2 Year Toddler Update

Well, somehow I blinked and my little man turned TWO years old!

Since his last update at 21 months, so much has changed by leaps and bounds!

Clothing: Some 18-24 month but mostly 24 month
Diapers: Size 5 for both day and night time diapers
Shoes: Size 6
Weight: 32 pounds (estimated)
Height: 35 inches (estimated)

My little baby isn't so little anymore! His car seat is now forward facing and he's grown in so many ways! He gained several inches of height since his last update and his feet grew a ton. He's already in a size 6 shoe and almost outgrowing those! I purchased new shoes for him for the summer and I don't think they are going to last until September, sadly.

In the vocabulary realm, Brayden has grown a ton, too! He reached a "word explosion" so to speak around 23 months. His words just began to come more often and more frequently! Before, where he would say a new word every couple of weeks, he now says a new word almost daily! It's also much easier to teach him things now - he picks up on things fairly quick and he remembers them - like his age, what does a dog say, etc...

If he could figure out how to dress himself, he would do it daily. He loves attempting to put his socks and shoes on just about as much as he loves to take his socks and shoes off! I love how he tries to mimic things I'm doing, too. Take "the stick" for example. He saw me rolling out my legs one day and decided he wanted to roll his legs out too! So. Cute! Also sweeping - we bought him a little play broom for around the house because he likes to try and sweep things.

As far as shows go, Puppy Dog Pals is the big one around here. Little Einsteins has grown in popularity. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and PJ Masks also rank up there, too. If he can get his hands on a phone or ipad, he will put it on YouTube in a heart beat. He learned super fast where the YouTube button and Disney Jr buttons were on my phone! (We do try to limit his screen time but when he's restless at a restaurant, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do...)

Water (of any kind, anywhere), the park, and being outside are all things Brayden loves. I can't wait for it to get warmer outside so we can take him to the splash pad once again! Busy, busy, busy...he's always on the go!

The "terrible two's" have been interesting to say the least. My laid back little baby is now a toddler and has an opinion and a voice of his own. If he doesn't want to do something, he will let you know right away. However, he is super easy to redirect and refocus on something else when he's upset (which is very nice)!

Food of any kind is a favorite here. Brayden loves his veggies, yogurt, pizza, tacos, snacks...the list goes on and on! If you put it in front of him, he will more than likely eat it. Sippy cups with straws are his usual favorite, but he picked right up on the spout less trainer cups like a champ! Self feeding hasn't come as easy as I'd hoped (because let's be honest...why do it for yourself if someone else does it for you??), but he seriously knocked out an entire bowl of spaghetti this week on his own (with a fork)...so we are definitely making progress there! 

Since the last update, we've celebrated Easter as well as Brayden's 2nd birthday! Both were super fun and egg-citing. See what I did there? Whomp whomp whomp. Speaking of eggs, he LOVED helping with the egg dyeing process! So. Much. Fun!

Brayden's sisters...oh my goodness he loves his puppy sisters! Anytime they are around (which isn't often because they do keep their distance), he tries to give them hugs. Actually, he loves any kind of animals including "tur-tles" and "fwags" that we frequently see on our run.

Seeing the world through Brayden's eyes is such an amazing thing - it's like learning the world all over again from a new perspective! I don't know how or why I became so lucky to be Brayden's mom, but I sure am grateful for every single moment!

Taking time to cherish and truly live in the moments I have with him is something I started very early on. These past two years have gone by oh so fast and I want to just bottle up those memories to hold on to for later because I know I'll blink and he will be a teenager.

Thanks for following along in the journey of life with our little family! It's been fun sharing our adventures with you along the way! :)

21 Month Baby/Toddler Update

While we were in Disney over Marathon Weekend, Brayden turned 21 months old! I feel as if these past 3 months have really been a huge growing time for Brayden in all aspects of his life. It's amazing to watch his thought process play out in his everyday actions. He's picking up on things incredibly fast and now follows my requests reasonably well. For example, I can ask him to pick up his socks and shoes and bring them to me and he will.

Clothing: 18-24 month clothing; 2T fits him but is still a little big
Diapers: Size 4 for both day and night time diapers (same as before)
Shoes: Size 5 and some size 6
Weight: 30 pounds (estimated)
Height: 33 inches (estimated)

Over the past month or so, he seems to have gotten so much taller. His adorable little thighs are starting to lean out which makes me kinda sad, I'm not gonna lie!

He's also learned the excitement of a slide! He almost prefers going down the slide over swinging now! The park is the BEST place in the world, too. He gets SO excited every time we drive up!

The word "hat" has been one of his main words but he has since incorporated the word "shoe" and "uhoh" as of Christmas Day. He's still a kid of just a handful of words, but they are coming in more rapidly how. He babbles ALL THE TIME!

