Samuel turns the big 1!

I just honestly can't believe that my baby is 1! It is very bittersweet to have a little one grow up so fast! When he was 3 months, I could not WAIT for him to roll over. When he rolled over at 4 months, I could not WAIT for him to sit up alone. When he sat up alone at 6 months, I could not WAIT for him to crawl. When he crawled at 8 months, I could not wait for him to pull up. When he pulled up at 10 months, I could not WAIT for him to walk and when he tooks his first step at 10 months and 3 weeks and then was walking full force at 11 months, I wanted it all to stop and for him to be a newborn again.

Isn't it funny that we wish our life away and then we want it back. Samuel has taught me more about life than I could ever imagine but the one thing that I will hold onto since his birth is time. Time goes by so fast and I have learned many valuable lessons over the past year. One of those lessons is that you should cherish every minute, hour, day, week, and year and create wonderful memories in the meantime.

So enough of all of that...those of you that know me, know that I am not the sweet and sappy type but hey...having a baby changes things so bare with me.

Moving on...

I have had a CRAZY busy life the past 2 months with little time to plan an extravagant birthday bash that is expected of you when you are from the south. Now...Destin doesn't care what you do but I still have family to live up to so I did the best with what I could. I flew in from a business trip to Milwaukee (which will warrant a long and detailed post soon to follow) on Thursday and had done very little planning except for the invites and Samuel's shirt (only because I have a genius cousin, Natalie Pinson, who saved me from embarrassment by making the cutest ever invites and shirt. So...on Friday...Donny and I headed to Party City and many other places to gather birthday supplies for the party. Our best Alabama friends Ashley, Jeff, and new baby Kiptyn were arriving on Friday night to join the fun. The birthday party was at the Crab Trap on old 98 (which is only appropriate since this is the location on the beach where Donny and I shared our first kiss...hahah!) and the theme was cupcakes on the beach just for our close family and friends. Samuel is only 1 and doesn't have any interest in friends right, but he does love

 his cousins who happen to all be female.  His only male cousins were involved with sports...Chandler, Donny's nephew, plays travel baseball and had back to back games all day. Aunt B, Andrew's mom, decided to go to an Auburn game and already had tickets so she is excused!

To make a long story short...Samuel got too many presents and had 2 days worth of cupcakes. He was allowed to eat non-organic and got to have cake so that should have been b-day enough for him! Trust me...he was a on a sugar high for days afterwards!

Samuel had a great 1st birthday party! His actual birthday was the next day on Sunday the 17th. Gran and GrandSam came back and took him out to Cantina Laredo which was only appropriate since I ate that the for dinner when I was in labor with him.

Samuel is so active now and walking everywhere...he is very independent and doesn't want help with anything! This past year was so much fun and I can only imagine what fun the next year is going to be. I do know one thing though...I will slow down and cherish every minute with him because it won't be long and I'll be planning all over again for the 2nd birthday bash!

Disney World Labor Day 2010

As you will see...I have been extremelely busy and have to update my blog all in one sitting...uhhh...I am hoping that will change very soon. Anyway...Labor Day weekend we decided (Samuel, Me, Donny, Gran, and GrandSam) that we would take a trip to Disney. We had lots of fun! I wanted to get Samuel's haircut but you know that old saying...you can't get your first haircut until your are 1 year old! My boss and some of my co-workers disagree with this old wive's tale but I know that my Bigmama would role over in her grave if I got his hair cut so I backed out! Bridget, Jeff, and Andrew Danford (my cousin and her family) ended up going with us. It was a blast!

 On the morning of our arrival we ate the Ohana Breakfast at our Resort, the Polynesian.  Samuel loved everything about breakfast and ate and ate and ate!

 We also went to the Ohana' Feast our last night there, which we have done many times. It was great, just like always.

 Samuel loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...or should I say LOVED? That was before he met him face to face...

 Samuel loves his Aunt B and got to sit with her for a while and play. He loves everyone that lets him do anything he wants so that means he pretty much loves everyone in our families!

 It seems like we eat ALOT...yes that is true...if you know anything about the Williams' family and their Disney trips you will know that we go ALOT so we don't feel the need to ride every ride or see every show...we feel the need to eat!

 Andrew set this photo up...he wanted a pic of this...

 Samuel loves GrandSam...

