Whoa Baby... look out!

Since I think it's been awhile since I've done an actual update on all of Brody's new activities, I figured I would catch everybody up... well, and I'm not feeling very creative and simply can't think of anything else to write about...

Brody is officially crawling. Well, has been for a few days now. He's also started using something besides mommy and daddy to pull himself up (you can interpret something else to mean everything and anything that stands more than an inch off the ground.) My mom swears she's going to buy him a helmet?

Did I mention he's also a very good basketball player? He's already VERY good at making baskets with his little basketball hoop. The kid is amazing I tell ya! =)

I think he's also going through a pretty big growth spurt and/or may finally sprout some teeth. He's definitely gaining some weight, I may have to start calling him thunder thighs if he doesn't start getting taller too! And he is INSANELY clingy and grumpy. It's quite tiring.

But all in all, he's doing great, and continues to be the best baby boy ever...it sounds cheesy, but there are so many times every day, whether he's playing, laughing, or sleeping where I wonder just what we did to get so lucky. (I don't so much think it when he's screaming his head off, but ya know...)

Tuesday Teachings (Wednesday Edition)

As my mother puts it... I'm slacking- so sorry Brody. But I think this one was worth the extra day, so here ya go...

Brody,

People who spout hate in the name of God, are not Christian. Beware of these people. Ann Coulter is their leader. The woman makes fun of a kid dying? Says that she wishes someone was killed by terrorists? THIS is not Christian. This isn't even human.

If there is one thing that I wish you to learn in your life, it is to live your life without judgement of others. All people are worthy of love- regardless of religion, sexuality, race, nationality, or political party. Even Ann Coulter... just please don't be like her, mmmkay?

Love,
Mommy

Silent Sundays *Video Edition

Silent Sundays

HOME!!!

We are home... safe and sound, and all in one piece. I still even have a few hairs on my head that I managed to not pull out while we were gone. Despite the happy pictures that you will see soon... (I am hoping to have them uploaded for tomorrow, but we'll have to see how that goes) Brody didn't smile the whole time... far from it. But I would prefer not to relive the week that was... it is much better behind us. So I'll give you a few of the good times, mmmkay?

Father's Day was fun. We drove up the coastal route and by some stroke of luck (or my power over the cosmos) we happened upon the restaurant that Matt most wanted to eat at. ) Truly, neither one of us knew where one was... and we had resigned ourselves to fast food if necessary because we were in the middle of nowhere (is that possible in Southern California?) and had a screaming child with us... good times.

Brody and I took a trolley tour and he had his first boat ride. l learned more about Santa Barbara than I know about Denver and Pittsburgh combined. We also spent a lot of time at the pool, and a LOT of time driving around Santa Barbara and Montecito.

Brody loved the pool- he did not love the car seat or the hotel room. He slept wonderful at night, but naps were a laugh. I can't tell you how close I came to buying ear plugs and losing myself in my book while he tired his lungs out.

Matt is on baby duty today... which I'm sure means that he will be a peach all day long and I will be forced to cry.

Tuesday Teachings

(posted from beautiful Santa Barbara... check back soon for updates on the fun Brody and I are having while daddy is stuck at work... ok, so daddy has had some good times too!)

Ok, so I'm kinda on my own personal journey lately- and have been thinking a lot about the lessons and things that I want to teach my son. Some of these will be short and simple (and most likely happen on weeks when I'm busy or lazy), some will probably be exposes of my interpretation of things happening in the world... A discussion if you will. I am going to attempt to keep things of the positive nature, but I have to admit, there may be a few... "Don't do this" kind of posts. Some will be serious, some will be funny... So here is today's... in honor of father's day being this week, this one was at Matt's request.

Brody,

Dinosaurs roamed the earth a long time ago. They became extinct, but we still find their bones buried underground. The earliest dinosaurs lived about 230 million years ago and became extinct about 65 million years ago. There are many myths about dinosaurs, including whether or not they ever existed- please don't believe them. Science is a wonderful thing that can teach us a lot, and can prove many things with absolute certainty- this is one of them.

Love,

Mommy (& Daddy)

Silent Sundays (Father's Day Edition)

Happy Father's Day to all the dads in Brody's life... especially Daddy...

How organized am I?

I have posts ready to post for while we're gone... so despite the fact that we will be living a life of luxury (or at least watching people who live a life of luxury) next week, you can still tune in and get outdated info while we're gone. =) New weekly segment starting Tuesday... something to perhaps keep things a little more interesting around here.

Or maybe not... I forgot that I can't set things up to post automatically on a date on here. One of the things I miss from type.pad. Grrr.... I will publish Sunday's before I go... Tuesday's I will wait until I get back for... SORRY!

OH! After weeks of working on it, Brody started clapping last night. I figured it was close yesterday morning when he let me clap his hands together and he actually straightened his fingers and they made noise... so last night while we were playing on the floor, he did it all by himself without any prompting. In fact, he still really won't do it when prompted, but just breaks out clapping occasionally. Too cute!

Have a great week!

Is there a weekly award?

Because it is now absolutely confirmed, that whenever we leave the room or are not watching- our son sits himself up... but he absolutely will. not. do. it. if we are watching. Stubborn little bleepity bleep bleep bleep....

Bad Mom of the Day Award Winner!

YEAH! Congrats to me!

So we have this daily routine... Brody and I get up in the morning, and since it's usually his least fussy time, and he is, for the most part, content to play on his own with little interaction, I let him. Mainly because it is when he typically will not get too frustrated by trying new things, and ends up learning a lot as a result. Plus, I need coffee and internets to start my day or I am a very fussy mommy.

