Dada, Dada, Dada....

Braylen has definitely been a busy body lately. She jibber jabbers all day long and says Dada, Dada to anything. Braylen is definitely on the move these days...she crawls about 4 times and then plops to her belly and pulls herself everywhere. I put her down in one spot and the next thing I know, she is across the room...she is constantly keeping me on my feet. She is very close to sitting up on her own....if I am right there, she puts her hand on me and pushes up to sitting position but she is having a hard time doing it by pushing off the floor.....we are so so close though. As far as the eating is and nursing.....well...Braylen is still not a fan of fruit....I think she is slowly starting to take on Applesause...but is isn't her fav. She still hates the banana taste....haha...I love bananas. She eats her veggies very well and now I started giving her those rice puff cereal things... and she likes those so that is good. She also loves her sippy cup...she yells out at times when she can't get the water out but all I have to do is hold it up sometimes and then she is in heaven. Still nursing her 4 times a day...I could probably get that down to 3 times but just not ready to change up the schedule yet. Speaking of nursing....my girl has 2 teeth on the bottom and 3 (that's right folks) 3 teeth on the top...they have all broken skin and slowly coming through....well I am now feeling it while I nurse.....something is going to have to give....she has bitten me and I even showed Grant...it bled...ouch! I told him, if this doesn't stop, no more nursing for me. Well it has gotten a little better but we will see! For those of you who never nursed....what it feels like is someone pinching you under your upper arm...that oh so sensitive skin.....doesn't feel so good! This past weekend was our first road trip with Braylen and it went very well. We left at 7:00 on a Wednesday night (which is her bedtime) and she slept the whole way there. She did very good in her pack n play all weekend and did fairly good being on a crazy schedule, etc. ON the way home...she did okay...slept for the first part and then I put in Baby Einstein and she watched that and then I had to entertain her for a little while until she ended up dozing back off for the remainder of the ride....I must have been boring her...haha! Hannah went with us to Charleston (Grant's brother's wedding) and she was our in house sitter....it was super awesome to have her there to help out but to also be able to have Braylen there with me but still be able to go out in the evenings.....we loved it! And one last thing...Braylen now takes BIG GIRL baths and SHE LOVES IT! She is a natural swimmer....must take after her daddy....she just splashes around and loves to be on her stomach and her back in the bath.....baths are no more get fresh and clean quick....that is play time for Braylen....but it is awesome....I love that she loves it! There is so much more to update and several more events that are coming up...so I will keep everyone posted. Right now, we are all just PATIENTLY waiting for our LITTLE GUY to come into this world....my first nephew....and Braylen's first cousin....we can't wait! Once again, I will keep everyone up to speed along with some pics. XOXOXO!!!

Bye Bye Braylen

So my trip to Vegas was a blast but YES, I missed Braylen terribly! I knew though that she was in excellent hands but I just missed her. I am with her everyday so not having her around made me sad at times. My wonderful family and husband did send me photos of her through my phone and I was showing everybody...I was one proud Mama! Those pictures that were sent definitely got me through my day and made me very happy! On the Friday that I was gone, Braylen spent the day with "Poppie" (my dad)...we call it Bodie Daycare and they had a blast...singing and playing and just being goofy. Grant told me he went to pick her up and she was naked, (view the photo above....!) Dad said that him and Braylen played in the sink and with the sprayer....needless to say her clothes were soaked and there wasn't a clean pair around...oh well...fun, fun! That Saturday, she got to go visit with her Great-Grandmother...Grant said that meant alot to all of them that Braylen was able to spend time and get some photos with Grandmother. So I guess Braylen had a fun packed weekend and got to visit with lots of people....but when it all comes down to it, Grant still never had Braylen all day long and night by himself....sucker!!!!!

