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So I've finally made the jump to Facebook. Bare with me as it is totally foreign...but I'll give it a whirl! So search for me there and I'll keep that updated. I think it's time to have our business kept a little more private than this.

Hope everyone is doing well. If you don't facebook and want updates, let me know and I'll email!

Friends, Food, and Drool!

Brady had his first play date with a friend! It was a couple Sundays ago at Grammy's house. Scarlett is my mom's neighbor's granddaughter. She is actually the daughter of a high school friend of mine that married my childhood neighbor. Mom said they were cute; she kept bringing toys to him and tried to crawl into his exersauser. Scarlett is about a year and a half. Brady is 8 months here!

He talks to babies in stores, so I'm sure he had fun playing with another little person!


He is growing so quickly that he is now in a big boy car seat! He is 22+ lbs now, so he can't ride in his old one anymore. It's exciting, but now we'll have to carry him everywhere; it was easy to just set the car seat down! :)


All else is well. Brady had cheesy puffy things and peach yogurt melts today for the first time. This was his first yogurt melt...what a face! He likes the cheese puffs better! I think it stresses me out the most; I don't do well with messes (Erik too, surprisingly), so the whole thing is tough to get used to. Brady continues to roll and pivot, but no crawling. He is pulling himself up on us and wanting to stand and play with things.


The other new news is that I stopped breastfeeding yesterday. I started to pump at work and then realized now is as good of time as any to stop it. I've been talking about it for a long time, but then when Brady was sick earlier this month, I really didn't want to stop. I'm in pain right now, but an odd sense of calmness has come over me. My initial goal was 6 months, so making it almost 9 months is great in my eyes. Everyone has been very supportive; that is helping. I'm a bit emotional about it still; I feel a bit guilty even though I know he is FINE and got 9 solid months of breast milk. This is Brady this morning; we were playing. He is drooling a lot! His 3rd tooth broke through; two bottom and one on top!

House full of sickies...

Brady got his first ear infection the other day. It started with a nasty cold and then his behavior went south and we took him to the dr. Turns out the little man is a tough cookie - aside from sleeping issues at night, he was a trooper! He has been on meds now a couple of days and seems to be doing better, but now Mommy and Daddy are struggling severely! Let's just hope Cam doesn't get our germs.

Aside from the sniffles and coughing, we have had some precious milestones. Brady waves!! It is about the cutest thing; if it doesn't melt you, then I don't know what will. He'll wave and then realize his fingers are moving and eat them! He weighs 21.5 lbs!! We still haven't crawled. He rolls everywhere and pivots, but that's it. I've given him big pieces of fruits and veggies to suck on and entertain him...it is great the first few times but then he's over it. And he bathes in the big boy tub! Last night I splashed the water and then he started doing it and giggling. It's amazing to watch him grow and start to 'get' it!

Eating, yelling, and Christmas!

Baby Brady is growing quickly. He is eating up food like a champ; he's had peas, green beans, carrots, apple sauce, peaches, and bananas! I haven't graduated to making food myself; there isn't enough time for that right now. Everyone says it is SO easy, but the Gerber packs work wonders for us. Brady weighs just over 20 lbs! He is rolling and pivoting, but hasn't figured out the forward part. He is such a character, giggling and cooing (sometimes yelling). Erik and I are working on the "mama" and "dada" but he doesn't get it. :)

Christmas was great. Brady didn't get it--not even the ripping open gifts part. He did like the bows though! He was doing well sleeping - through the night a couple nights - until the past couple of nights. He is drooling heavily, so we are thinking his teeth may be bothering him. So my sleep is precious, so I better get going. Here are a few recent pictures!!

6 Months Old!

Brady had his 6 month check up the other day. He is a tad over 18 lbs and 27.73 in. long!! He is such a big happy baby. He is doing better taking cereal off the spoon, but we eventually give in and put it in a bottle because he starts shaking his head back and forth. Dr. Lee said to keep working with him and the spoon. He has a bit of eczema, so we've had to change his soap, be mindful of him wearing fleece, use special cream for breakout areas, and use lots of aquafor. His skin is doing MUCH better, so that makes me feel better. I was beginning to go crazy trying to figure out why his face was red and bumpy!!

I made the mistake of asking Dr. Lee about integrating formula because I want to be done breastfeeding; she recommended I continue through flu season. Of course that was a FABULOUS guilt trip, so we'll keep at it. Erik has given him a bottle of formula a day as well as breast milk. He said he gulped it down without any hesitation!

We're rolling!

Mr. Brady is quite the little roller these days. It is funny how he transitioned from the bouncy seat, to the bumbo and exersaucer, and now wants to either be on the floor rolling around or up in his high chair. He hasn't really started crawling; he's more fascinated that he can roll and roll and roll. We also had another big milestone this week - we are introduced rice cereal. We have attempted the past 4 days to have him eat a bit off a spoon. The first two days he got more on his face than in his mouth, but the last two days he clenches his gums and won't even budge! He turns away and wants nothing to do with it. Each night, however, I put it in the bottle and he drinks away. He hasn't had an issue with me giving the bottle to him either, so that is comforting.

Speaking of bottles and leche, I think am ready to transition him to formula. I'm ready to sleep more than a couple hours at a time and feel that he just isn't getting enough leche at night. I would love to still breastfeed at times (and I could continue pumping at work) but maybe do formula before bed and any other time I'm not around. I don't know. I just feel it's time. I think the idea of formula is calming to me in that it enables me a little more 'me' time. I wouldn't have to worry about pumping to get enough milk if I want to go out.

Here are a couple cute pics from carving pumpkins and Halloween:

Halloween

We had a great Halloween. Erik and Cameron helped my sister and her husband move. Brady, Grammy, and I arrived to serve them lunch and help where we could. Brady dressed up; the dogs thought he was very cute! I swear Brady knows when I sit down to read my email or do this. He's up...so I better go. More later.