The Fischer Family Blog

The Big Day

2012-02-14T20:44:00.003-05:00

The day has come and gone. Last Thursday we went in to the hospital for the second time...this time with Conner. After another persistant ear infection, surgery was scheduled. We had to be at the hospital at 6:00am. An early morning for all of us!! Conner couldn't eat for 6 hours prior, which I was really worried about. He did great for that part! Once we got to the hospital, we had to sit around and wait...for 2 hours before his surgery. This part was interesting. We played with toys, read books, watched the Disney channel, went for walks, charmed the nurses, etc. Anything to keep the little guy busy. Around 8:00, we got to meet the anesthesiologist, and the doctor and nurse came for him. Conner and I both did surprising well as they took him away. The next twenty minutes seemed to last an eternity. Soon the doctor reappeared and said the surgery went great and there was no active infection. After that sentance, I didn't hear a word he said because I heard my baby screaming as they were bringing him back to us. The nurse walked in the room with him and I couldn't get to him fast enough. I took him in my arms and was able to feed him and got him to settle down. About an hour later, they discharged us. We got Conner buckled up in his car seat and we were even out of the drive at the hospital and he was out. Sean and I went out for breakfast and out to look for new furniture and Conner never moved or woke up the entire time. After he woke up, he was good to go! We are all so glad that is over and are very ready for him to be ear infection free! Yay!!

Deja vu?

2012-01-23T20:47:00.004-05:00

Here we go again. This time...with Conner. Over the last 3 months, he has had 4 ear infections. We visited the ENT a couple weeks again and at the time, his ears looked perfect. We put off the surgery for tubes since they were looking so good. He said that if he gets another one in the next 6 weeks, we would need to call and schedule the surgery. We were doing so good for a couple weeks. Then he started tugging on his ears. It would last for a day or so and then he would be fine for a couple days. I finally decided to take him and wouldn't you know it...another ear infection. My poor baby. He just can't catch a break. Now the poor thing has to get tubes. I know it will make him better in the long, but the thought just breaks my heart. Now I just want it over with, for him to be better. He is such a happy baby. I hate seeing him so fussy. This time around happened much faster. With Brayden, he was 14 months before they finally decided to do the tubes. Conner is only 9 months. No messing around this time. Before we know it, we will have a happy, healthy baby again!

My Oh My!

2011-11-29T08:57:00.003-05:00

I know, I know....I am a blogger slacker!! I am horrible! I am so far behind on everything! My house is a mess, I haven't started Christmas shopping, I haven't even thought about Christmas cards, I haven't blogged in like 2 months...I haven't even taken any pictures in forever! These two precious boys of mine are taking up all my time! Let's see....what is new....

Conner is mobile! I don't know if I am ready for this! I have my hands full running after Brayden and now I have Conner on the move too! Gone are the days when I can sit him down to play and he will be in the same spot 20 minutes later. Now I barely have him down on the ground and he is crawling off. For the longest time, he could only figure out how to crawl backwards. :) Just the last couple days he has figured out how to go forward! He is "talking" up a storm and his big brother can make him laugh big belly laughs.

Brayden is growing up before our eyes. The things he comes up with just blow my mind. He is so smart! The other day he saw a tall radio tower and wanted to know if it was the Eiffel Tower! I don't even know where he learned that!! He is SUPER active and loves to be running around playing soccer or baseball. He loves his little brother and loves making him laugh. He has some listening issues...but I think it is more selective hearing than anything! :) He is a heartbreaker and from what we hear, he has all the female teachers at daycare wrapped around his little finger!

These boys are keeping us busy, but we are loving every minute of it!! Here are some pictures from our pumpkin carving night.

6 months and counting....

2011-10-05T20:36:00.006-04:00

It seems like lately whenever I post a blog, it is always about one of my boys being another year or month older. This year is just flying by. And since we are super busy all the time, it doesn't help the situation. Today my baby turns 6 months old; a half a year. 6 months ago, I was in the hospital holding my precious newborn baby boy. Today he is the happiest, smileist baby ever. He is growing up so fast. He used to love being held and now he just wants to get down and play. I used to be able to hold his bottle at night while I fed him. Now he insists on holding it himself. He is eating cereal and baby food now instead of just milk. He is sitting up on his own and rolling over and over and over. Tomorrow is his 6 month well check at the pediatrician and I can't wait to see how big he is getting! I can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings. Keep growing big and strong little man. Your mommy, daddy, and big brother love you so very much!

3 Years Old!

2011-09-22T21:32:00.002-04:00

Today my baby turns 3. Unbelievable! I know everyone says this, but the time has gone by so fast. Seems like yesterday I was pregnant for the first time and we were anxiously planning his arrival. Three years later, I have the sweetest, kindest little boy who is the best big brother.
He has grown up so much in the past year. From a little boy to a smart, funny, sensitive boy. He loves being outside, loves his family, and loves being busy!
I am so excited to see how he continues to grow. Happy Birthday Little Man! You are the light of our lives! We love you!!

5 Months Old Already!

2011-09-05T21:03:00.003-04:00

Today my baby turns 5 months old. I know everyone always says how fast time flies, but you don't really realize it until you have kids. They grow up way too fast. This is such a fun time though.

This month, we had lots of firsts. He rolled over. He ate cereal. He had his first real belly laugh. He is such a happy baby. Always smiling, always giggling. He lights up everyone's life. He is a big fan of his big brother, constantly watching him and wanting to go play with him. Those two are going to be best buds! I can't wait to see how they grow!

Happy 5 month little man!! We love you more than words can say!!

Pick Me! Pick Me!

2011-08-23T07:54:00.003-04:00

So there is this photographer, Brittani Renee, and her work is AMAZING!! I have always admired the photographs she takes and have always wanted our pictures taken by her. When Brayden was born, the money just wasn't there to spend on a photography session. The same when Conner was born. So when an opportunity came up to possibly win a free session by her, I was ecstatic! When I learned what the details were, I was a little deflated. You had to write a story, any story, and why you wanted the session. Then people vote to pick the best story. The first thought in my mind was that I had the perfect life....2 happy and healthy boys, a loving husband, a good job, a new home. I didn't know what I would write about to make people vote for my story. Unbeknownst to me, my sister knew how much I wanted our pictures taken by Brittani and knew my hesitation on writing a story. So she wrote up a story and submitted it for me. The story made me cry. My sister is amazing! So now we need your votes!!! I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to win this, so please help me out!!! Here is what you need to do:
1.) Go to Brittani Renee Photography facebook page and "Like" it.
2.) Click on this link and select the picture of my family. Read the wonderful story my sister wrote for me and then at the bottom, click "Like." That gives me a vote!
3.) Share this with all of your family and friends and help me win this contest!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

Something New

2011-08-17T21:22:00.003-04:00

Conner had his 4 month well check last week. I am happy to report that he is a healthy, growing, big boy! He weighed 17lbs 7oz (90th %) and was 26 inches long (75th %). Our pediatrician had asked me if he acted interested when we were eating. I hadn't really paid that much attention to it previously. She said we could start trying cereal with Conner if he was acting interested. I thought to myself that he is only 4 months old and how interested could he act about us eating. Well, that night I paid closer attention to him while we were eating and he was so excited and interested in us eating, that I thought he was going to crawl on the table and come get some food. So later that week I went out and bought some cereal for him. That night I made some up for him and sat down to feed him. He was so excited, his arms and legs were flailing! Although when he got his first taste, he was not so excited anymore! I got a couple spoonfuls in his mouth before he started gagging. Tonight was his 3rd night with the cereal and every night we keep getting more and more in him before the gagging starts!

Mmmm....what is this??

Ummm...I don't think I like this anymore!

What is this stuff Mommy??

My Baby is 4 Months Old

2011-08-05T14:00:00.003-04:00

Okay...so it has been a whole month since I posted last. I keep telling myself I am going to blog more often and then life happens and before I know it, a whole month has gone by. Life is just flying past me and I can't slow it down!
My baby turns 4 months old today! My little baby has turned in to quite a chunker! He weighs in at 16 pounds 13 ounces already! He is taking after his big brother! He has his 4 month check on Monday and I am anxious to see where he is on the growth charts.
He continues to be the happiest baby ever. Always smiling and giggling. All you have to do is look at him and he has a grin from ear to ear. He adores watching his big brother running around and playing. Brayden really knows how to get him to smile.
He went for his first camping trip a couple weeks ago and wasn't really a big fan. He is definitely a fair weather baby and didn't like the warm days. He stayed in his Nana and Papa's trailer in the air conditioning a lot of the time. Since our little camping trip, he is no longer sleeping through the night either. I hope this is just a little phase he is going through because this Mommy is tired!
Here is a picture of my little baby sound asleep floating in the pool! Ahh...this is the life!

Happy 3 Months Baby Boy

2011-07-05T22:05:00.010-04:00

Today my baby boy is 3 months old. How does the time go so fast? It seems like just the other day, Brayden was a newborn. Now I have two precious boys.

Conner is developing such a little personality. He is such a good and happy baby. He smiles all the time and talks non-stop. He loves his older brother and smiles and laughs as he watches him play. Brayden loves his little brother just as much. He loves cuddling and sleeping in his mommy's arms. This little guy has stolen our hearts! Happy 3 months Little Man. We can't wait to watch you grow!

Good Day?

2011-06-28T12:25:00.003-04:00

Lately we have been having issues with Brayden at daycare. We are not sure if it is a terrible two phase he is going through or if it is the fact that he isn't an only child anymore. But he has been hitting, throwing toys, and not listening at daycare. Sean and I are constantly having talks with him about this and taking things away from him to try to teach him. All to no avail it seems. Everyday we pick him up, we get a bad report from the teacher. Finally, yesterday we picked him up and she said he had a good day! Yay!! She said she tried something new yesterday to try to figure things out since Brayden is not the only kid in his class being naughty. She broke the class in to groups and seperated the kids that seem to have the problems. She said that it worked and she had a good class yesterday. Here is a conversation between Sean and Brayden on the way home from daycare yesterday:

Sean: Hey Buddy, what did you do at daycare today?
Brayden: I didn't hit!
Sean: That's great buddy! But what did you do at daycare?
Brayden: I didn't punch!
Sean: (Trying to hide his laughter) That's great buddy, but what DID YOU DO at daycare?
Brayden: I don't know.

