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Hadley

Charlotte, Family, Hadley

Alabama Football

If you’ve been reading this blog for more than a few months, you probably already know that our family is pretty devoted to The University of Alabama. And in addition to loving the school, we also love our football team. We go to most home games and enjoyed some really fun ones in November!

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Papa and Jason took Abby and Charlotte to watch Gameday

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Charlotte made a new Sparkly Cheerleader friend, Brooke

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Charlotte stayed up really late to stay for the entire win against Auburn

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James worked on his receiving skills all season and fell in love with Amari Cooper (he called him Re-mari) and Blake Sims. He still pretends to be one or the other.

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We enjoyed pre-game meals even on cold days thanks to a tent and heaters

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Hadley got some game time and became a pro at falling asleep in the Baby Bjorn

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Charlotte couldn’t get enough of Alabama football and became proficient at the rules and scoring

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Anytime she saw one or lots of the Sparkly Cheerleaders, Charlotte wanted a picture

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James insisted on wearing one of Papa’s old lanyards to the games and said that it was his ticket

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Due to the cold, sickness, and the late time, Papa got to take Charlotte on a date to the Homecoming Pep Rally

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Getting on the field after a game is one of the most fun traditions that we have. We had a hard time getting James OFF of the swooshy A but thankfully Josh was able to persuade him that he should run to score a touchdown.

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Enjoying the game with family and friends is always a treat

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And James got to do some drumming thanks to the very nice band members

Charlotte, Family, Hadley

The Spookiest Night of the Year

I don’t know where Charlotte and James came up with it, but there were so excited about Halloween this year and kept calling it The Spookiest Night of the Year.

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Even though neither of them wanted to touch the inside of the pumpkin, they enjoyed carving him on the night before Halloween. They ran around the yard yelling “Spooooky” and shrieking. I bought a picture of them sitting on the sidewalk with their arms around each other. And although we didn’t know what they were looking at, I think it made all of our hearts stop a little bit.

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Charlotte had a book character parade at school. She and her classmates dressed up as a character from a book and brought the book with them to school. They paraded around the school and all the younger kids got to watch them in their costumes. Charlotte had planned on being a princess for weeks but a few days before the parade she decided that she wanted to be Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web. So we fixed up a spider costume and she was the cutest spider that I’ve ever seen!

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Then it was finally time for the big night. It was FREEZING and windy on Halloween night and spitting rain so we didn’t stay out for very long. But despite the yucky weather, the kids had a blast going trick or treating.

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Meet Peter Pan, a strawberry, and Charlotte.

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First Year Months, Hadley

Three Quarters

20150209_HGE 9 months_0018My sweet, precious Hadley-girl,

I am in love with you more and more with every day of your life. Your smiles and babbles and joy at life makes me want to see the world through your eyes. You add so much joy to our lives and we are so thankful for you!

It’s almost impossible to believe that you are nine months old but the calendar says that you are and I guess it doesn’t lie. You are growing so much, baby, and we love watching you to see what new skill you discover next!

This month you got your first tooth (January 22nd, bottom right when we’re looking at you) and started to pull up all the time on anything and everything. You started watching Charlotte and James more wistfully and trying to engage with them in their games. They’re not too fond of that right now but I’m sure soon you’ll all three be running around like crazy kids.

You are nursing four times a day (7, 11, 3:30, and 7) and taking two naps (9-11 and 1-3:30). You eat a container of baby food with us for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and also enjoy snacking on puffs and yogurt melts while we’re getting dinner ready. You will eat any type of baby food and have started eating small pieces of real food (bananas, bread, sweet potatoes). You tend to make a real unpleasant face when you first get a piece of real food in your mouth but you keep eating them so I assume it’s just because of the different texture.

Your hair has gotten so long that I have to put a bow or pony tail holder in every single day. That was fine for the first few weeks but you’re over it now and try to pull them out often. One day I had to pull over into a parking lot on the road because Charlotte told me that not only had you pulled out your bow but you had the whole thing in your mouth. That was the day we switched to the bigger sized bows and I started taking them out when we would go anywhere in the car.

We went to the doctor on the 10th for what I thought was an ear infection but turned out to be just teething and an ear infection. We did your nine month checkup and you grew a lot since your six month checkup! You weighed 15.7 pounds (15%), were 27″ long (30%), and your noggin was 17.3″ around (50%). You’re wearing size three diapers and can wear six months clothes but they’re getting tight on you and 9 month outfits fit better.

We love you so much Hadley-girl. God created you in His image and we can’t wait to see what he has planned for your life!

