Walking

Here is a short little video we took today (on the last day of 2009) showing Braxton taking a few steps while he chews on a wooden spoon (the simple joys of life).

3 Christmas Videos

Here are three videos we took over Christmas.

First Christmas

Braxton had a blast hanging out with Avery over Christmas while we were in Iowa. They played together chasing each other around the house for hours and hours. Here are a few of our favorite photos from Christmas 2009.

Tickling

Last night Brock was tickling Braxton's back and Braxton was so cute as he giggled. Here is a video of them playing.

Roxie's Party

We went to a Christmas party at my old roommate Roxie's house. Here are a few photos of Braxton with Roxie, Elise, and Marilyn. Also--there is a video of Braxton playing with Roxie's sister Rhoda featuring the song "The horsey goes walking".

Norge hat

Brock and I visited Norway in February 2001. It was really cold. Brock lost his hat while we were trecking around Oslo so we bought this NORGE hat. Brock still wears the hat every day in our MN winters and here are photos of Braxton trying it on too.

Male bonding

Priceless male bonding photos. No babies were hurt in the making of these photos (actually Brock was tickling him and Braxton was laughing hysterically)

9 Questions

Braxton’s birthday (January 12) is the same birthday as: Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh.

9 questions about Braxton’s Mom

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you: George Stephanopoulos
2. Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else's property? Back in junior high school I was allegedly involved in a missing Christmas decoration from the City of Sandstone. One of my sisters and I had to paint the walls inside our church for community service.
3. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? Yes. Choir performances and community theater productions as well as a little singing group nicknamed the "Bar Sisters".
4. What do you order at Starbucks?Steamed milk with a shot of hazelnut. Yum!
5. Say something totally random about yourself: The color orange makes me smile.
6. What is the best pick-up line someone has ever used on you? Hi, I’m keenly. keenly interested.
7. Have you ever been to tanning salon?Yes, once or twice.
8. Have you ever ridden in a limo?Yes, twice on business trips with my old job.
9. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room?Nope.


9 questions about Braxton’s Dad

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you: Paula Abdul
2. Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else's property? No, but I stole flowers off of a grave to give to my girlfriend when I was in Jr. High school.
3. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? Yes, several times as a kid at a Baptist Church in Arkansas.
4. What do you order at Starbucks? Large regular coffee with a shot of Carmel.
5. Say something totally random about yourself: I love playing the drums.
6. What is the best pick-up line someone has ever used on you? “I really love your eyes.”
7. Have you ever been to tanning salon? no.
8. Have you ever ridden in a limo?Yes, for a work function at my old job.
9. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room? Yes. One car accident.

First Steps!!!

Tonight after Brock got off of work we sat on the floor of the kitchen playing with Braxton. As we played, Braxton surprised us by standing up all by himself for about 20 seconds without holding on to anything (he has never done that before!). We applauded for him and Brock said, "maybe he actually will take his first steps before Christmas". Then, about five minutes later I was holding Braxton and said, "go to daddy". Braxton stood up, stretched out his arms toward Brock and took five steps into Brock's arms. It was unbelieveable. Such a special family moment. Here is a photo a few minutes afterwards. After that, Brock and Braxton went to blow out the candles in the living room and I snapped the second "candlelight" photo.

Christmas Party

Today Braxton's daycare had a Christmas Party, mini infant program, and photos with Santa. The photo with Santa went great until Braxton touched Santa's beard and got scared. As for the program--Braxton played the reindeer "Comet" as one of the teachers read "Twas the Night Before Christmas".

Hanging at Home

Here are a few photos of Braxton playing in the toy box and looking out the deck door at the snow.

Just a Tuesday night

Check out these guys.

The Boys

Braxton & Brock looking so cute!

Christmas Photo Shoot

We had a Family Photo Shoot this afternoon after Brock got off of work. I won't show you the "selected Christmas photo" but here are a few of the others. We used the 10-second delay on my camera since no one else was there to take the photos. Braxton was completely mesmerized by the 10 second delay which makes the camera beep and flash a red light 6 times before the photo is taken. He was very intently watching the red flashing lights--so in every family picture he looks like he is seriously concentrating.