Haha....he was just so happy he was a good boy that he completely forgot what he did the rest of the day. :) So cute. And we were so proud that he was a good boy!

I'm Still Here!

2011-06-16T07:45:00.005-04:00

Where has the time gone? I can't believe it has been almost a month since I have written a blog! So much is happening around these parts.

Conner is doing great! Finally got his days and nights figured out and is already mostly sleeping through the night! Such a difference from Brayden who didn't sleep through the night until he was a year old! Conner is such a happy baby; always smiling, laughing, cooing. All I have to do is look at him and he gets the biggest smile on his face. He definitely brightens my day. His first day at daycare was last week and he did better than I did! He is having a little difficulty sleeping there because he was used to it being quiet when he slept at home. Now there are crying babies, people talking....it just isn't quiet enough for him. So hopefully that will improve once he gets more used to it there. All I know is that I can't wait until the end of the day so I can rush to daycare and get my boys!

Brayden is doing great too. He is almost fully potty-trained! Whoo hoo!! He has done such a great job and it has been fairly easy! He continues to love daycare and his friends there and is quite happy that Conner is there with him. He goes and "checks up" on Conner a couple times a day. :) He LOVES being outside and will be out there until we drag him inside kicking and screaming. He is such a good big brother and loves helping out and giving Conner kisses. He has such a big heart and is so thoughtful. And the things that come out of his mouth are so funny. He definitely keeps Sean and I laughing. He is such a joy!

Vacation is less than one month away! It will be a nice break from work, to kind of slowly get back in to the groove of things after being away for 9 weeks. I am very much ready for the beach, sun, family, and ice cream! :)

Here are a couple recent pictures to enjoy! And I will try to blog more often and keep up on things!! :)

Brayden loving on Conner.

Ready for the beach!

Cheese!

Summer's Here??

2011-05-18T22:02:00.004-04:00

Summer was here...for a couple days. Then cold, rainy weather took over again. At least during those few warm days, we made the most of it! Playing outside, running through the sprinklers, air conditioning on...can't get much better than that! Let's just hope that summer will be here to stay very soon!!

Testing the water.

I'm all wet!

Trying to dodge the water!

Here are a couple pics of Conner. :) Can't forget him!

So funny!!

Conner Jacob

2011-04-22T20:28:00.002-04:00

Two and a half weeks ago, Conner Jacob made his grand entrance into this world at 8 pounds, 15 ounces and 19 1/4 inches long. He was two days early and ready to meet his family. The labor and delivery was so easy compared to Brayden's! Two pushes and he was here....not bad at all!

We are all busy getting adjusted to this new life with another little guy. Brayden is doing as well as can be expected. He loves his little brother, but not so sure about Conner taking Mommy and Daddy's attention. He is a little naughty at times...not sure if it is the terrible two's or the effects of a new little sibling. We are working our way through it though. Exhaustion is common in these parts these days as Conner figures out the difference between day and night. He still sleeps most of the day and is awake most of the night. Once we get that part figured out, other things will fall into place. Let's just hope that happens sooner rather than later!

Here I am...all 8lbs. 15 oz. of me!

Bonding time with Mommy.

Me and my proud Daddy.

So sleepy.

Our first famly photograph.

A Cold, Chilly Day....

2011-03-07T19:45:00.004-05:00

Spring fever has hit the Fischer household and one certain member can't get enough of being outside. A while back he kept wanting to go outside and ride his gator. We kept telling him that once the snow melted, he could ride it. Now, every time he looks outside and can see the grass, he gets all excited saying that the snow has melted and he can go outside and play. So out go Brayden and Sean and spend quite a while playing on the swingset, riding his bike, looking at the ground squirrel tracks in the field and just having fun. It is quite the event trying to convince him that it is time to go in. I have a feeling that we are going to be outside all the time this summer!!

In other news, today marks the "one month to go until due date" day. I am so ready. This past weekend I hit the brink of being miserable. I am tired of being pregnant. I'm tired of the backaches, the heartburn, the not being able to move or breathe. I am so ready to have this baby! I was trying to savor it, knowing that this is going to be my last pregnancy, but I have passed that point now. I am just done. I am hoping that this month flies by or that this baby decides to make his grand entrance early!

I LOVE being outside!!!

Here I go!!

Double high five and through the legs!

Swinging "high to the sky!"

Ultrasound

2011-03-01T19:02:00.003-05:00

Here is the newest picture of our baby boy! I had a doctor appointment yesterday and made a comment about not feeling the baby moving as much. They were a little concerned and decided to do an ultrasound and take a peek to make sure the baby and the fluid levels were okay. Scared me a little at first and made me really wish Sean was there. But the ultrasound showed the everything was perfect and our little guy weighs about 5 pounds, which is right where he should be. The doctor was very pleased with what he saw. He asked if Brayden was born close to his due date and I told him that he was 8 days late and I had to be induced twice! He promised me that I wouldn't have to go through that again. Thank goodness!! So....we have about 5 weeks and counting! Brayden couldn't be more excited! The other night he kept coming up to me and hugging my belly and saying that he loves his baby brother. Made me melt!

Can you see him? He is looking right at us!

34 Weeks

2011-02-24T18:42:00.002-05:00

Today marks the 34th week of my second pregnancy. I cannot believe how fast the time has gone. It is crazy that there are only 42 days left. According to my weekly email from BabyCenter, he is approximately 4 3/4 pounds and almost 18 inches long. But if this one is anything like Brayden, he weighs twice that by now! Since Brayden was so big, we are going to have an ultrasound between 37 and 38 weeks to see how big he is. If he is measuring big, they will start the induction process. So it could even be earlier, which would be okay with me! :)

Brayden is really starting to talk about his "baby brudder" a lot. He gives him hugs and kisses my tummy all the time. He is constantly saying that he is going to have a baby brother today and that he loves his baby brother. He keeps asking me when the baby is going to come. Brayden is going to be a great big brother! I can't wait for them to meet each other!

Here are a couple tummy shots that Sean took of me tonight.

Is It Spring Yet?

2011-02-20T14:26:00.003-05:00

After a very snowy January, this past weekend gave us 50+ degree weather and sunshine. Just enough to make us start longing for spring. For the past month, Brayden has been asking every day when he can ride his gator. Our response? When the snow melts. So, as the snow started melting this past week, his excitement grew more and more every day. Finally on Saturday, when most the snow was melted, Sean made sure that the batteries were charged and we told Brayden that if he took a good nap, he could ride his gator. So when he woke up from his nap and when I went in to get him, the first words out of his mouth were, "Ride my gator?" So we bundled him up and out he went. He was in heaven. The smile on his little face was so big. I thought he was going to burst with excitement. Him and Sean were outside for over an hour riding the gator and just enjoying the sunshine. And today?? Snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Blah. Back to winter. I guess we can't complain with one beautiful day, on a weekend, in the middle of February.

New Year

2011-01-12T21:02:00.003-05:00

The holidays are over. Kind of a bittersweet time for me. I love the family time, the decorations, the gifts, the giving. But it can get so busy and crazy, that it is kind of nice to settle down and get back into a routine. Our holidays were nothing short of amazing. So much fun. Brayden had a blast. He couldn't get enough. He loved seeing his family so much and he definitely loved getting presents. And did he ever get presents! He was spoiled rotten. I guess that is what happens when he is the only grandchild on both sides. After opening all his gifts, we had to come home and go through all his toys and put up some of the old ones to make room for the new ones. The new toys keep him occupied, so it was worth it!

Pregnancy is still going well. Tomorrow I will be 28 weeks and enter in to my third trimester. 12 more weeks until we can meet the little guy. It is amazing how fast this one has gone. Brayden definitely keeps us occupied and on our toes, so it really shouldn't be a surprise at how fast it has gone. Plus with the holidays thrown in there and all the home improvements we are doing, we are busy as ever. The next 3 months are going to fly by, I'm sure.

The pictures that follow are of Brayden decorating his first gingerbread house. He was so excited to do it all by himself. He was so proud of it. No pictures of christmas though. Believe it or not, I didn't take a single picture on christmas day. I got a new video camera and spent the whole day shooting video. So no pictures. :( So these will have to do! Hope everyone had a great holiday season as well!!

Hard at work.

This goes here.....

Mommy and Brayden.

The finished product.

Christmas Tidings

2010-12-18T14:49:00.004-05:00

7 days until Christmas!!! I can hardly believe it! This holiday season seems to be just rushing right past me. So much has happened in the last month, which also contributes to my lack of blogging.

Last week, Brayden came home from daycare with the flu. It was a nasty little bug that he decided to share with the whole family....including his mom, dad, aunt and uncle. We are all on the mend and praying that this was enough to keep us healthy through the rest of the holiday season.

I am now 24 weeks pregnant. The time is going so fast. It is hard to believe that I am over half way there. In a little less than 4 months, we will have a new little guy to care for. I am feeling great, except for the lack of energy and motivation. I was really hoping that after my first trimester, that would all come back, but no such luck. It could partly be contributed to chasing around a mischievious two year old!

Brayden is very much looking forward to the arrival of Santa. I must admit that we have told him on a few occasions that if he isn't a good boy, that Santa won't be visiting. That seemed to shape him up for a bit. It is definitely going to be a very fun Christmas with him this year as he is beginning to understand the whole thing a little better. We have a very busy Christmas day planned with trips to both sets of grandparents. He is going to be spoiled beyond belief!

Here are a few pictures of what we have been up to the last month....

Sean and Brayden going to look for the perfect tree.

Daddy and Brayden.

Mommy and Brayden.

Enjoying the candy cane that the nice man at the tree farm gave him.

Helping Daddy decorate the tree.

Look at all the ornaments he hung!

Helping Mommy hang an ornament on the tree.

The finishing touch!

Building a snow tower with daddy.

All finished! He screamed when he had to come inside! He didn't want the fun to end. He LOVES playing in the snow!!

