North Carolina

Before departing on our grand adventure, our little family took a trip to Harker's Island, North Carolina to visit a much bigger portion of the Hancock family. We had a wonderful time introducing William to his extended family, and though I say it myself, I think he was a hit on the island. Here are some of the highlights of the trip:

William testing out a career option as a hermit crab.

William really loved watching the fish at the aquarium!

Nathaniel, William and Grandma Jacque.
Nathaniel has a lot of family history on Harker's Island. This sign is near where the old family stead used to be. We took a ferry over to Cape Lookout to play in the waves and see the lighthouse! It was so much fun to be in a warm ocean! William was the only one who made it through the day without a sunburn.
Apparently he can't decide how he feels about his first boat ride.

Daddy's Tricks

Nathaniel and William have been working on some new tricks. Being the ever diligent and attentive parents that we are (right?), we're trying to help William get a head start in life; 4 1/2 months old and already standing solo!

Okay... So really it was about 1/2 a second that he was standing solo during which I managed to catch the perfectly timed picture.
We love our boy. And we're so happy that he loves his crazy parents!

Toes

Our sweet boy has found his toes. Some days he even manages to get them into his mouth :). What fun it must be to be 4 1/2 months old!

Sophia, the photographer.

Please meet my niece, Sophia. This child is something else. She's happy when she's happy and mad when she's mad. I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she said "a big girl." Good ambition Sophie, gotta start somewhere. Maybe she'll go into photography too.

"helping" Grandma unpack.

I took this picture of Sophia and William. Sophia quickly asked to see the picture (what did they do before digital cameras??) and then she decided to take some pictures herself. When I looked at the camera later of the pictures she'd taken I laughed out loud, and thought that I should share them.

This first shot- well, it's artistic. After this shot I had to convince her that she didn't have to put her eye right up to the camera to look through a hole (that my camera doesn't have), she just needed to look at the screen. The following shots turned out better.

Pretty impressive picture. This 3 year old has talent.

Self portrait by Sophia.

Brother Preston getting in on the action.

I suspect that sister, Bella, helped with this one.

Our time in Utah with the family is wrapping up. We'll be sad to leave them, but happy to get William home in his crib and on a schedule. lots of love, us.

Who's your daddy?... and momma?

Which features are mommy's and which are daddy's?

William- feeling happy after spitting up all over daddy's shoulder. I love this picture, I think it is so funny. It is also a good shot (barf aside) to compare to the baby pictures below!

A very enthusiastic 3 1/2 month old Nathaniel

Same picture again, simply for your scrolling convenience.

Baby Felicity (5 months) and my mom, Elizabeth.

and again...23 years later...just for a fun comparison.

Going on a sentimental journey...

Every time I stay at my mom's house in Sugar House (SLC), it never fails that I feel like I should still be a teenager in high school. From my old bedroom I peek out over at the neighbor's house, but a new fence blocks the view and the family I knew so well moved several years ago. Sitting out on the front porch with the phone I rack my brain wondering which of my friends I can call to come play, but they're all home with their families. It's amazing. It's been eight years since I've lived here, but I still feel like this house in the summer requires late night star gazing in the back yard, runs to "sev", gossip and giggles, cookie dough, and friends sleeping over. Maybe when my baby grows up he'll enjoy the same wonderful sentimental things, for now, he's sleeping soundly in a bassinet behind me. It is in a small way surreal that I am not in high school; I'm a wife and a mommy living a wonderful life in Maryland. I am always just amazed at how coming home sometimes feels like entering this bubble- a different realm and a flashback to the past. It is so comfortable to be here. It makes me so happy. As I was out on the front porch hanging out in a rocking chair watching neighbors (none of whom I know now) setting off fireworks (oh yeah... happy pioneer day! and happy birthday Leighton!), first I missed the "good ol' days" of popsicles and girlfriends, then I really just missed Nathaniel and wished that he was sitting there rocking with me. And then I imagined us old and holding hands out rocking on the porch together still. Life is short, sometimes that reality just hits you right in your daydream. One day I'm out on the front porch dreaming of my little family that my future will hold, and the next I'm out on the same front porch having met said teenage dream, and it doesn't really seem like all that much time has passed. I'll stop there, before I get too sappy. Plus- my thoughts are way disorganized, and I'm a bit too sleepy to fix it all. I hope that ya'll had a happy Pioneer Day and that all you HP fans are enjoying the Deathly Hallows. I'm on chapter ten, but unfortunately a woman behind me at church TOTALLY spoiled the end. I'm SO BUMMED!

