Thanksgiving!

Well our Thanksgiving extravaganza started Wednesday night. We went to my parent's house for my dad's side. There was lots of family there, and it was great to see them all. We saw my grandma, sisters, my mom and dad, We ate too much food. Brayden couldn't nap because it was so loud, so he passed out on our way home.

Thursday we had my mom's side. It was fun because Ryleigh and Bryn (my uncle's youngest two) are around Brayden's age so he could play with them. Whitney was there, and it was good to see her and her boyfriend as well. Brayden did well again!

Friday I went out at 4 a.m. shopping with my sisters! We went to Kohls first and then I was pooped so I came home.

We then headed to Ohio. Brayden did pretty well on the car ride up- we were hoping he would take a good nap, but he ended up waking up. We got there around 2, and went out to dinner that night. That was a little hard with him, because he has gotten into this new "screaming" phase where he likes to hear himself scream for fun and thinks it is funny. He decided to do this while in the middle in dinner. Saturday all of his family came over for dinner, and we ate and then opened my birthday gifts! I was excited to get the rest of the Twilight books. Sunday we went to church and then got home around 5. Brayden did well there. He had a crib and changing table that was his daddy's, and a new excersaucer and a duck bath tub! He loved it.

Some things I am thankful for:
1. My precious baby boy. He has changed my world completly and his little face is the best thing ever.
2. Another birthday! Although I am now getting closer to an age that is a bit scary- I love birthdays and had a great one with family! Here's to 25!
3. My job. I love second grade, and my little school. Although I am tired and frustrated at times, teaching is one of the few jobs where I have so much time off and off early hours.
4. My husband- Our relationship has forever changed since Brayden, but he is strong and consistent, and does a great job supporting our family.
5. My friends- I love having the support system that I do- from advice with babies and husbands, and teaching. Just having someone to talk to and lean on.
6. My family- They have been wonderful since Brayden and helped as much as possible.

Here's to another happy healthy year!

A night with Friends!

Last night Sarah, Greg, Ivy, Kayla and Nick ventured to G-town to eat some pizza and hang out. It was so good to see them all. It had been a while, and it is so nice to just get to hang out and talk. Ivy is so fun- she is running around, talking, and ate pizza with the adults! I enjoyed getting out Brayden's toys and playing with her. She is too sweet. Her and Brayden got along really well. Ivy jumped on the blanket after I changed his diaper, and they held hands. :) It is fun to watch them grow up together.
Pizza, friends, babies = good time. :) We need to do it again soon!
** I was trying to get a good picture of them and the girls, but it didn't work out so well.

Baby Dedication

Yesterday was Brayden's baby dedication at church. It went so well! We had family come down from Ohio: Don, Roxane, Audra, Aunt Geri, Joan, Ginnger, Bruce, and then my mom and dad, grandma, and sisters. They walked us out on stage and asked us some questions and showed a video, and Brayden was great the whole time. They then brought everyone out in the end and he did great then too. He took a bottle when we were finished and snoozed through the rest of church. You couldn't ask for a better baby.
We then went to my parent's house for lunch and Brayden napped while everyone ate. It was nice to have everyone together, and for them to come to our church. We will see them all again this week!

Fantastic Friday!

It is time again! SOme things that made this week fantastic!
1. Brayden teaching me that he is in charge- So he has been waking up at a lovely 6 a.m. where he used to sleep till 7. Also he is still waking up all night long. So I took a poll from my mommy friends and the major theme was to lay him down earlier. So we were on a mission last night. We prepared his bottle, got him ready for bed thirty minutes earlier. Gave him his bottle, and at the end where he usually is conked out- he looked up at me and was laughing. "Mommy I am not going to bed now." Then when we laid him down he played in his crib for another hour!! So he ended up staying up later than ever. So just when we thought we had the whole thing figured out he taught us that he is really in charge. P.S. He did sleep a LITTLe better so we will try it HIS way tonight. :)
2. Snow- Don't get me wrong, I don't like cold, I don't like wetness, but the promise of SNOW DAYS makes my job that much better. My two sole reasons for making it through winter: holidays and snow days. :)
3. New warm fuzzy slippers. Got some this week. The sock slipper kind. Love them.
4. Brayden's laugh and expressions. He keeps getting more and more of them and he is hilarious.

Sick Sitters

So I have the BEST babysitters in the world when it comes to my work week situation, but I have had some doozy luck with it all. Megan was sick today, so thankfully Krisi took him today. She just had to take him with her to take her son to pre-school and to pick him up. She said he did well.
Last night we went to small group, and he played with Alex, another baby there. THey liked watching a bouncing Tigger, and liked looking at eachother. They are too cute.
Brayden is still having trouble sleeping which is making it hard, and I am really looking forward to next week being a two day week!

Holiday Shopping! and 5 months old!