Field Trip

2010-11-14T20:48:00.004-05:00

Last weekend, Erin, Brayden and I took a little field trip to a local fire station. For the past couple weeks, Brayden has been quite intrigued by fire trucks and it just so happened that Erin has a friend who is a fireman. So he told us to bring Brayden by to check out some fire trucks. Brayden was defnitely very hesitant at first, not wanting to go anywhere near one. He liked seeing the lights go one though. By the end of the little trip, he was sitting in the fire truck. He talked about them the whole way home! I was just thankful that the alarm didn't go off while we were there! That could have been bad!

He looks so little standing in front of the truck!

Not sure if I like this, mommy!

Getting a little closer. Looking in the truck with E.

He made it to the steps in the truck! What's that, mommy?

Mommy and Brayden.

It's the fireman's helmet!

Standing on the front of the fire truck.

We finally made it to the driver's seat, although he isn't so sure about this!

He even got a fireman badge as a "Junior Fireman!!"

A New Baby!

2010-11-11T21:28:00.003-05:00

We are so excited to tell you! In the spring there will be 4 of us! April 7th, to be exact. And it is another little boy! Brayden is so excited to be a big "brudder!"

Halloween 2011

2010-11-07T19:30:00.003-05:00

What a fun Halloween this year! Brayden was a little pirate and it took some convincing to get him into his costume, but once he wore it for a while, he loved it! The part he loved the most was going out and getting some candy. We had quite a few Halloween parties this year, so he was spoiled rotten! We will have candy for quite a long time!

Aargh!!

Family photo before we head out to trick or treat!

Oooh! What is this?

More candy!! Look at this!

Notice how it is all lined up on the table! :)

Pumpkin Patch 2010

2010-10-14T09:22:00.002-04:00

This year for our yearly trip to the pumpkin patch, we went to "The Patch" at Bertrand Farms. It was a cute little farm that had a petting zoo, corn maze, hay ride, and pumpkin patch. It was a beautiful fall day and it wasn't busy at all, which was wonderful! Brayden loved running around seeing the animals, riding on the hay ride and picking out his pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. He also loved helping Sean "navigate" our way through the corn maze. They did a great job and only got us turned around once. :) Brayden posing by the "Big Pumpkin."

Brayden and Mommy with the perfect pumpkin!

I think this is the one! It's heavy!

On the hay ride with Grandma and Grandpa.

Helping Daddy navigate through the corn maze. I think Brayden had a little advantage!

Look at all these little pumpkins!

I like this one!!

Big Boy!

2010-10-08T21:14:00.004-04:00

My baby is growing up today. Taking yet another step into the big boy world. Every step is more and more difficult for his mommy. Tonight we upgraded to a big boy bed. Sean has been bugging me for months, saying that Brayden is old enough to have a big bed. I kept putting it off because it was yet another reminder that he is no longer a baby. Tonight I gave in. Sean got the tools out and Brayden wanted to help. When they were done, we had a big boy bed and Brayden was beyond thrilled. He kept asking if he could go to bed. When it was finally time, he crawled right in. I guess we will see how the night goes!!

Taking apart the crib.

Brayden helping.

All grown up!

So excited!!

Cheese!

All ready for bed!

Fall is Here!

2010-10-01T21:31:00.003-04:00

Fall is in the air! Tonight was a perfect example. The air was a little crisp, the sun set early, the football stadium lights shone in the distance. It was wonderful. Truly my favorite time of the year. And with it so beautiful out, we definitely had to take advantage of it. Sean was mowing the lawn and Brayden wanted to help. So we got out his little lawn mower and he mimicked Sean's every move. Then we decided to get out his birthday present from Unlce Chad and Aunt E. He has had this Gator for over 3 weeks now and has been too scared to ride it....until tonight. I knew he would love it once he tried it. So I had to bribe him with candy and he finally stepped on the pedal and off he went. At first he freaked out a bit until he saw Sean and I clapping and cheering for him. Then there was no stopping him. He drove all over the lawn. He doesn't quite grasp the steering part, so we have to follow him around and help steer, but he loves it!!

Mowing with Daddy.

My two year old!

Riding his gator!! Finally!! Yay!!!

Cheese! Now get out of my way!

Loading the wood.

Two Years Old

2010-09-27T13:10:00.006-04:00

We officially have a two year old! Brayden celebrated his big day last week and we celebrated it in style! He got to bring cupcakes to daycare and have a little party with all of his friends. Sean and I picked him up early from daycare and went out for dinner at Beef O'Brady's. He got to sit on the "couch" of the booth with his Daddy instead of a highchair. He thought he was pretty special! After dinner we took him to a playground where he ran around and played non-stop. He wasn't too happy that we had to leave, but that all changed when he saw the stack of "surprises" we had waiting at home for him. He would open one present and want us to open it right away so he could play with it. We had to keep reminding him to open more presents. By the time he was done opening presents, our living room looked like christmas morning, with wrapping paper and toys strewn all over the place. He had such a great day and was one tired little boy come bedtime!

Look at me!

Let's play!

Time to go down the slide.

Brayden and Aunt E - Can you tell he was excited to be at the playground?

Helping Daddy put together his new tent.

Posing by his stack of "surprises."

Building a Thomas the Train train set with Daddy.

Playing with his new remote control car.

What could this be??

Power tools! Just like Daddy's!!

The "after" picture. All and all, it was a wonderful day!!

My Baby

2010-09-13T20:57:00.004-04:00

My baby is no longer a baby. He has turned into a wild, rambunctious, crazy toddler. He is always exploring, always trying, and always wanting to do things on his own. He is non-stop. Always going, always moving. He is gentle and kind-hearted. He loves trains, tractors, boats, and big trucks. He loves being outside and helping his mommy and daddy. He is independent, but always has time for a hug and a kiss. I know this is so cliche, but he is growing up too fast. It seems like just last week we were bringing him home from the hospital. Now he is almost two. In a little over a week, we will celebrate his second birthday. His second birthday! Where did the time go? No matter how old he gets though, he will always be my baby.

Family Reunion 2010

2010-09-01T10:41:00.004-04:00

A few weekends ago, we traveled up to Grand Rapids for our annual Miller Family Reunion. This is always one of my favorite times of year since we don't get to see the majority of our extended family but once a year. It is so much fun to see everyone and catch up with everyone. And this year was no different. We had a blast and had a good time with everyone. It amazes me how much the kids grow up over the previous year! We spent the majority of our time either laying around the pool, swimming or eating. The weekend went by too fast and I am already looking forward to the next reunion. Although we get a little spoiled this year since two of my cousins are getting married between now and the next reunion, so we will get to have two mini reunions before the next one!

My sis and I shortly after arriving to the reunion.

Brayden, Mom, Me and Erin waiting for our rooms to be ready.

Uncle Chad and Brayden doing one of Brayden's favorite things....swimming!

Me and the love of my life! :)

Brayden and I. We actually got him to look at the camera and somewhat smile!

Brayden and Papa shooting hoops in the pool.

Brayden being goofy.

**A special thanks to Aunt Sue for the amazing pictures!!**

I'm here...I promise.

2010-08-20T09:43:00.003-04:00

Wow...this summer has flown by!! We have been so busy. We have been gone almost every weekend. Between camping, weddings, reunions, and pool parties...we are spent! And it doesn't look to be slowing down any time soon! We have more camping, get-togethers, birthdays, and weddings coming up through September. They have all been so much fun though and it is so much fun to see Brayden experience them. He is such a trooper! So that explains the lack of blog posts. I promise I will try to update them more often when I get a chance. Until then, here are a couple of my favorite pictures for the moment!

We're Back!

2010-07-21T13:13:00.009-04:00

And we had a fantastic time! So much sun, water, sand, eating, family, and friends! The week went by way too fast. Brayden loved every second of it. He got spoiled by everyone, loved the water and sand, and wanted to go on the boat all the time. Below are some of the pictures I took. I don't normally like to post this many pictures, but when I have 313 to choose from, it is really hard to narrow it down. So sit back and enjoy the (many) pictures!

Playing the water with Uncle Chad. After 5 minutes of screaming and crying because he didn't like the sand or water, he finally tried it and the rest of the week, it was impossible to get him out of the water!! When asked what he wanted to do on a particular day, his response always was "water!" It also helped that the lake water was on average in the mid 70's!!

Loving every second of being in the water!

Playing in the sand and building castles with Patrick.

Playing with his little cousins, Jaiden and Eliana.

Playing in more sand back at the trailer.

Watching a storm come across the lake. We had a couple rough storms while we were up there. Did I mention that we were staying in a tent?? :)

Going out in the water with Daddy.

Sitting in the shade and taking a break with Papa.

Playing in the water...again...with Nana and Papa.

The sunsets in Pentwater are indescribable!

In the stroller getting ready to go get some ice cream. We found out that he doesn't like to share ice cream with anyone. He has to have his own! :)

Going for his first boat ride. Standing up front with Papa.

Sean sitting on the back of the boat enjoying the ride.

Brayden and Jaiden driving the boat.

Playing in the sand....again. This is where he spent the majority of his vacation...at the beach.

Cheese!

Making castles with Papa.

I LOVE this picture!! Brayden's sandy feet! :)

Getting water with Papa.

Playing in the water with DayeAnn. They had a blast together!

Going to get ice cream. Riding in the wagon with his cousin Jaiden.

Yummy! A blue rasberry glacier!

Playing with trucks at the beach.

Taking a quick break.

Playing with his cousin Ellie. They were chasing each other around. Everything that Ellie did, Brayden did and vice versa. They loved playing together!

Chase me!

My little fish!

Having so much fun!

Running!

Playing in the water with GiGi!

Shucking corn for dinner with Papa.

***

We had such an amazing time and are already looking forward to next year. It was so wonderful to spend all that time with family and friends. This is truly one of my favorite times of the year!

Pentwater or BUST!!

2010-07-07T20:10:00.003-04:00

In about 72 hours, we will be watching this...

here....

with the men in my life that i love so dearly...

spending time as a family....

watching sunsets....

resting and taking snoozes....

eating lots and lots of ice cream....

and playing cornhole with family and friends....

going for walks and wagon rides....

building sand castles in the sand....

and knocking them down....

waiting for yummy dinners to cook over the campfire...

and having as much fun as we possibly can...

