No Matter What

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T20:37:00.002-06:00

Braden putting out the reindeer food.
Setting out the milk and cookies for Santa!

Chillin in his new Cars couch:)

Already in his underwear showing off all his new toys from Santa!!

I guess he was a good boy this year:)

His favorite toy this year was his Batman Cave.

More fun with Elfie!

2011-12-25T10:19:00.002-06:00

Relaxin in Braden's car bed
Playing with the MagnaDoodle!

Goodbye note to Braden on Christmas.

Braden is pretty sad to see Elfie go. He asked us if Elfie could use his magic to come back tomorrow. We all loved this tradition and will definitely keep it up! Every morning that was the first thing he did- see where Elfie was hiding! When he found him he would look up at us and say, "It's magic!" this Christmas has been so amazing through his eyes! He really made this year so special for our family. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy your family and friends and remember the reason for the season- Jesus! Love to all!

Awe Shucks!

2011-12-25T10:13:00.003-06:00

I know it is dark, but I love it when he says "Awe shucks"!!! I love this kid!!!

Christmas Elf

2011-12-04T16:13:00.003-06:00

Elfie driving the John Deere:)

This year is the first year that Braden has really understood Christmas and Santa Claus. He is trying so hard to be a good boy so Santa will bring him a Batman Cave, which is what he consistently says he wants. Our elf came a little early this year, because Braden was being a stinker at home and we needed his assistance to help us out. The night we read the book Elf on the Shelf, Braden was SOOOO excited! He named his elf Elfie and as soon as he woke up the next morning, he jumped out of bed to find where Elfie was hiding. Every morning after he finds him, he says, "It's magic!" His eyes just twinkle with excitment and you can see the Christmas magic happening. He LOVED seeing Santa Claus and sitting on his lap too! When he does something good or is a big helper he asks me to go tell Elfie he is being good. Then he says, "Thank you, Mama!" Christmas really is such a magical time this year! I love seeing it through his eyes and feeling like a kid again:)

Elfie taking a marshmellow bath:)

Thanksgiving and more...

2011-12-03T14:10:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving 2011

Christmas Parade 2011

Santa Picture with cousin Chloe 2011

I cannot believe it is almost Christmas!! We have really been enjoying the holiday season with family and friends. Braden and Chloe are growing so much! Braden will repeat anything you say, so we have to watch what we say because he wants to repeat the bad stuff like shit and crap. He is such a boy-- consumed with his "wiener" and he wants to be naked all the time! He cracks us up with his questions about everything and trying to act big:) He really is a sweet though! He loves to snuggle and doesn't want us to leave him. Right now he is sleeping with me in my bed- yes we have created a monster! I do enjoy it though- LOTS of nighttime and morning snuggles for me. He always says, "Hold me, Mama" because he wants my hand on his back. Of course I LOVE IT!!! I am a big snuggler and he knows how to get me:)

We put the Christmas tree up early this year and he loves turning the tree lights on when we get home. I think he is going to love Christmas like we do! A friend of ours made us a Christmas elf ladder that you put against the tree- it is soooo cute! A great addition to our Christmas decor:)

I hope you all have a great holiday season!! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

School, School, and more School

2011-10-25T19:21:00.002-05:00

Jill and I both teach (as most of you know) but now we are also both in school working on our Rank I. Jill is working towards her Rank I in School Counseling and I am working on Library Media to be a school librarian. I am not ready to leave the classroom yet, but I would like to have the option if I change my mind one day. Needless to say, things are pretty busy around here most days, but we are hanging in there. Braden keeps us laughing with all the funny new things he talks about- friends, feelings, learning new things, trying to be the boss, etc... He knows all of his alphabet and most of the letter sounds now. This year he has learned his months of the year, days of the week, about Johnny Applessed, Christopher Columbus, counting to 10, etc... So he has been busy learning new things too! We are having so much fun with all our little conversations we have. He is such a sweet hear! I love him so much and feel so blessed to be his mama! Pics to come soon!

Big Boy Underoos and More:)

2011-08-21T09:32:00.004-05:00

Braden and his chicks:)

B's first Starbucks:) He loved it!!!

Happy Gilmore!!

Little fisherman!

Big Boy Underoos

This morning Braden said, "Mama, I'm a rock star!!" He cracks me up!!! He is always coming up with funny things to say. Last night I told him he had such a cute hiney and he came up to me and said, "Mama, you wanna touch it?" Where does he come up with this stuff????

We are all trying to get back into the school routine. Jill and I have been so worn out at night, but it is getting easier day by day. We all look forward to the weekends when we can spend more time together. Braden has been working on his manners at school and I love to hear no thank you, please, excuse me, etc... It is too cute! We LOVE his daycare and so does he!

I hope everyone in blogland is doing great! Love and hugs to you all!!

And it begins...AGAIN

2011-08-09T20:03:00.003-05:00

School is getting ready to begin for Jill and I. That always means I slack on my blog duties:( I will try to do better, but man I am worn out by the end of the day. 26 Kindergarteners will do that to ya-LOL. For those with kiddos, I wish you all a great start to the new school year! Say a little prayer for us to start the school year off right pretty please! While you are saying that prayer, say another one for a prayer to be answered for us. More information to come on that!

Be back soon!!!

Big Boy

2011-07-16T20:40:00.002-05:00

Look at my big boy! I think he grew over night! He is so tall and his vocabulary has grown so much! I was talking on the phone this morning and he wanted my attention, he said, "Excuse me." It was so cute! He makes me smile EVERYDAY!!! Now we can add fully potty trained to his list of big boy traits! It took us a little less than a week once we got serious about it. Now he does great! We are so proud of him! I love this little boy so much!!! I am truly blessed!!

Summer Fun

2011-07-08T09:47:00.005-05:00

Pool Side Fun!

Bubbles with Mars

Sparklers!

We have been enjoying our summer break spending time with friends, family, and the pool:) We got one of those blow up pools that is just 2 feet deep and thought Braden would love it because he loved the pool last year when we were member at Atlantis. WRONG! He cries everytime we try to put him in it and just likes to play along the side. Not sure why he doesn't like this pool, but he loves to play in the water so we got him a pirate ship water table. We all enjoy that!

Braden is growing like a weed and is talking ALOT. The kid won't shut up most days- LOL! We are really enjoying his stories and imagination! We are in he middle of some serious potty training right now and that is SUPER frustrating! More so for us than him, but I guess that is typical. He is doing a lot better and his daycare is helping us to keep things consistent, but when he is in the middle of playing he doesn't think to stop to go potty. So we are working on that. Just send us some patience prayers please:)

Just Words

2011-06-10T21:46:00.002-05:00

I have been wanting to post about Braden and some of the new things he has been doing just for me to remember. He is a VERY sweet little boy that likes to snuggle and give lots of hugs and kisses. He has really been into telling us he loves us. Especially when we do something he likes:) Yes, he has figured out how to work me! Just say I love you and you get what you want. Well not always, but it doesn't hurt:) When we ride in the car he says he loves us a million times. I think if he doesn't know what to say he just says I love you. Of course this doesn't bother me a bit because I like to say I love you all the time too- hee hee! Over the last year he has been learning ALOT. He has learned several shapes (circle, heart, diamond, square, rectangle, triangle) and all of his colors. He knows about half the alphabet and we are still working on counting. I am not sure why this has been difficult for him. We count ALL the time, but he still doesn't have it down pat. Over the last several months he has really began to play on his own and use his imagination. He has little action figures that he will make have a conversation with each other and just lay on the floor playing. It is so fun to listen to him playing on his own. Another thing that makes us laugh when he doesn't want to get up and do something he will say, "It's your turn Mom" or "It's Mimi's turn." He is too hilarious! He loves riding his battery powered 4-wheeler and the Gator he got for his birthday. When it is time to clean up he will put things up where they bel,ong and sometimes he will ask if we will help him. We try to clean up all together to teach him that it is important to take care of our things and put them back where they belong. He says his favorite food is chips, his favorite color is purple, and his favorite snack is chocolate. The other day we were playing around and I said, "Who's your mama?" and he said Mama Amer (Amber) and Mimi Jill- too funny! I don't know where he learned that. I guess from other people calling me Amber, but it caught me totally off guard. Right now he likes to watch Little Einsteins and Word World the most. I have also introduced him to Leap Frog's Letter Factory. He is the light of my life and I love seeing the world through his eyes! He is growing up way too fast and I need time to slow down a little! My little baby boy is now a big 3 year old! Where has the time gone??? Thank you so much for following us on this amazing journey! It has been a fabulous ride and I look forward to making many more memories with Jill and Braden!

More pics...

2011-04-05T21:56:00.001-05:00

Flying a kite with Mama

Building a sandcastle with Mimi

Alligators at Fudpuckers

Riding in the boat:)

Spring Fun

2011-04-04T20:54:00.002-05:00

First look at the ocean. He said, "Oh WOW, look at the water!"

So pretty!

Mimi and B at the beach!! First soccer game!

We have had a great start to spring! Braden is playing soccer for the first time and looks too cute in all his soccer gear. We got some cute little cleats and shin guards and a blue soccer ball. He really likes the practice since he has his own ball and can kick it all around, but gets upset when the game starts and there is only one ball for the whole team. The first game he was good for about 5 minutes and then cried the other 20 minutes. A lot of the team did. They were all so cute out there though.

We decided to finally go on vacation since we have not been in FIVE years. We are here with some friends that Jill works with and their kiddos. We are in Destin and loving it! It is Braden's first time at the beach abd he is having a blast building sandcastles, flying a kite, and chasing the birds. It is so fun to watch him while he explores in the sand.

He has really been a sweet boy lately too. He is always telling us he loves us and is saying I love you more and I love you most. It is too cute! He is such a loving little boy, which I am crazy about. He loves to snuggle with me and gives lots of hugs and kisses. I am so blessed to be his mama!

I will post some more pics of our first family vacation soon!

Time flies!!!

