Happy Birthday!

Hi Bracken,

Two days ago from today I became a mommy! Today is your 2nd birthday! I think you had night terrors last night and woke up about 12:15 screaming. Not a good start to your birthday, but after you got calmed down, I let you watch Dora until 2:20 before I put you back to bed. I'm sure that was fun for you. Then I put you back to bed and you screamed for about 20 more minutes. Broke my heart! You shouldn't have to spend your birthday crying! But I woke you up this morning to get you ready for the day and to take you to Krista's house and you were happy, like usual. You are so cute and I just can't seem to get enough of you!

Tonight I am planning on going to dinner and ice cream with you. That should be a great way to spend your birthday evening. Then we are going to have your birthday party on Saturday. You will get to spend some time with your friends and family. I can't wait to celebrate you!

I hope you have a fantastic day! I love you so much and hope your birthday is amazing! Love you!!!

Mom

Spanish

Hi B,

So today when I was getting you in your jammies you, out of no where, started to count. In Spanish! "Uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, seis." It was so cute and out of no where. I had no idea you could even say any of those! I am impressed and maybe it's a sign that you watch too much Dora the Explorer!

You just keep getting cuter everyday!

Love you,

Mom

Counting

Hi B,

I'm so thankful to have you in my life and I want to thank you for being the best Valentine's date I could ask for. We made dinner, I gave you a gift (a coloring book with crayons, a Dora cup, a Sponge Bob blanket, and a movie - Dispicable Me). You were so excited to open the gift. Then we colored for a while, then came up to my room and cuddled in bed while watching your new movie. We didn't get to finish it, but you were very cute and I was happy to have you here with me.

Another fun thing happening is you learning to count. You aren't even 2 yet and can count to 10 by yourself. Some days better than others. Today wasn't a great day because you were very distracted, but you did a great job. I am attaching a video and hopefully one day when you are older you will be able to see it. You are so damn cute and so smart for your age! Keep up the hard work buddy! I love you!!

Love,

Mom

Well it won't let me post the video, but I'll try again another day!

Sick

Dear B,

You scared me two nights ago. I put you to bed about 8 and you woke up before 9 crying. I tried to get you to go down but you wouldn't. So I took you downstairs and you laid on me and was so tired, but you were very fidgety and kept rubbing your arms against your body. After about 20 minutes of this I noticed your ears were turning bright red and your neck was red, so I took off your pajamas and your entire body was covered in a rash. It looked like you had hundreds of little spider bites. As time passed they got bigger and bigger and looked like welts. You kept itching yourself and saying "Owwy, Momma." It broke my heart.

It scared me the more I thought about it, so I took you to Instacare. They said it was some sort of an allergic reaction, although you hadn't had any medicine, any new foods, you had worn those jammies before, etc. The doctor thought maybe you were getting a reaction to a virus you were getting and you would probably get sick. Well, thankfully, you didn't get sick. The doctor gave you some Benadryl and the itching slowed by the time we got home. You slept ok, although I stayed up most the night worrying about you and the Benadryl (since the box says not to give it to kids under 4, even with doctors approval). But you woke up and after a few hours had passed in the morning, the rash was completely gone and you were back to your old self again. I'm so glad that you were better and didn't turn out to be much, but please just stay healthy for me! :)

Love you,

Mom

So BIG!

Hi B!

Once again life has been crazy and I haven't written you in months. I am so sorry. I will get better. I noticed today that you have gotten so big lately! You are speaking in 4-5 word phrases often and understand most everything I say. You know some of your colors, can count to 3, know hundreds and hundreds of words, you share with others, give me loves on a regular basis without me even asking and much more. Today I walked in my room and you were laying on your belly kicking your feet. You looked like such a little man! You slept with me last night and you kept cuddling me and just wanted to be right next to me and touching me, which melted my heart! You clean up your toys when I ask (most of the time), can ask for anything you want, and help when I ask you to.

Today you had soda (which you don't get often) and you tried to bring it upstairs. You spilled it on the carpet and kept saying, over and over, "oh no, mess, Mom!" I had some diaper wipes on the top stair and you climbed up and grabbed them and said, "clean it with wipes." You cleaned it up the best you could (you are climbing all over me right now and making this difficult! I love it!). Things like that just make me realize how big you are!

You're favorite show is Dora The Explorer. You watch 2 (and sometimes more) episodes a day. You will watch other things, but ask for Dora, Boots, or Swiper numerous times a day. You will say, "Mom, TB (tv). Dora, Boots" You also say please and thank you on a regular basis, which is very good manners. You also say you're welcome, which comes out as "wehcome."

Thanks for being such a sweetheart and such a great boy! I wouldn't change anything and couldn't ask for anything more! I love you more than I ever thought possible!

Love you!!!!

Mom

It's been a while

Hi Bracken!

It has been months since I have written and I apologize. I guess life just got carried away, which happens a lot. You have gotten so big!! You are still small, but growing up so fast! At your 18 month appointment your weight was 20 lb 14 ounces in the lowest 5%, way lower, so probably closer to 1%, Your height is 31 inches in the 15th % and your head is 47 cm in the 25th percent. Still such a small boy.

You are talking like crazy. You say at least 200 words and are obsessed with trucks and buses. Many times I say something and you will repeat it after me. You seem to love to learn. You also count. I say one, you say two and I say three. Then you will run or jump (well, try to jump) or do what ever we are doing. You refuse to say one or three though. It is quite funny.

You love to play with anyone of any age and love to be outside. You often grab my hand and lead me around the house to show me what you want. You like to throw things in the garbage and enjoy reading books. You have a vehicle book and an animal book and those two are your favorites. I often catch you singing or humming songs and you love watching your reading videos.

I'm off track from work right now and have been able to spend a lot of time with you and I love it! You go see your dad every other weekend and often don't like to go with him. It breaks my heart when you cry when I leave. I know you don't like a lot of change, but your dad loves you and wants to spend time with you. I'm sure you have fun with him and love the time you guys have together.

Halloween just passed. You dressed up as a lion this year. You were so adorable! You can say trick or treat and kind of had happy Halloween. It sounded something like appy owen. But very cute.

That is the basics of your life right now. I love you more than ever and enjoy spending so much time with you! I can't imagine my life without you, you are everything to me! I love you!!!

Love,

Mom

Words

Hi B!

I have been keeping a list of words that you have said so far. At 16 months old you are doing better than average and are quite the little talker. Here is your list of words:

mama/mom
dada
bath
binky
blanket
dog
kitty
keys
outside
popsicle
bird
juice
off
hi
bye
green bean
eyes
open
stinky
fish
cheese
crackers
ball
shoes
chase
kZ (girl at daycare)
peek-a-boo
balloon
yeah/yes
glasses (sounds like asses)
see
flowers
grandpa
nana
papa
hey
M & M
what's that

you also say some sounds. You say oh-oh when something is wrong, woah, pssst, mmmmm when you taste something good, and ew-ew-ew when you want something. You also know some animal sounds. I will say "what does a .... say?" and you will answer with the sounds. Right now you know dog says woof woof cow says oooo ooooo duck says quack quack and dinosaur says roar.

I love seeing you learn and grow. One of my favorite parts of being a mom is to watch you learn new things and understand the world around you.

Love you hunny!

Love,

Mom