We can hardly wait!! Pentwater hurry up!!

**Isn't Brayden super adorable in these pictures? He is growing up way too fast for his momma! Sigh.....

Running through the Sprinklers

2010-07-04T21:51:00.004-04:00

Today was a hot one. The temperature reached a balmy 91, with the heat index at 96 degrees! It was so warm outside and of course, Brayden only wanted be outside. So, we made the best of it and turned on the sprinklers! Brayden took one look at them and ran straight into it laughing and giggling the whole time! The kiddo never stopped running in and out of the water. He was totally drenched! He was not happy when he had to come inside. He finally calmed down when he was told we could go outside tomorrow and play in the water again! :)

Binder Park Zoo

2010-06-30T15:25:00.004-04:00

For my sister-in-law's birthday, she wanted the whole family to spend the day at Binder Park Zoo. What a great idea! It was such a fun and exciting, although very warm, day! Brayden had an absolute ball! We could barely keep up with him as he ran from exhibit to exhibit. He was in awe the entire time. He loved all the animals and was so excited! We all had so much fun and we were glad that we could help Keri celebrate her birthday!!

Daddy and Brayden

Grandma and Brayden eating lunch. (Brayden spotted a peacock walking by the window as I took this picture!)

Mommy and Brayden getting ready to head out to see the animals.

Aunt Keri and Brayden feeding the giraffes. Brayden was a little unsure of this at first!

With Grandma and Aunt Keri looking at the monkeys.

He was so excited that he couldn't contain his enthusiasm! He was squealing and jumping around here. :)

Keri, Sean, Brayden and I posing for a quick picture before leaving Wild Africa.

Going for a carousel ride. He loved it!

Feeding the pygmy goats with Grandma. This picture was taken about 5 seconds before he freaked out!!

Doing one of his favorite things....going down a slide!!

Brayden cooling down in one of the misters they had going at the zoo.

His favorite part....riding the train!

This was the scene about 5 minutes after leaving the zoo! We tuckered him out!!

Wheeee!!

2010-06-22T20:57:00.003-04:00

A couple months ago we bought a used swingset from a family down the street from my parents. Brayden is an outdoor lover and we needed something to occupy him while he was outside. We are just finally getting time to assemble it in our backyard. Sean got the swing up the other day and Brayden has been swinging non-stop. Tonight, Sean got out the slide and you would have thought that Brayden was going to explode with excitement. The whole time he was putting it up, Brayden kept repeating, "slide? slide?" Sean couldn't get it attached fast enough and Brayden was already flying down it, giggling and squealing the whole time. I think this has been one of the best investments that we have made!!

Ready. Set. Go!!!!

Wheeeeeeeee!

Watch out Milo!

Up the rock wall.

Here I come!!

Target Deals!

2010-06-10T21:39:00.003-04:00

I cannot believe the deals I got at Target today. When the cashier first told me my total, pre-coupons, I nearly fainted. And then I nearly fainted again when he told me my total after coupons. Even he was speechless and couldn't believe what I saved with coupons. You are not going to believe this!!!! The picture below is all of my purchases today at Target.

Total Cost: $81.50

Total Savings: $74.98

Total Out of Pocket: $6.52

Yay!! I couldn't believe it! It really pays to take time to research and clip coupons. It is times like this that motivate me even more. I never used to clip coupons and often scoffed when I got behind someone who had coupons. Now....I can't imagine paying full price!!

SummerTime Splashin

2010-05-24T20:48:00.006-04:00

Summer has come roaring in which means it is time for fun in the sprinkler! Sean had just finished mowing the lawn when we got home from work/daycare. Sean was watering the plants and Brayden decided he wanted to help. Only his help went from spraying the flowers and bushes to spraying daddy! He had a little too much fun!!

How does this thing work??

Like this!!

Cooling off in the mist. Brrr!!!

Is this how it works Daddy??

I got it!!

Getting you all wet!

Helping water the bushes.

I will spray you Mommy!!

Washing off his hands.

Chasing Daddy

I'm all wet!!

Meijer Super Deals!

2010-05-13T21:08:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago I got some more amazing deals at Meijer! This is what makes clipping coupons so worth it! I love getting these deals! We are going to have to get more cupboard space to hold all of my stock-up deals!!

Total Cost: $36.47

Total Savings: $30.41

Total Out of Pocket: $6.06

Double Whammy

2010-05-11T10:55:00.002-04:00

This past Sunday was a double whammy for me. It was both Mother's Day and my 30th birthday! What a crazy, fun, busy weekend.

My husband and family spoiled me so much! On Saturday we went up to my parents for a cook-out and family time. On Sunday, my husband made me a great breakfast, a birthday cake, took me out to dinner and shopping and got me a great gift that only true scrapbookers would enjoy! :) It was such a great weekend. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and family!

This was also my second mother's day. Being a mom is such an amazing thing. I never imagined what joy one little guy could bring to my life. His laughter and energy are contagious. I can't wait to get home from work at the end of the day and spend time with him. He is such a blessing and joy. I am so glad that I have him in my life which gives me a reason to celebrate Mother's Day.

Wii Time

2010-04-29T21:24:00.003-04:00

Want to know what makes me melt?? Seeing my son sit just like his daddy and play the Wii with him. I.♥.my.boys!

Working in the Yard

2010-04-27T20:43:00.007-04:00

Our lawn needed new landscaping....bad. When we first moved in, we threw in a few bushes and plants and called it good. I was 5 months pregnant at the time and we didn't have time for a whole lot more. We always knew that we wanted to re-do it. This spring, we got a flyer in our mailbox saying that our sub-division was going to be part of the 2010 Showcase of Homes. Yikes! We needed to do something to our yard! So we went out and spruced it up! And of course Brayden had to be right in the middle of it! He LOVES helping with everything!!

Say Cheese!

2010-04-19T21:20:00.004-04:00

My little man is following in his Papa's and mommy's footsteps. He loves getting a hold of my camera and holding it up to his face and saying, "Cheese!" I had my other camera at the time and caught him in the act!!

"Cheese!!"

Here is Brayden's picture he took of me! Not bad!!

And here is his picture of Daddy!

Easter 2010

2010-04-14T21:42:00.004-04:00

I know, I know....I'm finally posting Easter pictures. There were just so many good, cute ones that I had a hard time deciding which ones to post....and I still have a bunch posted! I just couldn't help it. They are so stinkin' adorable, I just had to post them all!

Easter weekend was a very busy weekend. On Saturday, my in-laws came over for dinner and to visit. We had a great time visiting with them. After that, we went to our Easter service at our church. Brayden did so good sitting though "big" church!

Sunday we had my family over for lunch and Easter festivities. After Brayden's nap, he got to look for Easter eggs and his Easter basket that the Easter bunny hid. He did AMAZING!! We couldn't believe at how great he was at finding the eggs. He found them all so fast! And he found his Easter basket before he even found all the eggs! It was so cute! Even Nana and Papa got him an Easter basket! He was so spoiled all weekend and he loved every second of it!!

Eating some candy! Yum!!

Here's one!

I think I found my Easter basket!!

Add another one to my stash!

And another....

My Easter basket! Look at all the toys!!

Whoa!!

My baseball bat!

More candy....

My Easter basket from Nana and Papa....more toys....and candy!!

Milo was helping!

More candy.....

Owie Follow-Up

2010-04-12T21:25:00.003-04:00

Brayden is doing amazing despite the 3 stitches in his finger. He keeps doing everything he has always done and it hasn't slowed him down at all. When his bandage falls off, he is sure to let us know by holding up his hand and saying, "uh oh" repeatedly until we notice. And he is sure to remind us that he has an owie. When he wakes up in the morning and we go in and get him, he holds up his hand, points to the stitches, and says "owie!" At nighttime we take his bandage off to let it "air out." While we are giving him his bottle, until he falls asleep, he holds his hand up to be sure not to bump his owie, even though when his bandage is on, he is constantly bumping it and hitting it. Then when he wakes up in the morning, he says "uh oh" until we put a band-aid back on it. It is so adorable. Three more days until we can get the stitches taken out!

See....here is my owie.

Relaxing with my paci's, watching PraiseBaby.

Just chillin....

Here are my owies again....just so you don't forget.

Owie

2010-04-08T21:56:00.002-04:00

To say that we have an adventurous little boy on our hands is an understatement! Once again we spent the evening at our local Med Point. Brayden was playing in our cupboards in our kitchen tonight, like he always does. He got a hold of the toaster, yanked it down and sliced his fingers open. We raced him to the Med Point where he had to have 3 stitches in his middle finger. It was so rough holding him down, listening to him scream, while the doctor did his work. I had everything in me not to lose it. Why didn't anyone tell me that being a mommy was so hard?? This night wore us all out and our little guy is finally sleeping peacefully. I had to snap a quick picture of my precious little boy, sound asleep, with his owie.

Coloring Easter Eggs

2010-04-06T08:57:00.003-04:00

What could be more fun in getting ready for Easter than coloring Easter eggs? Of course we had to do it again this year! I was a little nervous as how Brayden would do, but he did very well...despite the fact that he wanted to do everything himself. He wanted to hold the eggs himself and put them in the color himself and get them out himself. He is turning into such an independent little kid! Here are some pictures from our adventures in coloring eggs!

With Aunt Erin, getting ready to color eggs.

The first egg! What color should we do?

Cheese!

Even daddy helped!

Ooohh!! Pretty orange!

I can do it myself Momma!

Smile Aunt Erin!

Taking a break and having some cheese. Coloring eggs is hard work!

The finished product! Notice the one red cracked egg. Brayden decided to throw an egg into a cup of coloring that already had an egg in it! :)

Mom 2 Mom

2010-03-30T21:22:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I went to my very first Mom 2 Mom sale with my mom and dad. I didn't really know what to expect other than from what other people told me. All I knew was that I needed some new stuff for Brayden and I was told that this was how to do it. We showed up a little early and waited out in the cold for nearly 25 minutes. We had some family there to chat with, so that made the time go a little faster. Once the doors opened, it was a mad dash, free for all. You had to know what you wanted and go to get it. This wasn't a place to stand around deciding. Talk about overwhelming!! There were people everywhere! You could hardly get down the aisles! But I will tell you what...this is the way to go! It is like a huge garage sale all under one roof. You don't have to drive around house to house hoping that they will have kids stuff. I got so much stuff for Brayden! Toys, shoes, clothes...it was unbelivable how much stuff I got for the price! Brayden made out like a badit, thanks to his Nana and Papa too! Would I do it again??? Absolutely!!!

