Hatch Happenings

Scottlyn's First Christmas

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Christmas break started off in Utah, the Thursday before Christmas Sunday. David had his work party at Fat Cats bowling. Our team of four (plus Scotty) took second place. I preformed above my average because David told them I usually bowled 90+ and I felt pressure to make it happen, haha.

Ten or more hours in the car with Scotty isn't ideal. She's really chill and does well in the car but that long in a car is hard for anyone, let alone a baby. We figured that driving at night should be easier for her because at least that's when she's supposed to be asleep so being trapped in a car seat wouldn't make as much of a difference.

So we left Salt Lake, went home and packed and hit the road, planning to stop in Vegas or St. George. Luckily, it being a Thursday there wasn't much traffic and we got a great rate with the Hotel Tonight app at the Ramada in St. George.

We made it to California in good time and Scotty was an angel. She LOVED meeting Grandma and Grandpa's cat and I think it's what got her to really get the hang of crawling.

Friday we all went down to the Natural History Museum and explored there. My favorite part was, of course, the gem room.

I always love checking out my birth stone.

This was the main attraction in the safe.

David loved looking at the piles of gold on display.

Scotty enjoyed all the attention from uncles and grandparents. She won't even remember all the first grandchild perks she's getting but it's cute to see. Here she is imitating Uncle Gage.

My favorite sign, haha.

David did his over the shoulder carry to give her a break from the stroller and she loved it.

These two are best buddies and I love it so much.

This is how I imagined our family would look if we weren't careful with all the yummy treats everyone kept dropping by my parents house.

Christmas morning we didn't open presents immediately. We got ready for church and ate a yummy breakfast my mom had prepared.

We did the traditional picture on the stairs after church before we got changed and started opening presents.

Scotty enjoyed her first stocking Grandma made for her.

Other fun memories from Christmas 2016 are Scotty getting sink baths from Grandma, going to the LA farmers market and getting yummy brazilian food, the Northridge escape room as a family, hiking at William S. Hart Park, visiting Hatch's in Brea, going to the Santa Monica pier, having fun at the BYU vs. LMU game and eating at Zankou Chicken.

Scotty was spoiled by everyone and it was so fun to start Christmas's with kids! I can't wait to see her next year at Christmas when she'll understand a little more about presents and playing with cousins.

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Baby

Scottlyn's 9 Month Update

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Nine months old. It feels like such impossibly long and short time. I look at pictures of my three month old and say, "where did my tiny baby go?" It feels like we're screaming towards that year mark and like every mom ever, it feels like the worst milestone in history.

I wish I could bottle every stage but I can't. I can only record it. Like how Scotty is such a fast crawler I can hardly keep up. Luckily I don't have to because she's a mama's girl. If I'm in a bedroom and she takes off into the hall a minute later she'll poke her head back into the room like she's saying, "Mom are you coming?"

Or how she understands by my voice she's not supposed to be doing something (like eating toilet paper rolls) and stops immediately. Of course she'll start again if I don't redirect her but I love that she's such a good little listener.

I can't bring myself to cut her hair even though it's constantly in her eyes. Partly because it will grow out eventually and I don't want her to have bangs and partly because I love pushing her hair out of her eyes.

When she's tired she'll grab a binky, pop it in her mouth and keep doing what she's doing. She's not a huge snuggler, but she does love climbing on us and giving us open mouthed kisses. She'll make a growling bear noise in response to you making the noise first. Scotty has the longest back and forth conversations with David and lights up when he's around.

She's the worst when it comes to holding still for a diaper change, which my dad claims is karma haha. Scotty LOVES the bath and bath time is nicer now she sits up and crawls on her own and understands that putting her face in the water isn't necessarily pleasant when you don't hold your breath.

Getting her to giggle is tough, she has to be in the right mood. But she'll laugh when you eat her stomach and tickle her ribs. She also loves back tickles when she's having a hard time going to sleep. We'll gently tickle the back of her neck and her collarbone and she'll get really still and calm.

She accidentally stood up by herself for a bit this week, but when she realized she wasn't holding on to anything she lost her balance and I haven't been able to get her to do it since. But the thing is I'm relieved that's the case.

I love all these milestones. I love that tiny first tooth smack dab in the middle of her lower gums that's coming up right now. I love that she's cruising around holding onto furniture. But I hate that my baby won't be my baby forever and nine months seems to be a cruel reminder that our time in babyhood won't last. But the thing is, this fleeting baby time makes me really savor the moment. I was washing dishes and she came over wanting to play so I did. Dishes are forever, nine month old baby Scotty is for 31 days. We're so lucky we get to watch her grow up!