Over the Christmas holidays, he met "Santa" about a bazillion times. It wasn't planned, it just seemed to happen that way! (Seriously I'm pretty sure it happened at least 4 or 5 times!) Thankfully, he isn't scared of Santa one bit!

He also LOVES animals of any sort, especially dogs and birds! Running up and down the boardwalk with the birds is one of his favorite things to do!

Christmas was really fun this year because Brayden was more into the lights and sounds and he loved pushing the buttons on a few of my "magic" ornaments!

Opening presents was interesting this year, too. He realized that he could rip the paper on presents and that was really fun, but once he ripped into the paper, he wasn't sure what to do next.

Brayden also experienced snow for the first time in his life! We had fun playing in it together although he wasn't too sure of it at first.

Our Disney trip took place during the week that he turned 21 months old. He LOVED seeing the Disney ducks and got a huge kick out of them!

Brayden had his second Disney haircut at the Harmony Barber Shop while we were there. They always do such an awesome job with him. Bonus points for our reflection in the mirror! :)

He also ran his second race while in Disney, this time the 100 m dash and he had a BALL! His little squeal while running down the track was so cute! He had the opportunity to give Mickey a high five right before crossing the finish line which he loved!

Speaking of running, this kid is on the go go go all the time! He also loves to eat. Some of his favorites are pizza, vegetables, yogurt, tacos, and refried beans. He will eat almost anything except he's still not a fan of mac&cheese which super confuses me but ok, whatever!

Puppy Dog Pals is the new favorite around here. He especially loves the music and songs from each show. There's a YouTube playlist of only Puppy Dog Pals songs, so that's a huge hit at my house! I'm thinking his second birthday party will be Puppy Dog Pals themed and I've seen some really really cute ideas on Pinterest so I'm excited about that!

As far as sign language goes, he has the signs down for "more", "please", and "eat". Lately, he's been using the "more" sign even when he just wants you to hand something to him. For example, he wanted an M&M and he knew where they were kept...so he took my hand and walked me over to the cabinet...then he let go of my hand and looked at the M&M jar and started signing "more". It was really funny, so I had to give it to him!

In just 3 short months, Brayden will be 2 years old. This has been quite a journey, one that is getting more and more fun by the day! I'm so thankful for our sweet little blessing...he really does make our lives complete! :)

18 Month Baby Update

A year and a half - an entire year and a half has gone by since Brayden was born! Today, he turns 18 months old!!

It's hard to believe this little boy is already 18 months old! I seriously feel like I just sat down to write the last update and that was three months ago!

Clothing: 18 month clothing mostly - He also fits in some 12 to 18 month clothing
Diapers: Size 4 for both day and night time diapers (same as before)
Shoes: Size 4
Weight: 28 pounds (estimated)
Height: 32 inches (estimated)

 Over the past three months, Brayden has grown a LOT. Where he was barely walking before, he's into EVERYTHING now!

His favorite cabinet at home is my Tupperware cabinet. He LOVES to scatter the pieces around.

Brayden moved up to the Toddler II class at Mother's Day Out (he skipped Toddler I altogether since it took him so long to walk) and also moved up to the Toddler class at church nursery. He really seems to love it and being with his friends!

Over the past several months, we've dealt with a hurricane (Harvey)...

...for a really long time because he stayed stationary for so long...

Brayden also attended his second college football game which he loved!

We even made it to half time!

He also somehow contracted hand, foot, and mouth from somewhere!

As far as food goes, he's still taking toddler formula about 3 times a day for a total of 18 oz. He also LOVES FOOD and will eat almost anything...except mac&cheese which is totally random. Mexican is his favorite because he loves to break the chips into pieces and eat them. Did you know that breaking a chip into two pieces is hilarious? Well, apparently it is.

This kid also loves pizza, rice and gravy, and mixed veggies!  Oh yes, and animal crackers, goldfish, and yogurt bites. Seriously, this kid just loves FOOD in general!

Toys that light up and make noise are the BEST! He also really enjoys reading and exploring the world outside. Even if the heat index is 102 degrees and his hairline is soaked from sweat, this kid LOVES to be outside. Swing? Yes. Going on a jog with the stroller? Yes, yes! Exploring flower beds and playing with rocks? Of course!!

He's still really into music! His favorite songs are "Jesus loves me" and "Twinkle Twinkle". The "Good Morning" song from Singing in the Rain is also a favorite. I sing it to him every morning and he loves to dance to it! 

Brayden's cousin is in gymnastics and does somersaults all the time, so he likes to try and be like her which completely cracks me up.

He's learning to put two and two together now and will often bring a pair of my shoes to me and try to put them on my feet. He also knows when it's time to put his own shoes and socks on - he will hold up his feet for me! Brushing his teeth is also something he loves (I'm thinking the toothbrush feels good on his gums/teething areas). 

