Testing the waters...

It took awhile for Clayton to get used to the new textures of table food. Slowly but surely he is coming around to the new tastes and textures. On Christmas he ate some turkey, hash brown casserole, applesauce, and rolls. He has also come to like diced carrots, graham crackers, goldfish crackers, loves bananas but has to eat them like mommy and daddy do, and potatoes. He has also had whole milk out of a sippy cup. I can't believe that soon, there will be no more bottles...my baby boy is growing way to fast, but it is oh so much fun to watch!

Eating a graham cracker...notice the Steeler's bib Uncle Brian got him

Yummy Banana...we can no longer eat a banana without Clayton having a fit to have a bite :)

Big bite!

First Christmas 2009

Christmas was so much fun this year...something about children brings the fun, excitement, and Christmas spirit back! Clayton was into the presents and gift bags way before Christmas came, and would not leave the tree and ornaments alone. He would ooohh and ahhh over the lights and tree. Clayton was spoiled rotten this Christmas. We are so thankful that so many people love and care about him. He got many things this year including a ball pit, tent/tunnel, tickle me Elmo, toy box, silly town, mickey mouse talking toy, foam letters, books, outfits, money, singing puppy dog, and much much more. The hits were definitely the ball pit and foam letters. Our living room looked like Christmas exploded! We celebrated with immediate family on Christmas morning at our house with breakfast, then we went to Fulton, TN for Scott's side Christmas where Clayton got to play with his cousins, and we will be celebrating with my side on January 2nd at our house. We also went to Christmas Eve service. Overall it was a great Christmas filled with many blessings, the biggest blessing of all being Clayton...who could ask for a better gift than that?

Look what I can do! He leans on the side of the ball pit until it falls over...he thinks this is hilarious...I think I have a dare devil on my hands!

Christmas morning in the ball pit Uncle Brian and Aunt Kim got him

Checking out the tunnel/tent that Uncle Brian and Aunt Kim got him

Uncle Brian and Daddy blowing up the ball pit

New Steelers outfit...I'm thinking someone is grooming Clayton to be a Steelers fan ;)

Clayton getting the goodies out of his stocking

Mommy reading Clayton his new book

Foam letters for the bath tub...4 dollars and the biggest hit of the morning...didn't want to open anything else after that!

What is it???

New Mickey Sippy Cups

Clayton on his new toybox mommy and daddy got him

Clayton helping daddy get the Christmas music going Christmas morning

Mommy and her handsome little man ready for Christmas Eve church

Clayton getting into the presents BEFORE Christmas

Busted!

New traditions...

Of course we decided to do the leaving cookies and milk for Santa tradition, but we also started an ornament tradition for Clayton. Each year we are going to buy him an ornament that symbolizes what was important/special to him that year. This year we got an ornament for his first Christmas, and we also got a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ornament because he absolutely loves Mickey Mouse. Our plan is to one day give these ornaments to him on his wedding day.

Mommy and Clayton putting cookies out for Santa...Clayton tried to eat them :)

Are these for me?

Clayton's 2009 Christmas ornaments

Snails and Puppy Dog Tails, That's What Little Boys are Made of...

We bought Clayton his winter hat, which just so happened to be a puppy dog hat. I took pictures the other day of him in my uncle's old rocking chair and just had to share...simply adorable!

Fantasy of Lights...

Sunday we went to the Fantasy of Lights at Lake Rudolph with some friends. We went up early so that we could go to the Christmas store and look around. Clayton loved the musical houses and lights. He was just taking it all in. He loved the statue of Santa, but not so sure about the Real Santa! He was okay from afar, but once we started to put him on Santa's lap, the tears came. We did actually get a picture with no tears, but there were plenty before and right after the picture...I just happen to distract him for two seconds and that was long enough for them to snap the photo. After the Christmas shop and dinner, we piled in the car and drove throught the lights which told the story of Rudolph. Since we were in a contained area and going 2 miles an hour, we freed the babies from their seats. Clayton's car seat is still rear facing, and he spent most of the light show standing in his car seat facing the front of the car dancing to the Christmas music playing on the radio. It was absolutely priceless...well worth it, he loved it. I think we enjoyed watching him more than watching the lights. It was a great family day filled with wonderful memories.

