What. I. Am. Loving.

What I am LOVING these days...

10) That I am almost done Brayden's scrapbook.

9) That Brayden has starting enjoying his playtime in the pack n' play right next to me while I try to occasionally squeeze in a quick workout! Happy Mama, Happy Child. :)

8) That Brayden sleeps through the night and is a wonderful napper.

7) That Brayden loves to play outside, go for long walks, and throw drop the ball for Bailey dog.

6) That Brayden recently learned to blow kisses, which usually entails him just covering his mouth. haha.

5) That when asked if he can smile, Brayden will smile and say "cheese".

4) That Brayden has started to laugh at random things, including his sneezes. :)

3) That Brayden loves to give hugs and kisses!

2) That I am a Mama to a very active, very curious, very happy toddler!

1) That I have a very hard working and devoted husband who loves me and our family more than anything!

13 Months

Brayden turned 13 months today and we continue to be amazed by how quickly he is learning new things! We are also still getting used to saying that he is a "toddler" and not a "baby" anymore...(tear, tear, tear)! 

Some Updates:

    Clothing Size: 18 months

    Diapers: Size 5 (day and night)

Doctor Stats:

   No doctor's appointment this month, but I am guessing he still weighs 24lbs (maybe 25 at the most).

Updates from the past month:

-Brayden continues to get better and better at walking each day! Although he is still a little wobbly at times... especially when he first wakes up or is really tired. No running yet, but he does walk pretty fast at times. Brayden can also stand up now without pulling himself up on things, which has minimized his crawling...however sometimes I think he gets a little lazy and still prefers to crawl if he falls down.

-We also purchased Brayden's first pair of shoes today! :) We have been having trouble getting him to walk in shoes. One of my cousins gave me a pair of shoes that her son used when he was younger. They are called See Kai Run shoes and are the only ones that we have been able to get Brayden to walk in. However, since Brayden has such a high instep (thanks to his father), the shoes are already a little small. So we went to Nordstrom looking for a new pair. Long story short, the helpful workers convinced us to get these..I love them and Brayden was too cute walking in them!

-Brayden's vocabulary has also expanded by leaps and bounds this month...new words include cheese and bath. He also loves to say Nana for banana and my mom (Nana). Brayden continues to roll his tongue all the time and now has several variations. He still says dada all the time and says mama too, but only when he is really mad or upset...so picture a yelling "mamamama". Oh and we can't forget "dee"...that is Brayden's word when he is pointing at something or wants something!

-Brayden still loves to clap, do "so big", and give Bailey his ball (or any other toy he has decided to share that day). This month, Brayden has also learned where his head is, how to give hugs (in addition to kisses which he learned last month), where mommy or daddy's nose, ears, and teeth are (although he won't point to his yet).

-A few of my favorites, aside from giving me kisses and hugs, is that Brayden learned to sign "more" and "all done". We have been working on these two for a long time and he has understood them for awhile, but would never sign them back to us. Dan has also taught Brayden how to help feed Bailey. Brayden will go over to the closet with Dan, watch him dish up Bailey's food and then carry the cup over to Bailey's bowl and give it to Dan to dump in. Then Brayden will carry the empty cup back to the closet and put it in Bailey's food container. It is adorable to watch. One of these days I will have to catch it on video!!

-It continually amazes us how much Brayden truly understands and is trying to communicate with us daily. I think we are in for it when he actually starts talking, haha!!!! Some of Brayden's favorites this month include: his Scooby chair, his dinosaur toy, Scout the dog, his drum set, his puzzles, his tunnel, his ball popping toy, and anything he can carry and put up on his stool or a shelf. Brayden also LOVES being outside, whether it is going for a walk in his stroller, playing on his swing set, or playing with his toy car or sand box. He loves it all!! Brayden has also started noticing airplanes and birds and is fascinated.  I love watching him learn! It makes me so proud to see him discover and figure out new things!

