Sunday Morning Pancakes

Another milestone in the Haynes household this morning. Kingston had his first pancake! As you can see by the pictures, he thoroughly enjoyed it. He stuffed so much in his mouth at one time and stored it on the roof of his mouth that he started crying. . . I think because he didn't quite know what to do with it! It was a fun breakfast.

And just because I love to torture the animal that tortures me on a daily basis, I found this doggie T-shirt while looking for the plug to the skillet and decided that Able should wear it for a while. Can you find him? He is camouflaged! He seems a bit subdued while wearing the T. Or maybe that is his mortified look . . !

Happy Sunday!

A Post-Worthy Day!

We had a fun Saturday! Nigel and I had haircuts in Manteo this morning (Nigel having a haircut appointment is a whole other post! Insert giggles here!) and then Kingston and I went to visit Nana and Grandpa on their boat.



Kingston played with "toys" that Nana found for him. We spent the day mostly inside the boat since it was really hot and humid outside but we did take a few strolls around downtown. Kingston is having a late summer cold of sorts. Note the super snotty nose and the glassy eyes. Poor little man.



The playground is super fun. . . for older kids. Kingston will enjoy it next year. Looking forward to that.
After our day on the boat we went to Aunt Freda's house to meet the cousins. Or my cousin's kids, whatever that would make them to Kingston and me. 2nd cousins? I don't know. Lauren really loved playing with Kingston. She was so sweet to him. She is Dave's middle girl. So pretty and really smart. The other 2 girls checked him out from a distance while they finished making their beautiful art projects! Kingston maintained really well considering he was snotty and had fallen asleep in the car on the 2 minute ride to Aunt Freda's from the waterfront. We only visited for a few minutes because Kingston was about to turn into a pumpkin! It was so good to see Dave, his new fiance and his 3 girls. I see them every 8-10 years!!


We had a really good day with the family. Definitely a day worth posting about. Thanks for taking pictures, Nana. It's good to have a camera-happy Nana around. Oh, and to top it all off, East Carolina beat Virginia Tech today in one of the first games of the college football season. Hooray! (Sorry, Lee and other Tech folks!) Way to go Pirates and anyone else who beats Tech!

Preppy Pastel Party

We just got home from a party. It was a 30th birthday party and the theme was Nantucket/Preppy/Pastels. We had to do some shopping to come up with our "costumes" since there is not a whole lot of preppy stuff in the Haynes household! I sort of strayed from the theme and went with whatever would fit. I had to go out and buy Nigel an Izod polo shirt from Belk. Kingston had a hand-me-down outfit from Sarah's little boy, Tyler, that was perfect. It was an argyle sweater vest and plaid pants. He wore his skull and crossbone leather shoes that matched. He was so stinking cute in his outfit. His paci even matched!

The party was pretty fun. It was outside at a beautiful house on the sound in Nags Head. The weather was perfect and there was yummy food. I could have eaten all of the sweet potato biscuits with country ham but people were starting to stare so I limited it to 5. We left about 9 because Kingston's little bobblehead was rolling around. The final straw was when he had his hand in a cup of icewater for about 2 minutes while his eyes were nearly closed and he didn't even seem to notice the frozen fingers.

Fun family outting. . . even if we did have to be preps for the evening. At least we got some cute pictures out of the deal! My men look good as preps. . . but I'm glad they don't dress like that all the time!

I Did it for the First Time. . .

I called the Doctor's office to ask a question about Kingston. Up until today I had never called the Dr.'s office for anything. Even Lee's mom, Karen, who is our favorite nurse (even though she gives Kingston his shots!) has been surprised that I, as a new mom, haven't called with a bunch of questions. I never really thought I needed to until today. I had been noticing that Kingston was playing/pulling on his ears a lot in the past few days. He did it mostly when he was in his highchair eating which always resulted in sticky hair behind the ears. He also woke up nearly every hour on the hour last night, resulting in very unrested parents.

So since it was Friday, meaning the weekend was coming and that means a closed pediatrician's office, I decided to bite the bullet, suck it up, and give the office a call. The nurse called me right back and after I told her the symptoms, she suggested we come right in just in case. We got there in about 15 minutes (the nurse was so excited since we were the last patient of their 1/2 day). Dr. Thompson, not Kingston's usual doctor, saw him very quickly, checked his ears, nose and teeth and declared him to be teething and having very healthy-looking ears.

