Almost There

For a brief moment last night, I was able to get Brody to not only lay on his stomach but stay AWAKE. He attempted to pick his head up, but got a little lazy towards the end and rested it on his arm. But he did have to lift it up in order to get it on his arm. Progress!!

Here is Brody trying to roll off of his stomach. He can get his bottom moving, but nothing else seems to go anywhere. He's hilarious!!

Surprise Visit

Brody's Uncle Mike came by for a quick visit. Just in time to feed Brody. Thanks Michael!

Update in Pictures

So, I found my camera! YAY!!! This is our BEAUTIFUL new patio and flower beds. I'm still going to get two more chairs and one more table which will give us seating for 8. So yall come on over anytime!
Here is Brody on Memorial Day ready to go to my parents house. I was so disappointed he couldn't get in the pool. But one day....

Today I finally finished cleaning up our messy trailor! Friday was the children's last day, and tomorrow is mine. I miss them already. This past year has definitely been my favorite! I am so excited about next year and all the awesome ideas we have. We actually, for the first time in 5 years, have free reign over what we want to teach and how we teach it. I'm so pumped!!!

Summer is here!!!! But, sadly, I have two days off before I start teaching summer school. Still I will have the afternoons with Brody and all of July with him. I definitely can't complain.

Memorial Day Weekend

We had such a great time this weekend. We finally finished the backyard. Yes, you heard me...ITS DONE!!!! My camera is MIA but whenever I find it I will post pics of the yard, our patio and the new furniture. Its so pretty! I love it!
So...after two days of working in the yard, we went to my parents with Rob, Kim, and Bryce to swim. So wish I had my camera. Bryce was too cute in his shark life jacket. And for all of you who are wondering...yes, yes, I got in the pool. Shamu can float, I found out. Bryce kept saying the shark (him) was coming to get the whale (me). Ha!! We attempted to get Brody in the pool in his hot pink Dora Swimmers....but it must have been a sign from above, because they were as big as him and he couldn't keep them on. (He just didn't want to be seen his his hot pink diapers!....really didn't think to look at the color of them.) But Brody fussed most of the afternoon, I think there was too much excitement going on and he couldn't get his nap out.
After a couple hours of swimming, we headed back to my house for a cookout on my BRAND SPANKING NEW PATIO!! I'm so excited as you can tell. We lived outside at our old house, and its been killing us to get outside in this one. Everyone loved the yard. Brody calmed down one he took a 6 ounce bottle! Yay for Brody! That was the first time he has taken that much at one sitting. (Now all the rest had been piddly little 3 ouncers, but we take what we can get.) All in all we had a great weekend. We hope everyone else did too!

Brody's Bumbo

Finally, I bought Brody a Bumbo! He's still a bit wobbly in it, after all, he is a tad bit top heavy. Ha! But, he's starting to get the hang of it...

Still so sweet...

After an afternoon of patio furniture shopping and dinner at my parents, we came home EXHAUSTED! We gave Brody his medicine and I took him in his room for a quick diaper change and into his pjs. We are in desperate need of some one on one time with our washer and dryer as Brody had no more clean sleepers. I pulled out one of his gowns and put him in it. I had to take a moment....ahhh! How cute is he!

Backyard Update

We finally got our patio laid! They came Thursday and poured the concrete and as soon as they had finished smoothing everything out, a downpour came. It rained 4 inches on top of the wet concrete. About half way through all the rain, they brought some plastic to cover it. They came back Friday and finished smoothing it out and it looks great! We still have to remove the forms, stain it, and finish the bed to the right. But we are so close to being finished. YAY!!! (Then on to the front yard...)

Brody's Cuddly Wuddlies!

Is there anyone who really likes Mondays? I never liked them much, but having Brody makes them even harder. I am spoiled by having every minute with him on the weekends. But on Mondays, I start going through withdrawal around lunchtime at school. Tuesdays, still hard. Wednesdays...get a little easier. Thursdays...easy peasy. Fridays...a breeze, but pumped about the weekend! Its just those dang Mondays!! But, he always seems to make a bad day better. After doing some school work on the computer, I come in the living room to find him like this...

Now I know this doesn't seem like much to most people, but he's finally finding things to comfort him other than us. Brody has just now started to "curl up" with his blankies and lovies. He grabs everything he can get his hands on...including mommy's hair. We are still working on tummy time. He thinks its nap time. Give him five minutes on his tummy and he's sleeping like a rock. (Anybody that knows how to keep this from happening please let me know!) It is such a joy to watch him grow and change. I feel like finally we are starting to feel like successful parents and ENJOY every minute of him! With the exception of a few minutes of screaming when its time to eat, Brody is a completely different baby than he was just a month ago. I know everything God gives us has its purpose and I feel like I appreciate everything Brody does even more than I could have ever imagined.

