Two teeth and a big boy sitting up!

This sweet little boy is getting so big! Already 30 inches long and 22 lbs for a 6 month old is off the charts in height and 90th percentile for weight. This little boy might be one of the sweetest babies ever with his contagious smile and happy personality about 99% of the time day to day. He giggles non stop too at his daddy, mommy, and anyone who plays peek-a-boo with him.

He has two teeth on the bottom and he smiles big and you see them every time. I feel like he was just a baby yesterday and now he has two teeth??? His eyes are still bright blue and we are certain between his Poppa in McKenzie and his Great Grandfather Big Dad McCollister both having blue, they'll be staying this way.

Caden also now has a strong will to constantly sit up. He acts like laying down is for babies or something. Unless Barney is on, he won't lay down much anymore. Barney is his new obsession to the point Ryan and I know the words to all the songs and it's beginning to drive us crazy though humorous.  

We had a fun trip to Myrtle Beach where Ryan played golf and Caden went with the ladies (including his Aunt Carrie and MoMo) and his future girlfriend Amelia's beach house pool and hung out. The ladies all caught up and he was so peaceful letting the jabber put him to sleep every time. 

Caden and Amelia

Caden and Aunt Mo Mo

At dinner on the last night

The flying was also a new experience for us. Caden did for the most part pretty good except for the fact he wanted to open and close the tray and constantly look out the window or down the aisle at people. What was I thinking buying myself magazines to read???? I think that was a first time mom with kid on plane attempt. I realize that will never happen and my days of ipod and magazines are long gone if I fly with Caden. 

We head to Orange Beach next week GG and Big Dad, Caden has all his beach gear and beach hats ready for his first visit to Turquoise in Orange Beach! We are so excited to get him in the pool and his feet on the sand. AND THIS MAMA is excited to get some relaxation after a big event, Head2toe, on Saturday.

Beach pics to follow......

Loving this lil one more and more by the second!

I just got our 3.5 month photos by Jeannie Frey who I LOVE as a photographer and I wanted to share this sweet little boy's contagious smile. As you can probably tell if you are my friend on Facebook, I am obsessed with him! I went on a trip this past weekend for 3 days and being away from him was so hard. I had a blast but not an hour went by without thinking about him at least once and how I just wanted to hug him!!!Getting home to him and having him giggle and laugh while Ryan convinced me that was the happiest he had been all weekend so he knew that Caden was happy to see me left me in smiles. This boy never stops smiling, is always cuddling, and has the most genuine loving spirit that will grow into one big loving teddy bear when he gets older! I can just tell. I had to add my furry babies too....

A Weekend at False River

We have had a lot of busy fun weekends. Starting with a trip to Memphis where we hung out with Ryan's family and of course the Lucius family with crawfish and tons of good company...to a fun weekend with my family, Alexis and the Lukes' at False River!

Caden loved the peacefulness of the lake. It was so fun to be able to rock him on the swing and watch his eyes light up staring intently at all the ducks, water, fishers, and boats. Many times I was rocking him on the porch and thought he was asleep bc he had been so still, but he was just observing and loving the weather and scenery. He is def. his daddy's son.

We got up there on Friday and went to dinner at Ma Mamas. If you know this place, you know it is like the Cheers of New Roads. The entire family is working in there and the wait staff is like family to them too! Everyone knows everyone. Angela who is one of the wait staff came up and swooped Caden away and before long he literally knew all the visitors and kitchen staff too.

Saturday was so fun. English, Will and Alexis came up with little William and we had a full day. We were so excited Alexis was able to come, and that William and Caden could get to hang with their T-Lex as she insist on being called :-)  We boiled crawfish, went out on the boat, played in the baby pool, and had our fair share of food and beer with good company. William was so sweet to watch as he embraced "Baby Caden" as he calls him. His interest in him actually lasted longer than I anticipated! It was so cute to see the two of them hanging out, knowing the little men will be best of buds for years to come!!! Caden kept staring at William like why are you smaller than all the rest of these people....and he constantly was trying to reach for William and grab him, especially when William would sing to him. So we think he is taking to him just fine!

Loving the hammock

Matching outfits

Satterfields

Adult time consisted of a fun ride out and visit to Satterfields for an hour...while Big Dad and GG kept lil William and Baby Caden.

I look forward to taking him back again in April...and soon enough he can go for a boat ride with us!

Everyday gets better....

So as many have told me 'it just keeps getting better and better', they couldn't be more right. Ryan and I were just talking last night and saying how we can't believe how much more we fall in love with him every day, it's such a vulnerable feeling but amazing one at that! I love snuggling with my little man, I can't get enough of it...and he is so sweet and has a heart for both me and Ryan shows how much he loves us with his face lighting up when he sees us and his cuddling... it just melts our hearts!!! 

We can't believe how much each day brings a new surprise whether it be a face he makes, a noise we have never heard, or even a movement that proves he is growing so fast he is hardly an infant anymore! He is 19 lbs, 29 inches long and lean but carries about everything in his cheeks!!! You can see that below. Last night we actually heard a belly laugh giggle and we just couldn't get enough of it! Lately our lil Bubby (which is my new nickname for him, was my Paw Paw's name, and ironically I had no clue but my dad was called this growing up!) has discovered his voice. It is so entertaining right now (ask me again in a few months if the screaming is still cute) but he does this talking scream and he impresses himself with how he does it! Then he focuses really hard and does it again. So cute. He also has this secret crush on Dora I think. We had a fun trip to Memphis this past weekend and on the way home when he watched Dora he would have a serious face but as soon as she came on the screen he started smiling so big. Liz thinks it's because Dora looks like a young version of her  ;-)

This weekend we head to False River, where lil Bub will hopefully get his dose of pretty weather out on the lake and of course some fun in a baby pool. He will also get some play time with his buddy Lil William!!!! We are doing ANOTHER crawfish boil and I can't wait until the day they can eat crawfish with us! I also can’t wait until the two of them are playing together and we can even take them out to water ski. Memories to come...and of course pics from this weekend. He has hit new hat all ready!

