BIG BOY!!

Went to Brayden's Pedi today for vaccines and checkup. WE ARE UP TO 10 LBS!! WHOO HOO! AND...we have had some first over the last few days. Last Thursday he laughed for the first time. It's so cute and ever since I have been walking around trying to get it on film...of course I haven't yet! But hopeully soon!  On Monday he also played by himself on his floor gym for about 45 minutes before he got fussy!  AND....he is FINALLY swinging in his swing.  The first few times he cried and then he got to where he was ok being in it only if I was sitting beside him. So..we are making progress. The doctor also is so please with his weight gain that we are off the special formula! Dr. C said he was hoping that BD would be around 8.5 lbs and to see he is at 10 lbs.... he was pretty proud of him! 

Here are some new pictures....

Best Mom EVER......

Sometimes I have to wonder....did the nurses and doctor's really know what they were doing when they sent a helpless little baby home with me?  Seriously!!!!!

Last week I took the opportunity to take a cat nap while Brayden was down.  I was on the couch and he was in the bedroom.  I laid down and was almost asleep and thought "I should really put the dogs outside so if they bark, they will not wake us up."  What seemed like just seconds later ( 45 minutes), one of the dogs had barked a few times and woke me up. I raced to the back door half asleep to put them outside before they woke up BD. I opened the door and began calling them...but none of them came.  I heard the dog bark again and got upset becuase it sounded like the dogs were in the bedroom! HOW DID THEY GET IN THERE? They aren't even allowed in the bedroom. I raced to the bedroom and opened the door.....only to realize that it wasn't a dog barking at all!!! Brayden had waken up and was randomly jabbering in his crib!  The dogs were all napping themselves in the laundry room!

Again BD was napping in his bassinett just a few weeks after we brought him home. He hadn't really gotten into a schedule yet so I was still unsure as to how long he would go down for a nap.  I had just put him down and went to the kitchen to clean some bottles for the next feeding.  I turned on the sink water for it to get how and started to dissemble the bottle parts to wash.  Through the baby monitor I heard BD start to cry and immediately rushed in. ( This was before I started to read Baby Wise and realized that they usually will settle themselves back down.)  His pacifyer had fallen out so I tried to put that back in but that didn't work. I re- swaddled him, I checked his diaper, I bounced him, rocked him, and burped him.  About 25 minutes later he fell back asleep and I laid him down.  Upon returning to the kitchen I realized that I had left the water running becuase I thought I would be RIGHT BACK!  One of the bottles had fallen down into the drain and stopped the sink up. THANK YOU LORD...we have the inset sink with the overspill guard.  The water was only running over to the other side of the sink and had not flooding the counters! 

Lessons I have learned this month:

1) Never assume you will "Be right back."
2) Everytime BD cries it does NOT warrant putting a bottle in his mouth.
3) The better BD naps during the day, the better he sleeps at night.
4) Borrowed and gently used clothes are truly a finanical blessing.
5) Friends who send you gently used clothes are truly a financial blessing.
6) Don't jump up at the first whimper or cry.
7) Showers are a daily highlight.
8) Trips to Chick-Fil-A for a Large Sweet Tea followed by Wal-Mart are a weekly highlight
9)  Don't wait at the door with the baby when your husband comes home from work. He's had a long day too.
10) Some kids poop twice a day, and some poop every other day! IT'S OKAY!
11) Morning times are the sweetest times for cuddling and playing
12) Even a baby boy has some amazing trajectory.... from both ends.
12) We are thankful that we didn't buy that new couch.
13) Having a baby and a new puppy at the same time is not suggested.
14) AND....not matter how much baby baggage you have to get out of the car..always make sure you get your wallet and purse out! EVEN IF IT REQUIRES A SECOND TRIP!

See you  next month for BEST MOM EVER!!!

Life at Home....

This morning when I was changing Brayden's diaper, I was looking and looking and I really couldn't even find the scars from his hernia surgery back at the beginning of the month. I made me think how God has used this little life to heal so many scars in our own lives, not mention the healing he has begun in Brayden's. Praise to God Almighty for the power and life found in the name of Jesus.

January has flown by, as many of you have already told me that time will fly faster than ever. Brayden is up to 9 lbs now and settling into his new home and routine well. David went back to work on the 4th and we sure have missed having him at home! The first week and half was challenging, which is something that really caught me by surprise. I have been waiting to have a baby at home for 8 ½ long years and while my heart was so full of joy, change is something that takes me a while to welcome. For the past 10 + years I have been up in the morning and at the office working in the Multi-Family sector of Real Estate. By 10 am I have usually have at least 2 conference calls, 4 cups of coffee, 10 phone calls, and turned in multiple performance reports. I think the word that reflects the last 10 years would be..Productivity. How much can I get done in 1 day? Can I get done today more that I did yesterday? And while this motivation had served me well in the business realm, my focus and purpose has now shifted! Now, I am lucky if I can get a shower and brush my teeth before David gets home. The laundry and house work are not exactly getting done on a weekly basis and when I look around….well, it is hard for me not to feel like I am completely UNPRODUCTIVE!
I have gently been reminded that my “job description” has changed my daily goals and “to do” lists have been re-hauled. I must remember that my duties just got bumped up the totem pole of importance. I have this little life that solely depends on me. I am his food and security, love and shelter, comfort, warmth, teacher and protector. I have often heard acquaintances remark how difficult it was switching from the board room to the nursery. I believe that the enemy tries to deceive us by diverting our eyes to anything other than the path that the Lord has called us to. For if we do indeed follow the individual calling, according to His will, the path that the Almighty has called us to, His Kingdome will be glorified.

Enough preaching..I will leave that to David because he is so much more eloquent with words. I LOVE being at home with Brayden and I pray that we will financially be able keep me at home.  One of our frieds told me the sweetest poem the other day and I must share;

 Cobwebs be slient

and dust go to sleep.

Becuase I'm rocking my baby

and babies don't keep!

We have so many things to be thankful for that I pray that I don't let the enemy distract and overshadow the joy that the Lord has so graciously given to our family!
Psalm 107:6-9

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

And he saved them from their distress.

He led them by a straight way

To a city where they could settle.

Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

And his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty

And fills the hungry with good things.