2011-02-26T18:11:00.004-06:00

Braden posing in his new PJ's

They say Center of Mom's universe. Love it!!!

At a friends birthday party

Dr. Braden giving Jill a check-up

Your ears look great Mimi

Braden has been growing like a weed the last few months! He is playing more on his own and is using his imagination. It is so neat to listen to him play, especially when he plays with other kids and they jibber jabber back and forth. He has learned the word "why" and says it a million times a day, which is REAL fun for the mommas!

We are enjoying watching our little baby grow into a little boy. He is such a sweet little guy- so loving and always says I love you and gives us hugs and kisses. I hope he stays that way as he gets older!

We are all looking forward to some warmer weather so we can get back outisde and have fun outdoors. We really enjoy grilling and playing in the yard.

Jill and I will be celebrating our 15th anniversary on February 28th! It has been a roller coaster ride at times, but well worth the ride! She is my best friend and my life partner. I know God made us for each other and we are so blessed to be able to share our lives together and enjoy it with this sweet little boy!

I hope everyone out in blogland is doing well!! I am looking forward to catching up on all the blogs and pics!! Love to all!!

New Years Update

2011-01-01T22:37:00.009-06:00

Goofying around at the pumpkin patch.

Pirate Braden and Giraffe Chloe with Pops.
Chloe is our neice!

Trick or Treat

Braden giving Harley a lick of his candy cane!

Harley is one of our new dogs- Merry Christmas to us:)

Braden loved the boogying Santa:)

Playing Lincoln Logs with Aunt TT

Putting out the Reindeer food on Christmas Eve

Braden and Harley watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

WOW!!

Opening presents on Christmas morning:)

Me and my niece Chloe

Sorry it has been so long since my last post! We sold our home computer and then it was just too crazy with the holidays to gather the pictures and get them on here. We spent the holdiays with family and friends and enjoyed every minute of it! Braden loved opening all the presents this year and had to tear off every bit of wrapping paper before he would even look at what it was. Then he wanted to open each gift and play with it a minute before he would move on to the next gift. He is so funny and full of personality! He is talking in more sentences and we can have little converstations with him. It is so fun to see him grow up right before our eyes!

Overall, we had a great end to 2010 and rang in the New Year with great friends! I hope to get caught up with you guys and your blogs! Sorry I've been MIA!!! I hope you all have a great 2011 and all your dreams come true!!! Love to all!!!

What's Up

2010-09-28T21:31:00.002-05:00

Life has been pretty good around here:) We found a Church that we are both very excited about! Braden LOVES it and is getting his introduction to the Bible. Every time we pick him up he tells us he had fun! That feels so good to us, like we are really doing something great for him. We are excited about going to Church for the first time in a long time, so that is a blessing for us as well.

Braden is growing like a weed and is pure BOY! He loves to throw little tantrums and cry for no reason lately. I've been told that it comes with the age, but man it is tough some times! Overall, he is a wonderful loving little guy and that far outweighs the stinker. He loves for me to hold his hand when I sit in the backseat with him, he likes for me to rock him everynight before he goes to bed, and I have to be the one that tucks him in. He likes to hold both of our hands when we walk through a parking lot, and waves goodbye to me and blows me a kiss from the window at daycare. He gives me tons of wonderful hugs and sweet kisses every day. And these are just a few of the things that make my day so great. I am so blessed to be his Mom and thank God every day for blessing Jill and I with him.

Family pic before the first football game- GO DEVILS!!

The boy loves to grill:)

Mom's Boy

Braden and his buddy E jumping on Jill

End of Summer

2010-08-14T21:43:00.002-05:00

I asked Braden if he was ready to take a bath and this is what I got:) He is too funny! He used to RUN to the bathroom if you mentioned a bath, not he tries to get out of it.

We have really enjoyed all our family time this summer, but now we are back to school. The early mornings have been a little tough for all of us. BUT we will get back into the swing of things soon. By the time we all get home, we are wipped out and just chill for the rest of the night. Thankfully, Braden doesn't mind since he has been tired too with earlier mornings at daycare.

Jill and I are excited about our new students and think that this is going to be a good year for us. Otherwise, not a whole lot is going on for now. Just enjoying our family of three:) Hope all is well out there in blogland!!! Love to all!!!

Summer Time Fun!!!

2010-07-08T21:28:00.006-05:00

We have had a fabulous summer so far!!!! We have spent extra time with friends and family, played in the backyard, went to the swimming pool, went to see fireworks at the park, and LOTS more. It has been a fun packed summer and we are loving every minute of it!!!

Braden absolutely loves being outside doing anything- riding his little four wheeler, playing basketball or golf with his Mimi, writing with chalk on the driveway, you name it- he LOVES it!!! He has really been a blast this summer. It has been great to watch him do and learn new things. He amazes me every day!

Right now he is so into the Toy Story Movies. We watch them several times a day! His favorite characters are Woody and Bullseye. We have several little Toy Story toys, but he has to sleep with his talking Woody doll:) We took him to see Toy Story 3 last week, but he only made it through about an hour. He wanted to play the arcade games in the lobby and didn't care too much for how loud it was in the theater. We thought he would like it since he will sit and watch a whole movie at home, but he wasn't having it that day. There are a few scary parts in there that he didn't care for either. He is just so fun right now- it makes me feel like a kid again:)

I have tried so many times to capture the right words to tell him how much I love him and how proud I am to have him as a son, but there just are no words to express the love that I have for him! It is unconditional, huge, wonderful, beyond anything I have ever felt. I love that he tells me "I love you" and "your special", he wants to hold my hand in the car (which I have to sit in the backseat with him to do), I love our end of the night routine (rock and bed), I love that he tells me he is "my boy" and that he gives me big hugs with a little grunt to let me know he is really squeezing, I love hearing "mom" and "want you", I just LOVE IT ALL!!!!! He is the best gift God could have given me!!!! I swear I tell him I love him probably 1000 times a day, but it is just not enough for me:) I want him to know without a doubt that I will always love him and there is NOTHING he can do to change that. I may not like his actions or his choices that he makes, but I will ALWAYS love him NO MATTER WHAT!!!!

Look below for pictures of the fun times we are having this summer:)

Swimming with his best bud Colton:)

Playing baseball with his Uncle Jamie

Watching fireworks with Aunt TT and Mama

Sparklers with Mimi

Fourth of July Celebration at Panther Creek Park

Playing in the inflatables!

Riding the mini horse:)

He LOVED this!!!

Swimming at Atlantis

Golfing with Mimi

Timeout from shooting hoops with Mimi

Updates and Pics

2010-06-02T22:21:00.003-05:00

Well... I am finally back and have pictures!!! Today was the last day of school for me- WOO-HOO!! Jill got out of school last Wednesday and has already been to the pool without me. However, she did get a sun burn:( I am so glad that this school year has finally finished! It was like the neverending school year!!!! We are looking forward to spending lots of quality time as a family and some wonderful extra time with our favorite little man! Speaking of our favorite little man, he has learned even more new words and grown one of his 2-year molars! He is talking up a storm and I love it! I know, I know... give me a few more years and I will want him to stop talking! BUT for now I LOVE IT!!!! He is saying lawn mower, tractor, cheetos (lee-los), moon, please, thank you, light, inside, outside, rain, and LOVE:) to name a few. He is such a big boy and is my heart and soul! I love him sooooooooooooooo much!!!!

Mama, Mimi, and B on Mother's Day 2010

Mowing with Mimi:)

Big Boy

Big Boy Bed

2010-05-02T18:01:00.002-05:00

Braden moved to his new bed on Friday and he has done really well. The first night he got up once, but last night he slept there all night even through the thunderstorms! He looks so little in the twin bed, like he did when we first put him in his baby bed. He LOVES the car bed and the cars on his sheets and all over his room! He is very happy to show anybody that comes over his new big boy room:) It is so cute! Now his baby bed is going to our little neice or nephew that will be here in September:) We find out on Friday if it will be Chloe or Preston:) Lots of exciting things going on in our family right now:)

Happy 2nd Birthday Braden!!

2010-05-02T17:51:00.003-05:00

Braden had a GREAT 2nd birthday party! He loved seeing cars everywhere- even playing on the TV! We had several friends and family there to celebrate our little man's big day. I cannot believe he is already two! His favorite gift was the motorized car toy. He drove it all over the house! See the pics below for his birthday excitement:) I love you B!!!!!

Birthday boy and Mama

Birthday Cake

Braden and Uncle Brent

Opening presents

Motorized Car

He's a big boy now:)

Sweet Boy- 23 months

2010-04-22T17:55:00.002-05:00

Big Helper

2010-04-22T17:44:00.003-05:00

Braden has been such a big helper lately! He helps with the laundry, the dishes, he puts things in the trash when we ask him, he'll get us a diaper to change him, and he even waters the flowers! I could rent this little guy out!!!! He really is doing a great job and we are so proud of him. He is also talking a lot more and putting more words together like- Where mama go, I'm big, and chip please. He is also saying all his color words and is repeating words after us. He is too cute! See pics below for your viewing pleasure:)

Helping Mimi water the flowers.

Big Boy

Bringing me a Flower! He was so excited:)

Spring Break

2010-04-09T11:15:00.002-05:00

Coloring Easter Eggs with Mama and Mimi

The Easter Bunny Spoiled Braden!
He was so excited to see his Cars shirt!

Easter afternoon at Mamaw Barb's

Mimi and B- two peas in a pod:)

Helping Mimi wash the cars:)

We have had a GREAT Spring Break! It has been hectic since we are preparing for a big garage sale on Saturday, but it has been great to have the extra time with our family and friends. I cannot believe B's birthday is in a few weeks! Jill made his invitations and they are sooooo cute! We are doing the CARS theme- Braden LOVES the movie right now. He got several items for Easter and loved them!

