Wednesday, September 30, 2009

For the love of music...

Finally!  We have located a very beautiful, and very FREE piano for Brayden.  It is a Becker Bros New York upright piano in a gorgeous cherry wood {I think}, wonderfully old and did I say beautiful piano?  We are so very lucky to have been given this piano from some very kind people.  They were encouraged that we planned to eventually get Brayden lessons, and that it would be loved and put to good use.  I did some research on Becker Bros, and think this piano was made in or around 1910.  It is considered and antique from what I have gathered.  It is sooooo...beautiful {did I say that already}?  We are just tickled as can be, and cannot wait to pick it up later this week.  I will be sure to post pictures as soon as I can.   We have lots of good news also to share with everyone very soon....so stick with us as we move into the next exciting chapter our lives.
God Bless!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Nostalgia time...

My Aunt Jo sent me these photos the other night of my family.  I love old photos of my family, they are just beautiful to me.  I love that I can look at them and find resemblances in everyone.  I love that when my mother looks at them-she gets all excited when explaining to me who they are, and what they were like when they were alive and well.  It brings with it a nostalgic undertone of heartfelt emotions that words cannot simply define in any way.  Below are photos of my Grandmother Delphine Oneill {oh how I love that name}, and my mother when she was Brayden's age.  She was such a little chunk of love-just like the Bray.
  Enjoy!
{click directly on photos to enlarge}

Grandma Delphine {far right}


   Grandma Delphine {far left}

                            My mother Patricia                           

Grandma Delphine

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

{Just Improvise}

Apparently, anything can be considered a drum these days...at least Brayden seems to think so...

{click directly on image to enlarge}

Monday, September 21, 2009

Magic...

He made the broom stand up on it's own. I think it freaked him out frankly. Either that or he's convinced he's magic. Time will tell...
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To be honest...I'm worried just a bit...

Brayden has mastered stairs.  Up & down...all alone.  This worries Momma just a bit.  Not only because I am terried he might fall, but because he is growing up-too quickly for my liking.
 Both seem to scare me.
 I knew it was only a matter of time...
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Mr. PB {oh how I love thee}...

I have been having a love affair for several years now with Mr. PB.  He makes my heart skip a beat, and has done so since 1997 when I first met him.  He knows my taste, and inspires the creative side of my soul.  He knows my favorite colors, and can provide me with a home that I love, dream of and adore.  He provides for my son and the bedroom he longs for {I long for} which are all things baseball.  I look forward to our monthly and sometimes weekly encounters.  I stay with him each time for over an hour, sometimes longer.  I got to see him this weekend, and oh my...we made a deal.  Okay...well he made an offer to me I simply could not refuse.
You see... Mr. Pottery Barn himself had kids chalkboards on sale for $2.97 a piece.  Navy & aqua blue.  I bought four of them.  I also could not resist the cute little red, blue and off white shams for Braydens big boy bedroom for $4 dollars.  Then...cork boards for the wall that were originally $39.00 each sold to me for a mere $1.97...so I left with three of those!  Last...a large baseball stadium puzzle that I plan to glue to mdf soon, then pop on some molding and hang lovingly in this big boy baseball room for my little guy.  I love you Mr. PB...and thankyou for a most awesome and unforgettable weekend. 
'Til we meet again ;-)
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{And I have been stalking the store for weeks now waiting for the right price on this piece and it will then be mine...}
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Saturday, September 19, 2009

Wonder...


I love your look of wonder Brayden.
 I see it when you glance at the sky and tell me "star", or "airplane".
 I see it when you scrunch your little face when you are playing with something really concentrating on it to see how it all works.
  I see it when you watch people around you talk or laugh, and even cry.
 I love that I can see those wheels turning.
 I love that your reactions are innocent and sweet, and so pure.
  I hope you never lose that Brayden.
  I hope you see things clearly and with those innocent eyes as long as you can.
  I hope that I get to see this little expression of yours for many years to come because you are growing so fast.
  I don't want to miss a single moment of your wonder.
 It renews my soul daily in many ways, more than you know.
 I wonder will your life will lead you.
  Wherever that is...continue to wonder the way you do today...
 and it too will renew you someday as well. 