First Thanksgiving

Braxton and I flew to Missouri to spend Thanksgiving with my sisters (Braxton's first airplane trip!) It was a really fun, tiring, hilarious, memorable trip! I'll walk you through some of my favorite photos and videos. Here I am with my sisters Dori and Denise. Aren't we cute?The trip started with Braxton and I staying at Denise's house with her husband Brandon, nephews Devin and Konnor, and niece Brittney. The kids loved playing with Braxton. Here are a few shots of us relaxing at the house (Braxton loved hearing Brandon play guitar!)

Braxton's favorite part about being in Missouri was playing with the animals. He loved watching, touching, and chasing them (Denise has a cat and a dog, Dori has two cats). Here are my favorite two cat videos which were taken at Denise's house (Dori's cats ran away from Braxton too quickly so I could never catch them on video).

As the boy's got ready for their Basketball game, Dori came to pick Brax & I up and take us to her house. At Dori's house, Braxton loved banging things on her coffee table, playing the piano and watching her cats [or rather, watching the cats run from him]! Isn't the video of Dori & Braxton playing the piano great?

Dori had to work on Thanksgiving so after spending two days with her we had Thanksgiving with Denise & Brandon's family. The Cunningham's tradition is to have their 20+ family members celebrate in the party room at a local hotel. Here is a video of Brax playing with the bellhop cart at the hotel and a video of Brandon airplaning Braxton around in the party room after clean-up was complete.

On our last day in Missouri we all hung out at Denise's and Dori came over for the day. We had a blast playing in the backyard with the kids. Here is one last video of the sister's singing together while the boys played in the field and girls played in the yard. What a happy Thankgiving week we had!

Racecar Stroller

Have you never heard of a racecar stroller?

Playing

It's been a busy week as Braxton and I prepare to fly to Missouri for Thanksgiving (a good substitute since Brock has to work through the holiday). Here are a few photos of the boys swinging at the park this week. Also attached are two videos of Brock and Braxton playing in the house (every night Braxton gets a lot of exercise playing with Brock and climbing the stairs). These guys make me smile!

4 lessons

4 lessons we have learned since Braxton was born.

1.) If you are buying a present for a baby shower--- never, ever, ever buy an outfit that has buttons. Why? Because at midnight while you are carefully trying to change the baby without waking up the whole house-- all you want is an outfit with a damn zipper!

2.) Babies know when you are trying to do the quiet and delicate lay down in their crib. Just put them down, save yourself the humiliation. Just let the baby cry. Stand on the other side of the door for 20 minutes and the kid will eventually fall asleep. The next time you do it, the time will be shorter. After a week – the kid cries for 2 minutes and sleeps like a baby all night long (at least thankfully this was our experience!)

3.) You thought you knew what tired was before you had a baby. Now, you realize that you had no freaking idea how tired you could be (this is especially true when the baby is less than 6 months old!). You will find strength you never knew you had to haul yourself out of bed and rock and rock your newborn baby until the baby finally falls back asleep.

4) The secret to ever-so-baby-soft-skin is to put on baby oil after the bath and then baby powder on top of it! My genius husband figured this one out!

Zoo Trip

We had Braxton's first trip to the zoo today with Brittney, Devin and Konnor. You can tell we repeated the rules for the kids a few times prior to leaving the house (check out Konnor's video!)

Kids Visit!

My sister Denise flew up from Missouri this weekend with Konnor, Devin and Brittney. Braxton loved having the extra hugs and attention! Braxton loves to swing...he just lays back and reclines and will stay happy swingging for up to an hour!

At the Park

This week Avery came to visit. The weather was semi-warm and Brock and I both had a few hours off of work so we bundled the kids up, put them in the bike cart, and rode to the park.

All Terrain Vehicle

Today Brock babysat Braxton for the day while I was at work. Here is a video Brock took of Braxton and his new "all terrain vehicle".

Anniversary

Wow... can you belive that today marks our sixth year of marriage! Happy anniversary, honey! I love you just as much today as I did all those years ago. It amazes me to think of everything that we have done (and faced) together. Brock, you are remarkable... and I am so lucky.

Horse Play

This week Braxton had his first "horse ride". He LOVED it (and Brock was having fun too). Then Brock and Braxton started crawling and racing around the house. Here are the photos and video.

Newspaper

Brock and I bought a newspaper. After we were finished reading it, we decided to let Braxton play with it. Here is the photo and the video that resulted.