Hadley Makes a New Friend

Maybe every mom feels this way, but I just can't get enough of Hadley's firsts. First peeled grape! First Winter Olympics! First day when the sun rises at 6:01! Really, I'm out of control.

But I was fully justified when I got excited to introduce Hadley to her first pint-sized visitor from Naples: Colton Thomas. Jason and I went to high school with Colton's dad, Landon, and we consider it a brilliant move that Landon married the lovely Jen Graham. And from that marriage, the world received one very adorable little guy. See?

The Thomases are here for a volleyball tournament--Landon owns and manages a competitive girls' volleyball club in Naples--but they carved out some extra time for us. The first day Hadley and Colton met, they spent a good bit of time touching each other's faces, poking one another's eyes and then ignoring each other. Colton tried to kiss Hadley a few times, and she fended him off, though eventually, she accepted a few smooches from her new friend. She even gave him a few, too.

On Saturday, we packed everyone up and drove to Red Rocks (Hadley's first trip there!), where the daddies donned the babies, and we hiked for a short while. The kids loved it--until Hadley had to go back into her car seat for the trip home, but that's another story.

After three days together, Hadley and Colton are true friends. Today, Colton came over to play, but he had to eat his lunch as soon as he arrived. Hadley, however, wanted her playmate, so when Jen scooped up Colton to strap him into the high chair, Hadley fussed, as if to say, "Miss Jen, give me back my friend!"

So this "first" really matters, and I'm hoping that Hadley and Colton will be friends for a very long time. (Long enough for us to embarrass them with these photos when they're 16, at the very least.)