Brody's Favorite Things

Brody's Favorite Things

Wednesday

January 13th, 2010

A few weeks ago I was going through Brody's baby book and first year calendar I have. after seeing empty page after empty page I realized I have been SOO bad about writing things down. Especially just the fun little things. So I started making a list of his favorite things and here is what I came up with. They aren't really in any specific order, he loves them all!

• Chocolate!!! In any shape, form or flavor. He doesn't care he just wants chocolate.
• Bananas
• Crystal light. When we were younger I always remembered having crystal light when we went to see Grandma and Grandpa Strailey. My Moms Dad was obsessed with it! Us kids couldn't get enough of it either. I forgot about it for a while after he passed away, then I got hocked on the individual bottle size ones and Brody has become addicted too!
• Sour Patch kids, Sour patch watermelons, and Sour straws. I know weird, but he loves the sour Candy's.
• His raunchy, offensively stinky puppy. He loves that thing to death! And you can tell too.
• His Binky
• When he gets tired he is starting to love to carry around his blanket.
• Madagascar Escape 2 Africa. My parents got it for his for Christmas. He usually doesn't stay interested in movies for very long but he is mesmerized by this one. It gets to the point where we have watched it 4 times in one day. He even knows how to start it over by himself.
• Books
• Taking showers with Stuart. He doesn't like taking them with me for some reason.
• Playing tag with Mom and Dad. One of us will hold him while the other chases after saying I'm ganna get you. Brody just cracks up, he loves it!
• Talking, that boy is a chatter box. He only has a few words down but that doesn't stop him from chatting your ear off.
• His favorite words are "Uh Oh", He says it every time he does something he knows he is going to get in trouble for. Its really quiet funny actually. "Hot", a lot of things are hot to him but he defiantly knows that the oven and Mommy's straightener are hot. Even time I open the oven he points at it and says hot. And his newest word is "what". I don't think he really knows what it means though. Sometimes I will say "Hey Brody" to get his attention and he will respond with "What".
• Dogs, but even more then dogs I think he just loves saying wolf wolf. Almost every animal noise he hears makes him say wolf wolf.
• Toothbrush. No matters who's it is, if he sees it he wants it.
• Chap stick (defiantly his Mama's boy). But he not only likes to put it on his lips, he also loves to eat it.
• Destroying wherever he is. He loves getting into anything and everything possible. I swear he moves about a hundred miles an hour. He has more energy then anyone I know and a very big personalty to go along with it.
• Rolling his arms for Patty Cakes. My Mom and Dad taught him patty cakes when he was younger. earlier I was reading this list out loud to make sure I got everything and as soon as I said patty cakes he immediately started rolling his arms. Sometimes he just does it out of nowhere too.
• And last but not least, going to Grandma and Grandpa Jensen's house.

New Years Eve Sledding

New Years Eve Sledding

Thrusday

December 31st, 2009

On New Years Eve Evan and some of his friends were sledding at the stadium hill. We were still at my parents waiting for Stuart to get home so we decided to take Brody over to have some fun. He absolutely loved it!! He had the biggest smile on his face and would just giggle the whole way down. He is such a stinkin cutie! I told my mom I couldn't believe that I ever wanted to do this and that it was fun. It was so COLD! I guess I'm just turning into a big wimp but I hate being cold and especially wet. So thank goodness uncle Evan is around to do fun stuff with Brody since Stuart is usually gone. Next year we will have to buy some actual snow clothes. I felt so bad for him in his little jeans, he didn't seem to mind too much though.

Evan is a great uncle to Brody, but by the end he was getting a little tired of it and just wanted to go with his friends. He couldn't do all the crazy things boys do with little Brody on the sled.
We couldn't quit laughing at the way Evan would carry Brody and the sled up the hill. I guess its good for Brody so he isn't so babied all the time but Evan acts like hes a football sometimes by the way he carries him around!

Hes Perfect!!

He's Perfect!!