Brayden playing in the car that Papa bought for him.

Trying on his goggles from his new tool bench.

Hmm....what I can put in the trunk?

Honk, honk....outta my way!

All set to go....with all my tools!

18 Months and Counting...

2010-03-22T21:33:00.002-04:00

Today my little boy is 18 months old....a whole year and a half. I know everyone says this, but where has the time gone? It has been the most amazing year and a half. So many ups and even some downs, but all in all, it has been life changing. This little boy has changed the way I see the world. I love his excitement and wide-eyed wonder at things I used to never take the time to see. I love the faces he makes, the laughter...I love the way he makes me so anxious to get home after work to spend time with him. He is growing up way to fast. I want to savor every hug, every smile, every time he falls asleep in my arms...because I know before too long he will be too busy to play with his toys with his mommy or too grown up to give me a hug. I just pray that he always knows how much his mommy and daddy love him and that he will always have our hearts.

CHEESE!

Being silly! Two paci's at one time!!

Barothy Lodge

2010-03-08T14:02:00.003-05:00

Two weekends ago, we went here:

It was Sean's grandma's 80th birthday and she wanted the whole family together. So they found a great lodge up in Northern Michigan. The ride up was a little treacherous, as it was snowing like crazy, but we made it safely...after 6 hours of driving. Brayden did amazing the whole weekend. He loved playing with his cousins, loved being outside, and loved having a lot of attention! We had so much fun and the weekend went by very fast! Here are a few pictures from the weekend!

The three kiddos eating dinner.

Sean trying to stay on the sled!

Brayden and Daddy.

Brayden on the sled. He didn't stay there long. Turns out he is not one for sledding!

Gretchen and Brayden watching the ducks.

Gretchen, Nora, and Brayden on our walk. How cute are they?!?!

Brayden playing pool. I think he has the hang of it! :)

When's breakfast??

Brayden and Grandma.

Brayden, Me, Sara and Gretchen watching everyone sledding.

And she is off...

2010-03-05T22:23:00.002-05:00

After months and months of planning, training and prayers, my little sister left today for a week long missions trip to Tamil Nadu, India. Her and 29 other brave souls set out this afternoon to be a light to the poorest of poor in India. They are bringing shoes, clothes, and school supplies as well as hope and love to these people. I am so proud of my sister for making this decision to be a light and friend to the Indian people, who have been classified as the "untouchables." I pray that she has an amazing experience and a safe trip. These next ten days are going to be very long for me and my family! We know she is doing amazing things, but can't wait until she is back here with us!

Erin with her team leader Sarah (aka...best friend)

Some of the luggage going with them. These bags are filled with 798 pairs of Crocs shoes, 57 backpacks filled with school supplies, and clothing for the people of Tamil Nadu.

Erin and Sarah standing with their gear, getting direction from the main team leader.

The whole India team!

Their ride to the Chicago airport.

Meijer Super Deals!!

2010-03-01T21:11:00.003-05:00

Once again, I got some amazing deals at Meijer. I love when they have super deals paired with super coupons! I get so excited! Like a little kid in a candy shop. I just had to share my good deals!!

Total Cost: $103.92

Total Savings: $86.39

Total Out of Pocket: $17.53

Yay!!!

P.S. Yes, that is my son eating McDonald's in the background....It was a busy day! :)

Yummy!

2010-02-19T09:29:00.003-05:00

My sweet little munchkin has a sweet tooth just like me. Now instead of enjoying the left over batter after making a yummy dessert...I have to share. I guess there is no better person to share this with than my son! We bonded over a mixing beater filled with oreo pie!

Waterpark Madness!

2010-02-02T15:03:00.007-05:00

This past weekend, we went here:
We went in on Saturday morning and stayed until Sunday night. We.had.a.blast!! The warm air, the water, the slides, the company...it was fantastic! Brayden was a little cautious of the water and freaked out in the lazy river. He didn't mind the kiddie pool so much, but he had to be sitting on your lap. I think he might have been a little young to really grasp the concept of it all. Maybe next year! Here are some pictures from our weekend. I know there are a lot, but look who you are talking to! :) Plus, I took so many pictures, that I had a hard time narrowing it down to just these ones!

"Momma....did you see this??"

Aunt Erin and Brayden ( He WILL.NOT.SMILE for any camera!!)

Playing catch with Uncle Chad

Catch!

Sitting with Nana.

"I'll just rest here a second."

Catch with Papa.

"Hide the ball here Nana.

The siblings....

Playing in the water.

Taking a break.

Here comes the water!!!

Super Duper Meijer Deals!

2010-01-18T20:36:00.004-05:00

Meijer had some AMAZING deals last week! I spent a lot of time pouring over coupons and ad deals and have hit my highest savings yet! I was quite pleased with myself! Check out the photo below...

Total Cost: $93.75

Total Saved: $78.82

Total Paid Out of Pocket: $14.94

Whoo hoo!!!

Fixing the Fridge

2010-01-16T15:55:00.002-05:00

Every once in a while, our refrigerator gets off balance and starts humming pretty loud. So Sean has to get it re-balanced. Last night, Brayden decided it was his turn to help fix the fridge. He did a good job....it no longer hums!

Rock On, Little Guy!

2010-01-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

These pictures need no words. Too stinkin' cute!!

Our Whirlwind Holidays

2010-01-08T21:38:00.000-05:00

What a whirlwind the holidays were! We had some sort of holiday get together every day for the entire week! I can safely saw that we are christmas'd out. It was all so much fun though and it was great to see family that we hadn't seen in a while. That is one of the best things about it all. That and all the yummy holiday food!!

Brayden did pretty good considering his lack of napping and incessant snacking. He wasn't too into his presents yet. He would open a few and then be done with it all. And that wasn't good since he was S.P.O.I.L.E.D by every single one of our family members. I guess that's what happens when you are the only grandchild/nephew/neice. I think he got every toy that Toy's R Us makes! I have to admit that it is nice though, because he was getting tired of all his other toys. Now he has new toys to keep him occupied.

Only 350 more shopping days until next Christmas! :)

Playing with my new CD player with Momma.

Showing Daddy how it works.

This big bag is for me?!? I like the tissue paper!

A Clifford book! And a Clifford stuffed animal and DVD!

I think this one goes next....

Yikes...learning to talk on his phone while driving and honking the horn way too early...

Jammin on my new guitar sitting in my new chair!

Chad got PS3!!

The whole fam.

Our little family.

Playing with my cousin Gretchen.

Playing with Grandma.

Dashing Through the Snow...

2010-01-05T20:15:00.001-05:00

...and, Holy Batman, do we have a lot of it. About 2 feet to be exact. And there is no letting up in sight. The forecast...snow the rest of the week. Break out the snow shoes! So instead of sitting inside pouting about the massive amounts of snow we are getting, we decided to make the most of it. We took Brayden outside to play in it. His first experience actually playing in the snow. He wasn't so sure about it at first because it kept getting in his face and it was so deep, he couldn't move. Once we got him going, he had fun. Even Milo came out and joined the fun.

Let's go Momma!!

Okay...one quick picture...then LET'S GO!!

This stuff is cool!

Going for a sled ride.

Momma....help! What is this stuff? It is cold!

Trying to get the hang of walking in it.

Even Milo was loving it!

Making a snow angel.

These dang mittens....they don't want to stay on!

And again...

2010-01-02T20:24:00.001-05:00

Once again, we received a call from daycare. This time it came on New Year's Eve morning. I was at work when I got the call. Daycare had called Sean and said the Brayden had split open his forehead...again. Sean called to tell me the news. Brayden was playing and pulled a toybox down on himself. A mere 5 weeks from the last time he split open his head at daycare. So I rushed to daycare to assess the damage. It was a clean cut and right on his eyebrow, so we decided to leave the butterfly bandage on and not take him to urgent care. It is already looking much better. Now he has two scars on his forehead. What's next?

Can I help?

2009-12-23T20:12:00.001-05:00

Why is it when you have a million and one things to do and you are looking forward to naptime so you can get most of it done, they refuse to nap? I think they know. They can sense when you have a sense of urgency about getting something done, so they make it difficult for you. I have family coming over tomorrow and the house needs cleaned and the food needs to get made, but Brayden refuses to help me out....well....in the sense I need him to help me out...by taking a nap. He has refused to take both naps today. And below are pictures of his way of "helping" me out, which by the way, takes ten times longer this way!

Is this helping mom?

Sick Again

2009-12-15T12:54:00.000-05:00

Now that Brayden has tubes in his ears, we thought that we would visit the doctor's office a lot less. After last night, that apparently is not the case. He has had a cough for a few days now and when we picked him up from daycare last night, they said that he was really coughing bad all day. Later that night, Sean noticed that his breathing was shallow. After a call to the pediatrician, we hopped in the car and drove to the urgent care. A breathing treatment, motrin and chest x-rays showed us that he has RSV and pneumonia. This poor little kid just cannot catch a break! He finally is over his ear infections and now this?!? That darn daycare. The kids just keep passing it around and Brayden seems to take the brunt of it. So he is off from daycare for a few days to heal. Let's hope he is all better before the holidays! Here are some random pictures from when he was healthy!

Swinging at the park.

Ready to go down the slide!

Playing Grandma's piano.

Standing on the gate calling out for Dad!

Playing Momma's keyboard.

I want one of these!!

Trying my hand at RockBand!

Tubes in ears...check!