Lately, he will reach for our hand and take us along wherever he wants to go - he also likes to take our hand to make us do something he cannot, like open a door, turn on the TV, etc.

Speaking of TV, the new show "Puppy Dog Pals" on Disney Channel is his new FAVORITE! Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is still up there along with PJ Masks but Puppy Dog Pals has quickly reached the top!

Brayden now has 14 teeth and two more on the way! He has taken teething very well minus the first set of molars. I'm not looking forward to arrival of the the second set!

Sleep is still going well - he usually sleeps from 8:30 p.m.-7:30 a.m. with a 2 or 3 hour daytime nap thrown in there. 

His vocabulary has grown a lot over the past 3 months. He now says "hat" every time he seems someone wearing a hat. He also says "ball", "gees" (for doggies), "key" (for Mickey), "tis-ters" (for sisters)...along with the previous words "mama" and "dada". Another sign he is learning is "please", but he doesn't have it quite right just yet.

The occasional tantrum has begun if he doesn't get his way but he quickly gets over it. He also cries right when I leave him at Mother's Day Out or the Nursery but if they offer him goldfish or puffs, he's 100% ok. It's really funny - I'll stand outside of the door to make sure he's ok and I can always tell when food has been presented because the tears dry up super fast!

It's crazy to think of our life before he was here. We sure do love our little guy and are excited to see what the next three months have in store!

Thanks for following along in our journey!

15 Month Brayden Update

Long time no Brayden update!

Since our last update (12 months), SO many things have happened! Brayden celebrated his 1st Easter (his final 1st holiday), he attended birthday parties for several friends and family, he learned the sign for "more" when eating meals/snacks, attended his first crawfish boil, had dinner at McAlisters for the first time (it's the important things, ok?), and he officially began walking.....just to name a few! 
 

Clothing: 12-18 month clothing mostly. He's also between 12 and 18 months - some 12 months fit and some 18 months fit.
Diapers: Size 4 for both day and night time diapers (same as before)
Weight: 28 pounds (estimated)
Height: 30 inches (estimated)

Here's a recap of months 12-15....

His first Easter was spent in the hill country of Texas! We had a fun weekend spent with family!

This little boy LOVES to read! If he ever gets away from me and is super quiet, he's usually in his room, "reading" his books!

He's also discovered his love for popsicles, thanks to the owner of a local diner that adores him!

Brayden still has a pretty "chill" personality and remains a great sleeper! He eats almost anything and everything and has about 18 oz of toddler formula per day. We attempted whole milk twice and had some rough GI issues, so toddler formula it is for now!

He has become super attached to me and doesn't like me to leave him. However, it's SO much fun to see his sweet little face light up at the end of the day when I come home from work! His excitement to see me absolutely melts my heart!

Going outside is another favorite past time of Brayden's - specifically swinging! If you want to become bff's with this little boy pretty fast, all you have to do is say the word "swing" and he will instantly become a ball of energy and excitement!

Brayden also attended his 2nd baseball game at Minute Maid Park and his very first concert which took place after the game (Mercy Me)! He did great through almost the entire game and only got restless at the end.

Brayden loves the water (swimming) and taking baths! Bath time became a nightly routine a long time ago and I feel as if this helps relax him before bed!

At our last pediatrician appointment, we were told that if Brayden wasn't walking by 15 months or saying more words by 15 months, we would need to consider consultations with outpatient therapies. Personally, I feel as if Brayden is just super laid back and he seems to hit all of his milestones at the later stage rather than the earlier stage.

Thankfully, at 15 months and 5 days, he began WALKING on his own! My little momma heart was so proud!

Also, he's saying the word "dada" and trying to say the word "dog". He also learned the sign for "more" and we are working on "eat" and "all done". He definitely knows how to communicate so I know his words aren't far behind.

His 15 month appointment is in a week, so we will see what the pediatrician has to say then!

Brayden is a super curious kid, he loves to smile and laugh, and digs in any cabinet he can reach (the Tupperware cabinet is a favorite)! He also LOVES to push buttons to see what happens, especially on the remote, DVR, light up toys, the dish washer...you get my point - nothing is off limits if it's in reach! Jokingly, I've told Jason that I think Brayden is going to be an engineer because he loves to take things apart then try to put them back together again!

Music is also a favorite of Brayden's! He LOVES to "play" the piano with both of his grandmother's and if a song comes on the TV, he will stop everything to listen!

Last night, Nichole Nordeman's song "Slow Down" came across my Pandora and although my brain told me to skip the song, I didn't listen...and I lost it. Time is passing SO fast and I'm loving every single moment. It took us so long to become parents and I didn't know if I'd ever get to experience this time, so I'm soaking up every moment as much as I can. I keep reminding myself that I won't always have this, so I'm enjoying the snuggles, hugs, and squishy baby rolls as much as I can.

