Mr. Mom and the Holiday Meltdown
Kelly, Cindy and I went to New York a week ago to visit Connie & Tara. The five of us were on the high school drill team together. We were celebrating Connie, Cindy and Kelly's birthdays'. In NY we saw a taping of the TV show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". We also went to see "The Producers" on Broadway and the Rockettes Christmas show at Radio City. We shopped a lot and ate a bunch. It was a fun trip.
Meanwhile back home, Matt was playing Mr. Mom. Here's just a snip-it of his weekend with Henry --
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Email from Matt:
So I am working by the Galleria and Henry was at my sister-in-law's house in Frisco. Jennifer was in New York City with her girlfriends, thus I am solo with Henry all weekend. I left at 4pm to pick up Henry and I got stuck in traffic. Took 30 minutes to get there. Picked him up and had to put in the car seat. 30 minutes later, we leave. It took one hour to get to the KPMG Centre (for the Christmas Party) since I was in bumper to bumper traffic. Henry is okay, but barely, he is hungry, thus it is now about 6:15PM. Jennifer said that I had to get a picture of Henry with Santa since he had a melt-down at North Park Mall last week. I said no big deal, get the picture go upstairs and get Henry a meal. So I get in line and wait and wait and wait. Henry is okay, but barely. He is flirting with other kids/adults, so I think we can make it and I am excited to see it happen.

After 40 minutes of waiting it was our turn. Henry freaked and had a complete meltdown. No big deal. I soothe him with a balloon and all is well and we let the group behind us go. We try again…he freaked out again and still no picture. I calm him down…try a third time and this time I basically sat with him. It didn’t work, they got a goofy picture of him crying and me looking like a buffoon. It then took me an additional 10-15 minutes to calm him down because the third time he was not only scared of Santa but pissed that I was forcing him to sit with Santa. After calming him and seeing the elevator was backed up, I said "I'm outa here!" Henry concurred.I get to the car and apparently, I didn't set up the car seat right, (it was tightened way to tight), so I had to take it out of the car and redo it (Once again a Jennifer chore that I had to learn on the fly). So Henry is screaming again, I'm stressed out and then I get us going after another 20 minutes. The funny thing is that a street beggar walking by didn't even want to ask for money like he was going to but after he saw me with a car seat in the parking lot with a screaming baby, he realized I had worse problems than he did. I got it rigged enough to work, so we left.

We head towards our house northbound on 75 and low and behold a massive car wreck…Henry gets more pissed as we can't take our exit due to the police barricade. So I drive on to Lovers Blvd exit and try to turn right onto Lovers. The problem is that the ass in the far right lane won't let me move over. So I am stuck taking a left turn. Thus I took a left turn, did a uturn and said we need to eat and moved on towards Texadelphia. Henry finally had a reprieve and sat down in the high chair and in effect ate half of my sandwich, drank lots of water (with a little coke) and finally was happy. I get home at 8:30 pm, give him a bath and put him to bed at 9pm. I then went to my backyard, built a fire in my fire pit and drank a beer for 3 hours to recover from my 5 hour joy ride trying to go to the Christmas party and get one cute picture with Santa.
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I feel his pain because I've been there. Like Matt said, this was the second meltdown with Santa. Henry was so scared we had to leave. At least Matt came home a picture.

I thought we might have another meltdown this week at the barber shop but Henry was an angle. He was growing a bit of a mullet, so I took him in for a big boy hair cut. Just a little off the back and around the ears. Couldn't take any off the top -- it would just stick up more than it already does. Doesn't he look sporty?












To see more cute pics of Henry CLICK HERE >>

Home Sweet Home
We're on our way home now. We left two weeks ago for Victoria to visit Matt’s parents and to drop Henry off. Gram Mellie and Grandpa Bob kept him while I went on another business trip with my honey bunny. Matt had some work to do for a few days at this 5 star resort in Arizona. I couldn’t let him go there alone, so I tagged along, lounged by the pool and visited the spa. We stayed through the weekend -- caught a movie, shopped and enjoyed being babyless. We missed Henry a bunch, talked about him a lot and couldn’t wait to see him.
Our mini-vacation didn’t end there. We headed back to Victoria to get our little guy and hang for a week at the Bryarly Spa and Resort. Their fabulous new house in the country is situated on 10 acres full of oak trees and wildlife. (Including a guinea named Sirus.) It was like going from one resort to another. Except this second resort was a little more labor-intensive with Henry, painting and getting the house in order before 20 or so people arrived on Thanksgiving day.

