Update...

Yes I know it's been a while since I have updated the blog and I am sorry! I know people have been hounding me to update it. I keep thinking to update it and then I look at my camera and realize I haven't taken any pictures to update you out in blogger world as to what we have been up to. Brayden has now realized that he doesn't really like to take pictures anymore. He is more interested in looking into the camera and seeing the pictures instead of taking them. I promise that I will get better at updating the blog here over the next few months. We have a lot going on: we are transitioning to a big boy bed this weekend, Brayden's second birthday is coming up, swim lessons, and of course the arrival of baby # 2 in December (hopefully).

Here are some pictures that help describe what we have been up to lately.

We have had play dates with our new friends in Indy, this is Layne. They had a blast pushing each other on the Mickey firetruck.

We had a lovely visit with cousin Callie, she's a doll!!


Uncle Joey and "Auntie" Heather have stopped by a few times to have play dates with Brayden.

We had our first visit to the Indianapolis Zoo.

Brayden loved seeing all the animals and telling us what each animal sounds like. His favorite for the day was the rooster, go figure.

We have been gearing up for Colts football season.

More play dates with all the Indy "Butler" kids.

Brayden helped me celebrate my 30th brithday with a lovely case of croup cough.

Belly snapshot from my 30th brithday, though I am 28 weeks now. This is the only picture I have taken so far.

We had a mini-vacation in Brown County a few weeks ago. Brayden LOVED the indoor waterpark.

He even got to go down the big slide with dad.

Brayden and mom enjoying the lazy river.

We decided to do a pony ride at Brown County, I love the look of his face on this one.

But don't worry friends, he wanted more and more once we started walking with the horse.

We even had to make a second trip to the stable because he kept talking about "Oreo", the horse he rode.

Brayden has found a new fascination with pumpkins, this is the best shot that I got of him sitting by the pumpkins.

We had tons of fun walks on trails in Brown County, we even spotted a few deer.

My Handy Manny, he is busy at work "fixing" things.

Brayden busy at work coloring.

Anytime Brayden sees any sort of football on TV, he automatically says "Peyton Manning, touchdown!!" It's hilarious.

I have to say that we have had several visits and trips to see the grandparents and I have ZERO pictures of it. I need to do better at documenting those visits!!

Baby # 2

Ok, so I have to admit I have been super bad at updating the blog but also taking pictures of what has been going on the past 6 weeks, so unfortunately I don't have a whole lot to update though it's been awhile.

On Thursday we found out that baby #2 is going to be a boy!!! We are super excited!!! I'm getting out numbered here pretty quickly though. As Jon says, our wallet will really appreciate that it's another boy. Luckily timing wise Brayden was born in Nov. and this little one will hopefully be born in December, so we can pretty much reuse everything!! We have not even discussed names yet. We decided since we had such a hard time last time that we were not even going to talk about names till we found out the sex. Luckily we still have some names that we liked from last time, so hopefully it's a little easier to name # 2. As for myself I have been feeling great. All of my energy has come back, so as of now I can't complain.

We have been super busy down in Indy trying to get into a good routine, but as of yet we are not there. I have been traveling to Chicago at least once a week since we moved, so it's hard for Brayden to get used to everything down here. I was super lucky to be able to stay with my college roommate and her family while in Chicago. A big thank you to the McKenzie family. I had a great time. Even though I was away from Brayden I was able to spend some time with their 6 month old Lilly.

Brayden is finally getting used to daycare, aka "school". As of about 2 weeks ago he no longer cries when we drop him off. He is learning most of the kids names and talks about the teachers at home all the time, so he seems to be adjusting really well. He also seems to be learning a ton there too. I got up with him the other morning and he counted for me from 1 - 10. Pretty good since I thought he only knew to "tree". He will only count for you though when he wants to, otherwise forget about it.

Brayden has also been very vocal about everything lately. He insists that he does everything!!! If he doesn't want you to do it, he says Brayden, Brayden. AKA - let me do it mom. He is also picking up on every last word and phrase that we say. My favorite word that he says lately is awesome!! He doesn't know how and when to use it, he uses it for everything, it's pretty funny.

Here are the few pictures that I have taken over the last few weeks:

Fishing with dad at the lake

Trying to catch a big fish

Speaking of fish, here is my little fish!

Enjoying the pool with Maddie

By our house there is a pond with tons of ducks, Brayden loves feeding the ducks. We try to go every night, it's pretty funny as soon as we get close to the pond the ducks start following the stroller because they know we are there to feed them, it's pretty funny.Daddy and Brayden

Jon has been prepping Brayden for the upcoming Colts football season. These was a picture of Peyton Manning in the newspaper, so that is what he is looking at.

Moving...

The move is over and we have made it!!! Brayden loves his new house!!! He has stairs and a toy room, he just doesn't know what to do with himself. The first few days he just ran around in every room laughing and falling on the ground. It was hilarious. Here are some pictures before the move.

