Nash's First Thanksgiving!

Wow.  We have SO much to be thankful for this year....a happy, healthy, amazing kiddo named Nash Thomas.  He's truly the light of our days and I can't fathom him not being in our lives.  We have had an amazing year, supported by so many family and friends throughout the months.  From Nash's birth, to deciding on a new job for Matt, to quitting my job, to moving to Hendersonville, new jobs, and finally finding a home we love...we are so blessed.  God truly does have a plan - and even though it was difficult to trust in that (moving to a new town with hardly any friends with a 5 month old), it has all worked out and we are so thankful.

Holidays are always a great time to see family and get to relax....but something about having kiddos surrounding you makes it even more special.  This year was Indiana's year for Thanksgiving, so Nash got to hang out with his cousins Macy and Mya, his aunties Jessi and Katy, uncles Ty and Clint, and Grandma Kay and Grandpa Joey.

We drove home on Tuesday evening and got to my parents house late...Nash was wide awake for a few hours when we got home - and made for a long day on Wednesday.  My family was passing around a pretty yucky tummy bug while we were home, so we were sure to steer clear of that and it actually worked!  We avoided the bug, even though it meant we didn't get to see Daddy very much for a few days.  He was sure to make up for lost time with Nash (see pic below).  We just made the most of visiting family...Daddy fried a turkey on Friday evening, and we took off for Bloomington on Saturday morning.  Unfortunately, Nash wasn't a fan of great grandma Harshman's homemade dumplings just yet....boy, does he have a lot to learn!  :)

We also got to visit great grandpa Nash before driving back to Nashville, it was so good to see him.  He seems to be doing well with his radiation/chemo treatments - so hopefully that continues and he keeps feeling pretty good!

How about some cuteness in pictures?  I thought so...

 Mya, Nash, and Macy...playing in a box.

 LOVE this pic of Macers....isn't she gorgeous??

 Momma Jess and her MyMy

 Grandma Kay playing drums on the High Life box for Nash and Mya

 Grandpa Joey entertaining the crew

 We were all so excited that Daddy was feeling better!

 Making up for lost time...so sweet.

 Roscoe dog...disappointed he didn't get any of the fried turkey.

great grandpa Nash and his great grand kiddos

The "firsts" are fading...

I'm starting to realize how soon my posts will no longer be filled with "firsts".

We are getting closer to Nash's first birthday - and the holidays always go so fast.

It's going to be here before we realize it.

And then...

We'll be starting seconds.

Because you can only have so many "firsts".

He's had some great ones, all of which are emblazoned in my memory.

And seconds are great too.

And I'm pretty sure thirds, and fourths, and everything past that will be wonderful too.

But there's something special about firsts.

So, I'll keep writing about his firsts until they are no longer.

Next up...you guessed it.  Nash's first Thanksgiving.  :)

10 months - update

These months just keep flying by!!  And our little dude keeps growing and learning and amazing us with his cuteness every day! 

Here is a little 10 month update:

• He is officially repeating "ma ma" and "da da" when you ask him to.  So sweet!  We're working on "dog", but not quite there yet. 
• Officially able to grab cheerios and puffs with his thumb and forefinger - assuming that no one interupts his concentration.  It is the cutest thing!  In addition to puffs and crunchies...his favorite foods are bananas and yogurt.  He's on a kick where he's refusing babyfood....so he's eating a lot of cottage cheese, string cheese, pasta, pita, toast, green beans, and potatoes.
• Nash is still getting four bottles a day, but we know we're getting close to having to wean him down to three - and eventually (by 15 mo our pedi suggests) none.
• We are absolutely in full baby proof mode - he is into everything! He wants the television, computer, remotes, fireplaces, dog bowls, laundry baskets, you name it!
• Nash is quickly learning the word "no".  Well, he's at least hearing it a lot for many reasons listed above.  He will stop and look at us when we say "no", but most oftentimes will return to what he is doing.  I know he's just learning, so we're working on consistency and explanation (no, that's hot....no, that's not nice) and redirecting his behavior.
• He ZOOMS around the house on his hands and knees and is so close to walking.    He's taken a few steps on his own, but not enough for us to consider him an official "walker".  Crusing, no problem.  Letting go of momma and daddy's hands...not quite yet.
• Still size 3 diapers - although we may make the move to size 4 at nighttime, he wakes up with a soaked diaper. 
• Nash is a professional at the 'drop it' game.  LOVES IT. Especially with his sippy cup of water and in his booster seat at the table.  Can't tell you how "fun" this is.  AHHH.  Roscoe, of course, loves the drop it game when played with cheerios or cheese.  
• Nash has been on antibiotics again for another double ear infection....I really hope he can get healthy and stay healthy soon!
• This is such a fun age - you can just see him taking everything in and absorbing everything around him.  He wants to touch/taste everything!
• Nash has 4 teeth - two middle ones on bottom and two on top!  The ones on top are not the middles ones though...they are his "lateral incisors" (fangs, really).  Just in time for Halloween!  Unfortunately, he's not really into letting us see in his mouth, let alone get a picture - so you'll just have to envision how cute he is with fangs.  :)
 

Here's our little 10 month dude:

 quickly outgrowing the lion...

 skyping with nannie and opa

 so big!  

