Bethany Beach 2011-favorites of you and Momma

Dear Hayden, Grandma will eventually catch up the blog but I went through the pictures of the beach and found some favorites. In an attempt to reduce the spacing issues of the blog I decided to pick a few pics at a time to share. In the picture above you and Momma are taking a little nap after a busy day at the beach. It is exhausting having fun and new experiences!

You now "gnawl" rather than "suck" on objects of attention. In these pictures you thought Momma's chin would provide a nutrition source and it is obvious in the 2nd picture that you realized that what you desired was not coming from Momma's chin bone!

Momma and Daddy love the camera that they bought in anticipation of your birth. You will realize as you get older that both of your parents take a bunch of pictures in rapid succession.

Each one appears the same but there are small differences in each. The pictures capture your different expressions and your developing wonderful personality. We are all blessed with your sweet, happy nature.

Love you little one,

Grandma

Bethany Beach 2011

You, Momma, Daddy and Grandma took a trip to Bethany Beach in Delaware. Uncle Tommy and Aunt Debbie were very kind in lending us their beach home for our stay. Uncle Tommy and your great grandfather, Pappy, built much of the house many years ago and it has been a favorite vacation spot of ours for years. Your Daddy proposed to your Momma on Bethany Beach which makes it even more special.

Daddy and Momma bought an "umbrella cabana" to protect you on the beach. Momma even found a baby pool that we filled with sea water for you to have fun in.

When you got to the beach the first day, Grandma took you down to the water's edge and as always you studied your surroundings very intently and then the smiles began. We let the baby waves wash over your feet which you were fine with until you felt your feet disappearing into the depths of the wet sand. Daddy even had you in a little deeper and you seemed to enjoy the water. You watched EVERYTHING and EVERYONE as there were many children playing in the water. Won't be long at all until you will be diving into the ocean-- but first you have to learn to swim! The pictures above are from the days at the beach. More about the trip to come

I love you pumpkin!

Grandma

Grandma is trying to catch up!

Dear Hayden,

Once again you have been a very busy baby and Grandma has been trying to update the blog but trips, work, helping friends, and a hurricane and earthquake have intervened recently. I had promised to finally catch up last weekend but a not-so-sweet hurricane named Irene took that opportunity away as she took out 75% of Richmond's power. Grandma finally got hers back last night and vowed to write at least a short note to you tonight.

After your visit to Richmond, Grandma came to Burke to babysit you while Momma and Daddy went to a wedding in Pennsylvania. We had a very good time together and you were an angel.

The snail toy that Pat gave you continues to bring huge smiles every time you play with it--when you see it your smile is instantaneous! We had a grand time with some other toys and books while we were together.

The mess that you and I could create with simple foods like cereal, squash and carrots is unbelievable and shown in the pictures that Grandma was taking with her left hand while trying to feed you. It would appear that you think that your food goes better if stuck on a finger or fist. Unfortunately it then ends up in your nose and ears. But you are doing well with eating and Grandma did pretty well with cleaning you up eventually!

More to come sweet baby boy as we have the trip to the beach to share.

I love you so very much,

Grandma Gammon

Photos from your July visit to Richmond

Dear Hayden,

Grandma loaded some pictures from you visit to Richmond. The photos came from your Momma and Daddy's camera. Thank goodness they take much better pics than Grandma. In the photos you will see Aunt Etta, who met you for the first time and of course you were your usual charming self. Aunt Bones came to see you also but we didn't catch a snapshot. Grandad Gammon came over for dinner and had a good visit with you. You got to have a bath in the big guy tub and as always loved the water.

You were able to visit with Aunt Meg and baby Owen (who was born with an amazing head of hair!) You and Momma also spent time at the pool with Jess, Debbie, Troy and other friends. You enjoyed the water and your crab float ring. You had on your pirate swimsuit and top which comes with a hoodie to protect your sweet bald head (which is becoming less bald, slowly but surely).

I love you very much and enjoy every moment with you and love to have you come to Richmond.

Grandma

A Very Busy July

Your day now consists of playing with/eating your toes, playing with some new toys like the dinasaur that spits out balls that you can try to catch by crawling, eating rice and oatmeal cereal, and napping.

You are not the best daytime napper my love and Momma is trying new strategies to ensure that you get enough daytime sleep. You sleep wonderfully during the night from around 9P until 6A with an occasional wake up that only requires a touch of comfort to put you back to sleep.

You and Momma and Daddy spent the day with friends. You tried a different water float that was supposed to protect you from the sun. It looks like you enjoyed it for awhile but picture above seems to say "Momma" get me out of this thing.

Grandma went to Delaware to visit with Great Granma and Pappy and your great uncles, aunts and cousins. We had a nice dinner at the Cottage Cafe and somehow managed to get everyone in the picture. The next night Grandma did her traditional visit to Bingo at the Elks which is one of Great Grandma's favorite activities. Here she is with her Bingo buddies Pauline and Wilma.

Great Grandma and Pappy also love to volunteer at the hospital at least two days a week.

When I left Delaware, I came to Burke to visit with you all. We went to Gymboree for some fun activities. The pictures above were after the class and you were so ready for a nap. You seem to like the clown at Gymboree but Momma and I both think he came from a scary movie! With most of the activities you spend most of your time looking at your friend Logan.

Grandma had a wonderful time visiting with you and remains fascinated at how flexible you are as you try to eat those wonderful toes.

You think you are quite the bees knees now that you can sit by yourself! Momma stays close to make sure that your "lean to the right" doesn't result in a "header into the wood of your toy box". We are all blessed to have such a happy baby.
You enjoy your walker but tend to jump up and down expecting it to bounce you like your jumperoo.
You and Momma came to Richmond to visit with Aunt Meg's new baby, Owen Brock and so that Momma could get her hair cut. Katie's Grandma came to visit and brought you a wonderful toy that is designed to help you with crawling. You did as you usually do--studied it with fierce intensity and then fell in love with it. Grandma apologizes for the blurry picture but you were moving a bunch when you were playing with your new object of fascination. Thank you so much Pat!
I love you Hayden Joseph and look forward to my visit with you next weekend.

Grandma