Henry was beside himself pretty much all day. His bottom molar was coming in, so he cried a lot and wouldn’t eat anything -- not even turkey.

About the only thing that calmed him down were ice chips, but that made his gums bleed. So we took him next door to see the cows. He forgot all about his teeth.

He’s better today, which is good because that would have made for a long drive home.

Walk & Roll Henry
Henry walked today!!! He stood up by himself over at Gramme & Grandpa's last weekend. But today he took steps!

We have "It's Fun to be One" playgroup on Mondays now, so we were playing over at Max's house. Henry really liked looking out the back window at Max's dogs. I stood him up just a few steps from the french doors and he took 6 or 8 steps toward the windows. He'd pat on the door saying, "da, da". He also walked between Amanda and I a few times. Then when Matt got home, we got a video of him taking some steps. Yeah Henry!

It's a good thing Shackleford is still around. Don't tell Henry, but I tried to get rid of Shack when Henry was just a few months old. Well, they are great buds now. Henry says, "Chak-Chak".

Super-sweet Henry
Have I told you guys lately what a sweet baby I have? Henry is wonderful. He sleeps about 11 hours at night, takes two really good naps a day and eats almost anything I put in front of him. And he LOVES bathtime.

Our little Longhorn is almost 13 months and still smiley and happy all the time. He's not shy -- goes to almost anyone, even strangers. Last week we noticed two upper molars coming in. He’s taking it pretty well – just slobbering a lot.

We took Henry and Taylor to the Dallas arboretum and got some good pics of them in the pumpkin patch. To see more pictures of Henry and Taylor CLICK HERE>>

Oh! And we finally made good on our UT / Ohio State bet. Yep, UT lost so not only did Matt have to buy dinner for our Ohio State friends, but Henry had to wear this Ohio bib. He wasn’t too happy about that.

Texas-OU weekend was better for us. The Horns won! So really Henry’s horns have only lost once in his lifetime – HOOK ‘EM Henry!

We got Henry a wagon for his birthday. We’ve been pulling him around the neighborhood in it. He seems to like it. Shack likes it too.

I keep Taylor about 4 days a month. We were at the mall getting Henry's picture taken, so I bought Taylor a turtle costume like Henry's. Aren't they funny!

Oh how the year flew by...

I can't believe my little Henry is one year old! It makes me sad. We've had so much fun the last 12 months. I know we'll have even more fun as he gets mobile and chatty, but he's not my baby anymore. He's like a toddle now. He's very independent -- entertains himself. Doesn't much like sitting in my lap anymore. And he loves feeding himself, so the birthday cake was super-fun.

We just had his one year appointment and he's so healthy and big -- 30 inches tall (65%), 26 lbs (88%) and he wears size 24 mo. - 2T. He got 7 shots and a toe prick. Seeing him scream made me cry. The nurse had to give me a tissue. I'm the baby, I guess.

We had his birthday party on Sunday. Henry is so popular. Over 40 people came including 10 or so babies. The weather was so nice. Matt grilled burgers and dogs in the back yard. Thank you to everyone who came. Henry is enjoying his new toys so much!

Henry had two birthday cakes. An airplane cake that Gramme made, and a two level polka-dot cake for everyone else.

See those little stars sprinkled on the table (see red arrow). Henry ate one and started gagging, coughing, turning red, crying, spitting and dry heaving. We had to rush him to the emergency room. They did x-rays but couldn't see anything. Matt found the little star in his diaper the next morning. Sounds like our little Longhorn is taking lessons from Shackleford. Oh Henry ~

To see more birthday pics -- click here >>.

Go Bucks?
So if you haven’t heard, our Horns lost on Saturday to Ohio State. It was really the biggest game of year -- #1 vs. #2.

We took Henry to dinner with his best friend, Max, on Wednesday night before the game. Max’s dad went to Ohio State. Luckily we snapped this pic right as we sat down because...

10 minutes later Henry poos all over Matt. His good daddy takes him into the men's room for a quick change. Exposed on the changing table, Henry sprays Matt and soaks his cute new Horns jersey. Matt brings him back to the table in just a diaper. Luckily, Amanda, Max's mom, had a shirt Henry could borrow.

