It's The Most Wonderful Time...

...of the year!  It's Autumn.  Fall.  The greatest season of all.  And do you know who was born in this great season?  Our little William.  Lucky boy.

A few things to note about Hatch at a year:

1.) He walks!
2.) He has seven teeth.
3.) He has the most infectious little giggle and a mischievous little nature.
4.) His hair is coming in quickly still, brown and maybe (just maybe) a little bit of body to it?
5.) He has transitioned seamlessly from a bottle to a sippy cup.
6.) He is officially weaned.  Sad face.
7.) His vocabulary consists of:
          - Hi
          - Bye-Bye
          - Night-Night
          - Mama
          - Dada
          - Didi (Indy)
          - Thank you
          - No
          - What's that?
          - This
8.) He really does not like forward-facing car seats.  It's back to rear-facing for him.
9.) He gives hugs and giant, wet-mouthed kisses. Sigh.
10.) He really enjoys his dancing.  I mean, really.  While I wished we had a true video of him dancing, Adam found one that is about as close as it gets.  Here is a very, very good representation of Dancing Hatch:

He's about as sweet as pumpkin pie, appropriately.

And, for that reason (not really), we celebrated his birthday with some Fall Fun.  I have a feeling this time of year will be his favorite, too:

 

In keeping with with theme of the season, we took all of our little pumpkins to the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival this past weekend.  Just like every year, this one did not disappoint.  Aunt Leeney and Uncle Justin came along for the ride, all seven of us packed into the VW minivan and made the 1.5 hour trek to Bridgeton, Indiana.  Adam and I snagged some new antique windows and we ate.  And ate.  And ate lots of fall-themed food (not a single one of them pumpkin-flavored, strangely.)  Included in our culinary adventures were Italian beef sandwiches, ham & beans, stromboli, chicken & noodles, apple crisp ala mode (one of the children may have been temporarily placed in danger in this conquest, but that's a moot point now.  He's fine.)  Ahem...going on: kettle corn, homemade jelly beans, fried cheese curds, friend Walleye, ham & cheese sandwich, and Amish made pretzels (eaten out of the back of the van).

Here are some pics from this fun fall tradition:



Our happy (and handsome) drivers.



Someone started the trip a little bit grumpy.



Always a welcoming sight.



The pretzels.  So good, you can eat them anywhere.  Even out of the back of the van.  (Note: It's an Amish man named Ben who makes these pretzels.  When Colleen returned to the car with three delighfully warm ones, she informed us, "Guys, I think we've been tricked.  I just saw the Amish guy talking on his iPhone.")
 

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To My Son On His 1st Birthday

My Dearest William-

How quickly a year passes.  A year ago yesterday, at this very moment, I was laying in my hospital bed (wearing my favorite pajamas) and your dad and I were still trying to decide what to name you.  You were wrapped in a black gauze swaddling blanket, sound asleep and so peaceful, when the nurse (who knew what names we were wavering between) leaned over your isolet and said, "He looks like he'd make a really good William." 

And you know what?  You do.  You'd probably make a good Gabriel or Adrien or Edison.  You'd  have made a good anything.  You are a good person.  Granted, you are still so little.  Your whole life is still ahead of you, but this much about you is true:

You have happiness that spills out of your pores.  Your laugh is infectious, your voice make all of us smile.  You find joy in every minute of every day; in what you see, in what you do, in all of your first...and seconds...and thirds.  You are the piece of this family we didn't even know we were missing until you were born. 

You are tough.  You are tiny (19.5 pounds) and scrappy.  You can push even your biggest of brothers out of the way with a single hand-swipe.  You can climb up and over almost any obstacle, even said brothers.  Even if you can't, you will try.  And then you'll try again.  You'll grimace, maybe even yell out, and go back for more.  You're aren't deterred by much.  You're persistent.

You are beautiful.  Simply put, you are a pretty little boy. You have tiny almond-shaped eyes, a full little mouth, and the shiniest baby hair I have ever seen.  You have soft, milky, skin and the sweetest little feet.  You may be small, but you pack some great genes in that tiny body.  (Your dad and I cannot even take credit for them.  You look like a compilation of your other relatives.)

Hatch, I wish there were the words to tell you how much you mean to this family.  Your arrival brought with it a change in our family.  You taught us so much about what life is all about; about what makes us the most happy; about what makes families so special.  You brought us closer.  You make our family a little more complete.

You are one of our three greatest joys.  You are a gift, my sweet boy.  You always were.  You always will be.  Thank you for being our gift.  Thank you for the honor of raising you. 
 

With love,
Mom

Vacation, Day Two

My plan is to update this blog sometime while I am here in Myrtle Beach this week. I will not promise anything, though. Between the many trips to the beach, to the pool, then to the lazy river and back to the beach, when is there time? (I could do it now but, as much as I love my blog, I love my beer and trashy novel a little more right now.) I will just say this; two days in and I can't remember a time when I was this happy or completely carefree. Vacations should be mandated. This is good for the soul. So are occasional beers and trashy novels, as it turns out.