Firsts and News on the First Day of the New Year

As you know, we were gone for 5 weeks, home for 3 and then gone for 10 more days. The trips were great and it's important for family to meet and see Fletcher and vice versa, but let me tell you...the lack of sleep was wearing on me! He was sleeping through the night before we left, but immediately gave that up when we hit the road air. During the trip we were mostly in the same room, which doesn't seem to help, but even when we weren't, he was waking up like crazy. It was any number of things...hearing me, smelling the milk supply, being in a different place, sleeping in a different crib or pack n play, being moved every couple of nights, knowing there's all this stuff to see and do outside of his crib, on and on...it could have been anything. So needless to say...I'm looking forward to a few more ZZZ's for both of us in our own bedrooms. Quality sleep makes a giant difference!

So, during our time away and since we've been home, a few firsts and new things have happened!

During his first trip to Colorado, he went to his first football game...CU Boulder vs. Texas Tech.

He also enjoyed the first fall leaves on the ground and the beautiful view of the mountains, but not as much as he enjoyed his cousins.

In Denver, he went to the library for the first time, rode on the swings for the first time, and went to his first soccer game to watch Miss Kat kick the ball around.

In Arizona for the first time, he enjoyed his first Halloween with his first Jack-O-Lantern courtesy of Grandma Cunningham, made by Grandpa Cunningham and decorated by Rylie Cunningham.

His first trip down a slide.

His first parade.

His first ASU Game Day while in Arizona and the Arizona sunset.

He started opening drawers and pulling himself up. (He slammed his fingers in the drawer for the first time when he opened drawers at Oma and Opa's in SC for Christmas.)

He enjoyed his first Mariachi Band at our favorite mexican restaurant.

Over his first Thanksgiving in South Carolina, he rode in the convertible car seat for the first time.

He dipped his feet in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.

In December, he enjoyed his first Christmas and first snow day in SC.

He cut his first tooth on December 15th and likes to brush it.

His new favorite thing to do is stand up, but he isn't able to do it on his own all that much.

His new friend arrived on December 17th. It's his first playmate of 2011. Jen and I were talking tonight about how interested Fletcher is in the baby. He wants to get as close as he can, touch him, kiss him, hold him, climb on him, etc. It's crazy! Meet Hank, courtesy of Jenn Hopkins Photography.

And a photo by me (You can certainly tell the difference in photo talent.)

And finally, his first word was spoken: DOG! I have a video of it, but will upload it with videos of him army crawling, singing and dancing, pulling himself up, and all other kinds of fun, because this has become another long post! I hope you enjoyed it! Happy New Year!