Dear Santa...

Today Grandma P and I headed out in the freezing cold, with bundled Brayden to meet Santa Claus and get a free 8x10 from Picture People. Check out this cute little bundle of love. I had to break into his Christmas stash so his head and hands would be adequately covered.


You'll notice in the pics that B's not really smiling...he sort of looked at Santa like "who are you?" and I couldn't help but think that based on some of the stories my mom has told of me when I was little, that maybe he was acting like his mom--studying those around him. Anyway, he sat with Santa and we exchanged "Merry Christmas" greetings and off we went! Poor Brayden was very cold as his little eyes were beginning to tear from the wind.

Our 1st family Christmas pics and more...

No Bananas for Brayden!

So...our little anxious eater has decided he absolutely detests bananas. I have tried them fresh and jarred and they are "no go." The first time was hillarious; he spit them out, followed by a gagging motion, complete with sound and tongue sticking out of his mouth and nostrils flared. It reminded me of my little brother Jon, who would "gag" when he had to eat his green beans. (Sorry, Jon). I waited a week or so and tried them again--jarred--"Chiquita Bananas." They were smooth, smelled sweet and were sure to tempt his little taste buds. Nope. One small spoonful came right back out onto his bib and then he clamped his mouth shut. He looked at me as if to say "there is no way you are feeding me that nasty stuff again." I laughed and shook my head and prepared apples instead.

Feeding frenzy update

I told you how B is Mr. Efficient at eating--gobbling down his bites, now loving rice cereal, green beans, anything you put in front of him. Well, what began as arm control for Mommy has turned into food control for Brayden. Let me explain: I mentioned in a previous post that he gets anxious and begins to flail his arms if you are feeding him and do not have the next spoonful ready when he's ready. To remedy this I began holding his hands with my pinky fingers--one hand is holding the bowl with the food and the other hand maneuvers back and forth feeding him. At first, he did not like this tactic AT ALL; I'm sure it felt a bit like "lockdown" to him. Now, however, he has figured out how to use it to his own advantage. This is what he does: He squeezes both of my fingers, not wanting to let go for any reason. Why? One hand holds the food and the other brings the food to his mouth. He is so smart that he has begun to grab my hand and direct the spoon into his mouth and even fuss slighty as I move the spoon away from his mouth, back to the bowl to retrieve another spoonful of food. What a crazy guy!

Brayden's Special Day...

Brayden was baptized on Sunday, November 15, 2009. Chris and I had anticipated this date for a month, looking forward to sharing it with family and friends. Sadly, no one from my family was able to make the occasion, but Chris' family was present. We were grateful his mom was able to video it. (Hopefully I will post this for you to share in the joy!) The day served as one of those "mommy moments" for me. I was so proud of my boy! First, he looked absolutely darling in his baptism gown, and I did make a point to tell the pastor that it was a BOY gown! Second, he was so good on stage (he's always good) and just so darn cute! He was startled by the cold water when the pastor put it on his head and began "gurgling" during his prayer. It was really cute. Our pastor also asked Chris to pray for Brayden. When he told me he was going to do this (just prior to the service), I thought, "oh great! so I better take a kleenex with me." Tears have flown easily since having Brayden and I already wasn't exactly the most stoic person. I don't think I was prepared though for how meaningful this occasion would truly be. It served as the moment when we, officially as parents, would give Brayden back to God, essentially saying "he's yours; we recognize that you have given him to us as a gift and it is a HUGE responsibility to raise him and care for him. We also promise not to stand in the way of whatever your will is for his life." WOW! How hard is that! I thought about some of the heartache I have caused my parents as I've made mistakes over the years, and they've had to trust that all the while Jesus was walking me through some rough waters to bring me to "greener pastures." Anyway, needless to say, I was thrilled Barbara captured everything on film. Chris' prayer for his son was beautiful. How grateful I am to have a husband who loves Jesus, loves me and loves Brayden.

Green beans, independence, & 'entertainment tonight'

Brayden's personality has certainly begun to shine! We love to listen to him entertain himself in his crib early in the mornings on Saturday and Sunday before we go in to get him. From the sounds of it, he is having a blast! He is squealing and laughing and gurgling and making all sorts of high-pitched obscure sounds that keep him entertained for at least 15 minutes. We love this! He is now sleeping 12 hours a night, which is also nice, since it gives Chris and I some semblance of an evening. Of course, I am in the habit of falling asleep by 8:30 lately so we don't really have THAT much of an evening. Brayden has also decided he wants to hold his own bottle now which makes me proud of his development and at the same time, sad that he acts so independent of me! He has so mastered this skill that he has figured out how to pop the bottle out of his mouth and pop it back in, AND he has learned how to move it to the side to catch his breath, only to start drinking again when he's ready. Is he smart or what? I gave him green beans for the first time friday night and as I braced myself for the "ooh, this is awful" face, he opened his mouth wider than he did for sweet potatoes! He gobbled them down as if to say "where's the rest?" Feeding him is somewhat stressful...he has become so efficient at eating that if I don't have another spoonful of food ready to go, one right after the other, he gets antcy, flails his arms, and begins to fuss. From what I've heard, he is just like his father was!

Mr. Roly Poly...

...in more ways than one :). Today Chris and I were both home to see Brayden flip from his back to his tummy (to love on Bunny) and then back again, from his tummy to his back! We have been waiting for this moment and have marveled at how high he pulls his legs, but only to turn to his side. And when we've had tummy time, he merely looks like a turtle trying to swim and gets frustrated that he can't get over, but today, while I was putting together his new jumperoo, he suddenly flipped both ways! Here are some pics of Brayden in his jumperoo. He is most concentrated as he studies each colored piece and determines how this new fun station works.