Friday, September 18, 2009

Laurie Berkner Band & Brayden

The last few days Brayden has been copying just about everything he sees-including the Laurie Berkner Band on the Noggin channel. I was able to quickly capture him today with one of his favorite songs. {ignore my sinus infected voice at the end...please} :-)

My story of spoons {part II}


Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Potty Episode {Part I}

Okay...as you know I had mentioned we have begun potty training.  Yesterday Brayden told me he had to go poo-poo.  So...I quickly ran him into the bathroom to sit on the big boy potty.  My mother followed in behind us all the while encouraging Brayden to sit like a big boy, and told him what a good job he was doing.
  Okay...now seriously try to picture this:
 I am sitting on the floor at this point in front of Brayden supporting him on the real toilet as he is trying to peak down into the potty to see what all of the fuss is about as my mother and I are both wooing him telling him what a big boy he is, and how he can go poo-poo in the big boy potty now {and we are echoing too mind you all the while}.  Our conversation then went something like this:
{and if you don't like somewhat graphic stories-stop reading here}.
Mom: Tell him how to poo-poo.
Me: seriously-tell him what exactly?
Mom:  I didn't mean it like that...just grunt and make faces and he will understand what you mean.
 {insert both of us trying to grunt and make faces in an attempt to get him to poo on the big boy potty}.
Mom: "go potty like Bailey and Casey on the big boy potty Bray-you can do it!"
Me:  Okay Mom, this is not working...he looks like he is about to freak and he does not understand...
{so I pulled him off of the potty.}
Mom:  Okay...well hand me some toilet paper so I can wipe his toosh so he knows what to do when we get off of the potty.
Me: {I hand her some toilet paper}
 {she starts wiping Braydens tooshy and ends up pushing him forward-into me...almost knocking me backwards into the tub at this point}
 and I say "uh-Mom you're killing me here..."
Mom:  Oh I'm sorry...I didnt realize I was knocking you over...
{as she's hysterically laughing at the situation at hand}.
{Just then she goes for more toilet paper and elbows me in the eye!!!}
  This again...all taking place as we are laughing, echoing, & trying to encourage poor Brayden to poo-poo in the potty.  Poor child.
  He's never gonna tell me again he has to go poo.  I just know it ;-)

Jaws...

Bray plays with a shark in the tubby.  He knows it's called a shark...and grabs it and makes it eat all of the other little fish that play in the tubby with said shark.  I always do the sound effects {insert jaws tone here-duh-nuh-duh-nuh} okay so...you know the drill.   Well last night I asked him where the shark was.  He quickly scanned the tubby looking for him.  Then he broke out with ...."duh-nuh...duh-nuh...duh-nuh"
You kill me Bray.

Spanking...

Here is an article written by CNN on why spanking can be very detrimental to children.  Normally, I do not post articles on my blog, or talk about subjects that may be a little taboo or even open pandora's box in bloggyland...including opinions on parenting styles, or politics...but I felt compelled from this article to open up and chat a bit.  Now...please don't get me wrong...if you spank your child {to each his own}...I believe that is your business...but I am not one that believes in it personally.  I am actually very passionate about this subject.  It is one that tends to get me going.  Brayden has never been spanked, not even once-and we are proud of that. That includes no tapping of the hands, mouth or otherwise, simply no hitting whatsoever!  We just don't believe it has any beneficial outcome, and therefore don't resort to it.  I can't even imagine hitting my child and then trying to explain  to him it's okay for me to do it-but not for him.  Double standards and shades of gray are not examples I want to throw out there for my toddler to learn. 
 Ron and I feel the same {and parent the same}about this subject, and for that I am grateful.  I want Brayden to know that violence and hitting are not acceptable means by which to show or vent your frustration.  Now, we also do not sit back and let him rule the roost either.  He knows his boundaries.  We have to talk to him in a stearn voice at times, but we never say anything that would be verbally intolerant to him either-because that too is detrimental as well {a subject for another post}. Brayden knows by the tone of our voice that he is doing something we do not approve of, and since most of the attention he gets is from positive reinforcements...his behavior quickly shifts back into a happy demeanor because of the reaction he recieves from it.  It may not work for everyone, but it works for us. 
My mother never spanked either-and even as a single mother {low imcome} with three children...she never resorted to it.  She never had to.  We were pretty well behaved.  Probably because none of us were ever spanked in the first place!  Who knows...but research is showing that spanking certainly can have long lasting detrimental affects on children.  I am one advocate that would have to agree. 

