Firsts...

I promised an update on how our little man has been doing, so hear we go!

It has been so exciting experiencing many "firsts" with Hayes...

• First time to meet friends and family.

Hayes with his 2 cousins, Jack and Knox.  He loves them.  They love him.  I love this picture!

What is he 7 months going on 6?!  He looks as grown up as cousin Jack!

  

• First car ride in a carseat (no carseats on our rides in Ethiopia!).


• First pair of sunglasses!

First time to sleep in his crib (which he did on his first night home, but it's still a first!).

This was his first nap in his crib.

• First time laughing (he laughed in Ethiopia with us, but it was more of a "coo."  This is a full-blown belly laugh!)

• First Father's Day.

• First time to rock him to sleep.

• First time to roll over.

• First teeth (TWO!).

• First song to dance to (Prince's "Kiss"-that was for you Jenny!)

• First time to eat "real" food (rice cereal).

• First family outing (just to my parents' house, but an outing nonetheless!).

• First trip to the doctor.

• First time to sit in a seat.

• First outing with mama by herelf (to Target, where else?!).

• First holiday: The 4th of July (one of my favorites!).

• First dinner ruined (he cried the whole time out to eat for my mom's birthday.  We spent most of the meal outside!).

• First Sunday to go to church.

• First time to visit Daddy's work.

Hayes is just over 7 months old and is doing very well.  We have been home a month on Friday.  I can't believe it! He got a good report from the doctor and has been adjusting wonderfully.  We coccooned (for the non-adoption world, that means to stay home for awhile) for about 2 weeks before we started venturing out.  We also didn't let anyone else hold him during this time, but we had many visitors at our house.  The hubby and I are still the only ones that hold him when we're in a large group or crowd and the only ones to feed him, change him, and put him to sleep.   I think that this has helped him to know that we're his parents.  When we're in a group he'll make eye contact with me or smile at me.  When I go to get him out of his crib in the morning he greets me with a huge smile and starts wiggling like crazy!

As far as sleep goes, we have been so lucky.  Hayes usually sleeps 12 hours a night (I know, don't hate me.  I said we're lucky!).  He usually wakes up once early in the morning.  We'll feed him and he'll go right back to sleep until about 8:30-9:00.  2 days ago he actually slept until almost 10! Crazy, right?!  He usually takes 2 long naps and 2-3 mini naps.  He's not usually awake for more than 2-3 hours at a time.  I'm not sure if it's because he's not used to stimulation or if the kid just likes to sleep!

We are so happy to be experiencing so many "firsts" (both good and bad!) with our sweet boy.  We are so thankful that God chose us to be his parents.  We are treasuring this time together!