I did some online shopping, and Brooke and I went shopping this weekend for Christmas. It was lots of fun! I am so grateful to Drew for keeping Brayden because it would have been a mess to drag him in the rainy day. It was a wonderful day to have some girl time and really shop!
I can't reveal everything I bought in case some of you read this, but we did go to Toys R Us to get Santa presents. It was so overwhelming and so fun! Luckily I found the infant aisle to keep me focused, but it was still difficult. My mom told me to go ahead and pick out x amount for her and that way it made it easier for me to get more because I knew she was going in on it.
We got him a standing music table, a cd, a driver, a ball blower, a tool box, a few more toys, and a winter coat and mittens. It was a very productive trip. I have introduced Brayden to a few of the toys since he has no idea what day Christmas is on, and he has loved it all so far. It will be neat to see him grow into everything.
He was 5 months old on Thursday. He is roling over from tummy to back, jabbering, eating cereal, trying SOME baby food but not loving it yet, still waking up several times a night but going back to sleep, loving his Exersaucer, and has a rekindled love for his swing, giving kisses, leaning to you, playing (smiling and looking away), loves peekaboo, loves his Jerry the Giraffe toy, sits up in high chairs with blankets around him, doing better in his car seat (not wonderful but better), definitely recognizes people, likes being around other babies, eating less formula more cereal, growing like a weed- in 6 month clothes, almost out of his carseat, actually jumps in his Jump-n-go now instead of spinning, no actual teeth yet, loves Mr. Wiggles, and of course loves his mommy and daddy!! :)

Things that make me Happy

So Sarah has tagged me to follow suit and list six things that make me happy. Again there are so obvious ones, so I will go the different route as she did.

1. Code Red Mountain Dew- I know there are few people out there that like it, but I can't explain it. Love it. COuld drink it morning, noon and night. I didn't have it all while pregnant or breast feeding so I am rekindling my love with it. :)

2. Working the Nursery at Church- This may seem like mostly a selfish reason but I love seeing Brayden interacting with the other babies. I also love not having to wrestle him in church or worry about what he is doing if I am not there.

3. The Jodi Picoult books- I LOVE THESE!! I started reading this summer whenever Brayden napped and I was home with him. I grew addicted and have read like half of them. Sadly since I have gone bacck to work the reading has faded, but I am hoping to pick it back up over the breaks.

4. Wednesday night dinner- Every Wednesday Drew has to work late, so my mom, Brayden, Megan, and myself go to dinner somewhere. I love having the time together and to eat some yummy food.

5. Steak and Shake meals- Every night it seems like I crave that burger and fries- no idea why- and I think I have only indulged that craving once, but every time I go I love me some healthy steak and shake.

6. Sharing baby stuff/maternity clothes- After spending all the money we did on maternity clothes and baby stuff I love that I have friends that can use it. I must add that I love that I was shared with as well! Thanks Sarah and Brooke and those at school that loaned various things.

The Weekend

We were excited to get to see Lynsie, Robert, and Emmie (growing in Lynsie's belly) this weekend. Saturday Brooke, Ella, Lynsie, Brayden, and I went to Mancinos for lunch and then shopping at Kohls. It was so good to see Lynsie and her sweet belly! Brayden and Ella were cute with one another as well. Ella kept giving him kisses.
Then we went and saw them out at Brooke's house, and it was fun to hang out. The babies played and we got to talk. I am so excited for her and Robert. They are going to be great parents.
Today we went to church. We had to get there early and film the video for Brayden's dedication service. He was really good despite no nap. We then worked the nursery where there were 9 babies 6 months and younger. Brayden was very social, and kept talking to the others. He was pretty good but of course Mommy and Daddy were right there. We ate lunch at my mom and dad's and he took a good nap, and then played.
I wish the weekends were longer....

Fantastic Friday

A few things that made this week/Friday fantastic!
1. Going to my parents' house for dinner. Nothing beats home cooking without the clean up!
2. Having Tuesday off! A four day or even three day week works just fine for me. I enjoyed the time with Brayden and Drew.
3. The election is over!
4. God is really working on me- Sleep has been such a rare thing this week and I know that the only thing that keeps me sane is praying. I don't know what God is teaching me yet, but he had my attention these week nights!

Election Day- Grandparents and Carrots!

Today was a wonderful day off from work! The weather was beautiful, and I loved not going to work. :)
I had a root canal this morning, which wasn't fun but it hasn't bothered me since. Hopefully I won't have many more teeth problems.
Gran and Gramps came to visit today from Ohio, and that was fun! We hung out all day long. They came with lots of wipes, formula, and some of Daddy's old clothes to wear.
Drew and I went to vote today as well. Oh the drama of the whole election, and how I see it effecting people. I will be anxious to see the outcome, and hopefully see everyone handle it well.
Brayden started eating his first solid food tonight besides cereal- carrots! It only lasted for a few minutes, but he seemed to really like them! We will see how they go for the next few days!
He also started sucking his thumb a little today! What a cutie.

Church Nursery

Well we I was brave today and decided to take Brayden to the nursery for the first time. I was nervous, but Drew convinced me that he would be just fine. I was in the service for ten minutes when his number popped up on the screen. I could hear him screaming from the lobby! When I got in there they handed him to me, and I have no idea what was wrong. I put him in the exersaucer and he started laughing. Then I rocked him until he fell asleep. I guess we will try again sometime soo. Nursery week 1- ten minutes.
We also signed him up for the baby dedication. We are excited for that.

The Cripes come to G-town!

We were so excited that Blake, Lauren, and Caleb came to visit on Saturday. They got here, and we took a trip to Garth for the boys to play. They went on the swings, and on the slides with both mommies and daddies. We came back and they took a nap, and we ate dinner. When they went to bed we were able to play games. Thank goodness for Falling Back an hour!
It was fun to see the boys play together- they were able to interact more, and enjoyed looking at each other. Since Brayden dirtied about ten outfits, I dressed them alike at one point. It was too cute! It will be fun to see them grow up together!

Halloween Night

Well last night- we dressed the pumpkin up, and had him pass out candy. The trick-or-treaters loved the pumpkin. We brought his exersaucer on the porch and he played and loved that. Nana and Papaw and Aunts Megan and Jess came by to see him, but he was pooped out asleep on Daddy's shoulder! Next year he will be able to go door to door!