-Brayden still continues to be a good eater and is doing great with people food! However, he is starting to become a little opinionated...maybe he is just testing us. For instance, Brayden has always loved watermelon...however, this week he refuses to eat it. I am sure it is a phase, so in the mean time I just keep offering it and go with the flow. For the most part, Brayden will pretty much eat any fruit. For vegetables, Brayden loves carrots, peas, corn, zucchini, asparagus, and broccoli. Green beans have never and still do not go over big. Brayden's all time favorite foods right now are probably yogurt, cheese, peaches, pears, carrots, sweet potatoes, his Little Crunchy Gerber Graduate snacks, and goldfish...although he doesn't get them too often.

-Oh, and how did I almost forget, Brayden finally cut his top two teeth! He looks even more grown up now (bitter sweet)!

Sleep habits:

-Wake time is around 7:30 or 8am

-Brayden now takes one nap a day, typically around 12:30pm and usually sleeps for 2+ hours.

-Bedtime is 7:30 to 8pm

-Brayden still sleeps on his side or tummy 99.9 percent of the time.

13 Month Pictures:

As you will see, getting a 13 month old to sit still for a split second is nearly impossible, as is getting him to smile on demand. Yet, it is even harder to catch that split second and/or smile/laugh on camera at the same time. I would love to invest in a new/faster camera...maybe one day!

Playing with Legos

Upside down baby

Love these two!

Happy baby! See those two top teeth?!

Feeding his Scooby chair an apple

Smiles

Love. Him.

And just because I love this photo...

Watching Daddy cut the grass

We LOVE you Brayden! Happy 13th Months! The best 13 months of our lives thus far!!!

Pictures and More Pictures

I was organizing pictures from my camera tonight and came across some more Labor Day pictures from Tilghman Island that I love...

Brayden loved watching the water/waves!

 Bath with Daddy and Great MomMom

And then there are some random pictures that I had never posted...

Hurricane Irene 

Playing with the flashlight while the power was out

 Yes, throwing tantrums already.

Make a mess play time

Always my baby!

Better Late then Never..

Our Labor Day weekend was very busy, but we spent lots of time with family which was wonderful! Here is a brief recap. Friday was low key...dinner, a walk around the neighborhood, Brayden went to bed, and then Dan and I watched a movie. Saturday morning we packed up and headed to my parent's house after Brayden's nap. My Aunt Carol, Uncle Scott, and cousins Sara, Heather, and Diana (and her husband Abe) were already at my parent's house. As well as my cousin Elizabeth (and her boyfriend Martin) and my brother. We hung out there for the rest of the day ... spent lots of time with family, ate great food, laughed a lot, played games outside, took Brayden to the park, and went to an amazing local creamery (Woodside Creamery in Hockessin). We gave Brayden a bath at my parent's house and left that evening at his bedtime (well way after, but you get the point...he fell asleep in the car on the way home). 

Sunday we were back at it and headed over to my parent's house for brunch before all the family headed home. Then we said our goodbyes and headed straight to Tilghman Island (a 2-hour drive) to spend the afternoon with Dan's family and have a BBQ. We had a great time and the weather was perfect! Brayden loved watching the waves and seeing all the birdies too! :) Monday was spent catching up around the house and with a brief visit from Jill, Andy, and baby McKenna. Then Tuesday was back to work and our normal routine, until the evening when my Aunt Sue and Uncle Jerry from Las Vegas were in town. We hung out at our house for a while and then went out to dinner. Brayden was an angel at dinner and it was awesome to visit with them!!!

Of course I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I had hoped or wanted, but here are a few that I believe my  cousin and mom took...

Cousin Diana

Cousin Heather

Got a hold of Nana's camera

I wanna play too!

First taste of ice cream....

...and clearly loving it!

And I just LOVE this one of my boys!!!

