Toddler Life - 13 months

So this is life with a toddler. I feel like in the past month, Brody has developed the full toddler essence. He is into everything, headstrong, independent...and FAST. It is hands on all the time! I must admit that I was pretty emotional about him turning one and not being a "baby" anymore, but this is just fun. There isn't a much better word to describe it. He's so.much.fun.

Let's see...what Brody is doing now:

He is going to daycare 3 days a week instead of 2. My mom watches him one day a week, and Taylor, due to his changing schedule, is home with him one day during my work week. He is really adjusting well to his new daycare, Willow Brook Academy. The teachers in his class are amazing and he's already learning so much! He is now using sign language to tell me things like more, please, thank you etc. It's the cutest thing ever!!!

At daycare, Brody takes one nap from 12:30 to 2, but at home we are still encouraging two naps. He is still napping for me at least 2 hours in the morning and afternoon. I'm holding onto those as long as possible!

Brody goes to bed at 8pm (daycare days he goes to bed more like 7:30 out of pure exhaustion) and usually wakes up around 7AM. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later.

He has gotten 3 molars in the past 3 weeks. His fourth is cutting this week! Not fun times. Poor thing is chewing on everything! I'm hoping after this one cuts, we will have a little break. At the moment he's up to 9 teeth, going on 10.

He's eating....well,...everything. He doesn't have any real restrictions to his diet. The hardest part is getting him to eat vegetables. I'm STILL pulling out the baby food veggies as a last resort. I can sneak peas into pasta and green beans or peas between the bread of his grilled cheese, but it's hard to get them in there! Some of his favorite foods are grilled cheese, rotini noodles and with tomato sauce (veggie infused pasta AND sauce...again...doing all I can!), whole grain blueberry waffles, any kind of yogurt he can get his hands on, and FRUIT!!! My kid loves loves loves fruit. I call him monkey because he could eat 5 bananas a day if I'd let him. He also likes peaches, pears, oranges and plums. He's not a huge fan at the moment of berries or apples. He also loves melon. Thanks to his Pop Pop (my dad) he's a cookie monster too. He doesn't get them from me, but he knows my dad is the source of all kinds of sugar:)

Brody is just a sweet boy. I love that even with his little temper that's developing, he is still a total sweetheart. He loves to hug and kiss...loves to cuddle and suck his thumb while holding his blankie. He used to want me and my mom more than anyone, but he's totally ditching us for the guys. He's now a total Daddy's boy and almost moreso a Pop Pop's boy. It's precious. Love that boy!

Our last visit to the doctor, about 2 weeks ago due to Bronchitis, showed that he weighs 28 and a half lbs. That's right folks, he's still a chunk! But he's super tall too...so it's all good.

Hopefully I will get better at posting updates about our little man, and hopefully I'll get better at taking video! He's so funny...I need to start capturing it! Here are just a few pics.

1....year...old

Well...he's officially 1 year old! On October 25th my sweet boy turned one. I was a little emotional on his actual birthday. It's hard to digest that he's already a year old. It doesn't seem like that long ago. We've certainly come a long way, and I've enjoyed the ride! It has been a wonderful year...and we will keep enjoying watching Brody grow up!

We had the cutest football themed party...so much fun! The party may have been more than I expected to do for the 1st bday, but it turned out great and we had a blast with our family and close friends! Our friend at church, Monique, did Brody's birthday cake. I was AMAZED! She did SUCH a great job, and we had so much freaking cake left over! Ultimately we wanted to hang out with friends and have fun. That's exactly what we did. After the eating, cake and presents, we hung outside and thew the football. Great, great time. We are so blessed to have such amazing family and friends. Really don't know what we would do without them. It's so wonderful to have so much love surrounding Brody. He's a very blessed kid! Here are some pics of our 1 yr old cutie!

Utter Destruction

I'm a bad blogger. So be it. With a full time job and a full time toddler...time leaves me! However, I thought I'd take a moment to describe the destructive tendencies of a walking almost one year old.

