Beautiful Day, Sleeping, and now Sweet Potatoes!

So Sunday was like the BEST day - the sun was shining, the snow was melting, and I was wearing shorts! So, since winter was still around the corner (love the ice, sleet, and snow that hit yesterday!), we had to take advantage of it all! PJ, Brennan, and I went to the park and it was so fun! Mr. B had his first swing experience and then we went down the slide together. Then I got out his new stroller (which I got QUITE the deal on) and walked around. I also went running with Tucker. And to top it all off, Brennan and I just hung out on the front porch - we watched cars, and trees, and whatever else caught his eye. So fun. And now it is cold again. Boo.

So sleeping the past two nights has been great - Brennan has only woken up twice - much improvement on last week, when he hardly slept. PJ and I were zombies by the end of the week. Mr. B would only sleep in an upright position and screamed when put down. We gave tylenol which helped some, but seriously, it was rough. I hope it was teething and that those suckers are about to pop through. I can't handle much more of that!

And we tried sweet potatoes last night. My boy LOVES to eat - he could not get enough and had seconds! And as I was eating my cheerios this morning, he just reached and talked trying to get my food. It was pretty funny!

Bananas, Avocados, and more - oh my!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNHMe81PAoc
Video of Brennan and the plastic bag via YouTube

So Mr. B has started food! We did bananas last week, which he loved! Mixed them with a little cereal and expressed milk and yummmy! And this week we have moved on to Avocado - which he also loves! (now we just need to introduce the chips, salsa, and queso!). I made lots of baby food this weekend - potatoes, carrots, and pears (soon will do swt potatoes as well) - froze it so we can start on those in the next few weeks. He is a great eater! See funny picture of our "avocado exploration" below!

Brennan is doing great - just growing so much! He laughs all the time - I love that I have the HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK (and I haven't even read the book - ha ha!). He thinks Tucker is a riot and loves to grab him (and luckily Tucker just rolls with it all). He loves to grab his feet as well, and today realized there was something else to grab - uh oh - diaper changes are about to become even more fun...

We had great visits with two sets of grandparents over the past two weeks, with another set coming up this weekend. Then visits by Aunt Jessie and then Aunt Courtney (or Aunt Nae Nae as we like to call her). Looking forward to catching up with cousins in Kiawah this summer. Brennan is going to be quite the jet setter - headed to South Carolina for a McCool family vaca, followed by a trip to California for some DG lovin! He is coming with me to the Delta Gamma Convention (along with Belle and Jessie) - I just can't imagine spending a night apart, so we won't!

He is a vocal baby as well - he just let out a scream about something. I know I have said this before, but I really think he is teething now- seriously, he is always chewing on his hand, shirt, us, toys, books, whatever - it is hilarious, but at times seems painful.

Would love to hear your comments if you visit the blog - it's great to hear that so many of you enjoy this!!!!!!

What's new with Mr B?

Wow - Brennan is just moving and shaking! He is sitting up totally unassisted and has started holding items and grabbing for things! It is so great - sometimes when I am doing laundry, I can just sit him down next to me with some toys and he goes to town. I love it!

I think food is on the horizon - we had attempted Rice Cereal and then some bananas, but I decided to hold off for a while......actually, I am not really sold on the rice cereal concept - there is very little nutritional value to it and the filling up their bellies myth is just that - a myth! Anyway, he LOVED the bananas when I mashed them up for him, but I think his belly just wasn't quite ready - but soon enough! Last night when I was eating dinner he was just watching me and making a chewing motion with his mouth - every time I took a bit, he chewed - it was hilarious!

Daycare - so we have to find new daycare - talk about stressful! Our current providers circumstances are changing and she can only care for the children through March, then we have to find something new. As you can imagine, this kind of stuff puts me over the edge. I have been calling and calling and calling TONS of places with very little luck. But, I have located 4 places (2 homes, 1 church, 1 center) that have immediate or upcoming openings, so I am going to visit and interview them. I love the home care for now - very intimate and cozy - it really works for us. I think when Brennan is older, we may move to a center/school type atmosphere, but I am not quite ready for that.