We Are Fam-i-ly

Yesterday we took some family pictures with Nathaniel's family. I think that it is one of the first times that we've all actually been in the same place at the exact same time! We're having lots of fun out in Utah. The 100+ degree weather hasn't bothered us one bit! No humidity! What a difference it makes. My sick little boy is still stuffed up and coughing, but he's still in good spirits. Yesterday he made his first grab at a toy! He still doesn't seem to care if they're around or not, but we're making progress.
Photos of family from our trip:

Poor William was trying to sleep during our pictures.

Sick boy propped up on pillows so he can breath!

William and his cousin... who is five months older than my tall little monster.

Sophia & William. Sohpia told me, "Your baby is very handsome!" *Side note on this picture- William has taking to sucking on blankets, burp clothes, momma's shirt... and if nothing is available then he grabs his own onesie and starts munching away.

Carter & William, in California. She and Sohpia each will have baby brothers within a few months, so William's a good practice baby.

And then there were four.

Generations, that is.

William and I visited California this past week! We had a wonderful time. William had firsts upon firsts... first bounce on a trampoline, first time playing with horses (playing.. more like being sniffed by horses), first time putting his little toes in the Pacific, tasting mint chocolate chip ice cream (naughty Poppy), meeting cousins... it goes on and on. One of the highlight "firsts" was meeting William's Great-Grandma Mimi! Such a special thing to capture four generations at one time.

Many more firsts ahead now that we're in Utah. Currently... a cold. I gave my sweet boy a cold. He seems to be dealing better with it than I did though. We'll try to keep you posted as the adventures continue!

Me, Great-Grandmother Virginia Hill "Mimi", William, and Grandad Larick Hill "Poppy"

Another first: Getting measured on the family door frame. My first age mark on this door frame is at age 11.

New Friends

William has been making some new friends lately. He still doesn't really seem to care or not if they're around him all that much, but he's getting there. Occasionally he'll try to chew on a toy's nose or fin or whatever is available, but generally, he'll stare at them for a bit and then try again to see the t.v. or Momma. Silly boy, we'll have to be careful with this one.

This pictures is just delicious.

"yah, whatever mom."

Nathaniel and I went on a date! Good time, and great food! I think that I really needed it. I get so caught up in taking care of William and trying to be an all-star mom, that it was really good to separate from that for a little while and actually feel grounded again. :)

superstar, that's what you are

I am so blessed to have such great and talented friends! Christie took these pictures of William and I last Friday. I loved them both too much to pick just one to post.

We keep busy..

Every stay at home mom has heard this question at least a dozen times: "So, what do you do all day?" We keep busy. That's what we do.

Sometimes, we try on shoes. (On the weekends I've learned to go through all his clothes to make sure that he won't out grow any before he's worn them. We've still got some time before the cookie monster slippers quite fit.)

Occasionally, we try out the Bumbo seat to see how William's head control is coming along (very well, by the way.)

Other times, we hang out poolside with friends- though William has a habit of falling asleep as soon as we get in the pool with him.

What does William do all night? Well, he has been a very good sleeper lately! Several nights, I've only had to get up with him once! Last night was not that great, but hey, we'll take what we get. Below are a few fabulous positions that we have found our sweet boy in. What on earth does he do while we're sleeping?

Every night William sleeps in between the wedges which theoretically will keep him from rolling all over the place. Hmm...Here he is with a knee up on the wedge...


And here... well. I remain astonished with this one. The wedges were twisted at the middle. Heaven knows how he broke out of them.
He remains ever cheerful though, making faces at mom. We're all happy and well.

And. We're all keeping busy.

Too fast...

My little guy is growing so darn fast! Yesterday I went through William's clothes and found a little outfit that I love that he hadn't worn yet. I put it on him for bed, but alas, the darling outfit was too small. He could barely straighten his legs! He lasted in it through some photos, and then it was back into a onesie before bonding time and sharing secrets with buddy William.

Can you write a caption for this one?

The precious dragon pjs. Though... not as cute as that smile.

All in a day's work...

Well folks, here we are again. Back by popular demand. Here are a few of William's favorite ways to pass the time:

William likes to:

...see how big he can smile...
...see how many fingers he can get in his mouth at one time...
...flirt with the camera...
...party...
...hang out by the retirement community pool...

...tickle Daddy...

...chill with his pal William...

...and Josh...

...and find creative new sleep positions (upon the rare chance that he'll sleep during the day).

He's 10 weeks old already! Time has flown, but at the same time it feels like William has always been part of our family. The night that he turned 10 weeks old he spent his first night alone in his nursery! I was the most anxious of the bunch, but it seems to be going alright. He is a great sleeper at night, but the naps are more of a challenge. There are always just so many exciting things going on to watch! Speaking of... gotta go try to coax the sweet boy back to sleep.

Love, us!