CNN
By Elizabeth Landau
(CNN) -- Think a little spanking won't do much harm to kids? New research says the effects can be long-lasting. Children are too young to understand when parenting behavior is wrong, a social psychologist says.
Experts say "popping" kids can do more harm than good. A new study of more than 2,500 toddlers from low-income families found that spanking may have detrimental effects on behavior and mental development.
"We're talking about infants and toddlers, and I think that just, cognitively, they just don't understand enough about right or wrong or punishment to benefit from being spanked," said Lisa Berlin, the study's lead author and research scientist at the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University.
Berlin and colleagues found that children who were spanked as 1-year-olds tended to behave more aggressively at age 2, and did not perform as well as other children on a test measuring thinking skills at age 3. The study is published in the journal Child Development. Although these effects were somewhat small, the study is just the latest of many supporting psychologists' advice against spanking. Still, some experts say spanking has a time and place. The new study focused on children from low-income families because prior research suggested that spanking is more common among them, Berlin said. This may be because of the added stresses of parenting in a low-income situation, or because of a "cultural contagion" of behaviors among people. For example, in some families this study examined, a grandmother would spank a child, or neighbors would encourage physical discipline, she said. Her study found that about one-third of the 1-year-olds, and about half of the 2- and 3-year-olds, had been spanked in the previous week, according to mothers' self-reporting to the researchers. At all three ages, African-American children were spanked significantly more frequently than those from white and Mexican-American families, and verbally punished more than the other children at ages 2 and 3, the study said.
Previous research had also found that parents who spank are more likely to be younger, less educated, single, and/or depressed and stressed, Berlin's study said. Spanking is most commonly used among parents who were spanked themselves, who live in the South, and/or who identify themselves as conservative Christians. These parents also tend to believe in the effectiveness of spanking or believe the child is at fault in a given situation, the study said.
The new research refutes the idea that more aggressive children are more likely to be spanked, Berlin said. On the other hand, the study did find that children who were fussier at age 1 were more likely to be spanked and verbally punished, she said. Verbal punishment did not appear to have the same detrimental effects as spanking in this study, Berlin said.
Some remain unconvinced that parents should never spank their children. Robert Larzelere, associate professor of human development and family science at Oklahoma State University, conducted a meta-analysis of 26 studies on the subject, and found that, overall, spanking seemed more effective than 10 of 13 alternative disciplinary methods for getting a child to behave or do as asked.
Much of the research on the subject does not clearly demonstrate a causal link, Larzelere said. For example, in comparing studies, children who are spanked and children who are taken to psychologists both are more likely to have aggressive behavior later, he said.
The best use of spanking, Larzelere said, is in children between the ages of 2 and 6 when milder discipline tactics, such as time out, fail.
"That's why psychologists trained parents to use spanking that way for 25 years [from the] late '60s to mid-'90s," he said. Now, the trend of advice is away from spanking, but there's not much hard evidence to support it, he said. Berlin's study focused on particularly early ages, Larzelere noted; much of the spanking literature focuses on ages 2 and older. Twelve months is probably too early to spank children, but there's no established point between ages 1 and 2 at which it is appropriate, he said.
Others say parents should not resort to spanking at any age. Susan Newman, social psychologist and author of "Little Things Long Remembered: Making Your Children Feel Special Every Day," said parents should discourage bad behaviors by taking away privileges such as dessert, or setting an earlier bedtime. They should also reinforce good behaviors verbally, saying how nice it is when their children share, for example.
The study corroborates what clinical psychologist Laura Markham, who was not involved in the study, has observed about the negative effects of spanking. Many mothers describe their children as fussy, resistant and demanding at age 1, which is a critical junction in the parent-child relationship, she said in an e-mail.
"If the mother sees this fussiness as willful misbehavior and begins verbally punishing or spanking, rather than empathizing with the child, the child's behavior deteriorates into more tantrums and other frustrating behavior," said Markham, who also offers advice at AhaParenting.com.
Newman also noted that children are too young to understand when parenting behavior is wrong, even at the level of abuse. Physical violence gets passed down in families because the only parenting skills people know are the behaviors that they saw at home, she said.
Spanking, moreover, reinforces negative memories in the child's mind, Newman said. Parents should aim instead to build "prominent, happy memories" of childhood for their kids, she said.
Regardless of income level, all parents can benefit from training classes, Newman said.
For future research, Berlin is looking at programs that work with low-income or high-risk families and try to promote supportive parenting behaviors.
In the spanking study, some mothers said they were receiving parenting services in which they were counseled not to spank their children.
"This is definitively the direction in which services are going and in which, in general, American culture is going," Berlin said.