We had some friends over on Monday night. Jill grilled some chicken- yum! Our friends daughter took Braden on a walk and he brought Jill and I our first flowers:) Dandelions.... but it was so sweet to see how proud his little face was when he came around the corner of the house with a handfull of flowers to give Jill and I! It was so precious-- I almost cried! He is such a sweet kind hearted little boy! I just cannot get enough of him! Another thing he has been doing is when I pick him up from daycare- he looks at me with the biggest smile and yells "Mama!!" he gives me a big hug and kiss and of course I just eat that up! He knows the way to my heart!

We are loving every minute with our little man and cannot believe how quickly this is all going! I wish I could just slow time a little when we are with him! I am really enjoying how sweet and loving he is being right now and I don't want that to change!!!

I hope you all had a WONDERFUL Easter!!! I will post birthday pics soon:)

Spring Fun!

2010-03-20T22:07:00.005-05:00

It is so nice to have the sun shining and warmer weather! We have been able to spend some time outdoors and it has done us all some good. Braden LOVES being outside! I think we could pitch him a tent and he would stay out there all day and night! Jill and I really have enjoyed getting out of the house and playing with him too! We got a seat for her bike and Braden loves going on bike rides. He wanted to go every night after the first night, but the weather turned cold again so we haven't gone since. I'm sure we will have a bunch of bike rides this summer:)

I had another birthday at the beginning of March- 32 now:) I love spending my birthday with my two favorite people- Jill and B! We had a few people over for pizza to celebrate. Just low key and very nice:) Jill and Braden got me some diamond earrings for my birthday and Mother's Day. They are so pretty--- I love them! I was completely SHOCKED and surprised!!!! I am so spoiled rotten:)

We took Braden to the park to play with some friends today. We love getting them all together and seeing our kiddos playing with people we used to hang out with growing up:) I hope they are all buddies when they get older too! We played on the playground for awhile then walked to see the geese and feed them some bread. Braden was fearless and kept trying to pet them:) I thought he would stay close to us, but he sure didn't. What a little man:) I am in awe of how this little guy has changed my life for the better!!!

Enjoy the pics below:)

What's up home dog?

Stud Muffin seeks Cupcake:)

Baseball boy!

Grilling pros:)

Mama and Braden at the park

Feeding the geese

Just Hanging Out

2010-02-24T17:34:00.003-06:00

Things have been really good around our house lately. Braden is growing like a weed and feeling good, which is always a plus! We have spent a lot of time with family and friends and just enjoyed time together as a family. I know I say it a lot, but we are so very blessed to have this sweet little boy in our lives! God sure picked him out special just for us!

Speaking of my little man---I cannot believe that heis going to be TWO in a couple of months!!! That is so hard to believe! Time is going way to fast for me! We are going to do a Disney Cars theme. He watched most of the movie and was glued and he is really into cars right now. So we thought that would be fun. Our big gift this year is going to be a motorized 4-wheeler. I think he will LOVE it!

I added some pics for your viewing pleasure. I know most of you come for the pictures of Braden, not my ramblings- heehee! That is okay because he is just so darn cute!!! Have a great rest of the week!!!!!

I finally did get a pic of Braden in his Valentine shirt:)

It says Cupid is my Homeboy

World's Cutest Little UK fan!

Wrestling with his Uncle Brent

Cheese

GranZann, B, and Pops

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

2010-02-13T22:38:00.002-06:00

That is what I asked Braden tonight and he shook his head yes, like he totally knew what I was asking him! My heart filled with so much LOVE for my little guy and a little tear welled up in my eyes. He just continues to amaze me everyday! Braden has been in such a GREAT mood this weekend--- I wish it would last all year! Jill and I have been having so much fun playing with him and taking him places. Life really is so much more enjoyable with a happy toddler:)

Braden definitely is my super sweet Valentine, but I also have another one... aren't I lucky? My most wonderful partner Jill!! We have been together for 13 years (14 on Feb. 28th) and are more in love now than we have ever been! Now all of those years weren't easy, come on folks, you know relationships take lots of work. BUT through all of our ups and downs, they only made us stronger and want to work harder to be one of those forever couples. Jill, I love you with all my heart!!! You are my soul mate and such a wonderful mother to our precious boy! Thank you so much for choosing me!! All my love~ A

To my precious Valentine Braden, I am so lucky to be your mama! God sure knew what he was doing when he chose me to be your Mommy! I love your sweet personality, your amazing hugs, and your precious little kisses! You can make my day better with your sweet smile! You are such a blessing and I will love you FOREVER!!! NO MATTER WHAT!!!

I would have an adorable pic of Braden on here for you to enjoy, however, he was not having his picture made. His Valentine shirt said CUPID IS MY HOMEBOY! I love it, but he refused to take his picture so you will have to imagine, until next time:)

LOVE TO ALL!!!

Little bit of this, little bit of that...

2010-02-01T16:16:00.003-06:00

My sweet boy! He is such a ham:) I cannot believe how much he is talking now. We are loving all his new words and when he puts some words together like "I wanna bite", "More milk", and
"What's that?" He does a few more, but I am drawing a blank:) He also mixes words and signs. He still signs please and thank-you, but he did say please a few days ago and it sounded SOOOO darn sweet. He hasn't done it since then though.

He has been very sick since last week. Throwing up in the morning and at night-- all over Jill and I might I add! It has been a very interesting six days! He was so pitiful-- all he wanted to do was sit in your lap and watch tv. He would only play for a short time and then he wanted to relax. He is finally starting to feel better today- eating a little and acting more himself. Jill and I have been sick off and on a lot more since November. We realized most of our windows have mold from the moisture coming in. So now our tax money is going towards replacement windows. We are hoping that will help all of us feel better. I think we are all ready to get outside and have some warmer weather instead of being cooped up in the house with the cold weather.

Here's hoping this is a better, healthier week for our family and yours!!!

More Fun at our House:)

2010-01-16T10:33:00.003-06:00

Braden has really started to talk up a storm. He will repeat just about anything IF he is in the mood. I was kinda worried there for a couple weeks, because he just would not say anything new, now he is doing great! Some of his new words are pretty, ready, moon, tv, potty, and toes:) He has also developed quite the little attitude. If he doesn't get his way then he throws a little (big) tantrum. Needless to say he has embarassed us quite a few times while we were out visiting with friends or family, but we are trying to stay consistent and continue with time outs. He has become GREAT friends with his time out area lately- hee hee! We still manage to have some fun through all the ups and downs of raising a little boy. See below for some examples...

Bath time bubble boy:)

Our footprints in the snow 2010
Jill, Braden, Amber

Shoveling snow- what a helper!

Braden and Mimi on Snow Day #2

Mama and Braden coloring

SNOW DAY FUN

2010-01-07T21:29:00.004-06:00

We had our first snow day of the school year today and it was a GREAT day! I hate to add days on to the end of the year, but at least we lived it up! We went out this morning and played in the snow with Braden, Aunt Tasia, and Uncle Derek. Braden had a BLAST and did not want to come in! His little cheeks were so red, but he sure didn't mind. Then Derek and Tasia spent the day with us- it was SOOOOO much fun!!! Now we have another snow day tomorrow.... I wonder what fun we will come up with next? See pics below from our winter fun day...

Neat-O

Braden and Mimi

We put my gloves on him because his were too small.

A friend said he looks like ET.. hahaha!

Cheese!

WOW! That was fun!!!

WOW!!

2009-12-31T01:08:00.006-06:00

8 months old (This time last year:)

20 months old

Looking back over the last year, it has seemed to fly by! Everyone said that it would, so we tried to enjoy all the stages he has been through. BUT still life just moves too fast and now my little baby has grown to a little boy! It is so amazing to watch him grow and change and know that I did that-- I made this wonderful little person! Braden has brought so much love and joy into my life and I feel so blessed to be his mom. I cannot thank God enough for blessing me with him!!!! Of course it hasn't all been easy and he gives me a run for the money, but he is worth every second and I am so proud of the little boy be has beocme.

For the new year, I see many new and fun experiences for our family. I want to enjoy life to its fullest and help Braden learn and explore the world around him even more. I want us to have lots of family moments and create many more wonderful memories together! I love that little boy with all of my heart and soul- all of my being! I wish he could understand how much he means to me and always will!

To all my blogger friends out there----I wish all of you a wonderful New Year and hope that all of your dreams and wishes come true in 2010! Love to all:)

Tis the Season

2009-12-27T18:34:00.004-06:00

The holiday season has been really good to our family! We enjoyed all the extra time with our family and friends over the past few weeks. We started having parties around the 18th and finished up with my brothers on the 26th! So we spread out the joy over several weeks! Braden really enjoyed the decorations and the lights. When we went to see the lights at the park he would ooh and ahh and say "lights!". As far as presents... he was lovin life! He took his time taking off all the paper (every last bit) before he would even pay attention to what he got! It was too funny! I believe Santa was very good to all of us! I guess we were pretty good this year though:) I hope you all enjoyed your Holiday season as much as we did! I can't wait to see the new pics!! Check out ours below...

These are some shots for our Christmas cards:)

Cheese:)

Jill's work had a staff kids Christmas party- It was really neat!
This was the decorate your own cookie station- YUM!

They also had Santa! Braden was not too fond of Santa this year

Here he is Christmas morning in his Handy Manny Chef hat and his new kitchen!

I believe this was his favorite gift!

Here he is at Jill's dad's Christmas party.
They got him a Little Tikes barn!

Here is Braden's Christmas Loot! Yes he is VERY spoiled!!

Dressed up for another Christmas party!

Pic with my brothers:)

Holiday Fun

2009-11-28T16:27:00.005-06:00

We have really enjoyed our Thanksgiving break this past week. We spent lots of time with family and friends, which is always a joy. We put up our Christmas tree and all our decorations and are officially ready for Christmas!!!! It has been so much fun preparing for Braden's Christmas this year. Last year, he was still so little he had no clue what was going on, but this year he will be old enough to show some enthusiasm over his presents. It will be so much fun!!! So far we have a table and chairs, kitchen and food, some books, and small big boy toys. I think he will love it all! I hope all my blog friends have a wonderful and safe holiday season! Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!!

