Out of the Everywhere...Into the Here

Baylie Jae at One Year Old

2012-02-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

pokes people just for fun

eats and eats and eats

cries relentlessly for my cell phone

pets everyone down the middle of the face

pet her own face after smacking it (pretty hard!)

loves her brother

fears to let go and walk independently

makes a dirty diaper EVERY TIME she goes to sleep

still waks for one bottle through the night

naps less and less each day

calls Brayden "Bubba" :-]

melts our hearts every day

WE LOVE YOU, LITTLE GIRL!

Birthday Bliss

2012-01-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

Brayden is five,

and Baylie will be one.

We celebrated Saturday

with some birthday fun!

2011-12-13T06:31:00.000-08:00

Wishing your family a blessed Christmas

Our Great Blessings

2011-12-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

These three darlings have enriched our lives beyond explanation. Isabella came to her family in 2006 and Drew and Brayden followed in 2007. Every year, we meet up at the kids' birthday parties, and I never tire of reflecting on their stories.

Thank you, God, for these great blessing.

2011-11-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Baylie Jae

2011-11-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

She is a gorgeous, happy, happy, happy baby. Even when she is tired or sick, she seems content to commando crawl around the living room, trying desperately to snag her brother's little cars. He has made a game of letting her get oh-so-close before he snatches them away, warning "Sissy, you will get choked on the tires. No, no!"

She waves bye bye and claps along with music.

She has never met a stranger.

It's hard to believe she is ten months old and we're starting to plan her birthday party!

Woody and Jessie's Wild West Adventure

2011-11-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

After stories and prayers, Brayden snuggled in for sleep. Just before closing his eyes, he said, "Mom, this was the best Halloween ever because my sister is here."

They have a special relationship. He has never stopped feeling excited about her, and she laughs for him every time.

You know what, Brayden? This was the best Halloween for me, too.

We had a fantastic time pulling the kids around our road even though the weather was quite nippy.

Baylie loved watching all of the trick-or-treaters, and at the end of the night when they sat in the pile of candy they had gathered, she ate her first sucker :-]

2011-10-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

We visited Tennessee last week for a fall trip since we didn't take a summer vacation. The kids enjoyed the indoor waterpark at The Wilderness (at least, Brayden did once he got over his intense fear of all things water :-]). Baylie quietly took in all of the activity--it seems her favorite activity is people watching.

Nine months old. While she is not yet walking independently, she REALLY wants to take off! She holds to fingers or walks by rolling a big ball. And she now has five teeth--all awkwardly positioned and adorable.

Brayden is almost five. He will remember this part of his life, and I pray he will carry fond memories of his childhood.

Tennessee 2011

2011-10-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

Up Close

2011-08-25T03:15:00.000-07:00

In just two weeks' time, Baylie has

*said her first words: Mama, Bub, and Da Da Da

*grown her two bottom teeth (first one appeared August 8th)

*stood up independently

(Ignore the Sweet Potato Apricot on her cheeks!)

What a girl!

2011-08-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

The kids are adjusting to life after summer vacation, but maybe I'm not. It's difficult to see them only a few hours a day, and what's worse is lacking adequate energy to focus on them.

Finally--a tooth! After an entire summer break of waiting for Baylie's swollen gums to produce a tooth, the day I went back to work, it popped through. And we suspect the mate will soon follow.

Pictures to come of the first jagged little tooth!

Brayden begins K4 on Monday. We have open house this evening to meet the faculty and students. It's bittersweet...

July 2011

2011-07-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Summer Fun

2011-06-25T19:46:00.002-07:00

I have loved being home with Brayden and Baylie this summer! I hate to think how quickly August will come.

Baylie enjoyed her first swim in the baby pool. She liked watching Brayden slide and didn't even mind a few drops on her face. She looked darling in her yellow swimsuit with matching sunflower hairbow. I suspect this will be her only time wearing the 6-9 month outfit since it fit so snugly already.

BAYLIE

2011-06-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

sleeps well at night.

smiles every morning and after every nap.

likes to snack on her bottle.

laughs hardest for Brayden.

resists sleeping places other than the car or her bed.

has ridges on her gums.

sticks out her pointy tongue.

loves to hold her dollie.

makes lovely gurgling sounds.

reacts with new excitement every time she sees her reflection.

rubs her feet until her shoes come off.

grabs her bottle to start eating but won't hold it afterward.

feels just like one of us.

We love you, sweet Baylie Jae. Happy 5 month birthday!

BRAYDEN

2011-06-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

Fears the guard monkey from Toy Story.

Chews gum whenever he can get it.

Does not eat as much as he used to.

Kisses his sister "98 times" every day.

Still cries *hard* when he gets hurt.

Avoids naps.

Needs constant reassurance.

Wrestles with his daddy.

Works puzzles quickly.

Makes charts like his K3 teacher did.

Feels more confident in his abilities.

Writes as well as I did in kindergarten.

Says "please" and "thank you" and grace without fail.

Holds our hearts more firmly every day.

Easter Blessing

2011-04-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

Even though Baylie Jae did not realize the importance of Easter (or the fun of egg hunting and eating too much candy!), we enjoyed having this new little person in our lives. She is getting so big, too, filling out some 6-9 month outfits. I bought several Christmas outfits on clearance, but I am concerned that she will not be able to wear 12 month come December. At this rate, she'll be in 2t before winter!

We took off work Thursday morning to hear Brayden and his K3 classmates recite scripture and sing Easter hymns; somewhat surprisingly, he froze on stage. We are uncertain whether sleepiness or stage fright is more to blame.

Brayden and Granny celebrated their second annual bunny cake decorating. Yes, to Brayden this is an event, a highly anticipated cake fest, complete with face smashing (since Granny said that's what cousin Davey did when they made theirs the week before). Oh, the sugar rush!

2011-04-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Precious Kiss

2011-04-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

Brayden gives Baylie a hundred kisses a day (and maybe more!). He can't walk past her without giving her attention--a hug, kiss, song, story, or advice about life :-] Today, he asked her: "Baylie, promise me that when I am at school you will not play with my toys." I cautioned him that she will be allowed to play with his toys just as he will have permission with hers. "But Mom, she'll lick them!" He has always been quite sensitive to this issue--even as a toddler, he avoided the dreaded finger of spit. Why do we mothers think spit is an acceptable cleaning solution?

Spring Pictures

2011-04-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

Don't let the shy look fool you... Baylie is a real beauty. Look at those rolls! We all have them, but they're just not this cute!

2011-03-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

Sibling Love

2011-03-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Brayden brought home a few balloons from his preschool Valentine's party, and he has kept himself quite occupied playing with them; however, he is not the only person to find the red heart entertaining. Any time Baylie gets a glimpse of the last surviving balloon, she laughs.

She seems fully recovered from her bought with RSV and pneumonia. Thankfully, her appetite has returned, and her congestion has left.

Home

2011-03-07T19:14:00.000-08:00

Baylie was released from the hospital yesterday after she successfully weaned from the oxygen. It's strange that she still needed so little to keep her numbers up. One respiratory therapist said the air we breathe has 21% oxygen, and she was requiring something like 21.2% to stay above 90.

She sounds much clearer, is noticeably happier, keeps her formula down, and produces healthy diapers :-]

We are grateful she is well, but we continue to pray for those whose babies are not home yet.

Blessings.

