The highlight of the last couple of months with Brandon, was definitely Christmas time. Granted he had like 4 different Christmas celebrations since we were visiting different family members, but he simply couldn’t get enough of “open presents!” As parents, I think it’s even more fun for us. Brad spent hours making sure Brandon’s train was set up just right for Christmas morning. And of course, we patted ourselves on the back for being the ultimate gift givers when he proceeded to play with it all day. He even got a special table to keep it on in his room, which turned out to be a smart move since it keeps the trains and tracks somewhat out of Rylan’s reach. He could not possibly have been happier when we were visiting family and had tons of playmates at all hours of the day. He was one tuckered out kiddo by the end of it all. We even had to go back to him taking 3 hour naps for a while, and even then it was sometimes hard to get him up.
Rylan 10 Month Summary
I’m sure this past month has flown by for everyone, but seriously, where did 2012 go?! I’m still humming Christmas carols around the house! Somewhere in all this mayhem, Rylan made some huge leaps beyond the baby stage. Christmas was a lot of fun. We visited both mine and Brad’s family, so the boys had like 4 Christmases total. Can you say spoiled! Santa brought both boys trains, with Rylan’s being this larger Disney one with little characters in it. So far, I seem to like it way more than him. Maybe it was being around lots of family members over the holidays, or maybe it was just his time, but he’s seeming less and less like a baby everyday.
Rylan 9 Month Summary
This past month has been all about movement for Rylan. Long gone are the days where he will contentedly sit in our arms. Now he’s rearing to go and will wiggle and squirm until he’s down on the ground where he wants to be. He’s still only crawling about half the time, as he seems to get really excited and realizes that he actually moves faster pulling himself on his belly. Poor kid’s gonna give himself rug burn. Even bottle feedings have become a bit of a challenge since he doesn’t want to sit still the whole time.
Brussels Sprouts with White Wine & Pancetta
As I mentioned earlier this week, we had a really wonderful Thanksgiving this year. There was a lot of hoopla trying to get everyone to the streets to see the Macy’s parade (which conveniently takes place right outside our apartment), so there wasn’t a whole lot of time to do some serious cooking. We decided to skimp on the mains and ordered the turkey and ham, then my mom, grandma, and myself split up the sides and desserts. In the end it was perfect – a very relaxed but beautiful meal. The main point was to be together and for my dad to see the parade, which has been a long time bucket list item for him. Although it’s super crazy crowded, we hit the streets early (6!) and had a great spot. Brandon especially loved the marching bands and balloons. In fact, that’s the first thing he mentions when he wakes up now. Sorry kid – there’s a while to go before the next one!
Rylan 8 Month Summary
This has been an interesting month for Rylan. He’s had constant cold like symptoms for the majority of the month, which has thrown him off a bit. It’s left him congested and not wanting to eat as much as he normally would. He’s still been really happy, but had more fussy moments than ever before. I finally took him to the doctor and they said he was totally clear, so I’m attempting to resume our normal life of play dates and gym/church nursery visits (I’m a crazy stickler for not bringing your sick kid around others – my attempt to put out good mommy karma).
Brandon 2.25 Years Summary
Brandon has grown by leaps and bounds these past few months. I feel like he’s turned into a little boy and has truly left his baby days behind. We are so proud of the little man he is becoming. Many of the struggles I mentioned in his last summary have worked themselves out, mainly due to his major increase in vocabulary. His talking has increased 10 fold. We love being able to actually communicate with him and are constantly amused at the things he says. One of the first real sentences he ever said took place after dinner when I was asking him if he wanted a cookie. He quickly and enthusiastically replied, “I LOVE COOKIES!” It was a major turning point for him and now the words just won’t stop coming.
Rylan 7 Month Summary
Rylan turned 7 months old this past weekend! Time continues to fly as we’ve had a busy month – numerous trips for Brad & I, a long visit from Grandma, and a quick trip down to see Uncle Cameron get married. Rylan also had his first real cold this month. He has been a trooper through it all and kept his happy disposition.
Rylan has been very active lately, and is on the verge of crawling. It’s funny how I couldn’t wait for Brandon to be able to crawl, but with Rylan, it’s kinda nice being able to put him down and not worry about him getting too far or into trouble. That comfort is pretty much out the window, as he has mastered the inchworm and can work himself across a room in no time. I still can’t leave him alone in a sitting position as he tends to throw himself at whatever he is trying to grab. I’m beginning to wonder where his sense of self preservation is, or if little boys even have one at all!
4 Wonderful Years!
Four years ago I married the most amazing man I’ve ever met. I’m so incredibly blessed. Thank-you to our parents for throwing us the most gorgeous wedding, and for the many friends and family members who made the day unforgettable. Much love to you all, and happy anniversary honey.
Photo courtesy of Laura Stone of Artstar Photography.