Yep...how sweet

 and my point exactly...Samuel gets anything he wants...he can even eat straw paper if he wants to

 Donny looked thrilled but in reality he hadn't slept in 36 hours or something like that...

Gran and Samuel watched the ducks at Hollywood Studios

 and then she opened a snack and fed ducks at Epcot

We had a great trip with great family! I can't wait to go back!

The last year in pictures...where did it go?

So....It's been almost 1 year since I last blogged. Who knew how life would change after my last blog update at 38 weeks pregnant? So...here is a brief summary of what happened after that last post...

First of all on Friday at 39 weeks I was scheduled to be induced. Little did I know that at 6am that morning I would go into labor! I went into that hospital at 4pm as scheduled only to be sent home due to some other emergency C-Sections. At 11:00p.m. we decided to get back to the hospital since my contractions were only 3 minutes apart. I got an epidural at 4:00a.m. and Samuel was born on Saturday, October 17th at 2:43p.m.

Samuel Ellison Smith 7lbs 11oz 21 inches

After 2 days at Sacred Heart in Destin we went home!

Samuel loved his new home!

Samuel celebrated his 1st Halloween at 2 weeks old...

He dressed up briefly as Mickey Mouse (thanks Aunt Nat)

Samuel was born with a head full of hair. I had told my former assistant who is now one of my best friends that if Samuel didn't have hair, I wouldn't take him out of the house until he grew some. Thankfully, he had a head full....

UNTIL...it started falling out and I went into denial...

He ended up being a baldy and then eventually his hair stood straght up everywhere from about 3-6 months. I have always been told about my daddy having furry hair that stood straight up. My aunt said she would try and put baby oil on it and by the time they went outside it was standing up again...so...he got it from his GrandSam!

Samuel's first church trip was when he was 6 weeks old at Village Baptist Church

For Samuel's 1st Thanksgiving we went with Gran and GrandSam to Stinky's Fish Camp for lunch and then home to watch GrandSam play the Wii

Donny always dressed Samuel up on football Saturdays and watched Alabama play ball

Fall soon turned into Winter and Christmas came fast!

We spent Samuel's first Christmas in Opp with a trip to Dothan to see the Smith Family...

We also got to visit Joe Joe for the first time and spend time with all of Samuel's cousins!

If you know anything about my family, you know that we are Disney World FANATICS...well it started with my dad and now I have inherited it and Donny now has taken on the infatuation...so...we loaded up and took a 3 month old to Disney World...CRAZY, I know!

I must mention that I have the crazy 1st time mom syndrome and I have a whole set of lists and rules that must apply...first and foremost...Samuel wouldn't have a pacifier and I would breastfeed as long as possible. Well...at least one of them got a checkmark, I breastfed until Samuel was 6 months old and then he started eating baby food and drinking Similac Organic formula...(YES we have gone Organic, so don't judge, just go with it).

Easter was exciting for Samuel...he got 4 Easter Baskets...1 from the Easter Bunny, 1 from Grandma, 1 from GrandSam, and 1 from me and Donny...

Spring time came fast and it was time to hit the beach!

We tried to get to the beach every chance we got...

My first Mother's Day, Donny bought me a new Nikon camera that I call a Mommy cam...we spent another day on the beach taking pics with my new camera...

Samuel is very good at making this mean face...

Another special gift that I gave myself for Mother's Day were Samuel's 6 month pictures by Ilona D. Hastings...I adore them and can't wait for his 1 year pictures!

One Sunday afternoon we ventured down to Seaside and did a little shopping. Samuel came away with these cute little Teva flipflops!

Memorial Day was spent at the Contemporary Resort at Disney World...of course! Samuel fell in love with Cinderella instantly and took his first plan ride at 7 months old!

I must also mention that I do still love Scarlet and Vinny but we did have to say our goodbye's to the newest 4 legged member of the family, Louie.

Louiewas too high maintenance for me at this time in my life and I found a wonderful home for him. He now lives in Georgia with is new mommy and has her complete attention. We are great friends with the family and get to keep up with him whenever we want too.

So...almost 1 year later alot has changed. I can't imagine life without Samuel! I also can't believe I am planning his 1st birthday! Time goes by so fast and I plan to cherish EVERY moment with him.

Who knew that as a result of this....

would come a perfect baby!