This little guy has completely stolen my heart and is such a momma's boy!

I'm excited to see what the next few months have in store! His next update will be at 18 months so stay tuned! :)

12 Month Baby Update

12 Months.

I can't quite believe we have already reached the 1 year mark with our little guy! It seems like not long ago, he was just a squirmy, brand new, sweet smelling little baby! As crazy as it is to say, I almost forgot how little he was until I went back to look at pictures! I've so enjoyed this past year of his life and am loving each new milestone and watching him grow! If you've missed a previous update, you can check them out under the Pregnancy/Baby tab.

So, what's been going on in our sweet boy's life over the past month? Let's take a look!

Although he's still not walking, he sure can get around wherever he feels the need to go! He is a crawling machine and loves to move move move. He hardly ever sits still (much to my dismay as I still love to hold him)!

Brayden pulls up on everything he can get to and he loves to stand like a big boy! One of his new favorites is a toy he's been playing with since Christmas (a Baby Einstein play table) that now has the legs attached! He loves to stand at the table and make music! Light up toys and musical toys are his absolute favorite.  Although he's not walking yet, I know it won't be long. I've seen him let go of whatever item he's holding on to and stand for a few seconds before holding back onto the item. No official steps yet, though!

Clothing: 9-12 months and 12 months; sleepers are 12 months; I finally packed away the last of his 9 month clothing about 2 weeks ago.
Diapers: Size 4 for both day and night time diapers
Weight: 24.6 pounds (estimated)
Height: 29 1/4 inches (estimated)

Over the course of the past month, Brayden celebrated a couple of holidays....

His first St. Patrick's Day...

...and his first birthday! He had a Mickey Mouse themed party, of course!

Another huge milestone (well, for us anyway) is the fact that he learned how to use a sippy cup! YAY!

We've attempted the whole sippy cup thing for months now and he finally got it! He kind of shocked us with the straw - When we go out to eat for dinner, I like to use a straw to pipe water into his mouth and I've done that for a while now. One day, we put a straw up to his mouth and he knew just what to do...we were all in shock!

Oh yes, and who can forget about Opening Day? It was a VERY special time for us last year as Brayden was born during that week!

Veering off Brayden for a second, I have a crazy story to share. So, on April 5, 2016, Brayden was born at 5 p.m. and the Astros won their game that day 5-3. On April 5, 2017, a couple of times throughout the day, I told my husband and my brother that the Astros could win that night with a 5-3 score once again. They both doubted me. Well, fast forward to game time and the top of the 10th inning - the Astros were tied 2-2 and my brother text me to inform me that my hopes for a 5-3 score were lost. At the top of the 13th inning, the Mariners scored a run, making the score of the game 3-2. During the bottom of the 13th inning, the Astros had 2 runners on base and a prime hitter was up to bat. Do you see where I'm going with this? Well, guess what? He hit a HOME RUN, making the official score 5-3 and the Astros won AGAIN. Yes, it definitely happened and no, I couldn't make that stuff up, even if I wanted to. What are the odds?! Craziness, huh? We've determined that Brayden's magic number is going to be 5. :)

Ok, back to his update....

Brayden still loves food and has started eating a breakfast of baby oatmeal every morning - he loves it and gobbles it down! He's also eating three solid meals per day with a snack in between as well as his formula. He also LOVES water! There's not really anything lately that we've fed him that he won't eat!

His nap schedule hasn't really changed much lately either - he still takes two naps per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. His nap times vary between 1 and 3 hours. He's very consistent about sleeping throughout the night too, which I'm super grateful for.

On the day of his birthday party, another tooth made it's appearance on the top right...making his official count at 8 teeth!

This weekend, we will celebrate Brayden's first Easter! It's funny how the Easter holiday fell last year (the weekend before he was born) and now this year, it's two weekends after his birthday!

He LOVES to clap and anytime you say "YAY BRAYDEN", the face below is what you get....

Teehee!

We are trying to teach him how to blow kisses and wave bye bye. He almost has the blowing kisses part down! 

Just one year ago (on April 3), the above photo was taken...then again on April 3 of 2017. My sweet little baby has changed SO much over the past year and is growing up so super fast!

Throughout the ups and downs of having a newborn, learning their routine, and watching them grow and develop, I've learned SO much and have really enjoyed my time as a mom. I wasn't sure it would ever happen for me, but I'm so grateful for this precious gift God has chosen to bless us with. He's such a precious, happy, loving, and sweet little guy...I am excited to watch as his personality continues to grow and develop!

Happy 1 year, Brayden! We love you to the moon and back!

I want to thank you all for following along on our journey over the past year of Brayden's life! You guys are so special to us and we appreciate each of you!!