The Gift of Laughter

Brody laughed for the first time this week. It caught me so off guard. Its the cutest thing ever!!! We were just sitting, watching Desperate Housewives of all things and I started playing with him. I love his little chuckles. (Disregard me in the movie...didn't think he was getting me in it.)

Crawfish Boil 2008!

Saturday, we had our 2nd annual Crawfish Boil. It was a gorgeous day. We had a great turnout! It was a day full of family, friends, food...and of course a little beer. The kids had a great time in the pool, the babies slept, and the adults relaxed. What a great way to spend a Saturday.

Crawfish Boil

Great Grandparents Come for a Visit

In the midst of all the preparation for the Crawfish Boil, my dad's parents came up for a visit. They are from the coast and were dying to see Brody. (Of course they were, who wouldn't want to see my sweet butterbean?) They couldn't believe how much he had grown and changed since the last time they saw him. We definitely don't get to see them enough, but with Ken working on the weekends some, Lauren, Brody and I can take a mini road trip down to see them.

So...we had planned to get up and go to church this morning, just me and Brody. Ken had to work at the golf course. He slept through the night, but woke up ready to eat around 5:30. He took a quick bottle and we both got back in the bed. (Ken was already up and gone by now.) We cooed and talked and at some point we had both fallen asleep. The next thing I know Brody is screaming and its 9:00! Church started at 8:00. I knew my grandparents were leaving around 10, and we were supposed to stop by on the way home from church. I quickly fed,changed, and dressed him and we loaded up in the car. I got a few snapshots before they had to leave. Aren't grandparents the best?

Brody is already to go!

Look how sweet that face is... Brody and Papa Brody was fascinated with my grandmother.I see you, Gamma! Brody talked up a storm to her this morning.

My Little Runaways!

After Brody's checkup, I dropped Lauren off at my parents and went on home to get Brody ready for bed. I pull up and see Bailey standing in the front yard. Odd...then I remembered that I am dog sitting for Lauren. Where's Chip? I put Bailey inside and noticed that the front door was wide open! Again...really odd. I shut the front door and went back outside to look for Chip who is a mini chihuahua. Thank goodness I have sweet neighbors who love animals. They found Chip earlier in the day and brought him inside to play with their new puppy. Lauren said Chip was trying to pull a 'Homeward Bound' excursion to get back to her. (She is staying at my parents' house). Ha!

We still don't know how the front door got open. Ken swears he didn't go out it yesterday morning. Very creepy. Bailey and Chip...my little runaways!

Brody's Four Month Checkup

We had a great four month checkup. Finally, an easier one! We did the weight check/length/head size thing and everything seemed to be improving.

Weight: 12.4 lbs (10%...yay!! Moving on up!)

Length: 25 3/4 inches (75%....are you kidding me...this is definitely my dad coming through!)

Head: 42 1/2 cm (55%...my sweet melon head! But we got cleared of craniosynostenosis for this checkup! A big head is a good sign. See I knew being top heavy had its benefits!!)

Next came the developmental questions...

How much is he eating?
3-4 ounces every 3 hours. Occasionally a 5 ounce bottle if he's starving!

Is he rolling over yet?
Yes, onto his stomach but not the front to back. Which he could see for himself, because the boy would not stop moving. He tore the paper to shreds on the table thats he lays on.

Is he babbling?
Yes, when his hands aren't in his mouth.

Then came the physical exam.
Eyes, check! Throat, check! Reflexes, check! Ears, right ear, check, Left...not so much. Ear infection and another round of antibiotics. He also put us back on Acuhist for his congestion.

Overall it was a good checkup. When doc checked the left ear, blood curdling shrieks came out of that sweet boys mouth. He must have hit a tender spot. The nurse came into give him his shots and he was still screaming. He screamed for about thirty minutes and finally they let me give him a bottle. If you remember an earlier post, at two months he threw up his roto vac after a bottle so they would not let me feed him until well after all his vacs. He crashed out after half a mile. All in all, I consider it a SUCCESS! Good job Brody!!