6 Months....

Yesterday was Braylen's 6 month birthday...wahoo! We went to her 6 month check-up and she came out perfectly AVERAGE. She weighs 16lbs and is 26 inches long. She is my healthy, growing cupcake....I could just eat her baby rolls up!!! She is learning very quickly how to master sitting up and being on all fours. She cracks me up making her way all over the floor trying to grab certain toys....at times I look over and she is completely under the coffee table.....she goes everywhere and is pulling/sliding herself to whatever she wants. We started some solids....and the sweet potatoes went well and the carrots did also. The peas...were NO GOOD....I couldn't even taste them....they looked and smelled aweful! Watching her eat the new foods is hilarious! She reverts back...as if she has put a handfull of chopped raw onions in her mouth....it makes me laugh so hard (she is probably thinking...what is so funny!!!!) Anywho, her POOPS have definitely changed now....! I know all of you will think this is gross but her breastfeeding POOPS....have never bothered me...in fact...I enjoyed the smell....well....ya know what I mean....but these SOLID poops (solid to some degree) is GROSS!!! I mean....that true saying of what goes in must come out....well it is...and is smells FOUL...to say the least. We will be getting Braylen's 6 mth pics in 2 weeks.....! We can't wait...I am so excited to get them done....! I leave for a Vegas trip next week....3 days away from Braylen....VERY SAD...hard to think about! I know I need this break but I will miss her and Grant so very much. The other annoying thing about my trip though is I will be pumping the whole time out there.....ugh...! But she is SO SO SO worth every annoying part of that. I will let you all know how we do without each other. I also had to throw a pic of my sis's baby shower.....not many have seen her pregnant so here is a shot of here at 7 1/2 months prego. Doesn't she look great!!!

Breaking Skin....

So Braylen has broken skin with this one bottom tooth. You can feel it...it is so sharp....still not very visable but dang it is sharp and definitely there. It has bothered her here and there and she has woken up during the night a few times but it isn't as bad as some people have said. We have all been super busy lately....so sorry for not posting...but I just wanted to give everyone a quick update before her 6 MONTH doc's appt. at the end of next week....wahoooo! I have already bought her first solids (outside of rice cereal) and am so ready to start. I am waiting to do it after her doc's appt. but I don't know if I can wait another week....I am just ready to see if she likes....! Maybe I will switch her Rice to Oatmeal....maybe that will help me feel like she is getting something new....ahahaha! Braylen also (this week) just started pushing up on ALL FOURS.....ladies and gentleman....she is soon to crawl I am sure....I know it will take awhile but being on all fours is a huge step in my eyes. She rocks back when she is on all fours and then colapses...it is too cute! She is sitting up very good by herself...still needs assistance but doing good. I also just started today putting her in the restaurant high chairs and pulling her up to the table....it was a first but she did excellent...I guess she was already ready for that and I didn't even know it. My precious little girl is growing way too fast...GOD IS SO GOOD!!! and AMAZING!!! This was just on my mind so I had to let you all know....but...there is so much more to tell...so I will be back in touch....! I will post pics tomorrow...hopefully ;)

5 MONTHS......

Okay...so Bray baby turned 5 months yesterday.......I just can't believe it. As I said I was going to do, I started the RICE cereal at the beginning of the week. It was a mess/disaster the first day......all she wanted to do was hold the spoon and the bowl....and she would cry if she couldn't.....and not to mention she was VERY hungry. (probably the wrong time to try RICE cereal...ugh) So then Tuesday, I gave it another run, this time I nursed her like I normally would at her 4th feeding of the day...but I decided to cut it short. So after nursing I got her in the BUMBO seat and gave her a spoon to play with as I also fed her with my spoon....it was alot better....still didn't finish the bowl. Wednesday, was a hectic day...so we skipped it. Then, Thursday...we tried it again in the Bumbo seat and it went very smooth....finished the whole bowl and she was doing so much better opening her mouth and letting the spoon go in and sucking the food off the spoon. And, today....was WONDERFUL! I put her in her highchair this time....and put a little less water in the cereal (too make it thicker) and she ate it up (with of course it all over her mouth, hands, and the tray.....NO ONE SAID THIS WAS A CLEAN JOB....I need to relax on that part. I was wanting to clean up every drop that went down.....I know, annoying! So the first week of her fifth month, we accomplished her eating Rice cereal...every week I am going to change it up a tad....by adding more cereal, thickening it up, or adding a a flavor to it....so we will see! I also need to tell you guys that Braylen is rolling back in forth, back in forth.....I may have already mentioned this, but it is now a huge deal...b/c everywhere I turn she is somewhere different...tummy or back....and across the room or the bed....so I am definitely more on my toes now. I am also piling pillows around her so she doesn't bump into things or roll off the bed. Speaking of piling pillows around her, I am working on her sitting up. She does a very good job sitting up and holding onto something but she isn't quite there by herself....I know it is soon. MAN TIME FLYS BY! A new thing for us that I haven't shared with you all is Braylen also slept in her CRIB today for her NAP. Her nap time is usually in her swing or Bobby seat and she falls asleep to music or Baby Einstein....today I said it is time for NAPs in her crib....so we did it and she did very well. I think she slept for about 1 1/2 hours....YAY Braylen.

