Long time!!!!

Well hello all!!! I know, I have slacked in the blogging department. I'm a bad mom...no, but really this past school year took a lot out of me, my brother in law just finished his chemo and radiation treatments for cancer, and we have already had a busy summer! So, here is what we have been up to so far...

First of all, Maddux had his first swimming lessons this summer. I wasn't sure how much they taught him, until this past week in Florida. When he wanted to swim to the side, he would kick and reach and scoop his arms!!! It was super cute! I think for the rest of the summer we will simply swim for fun and then maybe continue the swim lessons in the winter so he doesn't lose his love of swimming. You know, it is strange, because last summer he loved the water, but he is so independent now that we can't put him in floats and things because he wants to be in control of his own actions. It was like he felt trapped. My favorite new trick he can do it crawl out of the pool about 2 feet from the side, he'll stand up, and then walk to me in the pool. It's pretty awesome! Which leads me to......walking!

Yes, right before he turned 17 months old, Maddux decided he would walk without holding on. At first, he would only take 3 or 4 steps from the table to me at the couch. Now he will walk from person to person even if they are 10 feet away. Now, he hasn't decided that walking should be his main mode of transportation yet, so he is still crawling for the most part. And boy is he fast. When we are in public and he is crawling, people will stop just to watch him because of his speedy crawl. He was quite the attention getter on the beach last week, crawling all over the place!! Evidently one woman thought it was so cute, she was taking pictures of him! In any case, he can walk and practices every day, but he is not fully confident and knows he can get where he wants to go faster when he is crawling! So, we are not worried and are excited, but are also ok that he hasn't simply taken off running!! I am going ot be so scared when that happens!!

Let's see......Maddux finally got to meet my brother, Uncle Doug, at the beginning of June!!!! We had a ton of fun!!! We were so excited and he brought Callie and Sammy with him, so that was an extra bonus! Hopefully, during Christmas, we can make it to Houston for him to meet the rest of the Patteson clan. That would be amazing, not to mention the first time The Rhodes, Mays, and Pattesons would be together for a family holiday in about 10 years! I'm crossing my fingers!!!

Well, so that is about where we stand right now! I'll add some updated photos ( I cannot believe I haven't blogged since January) so you all can see how much he has grown! I hope everyone is great and enjoying your summers!! I promise to update more frequently from here on out! Until next time.....

Wait...............so while I was writing this, Sam and Maddux were playing, having fun, and then I turn around and Maddux is walking toward me, with no one in front of him......he walked thru three rooms in our house, from one side to the other!!! Like 6 times, and he turned around wihtout falling!! YAY!!! He really is walking!! I'm so proud!!!

Ok, really, until next time,

Sam, Linz, and Maddux

1 Year Old

This year has gone by in a whirl wind! Maddux is officially 1 year old and happy as ever! We went to his 1 yr. appointment today, and he is still considered a small boy. He weighs 18.8 lbs. and is 28 and 3/4 inches long. His weight is still in the 5th percentile, but he is in the 15th percentile for his height. So, at least he is gaining in one department! His head is also in the 30th percentile. He's got a big noggin!! We also noticed, today, that he has another tooth, so that makes 5 now! No wonder he has been drooling a ton lately!


We also had a blow out birthday party for him on Saturday! All of our friends came over to help him celebrate! They showered him with gifts, watched him open presents, and smash his cake! He had trouble getting started on the cake, but Sam helped to spread things around. Once he got the hang of it, he was covered in chocolate. Sam made a baseball cake for him and his Auntie Gin got her sister to make this amazing monkeys playing baseball cake! They were both fabulous!! Aunt Gin's cake was simply amazing though, with fondant monkeys holding baseballs and bats wearing baseball caps! We really appreciate her sister for making this really professional looking cake! Everyone was extremely impressed!

We also had a small little party last weekend for him with our Atlanta family! This was his real first time to have cake! Again, he really wasn't sure what to do with it, but he seemed to like it! He was again showered with gifts, balloons and lots of love! We are lucky to have a second family here to dote on the munchkin!!

So, that's really all for now! Maddux gets around really fast, but he is still cautious when it comes to walking. He'll walk around holding the furniture and our hands, but he refuses to let go yet! It will come in his own time, at least that is what everyone keeps telling us! It's just hard when all the other kids we know started walking before they were 1! In any case, we wait patiently though I am sure this is actually more convenient for us at the moment so we aren't having to chase him around everywhere!! Well, until a later date! I hope this finds everyone doing well and as blessed as we are! Until next time....