Weekend Update

We had such a great weekend. It just went by too fast. The munchkin is in bed and I'm already missing him knowing another work week is about to start.

Friday we went to Longhorns. We got a few compliments on what a good baby Brantley was and it made us feel so good. We had about a 30 minute wait and he relaxed in his carrier and watched all the people until we were seated. By the time we got to our table he was out. And stayed asleep for the whole meal, the ride home, and the transfer from carrier to crib. He is such a good, easy baby. Love that!

Saturday he had his first taste of sweet potatoes. He loves them. So far he is up to three foods: carrots, bananas, and sweet patotoes. He could do without the bananas most days. He eats them but not happily. Sweet patatoes and carrots are lip smacking good. Once breakfast was given and I could get us ready we went to my mom's to spend the day. We had such a good time. That evening we met the family at Fudruckers to celebrate Spencer's birthday. I love our family.

Today was just a relaxing day around the house. I made a dip for football watching (SO good!) and we made dinner together. Just spending time as a family.

Brantley's newest thing is to hold my chin while I feed him his bottle. It started out as a night time thing while we rocked. Now it's becoming a normal every bottle sort of thing. I love it! He hasn't quite mastered the motor skills of finding my chin so he spends a good portion of the bottle slapping his hand around on my face. I'll have a black eye before it's all over with. I'm sure. :)

Here are a few pictures from our weekend. Fun times!

Spencer's 14th birthday celebration with the family at Fudruckers.

Laying on mom's bed with the man.

His favorite toy - his feet!Hanging out with his Gammy!

First Taste of Carrots

His first food was oatmeal cereal, but this was boring him. So Monday (January 10th) we moved on to carrots. He LOVED them. He smacks his lips through every last drop in the bowl. I hope this is a taste of good things to come when it comes to his eating. (Pun was totally intended.)

First bite, not quite sure.

Hmm, this is pretty good Mom!
He loves to smile.

You cannot tell by this picture, but he did get some of the carrots in his mouth.

Snow Day(s)

We have had so much fun the last two days, but I'm not going to lie I'm getting a little stir crazy. I have loved this time at home with Brantley. We woke up at about 6 am on Monday to feed Brantley. Once he was fed and back in his warm bed, we headed outside to play in the snow. Last year when it snowed Craig pulled me behind the lawn mower. And I attempted to pull him behind it, accidentally put it in reverse, and almost ran over my husband...and then cried because it scared me so bad. This year the lawn mower was out of commission. (Thank you Lord.)

We played for a little bit, just Craig and I. Then once Brantley was up and fed we took him out to take pictures. He wasn't too crazy about the cold.

Happy 4 Months, Brantley!

At 4 months old you...

- Weigh 16 pounds 12.5 ounces (85th percentile)

- Are 26 inches tall (90th percentile)

- We just finished the last of the size 2 diapers and you are now in a size 3.

- You are in between sizes right now. Most of your 3 to 6 months clothes fit you. Some of the footed sleepers are getting a little tight in that size. You are wearing some 6 to 9 month clothes with the sleeves rolled up.

- Love putting everything in your mouth. You've been a little grouchy lately and that is not like you. It makes me wonder if we are getting close to those teeth coming in.

- Trying to get the hang of holding your own bottle (I don't think I'm ready for this one yet).

- Smile all the time and laugh when something is REALLY funny. But you don't just give a laugh away without hard work from the person trying to make you laugh.

- Are definitely a morning baby. I love going to get you from your crib in the mornings because you just look at me and smile.

- Sleep like an angel! You go to bed at about 7pm. We give you a bottle between 9 and 10 and you sleep until I go to wake you up to feed you before work (between 5:30 and 6am). On the weekends you will sleep til about 7 or 8am.

-The last few nights you have started turning yourself over from your back to your tummy in your crib in the middle of the night. This has thrown a small kink in your sleeping because you absolutely hate being on your stomach. I know the distict cry when it has happened. I go in, roll you over, and you go right back to sleep (until you do it again).