 

introducing a toothbrush....pretty sure he thinks it's just a toy.  but at least he puts it in his mouth!

 furniture really isn't used anymore in our house...we're ALWAYS on the floor.

 

practicing his walking skills behind one of his wagons...so close!

Fall Professional Pics

We had a mini-session with a photographer (Kristen Weigel) on Saturday...it was super windy and sort of cold, Nash kept shivering!  Sweet little dude.  So, his hair is a mess, but doesn't it make him even cuter?  Yes, I agree with you - it does!  Enjoy!

Quack, Quack Says the Duck

We had the cutest little duck to deal with on Halloween.  OK, not quite on Halloween - but close enough.  Nash's daycare had a Halloween parade where all the kiddos were paraded out in their costumes and got candy from all of the employees at DG.  It was quite the event, although - don't you think it would make sense for them to send out the teeny/sleepy/fussy infants first instead of last?  Hey - I'm not running the show, obviously!

Enjoy the pictures...Nannie and Opa were in town for a few days over Halloween so they got to join us.  Here are a few pics from their visit as well...we always love to have them and hate to see them go!

 

Cutest duck ever...that's what you're thinking.

  

Getting ready for school with Opa

a duck on the move

 Nash the duck and Jack the cow

 Come on mom, it's cold out here...enough with the pictures

 pretty much over the Halloween parade

 Hanging out with Nannie and Opa at the Botanical Gardens

 Such a pretty day to spend with some of our favorite people!

(Yes, that's YOU Nannie!)

 The Chihuly exhibit was quite impressive...the next few pictures are some different installations in the park.

Bedtime stories with Nannie...what a fun visit!  Come back soon!

9 months old!

Has another month went by this quickly??  Here is what our Nashman is up to:

• At his 9 month well baby checkup, we were told Nash was perfect.  Imagine that.  :)  He weighted in at 17 pounds and 9 ounces and 27 inches long.  He's staying consistently around the tenth percentile for height and 25th percentile for weight.  
• Nash is a babbling machine.  We don't quite consider him saying any words yet - but ba ba ba, da da da, ma ma ma - he's getting there!
• Nash has become a pro at finger foods - although we should really call them fist foods.  It takes his whole hand to get the one crunchy in his mouth.  The two finger dexterity will come soon enough - right now, the fisting of food is pretty cute.
• Nash is still getting four bottles a day, about 6 ounces each.  He takes most of his bottles, but at daycare he seems to be quite distracted and not finish the entire bottle.  
• Who knew the cheapest sippy cups would be the ones that don't leak?  Go figure.  But hey - at least we found them, and Nash LOVES them!  He is so proud of himself when he drinks his water with his meals.  So cute. 
• Nash is still wearing size 3 diapers - we're buying the Sam's brand at this point.  Wishing we had a Costco, but Sam's will do.  As long as we can keep him still enough to actually change his diaper!
• Nash's 9 month birthday was spent in his new house - which warrants a post all of it's own - but that will have to come later.  We're still working on actually getting moved in and settled, but Nash seems to be adjusting well.
• We do our best to keep his bedtime routine consistent, and his sleep patterns seem to have evened out.  He's mostly sleeping through the night - if he wakes, usually a few soothing pats on the back and he's back out.

 My three dishwashers...one automatic, one furry, and one human

 hey dog, come out and play won't ya?

 playing pinball with daddy before we put the legs on and it becomes to tall!

 snoozin' on Aunt Becky's couch during a visit to Memphis

 hanging out with great grandpa nash during a visit to Bloomington

 so handsome!

 cousinly love

Nash's First Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend was one of our only weekends in October where we're in town and had no plans...so we prepared all week (i.e. shopped for the cutest fall outfit) for our big pumpkin patch visit over the weekend.  Well, the weather took quite a turn and it was 90 degrees over the weekend...haha.  So much for nice, fall, crisp weather.  Needless to say - no cords, thermals, or long sleeves for our little guy....short sleeves and coveralls were the way to go.  And the farm was selling ice cream instead of cider or hot chocolate.  Oh, the south, how funny you are.

Our pumpkin patch visit was hot - but definitely fun.  The farm was set up like an old western town (complete with pumpkin canon?), so Nash got to see some farm animals, walk through the saloon and post office, and get a chance to hang out in jail.  We go out to the pumpkin patch (a real patch by the way...pick your own pumpkins, your own dirty, scratchy, ouchy pumpkins), and snapped a few pics of Nash in the field before we snatched our orange treasures and hopped back in the AC for the drive home.  We were envisioning the super cute piles of pumpkin pics that all good parents take of their kiddos in the fall.  Umm...maybe later?  When it actually FEELS like fall?  :)

Enjoy!

 Hanging out on the farm with dad

 See the pumpkin?  Just shot from the canon..

 Offense:  over the legal cuteness limit

 hey dad...isn't  this a place for kids?

 merry-go-round ride with mom

 what a pretty blue sky...

looks like a perfect fall day...

you'd never know it was 90 degrees outside.

 

Nash in the patch

 where's nash?

 he's everywhere.

kisses from momma.  can't ever get enough of those.

 let me out, let me out, let me out!

 Hang on mom, I'll be right back...

(note the hat...we DID have a FEW days where cooler weather set in)