Braylen also always gets to see all of our friends....we are very blessed that everyone loves Braylen, 1/2 as much as how we love her. I also had to throw in a pic of us strolling around in the jogging stroller...I love it and she is going to learn to love it....lol!

Braylen got into PLAYSCHOOL...YAY!!

I forgot to mention last week when I was updating the blog that I registered Braylen for Playschool and she got in...yay! She will be attending the Mothers Morning Out Program at the Cumming First United Methodist Church here in Cumming. Mrs. Hope is going to be her teacher....we have heard wonderful things about her. Braylen will be attending on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00-1:00. This will be great time for me to get meetings and work done. She will start this schedule in the Summer with Grant's mom....I think....it might be a little different but that is what we are planning on. She also is still LOVING her Bumbo seat and everywhere I go she turns her head and follows me...so I had to grab some shots of how far she will actually turn her head....hahahahah! Next week she turns 5 months so I am exicted to blog then....oh and SHE HAS FINALLY ROLLED FROM HER BACK TO HER STOMACH!!!! She did this this past weekened while I was out of town....wahhhh! However, I managed to see her do it this morning also....and the best part is, she fell right back to sleep....thank goodness. This picture of Braylen makes me giggle...the hair piece is hilarious and she didn't understand why I was laughing so hard....i just haven't seen something like this on Braylen's head so it was hysterical in my mind. ENJOY!!!

Just having some fun!

Just a small update on Braylen and how much fun we can have during the day! She loves her Bumbo seat (look at pic) and I use it a lot in the kitchen while we are eating, cooking, doing dishes, unloading the dishwasher....she just loves to sit in it and watch or play with her toys. Braylen loves playing with everyone's faces, she is now focused in on everyone and their features. Braylen also loves that mirror and still trying to figure out how we are both in the mirror (or at least that is what I think she thinks.) I love talking to her through the mirror and pointing things out....she just sits and babbles or laughs mostly. Braylen has come to really love being on her TUMMY....she is doing so well and hopefully she will be rolling from her back to her tummy very soon....she is so so so very close. She does however, roll from the tummy to the back but that is nothing new....we are just waiting for her to roll from her back to tummy and then I am sure she will enjoy sleeping on her tummy more. Hannah and I ran a 5K the other day.....I have been in the big running kick...for Hannah it is just a jog but for me, I love challenging myself. Grant and Braylen decided to join us.....it was 26 degrees this day...probably shouldn't have had baby out but everyone wanted her to come so they could see her....so she made her apprearance. Braylen also had a very special visitor come and play with her, my friend Lauren. Lauren loves Braylen so very much and will be an excellent mother one day. That evening Braylen was super tired and was in need of a bath...however....we put it off so she could play longer.....you can see the tiredness in her eyes and her greasy hair...lol! There are days that just fly by because Braylen and I will just play, or we will take pictures, or pick up the house, or run errands, or I will just sit an watch her....and then the next thing I know the day is over....where does the time go??? So at the end of the day, Braylen is USUALLY all tuckered out and will sometimes fall asleep in her daddy's arms.....her bedtime is 8:00 but sometimes she just doesn't make it till then.