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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Out of the Mouth of Brady

Brady says some really awesome things that either warms my heart or cracks me up - or BOTH!  I think I will never forget them, but the reality is as he grows and the list of things he says grows with him - and Evan and Maddox follow with their funny and cute ways - I am sure I will not remember every single thing.  Here are some of late that I want to always remember!

Last Friday night we went to the annual Lighting of the Summit parade which concludes with Santa and Mrs. Claus on a fire truck, the whole shopping center being lit up for Christmas and an awesome fire work show.  We always are able to secure a good spot on the sidewalk to watch that also strategically puts us in line to see Santa in a really cool sleigh right outside of Belk where we can take pics and we receive a free pic from a photographer.  We knew Evan was going to have a hard time since he is in the separation anxiety stage so we put Brady on Santa's lap to tell him what he would like first before we added Evan to his lap for the pic.  While "chatting" with Santa and telling him all he wants, he had his finger on his cheek in the "thinking pose" and after going on and on and on.....Santa says "I think you have your self a pretty good list there, Brady".  It cracked Chris and I up that Santa felt the need to cut Brady off!

This past Monday I took Evan and Brady to Portrait Innovations for Evan's 18 month portraits and I was going to get one Christmas shot of Brady and Evan in front of the Christmas tree to use for our Christmas card.  I had Brady dressed nice in something "Christmas-y"  and he knew he would be having his pic. taking as well.  While he was in the bathroom going potty before we left our house I heard a drawer in the bathroom open.  Making sure he wasn't getting into something he shouldn't I called into there: "Brady what are you doing in the drawer, bud?".  He yelled back: "I am putting some deodorant inside my elbows so I can taste good for my pictures."  I LOVE it!!! He will "use" (with the lid on) Chris' deodorant from time to time, copying his Daddy.

In the car yesterday, quietly (rare) riding along, Brady says from the back: "Mommy I am thankful to GOD for all the cheeses from around the world and for bread."  I said: "That is GREAT, buddy."  Apparently he was sitting there thinking about what he is thankful for this Thanksgiving season.  Then about 5 minutes later - again, after silence, he says: "Mommy I am glad that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins."  I thought I would CRY....I said: "Brady, that is a great thing to be thankful for....the GREATEST thing.".

Oh, I sure do love what this guy says (well, most of the time!).

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

18 months old!

Evan turned 18 months old on November 12th....so hard to believe most of the time but, then again, he is so into being a BIG boy and doing what his big brother does that it often seems like he is a "big boy" other than his cute little self obviously being so little.  I wish I could freeze him at this age....so adorable and bright-eyed,  I don't want things to change!  He is a very playful, cuddly little man with an arm that amazes all who are "lucky" enough to have whatever can pass as a "ball" thrown - with accuracy - directly to them. 

At his 18 month well visit, he weighed in at 24 lbs. 10 oz. (40th percentile), measured 34 inches tall (90th percentile), with a head circumference in the 90th percentile (it is because he is so smart!).

I love all the open and generous displays of affection Evan gives to his loved ones.  He often walks up to Brady and gives him a big hug.  He will come up to me with lips puckered and say "mmmmm" while coming in for a kiss.  He will walk up to his "Daayeee" (the way he says "Daddy") with his arms extended out to be picked up for a big, bear hug.

He is definitely fully emersed in the separation anxiety stage.  Whenever we have to leave him...MOPS nursery twice a month or Church, he cries so hard with big, alligator tears and clings to your clothes....so sad!  Luckily, he is a typical child in this stage and within 5 minutes of us out of sight, he dries up and is fine.

We took Evan for his first haircut at Sport Clips on Sunday afternoon and he did GREAT.  I thought he might cry with the whole separation anxiety stage, but he did not.  He smiled the whole time and sat VERY still with his smock on and was so still.  

I took Evan for his 18 month portraits yesterday and, of course, they are GREAT!!!

Evan has just recently added a new word to his vocabulary...."no".  Luckily it is not in the obstinate, toddler way....just in the literal way to answer a question.  It is really cute how he says it....with two syllables and a little lift on the second syllable.  LOVE it.

So many firsts....SO MUCH FUN!!!!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Evan Updates

Now that Evan has been walking around for a couple of weeks that is definitely his preferred mode of travel....no more scooting around for this little fella! He looks so cute, low to the ground, walking around all bow-legged. His way of "telling" me that he wants a snack is to pull Brady's booster seat off of the kitchen chair and put it on the floor, sit in it, and look at me longingly with his hands out waiting for me to give him something. When it is time to brush his teeth, he steps up onto the stool in the bathroom like Brady does and holds onto the edge of the counter for Chris or I to brush his teeth...his eyes just barely over the edge of the counter visible in the mirror....he likes being a big boy! The funny thing is that since he is still just a little boy, he can climb up onto the stool but he cannot climb down...he needs our help. He follows directions VERY well. He likes to help when we clean up the playroom. I can give him a specific toy and tell him where it belongs and he will go right to that bin or place and put the toy away. I am often impressed at his young age that, although his vocabulary is still limited, he clearly understands most of what we say and can follow directions so well. He had his first piece of candy last Wednesday when he went "trick or treating" at a nursing home with our Mommy & Me music class...skittles...he really enjoyed that! He has added another word to his vocabulary..."duck"....the funny thing is he says it just like Brady first did "dut"...very clearly and with the emphasis on the "t". I LOVE it!!! He is a ball of energy and wears me out but he sure is a fun, affectionate little guy and I am very honored to be his Mommy.