I did it. Called the doctor, went in, and it was nothing. I am so happy that Kingston does not have a ear infection and I am so happy I got that false alarm doctor's visit out of the way. Now let's just hope he sleeps through the night tonight. Hopefully the small dose of Infant Tylenol will do the trick. Those pesky little Chicklet teeth! So cute but such a pain!

And We're Home!

From Wilmington. We didn't end up going down to Charleston due to good old tropical storm Fay. Missy, we hope you are OK down there in the Florida!

We will show you our trip in pictures.

First, since Uncle Sam's floors were tile and he had not a single rug in his bachelor pad, Kingston spent a lot of time on the leather couches. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that drool makes leather super soft (yeah, right) so Kingston did his best to improve the softess of them. (Sorry Uncle Sam!)

While Dad was in Surf City Surf Shop, Kingston thought he would take care of some other business in the truck. I'm not sure, but I don't think anyone could turn this kid down! This caption should read, "Don't you want to buy like a million fins?"

We did finally meet up with Kimmi and Luna at the beach. Luna is 4 days older than Kingston and about 4 pounds heavier! And that's a lot in baby weight! They were so cute playing together. It was good to catch up with Kimmi even if it was only for about 45 minutes. Gone are the days of endless hours of gossip on the beach! That goes out the window when you have babies that need naps and bottles and a little less sand!

This caption should read, "Does my butt look big in this diaper?" "No but your legs do!" Luna was a chunker!

And finally, Kingston is like his mom in that he loves a good snack while he is travelling! He loves Club crackers. He will eat a saltine, but a Club cracker is the ticket.

We had a really good trip. It sort of felt like a vacation even thought it was work for Nigel. (And I booked 2 caterings while I was gone!) It was nice to stay at Sam's house instead of lugging our stuff in and out of a hotel room. For some reason we always seem to get rooms on the next to the top floor. That's not so cool when you have 1/2 a ton of baby gear!

Nigel and Kingston behaved on the car ride and I almost read a whole book. We will be traveling together again soon!

Such a Good Traveler!

We made it to Wilmington! We are staying with our friend, Sam. Nigel went to visit an account and Kingston and I visited with Sam when he got home from work. We didn't leave for dinner until 8:00. Yep. 8. I know what you are thinking. You are thinking, "Wait! Kingston's bedtime is 8:00." And you would be correct. We went to K 38 and had an awesome Mexican meal. (That place is awesome!) Kingston was SO tired but he maintained so well. By the end of the meal he had black beans and avocado smeared all over his face and in his eyes. Pick up avocado in fist, try to get it in mouth, end up dropping it, rub eyes with green hands. Repeat.

While we were eating I saw a table being set for a party of 5 people. One girl came in and sat down and said she was waiting for her friends who were at the bar. I started thinking that there was a good chance that I would recognize or know someone in the restaurant since I know so many people who live in Wilmington or go to school here. And wouldn't you know it! In walks Max Vaughn. He is the son of Jim and April Vaughn of Whalebone Surf Shop and I have known him for years. It was so good to see him and we chatted for a minute. Funny how sometimes you can think about something and then it happens. Wonder who we will run into tomorrow. . .

And I called Kimmi twice today and haven't heard back from here. Ummm. . . hopefully she will call me in the morning. Crazy girl.

I'll keep you posted on our travels and adventures tomorrow. For now, I think I might join Kingston. It's past my bed time too!

And We're Off!

To Wilmington. And maybe Myrtle Beach and Charleston. Nigel is going to do some work and Kingston and I are going to meet up with some friends that I haven't seen in a long time. My friend Kimmi and one of my old friends, Colleen, moved to Boston right before Kimmi's baby girl, Luna, was born in early December. They are in Wilmington for about a week and we are going to visit with them. I am so excited because I haven't seen these girls in at least 2 years and of course our kiddies have never met. I will definitely take pictures and post them as soon as I can. I'm not sure if I am taking my laptop on the road. I end up taking so much crap when we travel and the laptop is just one more thing to carry into the hotel every night.

