Oh the dreaded Doctor......

Today was Braydens 18 month check up.  We got up early, got ready, ate our breakfast and headed to the dreaded doctor.  Brayden and I arrived at the doctor and everything was great.  He was being his usual self and showing off for the ladies at the desk.  They were talking to him and said that he is such a friendly little guy.  He was sure doing some talking and flirting with those ladies. :)

 My handsome baby boy all ready for the doctor!!

 All was fine, until we were called back and entered the room to see the doctor and he started crying and hanging on to me SO tight.  Bless his heart.  I truly think that he remembers that room from the last visit. I calmed him down a little and got him stripped down to his diaper so they could weight him. 

My little guy now weighs 27 pounds and 6 ounces and is 34 3/4 inches tall.   The doctor said that he is in the 70th percentile for his weight and the 95th percentile for his height.

So sweet and innocent

After we got his weight and height, we had to wait for the doctor to come in.  In the meantime, I kept Brayden distracted and he was okay until he heard someone walk by and he thought that they were coming in the room.  It broke my heart to see him so upset. 

The doctor finally came in to see us and we had another meltdown and he buried his face in my chest.  He was terrified.  I really believe he remembers these things because he is normally so friendly and will talk to anyone.  I have a feeling he knew what was getting ready to happen.

Anyway, the doctor came in and we chatted about his weight/height, which he said is perfect,  his eating habits, which are great, his sleeping, which is spectacular and his vocabulary.  He asked me about how many words can Brayden say and I told him ALOT.  I cannot even count.  He said the normal is between 10-15 and I said that he is way past that.  I told him that he is starting to put two words together and he said that is great and that you normally do not start seeing that until closer to age 2.  Way to go Brayden!

He also asked me some random questions about Brayden:

Can he climb the stairs?? YES! And he has been for MONTHS.  Now when we get ready to come down the stairs he thinks he is big and wants to try coming down them (with the help of mommy of course)

Can he kick a ball? YES! And he has been able to do this for a while now too!

Can he point to a body part? Yes his nose, feet, and belly button.

He then somehow managed to listen to Braydens heart and lungs over his crying.  He checked his ears and he said that all looked great!  I then laid him on the table so he could check him out some more and Brayden had a meltdown and was reaching his little tiny arms for him and crying so hard.  I was afraid that he was going to make himself sick. 

He was able to check everything he needed to including his teeth.  He said that all looked good and that his 2 year molars should come in pretty soon and that those should not give him any trouble at all.  Brayden never had any trouble with any of his teeth so I am hoping that these will be just as easy.

After the doctor was finished examining him we had to wait for the nurse to come in and give him his awful shots.  He had two shots today and a finger stick to test for anemia. 

My sad little man, this is one of the only times he was calm.

The nurse came into the room just as I got Brayden to calm back down and it started again.  Thankfully she was so sweet and quick.  She had me hold Brayden as she pricked his little finger and it bled and bled.   She got what she needed and put a big boy band aid on his little tiny finger.  Then I had to lay him down on the table once again for those dreaded shots.  Holding down your screaming, crying child breaks your heart into a MILLION pieces.  I HATE IT!!! I just get down in his face and tell him "mommy is sorry".  UGH! I would take his place any day.  Thankfully, the only visits we have had to the doctor are for his well visits only and I hope we can keep it that way for a while. Brayden also does not have to see him until his 2 year checkup and no more shots until he is 4 YEARS OLD!! YAY!

After it was all over I got him dressed and he started to calm back down.  He started jabbering something to me and then said OKAY?  Like I knew what he was saying.  LOL.  And then he would show me his band aid on his finger.  He was showing another one of the nurses his little band aid and telling her all about it.  It was the sweetest thing. 

Needless to say we headed to Toys R Us and got him some more cars and a toddler swing for his BRAND NEW swing set!! I sure hope that the rain holds off so maybe we can get it put up for him this weekend!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Mothers Day 2011

I am late posting about Mothers Day, but better late than never. 

I had an absolute wonderful Mothers Day! I was able to spend some time with my mom on Saturday and then my two boys on Sunday!