Pray for Baylie Jae

2011-03-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

Baylie has RSV and pneumonia. Fortunately, fluids and oxygen have helped her feel better, and the switch to soy has kept her from vomiting any more.

Pray the doctors will make the right treatment calls and that she will be home and well soon.

All Strong Father-Son Relationships Begin With...

2011-02-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

understanding? nope

mutual respect? not exactly

a sense of interconnectedness? nah

SPORTS!

Brayden was excited to go golfing with his Daddy and Papaw Saturday. He wore his argyle sweater vest and brown suede shoes (because they reminded him of Daddy's golfing shoes). He proudly pulled his plastic golf bag to the truck and waved bye to Mom.

While he did hit the ball--and believes he beat his two golfing pals--I hear that writing his name in the sand traps with his club end was his favorite activity of the day.

But he wants to go again, so maybe that means he will enjoy this life long sport with the two generations before him

In One Month

2011-02-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

Baylie is such a good baby! She smiles when we play with her (or when Brayden walks into the room), she eats well (too well, but more on that in a minute), and she still sleeps about 22 hours each day. At night goes for about five hours between each bottle, which makes the parent on duty quite happy.

Her hair has taken on a life of its own. It is probably 3/4 inch longer than it was when she was born, and it has quite a lift. I tried gel, but it doesn't seem to make it look better, so I guess we will just wait it out. I imagine that by her first birthday she will have a shoulder length style.

About her eating: She is taking about 3.5 ounces every three hours or so, but at some point EVERY DAY, she eats and then demands another bottle within a half hour or so. I thought at first that she was just bored and using food to comfort herself (sound familiar to anyone out there? :-] ) but she is actually starving. All this food is helping to fill her cheeks and little legs out nicely.

Happy one month birthday, Baylie!

2011-02-12T18:39:00.000-08:00

Sleeping beauty...

(Don't miss the toes!)

Caterpillar, Caterpillar, Where Did You Go?

2011-02-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

The miraculous transformation of the limited caterpillar into the majestic, fluttery butterfly is a good analogy to use with our Baylie Jae. All parents experience this, I am sure, but we are in awe at the changes she has undergone these three weeks.

She has settled so well into our home with her easy personality and bubbly giggles. And when do babies grow? Certainly when we are not looking because her newborn clothes MIGHT make it through this week. A few are already in the donation pile.

She has been congested for a few days, so I called the pediatrician and asked if we could move her well baby visit to today (which actually makes it a sick baby visit). Thank the Lord she tested negative for RSV and the flu. She is now 8.9 lbs and 20.5 inches long.

I can't say the same for her daddy who has a high fever, chills, body aches, congestion, runny nose, coughing, sneezing and fatigue. :-]

Beautiful Girl

2011-02-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

Really Home!

2011-01-28T17:33:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Baylie Jae is two weeks old!

Her eyes are so big and dark, and, at least for now, her hair shows no signs of falling out...

She still sleeps a lot, but when she is awake, it's for two or three hours at a time.

(and sometimes starting at 1:00 a.m.)

Her umbilical cord came off, so tonight she had her first real bath. She really liked being submerged in warm water. The only time she cried was afterward when I had to put clothes on her.

We love this little gal so much!

Happy Birthday!

2011-01-20T20:32:00.001-08:00

She grunts and furrows as she sleeps.

Her hair is thick enough to part!
(Don't panic. We won't style it that way...)

Our first attempt at "the big bow."

He loves his sister. Today, he and Mamaw were cooing over her,
and since she did not reply, he said, "I think she is ignoring us, Mamaw.
Oh, I forgot. She can't talk."

Sweet Baylie Jae is one week old. In that span, she has already learned to drink from a bottle, fill a diaper, shout for attention and melt our hearts.

We are yearning for home. As welcoming as San Antonio has been, we can't wait to introduce Baylie to the rest of her family. Soon.

As with all other aspects of this wait, our time will come.

Back home! (to the Drury in San Antonio, that is)

2011-01-18T18:47:00.000-08:00

The snuggle nest was a life saver.
It gave her a comfy place to nap in the day, and it fit well inside the crib at night.

Back to pink.

When Brayden was complimenting her today, he said,
"Baylie, you have pretty black hair and a strawberry in your shirt!"

If you talk about how pretty Baylie is, she responds with a grin.
And we think she even has dimples even though this picture
doesn't show them.

On this particular evening, Baylie liked her bath and lotion massage. She was quite content in this position for about fifteen minutes. In the hospital, however, she squalled like they were killing her.

She makes the cutest cooing sounds as she eats.

2011-01-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

Daddy is in love with his daughter.

Baylie n Brayden

(Yes, that is a hat and not a pair of pants!)

I needed a break from pink--already.

A Bittersweet Day

2011-01-15T14:17:00.000-08:00

The official transfer from the social worker, Kathy, to Jason and me.

I never thought I would champion the use of a pacifier. Notions do change with children!

Pink, pink, pink

This was not a staged moment. He loves to snuggle with her and make soothing sounds.

Today was a crucial day in Baylie Jae's adoption. Her sweet birth mother (who will on this blog be referred to adoringly as "J") legally transferred her care to us, and to my surprise, I faced conflicting emotions. There are so many people who love Baylie, and I guess that through this year of waiting for a match I lost sight of anyone else's feelings other than my own.

The grace with which J handled herself and her focus on our joy rather than her own pain touched me in ways I can't even understand. After the paperwork, we spent some more memorable moments together, and while we will see each other again before we leave this state and while we will keep in frequent contact, I watched the nurse wheel J from her room and down the hall. She had her dear husband standing immovably by her side as well as her sister-in-law who demonstrated such maturity through this difficult situation, yet my heart broke for her. I found myself even having to remember that there was a beautiful little one waiting for me. I could not allow the grief to overshadow the elation of my daughter. Wow--MY DAUGHTER.

Thank you, J.

****

Baylie is a model baby (all mothers out there are snickering and rolling their eyes), but really, she is! She sleeps about four hours between her bottles, and she quietly tolerates the jostling from our clumsy hands and her brother's well intentioned love. Brayden really loves her. The morning she was born, he announced, "I love Baylie more than my train table." That's a lot.

We will adjust to hotel life for a while and hope to be home soon.

What a time that will be!

2011-01-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

What a blessing she has been! Her sweet little demeanor has made it easy to fall in love with her, and she seems so content.

Her hair is full and dark, hanging even on her neck. When we leave the hospital, we will be able to dress her in cute clothes with adorable bows.

Announcing...

2011-01-13T13:25:00.000-08:00

the arrival of Baylie Jae!

That's right--

she entered the world January 13, 2011 at 7:46 a.m.

weighing 7.6 lbs and measuring 18.5 inches.

More pictures--and less sleep--certainly to follow!

Snow Stories

2010-12-16T21:22:00.000-08:00

Our area has been blessed [others would say cursed] with an abundance of snow and even freezing rain that made our driveway slick and perfect for sledding.

Brayden fits so well with our family, and his love of snow is further proof of that. Some are shocked to know that nothing excites me more than the possibility of a snowstorm.

Today, Brayden and I spent two hours zooming down the hills, exploring the white wonderland, hiding, losing and calling an emergency rescue for his Thomas the Train engine.

He even offered a repeat performance of his sledding-while-singing "On the first day of Christmas...".

These pictures are actually of a much smaller snowfall that came earlier in the week. I have to get the other pictures off of my camera.

Happy Snow Days!

