5 Year Update & One Magical Summer

Ever since Brayden turned 5 back in April, I've been in a bit of a denial about Kindergarten. How did it sneak up on us so fast? Knowing I truly wanted to make the most of the time we had this summer, I decided to turn the summer before he started Kindergarten into his most magical summer yet! 

Throughout the summer weekends, we swam, ate snow cones, went on road trips, visited the park, loved on family, swam some more, and by the time it was all said and done, I knew that our mission had been accomplished. 

This will likely be my last official "Brayden update" as he is now 5 years old and although he is still growing and changing, it's not as rapid as it was in previous updates. But, here we go...

Clothing: 5T tops - Shorts are mostly 4T or 5T. 

Pants have to be at least 5T because he's such a tall kid! 

He's in a size 11 shoe.

Weight: 42 pounds (estimated)
Height: 44 inches (estimated)

Watching Brayden grow into his own little personality has been so much fun. He's still silly and loves to make people laugh. He's definitely not the shy kid I was!

He still takes naps everyday and I'm fine with that because they do in kindergarten at his school, too! As far as eating goes - well, his variety hasn't changed much although some choices leave me scratching my head. Apart from his usual chicken nuggets, fries, sweet potato fries, spaghetti, pizza, tacos, yogurt, etc, he now will eat lettuce. Yes, like salad lettuce from a bag. He also loves a green smoothie concoction my mom makes. Kids are so funny!

Earlier in the spring, we took him to our local beach. It was such a nice afternoon and the weather was perfect! We had a great time until Jason hurt his foot (he's fine) but Brayden will tell you all about our day at the beach and how his dad injured his foot if you ask! 

He also played tee-ball this year which was SO interesting and a lot of fun to watch! For a first year kid, he learned a lot and I'm excited to see how next year looks for him! 

In June, we took a road trip to Missouri to visit family at the Lake of the Ozarks. We spent 80% of our time out on the water and Brayden LOVED it!

The whole week was very relaxing and something we all needed. It truly was a great getaway!

While in Missouri, we took him to his very first water park. He loved riding all the rides and sliding down all the slides, but he discovered the green slide pictured here and must have gotten on it about 100 times! He still talks about that water park today!

As the summer drew to a close, we packed our bags and headed to Disney World! I wanted to end Brayden's magical summer with a truly magical experience - at the most magical place on earth!

While there, we visited Blizzard Beach water park which was a first for all of us! It was fun but we were rained out of a good bit of our day (more on that later).

We also rode the Skyliner which y'all know is his absolute favorite!

We also said hello to several characters throughout the week, rode plenty of rides, ate a ton of yummy food, and just enjoyed being together!

I hated to see the summer end, but we returned home from vacation literally the day before Brayden started school. Nothing like making each and every single day count, right? :) 

...and now we have a big kindergartner! 

On his first morning as I was trying to get him dressed, he told me that putting on his uniform was so scary. I reminded him that he already has braveness inside of him because his name Brayden literally means brave! I am proud of how much of a rockstar he has been since that moment! 

At drop off, a sweet first grader was helping kids find their classroom. He asked where Brayden needed to be, we told him, so he took Brayden's hand and walked him to his classroom. Brayden never looked back. It was absolutely precious! 

He rocked his first day and has done amazing since! I am excited to see what this year has to hold! 

Here's to an incredible year 5! Brayden says it's been a pretty awesome one thus far! 

For those of you who have followed these updates for a while now, thank you!! I'll still be back with snippets of fun things in our lives and our crazy adventures so stay tuned! Thanks again for following along! It's been so much fun to share this journey with you!

4.5 Year Old Kid Update

On October 5, Brayden turned four and a half years old. (A fun fact, 10/5  is also my dad's real birthday!) I've seen a huge change in him since he turned four back in April - it hit mostly over the late summer and suddenly, he grew a few inches taller and began talking/speaking like a "big kid". As much as I can see his baby/toddler hood as a thing of the past, he still loves to "snuggle", rock on the occasion, and be close to mom, so I'm holding onto that as long as I can!

