Other Summer Happenings

We've been busy, lots of traveling and various family events.... Let's go all the way back to May and start from there.

Ash got engaged in May!  We surprised her afterward at the house with a party, inviting friends and Randals' family... So much fun!  She was shocked, which made it even more fun! Countdown to next April! 

A few weeks later the whole fam tagged along with M to one of his work conferences in St Louis.   We had a fun few days exploring the city during the day while M was at the conference, went to a Cardinals game, and ate a lot!  We loved getting away just the four of us, even Avery kept calling it our "special family trip."  My roommate from college lives there with her husband and son, so I met her at the zoo one morning!  So nice to catch up with old friends! 

Surprisingly enough we all slept well in a hotel room together! 

Fun at the Magic House Children's Museum 

Inside of our awesome hotel

St. Louis zoo.  Aves was in a mood.

Love my sweet roomie.  Maybe Burton and Lincoln will be college roommates one day :)

The pool was advertised as heated.  Apparently, according to M, it was not.

Headed to my first professional baseball game! 

Daddy got Aves a pink glove for the occasion.  

On the way back to Birmingham we stopped in Memphis for a night to see Mimi and Papaw and let them meet Burton for the first time!

Then basically as soon as we got back into town, Mollie went into labor early and precious James arrived with a head full of black hair!  Burton was excited to meet his BFF :)

Stay tuned.  Got a lot more summer catching up to do! 

Better Late Than Never- Hardison Family Vacation

Well it's August. Whoops. Not really sure how that happened?  I will try and be better, I mean at the very least I can attempt to post sporadically, which would be a marginal improvement.  

Back in June, we went to Destin with the Hardison clan, minus Benjamin and Morgan, since they have decided to carry on the Hardison presence in TX after our departure.  Thanks to David and Sandra for providing a great house for us all to gather comfortably, which is saying a lot with 6 adults and 5 kids aged 5 and under.  The kiddos had a great time playing together while enjoying the pool and beach.  Not that I am for a minute  wanting to wish away a millisecond of my children's youth, but it will be a lot more relaxing to vacation once our kids are a bit bigger!  

Guess what else is not fun on vacation?  Contracting a cellulitis-causing bacterium that requires a round of IV antibiotics at the ER.  Just ask M.  Apparently we thought we hadn't spent enough on medical bills this year, what with the birth of Burton and my appendectomy

Nonetheless enjoy the pics from vacation!

 

Yup, it actually looked worse than this 24 hours later. 

So thankful I got to see one of my very best friends, Katie, while we were there! 

Burton- 5 Months!

5 months (and some change, I'm a week late) with this precious baby boy.  I absolutely cannot believe it.  Burton, you have stolen Mommys heart, and I am so thankful for you and your big cheeks and chunky little thighs... And that smile, your big toothless grin makes me melt!  

Burton, here are your stats at 5 months:

Weight and Height: we will find out next month!

Sleep: You go to bed somewhere between 8:30-9:00 PM and wake up anywhere between 6:30-7:30 most mornings.  You nap better for our summer nanny than you do Mommy.  I think you just want Mommy to hold you.  You will usually get one longer nap per day with a few cat naps.  

Eating: you are still nursing about every 3 hours during the day.  Just in the last week we introduced rice cereal, and in the last few days started you on some baby food, green beans.  Last night you couldn't get enough of them... Kept reaching for the spoon so you could get it in your mouth even faster.  You are only eating food once a day, we are really just trying to get you acclimated to it.

Likes: your jumperoo/exersaucer, sister talking to you, sleeping on Mommy or really anyone, eating, bath time, laughing at Daddy

Dislikes: car seat until you fall asleep, being left alone on the floor for too long 

Diaper size: 3

Clothes size: 6-9 month, even bigger in some cases 

Hair color: dirty blonde, although let's be real, apparently M and I only know how to make bald headed babies.  

Eye Color: dark blue 

Nicknames: Burton Buckaroo, Burtie, Meatball, Chunk a Munk

Milestones: You are now rolling from back to front and like to do it frequently, even in the midst of Mommy trying to change your diaper.  Since you already knew how to roll tummy to back, you are now just a roly poly across the floor these days.  You can also sit up on your own for about 30 seconds or so.   I think you are a few weeks out from being able to do it consistently!  

We love you angel boy!  I hope you're a Mommy's boy forever... Or I guess until you're in your 20's and it's socially unacceptable. Unless...we just keep it our little secret.  

Before your baby dedication at church 

Sitting up like a big boy!