Then at the close of the meal we make a bet... guess who lost? Anyway, now Henry has to wear Max’s OSU outfit to dinner, which Matt will pay for. We want to be sure Henry grows up to be a good sport, so we’re making good on this bet ASAP. Pics of that coming soon….

Got Moves?
Remember Kelly & Joel from Tulsa? They invited us to be Godparents for their little Katie Lyn – Henry’s future wife. After the baptism we went to lunch with Father Jim and talked to him about the arranged Catholic wedding we’re planning. He’s on board to officiate in 20 years.

Joel, Kelly, Jen, Matt
Noah, Katie, Henry and Nick

That night we hired a sitter and hit the town. Free from kiddies, we gorged on Italian then Joel’s friend Troy called and asked us to meet him at Maverick – the hottest gay bar in town. Who cares if we’re breeders? We didn’t wanna miss out on country ‘n western night.

I really like this gay bar atmosphere. Matt didn’t feel out of place holding Kelly’s and my purse while we cut it up on the dance floor. You probably didn’t know this, but I was a TA for Country/Ballroom dance class at the University of Texas, so I’ve got moves. My moves are only as good as my partner though. And Matt can be a good partner when he’s got liquid courage but he was our DD, so I danced with the queens. Really, they two-step better than any hetro I know. Except maybe Matt’s brother Richard. You know, the one in the Army. He’s in Germany right now but really, he and I should be a pair on “So you think you can dance”.

We blew that joint shortly before closing to relieve the babysitter. Henry was an absolute angel. I’d never left him with anyone other than family, so I checked my phone for missed calls about 20 times that evening. It was fun – but really we always have a blast with Kelly and Joel. They rock!

Here’s a quick Henry update:

• He’s eating more “grown-up food” -- loves kiwi, goldfish, yogurt, guacamole, and all finger-foods. He likes feeding himself. Shack enjoys it too. It’s a treat to sit patiently under the highchair.
• He still has 8 teeth, which is really a bunch but I keep thinking more are on the way because Henry is such a slobber monster! You can tell by the huge wet neckline on his shirt.

• Henry is still very social. He doesn’t mind new people holding him or even strangers getting in his face. Really he loves the attention. He's a flirt.
• Henry has moves like his mama. I sing “Shake, shake, shake. Shake your bootie” to him and he wiggles his butt. He can also give high-fives and shows us how he’s “SO BIG” by raising his hands into the air.
• Taylor's been coming over more. You can't tell by this pic -- really they usually have fun together.
  

• We still do his breathing treatments every day or so. He likes watching “Baby Signing Time” on DVD while the breathing mask is on. He hasn’t picked up any signs himself but hopefully soon he’ll start waving bye-bye, squeezing his fist for milk, or saying “more” by putting his pointer fingers together. We’ll see.

Cruise Control
Henry has been on cruise control sent birth traveling somewhere just about every other month. We just returned from a 7-day cruise. Our little sailor had a great time getting to know his cousins – Sam, Austin and Antonia from Minneapolis and Megan from Florida.

We flew into Miami last Friday and boarded the ship on Saturday. Every morning Henry and I would race up to floor 14 on the ship for Aqua Babies. It wasn’t a swim class; it was just playtime with other babies his age.

The first night, we left Henry with Gram Mellie and headed for the craps table. Matt and I won over $300. We’d go back each night and gamble away $100 of our winnings. By the end of the trip we were down $37.

Food was great -- shrimp, lobster, steaks, wonderful wine. I think we all gained about 10 lbs this trip. So 10 x 13 people is 130 lbs! We’d usually meet in the main dining room for breakfast and dinner and lunch in the buffet area or in Port.

Our first stop was San Juan Puerto Rico. We toured an old pirate fort, shopped a bit, ate local cuisine and stopped in for a cold one at the brew pub.

Then we landed in the Virgin Islands. We took a sky tram up this mountain for a great view of St. Thomas. We also took a shuttle over to Megan’s Bay which is supposed to be a top 10 beach. We had a great time swimming, eating and relaxing in the sun.

Tropical Storm Chris kept us from going to St. Martin next. Instead we had a day at sea, and then docked at Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Matt and I had been there before and really love the Atlantis hotel. So after shopping in the straw market, we water taxied over to the Atlantis so the cousins could see the Aquarium. Huge sting rays swam by with the other colorful fish. Super cool, even for the second time.