Here are some pics from our latest holiday adventures:)

B and Mama on the Iphone:)

Family pic at the Christmas Parade

Sucking on an apple slice:)

B and Mimi

Turkey Day 2009

Too Cute!!!

Mr. Clean at Mamaw Barb's

Up close:)

Thompson Thanksgiving with the guys:)

B and his Grandparents

Fall Fun

2009-11-15T18:55:00.003-06:00

We have been having LOTS of fun at our house! Braden has been a blast to be with and play with and watch him learn new things. He is so amazing and we are completely blessed to be his parents. As you can tell, I think that this age is amazing!! He is always making us laugh and making every second with him a good time! He has been using sign language a lot, which has been neat. I think it has really helped him be less frustrated because he can communicate easier with us. He knows the signs for please, eat, more, milk, and thank you. We are going to do some more, but haven't decided what would be good yet. He understands when we ask him if he is hungry, or wants to take a bath, and can ask us for a bite or a drink. He also shows us if he wants something- he will take our finger and lead us to what he wants. So can you recommend any other signs that you have found to work well with your little ones? Here are some fun pics for your enjoyment:)

Playing in his toy basket:)

Hey Mama!

Peek-a-boo!! I see you!

Eating breakfast with my buddy Colton:)

This is our new table and chairs- we love it!

The boys playing basketball

Cheese!

Putting up the Christmas lights with Mimi:)

Yes, it's early but it is a beautiful day to do it!

Trick-or-Treat 2009

2009-11-01T09:37:00.003-06:00

Here is our little golfer in full swing:)

Close up:)

At the first house getting his treat:) He was so excited!

Helping himself to the candy:)

Checking out his loot:)

Handing out treats to the kiddos- too cute!

He kept dumping out the candy!

It took him all of one minute to crash!

He didn't even finish his milk.

He had a GREAT night!!!

Happy Fall Ya'll!!!

2009-10-18T13:17:00.004-05:00

I would have updated sooner, but our computer was acting STUPID!! A friend fixed it and told us we had 300+ viruses on it!!! YUP that would make it STUPID:)

We survived the all nighter, but were up at about 7AM waiting at the door for them to bring him back home:) I'm sure it will get easier each time we do it and he really enjoyed his Mamaw Kathy and she enjoyed him too! We have been on Fall Break this week. It has been really nice to spend the extra time with Braden and Jill. We even got an early start on some Christmas presents.

We took Braden to Trunnel Farms for a friends second birthday party. He got to go on his first hayride and pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. There were lots of kiddos around his age so he had a blast. He played corn hole, went through the hay maze, and climbed the BIG haystack with his mommas.

Last night we carved a pumpkin-- I think he LOVED it! He had his hands all in the goop and was throwing it around. We have so much fun doing all these "firsts" with him. He is such a blessing and we are TOTALLY and COMPLETELY crazy about him!!!!!

Here are some fun pics...

Cooking with Mama (He flung the batter on me:)

Sleeping with Mimi

Pumpkin Patch

First Hayride!

Hay Maze

Watchin Franklin with Mama- big buddies:)

First Pumpkin Carving
October 22, 2009

Scooping the goop:)Is there anymore down in there?????

Kid Free- Will I Make It?????

2009-09-26T16:14:00.009-05:00

Tonight is Braden's first overnight with his Mamaw Kathy (Jill's Mom). It was SOOOO weird putting him in her car and him driving away. I almost cried right then and there. However, I kept myself together and am still fighting the tears. What is crazy is that we asked her to do this... so why am I having such a hard time. Jill and I really need some time together to just focus on us, but man I already miss that little guy!!! We are going to try and take full advantage of a kid free night and go to eat and do whatever we want, when we want, without worrying about diaper changes, nap time, and bed time. Man with that be different! Pray for us!!!!

Here are some pics of our trip to Reid's Orchard. They have lots of little activities for the kids to do. It is called Reidland and Braden had a pretty good time, once he opened up a bit:) Then some other pics just for fun:) Enjoy and have a great weekend everyone!!!!

Playing in the corn pit:)

Walking the pipe with Mama- he really didn't care for this:)

Just lookin cute:)

Crawling through the tires

Going up the big slide with Mama!!

Going down the big slide with Mimi:)
He giggled all the way down- and it was a BIG slide!

Cheesin' with Mimi

Crawling through the pipe!

Mini Coach handing Jill her play board:)

Spaghettio Night- What a mess, but he is still so darn cute:)

Life in the Fast Lane

2009-09-12T08:16:00.004-05:00

Life has been real busy lately. Jill has pretty much lived work and soccer with a little family time on the side. That has been tough, but we are hanging in there. Braden and I have been to most of the games. He really enjoyes hanging out with the team and being the mini coach:)

I cannot believe how much he has grown! I look at him in his crib and he is so LONG! I remember when he was just a tiny little thing in the big crib. Man time flies! He is such a joy and I cherish every moment we are together. I love when it is just Jill, Braden, and I and we all get in the floor and play together. Sometimes we play with toys, or look at books, wrestle, etc... We have so much fun with this little guy! I thank the Lord above for him everyday!!!!!

I would like to ask for some prayers for me and my poor excuse for a mother. I found out some disturbing news this week. About 6-7 years ago my family just dropped out of my life. I just assumed that they felt the same way my parents did about my lifestyle and decided that they did not want to see me anymore. This hurt of course, but I realized that was just part of my life now that I came out to everyone. Well I found out that was not exactly why. My wonderful mother decided to give my family an ultimatium- either they see me and my mom cuts them out of her life, including my dad and brothers. OR they are a part of their life, but they do not see me or include me in their lives. I don't blame them for just losing one family member instead of four, but really-- a mother could do that to her child?!?!?! WTF!!! Not that they like what I am doing, because they do not, but I think that they would have liked to at least see Braden and I and be a part of our lives. So that makes a little more sense and explains a lot of what happened all those years. This new information plus the other lies she tells the family like I refused to go to counseling! CRAZY- I am the one that called and asked her to go and made the appointment and she refused because he was not a CATHOLIC counselor. That was her choice to make! Of course the rest of the family does not know my side because we do not talk/see each other. So the lies continue! I am just so tired of the lies!!!! Tell everyone I am gay and flauting it (as she puts it)- I don't care, but do not spread lies!!!! So I ask you to pray for this closeminded "family" that I have and to pray for Jill, Braden, and I-- that we survive the storm an even closer family:) Thankfully Jill's family has been WONDERFUL through it all. Jill's dad even sent me flowers to brighten my day, and her mom sent me a beautfiul card to let me know she has been praying for us. I do not know what I would do without her family! They are my family now and I LOVE THEM!!!! We do have a wonderful support system of friends that are our chosen family now and we truly appreciate all the support and love they have for us and Braden.

On to more wonderful things... Below are pics at the soccerfield:)

I love you coach!
I love this pic!

So sweet:)

Go girls!!

This one is at Jill's Mamaw's. We go there every Sunday and he

loves getting in her spice cabinet. He decided to strike a

pose for the camera:)

16 Month Milestones

2009-09-06T13:48:00.004-05:00

* Very good eater:)
* Stacking small blocks.
* Now says hot, bird, bye, bock bock (chicken), belly, baby, eye, bu (book) and shoes!
* Understands when we say "Do you want to eat?", "Are you ready to take a bath?", "Take this to the trash.", and "Let's clean-up."
* Loves Franklin Videos!!
* Likes to kick the soccerballs.
* Likes Matchbox Cars.

Wedding Pics

2009-08-27T15:22:00.003-05:00

The wedding was GREAT, but I am a bit relieved to have all the stress over with. Lots of drama with family (if there is family reading this, then you know there was a lot of drama so don't get upset about me putting that on my blog). Anyways, it was absolutely beautiful and I think everyone had a fabulous time! The newleyweds went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for thier honeymoon and did lots of touristy things and shopping of course. I promised some pics of little man and his tux so look below:)

Trying on the tux- we had to hem the pants:)

Cheesin'

B and Uncle D (The Groom)

B and GranPops

Family Pic:)

Schools In

2009-08-17T21:14:00.004-05:00

Jill and I have both started our new school year. Jill is pretty settled and is enjoying her year so far. She is coaching girls middle school soccer this year, so that is keeping her pretty busy. I've had a pretty good start to the year, still getting settled and really busy! The a/c is out in my classroom so we are HOT!!!! Hopefully it will be fixed within the next few days- or we will have to have heat breaks in the cafeteria freezers:) I think it is worse because the humidity has been awful! Braden is doing really well getting back into the school schedule. Sometimes mornings are tough because he doesn't have our full attention like he did when he woke up over the summer. I'm sure he will get into the swing of things pretty soon though. He has been SOOO independent lately. One thing he likes to do is walk out of daycare on his own AND carry his little backpack. It is so darn cute- but man he looks like a big boy!!! He is going to be in Jill's brother's wedding this weekend. We got him a little tux that is ADORABLE on! I will definitely post pics of the little ring bearer:) For now, enjoy the pics below of Mr. Independent at daycare:)

What a BIG boy:)

End of Summer

2009-08-08T07:25:00.005-05:00

I cannot believe our summer break is coming to an end! It definitely went by WAY too fast this year. We did have A LOT of fun with Braden and we enjoyed every extra minute with him! Jill started work this week and I start next week, so it is back to the grind for us:( Here are some pics from our end of the summer fun!!!!

At Jill's dads 50th birthday party

Me and Jill--- so in love after all these years:)

At the spray park:)

Getting used to the water:)

Splish Splash!

Chillin in the wagon with his cousin Danyelle

Trying some corn on the cob- yum!!

Playing in the leaves with Mimi:)

One Year Old Pics

2009-07-18T15:17:00.006-05:00

Here is the picture with the quote on it. I LOVE IT!!!