The Official First Santa Claus Picture

This stuff is good!

Look at that face...

I'm not too sure about you Santa...

Aunt Heil gave me my first pretzel stick at dinner...mommy about had a heart attack thinking I was going to choke!

Yeah...I think I kinda like this guy!

Slow down already...A look at month 10!

Clayton is 11 months today, it just doesn't seem possible! Time to review that past month. I swear just when you think it can't get anymore fun...it does! It seems like he does something new everyday.

Here is a look at month 10:

*He learned to clap his hands, and now does it when you say "Yay", or when music comes on

*1st and 2nd tooth popped through on the bottom

*Decorated our Christmas tree together...Clayton loves going to the stores and looking at all of the holiday decorations and lights

*1st Thanksgiving (tried sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and turkey, but didn't like any of them)

*Plays peek a boo himself (puts the blanket over his own head and then pulls it off)

*Says Uh Oh, especially when he throws something down on purpose

*Waves and says Bye Bye

*spins around in circles on his bottom (hilarious)

*cries when mommy and daddy leave :(

*Love the Mickey Mouse Club House...if he hears it come on from another room, he crawls as fast as he can to the TV and claps and dances and gets the biggest grin on his face

*Dances (rocks forward and back, almost looks like he is head banging)

*starting to cruise around the furniture

*Took his first trip to the Fantasy of Lights and sat on Santa's lap

*Had his first taste of ice cream...LOVED

*Hosted his first Holiday open house ;)

*Loves to throw the ball to Penelope

*Will hand you things when you say "Give it to mommy or daddy"

*Rolls ball

Here are a few pics from month 10...

New Traditions...

We are starting our own little family traditions now that Clayton is here. We want to do things that we can look forward to doing together for years and years to come. One new tradition is The Elf on a Shelf. I heard about this cute tradition through a friend of mine. The tradition includes a story and of course an Elf. You would normally put the elf out right after Thanksgiving, but ours came out tonight. The Elf comes with a story about how he is Santa's helper and you have to name him. We named our elf Mickey because Clayton is so crazy about Mickey Mouse right now. You can tell the elf your wishes and he watches to make sure you are being good, and he reports back to Santa each night and hides in a different spot each morning when he returns, so you must find him each morning. We read the story tonight and put Mickey up on our mantle for the night. I had to include a picture of my cute little elf :)

First Thanksgiving among many other firsts!

This was Clayton's first Thanksgiving and it started out with a bang...literally! We were gathering everything up to head to Aunt Alice's and he was playing on the floor by the island in the kitchen (pulling everything off of the shelves of course) and he pulled up, pulled a book off and fell banging his head on the corner of the island. That left a nice little boo boo on his head. We of course ran to cuddle him and realized he had messed through his diaper all over his cute Thanksgiving outfit! Nice! Once all of that settled down, we headed to Aunt Alice's for a nice day visiting with family. Clayton tried turkey, mashed potatoes, and sweet potatoes, but he didn't think much of it. He just isn't into food other than bananas, puffs, and Popsicles. Clayton loved playing with his cousin Macy. The were so adorable! It is so funny to think back on last Thanksgiving, Macy was just born and Clayton wasn't here yet, we had no idea then what blessings they would be and the joy they would bring.

Clayton has also had some other firsts:

*He now says bye bye and waves opening and shutting his hand...it is sooooo cute!

*He claps...he claps for himself after waving bye bye, that probably wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that for the longest time when he would even think about trying to wave we would clap and cheer for him ;)

*He tried his first Popsicle (banana flavored) and LOVED LOVED LOVED it

*The child is absolutely CRAZY over Mickey Mouse Club house...he crawls as fast as he can to the TV when he hears it come on, starts clapping and moving his arms up and down and gets this huge grin on his face. I was bound and determined I was NOT going to have a character themed birthday party until he was old enough to beg for one, but looks like I am going to have to eat those words...Mickey Mouse 1st birthday here we come!

Clayton and his cousin Macy looking out the window at my aunt's house on Thanksgiving

Clayton trying his first popsicle

Yum

Clayton's cousin Kaylee feeding him a bottle

Clayton in his Thanksgiving outfit...he looks like such a big boy...