Our last day on board we stopped at Coco Cay, which is a Royal Caribbean owned island. It’s like a resort – palm trees, food, lounge chairs, hammocks, shopping, and water sports – just no hotel. The water was very clear and shallow so we were able to see fish, sand sharks, and a sting ray.

Henry was a little angel the entire trip, except maybe the last couple of nights. He figured out that since his bed was right next to ours, all he had to do was scream really loud and then he’d get to sleep with us. We let him stay in bed with us for 30 or 45 min, then gingerly move him back to his crib. An hour or so later, he’d scream again and end up right back in between us. Now that we’re back home, he sleeps through the night in his bed with no problems. Thank God because we were exhausted when we finally made it home.

Thank you Grandpa Bob and Gram Mellie for such a wonderful family vacation.

We enjoyed it so much!

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE CRUISE PHOTOS.

Very Healthy Henry
I took Henry in for his 9 month appointment today. The doctor says he's "Very healthy." He's in the 95% for weight (25.4lbs), the 75% for height (29.5 inches) and 45% for head circumference. These stats make our little linebacker seem hefty but no worries, the doctor says he's perfect. Most babies are chubby at this age but thin out when they start walking.

He learned this week how to "give me 5!" He giggles everything. It's just our game for now, he gets shy - or maybe distracted - when I try to show others his new trick. He loves it when daddy sings to him and plays peek-a-boo. He likes my singing too, even if it is a bit out of tune.

We leave for the Bryarly family vacation on Friday. We've got 13 going on the cruise. Henry will finally meet his other cousins Sam, Antonia, Austin from Minneapolis and Megan from Florida.

Say “Cheese”
My super-talented sister Melinda took more pics of Henry this past weekend. These are his 9 month photo. Here are a few of my favorites:

Henry has a contagious smile. He flirts with people all the time at the grocery store and at restaurants. He’s definitely a people person.

Check out the super-cute rockin’ airplane Grandpa Hughs built Henry. He needs help getting up on it. So for now he has fun crawling over to it and pulling up. He also spins the propeller. He really pulls up on everything now and can toddle between furniture, the ottoman and even uses Shackleford as a crutch sometimes. He’s becoming quite mobile, which means more work for me.

He likes to grab things and throw them on the floor, then I come behind him and pick it all up. He opens drawers and cabinets and pulls stuff out. I don’t see an end to this game anytime soon.

Anyway, here is a link to more black & white Henry pics, and a few other 9 month photos. Enjoy! Click here >>

Fun 4th!
Henry sure liked the white sand beaches in Destin, Florida despite visiting the emergency room the first night we arrived.

Henry was crying – shrieking really – all night long. Finally at 4 a.m. we took him to the ER. He had a bad ear infection. The doc gave him some good meds which knocked him out. He was a little crabby when he got too hot, but really a good sport the rest of the trip.

We went on this trip over 4th of July weekend with the Hughs and Fogles. It was Henry and cousin Taylor’s first beach excursion. You know Matt and I love taking tropical trips, so I’m sure there will be plenty more sand in Henry’s future. Actually, we’re going on a cruise in just a few weeks. More on that next post.

For now, check out our baby beach bums on Kodak Gallery>>.

Super Rocket Buster
That’s what Great Grandma Hughs is now calling our little boy. He started crawling this week! I baby-proofed his room and need to work on the rest of the house now. He’s really fast on the carpet but slows to turtle speed on the hardwoods.

We took another roadtrip this weekend. Visited Grandma Mellie and Grandpa Bob. They needed help fixin’ up their new house before the movers come. Henry likes their new pool. It has a waterfall.

Henry is also really liking swim lessons on Mondays. He can go all the way under now and doesn’t seem to mind it at all.

Oh! Shackleford swallowed another pacifier. That’s right, 3 surgeries. This dog has cost us around $10K in the past year and a half. Insurance is helping us pay for some of the expense but we think they’ll drop us after they get the bill for this most-recent incident. We aren’t sure where Shack found the pacifier. Henry hasn’t sucked on a pacie for a couple of months. We think it’s been bouncing around in his stomach since Feb. or March. Who knows? Anyway, looks like I need to “Shack-proof” the house.

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