Tuesday

November 17th, 2009

Well ok, Brody's not always perfect. But lately around here as far as sleeping goes, he is! He has made a total and complete change and I'm lovin every second of it. He has now sleep 3 full nights in his room. he sleeps from 8:30 or 9 until usualy 7:30 or 8! The first two he woke up but I just let him cry it out and it only lasted maybe 5 minutes if that. I read an article that changes my thinking on this subject, it said that if you get them out of bed or run to them every time you are just encouraging that act and they will keep doing it. I'm a softy though and I still believe that unless that circumstances are crazy (like twins for example) there is a point at when they are just way to young to do this. I think Brody is at the perfect age because he actually knows whats going on and understands it, I could never actually do it to him sooner then now..Id feel WAY to mean! He has also takin 4 very successful naps in his room, each of them lasting 2 or more hours, I am very excited about this one. But the strangest part to me is each time he has woken up he just chills in his bed for 30 minutes! He switches between laying down, sitting up, playing with his puppy. But he is very mellow, and so not like him! I think about going and getting him out but then I figure maybe he just wants some down time before he starts his day again. Anyways he's PERFECT!!

Finally!!

Finally!!

Saturday

November 14th, 2009

I have to do a little explaining, Brody does not sleep in a crib he sleeps in his pak n play. He also does not sleep in his room, he sleeps in ours and most of the time he doesn't make it the whole night in his bed. Somehow he wakes up in ours. Well Stuart and I were just a little bit sick of this happening so today I cleaned Brody's room and moved his pack n play into it. I loved the sight of our room being just ours!! Also Brody does not take naps in his bed, he takes them in our bed. I decided this was going to stop and it was going to stop today! Now today Brody was being extremely clingy and a little bit difficult so after 3 attempts at taking a nap I really just didn't care anymore and stuck him in his bed (he was beyond exausted). He cried for about 2 minutes and was silent, not asleep but silent. He ended up taking an almost 3 hour nap!! I had to wake him up because It was getting too late and he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. I was soooo excited that he not only sleep for that long (the longest I can remember in a very very long time) but also in HIS OWN BED in HIS OWN ROOM!!!

Our lovely window

Our Lovely Window

Friday

November 13th, 2009

I keep trying to tell myself that this is one of those things that we will look back on years from now and laugh about. One of those things about the first house that you live in together, one of those things that EVERYONE goes through. I also try and keep in mind that this is only a rental and hopefully next year we wont be living in it and wont have to deal with its many problems anymore. Here is a picture of our oh so lovely window...(don't mind the ugly wallpaper)

So it looks pretty ghetto at first, but not too bad. Its just a ancient air conditioner complete with board and falling off tap that doesn't seem to be doing much. Oh and that tap had its fair share of dead bugs stuck on it, half of them I'm not even quiet sure what they are.

And here's our lovely cracks up close and personal.

And here's our board again. I'm not quiet sure what its purpose is. If it is meant to block the air out don't you think it would block all of the COLD air.

I try not to complain about this, I really do but come on its the middle of November and its cold out! I really can laugh about it at times though, along with the constantly flooded and outrageously stinky laundry room, the very sensitive and leaky drain in the kitchen, the touch toilet that has already overflowed once turning our hall into a poopy wading pool, the stupid one eyes cat and neighbors dog that think they always need to come and poop in our yard, there's more but Ill try to think positively. Despite how it sounds I really am grateful for somewhere to live with the two people I love more then anything.

I wonder who he learned that from

Just Like Daddy

Thursday

November 12th, 2009

We all know that Stuart loves his 4runners, and he also loves working on them. While he must be rubbing off on Brody or something because this is what I found him doing to his lion walker...

First he tipped it back so he could see underneath it. If you look really closely in his right hand he has a leaf, or should I say a screwdriver/wrench. That's what he did all of his work with.

Mom, no pictures please..cant you see I'm trying to fix this tire!

Tightening that screw up

And the finishing touches. Daddy will be so proud!

Makes Me Laugh

Makes Me Laugh

Wednesday

November 11th, 2009

Now that I am not working anymore I got to stay home with Brody all day long. I love it, I really do...but a woman needs a break right? I think I said in an earlier post that Stuart does the whole putting Brody to bed thing. Well now that I'm staying home Brody had gotten quiet attached to me, he loves me and being around me. This little boy will fallow me everywhere, even when Stuarts home. And there is no exception for night time either. Brody just wanted me to put him to bed which I normally wouldn't mind but this is when I get the most done and just get to relax. Also Stuart puts Brody to bed in our bed, which I think is part of the reason why he always wants to sleep with us. Why wouldn't he, hes used to it. So I have been trying to get them to do it on the couch. They weren't too successful with that. I put Brody to bed a few nights but then it stopped. I put my foot down! I believe marriage and parenting is a combined team work that both people need to help in, and I need a break! I also think that Brody's relationship and bond with Stuart is essential. With him working all day this is pretty much the only time they have together. So back to bed time Brody went with Daddy. I snuck in to see how everything was doing about an hour after then went in the room and this is what I found.

