Holiday's with the Hewitt's (2013)

The Holiday's always make life crazy and in our household this means out of control crazy, because we are in a constant state of crazy 365 days out of the year. But, the holiday's also means participating in old & new family traditions!  This year was no exception.

We went and picked out our 12.5 foot LIVE Christmas tree at Hewitt Garden Center and brought it home on top of the Vibe (A Christmas Vacation sight indeed!).

Santa sent his elf to come and live with us this year.  Her name is Tinsee and she was quite destructive!

Hanging Wilkes' and Hadley's underwear instead of our stockings!

Toilet Papered Wilkes' room

We also wanted to go visit Santa to tell him what we wished for this year, but only one of us got to get our wish list in.  The other desperately tried to get away from the man behind the white beard.

This year we all really enjoyed decorating the tree together.  Hadley especially enjoyed attempting to climb the ladder to hang ornaments and all the glitter that was on the ornaments.

This was also our 1st year of instituting our family tradition of "Jammie Cocoa Christmas"!  This is where we pick one night before Christmas to open up 1 gift from Mom & Dad (our matching Christmas Jammies), make hot cocoa, and gather in the car to go find houses with the best Christmas lights.  We had a lot of fun this year, except Hadley fell asleep pretty early on.

Another Hewitt Family tradition is that the entire family (on Will's Dad's side) gets together to watch Christmas Vacation.  This year we themed it as an Ugly Christmas Sweater/Christmas Vacation party.
We came dressed to impress!

 And finally, we get to Christmas morning.  Santa sure did deliver this year!

Opening all of gifts sure did make for some tired kiddos. It's hard work being spoiled!

Can't wait for next year, it's sure to be even bigger and better! (At least as far as Christmas lights are concerned)

The Hewitt's Go To a Wedding

Hard to believe it's been almost a few months now since John and Kirstyn were married! This group of Hewitt's brought their A-game to the wedding (as you can obviously see in the above picture).  Wilkes was asked to be the ring bearer and Will an usher.  What was Wilkes' favorite part of being a ring bearer you ask?  Well, for starters he will tell you he was a "ring barrier".  Second, he will tell you that he fell in love with a beautiful flower girl named Olivia.  Third, he will say all of his dance battles!  He sure did rock the dance floor.  Hadley, well, she slept through most of it!

Hadley is 1!

What a great 1st birthday you had Doodle! Not that you had any idea what was going on, or that any of it was for you, the rest of us in attendance had a blast!  You and Wilkes shared a joint birthday party but each of you had your own individual mom and dad celebrations on your actual day.  The birthday theme was CAMOFLAUGE (thanks to big brother for choosing that).  But, it sure was fitting seeing as you celebrated in your new home in TN.  You're a southern girl now :)

This Month You

• began walking on your own unassisted and could take about 15 steps before falling down (First Steps: July 23)
• added your 3rd official word to your vocabulary, you got "dog" out in its entirety
• started your new daycare and LOVE it and love your new friends
• brought home your first piece of art
  
• hated opening your birthday presents (maybe at Christmas you'll finally enjoying unwrapping gifts)
  
• were diagnosed with a eye problem called optic nerve hypoplasia. Mommy and Daddy's heart broke when we heard the news, but you act as if you know no difference.  You're such a trooper!
• love your picnic table that Pops and Bebe gave you for your birthday.  You and Bubba eat afternoon snack together at your table
  
• are such a diva with your purse! you carry it everywhere
• love to draw. Another Hewitt artist in the mix!
• finally have a ponytail!
  
• want to do everything by yourself!

Hadley's 10th & 11th Month

Hadley, I did it again.  We were so busy these past two months that mommy didn't have time to write individual updates.  One day mommy is going to get things organized and get better at this!

10th Month

• Had your first pedicure.  Daddy painted them for you for vacation! They were such a hit!
  
• Have figured out how to crawl into things, like the moving boxes!
  
• You went to your brother's and my adoption ceremony! We were so happy to be officially family according to the law!
  
• Went on your 2nd big car trip to TN to drop off a few trailer loads of our things into our new house!  We got to see your Pops, Bebe, Aunts & Uncles, and you go to met your cousin Hattie for the first time!  You two will be the best of friends once she gets a little older :)
  

  

  You LOVE your Pops

  
  

  

  With Aunt Caity and cousin Hattie

• We had our first Mother's Day together! This was the best one I will probably have as you were here to celebrate with us!  I love you so much my Doodle! 

  

  Mommy's loot! You and Wilkes got her a locket with your photos :)

  
  
  
• Laugh so hard.  Daddy is the best are making you laugh.  He just tickles you or makes funny faces and you crack up!
  
• Have discovered you have dogs.  You like Jax and he gives you kisses and you just laugh!

  

  Jaxon was sleeping and just let you bother him

• Are getting around in your own creative ways!  You like to pull your supposedly STATIONARY activity table behind you to get to things.  And you cause lots of messes for mommy b/c you have figured out you can do this!

  

  Baby proofing needed to happen soon!

11th Month 

•  Had your first father's day with daddy!

  

  Daddy's fatherly gifts of joy

• Took your second airplane ride and this one we didn't fair as well.  Thank goodness Daddy was there to help mommy.  You were such a wiggle worm and did not want to sit still.  Longest 2.5 hrs of mommy and daddy's life!

  

  Don't let your smile fool you, you weren't happy!

• Went on your first family vacation to Florida!  We went to Jensen Beach where Nana and Daddy Don vacation every year.  We were thinking you'd enjoy the ocean and the sand, but as it turned out you hated both!  You screamed and cried when we put your toes in either, but it sure did lull you to sleep.  So, nap time was spent on the beach chair under the umbrella with Nana.  
  

  

  Nap time!

• You went in the pool for the first time on vacation!  That on the other hand was a completely different story.  You loved it!  You splashed so much and went under water (briefly) with Daddy's help and smiled so big when you came up!  You are like a fish in the pool Doodle, you didn't want us to hold on to you to help you swim, you wanted to go go go and if you could've you would've!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  We spent most of our time in the pool together

• Took your first trip to the zoo!
  
  
  
  
• Are moving all over the place! We can't keep up with you.  You crawl like a big girl (no more military crawl). Now you can get anywhere in the house you please.  You can pull yourself up onto things and use them to walk around a room too!  Almost walking without help and mommy is not ready to see you get so big!
• You moved!  We moved from your very first home in Chicago back to TN where Daddy is from.  It was bittersweet for mommy, but you handled it like a champ! And love that your new room actually has a closet for all your clothes!

  

  This is how we slept our last night in our old house.  Mattress in the living room and was the only bed for all 4 of us!

  

  Chicago Home!

  
  

  

  New Home (what an upgrade, huh?!)

• You love love LOVE LOVE your bubba (big brother).  You two have gotten so much closer now that your interactive and more fun to play with!  You just adore him and sometimes crawl on top of him when he is sleeping to wake him up to play with you!
  
  
  

  

  This is how you sit and watch TV together

  
  
  
  
  

  

  Say, "wake up Bubba!!"

• Give kisses on command and we love it! Mommy can't get enough of those sloppy kisses. 
• Are trying to get your first real word out.  Dog.  You get "doooo" with a long o...not quite catching on to the G, but its right there I can tell!