2009-11-30T21:32:00.000-05:00

I am so glad that today is done! For most of Brayden's life, he has been suffering from almost constant ear infections. This past one was the final straw. His pediatrician sent us to the ENT for a consult. He told us what we already knew....Brayden needed tubes in his ears. So, today was the day. We woke up early and headed to the hospital. After waiting for almost 2 hours, they finally took him back. We got to walk with him almost all the way back, but then the nurse had to take him. Brayden did great and went right to him. We went back to the room and waited. About 15 minutes later, the doctor came back in and said that surgery went great. He got all the infection cleaned out and tubes in. A few minutes later they brought Brayden back to us. It felt so good to have him back in my arms, although he was crying uncontrollably. They said that the anesthisia would do that to him. He cried for about 25 minutes and then we were finally able to calm him down with some teddy grahams and jello. After an hour or so, we were free to go home. I am happy to report that he is back to his happy, go-lucky self.

Look at all the buttons on this bed!

And more buttons on the other side!!

Taking a wagon ride while we are waiting.

In my hospital gown.

Laying in bed watching Mickey Mouse on Disney. Still waiting....

Reading a book....still waiting....

Now we are waiting for Brayden to get back. Sean decided to take a rest on the bed.

He is back from the surgery. Poor baby...

Teddy Grahams are helping!!

Sitting with Daddy having some raisins. Almost time to go home!

Baking with Momma

2009-11-29T21:55:00.000-05:00

What could be better than spending an afternoon baking with my baby? Whenever I go into the kitchen, he follows me. He usually ends up playing in the cupboards and pulling everything out of them. So then after my baking or cooking is done, I usually spend the next 20 minutes picking up everything he pulled out. So this time I decided to let him help me. He has always been so interested in what I was doing. So I pulled up a kitchen chair, gave him a wooden spoon and let him go to town. HE.LOVED.IT!!! I had a hard time getting him down when we were all done! Guess I have a new baking partner!

Look at me! I'm helping!

And so it begins....

2009-11-24T20:30:00.000-05:00

...our trips to the urgent care. Yup, that is right. After a call from daycare today saying that Brayden had fallen and cut his forehead, Sean picked him up and met me at Urgent Care. After waiting for what seemed like forever in the waiting room, we finally got called back. Brayden was such a brave little boy. They had to flush out the wound and he only fussed a little bit. Then the doctor came in and told me what I wanted hear....no stitches....they could fix it with glue. He said it was a clean cut, so they could easily glue the cut. That part...Brayden didn't like. They had to have Brayden perfectly still while they applied the glue and held it together while it dried. During the 4 minutes that he had to be still, there were 3 of us that had to hold him down. He did not like being held down...at all, which led to crying. I could not wait to pick him up and cuddle him. 4 minutes seemed like forever. After he was all done...he got a sucker, which obviously made it all better! Then he got to go home and spend the rest of the day with Daddy. Here are some pictures below of Brayden's boo-boo.

It's Puffs Time!

2009-11-17T09:32:00.000-05:00

This kid LOVES to eat! He could sit and eat a whole box of crackers or a whole container of puffs, if we let him. And he has a sweet tooth...just like his Momma. So any cookies, candy, ice cream, cake or brownies...count him in! He has even learned how to open the pantry door, so he can go and get his own snacks now. We will hear the door open and then a few seconds later he is running over to us holding a snack wanting us to open it for him. We try to limit the amount of sweets he gets, so it is a good thing that he loves fruit and crackers too! He is an eating machine! If he is this bad now, I don't know what is going to happen when he is a teenager!!

Mmm....puffs! (There were only a few left in the container, so I let him hold the puffs container. He thought he was hot stuff getting his own!)

How many can I get in one handful?

Yum!

Success!

Back for more...

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

2009-11-13T11:06:00.001-05:00

We have a definite troublemaker in our midst...in addition to Milo! Brayden has a knack for keeping us hopping. And between Milo and Brayden, there is no time for rest! Brayden has almost every toy under the sun and he still insists on doing things and getting into things he knows he shouldn't. When you tell him no, he looks at you and smiles. When you go to get him and keep him from doing something he shouldn't, he takes off running and laughing. He knows he shouldn't be doing it, but does it to get our attention. Most of the time, he does what he isn't supposed to be while watching us to see what we will do. If it isn't too dangerous or naughty, we try to ignore him and he will lose interest. Although lately, he has been in a hitting phase. The other night he kept hitting me. I finally grabbed his arms and held him tight and looked at him and said, "We don't hit, buddy. It is not nice to hit." He looked up at me with his big, brown eyes and burst out laughing. So, I have been putting him in time out. I leave him there for 1-2 minutes and he screams the whole time. When I go get him, he is back to my innocent little angel. I think we might be hitting the terrible twos early! Here are some pictures to prove it!

He has figured out how to crawl behind our leaning bookshelves.

Reaching for our wedding pictures....

Crawling behind our tv.

Trick or Treat!

2009-11-09T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ok, I know. I'm a little behind on my blogging. I can tell too because my pictures that I need to post are backing up! More posts to come soon, I promise!

We had so much fun this Halloween. It was a Halloween Extravaganza at our house! On Thursday night, we had trick-or-treating at my work. So my parents picked up the little guy from daycare and brought him over to trick-or treat. He was a little unsure of it at first, but then figured it out. He loved picking out the candy and putting it in his bag.

Friday night we had a Halloween Block Party in our sub-division. Several houses were decorated and had treats, candy, food, games and crafts for the kids. They even had a hay ride for the kiddos going around the neighborhood. It was cold and rainy and windy that night, but we still had a blast!

Saturday night was trick-or-treating night! My mother and father in law came down to join us. Sean and his dad stayed back at the house and handed out candy. My mother in law and I took Brayden out around the neighborhood. Brayden really got into it with the first few houses, but then got a little excited and tripped while he was running down a driveway and face planted into the concrete. After that he just wanted to be held. But he still loved getting the candy and putting it into his bag!

Overall, we had a great weekend and Brayden got his first taste of Halloween. I think Sean liked it the best since he got to eat most of Brayden's candy! Here are some pictures of our weekend.

Brayden and Nana.

Brayden and Papa waiting to start trick-or-treating at work.

Brayden and Momma decorating his pumpkin.

My little puppy!

I can do it myself Momma!!

Brayden and Grandma.

I like this!

I don't want to hold your hand Momma! I can do this on my own!

Let's go Momma! No time for pictures!

Daddy's Boy

2009-10-27T20:42:00.000-04:00

For some reason last night, Brayden was a Daddy's boy. He didn't want anything to do with me. Didn't want me to hold him or play with him....nothing. This is a very rare moment. Lately he has been clinging to me and not letting me more than 2 inches from him. If I try to sneak away to do something and he sees me, it results in a screaming, crying, chasing after me ordeal. I must admit that it was kind of nice because I was able to get dinner made and things taken care of without having to hold him while doing it, but it was kind of sad too, because I love the "being wanted" feeling. Here are a few pictures I snapped of the rare but wonderful moment.

What toy to play with??

Maybe this one?

Resting on Daddy's leg while playing pinball.

Ooh...what's way down in there?

Playing trucks with Daddy.

Ewey, Gooey Pumpkin Guts

2009-10-22T20:42:00.000-04:00

With Halloween quickly approaching, (can this year go any faster?) we decided tonight would be a great night to carve Brayden's pumpkin. He was a little unsure about everything, but quickly dug right in. Definitely surprised us! Below are some pictures of the pumpkin carving event! By the way....Brayden is 13 months old today! Holy cow!! My baby is growing up!!

Look at my pumpkin Mama!

Picking out pumpkin seeds with Aunt Erin while Daddy cleans out the pumpkin.

Eww...what is that?!?

Now with Mama looking for seeds so we can bake them! Yum!

Mmmm...pumpkins seeds....before they were baked. (Yuck!!)

Sean pulling a Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor by using a power tool to carve the pumpkin!

I think the eye needs to go right here Daddy.

Happy Birthday Milo!

2009-10-21T20:54:00.001-04:00

Today is Milo's 2nd birthday! When we got him, we thought he was a sweet, cute, innocent little puppy. But these past two years have proven us wrong....way wrong! He can still be cute, but he is no longer sweet and innocent. He is rambunctious, crazy, and high enery! Always getting into things and always chewing things up. Brayden and Milo make a great team...tag teaming it most nights. While our backs are turned taking care of Brayden, Milo is getting into something. Then when we are dealing with Milo, Brayden is getting into something. We swear they do it just to watch us run! :) Overall, these past couple years with him have proven to be fun and interesting. We wouldn't change it for anything...most days. :) Happy Birthday Milo!!

Milo's first day at his new house.

Not sure what is going on!

Milo and baby Brayden.

Relaxing.

Pumpkin Patch and Donuts

2009-10-19T09:14:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, we all made the trek home to celebrate Dad's birthday and have a cook-out. That morning we decided would be the perfect time to make a trip to the pumpkin patch. We met up with some family friends of ours and had a great time. Nothing can beat the cool, crisp, fall air, apples, homemade donuts, a hay ride, a corn maze, and picking out pumpkins. Even little man loved it!

Eating donuts with Nana. Mmmm.....

Chad making a phone call.

Brayden taking it all in.

Aunt Erin and Brayden waiting for the hot cider.

Family Pic in the pumpkins. The only way we could get this half smile out of Brayden was to hold a donut over the camera while the picture was being taken. A boy after his daddy's heart! :)

Papa and Brayden on the hay ride on the way to the corn maze.

Nana and Brayden in the corn maze.

The whole kids crew.

Happy Anniversary!

2009-10-14T20:36:00.001-04:00

Three years ago today, Sean and I began our life together as Mr. and Mrs. Fischer. It has been the best 3 years of my life. When we got married, my sister was the Maid of Honor. She had a line in her speech that speaks so true. She said "Years from now, may you look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least." When she said that, I thought that I could never love Sean more than I did right then, in that moment. But Erin's quote has rang true these last 3 years. I fall more in love with him as each day passes.

So much has happened these last three years. I have moved from Michigan to Indiana and back to Michigan, we have built a new house, gotten a puppy, had a baby...Wow! Life is good.

Thank you so much for these past three years Sean! You have made me the happiest woman ever. I am thrilled that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. I look forward to another 90 years together!

Deals, Deals, Deals!

