All I Want for Christmas......

is my two front teeth!! Well, that wish came half true for my little man. His upper right central incisor came through yesterday! One down, one more to go!

Father and Son Activities.................

Brighton loves his little animals that go into a "puzzle" board. Dewayne was playing with them and stacking them up and then Brighton came along and knocked his "tower" of animals down.

Merry Christmas~

Here is our tree with all the presents for our little family and for the rest of the family up here!!

Oh, BOY!! .......Off on a New Adventure

Almost to the top!

At the top!!

Yes, we have a new adventure in our house. It is called climbing the stairs. He's tried a few times, but usually didn't get above the second stair. Here I was, sitting on the couch, transferring things from Brighton's old "diaper bag" (a GAC bag that I got free at the orthodontic conference I went to a couple of years ago) to his nice new one, Dewayne walked by Brighton and I and went upstairs. The next thing I know, Brighton was on his way up the stairs, too and at the second step. No hesitation, just trucking up the stairs. He got all the way to the top without a slip or fall. He went so fast, too! You wouldn't have thought it was the first time he'd climbed the stairs all by himself. It was incredible!! :o) But from now on, if we are downstairs I will have to watch him like a hawk or put up gates.

Baby is learning new things......

.....and starting to talk.

On Saturday morning, he woke up and we could hear him chattering on the monitor. Just random chatter, then all of the sudden we hear, "Dada..............Dada." Ah, he knows Daddy usually comes and gets him up on the weekends. So, Daddy went and got him. :o)

Then on Monday morning, I was listening to him as he woke up, chattering again, quite happily for a while. Finally, I went down to get him. I walked into his room and asked him, "Are you ready to get up?" and he very clearly answered me, "Up." I was delighted and said to him, "You are ready to get up! You said 'up'!!" Then when I took him out of the crib I repeated "Up" again. :o) It's exciting and sad all at once.

I am trying to teach him a few hand signs, such as please, thank you, more, etc. So, he can tell me nicely that he wants more instead of just squawking or yelling when he wants something. He's getting so big now and he knows now when he wants something and "asks" for it by "squawking"!!

Well, my sweet little boy is needing my attention and we need to leave for work soon. I should grab a bite to eat and he needs a chill pill. He's a little fussy. I had to fight him all the way from changing his diaper to getting his clothes and shoes on this morning!!

What do babies do when Mommy is sick?

That was my question this morning. When I went to sleep last night, I felt a little off but didn't really think much of it. I pretty much just thought it was because I was tired. I fell asleep without brushing my teeth or taking my medicine, so I got up around 10:30 to do so. Then went back to sleep. The next time I woke up was at 1 to go give Brighton his binky so he could go back to sleep, which he did promptly. I went back to bed but couldn't get comfy....then it hit me at about 1:20......I told Dewayne I wasn't feeling that good and he went downstairs to get me Pepto-Bismal, but while he was down there I had to run down to use the bathroom. It was awful.....I hate throwing up. I was going to go back to bed but wasn't comfortable lying down, so I moved my "barf bucket", water bottle, blankets and laptop down to the recliner and sat in that for an hour and a half, then laid down on the couch and tried to sleep. Which I did sporadically. Brighton woke up to nurse at 4 (it hurt to hold him) and then went right back to sleep. I tried to sleep more but my whole body, my head and stomach hurt. I haven't been this sick in ages and I definitely haven't thrown up like this since I was in labor with Brighton.

My sweet husband is taking part of the morning off to take care of Brighton for me. Isn't he just the best??!! He already fed him breakfast and now he is changing his diaper and will most likely get him dressed!

Brighton is 'squawking' now......he has a new way of expressing himself and he can be quite loud, but it's not an upset sound, it's a happy sound. I love it. He has learned how to clap now and how to wave bye!

Our little Christmas elf!