2010-10-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

Trick-or Treating...Thomas Style!

10 or more hours creating a mobile Thomas +

one conductor costume +

too much candy =

A VERY HAPPY BRAYDEN!

Three years ago...

2010-10-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

My mom and I were struggling to comfort a very confused/scared/angry nine-month-old.

Yesterday, I was talking to Brayden about the pick-up trip, and when he found out that he did not like me in the beginning, he inquired, "Why didn't I like YOU, Mom?"

I hope he always feels that way :-]

Bad Blogger! Bad, Bad!

2010-09-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

and like a defiant pup who waltzes away unfazed by the reprimand, I will not apologize for the lack of posting.

Because school is back in session, and I HATE early mornings.

Because the weather is so nice to us (Who doesn't love fall weather in the summertime!).

Because Brayden and I have suffered from the plague of congestion for far too long.

Because there is no baby news to report yet.

Instead of "I'm sorry," here are a few pictures for anyone out there who still happens to check in on our lives:

2010-06-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

Summer has been kind to us--sleeping late, lazing in the pool, visiting with family, enjoying a stress free existence. Jason actually commented today that he really liked me in the summer because I was so carefree...oh to feel that way all year!

Brayden is so fun. I love this gum chewing, noise sensitive, Diesel 10 loving boy.

For remembrance's sake:

garage = begrage

potato = betato

orange = ornage

We also had an interesting conversation about the word "defeat." Brayden is obsessed with having us "smell his stinky feet," so the other day when we were racing and I made a big deal about wilting in defeat, he stopped dead and said, "What? My feet?" I laughed and stressed, "No, DEfeat." He found this word so hilarious and still brings it up for a laugh.

What We've Been Doing

2010-04-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

Praying every night at Brayden's prompting for his baby brother or sister (and wondering which it will be!)

Winding up the 2009-2010 school year

Visiting (and hating) an indoor waterpark--which, ironically, was supposed to be a reward trip for doing so well at Cincinnati Children's

Role playing both Disney princesses and sharks

Staying calm as we discourage Brayden's newly developed back talk

Learning how to burn mini DVs to DVDs

OPERATION FAMILY EXPANSION

2010-02-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

Well, it's time to make the news official:

We have started the domestic adoption process!

Now, I know those of you who are used to the traditional method of acquiring a baby might not understand the full meaning of this phrase, so let me equate it to getting a positive on the home pregnancy test.

Brayden says, " I want Jesus to bring me a baby sister. Her name is Faith, and she can play with my frain table (yes, with an "f" sound) and she can sleep in my bed." So we have been praying that Jesus would let us know when the time was right, and we pray for the newest addition every night.

I'm bubbling with excitement!

APRIL 4TH UPDATE: Oh, there is not one. We are still waiting for paperwork that is out of our control...

2010-01-19T19:56:00.001-08:00

Three-year-old Brayden carries a hospital green doctors bag in his hand (full of Mickey Mouse figurines, mind you), so I say, "Are you doctor Brayden? Maybe you will choose to be a doctor when you grow up."

With a contemplative expression on his face, he replies, "No, I don't think so."

"Well, what would you like to be?"

"Um...a person."

Good answer!

Brayden stopped taking naps about seven months ago. He gets up at 8:30 and goes to bed around 8:00 in the evening. He never asks to go to bed, but at 5:00, he began asking when it was going to be night time. I could visibly see that he was getting sleepy, but there was NO WAY I was going to let him go to sleep that early!

So, we head to our local Mexican restaurant, his favorite. He all but falls asleep in the car; he was as much asleep as a person can be with their eyes still open (at least we thought so at the time. read on).

So we get him out of the car and into the restaurant high chair. The waiter immediately sets before us our chips and salsa, and then he brings Brayden's customary bowl of queso. For the next ten minutes or so, a very quiet and spacey little boy dips his chips and crams his mouth full.

Then, with a start, his posture perks, his expression changes, and his eyes dart side to side. He says in his confusion, " I didn't know I was here."

It was the funniest sight, and I was glad to have witnesses because this sounds unbelievable!

2010-01-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

2010-01-01T19:08:00.000-08:00

It’s official: My teetering one-year-old who became my toddling two-year old is now a terrific three-year old! And, of course, he already realizes the advantages. He is developing a very healthy streak of independence, and he clearly distinguishes himself from “babies” (because he’s three, and he can walk and talk. He asks all the time if babies can talk or if they can run; he wants to make certain that he is operating at the big boy level) .

Disclaimer: the above only applies in situations that benefit him. If he wants to hoard all of his toys in a bag and carry it around the room instead of sharing with Isaac, Davey or Chloe, he sees no problem with that!

This year’s party was such fun. We rented a local business that offers lots of indoor play—slides, trampolines, jumpers, obstacle course, etc. The kids felt free to run, and the parents felt free to let them! Long ago, Brayden chose Thomas for his birthday party theme, but as the day approached, he modified it to be a “Thomas birthday and a Dora birthday. “ I did not cave in and oblige, but he received enough Dora paraphernalia that he did not mind.

His favorite gift?
The cheapest one, of course--Backpack with an attached map.
He had been using any available bag as Backpack, but now he has the real thing!

Pictures soon to follow…

2009-12-25T21:46:00.000-08:00

“Big present” from Mom and Dad Sunday morning.
Aunt Kelly’s house for early opening the next morning.
Cousin Minnie’s house at 3:30 Thursday for afternoon presents.
Mamaw and Papaw’s house at 6:00 Thursday for evening opening.
Granny and Pappy’s house late Thursday night for another round.
Visit from Aunt Teresa and Cousin Davey some time next week for even more gifts.

And this boy has a birthday in just seven days!

Despite the excited, chaotic busyness of the past few days, Brayden has been exceptionally good. He has had zero meltdowns and very few instances of corrections; only once did he have to go to time out, and I had to remind him a few times about sharing. He was so sweet opening his gifts, and he really appreciated others’ thoughtfulness. At times, he would say “Tanks!” and give hugs without prompting. He would look at an unopened gift and ask, “Is this a peasant for me?”

I, too, enjoyed this holiday—buying gifts early ad not stressing about the details…

What a blessed life I have!

2009-12-25T21:45:00.001-08:00

A Winter's Day in Pictures

2009-12-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

Some Christmas Portraits 2009

2009-12-13T20:59:00.000-08:00

We hope

he knows

just how much

he means to us.

A GREAT Day Out!

2009-12-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

Brayden and I had a memorable day today. I have to say that this was the first time I was out with him by myself and I didn't feel like he was a baby any more. We went to his first in-theater movie (The Princess and the Frog--I highly recommend it!) with great success. The whole way forty-five minute drive to the mall, he kept asking me if he could have popcorn. I don't know where he heard that, but he knew it was a staple for movie-goers. The sad part, when he actually got it, it only took him two bites to determine that he did not like popcorn...

After that, he ran, jumped, crawled, tunneled, fought and sang at the play land. He is usually pretty passive, but he felt that the strawberry was worth contention. He wanted to climb up the slide, and a few times, he actually made it part way up before a kid would come down. Boy, did that send him running!

