Nine months…I can’t believe our little boy is 9 months already and only 9 months at the same time. The time has gone by so quickly but he loves to get into everything so early that sometimes I forget how little he still is. We are so lucky to have such an easy going, happy little guy that brings so much love every day.
Hunter is 17 lbs 4 oz and is 27-3/4″ tall. We have a doctor’s appointment on Monday so we may be getting some shots (boo) but we love seeing our pediatrician for wellness visits!
Hunter is a busy little guy. He is constantly on the move, whether he’s walking around or crawling, and he is fast! You always have to keep an eye on him or he will try and get into something he shouldn’t. He loves to use his voice and make sure that everyone is listening. He is a very easy going, happy guy most of the time and loves to laugh. He loves to play peek-a-boo, knock down towers of blocks, rock on his rocking horse and pull things out of bins and buckets. He loves to eat and try new things at the table. He lights up during bath time and loves to splash around. He loves to play with blocks, his tools and making things rattle. We have a dedicated Hunter Zone where he is free to play safely but he is always finding ways to sneak past his barriers. He can be very mischievous but it’s easy to forgive with that mega watt smile. He loves walks in the Tula and riding on his SmartTrike. He is definitely Mama’s boy but he lights up whenever Dad walks in the door. He loves his sisters and to pester Bourbon, but he mostly loves to observe all the chaos around him and go with it. We love you so much sweet boy and love watching you grow!
All Smiles
We always have people ask if Hunter is as happy at home as he is around other people and the answer is…yes. Unless you’ve rerouted his escapes or taken away something he shouldn’t put in his mouth, he is an overall sweet boy. He loves to smile and laugh at everyone!
Walking
Hunter goes between walking and crawling every day. He can take about 10-15 steps at a time. He likes to walk when no one is watching or when he’s not really thinking about it. He will catch himself in the middle of a room and then slowly lowers himself and race crawl the rest of the way. Luckily we have low couches so it is easy for him to grab a cushion to balance himself before taking off again. He loves to stand up and yell or laugh until he falls over, but most of the time he doesn’t realize he’s not holding on to things and will stand for quite some time. His balance is great!
Playing Around
Our little man is one busy guy and he loves to play. He loves to pull things out of baskets – clothes, toys, things he’s not supposed to. He loves to play with musical instruments, trucks, blocks and with his sister’s toys. He has really gotten into crawling through tunnels and he is super fast through them – watching him and Bourbon try to get through them together is pretty funny. He also loves to ride on his little Bullseye rocker. He will even pull it down and get himself on it and wait for someone to rock him. I love watching how his little mind works. He also loves to play Wreck It Ralph, where the girls will build something and let him come and wreck it – sometimes on purpose!
Trouble Maker
Hunter has to be watched like a hawk because he is always trying to get into something he’s not supposed to. We have turned our living room into a Hunter Zone and have tried to block it in as much as we can, but he has enjoyed figuring out ways to escape. He’s crawled under, around, over and basically pushed his way through the barriers we’ve put up. He’s pretty proud of himself too. Hunter is definitely going to keep us on our toes for quite some time.
Eating Machine
Hunter is an eating machine! He loves to try new foods and he can put it away with the best of them. He loves eggs, yogurt, fruit, broccoli, peas and avocados. He is always ready to try something and loves being a big kid at the table.
Thanksgiving
We have taken each day of the pandemic one day at a time. It has definitely affected the way we live our day to day life, but in some ways, it has made us better. Sure there are times where I am scared for what’s to come or I get bummed that we can’t just go out and do things, but at the end of the day, we are trying to do what is best for our family. Even though we get on each other’s nerves on the regular, I have really enjoyed all of the extra time together.
We have hosted a big Thanksgiving since Brian and I first started dating and he was in Platte City. His Kentucky family would drive in to spend a long weekend and we did a lot of cooking, laughing and sharing stories. This year the pandemic forced us to change our plans and keep everyone safe in their own homes. We certainly missed our Kentucky family, but we are very fortunate that we were able to have my parents and brother over because we have all been quarantined together. It was a beautiful day; we had a lot of fun cooking, taking the dogs for walks and eating together. And in light of everything going on this year, it made us realize how fortunate we are and how thankful we are for our health and family.
Santa Visit
We are not letting the Pandemic slow our holiday spirit. We may not be able to get out like we used to, but we are going to make the best of the season. Santa has been a hot topic this year and the girls were a little worried about not getting to see him this year. We didn’t feel comfortable taking them into stores or wait in a long line, but we wanted to figure out a way to see the big guy.