Happy Thanksgiving ~

I hope everyone has a very blessed and wonderful day. However you spend it. With family & friends, eating good food, reflecting on all the blessings we have received and being thankful for the gifts God has given to us!!

Little Friends.....Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Landon sharing his "baby" goldfish with Brighton.

More sharing!

Happy Boys!

Landon is the grandson of one of Dewayne's friends, he'll be a year old the beginning of December. He's so cute and so much bigger than Brighton. He was so sweet, sharing his little fishies with Brighton. It was fun to watch them interact. They did start shoving each other a little after these pictures were taken!! :o)

Snowsuit & First Snow......Monday, November 9, 2009

Trying on his snowsuit for the first time. It's a little big and I think he was a little scared of it!

Sitting out in the snow for the first time. He didn't quite know what to think of it and didn't know if he could move in his big snowsuit!

Talking to the camera!

Halloween Pics.....

The handsome safari man found a cute little monkey in the jungle!

Even monkeys have to ride in carseats!! ;o)

Monkeying around!

The whole family!

Eating his first lollipop! A sour green apple dumdum. My favorite!

Sorry.....

no pics still!

Halloween

..............I was just planning to ignore it. I didn't think my husband would want to do anything. We discussed getting Brighton a costume.......just 'cause they are so cute. Then we were invited to a party at Grandma's house, put on by my sister-in-law. Her husband just moved up to Alaska and they have a little two year old girl, so it was a Welcome to Alaska/Halloween Party! So, then we had to get Brighton a costume. I found him a cute Monkey outfit at Target and when I got it home.......my husband.......who doesn't even like to dress up to go out on a date had a wonderful idea that he should be a safari guy to match Brighton!! As I was looking for the pieces to Dewayne's costume I kept an eye out for a costume for myself and ending up going as an angel! It was fun to see all the little kids in their costumes and their excitement over the candy and activities the hostess had planned!! Thanks, Krista!

I will post pics later, this site won't let me now!! AND I have a little boy over here, exercising his lungs and screaming quite loudly!!

7 months

My baby was 7 months old on October 23rd. I can't believe how fast the time is going.

The most common site that greets me...................

Sidling along the couch because I'm sitting at the other end!

Using his clothes hamper as a standing help.

Using the chair next to the island.

Mom, I don't really need a nap!

Looking out the door window!

using the chair by the island again!

Look at me, Mom!!

Thursday ~ Baking day

Yep, I baked on this Thursday. Cookies. I don't like to bake. At least that's what I've always said, thought, felt. I enjoyed making cookies.....two whole batches. One Chocolate Chip and one Oatmeal Scotchies. Yummm. The chocolate chip were too cakey and thick.....Dewayne likes them thinner and crisper and they were made just for him. He took them to share with the guys at work. The oatmeal scotchies were just the right thinness and crispiness. I shared with some friends. My sweet baby spent time crawling around the floor, sitting in his eating chair snacking on Cheerios and Puffs, and bouncing in his Jumperoo.........near the end of my cookie baking saga he was getting a little whiny, but I just talked to him a bit and after a while he got very quiet. He had fallen asleep in his Jumperoo. Aaahhhh. A quiet house, delicious smells wafting through the house and waiting for my honey to come home so I could surprise him with freshly baked cookies. And it was a big surprise, because his wife NEVER bakes!! :o) Well, I can't say never anymore.....I did bakes COOKIES!!