Brayden found a flamingo in our house and took it for a ride

We had a playdate with cousin Callie before we left. Look at those adorable cheeks!!!!

Brayden and Callie spending some quality time together

We had to make one final stop at the Blackhawks parade. HOCKEY!!!

Moving day, Brayden enjoyed the rides on the luggage cart.

Brayden has gone through a lot of changes over the past few weeks: a new house, going to daycare, one nap a day, 2 new teeth. Let's just say it's been a lot of fun. Not really. I understand the poor guy has been through a lot so we have been very patient with him. We are now hitting the end of week three and there is definite progress.

It was heartbreaking to leave Brayden at daycare the first day. I wasn't quiet sure what to expect from him. He was screaming his head off as we left him. After 3 weeks though, he still cries when we leave him, though they reassure us that it is only for a minute or two. For the whole first week Brayden didn't eat or drink anything at the daycare. Poor guy came home starving. Let's just say Brayden is a really picky eater. We try over and over again at home to give him all sorts of food and he refuses most things and passes them back to you without even trying. So when we found out the menu the first week consisted of salsbury steak and fish sticks, we knew we were in trouble. After the first week, he figured out that he has to eat otherwise he will starve. He still isn't a fabulous eater, but he is trying things a little bit. He refuses anything that needs to be placed on a utensil - mashed potatoes / stuffing. He only likes finger foods! Then we solved the drinking problem. They offer milk and juice throughout the day. Well Brayden could live off milk if you let him, but it has to come out of a certain cup. Not kidding, we went and bought more cups and the previous design I bought was slightly adjusted and Brayden knew right away and wouldn't drink out of them. He is very picky!! So we brought in some of his cups and we are golden. He still refuses juice, so they gave up and just give him water now. My biggest concern was taking him from 2 naps a day to one and on a cot that he could get up from. The first couple days they had to sit next to him to get him to sleep, but now I am proud to say that he sleeps nicely on the cot usually for 2 hours!!!

Needless to say it's been a big change for him and us. We are now getting adjusted nicely though. As for the next big adjustment. Brayden is going to be a big brother!!! He is super excited. He keeps kissing my belly saying baby, then he asks "daddy, baby?" He's a little confused at this point, but maybe when I start showing he will understand that just mommy has a baby. Baby # 2 is due Dec. 28th. We are super excited to be adding to our family. I have been feeling good, no morning sickness, just super tired. I am now in my second trimester, so I am hoping that I am going to get a burst of energy one of these days.

Hope everyone has a great fourth of July!

Family Time...

I know we have been absent here lately and I do apologize. I know most people don't care what we do they just want pictures. So here are some pictures. I will tell you though, we have been so busy over the past 6 weeks, I am getting pretty bad at taking pictures too.

First we had a visit to the lake house one weekend. Aunt Jamie gave Maddie and Brayden indoor wagon rides, it was a little cold outside.

Maddie and Aunt Jamie

Brayden was wishing he could go outside, instead he stood and watched Uncle Josh mow the lawn.

Getting a ride with Aunt Jamie

Since it was cold outside, the kids had to find something to do inside. They found a closet with cushion chair covers in it. They found it a great little spot to play. Over the past few weeks Brayden has a huge obsession with balls. We have about 20 at our house at all times laying around.

Then it was on to playing with Uncle Jimmy at our house. I had to work, so Uncle Jimmy and Grandma came over and watched him for the day. When I came home I found that Brayden had learned a new trick. Since our house is lofted Brayden doesn't really have walls to his room. I walked in to find him hanging over the wall to the kitchen throwing balls over it.

Then I went in his room and here is Uncle Jimmy lifting him up so that he could throw the balls over. I didn't mind at all, except for the fact that when they left he asked me to do it and there is no way I am lifting him like that. Good thing their memory is not that good, because after a couple days he hasn't asked again to do it.

Uncle Jimmy and Brayden

Brayden consistently tells us when he is wetting his diaper, by grabbing himself inappropriately. So I thought that maybe he is ready for potty training. We have sat on the toilet a million times, but no luck yet. He is actually pretty obsessed with it, saying "Brayden potty". Let's hope this is a good sign that he will be ready to be potty trained here sooner than later.

Uncle Jimmy (far right) and his girlfriend Kim (to the right of me) moved to Colorado over the past month. My mom threw them a little going away party. Also in the picture is Aunt Lauren, Uncle Josh, and baby Callie. When Brayden sees any baby now, he exclaims out loud, "baby, wa wa!!" It's pretty funny.

Brayden and Ga-Ga. Brayden has been talking up a storm the past couple weeks. You can have a full conversation with him now. He answers all your questions. He has finally picked up on names of the family. Grandma has been renamed Ga-ga and Grandpa is now pa-pa.