Luckily Dad knows Santa and put in a call (social media message) and asked if he could make a special trip. We got the girls dressed up in their holiday favorites and had them practice their writing and write Santa a letter. Then we had them come outside to take a few photos with their brother. Little did they know, Santa was on his way over! We were in the midst of picture taking when Sienna looked up and saw Santa turning the corner on his red and green lit motorcycle! The excitement and disbelief was quickly replaced with pure joy.
The girls got to spend some safe time talking with Santa outside and we got to take some of the most memorable pictures to date. They couldn’t wait to tell their friends during their Zoom calls and still talk about the visit. It was a secret so hard for us to keep but so worth it to see the magic in their eyes. And Hunter did great too! He was a little unsure at first but he took some photos like a pro! We are looking forward to making more magic this holiday season!
Christmas Tree Farm
One of the new traditions we decided to start this year was to visit a Christmas Tree Farm. Brian and I have never been before, we have artificial trees for a multitude of reasons, but we wanted to try something new and safe this year. I found a few local places and we decided to check out Rus-T-Barn up in Bonner Springs because they were having s’mores and treats the Friday after Thanksgiving. Since we were doing all of our shopping online this year, we had the day open and the weather was perfect.
It was totally worth the drive. There were chickens (and a cat), crafts for the kids, hot chocolate and s’mores by the bonfire and the girls even got some light up necklaces. The family that runs it were really friendly, everyone was wearing masks when shopping and there was a lot of room to take safe photos without masks on. They had beautiful wreaths and the girls had fun picking one out for our front porch. We will definitely be turning this into a family tradition for many years to come! Later that night we headed down to KC Wine Co and Pumpkin Patch to see their big drive thru display and everyone got in on the fun!
Union Station
One of my favorite traditions over the holidays is going down to Crown Center, walking to Union Station and take in all of the holiday cheer, shopping and Christmas spirit. This year I wasn’t sure we would be able to see the lights and big trees downtown because of the spiking cases and limitations. We have been really careful about where we go (or don’t go) during the pandemic and don’t want to risk the health of the kids or anyone else in our family. When we saw that Union Station was having a special display and that they were limiting tickets, we decided to give it a try. If we didn’t feel comfortable, we wouldn’t go through it.
We decided to buy tickets for the Monday after Thanksgiving. Brian had the day off and even though the girls had class, we let them skip a Zoom to see the sights. I am so glad we did because it was beautiful and there were only a handful of people in the entire area. We got to take a photo by the tree, take some photos and see some beautiful displays. Plus we got to see the mini train exhibit, which has always been one of our favorite things to do. Hunter was in awe of all the little trains and the girls had fun finding their favorite characters and buildings throughout the exhibit. The Pandemic may have taken away a lot of things, but I am so grateful that we got to spend a little bit of normalcy with our family for the day.
Outdoor Time
We have been blessed with some beautiful weather as of late so we are taking full advantage of it. Bailey’s done some calls from the front porch, we’ve spent most of our lunch breaks at the dog park, rode scooters and bikes and played out back. I know it is quickly fleeting but we’ll take it right now!
Sister Fun
Hunter is so lucky to have fun big sisters that want to spend time with him. They are always trying to make him laugh, help him if he falls and share their toys with him. It’s not all sunshine and roses, but they really value their time together.
Bourbon
Hunter loves his big brother Bourbon. One of his favorite things to do is watch Bourbon run around like a crazy thing at the dog park and luckily since the weather has been so nice, we’ve spent a lot of lunch breaks there recently. He has also decided to be a little stinker and try and mess with Bourbon while he is sleeping on the couch. Bourbon has been a good sport and when Hunter gets to him before we do, he is very gentle with him. Bourbon has been a crazy addition to our family this year, but he definitely makes the day more interesting and sweet!
Sleepy Boy
Hunter may be getting bigger but one thing stays the same, he doesn’t love to sleep. He is a busy guy and always wants to see what is going on. The only time he will sleep is when Grandma is holding him, Daddy is holding him or when Mom is not around. He loves to party after Dad goes to work at night so Mom is getting less and less sleep. Luckily I am able to sneak in a few snuggles during the day between the girls’ school Zoom calls and projects, but they are definitely few and far between.
We are so fortunate to have this sweet and happy little guy in our lives. He keeps us busy but makes each day better. I am so happy we are able to spend time together and get a chance to watch his milestones together!
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