Just wanted to share since I said I would:)

For this child I prayed; and the Lord granted me what I asked of him.

~So Precious~

Sweet One Year Old Boy:)

More Summer Fun

2009-07-09T17:35:00.003-05:00

Awesome bubble machine!!

Big Buddies

Visiting Netta in Lexington- Love ya Netta!!!

Playing Football with Uncle Jamie

First trip to Chuck E. Cheese

He was not crazy about it:(

Mama getting me wet with the Sprinkler:)

Helping Mimi wash the car mats

What a big helper:)

14 Month Milestones

2009-07-09T17:30:00.004-05:00

* Walking with ease
* Pointing at things that he wants
* Plays in the swimming pool
* Holds out his hand for help
* Loves to give kisses:)
* Enjoys the bubble machine
* LOVES being outside!
* Cut top 1 yr. molars- ouch!
* Can show us where his belly is
* Says "yeah, mama, da, uh-oh, ba (ball), do (dog)"... and LOTS of jibberish that sounds like other words:)

Awesome Quote

2009-07-01T23:04:00.002-05:00

I believe this quote from the bible really sums up our journey to parenthood. I am sure it will ring true for many of you! We are getting it added to one of Braden's one year pictures. I will post it when I get it back from the photographer. Have a great weekend and enjoy all those precious little miracles!!!!!!!

For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.
1 Samuel 1:27

Summer Fun

2009-06-28T12:34:00.003-05:00

We have had a lot of fun over summer break! We've been to the pool, the Science Museum, hanging out with friends, and chillin in the backyard:) I think Braden has really enjoyed spending more time with us at home too. We have continued to send him to Daycare 2-3 days a week to clean, grocery shop, and have some baby free time to spend together. He really enjoys school and it keeps him in a routine, which he much appreciates and so do his teachers. It has really worked out well for us too- we enjoy some pool time with adult conversation- hee hee:)

Braden is walking all over the place and getting into everything. He is having lots of fun testing his limits:) He really is doing pretty good learning what "No" means. Lots of repetition and staying consistent for us, plus remembering to back each other up so he knows "WE" mean business. Overall, we are having a GREAT time together enjoying these precious moments. Look below for some pics of our fun times togther:)

Mama and Braden

Mimi and B sliding down the tree slide- yippee!!!

Going through the tunnel

Crawling through the choo-choo train:)

He got to feed himself Spaghettios- BIG MESS:)

He even put the bowl on his head! BUT look at that smile- SO WORTH IT!!!!

DO WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

2009-06-18T22:42:00.003-05:00

We went to the OB to schedule Jill's Hysterectomy and our OB thought it was me that was wanting one. So she proceeded to ROCK my world- she said, "You know you can have another kid if you want to." I was like WHAT????? You told me that I couldn't have anymore. So then she says that my Echo on my heart came back normal so I would be okay with lots of monitoring. I almost hit the floor because we had been told that we could not have anymore because it could kill me! So this was a major shock to us! I told her she had to tell Jill, because she would SHIT! We had just come to terms that Braden would be our one and only and have been spoiling the hell out of him!

So now the past couple of days have been a blur because we are trying to process what we are going to do with this new information. She did tell us that I would be a high risk pregnancy again with the same complications from before-- high blood pressure, lots of swelling, and more than likely I would develop Preclampsia again. She also said that I should wait another year to let my body continue to heal and then we can look at trying to get preggo again if we wanted???!!!!??? We still have LOTS of questions for her before we really say ok lets do this, but we are keeping the option open.

Jill and I are excited and scared and nervous, and confused, and everything all rolled into one. We would LOVE to have another one, but you start to wonder can we afford another one, what if it was multiples (yikes!!!), where would we put another one- our house is busting at the seams already!! What if, what if, what if..... So we decided to think it over since we have plenty of time, enjoy every second with Braden, and when next summer comes around we just might give it a try. However, we are going to limit our tries and if it does not work in that amount of time/tries, then we are going to be happy with the family that we have.

I have to admit it is exciting to just have the choice, since before the choice was just taken away from us. Plus I would love to give Braden a sibling. However, it really is up to the good Lord above. He has blessed us tremendously and we are so happy with our little family just the way it is or plus one:)

So any remarks, ideas, suggestions, etc... from those of you with one or more than one?

Much called for UPDATE:)

2009-06-12T20:57:00.001-05:00

Sorry it has been so long since my last post!! I know I have been a bad blog buddy:( Things just got crazy with the end of school and then we had PD days.... but now summer break has officially begun for BOTH of us!!! It was a great day with Braden- we hung out and played at home this morning. This afternoon we took Jill's little brother to the movies to see Night at the Musuem 2 and to her cousins birthday party for pizza, cake, and ice ream. Tonight we went down to the river for Friday After 5 and finally to my little brothers baseball game. It was a FULL day, but a lot of FUN!!!

Braden has really enjoyed the warm weather! He loves all of his outdoor toys. Especially his play house! We have a lot of fun outside-- I think he would stay outside 24/7 if he could:) He is also an official walker. It was so exciting to see him really start to walk- he still crawls every once in a while, but mainly likes to walk. How fun!

Jill and I are doing WONDERFULLY:) Of course she is an amazing partner (as always) and I am so blessed to have her in my life. She takes such great care of Braden and I and I love her SOOOOO much!! Braden is so CRAZY about her too! He loves his Mimi so much and you can tell it just by the way he looks at her. We are looking forward to spending lots more time with each other over summer break.

I will close with some picture updates-- enjoy your weekend everyone!!!

Braden and Loompa

Bella, Braden, and Colton

Braden in his playhouse:)

I am a walker!!!

On the Go...

2009-05-26T21:57:00.002-05:00

Braden has really been trying to walk the last week. He is cruising around on the furniture, the push toys, etc... He has taken a step here and there and will let go and stand for awhile, but just wouldn't do more than a few steps. Last night, he decided to take 3-4 consecutive steps then dive into Jill and I. He did it over and over and got so tickled at himself! He is such a big boy! I know he will be walking on his own before too long. My baby is almost an official toddler:)

This age has been so much fun too. He is exploring and playing more and is such a ham:) He is good about playing on his own, but there are times that he wants us right there playing with him, which we enjoy too. We also got him a swingset and he has LOVED swinging and sliding down the slide. I will post some pics soon! He is just such a joy and we are cherishing every second with him!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! Hugs and kisses to you all:)

Fun in the Sun- Pic Update

2009-05-18T23:05:00.001-05:00

Mama and Braden

This car rocks!

Getting used to the grass

Handsome

4-wheelin with Mimi. He LOVED it!

12 Month Milestones

2009-05-14T08:52:00.004-05:00

* Imitating things we do (brushing hair, blowing kisses, washing face w/washcloth, waving, etc...)
* Giving Zerberts:)
* Eating more foods (pizza, cheeseburger, yogurt, fish sticks, etc...)
* Putting his face in the bath water and blowing bubbles.
* No more formula or bottles! Only sippy cups and whole milk.
* Began Poly-Vi-Sol vitamins with Iron.
* Standing on his own.
* Took several consecutive steps!!

Upright:)

2009-05-02T09:14:00.002-05:00

He stood by himself this morning!!! It was so exciting! He just let go and stood there for a few seconds. I said, "YEAH, what a big boy!" and he did it again! Then when Jill got up I said let's show Mimi and he did it again- probably 10 times! We just tell him he is a big boy and clap and he does it over and over! Oh my! He will be walking soon! I will post a picture as soon as I can catch one:)

Another update... he is moving to the one year old room on Monday! He will begin transitioning a few hours a day then be in there full time next week. The kids are SOOOO much bigger than he is... I just hope he can hold his own:) I think he will love it and it will be a great learning experience for him. We will miss his old teachers though, they took such wonderful care of him! On to another new adventure with Braden:)

2009-05-02T08:40:00.004-05:00

Family Pic with the Birthday Boy

This is good stuff!

Backyardigans Theme

Presents!!

Tuckered out after the big day

Braden had a great birthday party! The weather was WONDERFUL and the company was AWESOME! We had lots of famiy and friends over to celebrate with us. Everyone hung out in the backyard talking and playing cornhole. (MEG- Cornhole is kinda like horseshoes but you try to get a bag in a hole instead of horseshoe around a peg:) Braden loved all of his gifts and had a great time! One of our friends gave him his first bike and he smiled at it from ear to ear. It will be a while before he can ride it on his own, but he loves to sit on it and have us push him around. He didn't quite know what to think of the cake at first, but it didn't take long for him to dig into into it like a pro. He was completely worn out by the end of the day and slept awesome that night:) I cannot believe we have a toddler!!! What a precious gift from above:) We love you Braden!!

MY BABY IS ONE!!

2009-04-25T11:07:00.004-05:00

Happy first birthday big boy! Your mamas love you more than you can ever imagine! We are looking forward to having your first birthday party tomorrow with lots of friends and family that are crazy about you!!

Braden, you have been such an amazing little boy and we have had a lot of fun this year! Some of my favorite things were watching you learn new things like sitting up, trying new food, crawling, cruising, etc... I loved holding you when you were so tiny and watching you sleep. I LOVE when you give me kisses and hugs (you will soon learn that mama is a sucker for some lovin!) I enjoy watching you with your Mimi- you mean the world to her and you can see that in her eyes! I love how happy you make the people around you because of your fun easygoing personality. Your giggle makes me so happy and we always try to make you laugh just to hear it! I love how you try new things and explore the world around you. I LOVE snuggle time in our pajamas! I love that you are my son and that God has blessed us with such a special little boy!

Your Mimi and I have had the best year of our lives with you and look forward to making so many more wonderful memories along the way. Happy first birthday big boy!!

Can't Believe It!

