Clayton is ONE!!!!!

Ok, so Clayton is one and has been for about a month. Crazy right??!! I figured a late post would be better than not posting at all. This post is all over the place, but oh well. Here we go.

a couple random pictures before church on his birthday

 

Everyone has always told me that my kids will grow up so fast and it is happening! I can't believe I have a one year old. Still weirds me out not gonna lie. Clayton is an absolute joy and I can't imagine life without him. He is a goober and yes, there are times when I get frustrated, but it is honestly worth it when I see him smile, laugh, or pretty much do anything. :)

 

Pics of Clayton's first year

 

Likes:

• pushing the wagon around the backyard, frontyard, and driveway
• giggle and crack up (I swear this kid laughs at everything :) )
• walk everywhere.... I mean EVERYWHERE
• close himself into a room and knock and talk while someone knocks on the other side
• throw food off of his high chair
• babble about anything and everything
• trying to eat rocks
• trying to eat dirt
• ok, he tries to eat everything
• talking to his daddy on FaceTime
• waving
• clapping
• playing outside
• hanging out with Grandpa
• visiting the dogs across the street
• dogs in general (even if they bark at him he laughs it is hilarious)
• being the center of attention
• dancing (anytime he hears music he is moving)
• peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• Baby Einsteins

the week after he started walking

 

 

 

hanging out with Grandpa

Clayton has 3 teeth, and a fourth that is just barely coming through the gums. He just recently got teeth and it is so weird seeing him with them. Every time I look at him he looks more grown up.

My dad had a wagon that he painted and said that Clayton could have it. That boy is obsessed with it! Such a fantastic gift.

 

A week after Clayton's birthday we had a family party. It was a lot of fun and Clayton made a mess but he was in a good mood which was great.

Kyle and I love our little man and we are so blessed to be Clayton's parents. We can't wait to see what fun adventures are in our future as Clayton continues to grow.

Christmas 2012

This was Clayton's first Christmas, but even though we knew he wouldn't remember it, we still wanted to make it special. Kyle and I went shopping to a few places to get some things for Clayton. He really needed socks so he got a lot of those among other things. HA!  It was actually really fun going shopping for our baby. I'm looking forward to doing it again for other holidays.

Christmas morning we had Clayton open his presents from us and my parents. Pretty much he just enjoyed putting everything in his mouth and playing with the wrapping paper. 

a mirror for the car so we can see him from his carseat

sock baby from Grandma and Grandpa Ricks (My mom made those for all of my siblings when we were little too : ) )

Pokemon toys that he actually picked out himself ;)

He really just wanted to put everything in his mouth.

We got him a few books because I read to him every night.

After Clayton had opened his presents from us, we dropped the dogs off at two different houses and headed to Yuma. (We were dog sitting Trinity and took her to one of Kyle's work friend's house, and we took Lady to our friend Dan who is a member in the bishopric and our home teacher.) 

Kyle's step mom, Connie, had invited us to her dad's house in Yuma for Christmas dinner (that's where we ate for Thanksgiving too). The food was delicious again and the company was great. After we ate all of the presents were brought into the living room and we all opened gifts. Connie's dad and his wife Lynna were very sweet and got us presents too. I was not expecting that at all. 

I know that pants are super short in this picture but these are Christmas present pants

hanging out with Tiffany (Connie's daughter)

playing in the wrapping paper

my little family

playing with Grandpa Blackburn

the cutest woody and buzz lightyear pj's 

I didn't take pictures of everything but we were very blessed to get things. We were not expecting it and it would have been a great Christmas regardless. :)

dream lite pillow pet

Lynna made all of the girls super cute hats :)

When we got back from Yuma we skyped my parents and wished them a Merry Christmas. Since my dad's birthday was Christmas Eve we wished him a happy birthday again. :) My brother Paul, his wife Steph, my brother Joseph, and his wife Paige were in Winslow for Christmas too so we got to talk to all of them during the same Skype call. 

It was a really great Christmas. I wish that everyone that I loved just lived in the same neighborhood. It would definitely make holidays and visiting easier. Sooner or later maybe. ;)

2nd Anniversary 12/28

Kyle and I have been married for two years! WHAT???!!! I know that may not seem very long for those of you that have been married for much longer but hey it is still a milestone right??
We didn't do anything big for our anniversary but I wanted to do something so I wrote him a love letter that he saw in the morning before he went to work and while he was gone I made him this...