I know Stuarts had a hard time putting him to sleep if I find Brody like this. It makes to laugh to think about it because I know they will both get over it and everything will be fine.

Play Time

Wednesday

November 11th, 2009

My Mom Brody and I went to Sister To Sisters Christmas opening, there was lots of fun stuff there but Brody just was not cooperating. All he wanted was down, so as you can imagine we didn't stay too long. Stuart stayed late after work to work on his 4Runner so we went out to eat with Grandma at McDonald's. Brody had a great time playing there at Austins birthday party so we figured we'd reward him for just having 6 shots (ouch!).

He wasn't hesitant at all, he just jumped right on!

Makin the climb

He loved looking at us threw the net, he thought it was pretty funny.

I told Annie that we will have to take the boys to McDonald's a lot this winter to keep them entertained since its going to be too cold to play outside! I dought Austin and Brody will have any complaints about that.

One Year Check Up

One Year Check Up

Wednesday

November 11th, 2009

Yes, Brody is over 13 months old now and I am just getting him into the doctor for his one year shots, but hey at least I'm only a month late right? Well, this was not a fun visit for the little Bro. He had a great time exploring the room up until the nurse came in though. Brody now weighs 28.4 pounds which is 94.67% and is 32 inches long 89.40%. No wonder he always seems to heavy!! When we brought him to the hospital a while ago the nurse weighed him at 38 pounds, my Mom and I knew something was up with that. So either he lost a ton of weight while being sick with the swine flu or she just misweighed. I'm ganna go with misweighed. The Doctor said he is looking great and very healthy. He also said he is very calm, haha I really had to laugh at that one, obviously he is just shy around people he doesn't know. He got a total of 6 shots!! The nurse wanted to give him the H1N1 shot but I said no, I'm not too sure about that one. She had to have me help hold him down because in her words he is as strong as an ox. And boy he did not like those shots, he screamed and tryed to lift his body up and away from her with all his might! He was walking a little funny after for a while but in the end he seemed to forget about them pretty fast.

He had to explore everything, and I mean everything. He is my curious little boy!

Trying to entertain himself. He loves this book because it makes noise.

He soon found the Doctors chair, and soon after that he realized it rolled! lets just say he loudly bumped into quiet a few things before I could get it away from him.

I tried to get a picture of his 6 band aids but it didn't really work, all he wanted to do was get them off.

Stephenie Meyer on Oprah!

I know that it is on the Twilight blog for everyone to see but I just had to spread the news. Stephenie Meyer is going to be on Oprah this Friday! Shes only doing one interview so don't miss it!

Mom, The Best Job Anyone Could ask for!

Mom, The Best Job Anyone Could ask for!

Tuesday

November 10th, 2009

It finally happened, I'm a stay at home Mom!! My last day of work was October 27th. Ever since I went back to work when Brody was 4 months old I have hated it. I didn't really mind the whole working part itself, just the fact that I always had to leave my little angle behind. It did help a ton that my Mom was the one watching him, but I still wanted it to be me. I want to thank her for everything that shes done to help me with Brody, she has been truly amazing and loves Bro Bro sooo much. Yes, I admit that the little break was nice and sometimes very needed...but I don't really know if you can consider work a break. Stuart and I had been about it for a while and realized that we could make it fine without my income. I think that it is more important for me to be able to stay home with my son then have a little extra spending money. I absolutely love staying home. It is surprisingly a lot more work then I though it would be, but so worth it. I can already tell a difference in our relationship. I am a lot calmer with him since I don't always seem to be in a rush. When hes playing I find myself getting on the ground and playing with him, not something I did a huge amount of before. I can tell that he really likes me being around too. He isn't as clingy as he used to be and is able to entertain himself A LOT better! These last two I am soooo grateful for! I have also noticed that we have become increasingly close. He still loves his Daddy, don't get me wrong but he always wants me haha. Whenever he needs to be soothed or calmed down I can do it right away, I can put him to sleep when he wont go to bed for Stuart. Its nothing against Stuart its just that our Mother baby bond is finally complete. I am so glad that we have gotten to this point but sad that it has taken so long. I truly believe that in order to be all the Mom that you can be you have to stay at home. No offence at all to the working Mothers out there, I know sometimes you just have to. And Believe me, I know its hard. But Our relationship has grown so much into pure love for each other ever since I have stayed home. I am so grateful for Stuarts job that allows me to be able to stay home!

