the hang of this!

So I vastly underestimated how much help I was really getting with all of the family here! I LOVED having everyone here but I really thought that I was sleeping less because I was trying to spend as much time as possible with them...wrong!

We took Mrs. Ann (our last survivor from the weekend) to the airport Tuesday afternoon so Wednesday was our first day just the two of us (Joey went back to work on Tuesday). Since both of his grandmothers were wonderfully willing to hold Mr. Hayes all morning while he took his siestas, he wanted me to do the same! He would be sleeping soundly in my arms and as soon as his little body touched the bassinet, he woke up in anger. So we didn't nap until that afternoon when we fell asleep together on the couch!

Yesterday was better and he slept in his crib for the first time for a nap in the morning! We figured a few more things out and the whole day felt more in sync than the day before.

Last night Joey and I decided to try the crib out for the night....Hayes was not on board at first (I mean, wouldn't you want to sleep in the king bed v the crib?!) but it did not take long until he was asleep (yes, Mom...we let him cry for just a few minutes but the books say that does NOT make us bad parents!!). And we had two nighttime meals after which he immediately went back to sleep in his crib without a fuss at all!

So we are getting the hang of some things....I got much more sleep last night because my sweet husband was willing to check on Hayes every so often so I could get some much needed sleep. I feel great today and have actually been able to get some things done around the house!

Sitting in my new chair

Happiness

Sweet dreams

Sleeping in the big bed

What a week!

I cannot believe that we have had him for over a week now! He is doing so well - he sleeps between feedings for the most part, he rarely ever cries (but he doesn't like baths), we went to the doctor today and he is back above his birth weight, and he was not even a little bothered by the chaos that went on this last weekend! Just slept right through it!

This is our first family photo:

He can be so alert sometimes it's hard to believe he was only a week old when this picture was taken!
This is the beautiful gown that Mom made for him to come home from the hospital in. Thanks, Mom!
I loved having Mom, Dad, Sharon (Great Aunt Sharon - GAS), and Uncle Joey come up this weekend. Thanks to all of them you may get to see pictures of my house soon! Maybe one day I will be able to invite people to my house and not expect them to do manual labor...don't count on it anytime soon though! But most of all I am so glad that I am getting to introduce him to some of our family....so keep on coming up folks!