So after a little fussiness when the lobster bit him (it's stuffed, but he was still convinced those pinchers were real!) I laid him back on the floor to let him crawl around. I SWEAR I put him down on his tummy... but the next thing I knew, I looked up from the internets and he's sitting up.

Now, I'm not convinced that I am not losing my mind and that sometime between laying him down and looking up at that moment, I hadn't assisted him in getting this way, but I SWEAR I don't remember. Leading me to believe that I might not be losing my mind is that yesterday morning, he was SOOOO close at doing it. I kinda thought it was an accident, but perhaps not.

So now I'm on Operation Spy. I am pretending that I'm not watching by typing this, but I have one eye on him just waiting to see what he might try next. I'm sure that typically, as soon as I look away he just gets up and starts running around, and now I am determined to catch him in the act!

Silent Sundays

Not talking

You know the saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"????

That's me....

Snuggle Thursdays

I love Thursdays. Matt hates Thursdays. You see, on Thursday, Matt has to get up and go to a meeting. So every Thursday I get up with the baby (yes, I know- I'm spoiled, because most of the time, Matt does it and I can sleep a little longer) But, every Thursday, I also get to bring him back to bed for some mommy snuggle time. This morning he woke up at 5:30, he had a bottle, screamed a little because he didn't want to go back to sleep yet, and finally gave in to the sagging eyelids. And Brody and Mommy slept and cuddled (he slept, I cuddled) until 8:45.

Even though I got 2 hours less sleep than I might have liked... I love Thursdays.

Is he 2 yet?

I have never "wished away" time in Brody's life before. I have been very grateful for every moment, whether he be laughing or crying. But seriously, the teething? Without the appearance of a tooth? It's maddening. Do you know how Brody and I have spent the afternoon? With him standing, while holding my fingers, with a mesh feeder full of ice stuck in his mouth. Sitting is simply unacceptable. Laying down will not be tolerated. Toys aren't worthy of a second look.

Right now? Right now he is screaming. Less than a foot from me because I DARED to set him down. Because I thought his full belly might have distracted him. Because I was insane apparently.

Is 3:00 too early to start drinking? I mean it's 5 on the east coast! =)

Mobile Milestones (aka Monday Madness)

Wow- once mobile starts, it grows... quickly. For a couple of weeks now, Brody has been doing an army type crawl. It gets him the limited amount of space that he wants to go, and when he gets too frustrated, he screams like a banshee and someone comes and rescues him. (Namely, mom... sometimes dad... and always MeMa or PapPap if they are around- because they don't believe in crying babies)

Two days ago, I scared the heck out of Brody, when I expressed (rather loudly) glee at him getting himself up on his hands and toes. (Picture a human bridge) But my glee made him fall, and he hasn't attempted again to push up off of his tummy... until this morning that is. When he did nothing else. Where he started rocking... on his knees... and looked like he was about to take off. Which scares me more than anything. The idea of having to baby proof... more than sticking covers on plugs, quite frankly is quite overwhelming to me. Would it be overreacting to just empty out the entire house- or at least everything that is less than 5 feet off the ground?

I mean seriously- the rocking chair can be rolled under while being used and his poor little arms could be crushed. The couch could be pulled up on and then fallen from. The portable plastic dresser that has taken residence in our living room can be pulled over. I won't even go into the computers and the CORDS that go with them. The list is endless... and yes... overwhelming.

Silent Sundays?

Everyone (ok, not everyone, but enough to make me seem like a follower if I start) does Wordless Wednesday's... basically- it's a picture day. I've wanted to start something to keep me posting pictures regularly, but like I said, I felt like a follower... so I'm going to do Silent Sundays. (After today, there will be no words, just pictures...) But a little explanation is required today... I can't remember if I posted this picture before or not- but because I'm a dork, I entered it in May's Cutest Babies photo contest for the local paper. Brody took 2nd (and was in 1st before a shall we say VERY BIG CHEATER entered her daughter and started doing nothing but voting for her daughter and against Brody... yeah... bitter I am... but it was my stupid fault for ever doing it in the first place, right? But yes, we know she cheated because Brody was in first and 20 minutes later, let's call her Taylor, and Brody had about 200 votes more than anyone around them and she had jumped insanely high, and he had gone down a whole lot lower)

ANYWAY... Brody took 2nd even with the crusade to lower his average, and it makes me slightly giddy. =) Maybe in a few months we'll enter him again and there won't be another "Taylor" (or her mother) to cheat.

Mom's Day Off!

Today is my day off. From 7:30 this morning, until whenever I wander home this evening, it is a day free of child. I've even boycotted the dirty kitchen and the piles of laundry that are screaming to be done. You see, a day off is very very rare around here. Even weekends, when Matt's attention is forced to be at his computer, the child is still here, and we are usually trying to get things accomplished. Even as lucky as I am that as a stay at home mom, I also have a stay at home dad around, I have been very worn down lately. Feeling very much like if I took a break, the house just might fall apart. So today is a blessing.

Matt and I enjoyed a nice lunch (interpreted to mean- we both got to eat our food... while it was warm... without feeding or entertaining anyone else!) I even got to stop at Target for a brown purse that I've been in need of for awhile. All in all- a lovely hour!

I think now, I am going to take advantage of the time to catch up on some sleep... suffice it to say that things, while not horrible, are not roses when it comes to Brody's nighttime slumbers. So a nap is most definitely in order!

Tonight- it's Moms' Night Out with two of my favorite moms! =) Dinner at a grown up restaurant, perhaps a little browsing at a bookstore, girl talk... I'm a little more excited about this than is probably PC.