Daddy and Brayden

On Sunday, I woke up to donuts.  Brayden and Nick snuck off while I was asleep and went and picked up donuts! They were so yummy!

We finished our breakfast and we all got ready and headed to the zoo. Brayden really enjoys the zoo and it was the perfect day to go.  He had a big time looking at the animals.  He loves the monkeys, the peacocks that are walking around and the goats.  Brayden even got to feed a goat with the help of daddy.  He loved it. 

My sweet little man!

Watching the monkeys!

 and the peacocks....

 Feeding the goat!

 BIG BOY!

Mommy and Brayden

 He LOVES to push his stroller

After the zoo we came back home to let the little guy take a nap.  After his nap, we all got ready again and headed out to get dinner and dessert. 

After we got back home we headed out for a walk around the neighborhood.  It was the perfect ending to a perfect day. 

 He loves to push his wagon.  I love this picture of my boys!

Oh and of course my necklace that I got.  It is designed by one of the Master Jewelers at a jewelry store here in town.  It is called "Wee Little Hands!"  I think it is perfect!

Being a mommy is the BEST thing that has ever happened to me.  He is everything I have ever wanted and more.  There are times that I still look at him and I cannot believe that he is mine and that I am his mommy.  I am one blessed gal to have this little guy as my son.  He has blessed me beyond measure, my cup runneth over. 

Brayden is 18 months old!!

I am a little late posting Brayden's 18 month update.  I seem to stay busy with Brayden all the time but he is SO much fun! I cannot believe he is already 18 months old.  He is a little bundle of energy and is so independent. He is learning more and more each day and he is so smart, he amazes me!

Here is a picture of my little man at 18 months!

This past month seem to just fly by.  I guess it was because it was a busy month for us. 

Here is what my little man has been up to this past month. I am going to warn you this is a LONG post.

**We had a birthday party at our house for my moms birthday and we all had a blast.  Of course, Brayden had to be the center of attention and steal the show.

Grammie and her little sunshine!

Helping Grammie open her gifts

We had dinner and cake and then we let my mom open her gifts, well Brayden opened them for her and then we played Just Dance on the Wii. Brayden even got in on the action.  Check out this video of him dancing with us as we played the Wii.

He is talking all time time and I still cannot understand everything he says but it is so fun to listen to him tell his stories.  I can only imagine what he will be like when he can finally talk and tell his stories where we can understand him.  HA!

Here is a list of the words that Brayden can say to date: (I am sure that I have missed a few)

-Mommy
-Daddy
-Papaw
-Wow
-Bubby
-Hot
-I'm Good
-Baby
-Good Boy
-Okay
-I do it
-Boo
-Bobbi (Paci)
-Hi
-Bye
-LuLu (my moms dog)
-High Five
-Get her Get her
-Get it
-Yeah
-No No No
-Oh Boy
-Bad Bad Bad
-Ball
-Yay
-Thank you
-Uh oh
-Bite
-I see
-Cookie
-Bird
-Hidey (new this month)
-Sit ( new this month)
-onkey (means Monkey, new this month)

**Last month, I mentioned that he was not liking bathtime at the moment. Well the next week changed and he loves it again.  He will laugh and squeal the entire time again, just like he use to.  I do not know what happened or maybe it was just a short little phase but I am glad he is enjoying bathtime again.

**Brayden loves to wash his hands and brush his teeth.  You can ask him if he wants to wash his hands and he will take off running to the bathroom and the same thing goes for brushing his teeth. I am so glad that he enjoys it and it is not a fight to get these little things done. 

**He loves to play with his little cars and his choo choo train.  When you ask him what does a car sound like he will make the noise "vroom" and when you ask him what a choo choo train sounds like he will say "chugga chugga" It is the cutest thing EVER!

**For a while now, he has shown interest in the potty.  He loves to go with us into the bathroom and loves to watch the toilet flush. The last time he went for a check up the doctor said not to worry with potty training or anything at that time which was at his 15 month check up so I will see what he says at this next check up.