Trying new foods.....

is a great adventure for our little man. So far no allergies, thanks to God!! He has liked everything thing we have tried.......the baby foods - Rice and Oatmeal Cereals, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Peas, Green Beans, Squash, Applesauce, Peaches, Bananas, Prunes, Pears, Chicken w/ Gravy, Veal w/ Gravy (he has Turkey and Beef left to try) - real food, such as, the hamburger and whole wheat spaghetti without the sauce ground up and eaten while we were having spaghetti for supper, the homegrown carrots (from Grandma) cooked and ground up, (DELICIOUS), at Grandma's when we had Oven Fried Chicken, he had it too, ground up with mixed veggies and with mashed potatoes on the side!! He loves Cheerios and has warmed up to the Gerber Puffs.....the texture was a little strange to him at first! He loves to drink out of our water bottles or glasses of juice, water or cups of decaf coffee. He just thinks it is so neat. He has his own sippy cup already and is getting quite talented at using it. :o) He decided a while back that if he isn't nursing and he needs to drink something he doesn't want it to be from a bottle. Though his Daddy did get him to drink out of a bottle the other day when he watched him while I was at work.

Happiness and Joy................

shows on the face of my little darling as he crawls around, discovering things! A book....Ten Little Ladybugs, the one that Auntie Louise gave him when he was born. A basket of clothes....a wondrous thing, so many colors and textures to see and explore, uh oh, that basket isn't sturdy enough to use to stand up. Let's look over here, his boppy pillow....oh, so soft and comfy...I can just see him thinking, "I'll pause here for a second", then on to the next thing. Into the corner where his crib used to be, before we moved him downstairs. We have a comforter and a ring of pillows in there, because he was using the basket to stand up and it's a safer place to fall than most around here. There are toys in the corner, too. Maybe a book. He's so busy and delighted as he roams around. Sometimes chattering quietly to himself, sometimes just taking everything in. What a little sweetheart. :o)

Standing....

it's crazy. Every day he learns a new thing. Today, it is pulling himself up to standing by a laundry basket. He fell and conked his head twice, so I put pillows on the floor around it. He fell twice more and was just mad because he fell, not because he got hurt. I am not ready for him to be so big, and doing so much stuff. He has climbed me before and stood up that way, but this is different, more independent!! He likes to crawl to the bedroom door, that we have ajar so Kohl can get out if she needs to, and open it or close it. But it's dangerous, because the stairs are right there.

Crawling!

Yep, he finally started crawling. On October 15th, at Grandma's house, he got his hands and knees to work together for the first time. :o) Yea!! It's so cute, now he follows me around the house, slowly, yes, but following me nonetheless.

My baby is 6 months old..................

today! It almost makes me want to cry. He is growing so fast and learning so many new things.

TEETH!!

Here they are!

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Brighton says, "I'm glad my two bottom teeth are in and can't wait till the two top ones are in, too!"

Photo Shoot.....

I have a little ham, who already knows when I get out the camera that it's time for smiles, etc!

He also tries to grab the camera now....I think he thinks it'd make a good chew toy!!

FIRST TOOTH....

wow.....after 3 months of strenuous teething, his FIRST TOOTH finally popped through the gum on Labor Day, September 7, 2009! It is the lower right central incisor and it is VERY SHARP. So far he has only bitten my fingers.....but OUCH, that hurts. :o) Not looking forward to being bitten while nursing him. His second tooth showed up two days ago, Tuesday, September 15, 2009, the lower left central incisor. But because they are lower teeth, I am thinking if he does try to bite me while nursing, he will bite his tongue first. OUCH!! I tried to take pics but the little, sharp toofie wasn't up enough to show up well. Now that he has two maybe it will work better. When I finally get pics of his little teefers, I will post them!!!

Ready to crawl......

but he hasn't figured out how to move his hands yet. He has actually gotten up on his hands and feet........not just knees....I have a photo of he doing a nose dive from that position, but he didn't hit his face on the floor.

His first meal.........

1. He HAD to hold the spoon.

2. Daddy with his son. Aww, how sweet.

3. Just look at that messy, but oh, so adorable face.

His first meal.........

of baby cereal, that is.......Not the earth shattering moment it could have been. I fed him rice cereal while Daddy held him, then we took a couple of pics after the feeding to commemorate it. He now gets cereal usually rice but he has tried oatmeal and really enjoys eating them both. He says.....mmmmm and opens his mouth wide!! :o)