2009-10-03T15:01:00.000-04:00

I am so excited with my shopping deals this week that I had to share them with you. Meijer had amazing deals when paired with coupons. All of the items below came to a grand total of $36.08. After coupons, I paid $12.08!!! Boo yah!!!

Birthday Party Time!

2009-09-28T21:20:00.000-04:00

What a crazy week we have had! Birthday, the zoo, a party....whew! So much fun though!

Ok, here are the birthday zoo pictures, birthday presents, and birthday party pictures I promised. I know there are a ton...but I couldn't narrow it down anymore. I took at least 200 pictures! First time mom...I know, I know. So I thought I would share the good ones with you. Enjoy!

Zoo...here we come...

Brayden watching the Bengal.

Watching the leopard with Daddy.

Visiting Aunt Erin at work and helping her get her report done.

Playing with my new workbench with Daddy.

Mowing and sweeping...at the same time.

Working on the work bench again...

Playing in my new ball pit.

Two points for Brayden!

Opening a big present!

Put it together faster!!

My new toybox that Great Grandpa made! Yay!

Oooh...what can this be?

I can't wait anymore! Hurry up and sing!

Cupcake time! Yum!!

Watching the Michigan game in my new jersey with my Papa!

Thanks Uncle Chad and Aunt Erin!!

Happy Birthday Little Man!!

2009-09-22T20:56:00.000-04:00

Today is my baby's first birthday! Can you believe it? He is one! It has been a whole year that he has been with us! I can't believe it! Time has gone by so very fast!

We had such a great day today! We went to the zoo, out to lunch, visiting friends at my job, opening gifts, and cupcakes!! Here is a picture of the day he was born, a picture from today and a family picture. Pictures of his birthday day to come soon!

Daddy - 1, Sonic - 0

2009-09-14T21:55:00.000-04:00

Brayden has fallen in love with video games. He could sit forever and watch Sean play. He especially loves Sonic. Tonight was no exception...

Brayden had to have his arm around Daddy's neck. He got mad when Sean tried to move him. He was all better once his arm was back around Sean.

Yay!! We won!!

My Tired Little Wolverine

2009-09-11T21:22:00.000-04:00

Brayden just couldn't make it through the whole Michigan football game last weekend.

A Day At The Park

2009-09-07T21:41:00.001-04:00

This past week we took Brayden up to the elementary school by our house to play on the playground. He was a little tentative at first, but it didn't take long until we were chasing him all over the place. He LOVED the slides. We couldn't keep him off of them. He liked going down them, but he liked climbing up them even more! Here are some pictures from our little outing!

This is what happens....

2009-09-02T21:00:00.000-04:00

...when we let Brayden feed himself dinner...

With a butterfly kiss...

2009-08-28T21:12:00.000-04:00

...and a ladybug hug; sleep tight little one, like a bug in a rug.

Sigh....

2009-08-22T22:04:00.000-04:00

Happy 11th month little man!! These posts seem like they are getting closer and closer together. It seems like I just posted last week for his 10 month. It is crazy! It is going way too fast! My baby is growing up! :(

Highlights this month...

He is getting more and more steady as he walks. He loves walking and loves running. No more crawling for this little guy.

He is getting better at eating solid food. It was a little shaky at first, but he is liking the texture more. He loves crackers of any kind, peaches, pears, cheerios, french fries (I know, I know...he takes after his Mama), yogurt, and he is liking cheese more every day. We are getting there...

Daycare is still going well. He has 5 other friends in his class with him and he loves his teacher. They are getting his schedule down pat. This makes my days go much better!

He went to his first and second weddings this month. Our cousin Kristin got married and a close family friend got married. He did amazingly well at both!

He got to meet a lot of family from my dad's side this month at our annual family reunion. He loved it! He did so well with everyone.

He has added another word to his vocabulary. Mama!! Finally!! I am so excited! I love hearing that word come out of his mouth. Although I am sure that in a year, that word isn't going to be so cute coming out of his mouth. :) He has also added clapping and waving to the list of things he can do. He gets so excited when he waves goodbye. It is adorable.

He definitely has a naughty side of him. When you tell him "no," he looks at you and smiles and keeps doing it. I have had to tap him on the hand a few times while I tell him "no" and he just looks up at me and laughs. It is so hard not to smile or laugh because it is so stinking cute. He has to learn that "no" means "no!" This is going to be tough!

Well, I think that is all for this month. Here are some recent pictures of my little guy.

Teddy Grahams and PraiseBaby...can't get much better than that.

Getting in his rocking chair.

Rock, rock, rock.

Bath time!!

Wait....come back! You can't hide from bath time!

Nothing New

2009-08-13T21:20:00.001-04:00

Not a whole lot going on right now. Our busy summer is finally slowing down. A few more weekends of Sean's baseball games and we are home free. I cannot wait. This summer has flown by. It is hard to believe that fall is right around the corner.

And with fall right around the corner, another milestone is quickly approaching. Brayden's first birthday is a mere 5 weeks away! Eek! My baby is going to be 1?!? What?!? Where did this past year go? He can't be one already! He is growing up way, way too fast. He makes me laugh everyday. His facial expressions say it all. He definitely inherited that from me! My sister teases me all the time of my many expressions. He is also very vocal. Constantly asking us "what's that?" and saying "yeah" to everything we ask. Not only is he walking on his own, he is literally running. You can't keep this boy down. Crawling is too slow for him, so he is only on his feet any more. He keeps us hopping! He is definitely the light of our lives!

Bathtime! Daddy put bubbles on my head!

Daddy and Brayden watching PraiseBaby.

Family Reunion 2009

2009-08-03T21:32:00.001-04:00

Last weekend was our annual Miller Family Reunion. At last count, there were 60 of us there. This was Brayden's first reunion and he had a blast! We spent the time catching up with family, swimming in the pool, and going out to eat. Brayden wasn't so sure of the pool at first, but after a bit, he fell in love with it! He couldn't get enough! Brayden loved meeting all of the family and we can't wait until next year!

I think I like this!

Daddy and Brayden

Family Time in the pool

Brayden and Mama

Swimming with Daddy

Brayden and Papa

Pentwater 2009

2009-07-28T21:39:00.001-04:00

Pentwater....need I say more? The most amazing place on earth. The beach, the shopping, the campground.....all wonderful. And we got to spend a whole week there this summer....Sean, Brayden and I...plus all of our wonderful family and friends. It was glorious. We had so much fun. Brayden loved it! He loved all the walks in the stroller and wagon, loved playing in the sand....and eating it, loved all the attention. He even did great sleeping in the tent. He is a camper at heart. But I think the thing he loved the most....ice cream! He takes after his Mama! We spent most of our time on the beach, eating, or laughing with family and friends. We are already looking forward to next summer!

A family picture with Lake Michigan in the background.

Brayden and his cousin Eliana.

Taking a stroll down the beach.

Mama, Daddy and Brayden

My new Michigan outfit!

Wagon ride time!

On the beach with Papa and Nana.

Building sand castles with Papa.

Playing in the sand with Uncle Chad.

I love the beach!!

Happy 10 month Birthday Little Guy!

2009-07-22T20:41:00.000-04:00

Brayden is 10 months old! Wow...where has this year gone? His one year birthday is just two short months away! My baby is growing up!

Accomplishments this month....he is walking!! He starting taking steps on his own about 3 weeks ago. Just this past week, he is walking all over the place. It is so cute! He wobbles all over the place and gets so excited when he takes more than a few steps.

He is loving most solid food now. He eats his Gerber puffs like they are going out of style. When I go to the pantry to get them out, he starts waving his arms and squealing. He also LOVES ice cream! He was quite spoiled in Pentwater. He was getting ice cream almost every day. One night after he finished his ice cream, he got so mad that it was gone, that he had a meltdown....in the middle of town....in front of a bunch of people. He loves his ice cream...just like his mommy.

We spent the last week in beautiful Pentwater. He loves camping and everything that goes with it. I will blog about our wonderful week there in another blog.

He will be going to his very first wedding this weekend. My cousin is getting married this weekend in Chicago. I sure hope he is good! We will see!

Here are some recent pictures of the little guy!

Brayden and Momma after his haircut that Daddy gave him.

Happy 4th!

2009-07-07T21:15:00.000-04:00

We hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July! We sure did! What a great day! We went up to Schoolcraft to partake in the festivities. We enjoyed the parade and playing outside. Then we had family and friends over for a cookout and to watch the fireworks. It was a wonderful day! The weather stayed nice and not too hot...perfect! Brayden didn't make it to firework time, be he sure had a fun and tiring day! Here are just a few pictures of our 4th!

A picture with his Papa.

Riding in my wagon to the parade with my cousin Ellie.

Sitting with Great Grandpa and Ellie.

Family picture before the parade.

Wheeee!

Chattin' with dad.

Wearing his daddy's hat. Go Blue!

Showing off his walking skills.

Trying to pull his wagon.

And he is spent...cuddling with Nana.

Visiting Uncle Chad and Aunt Adie

2009-07-03T21:08:00.001-04:00

A couple weekends ago, we went out to Port Huron to visit Chad and see his new apartment. Chad moved out there a month or so ago. We had so much fun! We spent the day playing in the sand on the beach, walking along the boardwalk, visiting family and friends, and having lots of fun! The day went way too fast. We are definitely going back out very soon! Thanks for letting us visit Chad!

Watching the geese while waiting for dinner.

Chad and Adie

Playing on the playground.

Watching the water in Lake Huron.

Brayden and Momma.

Chad, Erin and Mandy

Standing in the sand for the first time.

9 Month Check-Up

2009-07-01T07:57:00.000-04:00

Brayden had his 9 month well check last Wednesday. He is healthy as can be! He weighed in at 22.5 pounds and is 31.5 inches long. His weight is in the 75th percentile and he is still off the charts for his length. He is going to be a tall kid, but we kind of already knew that! The pediatrician said that he can start eating grown-up food now, like yougurt, pudding, cheese, ground beef, mashed potatoes, lunch meat, etc. We tried a cheese slice the other night and he was not too fond of it. But those Gerber Puffs...he inhales those! To say he loves those would be an understatement. He cannot get enough of them in his mouth fast enough. We have learned that if we need to go anywhere, bring a bag of the puffs with us, so if he starts fussing we just whip out the bag of puffs and he is happy as a clam. Works like magic!