{Child Labor}...

{I'm putting this kid to work!}
He loves to help whenever he can.  Sweeping, vacuming, cleaning leaves off of the patio & picking up his toys...you name it-he wants to help. He tells me he is a "helper", and says "I work".  I can't even get the broom out and he runs over telling me, "I weep-weep" { This kid seriously knows the drill.}  I think I finally got the hang of this whole Momma gig.  If I don't pay him for helping me clean then it really can't be considered child labor, can it? {Phew! that's what I thought}...

{Rain}...

Brayden loves to be outside when it rains.  Yesterday after the storm had subsided a bit, I took Brayden outside to sit on the porch.  He wanted the rain to drip on his head from the roof.  He thought this was pretty cool and kept saying "rain"!  I love your appreciation for the simple things in life Brayden.  I hope you never lose that beautiful innocence and priceless curiosity that makes you...well....you! 

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

For the love of spoons...

Uncle Scotty taught Brayden how to put a spoon to his nose last week while eating out,
 {as an attempt to keep him patient while we waited for dinner to be served}.  Brayden thought this was pretty neat, and was amazed that it actually stayed on his nose.  Needless to say...he keeps asking me for a "poon" now.  I gave him a clear plastic one today {sticks to his nose better}, and broke out the camera to capture his goonie little self playing with his spoon. 
His obsession went from straws to spoons....
go figure?
{Click directly on photo to enlarge}

Monday, September 14, 2009

No I didn't...





This is my first ever "Not me Monday".  I thought I would give it a whirl since my good buddy Kacey over at Chronicles of a Mommy seems to have tons of fun with it each week.  Here goes:
So...this weekend I most certainly did not bake a huge batch of chocolate no-bake cookies and eat like half a dozen even though I am diabetic.  That would be a bad decision on my part in regards to my health.  It was a weak moment, I confess.  I did not permit Brayden to sleep with me every night this weekend because I love the way he snuggles and I know how much he likes it too.  Starting bad habits this early could spell disastrous...{I know this!} 
I also did not go to the outlets to walk around simply because I needed a Pottery Barn fix.  In the bra store Brayden did not rip tags off of two bra's on the racks that I quickly picked up and simply "set" back on the rack so my child would not look like an ultra stinker brat as he was shouting "bra!-no touch!"  He did not get that saying from me after I reprimanded him for pulling about twenty bras and thongs straight off the rack from his stroller!
I did not start feeding him Pringles sticks just to keep him quiet long enough for me to catch a breath upon exiting the lingerie store itself!
And finally....I absolutely, under no circumstance...fed Brayden oyster crackers, corn and macaroni & cheese {dipped in ketchup} at a buffet Friday night because that is ALL he wanted to eat!  That would be a mildly irresponsible and unhealthy dinner for my toddler.  I also did not leave afterwards and nonchalantly brush the oyster crackers he had thrown everywhere under the table with my feet because I was too exhausted to bend over and play clean up!  Nope-not me!  I would never do anything like that.
Hope you are having a fabulous Monday, this was fun-whew!
  I feel better now!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

