Apple Picking

This weekend we enjoyed a beautiful fall day at Milburn Orchard with wonderful friends, Lauren and Michael. We went apple picking and had a great time! 

Brayden also enjoyed a few apples as well!

Now time to make some apple crisp!

Nature

Brayden sure does love playing outside! We are trying to enjoy all these beautiful fall days and as much time outside as we can before winter arrives!

We even get outside on rainy days, as long as it is not too cold! And Brayden never passes up the opportunity to splash in the rain and get muddy!

24 weeks and kisses

So I am a little behind with blogging these days! Oh well, I am still trying to keep up with it at least! I had my monthly doctor's appointment this week and so far everything is going great! I am now down to going to the doctor every two weeks...I can't believe how quickly the time is flying by!!!  I am 26 weeks now, but here is a picture from 24 weeks. 

We had our Dillon Family BBQ last weekend at my cousin Diana's (and her husband Abe) house in West Virginia! Everyone had a great time and we hope to make it a new yearly tradition! So, I also wanted to use the time together to try and get a "good" family picture of the three of us. However, that doesn't seem to go to well these days and I am sure will only get tougher when we add a fourth person to the mix! ;) But here are a few pictures we did get....lots of kisses to go around!

Kisses for Mommy

Kisses for Baby Sister

Hide N Seek with Nana

A new school year

A little bit of this, a little bit of that! That's what we have been up to lately! Although Brayden is not in preschool this year, I did stop by the preschool we were interested in and get some information on the 2 and 3 year old programs. I do not think that we will enroll Brayden this year, but next year I think we definitely will! Anyway, we are still going for a tour on Monday just to check it out and make our final decision.

However, with the new school year, Brayden and I have started a few new activities. First is a bible study class on Wednesday mornings at our church. I am very excited about this! Last week was our first session and Brayden seemed to have a great time playing with all of the other kids in the nursery! I think he enjoys the interaction with other kids, which is one of the main reasons we continue to attend almost weekly playgroups. 

We have also recently joined the YMCA. I think Dan finally broke down and agreed to join because he works from home full-time now and does not have access to the gym at his work on a regular basis. Anyway, whatever the reason, I will take it! So today was our first day trying out the YMCA. We went after Brayden's nap and he played while I walked on the treadmill. It was wonderful and again Brayden seemed to really enjoy playing with the other kids while I was gone! And who knows, maybe we will sell our elliptical now since I haven't really been able to use it to much over the past year! 

A couple weeks late, but here is a 20 week picture with baby #2

 Some other random events from the past week with Brayden:

trying on his winter gear for Mommy

playing in the rain

storm watching with Bailey

playing with his favorite toys - vroom vroom's

eating fudge pops!

Brayden's 2nd Birthday

So we opted not to have a big 2nd birthday party for Brayden this year! There were moments when I was sad that we were not having a "big" birthday party, but we just didn't feel that it was something that Brayden would enjoy this year. Instead, we did something fun with each of our family's over the past two weekends and then Dan and I spent the day with Brayden on his birthday! It turned out perfectly, and I wouldn't have changed Brayden's birthday and birthday events for the world! :)

First, we headed to Chuck E. Cheese with my parents (Nana and Pa) and out to dinner. Brayden had a blast. He loved driving all the "Vroom Vroom's" and putting the coins into the games!

Then on Brayden's actual birthday, Dan and I took Brayden to Plumpton Zoo. Brayden loved feeding all the animals and enjoyed getting to spend the whole day with both Mommy and Daddy! We also had my parents and brother over for pizza, cake, ice cream, and presents! Brayden is one loved and blessed little man!

Lastly, to wrap up Brayden's birthday celebration, we travelled down to Killen's Pond near Dan's parents house. Dan's mom met us there and Brayden played in the pools and on the water slides for hours! It was close to 2pm and we literally had to convince him that it was time for lunch! We are definitely hoping to make a trip back to Killen's Pond before the end of the summer! Later we went to Dan's parents (MomMom and PopPop) house for a bbq dinner, dessert, and presents. Needless to say, after a fun filled day, Brayden was fast asleep the second we got in the car to come home!

Brayden - 24 months old!

Brayden, 

We can’t believe that you are already turning two! These past two years have just flown by! Mommy and Daddy want to thank you for all the smiles, joy, and happiness that you have brought us over the past two years! Your smiles and laughter always seem to brighten the room no matter what!