Swing Set

So last weekend we purchased a swing set for Brayden! One of my co-workers is moving and was looking to sell their swing set. After much contemplating...Dan and I decided that it was too good of a deal to turn down and I am already soooo happy that we didn't. We have spent a lot of time this past week playing on the new swing set and Brayden absolutely loves it! 

However, the transporting process was not so simple. My hardworking husband spent two days labeling all the wood pieces, drawing a sketch, and taking the swing set apart. Then he went and picked up all the pieces last Saturday in his truck and again spent long hours reassembling the swing set! Like the amazing father that he is, he had the swing set back together within 24 hours. He couldn't wait for Brayden to play on it! As we speak now, Dan is completing some finishing touches on the swing set...anchoring and staining! We are so happy with the swing set and plan to us it as much as possible before winter rolls in. 

Here are a few pictures that I snapped during the process:

 If you look closely, you can see all the pieces  

Dark out, but working hard to get the base set up 

Early the next morning...making progress 

My boys enjoying the swing set

Almost done!

This is a car that came with the swing set and Brayden loves!

12 Months

Brayden is officially 1 year old!! So the past few months I have been sadly counting down the months, weeks, days until Brayden turned one! Yes, it does make me a bit sad that Brayden's first year has flown by so quick, but it also makes me so very proud of all that he has accomplished in a short amount of time! 

Some Updates:

    Clothing Size: 18 months

    Diapers: Size 4 (daytime) and Size 5 Overnights

Doctor Stats:

    Height: 30.5 inches (75th percentile)
    Weight: 24lbs (70th percentile)
    Head: 90th percentile

Updates from the past month:

-So the biggest news for this month is that Brayden started walking! Brayden's first steps were the week before his first birthday! Each day he is walking more and more. But for the time being, Brayden still prefers to crawl!

-Brayden's vocabulary has also expanded this month...new words include yes, not, and what sounds like cheese. He also continues to roll his tongue all the time, which adds a little Spanish accent. Brayden has said mama a few times, but I would not say it is a consistent one yet.

-Brayden still loves to clap, do "so big", and give Bailey his ball. Aside from walking, my favorite thing that Brayden learned this month is giving kisses! Ahh I live for them!!

-Brayden is also learning/trying to communicate with us more and more each day. He now shakes his head "no" when he does not want something or to do something...not sure where he learned that one. He is also reaching, pointing, and making noises all the time in an attempt to communicate. So for now we try to guess what he wants and repeat it, which sometimes is easier than others.

-However, Brayden understands way more than we even realize sometimes. When asked, Brayden knows where Bailey is, where his tunnel is, where his toy monkey is, where his remote is, where his puzzle is, where his rocking chair is, where his rocking horse is, where his drums are, where his books are, where his puffs are, where his goldfish are, where his head is, where Daddy's computer mouse is, where mommy and daddy's keys are, where his toy computer is, where his train is, where his toy fish is, where his lotion is, where his sunscreen is, where his desitine is, where his paci is, where his blankie is, how to open doors, how to turn lights off and on when asked, and the list goes on.

-It also continues to amaze me when we can ask Brayden to get a certain book (Brown Bear, Spot, Choo Choo, Kisses for Daddy, Silly Sock, etc..) and he can pick it out of a pile of books.

-Brayden still continues to be a good eater and is doing great with people food! He will pretty much eat any fruit. For vegetables, Brayden loves carrots, peas, corn, and broccoli. Green beans still do not go over big. We are planning to try some new vegetables this week, including zucchini and asparagus. Brayden's all time favorite foods right now are probably yogurt, cheese, cherry puffs, and goldfish...although he doesn't get them too often.

Sleep habits:

-Wake time is around 7 or 7:30am

-Brayden now takes one nap a day, typically around 11 or 11:30am and usually sleeps for 2+ hours.

-Bedtime is 7:30pm

-Brayden still sleeps on his side or tummy 99.9 percent of the time.