Funny story about Kimmi: There was a time when 2 of Nigel's good friends, Billy and Justin, were dating 2 lovely ladies, Heleen and Kimmi, respectively. We used to hang out together occassionally and Kimmi and Justin would stay with us when they came in town from Wilmington. For various reasons, Billy and Heleen and Justin and Kimmi broke up about 2 years ago. I was sad, especially about Justin and Kimmi since I like them both a lot. The funny part comes in about June of last year when it was discovered that Kimmi, Heleen and I were all pregnant at the same time and had a due date within a week of each other. I thought that was pretty interesting. Of course, Kimmi and Heleen's babies' daddies are neither Justin nor Billy, but I still thought it was pretty crazy. Heleen ended up having twins, a boy and a girl, then Kimmi had Luna, then I had Kingston. I don't imagine that I will ever meet Heleen's kids since they now live in Texas on a ranch but I sure am excited about meeting Kimmi's little Luna.

I'll try to keep you updated on our progress on the road. Or at least I will try to post a bunch when we get back. I'll leave you with a few really cute pictures of Kingston just to hold you over for a bit.

Wilmington here we come!

Wonder Why?

I wonder why Kingston decided to wake up nearly every hour throughout the night last night? Well, I am actually not sure he was awake most of the times he was crying out. Regardless, Nigel and I got very little sleep last night! I am SO thankful that Kingston is typically a really good sleeper. If I had been sleeping like that for the last 7 months and some change, I would be miserable!

His cries seemed to be cries of discomfort or pain. I think it has something to do with the 2ND TOOTH that he is farming!!! Yep. His 2nd front lower tooth has just barely broken through. He is going to be so cute with his 2 little snaggle teeth in the front! I will post a picture when the tooth is ripe and ready for picking.

I also wonder why there is drama on the blog that I sent you to a few weeks ago. Aparently the girl, Pepe, who seemed to be stuggling with a lung transplant may not really be real at all. I'm not exactly sure what is going on but one day the blog simply said that they were done posting. Next thing I know there is speculation on another blog that the whole thing was fake. Hmmmm. I don't know. And now you can't even get on Pepe's blog anymore without a password. So I guess I'm sorry for sending you there, if you ever even listen to my suggestions in the first place!

You never know about these crazy bloggers. They are a fairly new species and we have yet to really get them figured out! And on that note, check out Lee, who is a blogger, a friend, and is getting married in November!! Welcome to my ramblings, Lee. I hope I keep you entertained and wondering about such silly stuff as the things above!!

For now, Kingston is napping, Nigel is napping, and I am left wondering why Moms never really get the chance to nap. I cleaned the kitchen, the laundry is going, I have a blog to update. . . A blogging Mom's work is never done!!

6:30 is the new 7:30

Kingston has decided that 6:30 a.m. is a good time to wake up in the morning. I sure do wish he thought 7:00 or 7:30 a.m. was a better time. There is just something about seeing a 6 on the left side of the clock that makes me extra sleepy!

Luckily, Kingston wakes up in a great mood, talking and singing to himself in his crib for at least 15 minutes. But once he is up, he is ready to go. Gone are the days of sticking him in our bed, giving him a little early morning snack, and squeezing another hour or even 1/2 hour out of him.

I really shouldn't complain. He goes to bed at 8:00 p.m. and sleeps all night. 6:30 really isn't THAT bad, but 7:30 would be better. Could someone clue the baby in?

Bold Statements

I am going to make a few bold claims. I am going to make predictions about Kingston that are based on nothing more than what I think is going to happen to him or what he is going to be like. I think that I will look back on my list and see a few things that never happened, but a lot of things that were spot-on!

