Seventeen Months

This boy does love music, but nothing was coming out of the headphones. For some reason he just likes wearing them. I think he looks extra cute and chubby here!

Man, using a big spoon is hard!

I think I'll use my hand instead.

Forget it, I'll just stick my entire face in the bowl!

We pull Braden's high chair up to the table so he can be with us. If he is close enough he usually props his feet up. Look at those sweet toes!

Make yourself at home, B!

St. George Island

Here are some pictures of our vacation. I was having too much fun to take many pictures but am thankful for the ones I was able to get.

Here is how day one started out. Braden took a small spill into the coffee table below. Of course he had to hit it right on the sharp corner. It looked awful, but could have been much worse.

Notice those sharp corners! Round coffee tables are much more kid friendly!

Bath time! Our bathroom had these glass doors instead of a shower curtain. It was so hard to catch Braden to bathe him so we took turns getting in the tub with him.

Let me out!

Sweet Abbey

Katie getting hooked on Twilight! :)

Just chillin' in his little chair, snack in hand of course!

Braden was not a fan of the sand or ocean really so he hung out in this little pool under our tent.

Mama's turn in the tub! He makes me laugh.

We are such tourists!

Braden with Grandmama

One happy family!

My boys! I'm in love!

The yearly beach photo.

Gosh, I love them!

Sweet baby footprints.

My little surfer boy.

Who can resist this face?

Braden and Abbey

Kissing cousins

Yay for the beach!

All the cousins!

The bigger cousins looking for shells. Please note the beautiful rainbow!

A Day in the Life

Here is a glimpse of what Braden and I do during the day:

A little cleaning. He is just so helpful!

Then it's time for exercise!
So strong!

After a nap we play outside.

As you can see we also have a snack!

Sometimes I forget we should eat snacks outside or in the highchair.

Sometimes Braden watches a show while I cook dinner. Isn't this chair so cute? It was my sisters and mine when we were little.

But mostly he sits at your feet and fusses while you fix dinner. This particular day he was so impatient he decided to go ahead and put his bib on all by himself.

Like I said, he's just so helpful!

Then he puts the lens cap on the camera. I love those big brown eyes!

I pretty much have the best job in the world. I wouldn't trade all these little moments for anything!

Dollywood

Braden enjoyed his first trip to Dollywood on Saturday. We were only there a few hours but had so much fun! He loved every ride we went on. I would love to get season passes next year so we could go during all the seasons. A few degrees cooler would have been very nice! Here are a few pictures from either mine or Mackenzie's camera.

Holding on tight on the little piggies!
I sure looked squished in that little pig! Most kids ride alone, but my little daredevil would have been standing in his seat.



And of course, no long day away from home would be managable without LOTS of snacks! Braden even got to enjoy a frozen lemonade and a funnel cake! Those were my highlights as well.

Eat Eat!

At some point I will add videos that don't include Braden eating! However, this is very much a part of our life right now. What can I say, the boy LOVES food! He used to politely do the sign for "more", but since he learned to say "eat" he doesn't bother doing anything but shout "et et" from the top of his lungs. Enjoy!

Fifteen Months

We just returned from the doctor for Braden's 15 month checkup. He weighed a little over 22 (25%) pounds and was a little over 31 inches (60%). All his eating has been paying off! In other news, Braden is talking more and more. He mostly babbles but he does know several words including ball, hot, hat, mama, daddy, outside, more, bye and hi. I'm sure there are more, but that's all I can think of right now. Now that he can actually say words he is finally using his signs for all done and more. We are still working on walking, but he still prefers a very fast crawl as his mode of transportation. He has become quite a little monkey as well. I cannot leave him unattended for 30 seconds without finding him in a dangerous location like on the kitchen counter or climbing the outside of the stairs.

Here are LOTS of pictures from the last month or so including a trip to Savannah, Chuck E Cheese, the zoo, the drive in and just daily life with my favorite little boy!

Desperate times call for desperate measures. This was the last leg of our eight hour drive to Savannah and I broke down and gave Braden a ring pop. He loved it and it did the trick!

Braden and his cousin Jacob playing on the play mat.

Jacob enjoying the toys.

Caleb looking very thoughtful and about to get punched by his brother.

Emily made the trip to Savannah with me and I could not have done it without her. She was such a huge help to both me and my sister. She also evened out the adult to child ratio. Here we are on our way the my sister's neighborhood pool.

Braden probably about to destruct something in my sister's house. Sorry!

Aunt Becky bought a tiny baby pool and all three kids played in it. This is the only picture I have of it.

Emily, Braden and I went to Tybee Island one morning and enjoyed the beach for an hour or so. I wish we lived that close to the beach!

Braden waving back at the ocean.

Braden's buddy, Aiden, turned one a couple weeks back. He had a little birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. We all had so much fun. I think the adults might have had more fun than the kids even.

The birthday boy!

Amelia

This face is hysterical!

Barney eating Braden's hand.

Aunt Emma with all the kiddos. We love her!

Amy holding both boys.

My dad and his cousin, Bob, came over to Sevierville for the day and we met them for lunch. Braden was quite the entertainer as usual.

Trying out a mini UT rocker. I think he needs one!

Sitting in a big boy chair out on the deck.

Riding the carousel at the zoo with Mama and GrandJan.

This is my life! Notice a big bruise on the forehead several pictures down.

My curly headed boy!

Hunter and Juddson came over the play last week.

Braden likes having buddies to play with. Mama likes not being the sole entertainer.

Hunter giving a "hug"!

Juddson and Braden

Hmmm...that paci looks like fun!

Enjoying a Sonic slush at the drive-in.

Ben waiting on the movie to start. Despite these photos, we really did have a good time.

Uncle Peter wishing we would not take his picture.

The ever photogenic Uncle Caleb and Aunt Katie.