Finally, we stood in line to see Santa. There were several children ahead of us, and Brayden said, "I want to see Santa NOW!" He had just watched an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse this morning where Mickey counseled Donald to be patient. I used that to my advantage--he deemed me Mickey and he asked me several times to tell him again to "be patient." He was not the least bit afraid of Santa. He walked to him all alone and smiled genuinely; however, Santa was NOT a very good one. I don't recall him ever saying "Ho Ho Ho" or even asking Brayden what he wanted for Christmas. When the picture was over, I walked to them and told Brayden to tell Santa what he wanted. Guess his answer--not a train/Thomas/cars/coloring books--Dora. Now, just how do you fulfill a little boy's request for Dora when all of her toys are pink? That wouldn't go over very well with the fam. When the Santa experience was over, he said, "I was patient!"

When we got back in the car, he spoke no words, yawned twice and was out. Unfortunately, I expect he will be up earlier than usual in the morning.

**The underwear on the OUTSIDE of his pajamas? Totally HIS idea.

2009-11-18T23:32:00.000-08:00

So I Don't Forget...

2009-11-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

1. Brayden declares, "It's just me and us" when he sees that he and I are alone somewhere. I always reply, "Yep, just you and me, babe." He thinks that's the funniest thing!

2. In his Sunday School class, they were discussing fears--and how we can place our fears in God's hands. The teacher asked what each student feared (one little girl said pumas!), and when it was Brayden's turn, he said, "I'm afraid of Daddy. He's Diesel 10!"

3. Brayden has, unfortunately, taken to the role of bully. He has learned the chain already--his older cousin Isaac likes to overpower him, and during the visit with Davey this past week, Brayden assumed the role of bully. Brayden wanted to poke him, smoosh his cheeks together, bump into him, etc. I don't want to overreact to that behavior, but I certainly want him to be good to others, especially the smaller ones!

4. There is a new lady in our church, and Brayden is totally smitten with her. He is googly-eyed and makes all sorts of silly faces when he sees her (A glimpse of things to come?). Before church today, he found me and said, "Mommy! Come here! And he grabbed my hand. He brought me to within three feet of her and then pointed. She was at our house Friday, and when she came in, he grabbed his binoculars and watched her most of the evening. Once, he even ran into her because he couldn't judge depth very well...

5. Halloween was so much fun this year. He knew exactly what was going on and what to do. I had taked to him about his character for several days before trick-or-treat, encouraging him to play the part of Elvis. My most convincing point was that women loved Elvis, so they would give Brayden lots of candy for singing "All Shook Up" or for saying, "Thank you, Thank you very much." So when I had pictures at church of him in his Elvis costume, he grabbed them and said, "I'll be back. I'm going to show the WOMENS!

2009-10-31T21:55:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Our Second "Gotcha Day"

2009-10-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

We had a fun day planned for October 19th, 2009, the second anniversary of Brayden's homecoming, but since the swine flu hit and no one really felt like partying, we spent a quiet day here. I had bought Brayden some Thomas gifts--a new book, a match game, Hiro--and he liked getting presents and having his own special day. I don't think I even took a picture that day. I'll blame it on delirium!

Nevertheless, I am still overwhelmed by the miracle of family. He was ours, in our hearts, from the moment we said yes to adoption, but there is nothing like having him here with us to make it perfect. Even when Brayden made a total mess in his car seat from a small ice cream cone, I reminded myself how fortunate we are to have a messy face and fingers to clean up...

2009-10-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

I wish I could title this expression for you, but I think it could best be described as his standard silly face. He uses it at any given moment--in response to something said or done, or just because. He really likes to make this face for the camera and then say, "Let me see!"

Thomas. That's what makes him smile. A plastic (over priced) train.

We are both over the swine flu. For Brayden, one of the major effects of the virus was overwhelming exhaustion. He would often crawl on the couch and say he was sleepy; before, he went to sleep with his eyes open in hopes that bedtime wouldn't really have to happen!

Painful Mathematics

2009-10-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

1 sick mom
1 sick boy
1 very devoted dad
3 days apart
H1N1

Yep, that's right--we have been pretty ill this week. I have swine flu, so while I am recovering, Jason and Brayden stay at his mom and dad's house to avoid it. But Brayden gets sick anyway. The kind doctor did not want to subject him to the sinus cavity swab (I actually yelped like a puppy when its paw or tail are stepped on), so she is treating him for what appears to be H1N1, as well. I have been without significant fever for 24 hours, so it looks like my family might come home this evening. I have missed them so much!

And good news: I finally found my camera. It had been missing for several weeks, but after picking up in the study the other day, I found it beneath some other items, so I hope to get some new pictures of Brayden posted.

Here's to better days ahead!

2009-10-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

October 4, 2007, my mom and I flew to Guatemala and were shocked when Brayden showed up two hours early, six pounds heavier, many inches taller, much more active and into everything! All of the waiting culminated in a moment--one when I was really his mommy and he was really my son. I won't say I doubted that Brayden would become ours; it just felt so surreal to show pictures of him, calling him "my baby." I sometimes felt like a little girl playing Mommy.

October 4, 2009 has been a normal day in our lives. We went to church and spent time with family. We played with trains and watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. We put him to bed, and only now do I have time to remember. I held up his newborn outfit. I looked back at pictures of our little one (whose hair had never been touched by scissors, whose face dripped with sweat, whose fingers helped new teeth come through).

We love you, Brayden, and we are looking forward to October 19th,
our second celebration of your arrival home.

Beautiful--and ingenious!

2009-09-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

One of the many ways Katie Davis is working for change in Uganda is through micro enterprise. She went to a few women in the displaced and subjugated Karamajong tribe and taught them how to make beautiful necklaces out of recycled magazines. She asked that each woman teach one more, with the direction to keep the process going. Take a look at September 24, 2009 entry on this site for the outcome:

http://joiningthejourney.blogspot.com/

My necklace arrived on Thursday, and already, I had to give it away and order myself another. I shared the story with one of my classes, and they, too, find this to be an ingenious plan. I began by just letting them look at it. Some asked about its origin or the materials used (some of their guesses were India/Central America, shells/wooden beads/clay); they were stunned to know that it was made from something that was ready for the trash.

This is truly a "Teach a man (er, woman) to fish" situation.

**Note that not only do the Karamajong women receive payment for their necklaces; even more of the proceeds are donated to Katie to feed the Karamajong tribe.

Now that we know...

2009-09-18T22:47:00.000-07:00

God knows that I know. He holds me responsible.

Read on and you will be, too.

One twenty year old. 147 million orphans. Overwhelming odds, huh?

Well, I spent the majority of today reading Katie Davis' blog (http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/), weeping for the forgotten and for my own failures. The need is so great, and while one person can't fix every situation, Katie has made a VERY big dent in the plight of orphans in Uganda.

I hope you will visit her site by clicking on the AMAZIMA button on the right. If you don't have time to read, make time.

I cannot forget their faces, their tears, their smiles. And I haven't even been there. But the same spirit that lives in me is at work in Katie's ministry.

Thomas, Thomas, Thomas!

2009-09-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

If I hear this name once in a day, I hear it a million times--and of course, there is James, Henny (Henry), Eminy (Emily), Dunun (Duncan), and Dunun (yes, same pronunciation, but he means Gordon) that he frequently reminds us that he does not have. He talks to them, role plays various storylines from the books and shows, and even has a makeshift Tidmouth Sheds where they sleep at night. His absolute favorite character at the moment is Diesel 10, whose evil plotting to rid the Island of Sodor of steam engines fails as he falls from a bridge into a pile of sludge. I happened to find Diesel on Ebay after searching every toy store in our area, and you should have seen the I-can't-believe-my-eyes expression on dear Brayden's face when I revealed this devious diesel.