Sadly, much of the past six months have been spent in quarantine, but we made the best of it and truly soaked up our time together as a family!

Speaking of quarantine, we took the time to learn how to ride a "real" bike vs the little push and stroll trike he owned previously. Once he got the hang of the bike, he was rocking and rolling!

 During the spring/summer, Brayden discovered the joy of picking wildflowers! We picked SO many during our walks/runs, we pretty much emptied our running route of them. If we see one on the occasion, he still likes to stop and pick it for momma's "base" aka vase.

One of my favorite memories from early summer was the day we took the boat out to explore the lake and surrounding river. Brayden LOVED riding in the boat and we vowed to take it out again more often. (We need to do this again, soon!) Another favorite past time became the boat launch. Brayden loves to sit and watch the boats take off and return back to their trucks. We've picked up snow cones several times, then hung out there and watched the water!

These times are priceless and we love to soak them up when we can!

 

In June, we  held a very belated birthday party for Brayden. All he wanted was for his friends to come over and hang out and get a big water slide, so that's what we did!

Brayden also has the sweetest little heart. In July, my mom's birthday present hadn't yet arrived and we were celebrating her birthday. He was so concerned that she would be sad because she didn't have a present to open, so we made her one that evening. He was so excited to give it to her and it was a precious moment!

He also hates when people cry! He will immediately run and give you a hug to make it all better!

Brayden was able to start school for about zero point five seconds back in August. They literally had two weeks of school, then Hurricane Laura happened. His school facility took so much damage, they still haven't reopened and they are projecting a January time frame. There are a lot of schools here in the same boat, so we are trying to work with him at home as much as we can. We've mainly been focusing on writing his name and sight words. He's getting there, but he's not quite there yet on writing his name.

When it came time to evacuate for Hurricane Laura, we literally packed up my vehicle with all the dogs and our prized possessions and headed to Texas. Jason had to stay back at work and how I made the 5 hour drive with a child and two dogs is beyond me...but we made it!

Several Bucee's stops were also included along the way which Brayden LOVES! Buc-ee's = Disney World in Brayden's mind!

While evacuated, we tried to make the most of our time, so we went to a local "zoo". Among the very large snake exhibit (gross), they also had a petting area. I'd have to say that this was Brayden's favorite part of our entire week in Texas! He loved feeding the goats and sheep!

For my dad's birthday, we took another trip to Texas and stopped at all four Buc-ee's along the way. Brayden couldn't stop talking about plans for the trip for weeks, then once it actually happened, he was one excited little boy!

We also picked out Brayden's halloween costume back in September. He wanted to be "all the Paw Patrols", so we compromised on a Marshall costume with a Chase candy bucket. He was happy with that, so we went with it!

As far as eating goes, I can see his likes expanding ever so slowly. He's still on his usual chicken nuggets/french fries, pizza spaghetti, tacos, but we can sometimes convince him to try something different or taste something new where as he was completely opposed to that idea before. 

He's definitely speaking in full sentences and can carry on conversations. He loves playing with his little friends and going to the park. He also has the world's biggest memory and can remember things that blow my mind!

Daily naps are still a part of his routine but I can see those leaving before long. I'm attempting to keep him on the same schedule they use at school (still napping every day) but I'm sure that'll be a thing of the past once this school year is done. 

Watching him grow is bittersweet, but I'm loving the kid he's becoming. It's so much fun being the mom to Brayden!

I'll be back in April of 2021 for Brayden's 5th and final update! I feel like age 5 is a good place to call it on these. However, he will still make appearances on instagram and on the blog here as well! Thanks for following along with our updates!

4 Year Old Update

Well, here we are - year 4. I seriously blinked and my sweet squishy baby is now a full grown little boy (still sweet). 

Although we were quarantined for his birthday, we seriously had one of the best days ever! I set out to make it a memorable day and it ended up being just that for all three of us. 