- At your four month appointment, Dr. H said we could start introducing you to solids. We've been putting oatmeal in your bottle since you were 2 months old. So we gave you oatmeal cereal to start out. You weren't crazy about it but you tolerated it. Yesterday we tried carrots for the first time and you LOVED them. You smiled and smacked your lips the whole time. It is so much fun to sit face to face and have breakfast (and dinner) together.

- You "talk" all the time. You babble and we babble back to you and it goes on for awhile. And of course, you smile the whole way through it.

- We took a trip to Louisiana for New Year's Eve and you did awesome in the long car ride there and the long car ride home. You were so flexible while we were there. We are so lucky you are such an easy baby.

- Love when I read books to you. We read "On the Night You Were Born" almost every night. Julie gave this to you for Christmas and it quickly became one of my favorites. You just sit and look at the pictures as we turn the pages and I read it to you. One of my favorite times of the day.

- Your favorite toys right now are your doorway bouncer that we got you for Christmas and a toy that Aunt Ashley and Uncle Greg got you to work your feet. You lay on the floor smiling and kicking the hanging toys. Those keep you very entertained.

I want this time with you to slow down. I was telling someone the other day that the first month and a half was so tough trying to learn each other and figure out what I was supposed to be doing. I have "hit my stride" (as Anna says) and I wish I could have that time back. Half the time I didn't know whether I was coming or going. But you were patient with me and we have figured it out together! We have learned so much about each other these last four months. I know what way you want to be held. I've learned your cries. I know what you'll like and dislike. I know I don't have everything figured out. I know there will be another stage we will get to where I will feel overwhelmed and not sure of what to do. But I know we'll figure that out together when we get to it. I love you so much Brantley. My world is so much better with you in it!

My First Born

I normally drop Brantley off at June's in the morning and Craig picks him up. We apparently rocked Sadie's (our Mini Schnauzer) world today because we mixed it up a little bit. He came on home because I was meeting Julie for dinner near dad and June's house. Sadie is deathly afraid of the hardwood floors in the kitchen. She will go on the same path to cross them to get to the back door to go potty, but that's as far as her venturing on them goes. Tonight she met me at the door. I set down my purse and diaper bag and then went back out to the car to get Brantley. Sadie crossed the kitchen floors and followed me out to the garage, where she proceeded to jump in the back seat as I was trying to get Brantley out. It was hilarious. She would not get out of the car. So I had to set Brantley down, pick Sadie up, and get her out of the car so she would follow us in. Then she followed me all the way to his room to check on him when I set him down.

Sadie is a special needs dog. Really, she is. The first night we brought her home she found a hiding place in the back of our closet and shook with fear. She has come a LONG way. I was a little worried with how she would take to Brantley. But she has done awesome. I think she loves him just as much as I do.

Ringing In 2011!

We headed to Louisiana this past weekend to celebrate the new year with Greg, Ashley, Briley, and Kinley. It was an awesome trip. Each trip we go on becomes the best one yet. Ashley and I can relate to each other so much more than we used to. We've always gotten along, just on different pages sometimes. Mainly because I was not on the baby page and she has been for almost four years now. Funny how being a mom changes you. Before Brantley, if Briley started crying when we were visiting, it wasn't my issue. I had no interest in babies or helping in any way. I wasn't ready for my own so I definitely was not ready to help out with a baby that wasn't mine. Now after having Brantley, when Kinley needs something and Ashley's hands are tied doing something else I instantly step in and help where I can. You just realize how much it is appreciated. That and I'm not terrified of breaking them anymore.

The trip now takes us about nine hours where it used to just take us 7 1/2. There's this little man in the backseat that needs to eat, stretch, and get a diaper changed every now and then. But when we got there the fun instantly started. We played Just Dance 2 on the Wii. Oh my gosh, what a work out. Crazy fun, even though I looked completely ridiculous. (Craig has video to prove this.)

Here are a few pictures I took of our trip.







So my new years resolutions for 2011:
1. Take at least one picture every day. Just something quick on the camera phone or my new camera Craig gave me for Christmas to document the day.
2. Run a 5K and push myself to run further once that goal is achieved.
3. At LEAST get to my pre-pregnancy weight, but work on losing more than that.