12 Month Pictures:

A little background on this photo shoot....wetried to give Brayden an orange to play with for his 12 month pictures, since the apple worked so well for his 11 month pictures (he actually sat still for five minutes and I loved how they turned out)...but it back fired on us and Brayden would not sit still for more than a second. So, the computer mouse was the only thing that kept Brayden still for a few seconds while we quickly snapped some pictures. I am not sure what is so fascinating about the computer mouse, but Brayden loves it! Maybe because he knows he is not allowed to play with it on a day-to-day basis.

Really Mom? I am busy...

 He did humor me at one point and do "so big"

Look how big he is getting... 

 Daddy came downstairs to save the day and get a few smiles

Laughing at Daddy, but still not looking up from playing with the computer mouse 

And just because these diapers are too stinking cute!

WE LOVE YOU BRAYDEN!! HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!

Letter to Brayden

Sorry if you find this post a little boring, but I want to have these birthday letters to Brayden recorded in our blog book that I make at the end of the year. So here it goes...

Brayden,

I can’t believe that you turned one today! Although parts of the day are a blur, I can still recall the details of your birth as if it was yesterday. The first time I heard you cry, the first time I held you, the first time I got to kiss your precious head.  Now one year later, you will lean in to give me kisses that melt my heart every single time!

Brayden although I find myself a bit sad that a year has already passed and you are one, I look forward to the future as well and can’t wait to see what the next six months, year, two years, five years, etc. will bring. If they are anything like this first year with you in our lives, they will be filled with utter joy, happiness, lots of learning, lots of growing, and even more love!

I clearly remember a nurse in the hospital telling us that you were a very alert newborn. Those words terrified me. When I asked her what that meant, her only reply was you will have a lot of fun. At first I was haunted by her words, but in a short matter of time I learned that she was absolutely right! Although we have had trying moments, as every new parent does, you have been a lot of fun this past year. You have a very active personality, which keeps us on our toes, but I love watching you explore and try to figure out everything! Your smile brightens my morning and your cooing bedtime noises give me peace to hold onto through the night. Not only did you capture our hearts from the beginning, but you have a way of capturing the hearts of “strangers” when we are out and about and an even better way of capturing the hearts of all your family and friends.

In one very short year you have changed from a cuddly tiny baby, to a walking toddler that only wants to cuddle when he is exhausted or not feeling well. From an infant that can barely cry, to a toddler that likes to test his vocal chords when he is not being heard. From an infant that only drinks a few ounces of milk at a time, to a toddler that eats three meals and two snacks every day. From an infant that sleeps all day, to a toddler that only naps once a day. From an infant that wakes up every two hours at night, to a toddler that sleeps through the night. From an infant that slept in his parent’s room, to a toddler that loves his crib. From an infant that is rocked to sleep, to a toddler that coo’s himself to sleep. From an infant that wears newborn clothing and diapers, to a toddler that wears 18 month clothing and size 4 diapers. From an infant that can only communicate through crying, to a toddler that is learning to show us what he wants and understands far more than we even give him credit for sometimes. From an infant that we loved the instant we laid eyes on him, to a toddler who we love even more than we ever thought possible!!

Happy 1^st Birthday Brayden!!

Mommy Loves you Very Much!!!

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This was an email my Dad sent to Dan and I on Brayden's birthday...

Hard to believe, but I guess it's official...your baby is a 1-year old.  Regardless, you still get to reference his age in months for one more year . 

Brayden has brought so much joy into this past year and I know we all look so forward to continuing to watch him grow, learn, and spread his love and happiness in the year ahead !!!!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAYDEN...your FAMILY loves you soooooooooo very much.

Much love and kisses xoxoxo

Grandpa Rudden

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Daniel (Daddy) wrote his letter at work on Brayden's birthday and forgot to email it to himself. So on Monday when he emails his letter, we will add it to a new post. Sorry in advanced, but you are going to have to endure one more post of birthday letters to Brayden before we move on to other "fun" stuff...