My little boy is growing up!!! sniff...sniff...

Hampton is such a big boy now, that I had to post some pictures I've taken of him in the last couple of days. He loves his swing that Mamaw got him for Christmas. And check out the view he has when he swings! What's not to love?! I want to go back and find an infant picture of him in his crib so we can see a side-by-side comparison of how much he's grown. I remember, though. He used to be so tiny all swaddled up in a blanket. Now, he sprawls out and almost takes up the whole bed! We tried his little Bass Pro Shop folding chair again this week, and he can finally sit in it. It is still a bit big for him, so he slouches, but he had fun sitting in it, pushing it around the room, and folding and unfolding it over and over again.

He is SO MUCH FUN! I never dreamed I could love someone so deeply. I love my husband, my parents, my brother, my extended family and in-laws, and my friends; but the love you have for your child is just something special. It's a truly sacrificial kind of love, and it's taken me to a whole new level. He is amazing. His personality is becoming more evident. He is so sweet. He loves to give kisses and smile! He is walking everywhere now. His favorite thing to do is walk laps around the church after services. He is doing much better in the nursery too.

One quick funny story...we went out with some friends to Wendy's after church Sunday night, and their 5 year old son was asking me what words Hampton can say. So I told him his few-word vocabulary - mama, dada, uh-oh, no, hey, etc. I forget what happened to prompt this, but Hampton pitched a little fit about something, and I told him (as I VERY often do), "Hampton, watch your attitude." He responded very clearly with "aa-tude." The table erupted in laughter! I was amazed. Then he said it again! So, as you can see - either he's heard that so much that this is now part of his permanent vocabulary, or he was just mimicking me, which he really has started doing. It was TOO FUNNY! To repeat a phrase my parents always told me, he's "getting too big for his own britches"! HAHA!

Oh well. Enough narrative. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed reminiscing! Parenthood...what a ride!

It's a girls night!!

My good friend Becky Evers is moving back to Georgia in about a week. I am SO sad about this because she and I are best buds! the Lord truly sent her to me. We are very close - like sisters. She and I joke that it takes both of us to make a whole person...definitely a whole brain! We are each other's sanity sometimes!! She is such a wonderful friend. I told her I absolutely refuse to accept the fact that she's leaving until she actually pulls away in her car. With this in mind, I had a girls' get-together last night. But is was NOT a going-away party! (Remember, I'm not acknowledging that she's leaving yet!) No really, we had a blast hanging out together. There were several of our girlfriends who couldn't come for one reason or another, but the list that was there was (in the group shot from left to right) Mayleen, Angela, Kelly (top), Jennifer, Lynda, Becky (top), Tami, Me & Hampton, Tara, and Natalie (not pictured as she had to leave before we decided to take a picture). Of course we had to do a silly picture too (after much sugar and caffeine).

Happy New Year! Another year for FIRSTS.

We have experienced a lot of FIRSTS lately.

1. We are so excited that Hampton has started walking now! He took his first "official" step back in November, but it took him a while to get the hang of doing it full time. He is a pro now. Well, you know...he still has the "mummy walk," but he gets around pretty well. In fact, Clint and I have seen him do a little run a couple of times this past weekend. So he's getting more confident. I posted a video so you can see him walking too.

2. Hampton got his first haircut last Saturday. His hair was really getting long, and it was looking a little messy, so we took him to Cartoon Cuts at the mall. We were bracing ourselves for a stressful experience, but it was great! He sat there like a perfect little gentleman and let them cut his hair. He had been really cranky that day too, so it was a real surprise. We gave him a lollipop afterwards, and he loved it. I mean he really LOVED it - a real passion for candy! Uh-oh. And boy, was he wound up afterwards! We've never seen him so hyper! We love his haircut. I was so nervous and didn't want him to be scalped. I was made even more nervous when the hairstylist spoke virtually no English. But it turned out to be a really cute hair cut. Check out the pictures below. He looks like a little man now. You may want to click on the second picture so you can see it enlarged...check out his facial expression! I love the crooked smile!

3. He used a fork for the first time. I know...big deal...but this is my blog and my baby, so I can write about it if I want. HAHA! I'm proud of him!! I tried to catch him on video using it but to no avail.

Well, I hope you enjoy catching up on the "Hampton Happenings" for the week. Maybe I should've given the blog this name because it is all about our sweet little guy lately. We're boring, but he is the life of the party! Check out the video of him laughing...it is too funny!