2009-04-22T22:13:00.002-05:00

I cannot believe that my little boy is going to be one soon! The year has just flown by!! It is hard to believe that I was big fat and pregnant this time last year-- starting to have contractions, swelling up SOOOO much, and in and out of the hospital with blood pressure issues! My precious little boy was still in my belly, nice and snug, just waiting to come into the world. Boy what a difference a year makes! Now he is crawling around, eating tablefood, giving kisses, and growing like a weed! I love and CHERISH every second with him and love being a mom even more than I thought I would. It is a dream come true- my biggest dream come true. I thank God every day for blessing me with this AMAZING little boy- I must have done something right to deserve him!

We are doing some last minute preparations for his party on Sunday. We invited family and friends that have shared this year with us. I think we will have a good turn out, and hopefully some great weather. We would like to have it outside in our backyard and play cornhole and washers while enjoying cake and icecream- yum! I think it will be a fun time for him:)

Thanks so much to everyone for sharing in this awesome journey with us! You cannot fully understand how much your support, prayers, and comments have meant along the way. We love you all!!!!!

11 Month Milestones

2009-04-16T21:04:00.005-05:00

* Opening drawers and doors.
* Eating mainly table food!
* Drinking whole milk from sippy cup.
* Mastered drinking from a straw!
* Blowing kisses:)
* Going from standing to sitting without holding on to anything.
* Size 18-24 month clothes.
* Size 51/2 shoes.

First Easter

2009-04-12T18:56:00.002-05:00

Decorating Easter Eggs at Mammie and Granny Jo's house

Not only coloring the eggs.... but his hands too:)

The Easter Bunny visited our house!

Mimi and Braden Bunny:)

We had a wonderful first Easter at the Thompson household:) Braden loved waking up to his Easter basket with all the goodies, especially the cell phone (yes it was a toy). We spent half the day with Jill's moms side and the other half at her dad's side. Braden enjoyed playing with everyone and showing off his bunny ears:) We got him some sports ball easter eggs and he carried them around and played with them all day. It was a very special day- amazing how much these little guys can make your holidays even more memorable:)

I hope you all had a great Easter with your friends and family! Love to you:)

On my mind...

2009-04-09T21:52:00.006-05:00

I went back to the beginning of my blog and started to read past posts and this got me thinking about my family. In my first post, I gave some history about Jill and I and our families. At that point, I was still talking to my mom and we didn't have Braden yet. A lot of time has passed and many things have happened. I try not to post about it because this blog is meant to be about the good stuff... Braden, Jill, and the wonderful people we have IN our lives that love and support us.

Jill's family has remained supportive along every step of the way -from pregnancy, birth, to now almost a one year old little angel! They love Braden whole heartedly and I could not ask for better grandparents and uncles for my precious little boy! They have been so great to me and I feel that they really do genuinely love me. Not only her parents and brothers, but her aunts, uncles, cousins, etc... have been there for all of us and they love Braden so much! This really is my FAMILY and I love them all so much!

Of course Jill and I have just gotten closer through all the ups and downs. I have to admit that there have been some tough times adjusting to having a little one. There is just not that extra time to focus on "us". So we have tried to remember that and have some alone time when we can. However, we waited so long for this little fella, that we just want to be with him as much as we can. I do cherish our time together and am so happy that she is a parent to Braden. He adores her and I love the bond they share:) She really is my soul mate and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with her!!!

There have been a few more people in my family to reach out- a few cousins and my great aunt on my dad's side. I must admit that it does feel good to have their support:) Not just for me, but for Braden as well! My brothers have been really good too. One is out of town, so we mainly talk on the phone and message through Facebook, but he does make a point to visit when he comes in to town. The other is in high school, so he is pretty busy with friends and sports. However, we have always been close and still talk on the phone and hang out together when we can. I know that they do love Braden, but it is different because I can tell the strain they feel being in the middle of one side telling them how wrong it is and me just wanting my brothers to be a part of my life. I know they are doing the best that they can right now and I am okay with that.

As for my parents, I finally decided that enough is enough. I told them I did not want anymore communication from them. I found out they were telling people that I am keeping Braden from them, which is a TOTAL and complete lie! They made ZERO effort to see their own grandson. They never called, came to the hospital, tried to visit, nothing- nada- zero-zilch! Yet, they tell people that we won't let them see him--- that was it for me. I have tried all I can and am just TIRED of all the drama! I don't need any extra of that in my life right now. The sad thing is that I think I could go the rest of my life and never speak to them and be totally okay with that. Isn't that awful? I used to be best friends with my mom and thought I would never go a day without seeing her or talking to her, now I am saying I could go the rest of my life and never speak to her. So as you can see there is just a lot of pain and hurt when it comes to my family. I do pray a lot for peace and I do feel at peace with my decision, but I still feel sad at the realization that I will never have my mom in my life again like she used to be. It just can never be that way again.

So now we look to the future with the wonderful people that we do have in our lives. The special people that will share in Braden's big day- it is coming up so soon. I just cannot believe it has been a year! This has been one amazing journey and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! I love this little boy more than I knew was even possible. He is the answer to all my prayers and a total dream come true!!

Thank you Lord for all my many blessings.... my cup runnith over! AMEN!!!!

Fun Pics:)

2009-04-09T17:12:00.002-05:00

At the cabin with Uncle Brent- he is so funny:)

On a golf cart ride with the Mamas!

Awesome!!!

My first Easter Basket from Uncle D and Tasia!!

Kiss the Bunny:)

Shoes

2009-04-09T17:08:00.004-05:00

The boy has a better shoe collection than I do!!!

Size 5 and 51/2- My big boy:)

10 Milestones

2009-04-01T21:42:00.006-05:00

* Introduced several table foods- green beans, peas, chicken, steak, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, pork chop, cheese, rolls, diced apples, baked beans, jello, broccoli, bisuits, etc... and he liked them all!!!!

* Waving hello and goodbye.

* Walking with his walking toys.

* More teeth!

* Putting his face in the bath water:)

* Drinking better from a sippy cup.

* Drinking better from a straw.

* Using his pincher grasp to put food in his mouth

* Introduced whole milk.

* Playing more independently.

* Wearing size 5 shoes:)

* Wearing 18-24 month clothes.

Random

2009-03-31T23:33:00.003-05:00

Braden loves listening to music with his Mimi.

His first car! He LOVES this car. It has been a very wise $40 spent. We use this instead of the stroller at Wal-Mart and Target and he is SUPER! We even had one lady take a picture of him with her cell phone because she thought he was so cute:)

Big boys- Braden and Colton (11months). We went to Johhny B's the other night with a friend and the boys enjoyed their sippy cups while the moms got to visit:)

He has also been using his walking toys to walk around the living room and get up and down. He is growing up too fast!!! He will be a year old in a few weeks!!!!!

We have been dealing with our first case of thrush the past week:( The first antiobiotic did not get rid of it so now we are on antibiotic #2 and I think it is going to get rid of it. Not only is it in his mouth now the infection has spread to his manly parts- uggghhh! Supposedly this is not abnormal because once the infection is in your body it can spread to other areas- poor fella. Needless to say, with the hurting mouth that has meant less sleep for him and the mamas. It has been pretty rough but we are hanging in there. Jill commented the other day that this motherhood stuff is tough- I so agree! It can be so hard at times but man he is worth every second:) We are so in love with this little guy!!!!!!

We are on Spring Break this week:) Jill and I both NEEDED this time off work. It has been one crazy year getting used to being moms, taking care of another person, time management, KTIP for Jill, and other responsibilities had just taken it's toll on both of us. We are getting some things done around the house, a little shopping, and relaxing-- which has been GREAT! Unfortunately it is going by toooooooo fast!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!!! 11 month pictures to come soon:)

Fun Times & Prayers Please

2009-03-20T20:00:00.001-05:00

St. Patrick's Day 2009

First time in the Grass:)

First Bike Ride!

Family Pic March 2009

Mimi is so funny:)

Mama's Boy

We have been having lots of fun at the Thompson household with the warmer weather. We have been taking walks, riding bikes, playing the yard, and of course having fun with the Wii! Braden really enjoys being outside, which is good because we do too! He is working on two more teath on the top, but it hasn't been too bad so far. I hope it is easier on him than his middle top teath! Other than that we are just enjoying our little family and cannot believe that our little guy is turning one in April! Where has the time gone???? We are planning a Backyardigans party since he LOVES that show.

I would like to ask for prayers for a online buddy of mine. Her partner is back in the hospital with an internal infection. They think she is past the worst of it, but I know she would greatly appreciate some extra prayers. Thanks a bunch!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!!

Giggles

2009-03-14T22:42:00.002-05:00

Kiss the Baby

2009-03-14T18:16:00.003-05:00

10 Months Old!

2009-03-09T22:53:00.002-05:00

I love this little boy more than anything in the world! I never imagined being a mom could be this amazing. It has definitely been challenging at times, but it is so worth it:) He has brought so much joy and love into my life and I thank God for choosing me to be his mom! I cherish every moment and look forward to making lots more wonderful memories with my little man.

All Around Update

2009-03-08T22:39:00.006-05:00

Braden finally started feeling better on Saturday. He had his last fever on Saturday morning and has been improving ever since then. We still do not know the source of the infection, but we do know that he had a bacterial infection. They gave him a strong dose of antibiotics to take for 10 days and a shot to help him fight the infection. We will get the results from the last test they ran on Monday. Thank you so much for the prayers- they definitely worked!

We had a couple firsts this weekend as well...

He shot his first basketball (2pts) on my birthday! What a nice present:) This ofcourse was a BIG deal to Jill because she played basketball all her life! We are secretly hoping for a future NBA Allstar- hehe:)

He also had his first haircut! It was too cute! We went to the Kid Snips place that has them sit in different chairs- he sat in the Hummer:) It was so adorable!!!! He really did a good job and only cried a little, but the faces he made were HILARIOUS! We gave him some Coca-Cola to drink and a sucker to keep him still. It was all good once he got the sucker:)

He also had his first ride in the little car at the grocery store. He held on to the steering wheel like he was the big man on campus! Every once in a while he would honk the horn as we went down the isle. He was cracking me up:) Everyone that passed us talked to him and told him how cute and BIG he was:) My baby is growing up too fast!!