Not much else new - I am exhausted - my big baby just loves to eat through the night. He must miss his momma during the day and saves up for nursing at night - so I am up more than I would like througout the night. But - it is so worth it for the first year - though I can see myself nursing way beyond that. Ughh, the thought of formula if I don't have too....yuck! Oh - and get this - Mr B is such a long baby. He is about grown out of all the 6-9 month stuff! So we had to go get some 9-12 adn 12-18 month onesies and jammies just to get through the next few months. Why do I envision him wearing a size 2T this summer?! Long long long baby - but so precious, my little man.

Not Boston Bound

So after much deliberation and a nice reality check, I have concluded that running the Boston Marathon, while a goal of mine, is not going to happen this year. I really wanted it to happen (though after Columbus, before I realized I qualified, I swore off marathons!) but I just know it is not possible. Training for a marathon is grueling, especially a hilly one like Boston. And you know, I am not one for just kinda doing something. At this point, end of Jan, I really should be well into a training program, running about 10-14 miles on the weekends, building up to the long 20+ mile training run, and well, I can barely do 6. And that is okay! My priorities have shifted - rather than waking up at 5am to go for a run and spending my weekends running, I am up at 5am nursing Brennan, spending my waking moments over the weekend with him. And I have to admit, I would much rather be with him than training!

So Boston will happen sometime, just not this year. Of course, I'll have to requalify, which well, okay, no big deal (maybe when that happens, I'll be in the next age qualification category!).

Laughing Brennan

Video of Brennan!

Here is a video of Brennan - just hanging out - he is really tired in this video - I am still learning how to post videos - I am trying to post one of him laughing, it is so cute!

Christmas and everything else!

Gotta get to the toys! Merry Christmas! Where's Santa?

Happy Baby!

Cozy Tucker on his new bed - much better size than the last one!

Just relaxin'

"I found my feet!"

Sorry it has been so long since the last post - between being back at work part and now full time, Christmas, and anything and everything else, I just have not found the time! Anyway, Brennan had a GREAT first Christmas - not that he really knew what was going on, though he was infatuated by the sound of crinkling wrapping paper! It made him laugh laugh laugh! It was so great to spend a week in St. Louis with my family - they loved it as well, especially the time with Brennan. He met so many family members and friends - it was overwhelming, but he handled it well. Needless to say, the nonexistent schedule that I had started went out the window over the holidays. This week -working on it again.

Hands - Brennan has found his hands. It is so cute. He noticed them a few weeks ago and just stared and stared and stared. Then he started grabbing his hands, and now his feet. And finally he is reaching for toys - of course, they all go straight to his mouth. Gotta love it. Here comes the disinfectant - gotta keep those germs at bay!

We had Brennan's four month check up on Friday - he is almost 16 pounds and 26 inches long! 90% in length and 75% in weight - my long and lean baby! 6-9 month clothing is fitting him perfectly. He got the DTaP shot on Friday as well - and the reaction this weekend was not great. Fever on Saturday. Then he got a cold. Sleeping the last few nights as been horrible. He just cries and cries, which is so unlike him. Last night he did not sleep for more than an hour and a half at a time. Which meant even less sleep for mom. I am all smiles today though :) (ha ha). He must be about to cut a tooth, or maybe has a pain somewhere else - we are just trying to keep up with tylenol to help make him comfortable. It is so hard when they are this little and the only thing they can do is cry when they don't feel well. We try changing his diaper, feeding/nursing, holding, playing, anything to make him stop - but sometimes we just have to listen to him cry and just walk and walk and walk around the house. It is painful to listen to - I just hate it for him. I wish I knew what he wanted.

Anyway - everyday he just changes more and more. It is amazing. I look back at pictures from when he was first born and he just looks so different. He is really getting a personality now too - minus the cries last night, he is still a very happy baby. Oh - and we have put away the bouncer and swing - he refuses to be in any position but sitting up - he wants to see the world! We got an exersaucer - and how did we ever live without that?! Everytime we change him, he laughs and laughs (and often pees everywhere! I changed the changing pad cover 2x last night!).

More updates soon - let's hope I make it through the day. Work 8am-7pm today and on very little sleep!