We spent the day playing, making a birthday cake, and just having a fun day together. It truly was a wonderful day - one that left my heart feeling full of gratitude.

He was SO proud of his "teddy worm" cake!

A few friends even stopped by in a mini-cavalcade to sing happy birthday!!

At the end of the evening, we gathered our family via facetime to sing happy birthday to Brayden. It was so sweet and special to have everyone together, even if it was just via technology! Although we are still planning on having a party for him (at a later date), this day will definitely be one we will remember forever!

So, what has Brayden been up to these past six months? Well, let's take a look!

Clothing: Still 3T tops, 4T pants. His growth rate has slowed down a little for sure, although he's a tall kid! He's in a size 9 shoe.

Diapers: Nope! He is fully potty trained both day and night so no more pullups at night, either!
Weight: 39 pounds (estimated)
Height: 41 inches (estimated)

In November, we took Brayden on his very first Disney Cruise! Prior to the cruise, we spent a few days in Walt Disney World, running a few races and enjoying time with friends!

Brayden ran his second 100m dash during the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend!

He also discovered the skyliner for the very first time and he fell in LOVE! I mean, look at that face...

If we never bought park tickets and soley rode the skyliner on repeat, this would be the happiest kid in the world! (I exaggerate on that one but you get my point.)

Brayden's first Disney Cruise also meant his first time at Castaway Cay! He had a ball swimming in the ocean and he loved the beach!
 

In December, we had yet another Grinch performance. Brayden loved seeing his momma's silly nose!

For Christmas, my dad and mom bought Brayden his first "big boy" bike and he was in heaven!

While in Texas for Christmas with my family, my brother let him push a few buttons in his police car, too!

What fun!!

Throughout the past six months, I've seen so many changes in Brayden. His looks, his demeanor, his personality - they are all growing and developing and it's so fun to watch! No longer does he look like a baby or a toddler but he's truly grown into a little boy. He has the goofiest personality and loves to make people laugh (so much like his dad).

Brayden LOVES school and his little friends. He has learned so much and absorbs everything. He can count pretty high (almost to 100 - just needs a little help) and we are starting to work on addition. He loves numbers!

The past six months also brought along his first two trips to urgent care - one for a random rash we couldn't figure out and another for the flu.

Poor kid just couldn't escape it. (His whole class at school had it.)

As far as nap time goes, Brayden still takes a daily afternoon nap for about 2 (sometimes 3) hours. He mostly sleeps all night but has discovered how to crawl out of his toddler bed and into mommas bed. (It happens a couple of nights a week.) I don't mind because I know it won't last forever.

In February, we visited Walt Disney World again for the Princess Half Marathon.

We had a whole lot of fun and even more...you guessed it...skyliner riding!

As far as eating goes, not much has changed in that department. Brayden is not a very adventurous eater and still sticks to his usual staples - waffles, chicken nuggets and french fries, spaghetti, tacos, any and all fruit, etc...

For favorite movies/shows, Brayden loves Paw Patrol, Toy Story, and more Paw Patrol. Isn't it funny how kids go through phases?! Cracks me up.

This kid can TALK. He is speaking in full sentences now and misses NOTHING! He also doesn't forget anything and still talks about seeing Stitch in the kids club from our Disney Cruise in November!

This photo was taken on his final day to be a three year old. We are loving four so far and are excited to see what the next year has to bring! Stay sweet little dude, momma and daddy love you! 

For a list of previous Brayden updates, check them out here! Thanks for following along in our journey!!

3.5 Year Toddler Update

For starters, GO TIGERS! The energy this weekend and yesterday leading up to the big game was electric here in the south and almost everyone I came into contact with yesterday was wearing purple and gold! Awesome awesome game!

Ok, so I'm WAY behind on posting Brayden's 3 1/2 year update and before too long, it will be time for a 4 year old update. Wait, what? Maybe I'm just in denial, but I'm about to have a FOUR year old. I'm stunned.