Just see below...

At Kroger- I'm a big boy:)

I'll be still if you give me some Coke!!!

Aaaahhhh- what is she doing back there???

Don't let her do it Mama!

A birthday kiss for Mama:)

Prayers Please

2009-03-05T19:31:00.002-06:00

Braden has been sick since last week and we thought he had a virus that was going around. He got better for a few days then Tuesday night ran a temp, but woke up okay. Then on Wednesday he ran a fever again. Today Jill stayed home with him because he woke up with a 102 fever. She took him to the doctor and had several tests done (Strep, RSV, Urinalysis) and all came back negative. He also had a blood test done and the results showed that his white blood cells were elevated so they said that is a sign of a bacterial infection. He had a blood culture taken and a chest x-ray done. The chest x-ray came back good and we get the blood culture results back either tomorrow or Saturday. So please keep Braden in your prayers. We just want him to get better and feel better... poor little guy.

P.S. Please say a calming prayer for me because I have to go to work tomorrow and I am dreading it! I just want to be with my little boy!

Happy Anniversary Baby

2009-03-01T19:45:00.006-06:00

The beginning- 1996

Still so much in love:)

Jill and I celebrated our 13th dating anniversay on Saturday! It is hard to believe that we have been together for 13 years. We have been through so much in those 13 years- high school secrets, college lovers, family issues, first apartment, buying our first home, trying to get pregnant, etc... are just some of the highlights. It has been an amazing journey with Jill, full of ups and downs, but through it all our relationship has become even stronger and we have fallen even more in love. It is amazing to me that after 13 years she can still give me butterflies from a look, a touch, or a kiss. She makes my life such a wonderful place and has made all my dreams come true. I have been tremendously blessed to share my life with her.

Jill has such a kind heart and a giving nature. She loves to put smiles on peoples faces and warm their hearts. She is the ideal best friend and would drop whatever she was doing to help someone in need. She loves with her whole heart and I have been the lucky one to be loved by this wonderful woman! I thank God for that privelege every day! Jill has always been my best friend and soul mate and I look forward to making many more memories together as a family of three- with our little miracle Braden Lee.

I love you baby!!!

Doing Even Better

2009-02-25T21:41:00.004-06:00

Braden has really been doing much better at night. We stayed consistent even though it was very difficult at times, and the hard work has paid off. He has been sleeping through the night and that makes for some VERY happy mamas! He has also been much more enjoyable and less whiny so I guess he is a happier boy too!

He has been pulling up to everything and holding on with one hand, so I guess that walking isn't too far off. He is getting pretty brave:) It is so amazing to watch him grow and explore new things. I cannot believe that he is already grown so much! We all love playing in the floor together as a family and just hanging out. We are enjoying every minute of it!!!

Weight loss update: I lost two pounds last week, which was my goal. So there is one goal accomplished and that feels good! I am hoping to lose another two pounds this week. I am going to Zumba, which is an aerobic dance class for those that haven't heard of it. It is actually a lot of fun I don't mind going. So please keep sending weight loss prayers my way:)

Hope you all have a wonderful end to your week and a fantastic weekend!!! Here are some new pics from the past week- enjoy!

Thompson Family

Fun with Pops and Uncle Brent

I love you Uncle Jamie!!!

Silly boy!

Watchin the Kentucky Wildcats with Mama:)

Go Big Blue!!

CIO Update

2009-02-20T14:30:00.002-06:00

So the past week has been pretty crazy, but we do see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Monday night- we began CIO after 9 month visit. Continued nightly routine we always have then put him to bed. He was up off and on ALL night. We stuck to our guns and let him cry and he did go back to sleep each time. LONG night!

Tuesday night- Tonight he was up off and on from 9:30-12AM then he slept soundly until we woke him to get dressed at 6:15. Much better, just hope it continues.

Wednesday night- We added a Baby Einsten CD tonight since he has a lot of those toys and loves the music. Thought maybe this would help soothe him back to sleep if he woke up. He was up off and on from 9-11PM then he slept soundly until 6:15. PROGRESS!

Thursday night- He SLEPT soundly ALL NIGHT!! Thank the LORD above- we just might be doing something right here:)

As for the whining, well it comes and goes. Some nights much worse than others. I am thinking this is just stubborness and a little seperation anxiety. We try to just keep talking to him if we leave his sight so he knows we are NOT leaving him. We also try not to give him everything and make him work for things and develop some independence. Obviously he cannot do a lot by himself at nine months, but there are some things he can do on his own like pick up a toy and not have it handed to him. I am not making him clean his room or fix his own food here:) So I guess we will see how this weekend goes.

Thanks so much for all your advice and have a GREAT weekend!!!

Cry It Out...Braden not me:)

2009-02-18T10:29:00.002-06:00

Oh Lord help us! We are trying the cry it out method to help Braden become a better sleeper. I don't know what has gotten in to him the last week, but he does not want to go to sleep and he wakes up soooo often. We did have our 9 month visit on Monday, which went very well-- super healthy right on target report:) We brought up the sleep issues and she said that he should be able to soothe himself to sleep at this point, which he was doing fine but now is having difficulty with. Also, she said that he is working on cutting several teeth but we have been using that excuse for months now. So I think there is more to it. We give him Motrin before he goes to bed to help with any teething pain and he is fast asleep when we lay him down-- so who knows!

We have two nights down with the whole cry it out thing and we have supported each other and hung in there. So here goes to another sleepless night, or maybe it will get a little better. I will keep you posted:)

So another issue we are working on is the whiny baby. We realize that we have had an angel up until this point so now the horns are coming out. However, is there anything to help with the constant whining? He can be full, clean diaper, nothing seems to be hurting him but he is just whining for no aparent reason. I've picked him up, left him alone, went to do something else, tried to distract him, etc... and nothing really seems to work. So do I just continue to ignore it or what? Help all you experienced moms out there-- what has worked for you?

Rock Star

2009-02-14T20:52:00.005-06:00

Jammin:)

Crawling everywhere!

Hey Mama!

Mammie, this one is for you- I can hold my bottle:)

Braden is crawling around EVERYWHERE and is into EVERYTHING:) He has so much fun exploring the house and everything in it. Of course that means we are a lot more active chasing him around. He does like to follow us from room to room and see what we are doing. His top teeth FINALLY cut through so I know that has to make him feel a lot better. They were so swollen and we knew they had to hurt. We also bought him some new trucks that light up and make noises and a Little People bus and dump truck that sings and lights up. He LOVES them and stops to dance when the music comes on. It is so cute! We love this little guy SOOOO much and can hardly believe we have had him for nine months!! It has flown by too quickly!

On the weight loss front- I was approved for the Lap Band procedure by my insurance, but I am still on the fence with whether or not I want to do it. I appreciate your feedback and advice! I have been doing a lot of research and talking to people that have had the procedure or know someone that has had the procedure. I just really want to be able to do it on my own. Insurance requires a 6 month weight loss program before the surgery so I am thinking about going back to Weight Watchers and getting together with some friends to workout and give it my all. I have to do this to be a healthy mom and wife and to prove to myself that I CAN DO THIS on my own. So please send some prayers and weight loss vibes my way so I can stay strong, dedicated, and motivated to become a better and healthier me:)

9 Month Milestones

2009-02-08T22:09:00.004-06:00

* Waving hello and good bye
* Pulling up to his knees
* Very mobile- crawling everywhere
* Into EVERYTHING!!
* Giving kisses- so sweet!
* Tantrums- oh my!
* Learning what "No-No" means- aaagggghhhh!
* Pulling up to a standing position
* 12-18 month size clothes.

Jumbo Size

2009-02-04T21:56:00.003-06:00

I have a question for all you wonderful ladies out there. I have been researching the LapBand to see if it could be something that I want to do. This is not Gastric Bypass where they actually cut your stomach-- I don't want to do anything that drastic. It is the band that goes around the top part of your stomach and can be adjusted. Anyone have any opinions, knowledge, etc... on the issue. I have never been this overweight in my life and I want to do something about it. I have tried to lose weight different ways, but I only lose a little so it is hard to stick with it.

My OB is definitely all for this procedure especially with my high blood pressure and of course the other issues that being overweight can cause. I am so tired of being this big, but I don't know if I can do it on my own. So let me have it girls...

9 Month Old Cutie!

2009-02-03T14:18:00.003-06:00

Big Boy!

What do you do when there is no power??

Playing by fire light:)

Fun with Big Daddy!

Crawling!!

2009-02-02T22:31:00.002-06:00

Home Again!

2009-02-02T22:18:00.004-06:00

After six days without power, we finally came home on Sunday to OUR house with POWER!!! YEAH!!! It is so great to be home again! We are VERY thankful to all the friends and family that let us stay with them, but man there is just nothing like your own home with your own things!! Thank you all so much for the thoughts and prayers!

I would also like to ask you to say a few prayers for Jill's brother's fiance. They found out that they were pregnant during all this weather chaos and she has had some bleeding. They did go to the ER last night and had an ultrasound. The doctor said that everything looks good- her cervix is closed and they could see the baby in the sac. She is still too early to see/hear the heartbeat (5 weeks), but does have a doctors appointment next week. It is the same doctor I had, which we LOVE!! So I know she will be in good hands. Just please say a prayer that the baby is okay and that she doesn't stress too much. I greatly appreciate it!!!

We finally got to take some 9 months pictures and I will post those soon because I haven't downloaded them yet. Teeth update-- We are still waiting for the two pesky top teeth to come on through those gums. They are so swollen and red, and that is causing some sleepless nights for all of us! It just looks like they hurt so much:( However, he is still a trooper as always:)

Jill goes back to school tomorrow-yuck! I will definitely miss her lots. I will probably go back to school on Wednesday. There are still so many people in shelters because their homes do not have power and some do not have water. There was a lot of damage in the community, but people are getting things back in order as best they can. Just send some prayers to Kentucky for all of those that are still not home!

