2006

2006 has been quite a big year for the Hayes family! We visited with family and friends in January as they "showered" us with baby gifts. Alex made his entry into our family in February and nothing has been the same since. In March and April we did a lot of sleeping (Alex & Mommy) at odd times of the day/night. By May Alex had settled into a fairly good sleeping routine that let us start getting out of the house periodically. In June we took our first family vacation! We drove to Mackinac Island in Michigan and then into Canada visiting Niagara Falls before returning home. Alex was only four months old, but he was a good little traveler. In July we watched fireworks at Grandpa Byers house and took Alex to his first major league baseball game! The Cleveland Indians beat someone - I'm really not a fan of baseball so I'm not sure who they played. In August Daddy had to go to Germany for work so Mommy and Alex tried to keep each other busy. Alex began sitting up with a pillow for assistance. We also visited the Smoky Mountains with Grandma Lou Ann in September. We rented one of those cabins WAY UP in the mountains. Lets just say that getting to the cabin was an adventure of itself! We saw the Dixie Stampeed and even shopped at the worlds largest "As seen on TV" shop (don't ask). Daddy decorated for Halloween and tried to spook the neighbor kids while Mommy handed out candy. On Thanksgiving we had dinner with Grandma Lou Ann as she also celebrated a milestone birthday (SHHHH!).

This holiday season has been more joyous than I could have ever imagined. With all the emphasis on "X number of shopping days left!" it is easy to forget the simple joys of Christmas. But there is nothing like a child to quickly remind you!

Since Alex is only 10-months old, he had no comprehension of why all the excitement. He had no idea why Mommy was rushing him from store to store. Why is Mommy hiding all those new things inside of pretty paper and bows? What must he be thinking? I doubt he was complaining the day we baked cookies! There is nothing like the smell of fresh baked cookies in the house.

As for Christmas morning, I doubt he had any clue why we were making such a fuss. We rushed down and lit up the Christmas tree and turned on the video camera. Santa had stopped at our house and left some really neat things around the tree! Still, no reaction from Alex. We put him down on the floor and let him crawl around from toy to toy (Santa doesn't wrap at our house). He loves his tool bench and Leap Frog learning table. But I think his favorite gift is his train!

I'll try to post more pictures soon!