We had another trip to the lake house over Memorial Day weekend. Pa-pa had hip replacement surgery a couple weeks ago, so we went home to see how he was doing. It's amazing how quickly you can recover from such a huge procedure. He was just walking around with a cane. Which Brayden thought was a "golf club". He kept telling pa-pa, golf club. We let him play with it once, but he almost took out cousin Maddie, so then it just became pa-pa's only.

Aunt Jamie and Uncle Josh put up a swing outside the house. Boy did Maddie and Brayden love that swing.

Brayden's new favorite words that we hear about a thousand times a day are "hockee" and "andy-Many" aka Handy Manny. If you don't know who he is, it's a cartoon where he has talking toys that fix things. Well if we try to fix anything around here or if he sees someone on the street doing it, he screams "Andy-Many". The other day at the park there were workers putting up a fence, all the kids are playing and Brayden stood there for about ten minutes repeatedly telling me "Andy-Manny". So needless to say, I caved in and bought him the Handy Manny tool set, he carries it all around trying to fix things. It's pretty cute. The second obsession is hockey, which is a little weird because we are not huge hockey fans. It's been on tv since the Blackhawks are in the playoffs, but other than that it is not on. Well it has become a full on obsession for him. If he sees it on tv, in the newspaper, if he sees a banner hanging up. We hear the word hockey over and over again. Jon finally gave in yesterday and bought him a Blackhawks t-shirt. The kids looooooves it!!! All day he just pointed to his shit and shouted hockey. Well needless to say we tried to take the shirt off last night before bed and again today, but the poor kid cried when we tried to take it off. Somehow almost two days into wearing the shirt we convinced him to take it off so we can wash it for the game tomorrow.

It's amazing how much he understands us and talks to us these days. We had his 18 month check up a few weeks ago. He was again in the 90% for height, but only 20% for weight. We also had to follow up with the NICU clinic. They did an evaluation with him to see how things are coming along. It's amazing how they tests kids that small with all these different techniques, like hiding objects and following directions. Needless to say, he passed with flying colors and we don't have to go back for another year. So that is great news. She even thought that he was more right dominant, which we always thought he would be left handed due to the stroke, just goes to show that you can't really tell at this point.

One last thing that we have been up to lately. Ok, so it has completely consumed our lives, hence why I haven't blogged lately. We are moving here in the next couple weeks down to the Indianapolis area. I along with Jon ,as my business partner, are taking on the huge task of opening my own dental practice. I'll give you guys more info as things start getting up and running.

Pictures...

Just some pictures so everyone can get their Brayden fix.

Brayden enjoying the swing at the park. The weather has been up and down, one day we are wearing shorts and then the following day we are in coats and hats.

This is the face I get when I ask if he is all done!

Easter 2010. I didn't know if Brayden would understand that we were hiding eggs for him to find, but he caught on very quickly when he learned that there was an M& M inside of them.

Notice the chocolate all over his face!! Funny thing is that he asks us everyday now to hide Easter eggs for him. We of course give in, but we have learned to hide them now with cheerios instead of chocolate.

I went to say goodnight to B and this is how I found him, he unzipped his pajamas to get a little air. I guess it is time for some summer pj's. And yes I know there are a million stuffed animals in his crib, but he insists on sleeping with all of them.

We had three visits to Indy in a time span of one week. Two for the Butler games, bummer they lost! And one visit to Uncle Joey's frat house for his Trike Day.

Brayden jumping on a big jumping thing outside the frat house, boy did he love it. He completely wore himself out on this thing.

A little fun for the big kids. Myself, Heather, and Joey riding the trikes around.

We took B to the Children's Museum this past weekend. Here he is pretending to slide down the fire pole.

Busy doing some grocery shopping. It is hard to get a good picture of him these days since he is soooo busy.

Digging for dinasours!

I went to get Brayden out of his crib one morning and he was doing this, so I had to get the camera and have him do it again for me. The kid has so much energy from the time he wakes up.

Introducing...

On March 19th, my brother and his wife had a beautiful baby girl Callie Marie. We went and visited last weekend to get some cuddling time in with our new niece.

Jon and Callie

I love this picture, look at that face!

Callie and I

Brayden giving his new cousin a kiss

When we were leaving Brayden kindly told us where to put the baby, back in the boppy. AKA you are not taking her home with us!!! It was pretty funny.

Brayden has learned that he loves the train rides at the mall. As soon as it stops he yells "more, more!" We tried to visit the Easter bunny too, but that just ended up in screaming and squirming off the bunny's lap. They weren't quick enough to snap a photo of it. I guess we will just look from a distance for now.

We are the biggest Butler fans and looks like Brayden is going to be one too!!! He was cool as a cat watching the game on Saturday as our team is in the Final Four!!! Go Dawgs!!!