Family Beach Trip

We went to Orange Beach with the Scott's for a week long vacation. I haven't been to the beach for a week since our Honeymoon! We stayed at the Phoenix West which was a great place to stay with a family. The condo was very spacious and had a huge porch with a table and chairs where we spent most nights visiting after Sawyer went to bed. The condo also had a lazy river, walk-in pool, and a water slide. We were so blessed to have beautiful weather and it only rained once for maybe an hour. We ate lots of food and got a little too much sun! It was the second time for Sawyer to go to the beach but this trip was much more fun now that he is walking and could play in the water. We got so much joy out of watching him play in the pool and at the beach. I was quite surprised how much he loved the water. He was fearless! He walked right in the pool and I had quite the time chasing him around. Thank goodness for the covered float that he got for his Birthday. He loved cruising around the lazy river in it! He took the best naps and slept better then he ever has. His room had a blackout curtain and that seemed to really help so I am on the hunt for one for his nursery. Honey and Papa D had a great time being with Sawyer and Honey especially loved making drip castles like she did when Kenzie and Keith were little. Cindy had a Birthday while we were there so they got to enjoy a nice dinner at a new restaurant called The Palms. They were also very gracious and watched Sawyer while Keith and I went to dinner at Cobalt.

Since we left on Mother's Day, we celebrated the day before and my sweet boys made it so special. I got my favorite flowers, a cute dress, and a book, "Are You My Mother?". It is the most adorable book and I love reading it to Sawyer. It's a little longer then his other ones so his patience is gone half way through!

This was taken when we first got there. He was SO excited!

This is where we spent most of our time.

Honey got him this adorable shark towel for his Birthday. It was so cute when he walked around with the fin and tail in the back.

Testing out the sand.

Sunset at Cobalt

He also learned "Touchdown Auburn" and how to blow kisses that week.

We had such a great time and it was so hard to leave and get back to the "real world".

"Blow Mama a Kiss"

Milestones and Childcare

My Little One has been hitting some major milestones this past month. There are signs all around me at how he is becoming a toddler and not my baby. Gone are the days of swaddling, swinging, rocking. Now he is talking, walking, and eating finger foods. The other day I realized I had more sippy cups to wash rather than two baskets of bottle supplies. My pantry is stocked with scooby snacks and goldfish and there is a pair of velcro shoes at the bottom of our stairs. As much as I can't get over how many toys fill our living room, I love seeing all of Sawyer's things around the house. Keith and I are loving this new chapter in our lives. We have gained such patience this past year and had to adjust to a major life change. Sawyer makes us laugh daily with his personality and he is definetly a Keith Jr. Here are some milestones that he met over the past month or so.

~ Waving "bye-bye"
~ Clapping
~ Pointing to objects (At first it was random but now he will point to what he wants)
~ What seems like his 15th ear infection. Not really, but he has had several since he turned 8 months. He   really didn't stand a chance because Keith and I kept them when we were babies.
~ Talking all the time. Mama and Dada are the main ones and we are trying to understand others!
~ Drinking whole milk. He didn't like it at first and I finally realized it was because it was in his sippy cup and not a bottle. I would mix 1/2 formula 1/2 wm but now we are down to just wm.
~ Just a week after his First Birthday, he took his first steps! He was so close for a while. I can't describe the pride that I felt when I witnessed his first steps.

When I was pregnant with Sawyer I knew it would be really hard to go back to work but I didn't see how it would be possible to stay home. I was thinking I was following in my Mom's foot steps because she worked with her first and then stayed home when she had my older brother. Well, I went back to my full time job after my 12 week maternity leave and to say it was hard is an understatement. I mean, I wasn't a good employee and I was responsible for different things and all I could think about was Sawyer. I ended up being blessed with a pretty ideal situation. I now work 2.5 days a week and that has really been great for our family. My Mother-in-Law, Honey, takes care of him when I work. She greets us every morning at the door with a big smile and Sawyer is reaching for her to hold him. That sure does make this Mama feel good that he is under the best care. Well that is just the beginning of it. This woman is made for babies, she absolutley LOVES them and now that she is a first time Grandmother, watch out! She has full blown nursery, stoller, video monitor, high chair, and even a diaper genie! She is so good with him and he loves seeing his Papa D too. By far, the best part is that she now has an i-phone. She sends me pictures AND videos to my e-mail all day. I feel so blessed to have her take care of our son when we have to work. Here are a few of the pictures and videos that I've recieved lately.

Pretty sure I teared up at this one!

                                                           I know he's eating good!

He even gets to eat out of the same bowl that Keith did when he was little.

Honey played dress up one day!