A Bat Tat...

Aunt Tara gave Brayden his very own tattoo today.  A baseball bat and ball on his arm.  He calls it a "ta-oooo" and says, "I cool" as he checks it periodically to insure it's still there
 He's feeling pretty awesome with his little bat tat.  I say...you go with your bad self baby! 
Rock on! 

Sara Evans {I'm Jealous...just a bit}


Daddy got to go see Sara Evans in concert at Chautauqua Institution...with my brother and his family.  {I'm just a little jealous}.  Just kidding... I am so glad that they got him into the concert, and that they showed him SUCH an awesome time.  Ron said they were only just a few feet away from her!  Since my brother Todd and his wife Beth dont work during the summer {they are Teachers}...they help construct sets and work with the Actors Equity for Chautauqua Institution and they are privy to all sorts of neat events and concerts that happen there all summer long-so they were able to get Ron in :-)  Not only that-but they also scored a play list sheet for me from the concert.  A playlist is the sheet that gets taped to the floor at Sara Evans feet so she knows what song her band will play next...and I have hers!  How cool is that?  Ron also picked up a very cool Sara Evans concert t-shirt for me that he was able to get personally autographed by Sara herself after the concert....AFTER he got to give Sara a high five!!!  Brat!  Todd was backstage after the concert helping take down the sets and said he got the opportunity to personally talk to her for a moment.  He said she was even more beautiful in person...down to earth, no makeup...white t-shirt and jeans on.  He said she was very kind.  They made eye contact, and he said she had a really nice smile/demeanor.  I am so jealous...I am! 
Ron and I danced to one of her songs at our wedding {I could not ask for more}.  He called me from the concert when she sang the song so I could hear it.  Love I tell ya!  Ron said him, Todd, Beth and Emily and Molly had the time of thier lives that night.  I am so happy!  Ron needed that, and who better to show someone a good time than Todd, Beth and the girls.  Thank you guys!  You Rock and I love you!
I am so glad you all had a blast! 

Saturday, September 12, 2009

{Crazy Splasher}

I call Brayden my Crazy Splasher in the tubby.  He goes wild getting water all over the place.  He especially loves when you pour water on him...and he splashes even more so thereafter!  All of this of course AFTER we have had mohawk time, have played with the {dishies} i.e. fishies...and do the scrub a dubba singing time where I sing "we all live in a yellow submarine", follwed by "row row row your boat", and ending with a "take me out to the ballgame"-yes I know...all perfectly suited for bath time right? {ha!} I love your tubby time Bray...another opportunity that you really do...
make Mommy laugh, and smile.
{click directly on photo collage to enlarge}

 

Go Green...

Last week we went into a children's Go Green store to see what kind of deals they had on everything toddler! { Oh My Gosh! } This Mama was ultra excited to score on tons of new things for the Bray-including some snazzy new sweaters that looked like they had NEVER even been worn!  I spent a total of $28 buckaroo's and landed about 7 new outfits for the Bray.  Overalls, sweaters galore-including an adorable little Guess sweater for a mere $3.65....yep...you heard right!  Brayden was having a blast playing in the toy area which had every imaginable toy you could think of.  He left sporting a new Tonka ambulance.  He would simply not budge, and I could not pry it out of his little death grips get that toy away from him as he was shouting "car-daddy-car-daddy-car".  You won this time kiddo.  Mama however won in the clothes department.  This store was so clean, so neat, so orgnaized...I was impressed-and WILL be back soon.  Here is one of the cutie outfits I got him there for less than $4.00 total.  Gotta love going green ;-)  Happy Shopping Mama's!
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new outfit 004

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Daddy's Hungry...