Guess where Diesel 10 is right now. He can't be near the Shed with the steam engines, so he pines away his evenings in the surround sound subwoofer--Just close enough to be a threat to Thomas and friends :-]

I can't wait to give him his train table we bought for Christmas; I would almost break down and give it to him now if Jason would agree!

Independence Day!

2009-08-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

Well, not actually a day, but definitely a trend! Brayden has begun to assert his own independence. I knew the day would come...and I have wanted him to feel more comfortable away from us. I have even prayed that he would feel more at ease. I think the time is arriving.

A few weeks ago at church, we did not take anything for him--no books, no Cheerios, no juice, no trains. Every time he asked for one, we would reply, "No, we don't have those, but they do in the nursery." That seemed to appease him, but we could see the wheels turning. It only took a few minutes before he said that HE wanted to go to the nursery, too.

You have to understand: He NEVER wanted to go before. We did not push the issue because he felt so adamant about staying with us.

Imagine our surprise when he went to nursery and STAYED! Every time the door out of the sanctuary opened, we whipped our heads around to see if it was him.

When we returned home, ecstatic to have enjoyed an entire message in peace, he looked at me and smiled when he announced, "I want to go to Sunday School by myself and Mommy stay in church." I tried not to overreact, but it is so uncharacteristic of him.

So Sunday came, and his enthusiasm was still there. I held my breath as he walked to his classroom all my himself...the first of many times to come.

Could It Really Be Over?

2009-08-19T22:11:00.001-07:00

How can summer vacation be over ALREADY? Come Friday, non-stop-playtime with Brayden ceases and it's back to the hectic pace of the school year.

I took him to the lake today for what I had hoped would be a good photo op, but the entire experience was over in about three minutes. He wanted no part of the lake today (especially the picture part), proclaiming that it was "too hot." He caused such a commotion that I decided he had to have a nap when we got home. Instead, he fell asleep within mere minutes of getting back into the air conditiioned car...

In his defense, he has been sick for quite some time. I finally took him to the doctor today, and as if on cue, he declared that he needed "to poo poo," so they got the stool sample they were hoping for. It was exactly what they needed to see, just so they understood the intensity of his issue.

Stayin' Busy...

2009-07-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

I feel summer ending all too quickly, and with it, I realize that Brayden will never again be two years old. While I look forward to the years to come, I want to have as many memories of my baby as he experiences new things. I am trying to pack a lot into summer because it is so hard to do extra activities when the school year starts (soon!).

Recently, we visited our local amusement park (which he probably won't find enjoyable when he is very much older :-]). He rode all of the kiddie rides, and even a few of the larger ones. He even rode his first roller coaster! When the ride ended, I asked hesitantly, "So, what did you think?" I expected him to give his standard I-don't-like-that answer of "That's icky," but instead he asked for more...

We met Isaac and Chloe, and while she wanted no part of riding anything, she loved cotton candy. That girl can sure eat. I imagine we can have a hot dog eating contest with those two--watch out, Kobayashi! (sp?). Isaac liked the rides, but he did NOT want back into the haunted house. We suspect he only rode it because Brayden did, but in Isaac's defense, Brayden didn't realize how scary it could be.

Last night, we watched Thomas and Friends Live. Now, picture this: Brayden totally still and silent for 90 minutes. I seriously don't believe the child would have spoken at all if we would not have prodded for reaction. He watched my video of the performance all the way through a few times today, recalling his favorite parts--Thomas crashing into a chicken coop/Harold coming to help/the scantily clad acrobat from the circus.

Good times!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

2009-07-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

It seems I have already forgotten so much about our vacation. I can remember thinking at various times, "I want to write that down because it is important." Ah, too bad I don't have enough time to write as I would like, nor is is my memory that good anymore...

If there is one thing I learned about my parenting skills on this trip, it's that I push Brayden too hard; I also learned that my son does not respond well to coercion. He has his own timetable and comfort level. He decides when he is ready to do something, if ever at all. I forget that he is still just two and that so many experiences are overwhelming right now--like the entire Gulf of Mexico staring him in the face and wanting to take him down. I am sure that is what it looked like to him (considering that he is only three feet tall and thirty pounds).

My very wise sister ery gently lured him to the ocean edge with a game. Before I knew it, he was running along the shore fearlessly. It was the day before we returned home, so he didn't get to spend much time in the water, but that was okay with him.

Lesson learned? I sure hope I have.

On the subject of water--Brayden LOVES to swim wearing floaties. He keeps his mouth shut tightly while making the cutest little laughing sounds. Also, he does not want help ("No touch me!") until he realizes that he can't move very quickly.

A Few Florida Pictures...

2009-07-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

We just got home from a fantastic week in Florida. As the pictures show, Brayden did NOT like the water at first, but he discovered that the beach offered many opportunities for work, so that appeased him.

The day before we came home, he finally came to terms with the waves.

More to come...

What a Worker!

2009-06-21T23:58:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows Brayden recognizes his deep satisfaction in working. His "play" centers around productive activity--playing with vacuums, riding his lawn tractor, water hosing ANYTHING. He just likes to do a job and revel in the power of his own hands. At my sister's recently, he spent a long time carrying buckets of water; mind you, the flowers were not always the recipients of refreshment, but he felt as if he were doing an important job.

At 2 1/2

2009-06-19T13:57:00.000-07:00

Our Brayden...

loves to sing loudly and hold out the last note
shakes the person receiving hugs and kisses
wants to hear stories of his babyhood
eats a "big banana" every morning
loads dried grass in his "pull hind"
sleeps a lot even though he resists
asks for juice all the time
cries when I insist he drink water
likes becoming a big boy
demands full cover when he sleeps
wishes he could live on the Island of Sodor
gives his full attention to a task
falls asleep before his eyes close
grimaces angrily when told to "say cheese"
gets in trouble mainly for whining
listens intently to stories
role plays the character of Andy Griffith
speaks with sass
refuses to drink milk
migrates toward the color pink
goes to Wal-Mart just to look for new Thomas books
runs around "nakie" as often as possible
hates to be left alone
hides in the most conspicuous spots
repeats EVERYTHING he hears (Like the word "DIE!!!" I shrieked at ants on my counter)
grows more precious every day

We love you, sweet boy!

Random Pics

2009-06-15T07:38:00.000-07:00

Easter Errors (and the greatest one is mine!)

2009-04-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

**Thanks to Granny for the adorable bunny cake**

Easter weekend was filled with various disappointments, but memorable times, nonetheless!

To begin with, we were going to an event featuring the Easter bunny, dropping eggs from a hot air balloon (strange, I know). When we left home, Brayden was really whiney, and we even turned around once and returned home to coax him out of his foul mood (I am beginning to believe he had the right idea). After we traveled the forty minutes or so to get to the location, we found it muddy and overrun with other whiney kids. When I saw a woman wearing knee-high work boots with her frilly skirt, I should have understood that we needed to march the half mile back to the car and leave. What is that saying about hindsight???

When we got there, we found out that we had to register the kids to hunt eggs. We jumped in a line and waited, only to find out that it was the wrong line. It was for those who had already endured the wait to register and then had to form a different line to get a handstamp (by the time our kids got it, the workers were merely taking an ink pen and making a mark on the hand. I could have done that myself :-}).

