Oh, Christmas Tree

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Spoiled... but not rotten.

I was extra spoiled on my birthday this year! I had planned on just having a chill day at home with Hayes and going to dinner when Joe got off work, but he had something up his sleeve.  This is how my day went...

-First, Joe woke up early and put up balloons and a birthday banner, got take-out Kneaders french toast for me, and had that and a letter waiting on the table. Attached to the letter was my itinerary for the day. He had every detail planned and organized.

-The first item on the list was pedicures and lunch with my mom.

 

Festive, don't you think?

-After lunch we picked up Hayes from Brooke's house for a nap.

-Then I was off to a hair appointment that Joe had set up and my mom took Hayes swimming at the rec. center.

-When Joe got off work he brought me flowers and picked me and Hayes up for Cafe Rio! Mmm..

-Next was presents and birthday cake Marie Calendars Pie with my boys. Joe put candles on the pie and Hayes helped me blow them out.  After, they were all blown out Hayes kept saying, "Again! Again!" So we lit the candles and let him blow them out again. :)

My present was a cute North Face coat that I love!!

This was at the Santa parade a few days later but I was wearing my coat :)

-Joe gave Hayes a bath and got him ready for bed.  I rocked him to sleep.

-To end the day we watched, "What to Expect When You're Expecting" for like the third time while I got a nice foot massage. Foot massages are my favorite!

Can you say SPOILED?! Joe sure knows how to make a girl feel special!  It was the best birthday ever! Thank you to Brooke and Mom for entertaining Hayes while I got pampered all day. I just love birthdays. Happy 23 to me!

A Little Bit of Hayes

Just wanted to share this fun video showing a little bit of Hayes's personality. I took it a few weeks ago but I came across it tonight and thought it was too cute.  I was trying to get him to show off but he just wasn't into it. For the record he can now count to 10!.. and help with a lot of the alphabet haha.  If you can't tell, it was taken on the phone so he could see himself in it. He's a funny little guy.

We Love Our Toddler! 18 Months

Where have the last 6 months gone? I feel like I was just planning Hayes’s 1^st birthday party and now I have a little toddler running around.

Hayes is an energetic little sponge these days.  He soaks up everything we say and do.  The funniest things come out of his mouth. When he drops something he’ll often say “crap,” or “oh, shoot.”  He can say just about anything/word you tell him to say.  Hayes just loves learning and doing new things.  He’s very observant.  I’ll find him putting his teddy bears to bed with a blankie or he'll try to put diapers on them.  He’s going to be the cutest older brother someday! (not an announcement :))  We let him pretend to shave with daddy and he’ll tap the (covered) razor on the sink just like Joe does.  Seriously, I can’t tell you how much we love watching this little guy grow!

He has been sick and got his first ear infection this week.  It’s weird to see him lay around and watch a movie or want to sit and read book after book with me.  He’s usually on the go all the time.  It’s kind of nice actually…. Haha. But, I feel so sad for him when he is sick. He’s recently gotten into “Finding Nemo” and asks to watch it regularly.  I could quote the whole thing.

I’m pretty attached to this little man. I just can’t picture him being too cool for me one day because we are the best of buds right now. He’s a pretty big mama’s boy. I’d be okay with it if he stays that way. He’s been letting me rock him to sleep lately and I’m soaking up every minute of it!

Hayes is so funny and has such a fun little personality. I love that he can express himself more and more everyday. 

It’s not all cakes and rainbows around here though. Hayes is very strong willed and stubborn! He can throw a fit or two or three… He hates to get dressed or get his diaper changed.  Like it is some big surprise every single time that he has to get dressed for the day.  He is definitely testing his limits. Sometimes he will just try to be naughty and he’ll hit anything in his sight (even himself!) and then look at me like, “what are you going to do about it?” Haha I have to look away to smile sometimes because his little moods can be funny... and sometimes not so funny....  He likes to say, “mean,” and “naughty,” when he knows he’s doing something wrong too.  I’ll just hear the word “naughty,” from the other room and know I need to go see what he’s getting in to! Of all of the things I have learned from Hayes, patience, is one of the biggest!  Toddlers will be toddlers right?!

We are so grateful for our little Hayes.  He is truly the greatest blessing.  What was life like before we had him?! It seems like it never existed and we are so glad he is part of our family!

 Our next door neighbor,  Sara Vaz, is a photographer and offered to do a couple of photo shoots with us.  One day we went and did family pictures for Christmas cards and then another day she did "lifestyle" shots where she just came to our house and took pictures of us just playing with Hayes and hanging out- we also got some decorating our Christmas tree!!  I won't post the Christmas ones yet so no one gets mad at me.... seriously, people of strong feelings about this.  Anyway, here are some cute ones she got of Hayes in our house :)

The funnest part of building towers is knocking them over!

Story of my life...

Hello? Hayes pretending to talk on the phone can get pretty funny.

Favorite.  This boy loves his dad!

Nursery

Hayes went to his first day of nursery! He stuck by my side and observed for the first few mintues.  He started to wander a little bit but kept checking to make sure I hadn't left haha.  I finally snuck out while he was distracted with toys on the other side of the room. I guess he did well after that until some of the parents came to get their kids and then he started to cry until I came to get him.  Ahh well, I'd say it was a pretty good first shot at nursery!  Unfortunately, he got sick a few days later.... dang nursery.

My handsome little man.

Snuck in a picture in nursery :)

A Whole Lotta Halloween

Halloween was filled with fun and traditions as usual this year!! Hayes totally just dove right into the Halloween spirit and loved every thing we did! I'm a little behind on posting due to my computer charger decided to die!! Anyway, here is a little look into our Halloween festivities... and a bonus video at the end you won't want to miss!

We went to our ward Halloween carnival as Little Red Riding Hood, The Huntsman, and The Big Bad Wolf!

Our big bad wolf!!

Watch it! :)

Hayes kept wiping the paint off of his nose... we gave up after redoing it twice...

After the ward party, Hayes was on a little candy high and was being so silly taking iphone pictures with me.


 

We did pumpkin carving with my family for FHE the Monday before Halloween.

Hayes and Bampa cleaning out pumpkins.
Hayes specializes in making messes, so naturally he was a pro at this.

Finished products.  We made the Elmo one in honor of Hayes's love for him.
p.s. Joe free handed Elmo's face... pretty good eh??!

Halloween night was filled with trick-or-treating and a party at Cody and Amanda's.

Hayes "helping" grams make the cinnamon roll frosting for the Halloween party.
Aka- making it harder, messier, and trying to dip his hands in it :)

Jaidy the little elephant and grams.
Cutest thing!!

Hayes and I before we started out to trick-or-treat.
He's a little anti photos lately....

Oh.
Also, Hayes was a skeleton for Halloween night due to
I didn't want to dress up again and with out me he just looked like a cat.....
which I was not okay with.

We met up with Trey & Carter the cowboys!

Hayes was hilarious trick-or-treating!!
He caught on quick to this knocking and getting candy stuff.
Seriously, he just ran from house to house and was usually the first to get there and knock on the door.
He'd just wait patiently for his piece of candy and continue. hahaha I was dying.

Joe was still at work and was so sad he missed the excitement :(

Cutest skeleton I've ever seen!

The rest of the night was spent eating chili and cinnamon rolls and playing minute to win it games. The ping pong ball one was soo funny, we had to record it... here's a little peek at the sillyness! Even Trey and Hayes got in on it.