This update takes place from April of 2019-October of 2019. I know, SO far behind. (Hanging my head in shame.)

Clothing: Definitely all 3T. He grew in length by 5 inches in 1 year, so he's going to be a tall dude!
Diapers: No more! He still wears a 4T sized pull up at night, but those are about to go bye bye, too!
Weight: 38 pounds (estimated)
Height: 40 inches (estimated)

Since turning 3 officially, we have had so many wonderful adventures! We went to several Astros games and to an Easter Egg hunt where Brayden found a prize egg!

He finally picked up on Easter Egg hunting this year and he was all over it! So much fun to watch!

In the spring, I ran a race that was part of an out of town festival. Brayden discovered the carousel "like Disney World" and I'm pretty sure we rode that thing about 12 times. Maybe more, I lost count!

As far as food goes, we are still in the same place as before. He's super hesitant to try new things and doesn't really care for vegetables at all, except corn. Staples around here include: oatmeal, waffles, eggs, cereal ("ta ta crunch" aka Captain Crunch and cheerios), spaghetti, tacos, chicken nuggets, french fries, orange fries (aka sweet potato fries), rice and gravy, mac & cheese, and I think that's about it...

This kid's love of the park/"splash I-pad" is real!

As far as potty training goes, I think that's one of the easiest hurdles we've had to jump in this parenting thing so far. We had a sticker chart for when he would actually go on the potty and he took to that like a charm. Potty training for bowel movements was a bit harder, but not much. Once he figured out that he would receive a "prize" every time he went on the potty, we were good!  He still wears a pull up at night and is rarely wet in the morning, so I think we've pretty much got this thing down.

A few other loves include football games and riding his bike!

This kid LOVES to be outside!

This summer, Brayden traveled with us to Alaska for his first ever cruise! He had a blast and we loved being together with Jason's family (12 of us)!

Much much much to my surprise, he even allowed them to paint his face like a "kitty cat" in the kids club. I have no clue how they got him to sit still for that long, but I was seriously amazed!

While in Alaska, we did all kinds of fun things, but Brayden's favorite was the dog sled experience. We were able to ride on a sled with several dogs pulling us along and Brayden giggled and giggled - he thought it was so fun! We also had a chance to pet the dogs and tell them hello after. I highly recommend an excursion like this one!

Another fun experience for us in Alaska was the Alaska Zoo. Brayden loved seeing the animals and playing on their playground. We had such fun!

At the beginning of August, we took a super short weekend trip to Disney World and this is where Brayden discovered his love for the tea cups!

They are all he talks about now!

Late nights are ok while on vacay!

Speaking of late nights, naps are always a nice and quiet part of our day and still last anywhere from 2-3 hours. 

In August, he started in the Toddler 3 class at his Mother's Day Out. Oddly enough, his infant teacher who also became his teacher mid way through his 2 year old class also followed them up to the 3 year old class! He was so excited to start a new year and still have Mrs. Erin as his teacher!

As the time drew closer to Halloween, our photographer offered up the suggestion of a few of Brayden in his Halloween costume (during his fall mini session). I am SO glad we did it because I am in love with the way these pictures turned out! He (of course) wanted to be Lightning McQueen and I think this was his favorite costume so far!

As Brayden has continued to grow and develop, so has his knowledge base, his personality, and his quirks. He definitely does not like to sit still long (Jason says he gets that from me) and is always super busy. He is also a goofball and loves to try and make people laugh (he gets that from his dad). I am amazed at the wealth of knowledge he has picked up since starting the three year old class, too. He knows the months of the year, days of the week, several songs, he's becoming more independent, etc. 

Despite all of the growing and changing going on over here, Brayden is still a momma's boy who loves to "cuddle" and I am soaking up every single moment! 

Thank you so much for following along in our pregnancy/parenting journey. I've had so much fun sharing it with you! Have a great day!