You have accomplished so much during this past year. You can count to 12 and recognize your numbers visually too. You can identify and say all of your ABC’s. You can identify all of your colors and are starting to say some of them too, and you recognize most of your shapes by sight. You now consistently say three to four words at a time (sometimes more). You also recently started copying a lot of words (and phrases) that you hear people say and have starting making more and more random observations. 

You are a great eater for the most part and will typically at least “try” anything that we put on your plate! You still love your milk and also drink a ton of water. You love pizza, cheese, yogurt, grapes, kiwi, blueberries, strawberries, cereal, breakfast bars, peanut butter and jelly, tuna with crackers, spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, chicken, salmon, anything  with ketchup, pretzels, teddy grahams, cooked broccoli, raw broccoli with a little bit of ranch dip, peas, corn, carrots, and anything that requires dipping in sauce. Also as a treat, you love M&M’s, brownies, cookies, and ice cream. Mommy’s sweet tooth, maybe?!

You love to play with anything that opens and closes. You also love to play with your tools and “fix” your lawn mower (“no” as you call it) and your train. You absolutely love playing outside, taking Bailey for walks, going to the park, going for walks, playing on your swing set, setting up your pool and slip n slide, checking up on our vegetable garden, and helping Mommy and Daddy with outdoor chores. You love Bailey dog and KO (Uncle B’s dog) and tell Mommy and Daddy that they are your best friends. You love to read books and you love your blankies and sleep animals (right now they include: doggie, Clifford, KO, teddy, Pooh, and soccer ball). Whinnie the Pooh is your absolute favorite movie! We have four Whinnie the Pooh movies (the original movie, a Tigger movie, a Piglet movie, and Lumpy – an elephant movie). You love them all and get so excited when we let you watch them, which typically is for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes before bed. You newest love is also going "vroom vroom", aka, pretending to drive Mommy's car, Daddy's truck, Daddy's bike, and your toy steering wheels.

You love to play in your kitchen helper (that Daddy built) while Mommy cooks and try to help; however, you mostly end up playing with all of the utensils in the drawer. You also love to go for long walks in the stroller with Mommy, running errands, and getting out of the house. You are Daddy’s shadow and love to be around him, play with him, and “help” him with anything that he is doing. You love to mow the grass with Daddy and watch him work on his bike or do other house project’s. You have mastered saying please “P-P-Please” and it is music to our ears. We are still trying to get you to say “Thank You” instead of signing, but that one is taking a little longer! 

Brayden, we feel like we can never take enough pictures or videos of you because you just learn, grow, and change so quickly! There are several things we have videoed you doing or saying just so we can always remember them even after you stop doing or saying them! We also love how you reach out for our hands to pray at meal time and always say “Amen”! Hearing your little voice say “Amen” brings great joy to our hearts. Also, watching you try and close your eyes is pretty hysterical too. It is more of a squint at this point, haha.

You are so smart, funny, happy, kind, gentle, loving, and caring. We love that you always want to give us huggos and kisses and we love the way you will just run up to us and hug us out of nowhere. We also love the way you say “I love you” and that when you are asked “how much you love Mommy and Daddy” that your reply is “a whole bunch”!! You are full of life and energy! However, you also have your stubborn and ornery moments, which have taught Mommy and Daddy a lot of patients! But most of all, you have taught us how to love unconditional!

By your next birthday, you will be a big brother! We have started talking to you about being a big brother, but you don’t fully understand yet. You do point to Mommy's belly when we ask you where the baby is. You also insisted that you were having a baby sister (which did turn out to be correct)…and that here name is going to be “Mommy”. We love it and know that you will make an amazing big brother! Brayden, our desire is that you always remember that you are our "baby" too and that will never change! We will continue to love you and care for you unconditionally no matter what! 

Brayden, please continue to enjoy life every day, smile, laugh, and bring joy to those in your life! You have always been a blessing in our life and are growing into such an amazing little man!  We love you “a whole bunch” and that will never change!

Stats: Height - 35.75inches (85th percentile) / Weight - 29.9lbs (70th percentile) / Head - 57cm (90th percentile)

Cooper Baby #2

It's a GIRL! We just found out this week that Cooper Baby #2 is a baby girl! So far she is developing perfectly and our appointment couldn't have gone better! It was so reassuring to see our baby girl during the ultrasound and hear that things looked great! It never gets old, even the second time around! Brayden is also very excited that he is having a baby sister! He has been saying for the past few months that the baby was going to be a "baby sister", so I am glad we didn't have to disappoint him! ;) 

Meanwhile, tomorrow is Brayden's 2nd birthday! Where has the time gone??!! Dan took off work and we have some fun things planned!! We are looking forward to a special day together and are hoping that Brayden has a great birthday!