Anyway, long story short--it was too windy for the hot air balloon, there were too many little ones to send ours into the stampede, umm...I mean egg hunt, and Brayden had already splatted mud twice, once on his rear and once on his tummy. Fortunately, the boys were so excited about the person in a chicken costume that I don't think they even realized they missed the egg hunt.

I wasn't too disappointed, though, because I thought I would get good pictures of him hunting the next day. Wrong! At church, he had on an adorable blue and white outfit, and we had managed to keep all stains off in hopes of a picturesque hunt. Well, just moments before the hunt began, we realized his Pull Up had leaked, and it was all over his bottom. By the time I changed him and he got outside, the hunt was over. Had it not been for a very kind little girl who dropped two of her eggs in the grass, he would have had none.

Fortunately, he is still too young to realize how disappointing all of this was.

Or maybe...I am too old to realize how none of that mattered anyway!

On to what matters: Jesus is risen! The Easter Bunny and egg hunts are trivial, unimportant matters. We focused the day on the importance of Jesus' selfless act for us. Thank you, God, that all that is really important has been done for us on the cross.

2009-03-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

An End to My Blogging Break?

2009-02-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

It has been almost a month since my last post, but it certainly has not been an uneventful time! So much has happened, but my computer has been down for a while, and my Kodak software has been on the outs, so making pictures accessible has been difficult.

My nephew Davey celebrated birthday #1 February 15th, so we traveled to their house for that weekend. He and Brayden really enjoyed their time together crawling down the hallway. Davey also had his first professional haircut (Granny trimmed it a few months back) and Teresa said he loved looking in the mirror and smiling at his cute self. He looks so much older now!

The previous one, we visited Drew, Brayden's friend who came home from GT the same time we did; they both share a love for Mickey Mouse and trains, so they had fun playing with Drew's toys. Their favorite time was standing on a large trunk in Drew's bedroom and using the cord on the window blinds as microphones.

The following weekend we watched Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey, aka Disney on Ice. Brayden is still head-over-heels for Minnie Mouse, so the weeks before the show when we talked about it, he called it "Minnie on Ice." The Grandma's, Kelly, Isaac and Chloe met us there. We had wondered at first if Chloe was old enough to like it, but it didn't talk long to see that she enjoyed herself as well as the boys (if not better!).

Potty training is going REALLY well (knock, knock). He has used the potty for #2 every day except one for the past seven days. When warmer weather comes and we are outside more, I am going to switch him to underwear and see what happens. If would be great to have this over by mid summer or so...wishful thinking???

I am going to search for my picture folder again in hopes of posting more pics...

Words and Whines

2009-02-02T18:12:00.001-08:00

So we didn't win the free picture.... :-{ but thanks for clicking through ALL of those pictures for us!

Back to work this week as usual. That is always hard for me because I get used to the luxury of sleeping late and enjoying leisure time with Brayden, but as with all good things, snow days must come to an end.

Brayden's language development has exploded since he turned two. Every day, he demonstrates some new word (or a better pronunciation of one he has said for a while).

*Mickey Mouse has morhped from Vigh Vigh (?) to Meepy Mouse.

*Minnie went from some "m" sounds to Meenie (and he must have her with him at all times).

*Pappy is now Paaappy instead of Ha Ha.

*He says Pop Pop instead of Ah Aw for Papaw.

*Since our visit with Uncle Jeff the other day to celebrate his birthday, Brayden has talked a lot about wanting to see "more Jess."

*And my favorite...Sherry, who is now one of Brayden's favorite people, is Sher Ray (say with your best hick accent). When he begs, "Play, Sher Ray," the words rhyme!

I have loved all of his stages, but this one is really fun. He has a sense of humor--and at times, a REAL attitude--and he fits with us so well.

On the flip side, he is still really whiney and super sensitive to physical pain. Any suggestions for raising his tolerance level? Maybe I just need to work on my own???

I want a free picture! And I need your help.

2009-01-21T19:37:00.000-08:00

While at a friend's house, I commented on two large pop art canvas photos in her foyer. Imagine my surprise when she told me she won them in a contest and that I had a chance of winning one, too!

But I need your help.

I have entered this picture of Brayden in the contest. I can only win if YOU will log on to the site and vote.

If you are willing to help (please, please, please!), the instructions and rules follow.

Thanks in advance--and I apologize for the inconvenience.

Sabrina Hill

P.S. If you would like to enter a future contest, I will be happy to return the favor!

1. Go to www.photowow.com

2. Click "contests" at the top of the page.

3. A picture of a baby will appear on the left of the screen with a star rating beneath it. If the baby is not Brayden, vote accordingly. It may take a few pictures to come to his. When you see his smiling face, please vote the highest star rating!

Photowow Weekly Photo Contest - Voting Rules

*Each contestant and visitor to the site may only vote once per photo. Usually your computer will have "cookies" enabled which allows us to track the amount of times you vote. If cookies have been disabled on your computer, your vote will not count. Color 1 World d/b/a photowow.com reserves the right to remove any votes it believes were submitted illegitimately.

*In order to keep the voting process as fair as possible, a formula has been derived which does not count a random number of low votes. This is to avoid contestants and their friends from voting low on other contestants in order to increase their entrant's odds of winning.

Now That You're Two...

2009-01-18T20:03:00.001-08:00

life is really interesting! You are learning at lightning speed, and we have a hard time keeping up! Already your questions baffle us at times.

You are definitely a person of order. You are fine with routine, even to the point of boring. Boring is predictable for you, and that makes you comfortable. Your deep sense of order shows up in the way you line up all of your vehicles (including cars, trucks, buses, helicopters, trains and tractors)in VERY straight lines, all facing the same direction. You like toys to be grouped together, like only the blocks go in the block bag, and only vehicles go in the red basket. If someone happens to put a different toy in, you are quick to spot the error and correct it.

You are opening up to other people in your life, but it has been slow coming. You smile more often at strangers and initiate conversation with them, but you still want us with you in public. We don't have to worry about you running off in a store or restaurant, but we are eager to see you feel safe even when we are not in eyeshot--like the church nursery, for example.

Your enunciation has improved (for the most part. I should make a list of the more humorous ones :-] ), and you are saying new words daily. Currently, your favorite words are "icky," "holy," and "mine."

You have a great sense of balance. You can climb on top of the wobbly Sit-and-Spin without falling; your little toes grip like talons to keep you up!

We spent so much time during your first year with us saying no and establishing boundaries that we don't have to do it so often anymore. You understand limits, and you operate within them quite well.

So far, the twos have been terrific! Friends are warning us of the "thunderous threes," so we'll have to see for ourselves...

Will you pray for Abby?

2009-01-12T20:20:00.000-08:00

I wanted you to know about Abby.

She was adopted from Guatemala. At three years old, she was diagnosed with a high-risk, aggressive form of Leukemia. Certain genetic complications have put her chance of surviving the treatment at about 20%.

I am praying for her and her family. Would you pray for them too?

You can find more about Abby here, on her family blog: http://www.riggsfamilyblog.com/2009/01/about-abby.html

2009-01-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

Birthday Thoughts

2009-01-04T06:27:00.000-08:00

Well, Brayden's second birthday was a hit. We had it in a gym where there was plenty of room to run and to have a bounce house. After an ordeal about the cake, it all turned out fine--we decided on Oreo Blizzard and Heath Bar Blizzard cakes, and Brayden had his little cake for digging in. As it turned out, he had done that the previous day during his birthday pictures (click link below for some of the most adorable pictures ever), so he didn't care about making a mess; instead, all of the kids gathered around the high chair and took turns. I really think that was a highlight of the day because there wasn't a sad kid in the place. We had nearly everyone we had invited (37 total), and we appreciated having them there to celebrate with us.