It is a candy gram. I bought a bunch of candy and cut out hearts to decorate a little basket. Then I made super cheesy sayings on paper and this is how it turned out!! :) 

Here are the cheesy sayings...

I love your HUGS AND KISSES. My FINGERS fit perfectly with yours(Butterfinger). We were MINT to be together (Junior Mints). I love you to PIECES (Reeses Pieces). I would be KNOTS without you (chocolate covered pretzels).  You're a STAR in my eyes (Starburst). You're a SWEETART. We've shared GOOD AND PLENTY of SNICKERS. "TWIX" (Like tween -between) you and me, you're the best. You are one HOT TAMALE. You're a LIFESAVER. Out of everyone in the MILKY WAY I'm glad you picked me.

It was a hit!! Kyle even let me eat some of the candy. YUM! Maybe I should do it every year! haha jk :) :)
We didn't get a sitter that night so we just watched Taken 2 when the baby went to sleep and hung out. I was just grateful to spend some time with my love. We got a gift card to Outback Steakhouse from a family in the ward and it included free babysitting so we are going to take them up on that soon and that can be our 2 year anniversary date. :)

I can't imagine my life without my oh so handsome hubby. He is such a strong, supportive, caring man. We have gone through a lot the past two years but it has just made us grow closer together. I love him sooooo much (in case you all didn't know). Hooray for marriage!  Looking forward to forever!! :) Muah!!

Creepy Crawley

For a while now Clayton has been a "scooter". He will get on his hands and knees, rock back and forth a few times, fall forward and then repeat. It was working just fine for him and he was getting places, but yesterday he became an official crawler. AH!!! It is just amazing to me! He goes all over the house grabbing anything that he can get his hands on. Now I definitely have to keep a better eye on him because he doesn't stick to one room anymore. Look out world!

PS don't mind the one sock... I did eventually find the other one after I took the video.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving dinner this year we ate in Yuma at Kyle's step mom's dad's house. Did you follow that? Cool. It was sooooo delicious just like Thanksgiving is supposed to be. :) 

3 generation picture. (I promise Kyle has a beautiful smile... he just doesnt' like  to show it off in pictures ;) )

After dinner (which was at 2:00), we headed to Mesa for a few days. We stayed at JC's house (Kyle's best friend), but because we were doing family stuff most of the weekend we didn't really see him hardly.

It was an awesome weekend. On Friday we visited with Kyle's second momma and then had lunch with Holly who is an old friend of Kyle's. They hadn't seen each other in like six years. It was great to meet her and we are totally friends now! Yay for new friends! She is really cool. :)

Friday night we went over to Kyle's aunt Charley's house in Scottsdale and stayed for hours laughing and catching up with everyone. It was so great! He has a few cousins that live in the valley too that he hasn't seen in years.Kyle's aunt Kasey and uncle Jeff who live in Canada were in town and so was his Grandma who lives in Texas. Pretty much a lot of people were there that he hadn't seen in ages. (I had met them all at the reunion last summer, but Kyle was in Jacksonville FL so he wasn't able to go).

Saturday was all family stuff. We went to Scottsdale and had breakfast with everyone at a delicious place called Dottie's. Cinnamon french toast is always a fabulous choice. If you've never tried it...DO IT!

hanging out at breakfast

After breakfast I went shopping with the girls and Kyle went back to his dad's house to hang with the guys. I have never been a huge shopper, but it was really fun. I loved being able to spend time with Kyle's extended family.

we went to the Bass Pro shop to get a picture with Santa but the line was too long so we just did the  free carousel ride

For the rest of the day everyone hung out at Bryan and Connie's house (Kyle's dad's house) and it was such a blast. Connie made a turkey dinner, so we pretty much had Thanksgiving twice. Hey I'm not complaining. ;) 

Kyle and his Gramma Bo (ps I have her wedding ring :) awesome right?)

Kyle's Uncle Jeff does some photography so I asked if he could take a few pictures for us. It was too dark to go outside, but I am happy with them. I just love my little family.

Thanksgiving weekend was a blast and I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family in my life. I honestly don't know what I would do without them. Love you all!