(My work gave me flowers and my good friend Amanda the balloons and candy)

the little things in life

The Little Things In Life

Monday

November 9th, 2009

Is there anything sweeter and more peaceful then a sleeping baby.

Mommy's Little Pumpkin

Mommy's Little Pumpkin

Saturday

Halloween 2009

This year for Halloween my parents and Evan decided to go to Camas and spend the weekend with the Burnett's. We all love visiting them so I took my new little family up there too! Brody always loves getting away especially to go see a few cute girls who love him and give him tons of attention. He had so much fun! This year I just could not make up my mind on what Brody should be. I keep going back and forth, I thought it would be really cute to have him be a monkey since I always call him Monk (short for monkey) or my little monkey. My Mom thought I should have him wear the same pumpkin costume I wore when I was little. In the end we just went with the pumpkin mostly out of shortage of time and cheapest...but I'm so glad I did! The funny part is I found a picture of me in it and on the back it said I was 3 1/2 years old, well Brody fits in it perfectly and is only 1!

Helping pass out candy before we went out

He HATED it at first, but eventually warmed up to the idea. I think the biggest thing for him to get over was the hat, he hates hats with a passion!

The crew-Erika as a fairy, Emma as a witch, Evan as a nerd, and Brody as a pumpkin. Brody wouldn't stop stairing at Evan, I don't think he quiet knew what to make of him.

We all had to take turns holding Brody..he is sooo heavy. He is walking now and we let him a little bit but he's still pretty slow.

It wasn't very long before our little guy started dosing off. He would literally fall asleep in our arms on the way to a door haha, crazy guy! And there's Dad already mooching off Brody's candy!

We thought it was cute how his pumpkin was like a pillow for him.

We we're sad that Anya couldn't be with us this year, we went to Utah to see her last year for Halloween when Brody was only one month. We miss and love you Anya and hope you enjoy the pictures!

Can That Be Comortable?!?

Can That Be Comfortable?!?

Friday

August 28th, 2009

I hardly ever put Brody in his crib without him being asleep, I would like to plenty of times but I just don't do it. I hate to hear his cry and I know that most likely he wont end up falling asleep anyways and then he will be even more ticked off and cling then he was before. Today was an exception. I was trying to get ready for work, already running behind like usual and he just was not working with me at all. I tried several times to give him a bottle and get him to sleep but he just wouldn't give in even though I knew he was tired. He tends to fight his sleep a lot. He was being extremely clingy and I just couldn't possible get ready for work on time while holding a screaming baby. So I did it, I put him in his crib. I did feel bad, but not quiet as bad because I knew he was super tired. This was the first time he actually fell asleep on his own in his crib and in the most uncomfortable position ever! He must have been sitting up crying and just wore himself out so much that he leaned forward and fell asleep. Babies can sleep in the weirdest positions sometimes!

More Teeth!!

More Teeth!!

Sunday

October 25th, 2009

I dont know why I havnt thought to check or even look at Brodys teeth lately, I guess I just wasnt too worried about it. Today we were playing around and he was acting like he would bit my finger which made him laugh everytime. For some reason I checked his back gums and I felt TEETH! He wouldnt let me get a good feel but he definatly has at least 4 new teeth, one on each side on top and bottom. It felt like his right one on top wasnt all the way out yet though. I called my mom and asked if she had notices, she said she didnt but that explains why he can chew a lot better lately. She also said that he wasnt cranky for her ever. He was cranky for me, but nothing more then his usual. We were thinking about it though and a week or so ago he had a runny noise so thats probiboly when it started. Last time he got teeth in his two on the top came first then the other 6 came all around the same time. Maybe its better just to get it all out of the way at once!