Little Caden is starting to talk!

So the revelation I have had this week is one that I have heard my whole life but never really embraced until now...the ole statement 'enjoy where you are because they grow up fast!' Hearing it I always just shrugged my shoulders and said yeah yeah ok that won't happen to me. Well I am now starting to look around me more often while realizing that my friends' children were just babies the other day! With that said, I look at my sweet little boy who is 3 months old Thursday and already in 6-9 month clothing.

His  personality is already showing and even his strong will like both his parents (which will come back to haunt me if anything like me as a child) that even when I put him in his car seat he now gives all of his effort to resist and lean up and out of it! When and how did this happen?!! Now he has urges to lift his head on his own constantly make me even more conscious of this time passing.... His new thing lately is his desperation to talk to us as we cheer him on, you can see how he studies our faces and then blurts out a noise and gets really excited by it. To top it all off he is growing in length and size weekly, and we are already moving into 6-9, some 9 and even a few 9-12 clothing because he is so long now he barely fits in the things he has!

We visit the doctor next week and will have an update on how long and how much he weighs. A month ago (at 2 months) he was the average size of a 4 month old! I have no doubt this little boy has his grandaddy's genes and will be tall! No doubt. If he eats well like his father, he will be a big boy! LOL...

Here is a video of the sweet pea talking to me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiiPsPcGuek

SMILES!!!

Our sweet boy has been full of smiles this week! I have been able to capture several on camera. This sweet thang actually keeps me out of bed on those early mornings, because I am far from a morning person, but when I see that beautiful face light up...it keeps me from getting back in bed for 30 more minutes! As I sit there talking to him and in awe of him each time he smiles at me. He has been growing so fast and we keep trying to relish every moment as I hear it goes by faster than we will be able to imagine.

Here are some pics of his happy faces this week that I caught on camera.

Our family's first Christmas...

So much has been going on lately in our McNeil household. I have been busy with the little guy, trying to Christmas shop and most of all getting my house ready for our first Christmas as a family, and for me and Ryan to have together as a married couple! Who would've thought we would've been spending our first Christmas with a new little baby this year!!?!??! Definitely been a BIG 2012 for us.

We just got our tree up this past Wednesday while playing Christmas music and decorating it with the new ornaments that I got for Christmas, which I love! The tree is gorgeous and the mantel is too! It makes this house feel like Christmas already. Our stockings are up for all of us including the dogs. I love it!!!! I become such a Christmas nerd I don't know how Ryan deals with me.

Last night we headed to the Governor's mansion for Christmas with Santa. The fun part is, Santa is my dad! Colleen and Stephen Waguespack convinced dad 5 years ago to play Santa for their kids, and then when Gov. Jindal started doing Christmas at the Mansion for their staff and our troop's children - they convinced dad to do it for them too since he was doing such a great job at it. This tradition is now going on 5 years and this year was extra special for him with his lil Caden visiting!

We showed up and had several laughs seeing my dad for the first time as Santa. Hearting him talking to the kids about what they want and answering the many questions they had was so entertaining. He gets some great stories to share from the kids! Watching made me and Ryan so anxious for little Caden when he gets to sit on Santa's lap and start doing the same. I wonder if he will recognize dad when his visits for Santa come up each year!

A few stories dad shared and we even had the pleasure to witness too:

"Santa! Santa! How many reindeer do you have?" (dad forgot and said 12 so now the parents have to explain the extra 4 on duty LOL!)

"Santa do you know where I live?" to the Teepell and Waguespack kids, 'well yes you live in Woodstone!' Their jaws dropped and they were giggling and running to their parents saying 'oh my gosh he knows we live in Woodstone!'

One kid ran up to him with beaming eyes going 'SANTA OH MY GOSH IT'S REALLY YOU!!!'

To the Gov. oldest daughter Selia who is starting to figure it all out now but not quite, had been asking for years to a visit to the North Pole - it was the only gift she wanted. So instead of telling her they aren't allowed to visit, Dad told her she was in line but she has to wait her turn and said she was #2,178. He went up to her and her friends right when she had almost given up hope and said "Selia I haven't forgotten about your visit, we are getting close...reaching number 1,789!" She giggled with her girl friends thinking hmmmm maybe it will actually happen! I think by next year she may know the truth right before she thinks her visit to the North Pole is about to happen. :-)

Brady Waguespack came up about 4 different times we were there while Santa was doing his job and would tug on him and ask a different question every time. 'Excuse me Santa, I have another question...' Seeing the curiosity made me relish those memories I had as a kid when I watched the radar on TV, looked in the sky endlessly to see the sleigh, made cookies and reindeer snacks for Santa's visit, and sat up in bed as late as I could with Elizabeth trying so hard to hear him on the roof so we could peek out to see what he looked like. The fun part is we now get to live it all over again with Caden but on the other side. I can't wait to make it a fun experience for him year to year!!!

To all of you...MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MUCH LOVE FROM US!

Here are some pics!

Our Christmas tree at home

Dad playing Santa at the Gov. mansion holding Caden

Our Christmas picture with Gov. Jindal and First Lady Supriya

Caden and his buddy Dixon in the Christmas spirit

My favorite picture of the lil man....

Our sweet little family and our first Christmas!