God bless you all!!!

Still No Power

2009-01-30T22:44:00.003-06:00

We still do not have power at home! The wonderful ice/snow storm has knocked our power out since Tuesday night so we have been floating around from house to house. Luckily we have some wonderful friends and family members that have taken great care of us. Not sure when we will be back at home so I will put up some new pics and posts when we get power and HEAT again:) Hope you are all safe and warm!!

Picture Update

2009-01-22T19:02:00.002-06:00

My two favorite people:)

Up on all fours!

He wants to crawl so bad, but is just in the rocking stage

Ladies Man

2009-01-19T20:11:00.002-06:00

We went to Nashville today for Braden's check-up with the Pediatric Urologist and things look the same, which is good news. So now we go back in 9 months and after that once a year!! The doctor says he doesn't have any restrictions and can lead a very healthy happy life:) We are so proud of our little man!

We stopped at Hooters for lunch and he was drooling over all the ladies! He is sooooo his Mimi's boy- hehe:) Of course all the girls went crazy over him and passed him around. What a ladies man:)

8 Month Milestones

2009-01-05T22:05:00.007-06:00

* Getting up on his hands and knees and rocking
* Drank from a straw
* Waving
* Reaching for who he wants to hold him
* 3rd & 4th tooth- top middle
* Scooting on bottom and belly
* Going from laying on belly to sitting up
* Pulling up to his knees
* 12-18 month size clothes.

8 Months Old Picture Update

2009-01-04T21:49:00.004-06:00

I can't believe he is 8 months old already!!

Rockin with my Mimi

Look at my chompers!

Another tooth!

2009-01-01T13:53:00.002-06:00

We had another tooth pop through! It is his top left tooth. Hopefully the other top one will be soon behind it:) We had a great New Year's Eve last night with famiy and friends. We had a few appetizers and played Jill's new Wii- yes she is spoiled rotten!! It was a great way to end 2008 and begin the new year! I hope you all had a great one too and wish you all the best in '09!!!!

Our First Christmas

2008-12-30T21:31:00.006-06:00

Our first Christmas Party this year

Memaw Lois

My first basketball goal from GranZann and Big Daddy

Christmas Morning

I love presents!!!

More Presents!!!

Cutie

Uncle D is AWESOME!

We had a SUPER Christmas this year with Braden!! The holiday season was full of parties, presents, and lots of friends and family. It is amazing how much fun an 8-month old can be and how much joy he brings into our lives every day. We are so thankful to have a big family to share these special moments with. Braden loved unwrapping the presents and liked the bows the best! Overall, I think it was a great first Christmas for him!! I hope you all had a wonderful day like we did!!!

Problems

2008-12-29T22:07:00.004-06:00

Having trouble uploading pics tonight so I am giving up for now. I will try again tomorrow:)

Family Pics and More...

2008-12-18T19:46:00.001-06:00

Our first "official" family pic at Ben Hawes

Our little man

Big Boy

Total Sweetness

Christmas Card Picture in our Christmas Jammies:)

We are looking forward to our first Christmas as a family of three! It has been really great so far. It is amazing how much more meaningful the holidays are with little ones around. We have a few toys for him to open since he doesn't really understand what is going on- a drum, a toy fishbowl with plastic fish that lights up, and some Backyardigans bath toys. We just want to see him unwrap a present because he loves tearing up paper and crinkling it in his hands. I'm sure we will go all out next year.

We did purchase the Elf on the Shelf book. If you don't have it or don't know about it you have to check it out at your local bookstore or online. It is a NEAT tradition to start with your little ones. It is a book and a little elf. The book tells the story about the elf and how he stays at your house to see if you are being good or bad and at night he reports back to Santa. Then he hides in a new place the next day and watches you from there. Several of my friends told me about it and how their children loved the elf and looked forward to finding its hiding place every morning. So I just had to have one for Braden. I would like to purchase one to use in my classroom next year too.

Update: Braden has both of his bottom teeth now!! They have poked through and you can see a little white shining through. He is such a big boy! I LOVE being a mom and am so crazy about this little guy. Words just cannot accurately express the joy and awesomeness be brings into my life! This little boy was meant for me---- Thank you GOD!!!!!!

SANTA!!!

2008-12-14T20:53:00.000-06:00

Here is Braden's first visit with Santa! He did a great job, especially for waiting in line for 45 minutes!! He is such a wonderful little boy. I bet Santa will bring him exactly what he wants this year:)

7 Month Milestones

2008-12-09T18:34:00.005-06:00

* Saying "da" and "la" sounds
* Loves mashed potatoes and broccoli
* Cut first tooth- bottom left
* Second tooth just three days behind it- bottom right
* Noticed himself in the mirror and leans in to kiss the baby:)
* Gives 5's and 10's
* Leans toward you if you hold your hands out
* Claps hands together
* Loves the Jumparoo and Exersaucer
* 12 month size clothes.

7 Months Old

2008-12-09T18:22:00.000-06:00

So sweet!

Handsome

BIG NEWS!! BIG NEWS!! Braden has his first tooth!!! It finally poked through today:) We noticed it was getting puffier and red and he has been a lot fussier. So we figured it was on its way. AND today when he got home from Daycare Jill noticed it while she was changing his diaper! He is such a big boy!!!!

Mimi's Funny

2008-12-01T17:15:00.000-06:00

GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE, and HO HO HO:)

2008-11-29T23:22:00.001-06:00

Our first Thanksgiving with Braden was AMAZING! We are so thankful for our little family and the wonderful friends and family members we spent the day with. All of our dreams have come true and we have truly been blessed this year!!

Mashed potatoes are yummy!

Our little elf:)

Now we are on to Christmas...

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

2008-11-27T07:28:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy day today! Cherish every moment with friends and family. I love you all!!! GOD BLESS!!

Sippy Cups

2008-11-15T22:50:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we tried to give Braden a drink from a sippy cup and we were unsuccesful. He did like to bite on it, but it was just a toy at that time. So I read in my trusty developmental book to put some juice in it and try again. So we dipped the sippy end into the juice to see if that would intice him to suck- and it did!!! Our little boy took his first drink from the sippy cup:)

He is so stinkin adorable!!

We started feeding him in the big boy highchair a couple weeks ago and he is doing great! Once we put him in the chair he knows exactly what is coming. He gets a big smile on his face and can't wait for his yummy food! He is growing up so fast!!!

We took him for his 6 month checkup yesterday and the boy is growing like a weed!! He weighed 20.4 pounds (95%) and was 29.75 inches long (off the charts)- he is going to be one tall boy! The doctor said he is looking great and has hit all of his major milestones for his age:) He also got all of his vaccinations, plus his first Flu shot. We go back in a month for his 2nd Flu shot. He did great- just a few tears when he first got the shots, but I picked him up and he was smiling and flirting with the nurses. What a little hamball:) He has been the ideal child ever since he got his tubes. He is always happy and very laid back. He likes everyone and keeps us very entertained. He truly is the best thing that has ever happend to us and we cherish every second with him!!

6 Month Mug Shot & More

2008-11-08T14:10:00.002-06:00

6 Month Sweetie!

Hellllooooo ladies

Chillin with my homeboy

Loving on my GranZann

Braden is growing and changing everyday! He is doing lots better since he got his tubes and is making all kinds of sounds and "talking" up a storm. Lots of people told us we would see a big difference in his balance and talking and we sure have! He is sitting up MUCH better and isn't so wobbly all the time. He likes to play and interact more and we are having so much fun with him:) We feel so blessed to have this wonderful little man in our lives!

Today is Jill's 30th birthday and her first birthday being a mom! We went out last night with some friends and celebrated her big day. I think she had a lot of fun- but maybe a little too much to drink. I guess she deserves some fun on her b-day though:) I am one very lucky woman to have her in my life! She is an amazing person and love her more and more everyday:)

I would like to ask you to say some prayers for a family that lost their 15 year old boy this week. He was very depressed and took his life. Please send out prayers for him and his family during this very difficult time.

6 Month Milestones

2008-11-01T23:28:00.007-05:00

* Cries when we leave the room
* Sitting up on his own!!
* Saying "mmm", "ma", and "b" sounds
* Making swimming motion when on belly
* Repeating "mama" when I say it:)
* Eating Gerber Puffs
* Saying "la la" and lots of other jibberish
* Drinking from sippy cup
* Holding two toys- one in each hand
* Starting to enjoy the Jumparoo!
* 9-12 month size clothes.

Tubes Update

2008-10-29T10:01:00.000-05:00

Braden did FANTASTIC this morning!! He did get a little fussy right before, but he was a hungry little fella! All of our friends had warned us of how he would be screaming and unconsolable when he returned from surgery, but all our little piggy wanted was to be fed and he was fine. He whined and moaned a little, but nothing like the other kids we heared returning to their parents down the hall! The doctor said his right ear had so much fluid built up and it was thick like egg whites- yuck! She said he should hear and feel much better now-- great to know:) We have such a super little boy- such a champ!

We are home now and he is sleeping:) So we are going to relax a little! Thanks so much for all the emails and prayers! They did the trick:) I love you all!!!

I scream you scream we all scream for icecream!

2008-10-28T22:18:00.000-05:00

Braden was fussy one day and me being the Mimi that I am decided to let him try a lick of my icecream sandwich to calm him down. You will see how much he liked it! I'm not sure if it was the cold he liked or the icecream, but either way it was hilarious to watch! Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Tubes

2008-10-28T20:32:00.001-05:00

Braden is getting tubes tomorrow at 8AM. Please say a little prayer for our sweetie! I hope that this will help him begin to feel better:)

To top things off, he came down with a stomach bug and has had diarrhea for the last two days. It has improved some tonight and won't affect his surgery tomorrow, but does make him feel even worse:( Poor little fella!

I will post an update on Braden tomorrow when I can.