When Brody was a newborn...up until about 3 months, I used to think, "man...I can't wait until he's old enough to walk and be more self sufficient. My life will be so much easier." I would disregard it when my friends with toddlers would tell me to enjoy my time with a baby who can't move and relies on me completely. Now I know. I'm much wiser! Brody is EVERYWHERE and into EVERYTHING. Cabinets, fridge, coffee table cabinets, tv, computer, etc. Everything he's NOT supposed to have, he gets into. This is also why we are having to implement a LITTLE discipline, but that's a blog for another day. He bangs toys on walls, knocks things off shelves, records every show currently played on tv, etc.

As destructive as he is...and I promise he is...my walls will tell you that, I can't refrain from saying how much fun he is. I mean SO fun. He laughs harder, plays harder, and loves harder. I melt when he snuggles up to me voluntarily...without me picking him up. The way he knows how to give kisses - the fun open mouth kind. Now when I pick him up from daycare, he all but RUNS to me with his goofy, show-your-teeth grin. I'm pretty deeply in love with this kid. His ONE YEAR blog is soon to come. For now, here are a few cute pics of Brody in his new football jersey for his upcoming football birthday party!

Blowing Kisses...sweetest laugh ever!

The Proof is in the Walking...He's Taking Off!

10 Months...one step closer to 1

I am beginning to realize my baby is almost a toddler. In two short months he will be 1 yr old. I can't even fathom this! I feel like just yesterday I was getting up every 3 hours to feed him during the night. In thinking back on all the milestones, however big or little, it's been a great 10 months.

The title of this blog can also be taken literally. Brody took his FIRST STEPS 2 weeks ago!!!! I can't believe I didn't blog about it then, but better late than never. I was sitting on the floor with him standing holding on to the couch, and I handed him one of his toys. He let go from the couch and was standing on his own, then took two steps toward me! I immediately called Taylor, who was totally bummed he missed it, then my mom! The next day he took 3 steps from me to my mom, and since then, more and more! This past weekend he took 6 steps on his own! He is transitioning from only taking steps when we are coercing him, to taking them on his own. He is starting to let go of one toy and walk to the other on his own. I can't believe my baby is starting to walk! I thought this happened closer to a year, not 9 months! I have a feeling in the next few weeks, he will be full blown walking. Running by a year.

He is a full fledged boy! They told me at his daycare that he is also taking steps there, and subsequently falling and banging his head on things! That child is sure to be scratched and bruised. A week doesn't go by that he isn't banging into something while trying to get to what he isn't allowed to have! Electronics, cords, the steps, etc. You name it, he wants it. Allll boy.

Brody's schedule has stayed pretty much the same as at 9 months. We are introducing new foods here and there. He still only has his two top teeth and two bottom teeth, but he is teething something awful! His top teeth beside the top two are coming in. I'm praying sooner than later. Last week had some sleepless nights for me, but he's doing much better.

So I'm going to try to enjoy as much as I can in the next two months before Brody is a year old! This toddler stage should be fun...bring it on!

What Do I Feed This Kid?

We are at a transition point. I knew it was coming. Getting rid of the bottle slowly but surely. I figure this will be difficult seeing as how, let's be honest...you've seen my kid, he loves his bottle! He would take one every hour on the hour if I'd let him. I've gotten him down to three a day, and this past week two. He eats breakfast consisting of Oatmeal or Cereal with apple sauce. After his morning nap he gets his first bottle. After that...it gets interesting. Do I give him another bottle after his afternoon nap, or try to figure out a good meal to feed him in place of that? I'm playing with it now. His daycare days, he still gets two bottles during the day and a bottle before bed, but on the other days when he's home, I try to incorporate new foods he may like.

Since we are at the 9 month mark, I can incorporate meats. I do not cook, so this should be interesting!!! I'm going to do my best to feed him foods he will like!! So, all you moms out there, tell me what you did at this point! Let me know good ways to get rid of a bottle and give more food!!