2009-01-01T21:20:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hope you enjoy the slideshow! Brayden's second Christmas was magical, and while a toddler can be challenging, it is exciting to see him grow and relish in new experiences.

Birthday pics will follow soon--Full of friends and memories.

On Why My Blog is So Neglected

2008-12-28T20:23:00.000-08:00

Still recovering from Christmas...Planning a two-year-old's birthday...Trying to rest while on break...

Loving every moment of it!

Christmas and birthday pics will have to come later.

Our Christmas Card Picture

2008-12-18T21:35:00.000-08:00

Doesn't Brayden look so sweet in this one? We chose to only have his picture on our card this year; I like this one because it has his bear in it, the bear he wants in the swing with him so he feels secure.

Merry Christmas to you all!

2008-12-11T18:13:00.000-08:00

Oh, the wonder of Christmas through the eyes of a child. For far too long, there were no babies on either side of the family, so it was just a bunch of adults gathering to relish in our own gifts. Now, it's beautiful chaos!

Brayden doesn't really understand yet. He doesn't even bother the gifts under the tree, but I am certain that will all change by next year.

I have not yet begun planning for his birthday party, and it is just a few weeks away...

Any ideas for games/favors/themes?

So I Don't Forget...

2008-12-04T20:07:00.001-08:00

While Brayden's language (his recognition, his responses) has flourished the past few months, his pronunciation still has that baby/toddler sound. I wish he would always talk this way, especially the way he says "Mommy." He used to call me "Mama," but one day he added a defined "y" to the end. My heart melts every time.

His way of pronouncing some other names in our family:

Papaw = Ah Aw
Pappy = Ha Ha
Granny = Ga Ga
Isaac = Eye Gak
Robby = Rob Uh
Sherry = Sher Ra
Teresa = Tree Suh
Davey = Da Da
Sue = Jew

I have him on video talking, but in years to come, I want to remember my *almost* two-year-old boy...

2008-12-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Praying Them Home

2008-11-29T20:50:00.000-08:00

I have been a long-time lurker of a blog entitled "A Life Outside the Box." If you dare, click on the link below and read the November 26th post. Then, look for "From the Beginning--Our Adoption Story" and read through all four parts.

Be prepared to have tissues. An entire box.

And time to pray.

You will want to invest time in this situation because you won't be the same afterward. We often live such selfish, meaningless existences, even stepping over others along the way (Read article about NY Wal-Mart employee who was killed on Black Friday).

Let us bind together for this family--all of them--and we will rejoice together when the matter is resolved.

http://www.prayingthemhome.blogspot.com/

Christmas Pic 2

2008-11-29T20:44:00.001-08:00

I love these two people with an intensity that grows every day. I have long admired the strength my husband possesses, but never more so than now that he is a father. I don't tell him often enough how invaluable his presence is in our lives.

And Brayden--boy has he blossomed lately. His language, his personality and his comfort level with new people have all impressed us. He just fits so nicely in our family that it seems impossible that he has not always been with us.

**Don't worry. His little sunken cheeks popped right back out after Aunt Freda's delicious Thanksgiving feast!

Have a blessed Christmas season,

Sabrina

Christmas Pictures

2008-11-24T20:49:00.000-08:00

Well, our Christmas photoshoot was not a total loss...even though Jason and I did not care for ourselves in them, Brayden looked sweet.

It is obvious from these pictures, however, that he has been really sick. We all had the dreaded stomach virus, but he was sick for ten straight days. His face looks quite thin, and his eyes look tired. Poor baby! At least he is well now.

We had these pictures taken at Olan Mills. I remembered them as a reputable photography studio, maybe a little more upscale than Penney's or Sears' portrait studios. I was disappointed to see that they were smaller and did not offer as many options.

I will reveal a picture from our photo session every few days, with our choice for the Christmas card appearing last.

I have discovered the joys of internet and mail order shopping. I have taken zero evenings or weekend days to shop, and I am about halfway finished!

Here's to a relatively stress-free Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday!

Not Quite Two Yet

2008-11-19T19:58:00.000-08:00

In a few weeks, Brayden will officially be two. "Terrible?" We'll see. But that's not the only reason I don't want to see that number--it's when my baby will no longer be considered one. A boy, not a baby boy. An opinionated, independent, exploring boy who has no time for cuddling or silly games. Does it have to be this way?

I am holding on to his childhood; I am in no hurry to have him grow up. Others will say they can't wait until he can do such and such, but I rahter enjoy his dependent stage. When people ask his age, I answer in months. Instead of saying "almost two," I say 22 1/2 months, as he seems younger that way.

I hope I am not one of those overly- protective mothers who still wipes her teenage son's nose. :-]

*************

So what's he doing now that he is 22 1/2 months old?

1. He plays with his trucks, lining them up on the step and knocking them off. He can find the jeep, the bus, the Volkswagon, the monster truck and the race car.

2. He does not come to life very easily after sleeping. He likes to be held for several minutes after he wakes in the morning or after his nap and rock in the recliner.

3. Even though the transition from a sippy cup has been difficult, he has adjusted to the fact that he can't always have his "bottle with handles." We only give it to him in the car or when a cup is not convenient. He used to cry when he did not put the top on, but now he doesn't balk.

4. He can participate in social settings, but he often prefers to stand outside groups of kids and observe them.

5. He can put two words together easily, and he has begun to use three. Tonight, he was licking on a Dum Dum pop; he dropped it on the carpet, and when Granny took it to rinse it off, he demanded, "That's my candy!"

6. He still whines a lot. A LOT. We have tried to verbally correct him, use time out and then finally ignore him, but he can go on for a long time. And he whines over just about anything you can imagine.

7. He likes routine. He does the same thing over and over, and he likes for others to, as well. Every time he walks by the hall closet, he reminds us that there is a vacuum in there. Whenever he hears a train, he reaches for me and I say, "We can't see the trains from our house" and he finishes, "only at Granny's."

8. He still snubs other people and refuses to let just anyone play with him. If he likes people, they know it; if he doesn't like them, they really know it...

Christmas pics tomorrow--hopefully he will cooperate!

I Hate Bugs

2008-11-13T18:48:00.000-08:00

This picture really says it all...the stomach bug hit our house, and it really had it in for us. It began with Brayden on Monday, me on Tuesday and Jason Wednesday. Along the way, it even got a granma and grandpa. Brayden rarely falls asleep on his own--even going to sleep in the car is a rarity with him, but on Tuesday, he was so exhausted that all he wanted to do was to swing (or "high," as he calls it since I always ask him if he wants to go sky high). After 35 minutes of swinging, his eyes got heavy, and he slowly rested his face on his ball.

Notice how full the swing is? He loves to have his toys in there with him; I think they make him feel more secure because there is no room for sliding around. The puppy sings, too, and he really likes that.

Fortunately, we are all on the mend!

Berry Picking and More

2008-11-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

I just love this picture--it captures Brayden's curious nature, and it looks so neat in cartoon format.