Brayden's first 4th of July is just around the corner! I am so excited! We are traveling up to Schoolcraft, my home town, for the annual festivities. We are going to the parade that morning and then going to my parents for a cookout and fireworks. I am not sure if Brayden will last until the fireworks, but he will get to experience everything else! I will post pictures of that day next week!

Here are some pictures from this past weekend of Brayden at Sean's baseball game.

9 Months Old and First Haircut!

2009-06-22T22:00:00.000-04:00

My baby is 9 months old today! I can't believe it! He is definitely showing that he is a big boy more and more everyday. He is crawling all over the place and getting into everything! They said that he took 4 steps by himself today, not holding onto anything. Yikes! I'm a little bummed that I missed his first big steps, but I can't wait to see him take some more! He is starting to eat more solid food. It took a while for him to get used to the texture, but he loves the Gerber Puffs! He could eat a whole jar if I let him! He is already a picky eater though! He will only eat his squash and sweet potatoes. All other vegies make him gag. But he LOVES his fruit...any kind, it doesn't matter. He will gobble it right up!

Brayden got his first haircut last Friday night. He needed it so bad. It was so long and scraggly. So I finally broke down and took Sean's advice to take him in. We took him to the Great Clips in Granger. He was such a big boy! Sat in the chair all by himself...until the very end. He sat still for the most part. He had to keep turing around to make sure Sean and I were still there. The lady that cut his hair was great! Talked to him the whole time. The whole process took only 10 minutes! It was perfect! Here are some pictures from him very first haircut!

Sitting like a big boy in the chair!

What is going on?

Cutting my hair.

I'm such a big boy! They were amazed that I was only 9 months old!

Trimming up!

All Done!

My New Ride and Popsicle Time

2009-06-19T15:07:00.001-04:00

Not a whole lot to report this week....Brayden had ANOTHER double ear infection last week. His fourth one. They keep putting off the tubes in his ears as it is summer and if he gets tubes, he won't be able to get ANY water in his ears. So they are hoping to either wait until fall or they are hoping that this was the last one. His pediatrician said that if he has one more ear infection in the next four to six weeks, he will definitely have to have them. There is good and bad to that. I want him to be free from ear infections and ear pain, but I don't want my little guy to have to have surgery. I know it is minor surgery, but still...it is surgery.

I got a new car! Yay! Finally! We bought Brayden a new car seat a few weeks back and it was too big for my little Cavalier....so we bought a new car. :) I LOVE it! It is a 2003 Trailblazer. I can haul so much more stuff and I don't have to struggle to get him in his carseat. I must admit that I was teary eyed as we left the car lot with my old car sitting there, but this was what we needed to do. I'm loving it!

Sean's first Father's Day is coming up! How exciting! We are going to have a nice breakfast or lunch out and then enjoy the whole day at home. It will be nice to have a lazy day since we don't get very many of those lately!

Brayden is getting bigger and bigger everyday! He has his 9 month check up at the doctor next Wednesday. He has 4 teeth now with two more getting ready to push through. He crawls like a champ and can even walk behind a push toy or along furniture. He is just starting to be able to stand on his own without holding on to anything. It won't be long before he is taking his first steps! Eek! Then we will really be in trouble!

Here are some updated pictures from his new car from Nana and Papa and pics of his popsicle time....

This is how he stared out riding in his new car from Nana and Papa...sitting down, with a seat belt on, like a good boy.

And this is how he rides now....now that Daddy is the driver. Standing up like a daredevil. This child has no fear!

Thumbs up Mama!

Mmmm....popsicle time.

Ooh...it is cold!

I like it though! I'm such a big boy!

And I have to put it in my hair...just like everything else....

The after effects of the popsicle in the hair. Love the new hair-do!

My Mischevious Little Guy

2009-06-09T21:39:00.000-04:00

We have a mischevious little boy on our hands. He LOVES getting into things that he isn't supposed to be getting in to. And if you tell him no....he looks at you, laughs, and keeps doing it. Then if you try to take him away from what he isn't supposed to be doing, he squirms and gets mad. He can have every single toy of his all around him and he will crawl over it all to get to something that he isn't supposed to have. We are definitely going to have our hands full...even more so when he learns how to walk. I have posted some pictures below of some of the mischevious stuff he is doing...and most of these pictures were from one night. Between Milo and Brayden, we are moving non-stop!

Pulling on Milo's paw.

Throwing the ball!

He LOVES his PraiseBaby DVD!!!

Getting into the garbage....

And into the dishes....

And into the dishwasher....

And into the tupperware.....

And into his blankets and burp cloths....

Brayden's First Camping Trip

2009-05-28T21:36:00.000-04:00

Warren Dunes....here we come! Sean, Brayden and I made the trip out to the dunes for a day for some sunshine, family and friends. We had a blast! And to say that Brayden loved it was an understatement. In fact, he screamed almost the whole way home. Mom and Dad, Erin, Chad, Grandma and Grandpa were all out there for the weekend camping. The Walden's also made the trip to enjoy the beautiful weather. We played out in the sun, went for a bike ride, tooks some walks, made some good food over the camp fire, and my favorites....s'mores! Brayden is definitely going to be a camping guy! Here are some pictures from our day!

With Nana and Papa and their new coffee mugs.

Going for a bike ride....with some Dr. Pepper. Thanks Uncle Chad!

Me and Momma ready to go.

Playing with my new ball with Aunt Erin.

My new camping chair! Just my size!

Chilling with GiGi.

Happy 8 Month Birthday Little Guy!

2009-05-22T10:42:00.000-04:00

It is so hard for me to believe that our baby is 8 months old today! Yikes! Where has the time gone? He is getting so big. He is crawling all over the place now. He cannot be left alone for even one second! He loves getting into trouble. He will crawl to and get in to anything that he knows he isn't supposed to. He loves trying to climb up the tv stand and loves trying to get the fireplace tools. When you tell him no, he just looks at you and smiles and does it again. When you go to get him, he laughs and quickly crawls away. It is just too cute. You try so hard not to smile when you get after him for doing something he isn't supposed to be doing, but his little face looks so cute and innocent that it is hard not to smile. He is such a stinker....just like his daddy! :)

Brayden is going to be walking in no time! He can pull himself up to a stand with ease. He can walk really well if he is holding on to something. He is quite brave and determined, so I am sure that he will be walking soon. Sean walked when he was 8 months old, so if Brayden is anything like him, it won't be long. Then we will really have our hands full!

Here are some recent pictures of our little guy in action!

Trying to help Mama load the dishwasher.

Look at all those toys!

What Mama? I'm being good.

Playing at Nana and Papa's on Mother's Day.

Nana and Brayden playing.

Playing with Papa at Kirstin's tennis tournament.

Technical Difficulties

2009-05-13T10:56:00.000-04:00

It has been two weeks since I have last posted a blog. I am so sorry! I have had some technical difficulties here. My laptop decided to stop working. The battery died and it would not take a charge from the wall charger. So I was without a laptop for a week or so. Sean got tired of hearing me complain about not having a computer, so my birthday/Mother's Day gift was a new laptop! I love it! It feels so good to be back up and running on my own computer. So, now that I have a computer back, I will get going on my blogs again!

So much has happened in these last two weeks. We have been overly busy. We can't catch a breath! I had noted in a previous post that Brayden had another double ear infection and was on antibiotics again. By the end of that week, we felt that his ear infections still hadn't gone away. So I took him back to the doctor on a Friday afternoon. We were right. His right ear drum was bulging. So they decided to do rocephin injections, which is like an antibiotic only in injectable form. He had to have one Friday night, Sunday morning and Monday morning. They are very painful injections, but he handled them so well. He is a tough boy! So, that was a week and a half ago that he had those....and he is going back to the doctor today....because we still don't think they are gone. They had talked about doing tubes in his ears, but I am sure we will hear more about it today!

Last Saturday we had Brayden dedicated at Granger Community Church. It was a HUGE event! There were about 200-300 babies that were dedicated that day. It was amazing. Brayden did so well. Pastor Mark Beeson was the one that prayed over and dedicated Brayden. It was definitely the best birthday present I could get! After the dedication, we had everyone over for cake and punch. We had about 30 people in our house! I am so grateful that so many of our family could spend that special day with us. We are so very blessed! Thank you to everyone that shared our special day!!

My very first Mother's Day was wonderful! Erin, Brayden and I surprised my mom by driving home and meeting them at their church. Then we had a wonderful lunch at mom and dad's house. We also celebrated my birthday that afternoon since the day before, my actual birthday, was so busy with Brayden's dedication. Thank you to my wonderful husband and family for making my first Mother's Day so memorable! I love you all!

This weekend Sean and I are doing our very first garage sale. We have been busy so far this week with getting everything around and marked and set up in the garage. We have a ton of stuff...our garage is filled and we don't even have all of it out yet! My parents and grandparents and sister have also brought some stuff over to put in the sale. It starts on Thursday and goes until Saturday! The money we make from it is going to go to finishing our basement! I am so excited to get started on the basement, so lets hope that we do well this weekend!

Ugh....jury duty. I hate jury duty. I have been called to serve in the month of May. That is right...I have to have it one day a week for the whole month of May!! I call the night before to see if I have to appear. So far, the last two Tuesdays I have had to go. The first week I got called to be a juror, but got dismissed because the case was invloving parents and their child. Since I was a parent, they dismissed me because they didn't want the fact that I am a parent to sway my decision in favor of the parents. Yesterday I didn't get picked and I was released. Yay! Two more weeks and two more possible times of getting picked to serve...ugh. Did I mention that I hate jury duty? :)

Whew...I think I covered most of it. :) So here are some pictures of Brayden's dedication and his new toy from his Nana and Papa!

Family picture before the dedication.

Waiting our turn to have Brayden dedicated.

Praying over Brayden with Pastor Mark Beeson and his wife, Sheila. Brayden did so well!

In his new swing from Nana and Papa. He LOVES it!!

Look at me, look at me!

Hmmm.....I think I need to go higher!