**My child would LIVE outside if I let him.  He loves to play outside, go to the zoo, or just go for a walk.  As long as he is outside he is satisfied!

He loves his new water table

SO HAPPY!

He was not so sure about the sand at first

But he LOVES it!

Watching the water drain out.

and trying to catch the water....

**We made our first of MANY trips to the zoo this month.  Brayden had a blast and he felt like such a big boy because he was able to get out of the stroller and walk around the zoo all by himself.  He was Mr. Independent and really did not want to hold our hands at all.

Ready to go

He was amazed by the monkeys!

Where do we go now?

Such a big boy!

**He loves to go bye bye.  He will coming running if you ask him and he will automatically go and sit on the stairs and put his little feet out waiting to put his little shoes on. 

**Brayden's shoes that he plays outside in are Velcro and the other day I was putting them on him and he would Velcro them himself.  He has done this several times and I was impressed!

**He also still loves nap time and continues to sleep through the night without a peep until about 7:15 in the morning, sometimes earlier but not often.  When he is ready to take a nap he will let you know.  You ask him, " Brayden, do you want to go nite nite?" and he takes off for his crib. Couldn't ask for a better child!

**BraydenLOL  He thinks he is helping his mommy! :) 

**Brayden is really good at following commands. If you tell him to put something down and bring it to you he will usually right away.  He also minds really well but we still have those terrible two meltdowns every once in a while. 

**He loves the song "Dirt Road Anthem" by Jason Aldean.  And when I say love I mean he LOVES it.  The world stops when this song comes on and if we are in the car and he gets fussy all I have to do is turn it on and he starts smiling and bouncing his little foot and waving his hands.  But when the song is over he will fuss and I will have to play it again, and again and again. HA! Good thing that is one of mommy's favorite songs.

**Brayden has had the TV remotes figured out for months now, but now when we are watching something on the DVR and it stops he comes to get the remote to start it again.  If I am not around he will get the remote and bring it to me to restart it.  He is too funny!

**He has learned to tell his monkey to sit.  He will say "Sit onkey!" and point his little finger.  It is the cutest thing! LOL He really gets into it.

**He loves to play ball and does a really good job throwing the ball around.  He surprised me at how well he throws the ball overhand.  Maybe he will grow up and play for the Cardinals one day! :)

**He LOVES to play "Ring around the Rosie" and LOVES to make himself dizzy.  He is thinks it is hilarious.  I have to stop him sometimes because I am afraid he will do it so much he will make himself sick.  LOL  I wish I had just 1/2 his energy!

Running in circles....

and more circles.....

until he falls down! :)

I guess I will add Braydens Easter pictures in with this post since I never got around to making a post for Easter. 

We had a great Easter, despite the RAIN. Brayden was so enthused with his Easter basket. When he seen it he immediately started checking out all of his goodies that the Easter bunny brought! Then we traveled to Madisonville to see my family on Sunday. We enjoyed dinner and visiting together and we were still able to hunt Easter eggs on my moms covered deck. 

Braydens goodies from the Easter Bunny

Checking out his goodies!

 All dressed up for Easter

 Daddy and Brayden

Mommy and Brayden

 My Little Man!

 Hunting Easter Eggs!

Brayden had a big time and really enjoyed playing with my moms dog Lucy.  Here is a video of Brayden chasing Lucy around.  He got so tickled.  I think this video is adorable. 

I guess that is all for now.  Brayden goes to the doctor for his 18 month check up next week so I will be sure to post an update after his appointment.  I cannot wait to see how much he has grown!  For now, I will leave you with a few more pictures of my little man!

Daddy dressed me for the day (notice the Illinois on the jacket instead of UK) Mommy would have NEVER done that! :)

 But he sure does look cute!

 Being a BIG boy in Toys R Us.  He was amazed!

Riding his tractor

 Playing outside!

 Such a sweet little face!

 Normal morning, eating Apple Jacks and watching Team Umizoomi

 Reading a book with his Papaw Mikey!

 Brayden and his Papaw Townsend. 

Daddy and Brayden

Mommy and her little man!

Have a great week!