Flashback Friday: Nate

Good morning, Kitschies!!  This is my first Flashback Friday in a LONG time and the first time linking up with Lauren from Heya, Sparky!  My dear Tia has turned over the reins to Ms Lauren's most capable hands.  Check out Lauren's blog if you have a moment - good stuff!!

So...without further delay...

I've been a bad Mom.  Really.  No, not like I-beat-my-kid kind of bad mom, just a busy blogger who's been posting pics of my pretty fingers and my yummy recipes and NOT my beautiful little boy.  Today it's all about Mr Nate.

I have a question for you.  How do you go from this:

to this:

In what seems like the blink of an eye?

Nathaniel Edward made us a family on Sunday, July 16, 2006, after 17+ hours of labor.  Once he joined us, our lives were never the same and we're so thankful for that!  He was greeted home by his Grandma and Beba a few days after he was born.

Then Nate turned one and OMGosh he LOVED his cake!

This is what a 1-year-old sugar coma looks like!  That pic is one of my ultimate favorite pics of Nate, and it probably always will be.  He was so purple - I was afraid he'd be stained that way, but he washed up just fine.

This is Beba (my Dad) at the park for Nate's first birthday party.  Also one of my favorite pics!  Nate couldn't say Grandpa and my mom was pushing my Dad's belly like the Pillsbury Doughboy and saying Beeeebaaaa...Nate picked it up and and now, instead of Grandpa, it's Beba.

This may not be a good pic of Nate (he was hot and tired), but it's a good one of my Mom.  She doesn't allow pictures very often but if it's with one of her grandsons, she usually allows the exception.  Nate loves to ride around with Grandma in her power chair!  And if she's using her cane...watch out!  It's not usually hers for long.

Oh, look at those little blond curls!!  This is Nate at *almost* 2.  I miss his curly hair and chubby pink cheeks.

3rd birthday = Big Wheels!!  He still rides his Big Wheels (even though half the time he just picks it up or drags it behind him), but now his little brother has his eye on it.  LOL  And Wendi was right: 3 was MUCH worse than 2.

Where has my little baby gone?!  Nate was a horrible 3-year-old and we started to see the light at the end of the terrible toddler age after he turned 4.  Grandma and Beba got Nate a T-ball set for his 4th birthday.  We went to the park with Nate's cousins for a little baseball action.  That boy loves to swing a bat!  Or a stick.  Or anything he can get his hands on.

And now look at him!  He's 5 and he's so super handsome and such a great kid.  Super smart, constantly on the go.  AND he starts Kindergarten in just over a week!  How is that even possible?!  I'm so excited for him and a little sad for me because that means he's not my baby anymore.  He'll always be my little boy, but he's no longer my baby.  *tear*

We love you Natey, very, very much!  Happy belated birthday, big boy!!!

So, there ya go.  That's how you go from being a cute little blob of a baby to being a big, bad 5-year-old in a blink of an eye!