1. Kingston is going to like the beach/water. This one is pretty much a given. If he doesn't, he will be the odd man out in the family and will spend a lot of time with a babysitter!! And that leads me to. . .
2. Kingston will be a surfer. Nigel and I dream of him becoming a professional surfer and making a ton of money so that we can travel with him (because we will have retired early)! That would be the coolest but don't worry. We don't really focus on that idea. We just think it would be cool! Just a healthy love of the sport will be enough.
3. He will not be a picky eater. This one could come back to get me, but I said I was going to make some bold claims. My goal is to introduce all kinds of foods to him and encourage him to at least try something before claiming he doesn't like it-even if it is something I don't like. He will be able to eat at any restaurant or at anyone's dinner table. So far he likes a lot of things.
4. He will be mechanically inclined and interested in how things work. I can already see him tip things over just to see what's happening on the other side. He looks at buttons and seams and details as if he is trying to figure them out. This he would come by pretty naturally since Grandpa Winston and Uncle Mark both have this gift.
5. Kingston is going to be artistic. Talented artists are prevalent on both sides of the family. My Uncle Tom was a very talented artist in a variety of mediums. My Nana was a gifted seamstress. Nigel's grandmother, Jeanie, used to draw pattern covers for Vogue. His aunt Maryanne is a great artist as well.
6. There has been a bit of speculation that Kingston will be left-handed. The pediatrician said you can't really tell until they are much older but Kingston does often seem to prefer to use his left side. A few weeks ago I thought for sure he would be a south paw but now that he is really using his hands for more things, I think I see him use his right hand just as much or more than the left. Should be an interesting one to watch develop.
7. Kingston will be athletic. Nigel was a very good athlete. I could pretty much not do any sport that required hand-eye coordination but am fairly athletic in other ways! The grandfathers on both sides played sports in their younger years and are both in really good shape now.
8. Kingston will skip crawling altogether and will go straight to walking. I don't know why I think this. I just do.
9. Kingston will be a very cute little boy and an very handsome man. I mean, have you seen his father?!
10. Kingston will be the light of our lives for years and years.

A few big claims. A few random thoughts. We'll see how this all plays out. The kid is only 7 3/4 months old! What do I know?

Here It Is!

The wait is over!

A tooth! Did you guess that? We are so proud!

Is The Suspense Killing You?!

Well then here it is: Nathan has almost raised the $3,000 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! By the time you read this, he may have already reached his goal. And in only a matter of days. Thanks for checking out his blog. He sent me a personal "thank you" comment to my post. Makes me ponder how in the world he knew I even posted about it. Oh, technology, will I ever understand you?

Oh, wait. You're thinking that that is really great news, but that wasn't exactly what you were so patiently waiting for. You want to know what Kingston has been holding out on all these days, right? Maybe we should wait a few more days. I'm not sure he is really ready to tell yet.

Oh, heck. Might as well.

I tried to load the pictures but I'm having technical difficulties. You will have to wait until I can figure it out. So sorry! The wait continues!

Help!

My name is Kingston's Mom and I'm a blogaholic! I am addicted to all of the blogs listed to the right of this post, and then some. I check them at least once, often twice, a day. I even check one that I found from a link from one of the blogs. That one is about a really sick girl who had a lung transplant and is really struggling. Take a minute and say a quick prayer for "Pepe" who needs lots of good thoughts. Click HERE if you want to check her out.

Today I read an article in Newsweek about a guy that really hates those shoes, Crocs. He referenced a whole blog devoted to hating Crocs. Pretty funny.

So I don't really need help because I am addicted to blogs. That, I think, is probably a pretty harmless addiction. (Except, of course, when I read blogs instead of doing really important things like take a shower or clean the house. Oops!) What I really need help with is something that, strangely enough, I found on a blog. Please click HERE and help this guy, whom I have never met in my life, raise the money he needs. Read his story and you will be hooked, too. Nathan and his wife, Tricia, actually live here on the Outer Banks but I don't know them personally. I was just laughing to myself today that if I ever run into either of them, which is totally a possibility, I will probably say hello to them like I've known them forever. They will look at me like I've grown two heads! Unless I can somehow attract them to my blog where they can learn all about the things my cute little baby does!!!

Anyway, all this to say, please donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Having just had a small cancer scare in the family (glad Grandpa Winston is feeling much better!) although not this particular type of cancer, it is still an important cause. Cancer is totally lame.

Thanks for your time and attention. Oh, and Eden, I love your new page. And Missy, it's been a week. Post something new!!! Just kidding. I'm obsessed.