He was gently pulling the berries off Sherry's holly tree; so as not to get pricked, he delicately grasped one berry at a time between forefinger and thumb. He then took the berries to her carport and smashed them into a red, gooey mess.

He has entered a new phase of independence. I continually remind myself that much of what he does is not defiance and does not need correction. I want him to explore and learn, and as long as that does not hurt him or anyone else (or anything, for that matter), I must let it go.

How difficult that is to do!

2008-10-30T20:26:00.001-07:00

Last year, Brayden did not get to trick-or-treat because he was sick. He was not sure about it this year, but once he realized he could get "nandy" if he walked up to people and said "tee tee" (trick-or-treat), he was all for it!

My mom took him with his story time group earlier in the day, so he understood when we told him we were going again. From the onset, however, he was resistant to my picture taking and ended up in time-out before we even left the house. As with all new experiences, Brayden showed little emotion. He does not get overly smiley when he does new things, so he tends to look stoic in pictures :-[

I did not have my camera to take pictures afterward, but we went to a hallelujah party at our church and then to a carnival at Mamaw and Papaw's church. They had inflatables, and Brayden really loves to slide and bounce (hence a trampoline for Christmas).

What a fun time!

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We "Gotcha" One Year Ago Today...

2008-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

New Year's Day 2007, you entered the world and changed our lives forever.

We officially began your adoption when you were sixteen days old.

When you were three and a half months old, we gazed into your deep onyx eyes for the first time.

We did not see them again for another five and a half...but when we did YOU WERE ALL OURS.

October 19th, exactly 365 days after we began the adoption, you were home--in your state, in your house, in your family's arms.

Today, we love you beyond words.

*You are a focused, contemplative boy. You devote your attention fully to the task at hand.

*You like order in your life, including a schedule and routine; however, you can be flexible when necessary.

*Although your temper does not surface frequently, it's there! At the age of 21 months old, you had your first (and only?) tantrum.

*You often role play with your toys, wrapping them in blankets for sleep or putting them in time out for misbehaving.

*You have a deep bond with the people in your life. You are also becoming more comfortable with less frequent visitors, but it has been slow coming. You don't tend to trust easily (which can be a good trait in life!)

*If you don't care for people, they know it! You frown at them and staunchly refuse their advances.

*You have a remarkable memory. I threw away your old toothbrush recently, and every morning since then, you reenact the scenario by taking your new one to the trash can and babbling.

What a difference a year makes!

2008-10-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

Glad to say that the terror called a tantrum has not resurfaced! It has been one week since that horrible experience, and my lovely, easy-going child has been himself.

Thank you, Lord!

2008-10-08T19:05:00.000-07:00

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Mid-Tantrum

2008-10-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to say that today went fine--no outbursts or extreme displays of anger/frustration.

I guess they hit whenever/wherever and without warning, right???

So THAT'S a tantrum...

2008-10-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

I have seen tantrums before--from a distance and with the look of disdain. You know, the "I know how to stop that" look that non-parents give to the frazzled moms and dads of toddlers.

I had just never seen one so up-close and personal.

Brayden is quite passive. We have rarely had problems with disobedience because he seems to understand boundaries. It takes just a time or two of telling him not to do something, along with the reason, before he learns. He even puts his toys in time out for acts of disobedience.

However, he has always been whiney. He cries easily and requires cuddling (which I am always happy to give). Much of the time when he is in time out, it is because I cannot pick him up and he cries.

Today was either just a bad day for him or the official beginning of "the terrible twos." I was hoping we could just bypass those completely!

We were at church this mornign, transitioning from his Sunday school class to the sanctuary of our church. He turned around, looked at me and demanded, "UP!" I explained that my hands were full, and since we were just a few feet away from our seat, he could walk there and I would then pick him up.

Immediate crying.
I get him to the pew and ask him to quit crying.

More crying.
I try a few more methods of persuasion before he finally stops.

A few minutes into the service, he asks for juice. I explained that he could have some at a later point. Guess his reaction?

Immediate crying. No--wailing.

I repeat the above steps, but I have to take him out before he finally settles down.

I will spare you the details of our third incident. Let's just say I end up gathering our things and leaving church early. He goes to his bed for some needed alone time.

This was his pattern all day--with Daddy, too.

Fortunately, Mamaw rescued him this evening and gave us break.

**The weather was lovely this evening, so I attempted a photo shoot. Most were in crying mode, so I'll sort through those later...

Random Pics

2008-09-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

These are some highlights of our past few weeks:

Brayden loves baby Chloe, and she is getting more beautiful by the day!

Sherry bought Brayden a weed eater and blower--you don't know how obsessed this boy is by with lawn care...

I love the pictures of Brayden laughing because they really capture the sweetness of his spirit.

I am thankful for so many things in my life.

Some (really poor quality) Aquarium Pictures

2008-09-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

Mom, Brayden and I had a fantastic trip to the Newport Aquarium in Cincinnati. After several failed attempts at theme parks the day before, we were due some fun!

I can say without reservation that Brayden was perfect that day. All he cared about doing was sitting in his stroller and eating Cheerios as we moved from exhibit to exhibit. When we came to the penguins, he ran alongside their case with them, squealing. There were several hands-on activities for kids, including a dinosaur dig, climb-able croaking frogs and an opportunity to feed and pet tropical birds.

If you ask Brayden today about the birds at the aquarium, he will bite his own hand--that's what one bird did to him when he tried to feed it :-[

***My pictures are so bad because we had to buy disposables.***

Pictures (finally!)

2008-09-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

After much ado, I decided to purchase an economical camera. I'm no professional, and I have no intentions of learning how to operate a manual camera, so I bought the Kodak Easyshare z 1012 is. I think I'm going to like it, but I'd still rather have the one we lost since we had already paid for it. Brayden is a difficult subject to photograph because he just wants to play. The camera is a nuisance to him--unless he is on the operator's end. He really likes to see pictures and video of himself and other people. I think I'm going to buy him a kid's digital and see what he can do with it. Cousin Davey was in for a visit, and for the first time, he was really interested in Brayden. He liked to watch all of the activity, and he cackled until he was out of breath at times. Brayden is gentle with him and realizes that he is a baby.

NO Camera on the Way :-{

2008-09-09T06:06:00.000-07:00

After some deception on the part of the camera company, I cancelled our order.

So, the only pictures I have from our trip to the aquarium were with a disposable camera. I have to wait until I go to Wal-Mart to have my photo CD made, but I trust that some will turn out good and I can share them on the blog.

We had a really nice experience. Brayden was interested in the animals, and he simply wanted to sit in his stroller and eat Cheerios as we moved from one exhibit to the next. The only exceptions were the penguins (He ran alongside them as they darted back and forth in their area. Boy, can they fly!). The other time he wanted out was when he saw two boys who looked like him--they were looking at the alligators, and he stood behind one with his little hand on his shoulder. Too cute!

Camera on the Way!

2008-08-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

After going for a few weeks without a camera, Jason and I finally decided it was time to splurge and get a good one. Only I didn't realize how expensive a *good* one can be. With GREAT reservation, we ordered the Nikon D80. I know very little about real photography, and Brayden is, by far, not the most cooperative subject, so we'll see.

I looked back in my most recent photos and pulled out these. Brayden never had a pacifier, and when he found his cousin Davey's, he was quite interested. Fortunately, he dropped it a few minutes later...

Brayden loves to wrestle. Anyone in the floor becomes a quick target. This time, Granny was the recipient.