Monday Funday!

Yesterday I decided to get out and run some errands. It was just one of those days where I was determined to get out of the house & go.

I'm normally a homebody. And still very much get anxiety when I leave the house with Brady. Never know what kind of mood he'll be in and when he might want to nurse...in public, ha!

I timed it to where Brady would be sleeping *fingers crossed* and hopefully wouldn't want to eat again for another 3 hours. So I was hoping I'd have at least 3 hours to go into town, do all the things I wanted to do and be home in time to feed him.

I first stopped at Chick-fil-a for some lunch, yum! Then I needed to get make-up so I headed to the mall. I found a spot very close to the entrance I needed...thank you Lord. Minor detail: it was raining.

I ran into Carter's real quick but Brady isn't a fan of not moving so it was a quick in and out. I did manage to get him some that was on sale...while he screamed the entire time I was paying. We then went to get my make-up and it was on to our next stop...Sam's Club.

Brady was so good there. Slept the entire time. Then it was time to head home. He started fussing as we pulled onto our street. I say our day out and about was a success!

Happy momma!!

I bought a Moby wrap a few weeks ago and attempted to try it on but I'll admit it's a bit scary, bit challenging, and hmm I think takes someone smarter than me to figure out how to make it work. I decided it would be easier for me to do things around the house and out & about if I could figure how to "wear my baby" so last night I thought I'd try it out again.

Evenings are Brady's least favorite part of the day...hence there is a lot of crying and when he has a spell of reflux - this Moby wrap says it helps. I often can't get much done in the evenings due to always holding him so if I could get the Moby wrap to work, we'd be in business! :)

At first he was not a fan...

But then he warmed up to it and actually fell asleep while in it. I still don't think I got it tight enough but definitely better than the last time I attempted it.

So I call it a success...all the way around.

(sorry the pics aren't the best, taken with my phone & no flash b/c my battery was low)

What a fun way to spend a Monday!

Christmas Eve & Day 2011

Like I said in my previous Christmas post...Christmas was pretty low this key since Brady was only 9 days old.

Christmas eve we decided to forego church since he was so little and since I was only able to stand about 5 minutes or less at a time due to my incision.

Christmas is my most favorite holiday and Christmas eve service is one of my most favorite parts of Christmas, but we just didn't want to risk Brady catching something being out and about with that many people during the peak of cold & flu season.

Oh my goodness...he was so tiny!

And sweet!

My mom was already here so my dad drove in that Saturday morning, the 24th. We were watching Pioneer Woman that morning on TV and they were having a ranch party where they served this amazing beef tenderloin cooked in butter. Lots of butter! I told AB that looks so good, maybe we should do one of those for Christmas. So we did & it was delicious! So good I think we'll make that a Christmas tradition meal.

So for Christmas eve, we had beef tenderloin, steamed green beans & broccoli, some delicious cheesy-ranch potatoes, and rolls. AB's parents and his sister came over for dinner as well.

Thanks to my mom and AB, we had an amazing Christmas eve dinner!

After dinner and cleaning up, we headed out to look at Christmas lights. Another one of my favorite things to do. I couldn't wait to take Brady to look at lights...okay so he slept through all of it but either way I loved it. My parents, my husband, my new baby boy, and myself enjoying a night of looking at Christmas lights - such precious memories. When we got home it was ready to go ready for Santa!

Since Brady was only 9 days old, we didn't really do Santa but we did have a few gifts for him for when he got up Christmas morning. Nothing fancy, just a few things...like his first football, some books & dvds, and a few other small toys.

I do put cookies & milk out but really just for the fun of it.

Cookies & milk for Santa and Brady's stocking filled with The Winnie Pooh dvd, books, a MudPie rattle, and a bib.

Brady's Santa gifts under the tree...

and now for Christmas morning!!!!!

The greatest gift ever! A sweet 7 pound baby boy!!!!

(in his cute Kissy Kissy Christmas outfit from Mimi)

Ha, this picture cracks me up!

Once we had Christmas with Brady and my parents, we went to my in-laws to open gifts. I got a Keuring! Yay!

Brady's cousins, Joe & Ella opening Christmas presents...silly putty!

We went back to my in-laws to have Christmas lunch.

My amazing mother and I

Our sweet family on Christmas. Aww, we are so blessed!

Mom got Brady these adorable reindeer slippers to go with his Christmas outfit. So stinkin' cute!

This Christmas may have been a low-key one but it was absolutely the best one yet!

Having a newborn at Christmas is so incredibly sweet! And totally makes me only wonder what Mary went through as she brought baby Jesus into this world. A baby sent to the save the souls of man.

Christmas 2011 was so much more than I ever could have imagined. Christmas babies really are special and oh so sweet!

Thank you God for blessing us with your son. And thank you for blessing us with our son. Both have changed our lives in ways we can't even describe.

Merry Christmas my sweet Brady! Looking forward to many, many, more Christmases with you!

First Bath

So this is a little late but I don't want to forget Brady's first bath.

Brady had his first bath at home on Tuesday, December 20th - the day after we came home from the hospital.

His daddy took pictures while his Mimi showed mommy how to sponge bathe him.

He seemed to really like the warm water.

And only cried at the end.

Such a sweet boy!

I know it hasn't been that long ago but "it's moments like this that makes me wish I could freeze frame time!"

Christmas in Houston {Part 1}

Since Brady was born so close to Christmas and we actually weren't 100% sure when he would make his debut, our Christmas plans were kind of delayed.

We did have a small, low-key Christmas here at home on Christmas day but just my parents were here...which I still need to post about.

So this last weekend (1/13), Brady had his first road trip. To Mimi & Papa's none the less for our family Christmas. He did wonderfully on the way there.

He slept all the way there until we got to downtown Houston, which is about 3 hours from our house. He cried for a few, long minutes then fell back asleep until we exited onto my parents parents, which was about another 10-15 minutes. A crying baby for that long seems like an eternity but we still couldn't complain seeing how it was almost a 4 hour drive.

The girls (Aubrey, Shaylee, and Madyson) couldn't wait to hold Brady!

Sweet girls...sweet cousins

Saturday, we had Christmas with my siblings and all of my nieces & nephews. Mom made the traditional Christmas dinner. Turkey, ham, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, broccoli cheese casserole, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, & rolls. Whew! That was a mouthful, ha! Actually each of us girls brought our favorite sides and/or desserts. Worked out really well & less stressful on my mom having to make everything.

Look at this sweet face...my nephew Ace

Brady got lots of love & hugs!

Saturday evening we opened gifts. Of course the gift opening is more for all the kids.

Brady was asleep during the present opening so we didn't think he would mind if his daddy opened his presents. He got books, toys (rattles, teethers, Melissa & Doug farm puzzle), two outfits with an A&M hat, and diapers.

Madyson is into games and got two games: Headbandz & Twister. They played Headbandz Saturday night and it was so much fun to watch them. Each person gets a card with a picture on it that says..."I am _____." dog for example and then the others give that person clues to what they are. It was hilarious to listen to them giving clues and guessing. Oh to be 7 or 5 again!

Mimi and Papa got Aggie grandparents shirts from Brady! :)

And Brady got his first bath at Mimi's from Aunt Kara.

Well that was just Saturday...we had lots more fun on Sunday that I will hopefully post about tomorrow.