Daddy and Brayden have a tickle game they play...it's called RIBS! Daddy tells Brayden that he's hungry-and then pretends to eat his ribs...which Brayden LOVES LOVES LOVES. Then after the giggles subside...Daddy tells him he especially likes ribs made in the PIT-and goes for the armpits. It really is endearing, and funny as all get out to watch! I gut laugh every time they play this game...and Brayden only giggles like this for Daddy. It's so sweet. I am going to miss these moments as Brayden gets older and grows out of this toddler fun stage. Hope these giggles make you laugh so hard your ribs hurt-God knows they do mine!
PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Ketchup Lover



Brayden is SUCH a breakfast boy. He loves IHOP. Eggs, pancakes {hancakes} as he calls them, and one strip of bacon breakfast. For some reason, he wants to dip all of it in ketchup. The other day the waitress came out with his order and he excitedly started shouting "hancake-hancake", and giggling in his chair. She set the ketchup down on the table and he threw back both arms and {in a funny little wubzy like accent}, shouted, "help me help me". He sounded like someone straight out of a country western movie. All of the customers at other tables, started cracking up laughing at his antics to get some of that ketchup.
So...we happily obliged, and happily dunked everything in it ;-)

Hellooooo Potty...

The other night we went out to dinner. Brayden sat in his high chair as normal devouring his Penne pasta and garlic bread dinner. All of a sudden, he leaned over toward me and rested his sweet little chin on my arm. I reached over to rub his head and he quietly looked at me and said, "poo-poo". I asked him if he had to go poopy, and he started...well...to go poo-poo before I had a chance to run him into the restroom. I was so excited though that he actually knew what poo-poo meant, and that he told me PRIOR to going potty. What a big boy! Now he actually walks into the bathroom and says, "potty", or "pee-pee". So...potty training has begun folks, and this Mama is all too excited about that! He is ready. Big boy potty-here we come!
Woot Woot!

Built like a Rock...

Brayden is totally sporting his new Ford F150 Truck we got him for his birthday! He yells "car! car!" when he sees it, and happily climbs on in to drive around the neighborhood. We took him out the other night, and here are some fun pics of his "driving" experience.
Brayden 2nd Birthday 240
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Brayden 2nd Birthday 247

Monday, September 7, 2009

Happy Birthday Brayden...

Here is a fun slideshow of Brayden's 2nd Birthday! We had a fun filled day, and took so many pictures I could not possibly pick just a few to share...so here are a bunch! We love you Bray Bray and are so glad you had a great day!
{turn your speakers on}


Thursday, September 3, 2009

Fun Run Boosterthon

Today we went to see Casey and Bailey at their school for their annual Fun Run Boosterthon! They spent all last week getting sponsors for their run today. Casey was early this morning, and Bailey later this afternoon. Each of them ran 35 laps around the track, and Brayden, Grandma and I eagerly watched, cheered them on, and danced to the really super fun music they were playing. Brayden wanted to escape from the stroller and run with all of the children-bless his heart. When Bailey ran we took Bray out and let him run with B for a few laps with his class-which Bray thought was totally cool. This Momma was not doing any sort of running-but I did take lots of pictures and videos. This Boosterthon helps to raise tons of money for the school each year-which is totally great, and was so fun for everyone!
Go Bailey and Casey-we are so proud of you & love you tons!
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Brayden needing some of Mommy's lovin' before we decided to let him run...
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Rock, Roll & Ride

{Click directly on photo to enlarge view}
Grandma is spoiling Brayden these days. She bought him a Rock, Roll & Ride by Fisher Price. Cool toy. The handle flips under it to create a rocker for inside the house when its not being used to push as a big wheel outside, and let's just say that Brayden likes it...A LOT!
This toy is certainly Mother approved!!!
We took him out for a stroll the other evening. He needs to learn to put his feet on the petals and steer, but hey-those are just little logistics right?
That's just how he rolls!



Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Sure...he looks sweet and innocent!

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

You can tell Brayden is almost 2 these days. Terrible 2 that is. I usually post all the happy moments we have here in the Snow family...but let's be honest, we all have little monsters that come out of our sweet and innocent children at times right? Please tell me I am not the only one. Whew! This last weekend we encountered two {how ironic} episodes where I thought for a brief moment that I might have to call an exorcist to bring my precious child back to me! Ha! That's not funny...I know, but he truly decided that this weekend was his weekend {for whatever reason} to exhibit his controlling nature {that he does not get from me-I swear!}.
My mother attempted to bring him on a Merry-go-round.
I told her that:
#1 He is a chunk of love handful.
#2 He would certainly resist going back into the stroller once the ride was over.
{she begged to differ}
#3 That he would probably be more than she could handle.
{she begged to differ again}
So...she bought him a ticket, and off she went. First-she put him on a horse, and after he tried to get this ride movin' {and it had not started yet}...he loudly insisted that it was "boke" and started to climb off of the horse. {meanwhile I am observing, taking pictures and giggling}. She puts him on a camel, and after trying to get that one to move {and the ride still had not started yet}...he only got louder in his accusations that the ride was indeed "boke-boke!" Grandma finally moved him for the third time to an ostrich...yes you heard me...and ostrich on the Merry-go round. As my mother was exhausted at this point and the ride had STILL not started yet-she tried to encourage him to Giddy-up Giddy-up! My sister in law Tara looked at me and said, "Did she just tell him to Giddy-up on an ostrich?" We both broke out in hysterics. Finally...the ride started-and Brayden was happy as can be! Afterwards my mother tirelessly carried him back to the stroller, and admitted that it was indeed a daunting task! She said, "I couldn't convince him that the ride wasn't "boke!"
Too funny.
{don't say I didn't warn you!}
I'll share more about his second tantrum episode later this week....writing about more than one a night might just give me nightmares ;-)
Late August Bray 005
Late August Bray 004

Smiles and Styles...

{click directly on photo to enlarge}

I took Brayden the other day to get haircut # 4, and boy was I impressed by my little man's admirable behavior! She first gave him a little spritz on the head {which he loved}, and then she started to comb his hair to style before the big cut! He watched himself in the mirror, smiling the entire time! Once she brought out the clippers-he giggled each time she touched his head with them. My mom and I asked him if it tickled, and he giggled all the more. He kept saying "haircut-haircut!". Yes bubby-haircut is right. You were such a big boy, and you look ultra handsome for your second birthday this weekend Bray! Such a big boy!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Growing so fast...

Oh Brayden-you are growing so quickly. Everyday you are saying more words, making sentences, and continuing to keep us laughing. Just this morning you grabbed a pen at the table and looked at me plain as day and said "I color". When I took you to get your haircut-you proclaimed to everyone all day with so much enthusiasm "haircut-haircut!" You love to point into the sky and say "star"...and you want me to read to you everyday Twinkle Twinkle Little Star-your new favorite "book-book!". I love how you go to the pantry like a big boy for your "nummy's" and pick out exactly which snack you want to have...which most times these days are either Goldfish crackers, Animal cookies, or oyster crackers. You LOVE to have cinnamon pop-tarts for breakfast too! Silly boy. Just last week while watching your cousins play football-you grabbed it, ran away from them, and yelled "ahhhh-HIKE". You want to be a big boy so badly. I feel like I can't keep up with documenting all of the new and wonderful things you are saying and by all of the beautiful ways you are growing into such a great little guy.
We love you so much Bray Bray.
-Mommy and Daddy
Late August Bray 010