my fave book.

this morning you pulled down the "good dog carl" book & looked at the pictures, and waved at the puppy.  it made me so happy, as it's my favorite book in the world.  it reminds me of our sargey, who we miss so much!  i love that you love puppies (and hopefully rotties) as much as mama!

self feeding in progress.

we're starting to practice brady self-feeding at meal times.  he practices holding the spoon, dipping more food out of the bowl, and getting it to his mouth. i am practicing my patience.  i really am not a fan of the gigantic mess clean up after, but it's all part of him learning to be big and i am learning to be more relaxed.

morning bliss.

our mornings together are so sweet.  how happy you are, how hot mama's coffee is, and the sunlight streaming in.  i love our mornings.

water play.

bradykins, you LOVE the water. anything to do with it!!!  as soon as i get the hose out to water my flowers you start squealing.  so this time, i stripped you down to your dipe & we played for awhile.  you were happy as a clam even though the water temp had to be near freezing :)

concentration.

i love how serious he becomes when he's trying to figure out how to do something.  he loves taking the pegs in & out of this toy, but it's all business as he works on it.

daddy's home!

mike came home from work yesterday while bubs was eating dinner and as soon as he heard the garage door open he FROZE!  then as soon as mike came around the corner he dissolved into smiles.  so, so sweet.

(if you want to know what i looked like as a kiddo, see above. those big eyes & long face are all from mama!)

loveland afternoon.

brady & i took a little roadtrip for our walk this afternoon after his nap...to loveland!  we dropped by aunt kate's house to meet brutus (both boys were pretty fond of each other) and then took a long walk around lake loveland.  it was hotter than hades out there but most of the walk thankfully is shaded.  we had a great walk & talk!

 

lunch date.

we went out for lunch today after church, and tried out a new mexican restaurant in windsor.  it was delish & you were extra cute in your little marine corps bib and great mood!

baby tiny fashion.

baby toms seal the deal on this adorable outfit!!  one of my faves.

hot summer days.

we ventured out on an afternoon walk today despite temps being near 100.  nothing makes little man happier than being outside, and i usually need the change of scenery by afternoon.  so we wore our tanks, lathered up with sunscreen, and headed out to the park!

(as you can see, it's hard to be 1 sometimes)

on the move!

you are unstoppable with your new push-toys!  you haven't figured out yet how to turn them around though, so as soon as you get stuck in a spot you turn and look for me and start signing "please" as fast as you can.  i always prompt you, "help please!" so i guess you're catching on.  i love seeing you race all around the house with your toys - practicing walking.  you consistently take 3-4 steps to reach things you want, so i think you'll be fully mobile any day now.

graduation party.

we enjoyed watching your friend eliot graduate from his first year of preschool today.  you & cora were quite the pair playing together!  and of course, having snacks.  i'm pretty sure you would never pass up a snack, even if you'd just eaten.

bravery.

you're learning how to let yourself down out of the tube at the playground.  i was a little nervous letting you do this, but aunt kate encouraged both you & me that you were capable.  when did you get so big?

party prep.

we got your birthday banner from aunt yaya in the mail today!  you approve of the design.

then, since we were in party mode - we tried on your party hat!

hard to believe we are closing out our first year with you, little buster.  what an amazing year it's been.  you are the joy of our lives.

binky hunting.

we've discovered there is much less screaming and thrashing during lotion time post-bath now if we lotion while he crawls around naked.  so he gets dried off & set free.  and every time...EVERY TIME...he beelines it for his crib and starts the binky hunt.  he's so excited when he finds one under the bed or one that he can reach in the bed.  i think it's safe to say he is obsessed with his binks.  he now says "ba!" every time he sees one, so even though it's only one syllable instead of two, i think we can agree he now says "binky."

shoulder ride.

hair pulling & surprise back-arching no additional fee.

bowtie.

you look so cute in your bowtie onesie, little mister.  especially with that sweet little smile & big blue eyes of yours.  life with you gets better every day.

lunch date.

lunch date today with you mister.

we went to barre class first (you love playing in the gym daycare) & then out to lunch with jen and her kiddos.  you are pretty good when we're out at a restaurant for the most part, as long as you have a constant flow of food.  what can i say, you come by that food-motivation honestly :)  there's usually some table banging and loud screeching depicting how excited you are - but i'm okay with that as long as there's no screaming & crying.  i am always armed to the teeth with things to keep you occupied, and it makes for an enjoyable experience with you.

yard time with his bestie.

we had the huntingtons over for dinner tonight & we all enjoyed hanging out in the backyard.  we brought some toys out & the monkeys played for a long time together in the shade.  and when the huntingtons first walked in the house, brady grinned & shrieked with excitement.  it's so sweet to see him get so happy to see people he recognizes & loves!

lunch date.

after working a short shift at the hospital this morning, i met kate & mike & bubs up at the golf course club house for lunch.  what a great follow-up to work, seeing this little grin when i walked out onto the patio!!