Love,

Mommy

 

 

First Year Months, Hadley, Mommy Advice, Recipes

H turns 8 (months)

HGE 8 months_2015 01 09_0004_edited-1Hadley girl,

It’s near impossible to believe that you are already eight months old. And my how you’ve grown this month! You’re moving and shaking all over the place and it’s all I can do to keep up. I love you sweet girl.

This month you switched from army crawling to real crawling. You look like one of those little crawling baby dolls because you’re so tiny and you move around with your little arms and legs just a going. You have gotten faster and faster and now we will sit you down and you’ll be across the room in no time.

You are also constantly talking and, we think, saying some real words with meaning. On the 18th we were reading bedtime books in the study and you were crawling on the floor. You crawled over to Daddy and looked up and it sounded like you said “Dada”. You don’t speak on command yet but it sure seems like you consistently say Dada so we’re counting it as your first word. Since then you often say “Hey” back to us and sometimes say “Bye.”

Food is still one of your favorite pastimes. You’re still nursing five times a day and eating two containers of baby food each day. The first time I fed you pears you weren’t a fan but you eat them now and everything else that I can feed you including garden vegetable, apple prune, pear pineapple.

Despite your large appetite you are still tiny. You seem big to me because you’re wearing 6-9 month clothes but when I see pictures of other babies you’re age it confirms what the doctor said at your last appointment, you’re tiny. But you’re perfectly proportioned and growing and eating so I assume you’ll just catch up in your toddlerhood like your brother and sister. You’re also still in size 2 diapers but are getting close to needing a size 3.

You are still a fantastic sleeper and are on the same schedule that you’ve been on for a while. Nowadays though you are very flexible on missing naps. If you miss one you are fine with just two although you’re happiest when you get all three. This is wonderful news and has made our lives so much easier since you are happy missing your morning nap to play in the nursery at church and can miss your later afternoon nap if we’re ferrying Charlotte around. You are truly a go with the flow baby at this point.

Not only are you crawling everywhere but this week you also pulled up to standing by yourself! We were picking up the playroom and James yelled “Hadley!” and I turned around and you were standing up holding up on a storage box. You watch Charlotte and James with envy in your eyes and I know that it won’t be long before you’re running around after them. I contemplated strapping a weight to your back to keep you still but I’m not sure that even that would work at this point. You are very determined to discover your world and master anything that stands in your way. Those will be very good traits when you get older.

Overall sweet girl, you are a joy and we are so blessed to be your parents. You love to cuddle in to my shoulder if I’m holding you and someone talks to you. You are generous with your toothless grins and giggle and babble often putting smiles on everyone’s faces. We love you so much!

Love,

Mommy

Charlotte, Family, Hadley, Kid Activities

In Other October News

Wrapping up the month of October were a lot of fun events.

Charlotte and James spent some time at KayKay and GrandDavid’s while Jason was out of town. This included a trip to the river park and seeing a train which they are still talking about.

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Lots of sibling fun time.

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Hadley started getting control of her torso and got better at sitting up.

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My girl has insisted on picking out her own clothes since she was two and I rarely intervene (see previous post for the exception). I love how she has her own style and I especially love when her style matches up with mine. She looked so cute in this outfit that I couldn’t resist a picture before school. She is beautiful inside and out and I’m so thankful that I get to be her Mom.

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Since baseball season was wrapping up that meant that James was all baseball, all the time. He got interested in the catchers around this time and started wearing his helmet around like a catcher. I don’t know if he’ll end up playing baseball but he’s sure cute playing it!

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And this sweet girl loved bath time and I couldn’t get enough of her blue eyes.

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Charlotte, Family, Hadley, Personal

Papa’s Party

This year’s football season coincided with multiple family birthday’s. Papa’s happened to be on the day of the game with Texas A&M. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed spending it with our family celebrating Papa as well as the Tide.

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On the way to our pre-game festivities we stopped in front of the new Alpha Chi house for a picture. This picture just shows two of the three front porticos. It’s gigantic and absolutely gorgeous on the inside and out.

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I bought coordinating outfits for the kids back in the summer and had been waiting on it to be cool enough for James’ long pant one piece and Charlotte’s three quarter dress. There was some drama on one of the children’s part getting dressed but I’m so glad I persevered and insisted on the outfits because the pictures turned out beautifully!

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Miss Lindsey stopped by to hang out and was so sweet to run around and play with the kids. I am so thankful that we still get to connect occasionally!

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Hadley and I ran home to feed her and then rejoined Charlotte, James, and Jason at the game. It ended up being a wonderful day all the way around!

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