My First Mother's Day

Today was my first Mother’s Day. It was such a wonderful day spent with family, both Ken’s and mine. We went to Church at my old church, St. Francis, which was perfect! I felt so at home there, and am excited to join as the Hayman Family. I can’t wait to get more involved. After church, we made a quick Walmart run and then headed up to the Rez to meet Ken’s family. It was a beautiful day! We had a picnic, the boys fished, the girls gabbed, and Ken gave boat rides. The babies cried, ate, played and slept. It was so great to see Connor and Evan getting so big. I’m glad Brody has cousins…who all are boys, so close to home. After the picnic, we headed over to my parents’ house. Lauren and Michael actually got me to throw the football around and attempt to hit a tennis ball. My sister is very athletically inclined while I’m…well…NOT! We sat around the pool, played with Brody, ate dinner, and came on home. I could not have imagined a more perfect day!

Mother's Day Pictures

Brody's 3 Month Pictures

We got Brody's three month pictures taken by Dawn Chappelier about two weeks ago. As fussy as he was, we got some really cute shots! I am so happy with how they turned out!

Great, but busy weekend! (Long Post)

It's amazing how much you can pack into a couple of days. Thursday, I took off work to go to the Canton Flea Market with Kim. We had such a good time and found some really good deals. It was amazing to me to see all of the mothers with their kids. There's absolutely no way I could drag Brody around a place like that all day. Every time we turned the corner, cries of "Mommy, I wanna go hooooooomme!" were everywhere. Bless their hearts! It was just too hot for strollers and the Flea Market is not just a quick little shopping trip. So...sadly I left Brody at the Daycare while I shopped...and shopped...and shopped. But I found the perfect handmade frame for Brody's pictures that made the trip worthwhile. Then I picked up Brody and we both took a much needed 2 hour nap! So that was Thursday...

Friday, I went back to work for a Field Trip to the zoo. Now, the zoo with 20 5 year olds who have NEVER been to the zoo was quite an experience. It was hilarious to watch them ogle at everything they saw. But what a rewarding experience to be able to give them that. After the school was over, I picked up Bryce and Brody from daycare. We went back to my house and made dirt birthday cake for Bryce's mommy. Later that evening, Kim and Rob came over to eat hamburgers and hot dogs. As tired all we all were, it was really nice to get together like we used to.

All the way home from Daycare Bryce asked if it was time to feed Brody. "When Bwody (as he says it) cries, I give him a bottle k?" He was so excited when he finally did cry. "Now I get to feed Bwody his bottle...."

Kim takes over after Bryce looses interests... Like a Champ!Rob and Brody watch the Braves play. Well....Brody might be watching. I think Rob was trying to get a catnap in. Ken was already passed out on the couch...should've gotten a picture of that!

Saturday was a busy day as well...but so productive! We got two of the back beds done in the backyard. Yay!!! So half of phase 2 is complete! (Still have to straw all the beds we have done, and we've got two more beds to do.)

This is the largest bed in the yard. Can you believe I planted most of these? Okay...well...Ken dug the holes, and I put them in the holes.

Plants we still have to plant....ugh!This is the patio, formed. Now we just have to get the concrete here. Which hopefully, Ken will handle this week. Its turning into a mud pit and Bailey has nowhere to go but through it. And of course means we get thousands of paw prints all over our floors inside. I've almost given up on trying to keep the wood floors clean.

My Boys

Here are some pictures of my two favorite boys. Brody loves watching T.V. especially with Ken. This is probably not the best habit for him to form, but it definitely lets me get some things done around the house.


Brody is finally getting the hang of tummy time...even if its on Daddy's tummy.

One more post

While I was posting the other pictures of him, I could hear him just talking away in the other room. I caught him "talking" to his toys on his mat. Wish I knew what he was telling them about.

Brody: Month 3

After church this morning, we ran by Lowe's and got some Daylillies and Vincas for the backyard. Ken has been working on the beds and patio all afternoon. As much I as love to be outside and get dirty, there wasn't much I could do to help. He tilled the beds and leveled the dirt for the patio. (More on this to come later...) So while he worked, I had the afternoon to entertain Brody. I got to take lots of pictures. He's getting so big and we are starting to see some chub appear. He's taking between 4-5 ounces every 3 hours and sleeping around 9 hours a night. Everything is perfect! I'm enjoying motherhood so much. I just hope it stay like this...even if its just for a little while. Just look how precious he is...

This is Brody's new hat from Old Navy. It took me forever to find a hat that would fit his head. I thought he had a pretty big head but everything I found has been too big. He still has some growing room in this one, but it sure is cute on him. And it serves its purpose.

Passy vs. Fingers

Babies with pacifiers look so peaceful. Too bad Brody isn't one of them. Two seconds later...Here he is spitting out his pacifier. Daycare says he takes it for them all day...but you see what happens to us. And he thinks its hysterical.Who needs a passy anyway...fingers taste so much better!

The Art of a Roll...

Now if he can just figure out how to go the other way. Maybe that comes in month 4.