New things

Jake said goodbye to Mattress Firm tonight after almost a year of working for them. No more working holidays AND no more working weekends!!

Ryan's first tooth came in this week

Big appointment for Brody tomorrow. An evaluation to see if he needs a new diagnosis

Jake starts at University of Phoenix on Monday

Ryan is also starting to eat more baby food

New things happening with our little family. As always the prayers and support mean the world to us. Whether it is checking in, prayer for Jake to find a new job or wondering how Brody is doing. It would be horrible to go through life with out family and/or friends.

It is nice to be loved!!!

My little five month old

Meant to post this video when Ryan turned 5 months last week but with the computer crashing and having to get to the video it was impossible!

Ryans is smiling a ton, giggling, adding more rolls to his chunkiness AND just in the past couple days TEETHING!!! Oh it was a nice streak but now the sleepless nights are back and with it a fussy baby. I think that is why he is more happy at other times to try to tell me, "Mommy I am sorry I got up at 2 am with my crying over swollen gums, but I am happy now, look how adorable my smile is" and it totally works :)

Oh and he is chattering up a storm and kicking SO much...

Apologies for the lighting - when I play it on our computer its not so dark. Also sorry about my baby talk!!

My son, the exhibitionist!

** DISCLAIMER: I AM BEING VERY CAREFUL NOT TO SHOW TOO MUCH OF MY SON IN THIS POST BUT THERE ARE SOME LITTLE BUTT SHOTS IN THIS POST SO BEWARE OF YOUR SENSE OF PROPRIETY (cause I apparently don't have any of my own)!!

So lately Brody likes to be naked, in fact he has proven lately, he LOVES to be naked. If he could have it his way he would never have clothes on. It is subtle at times. Brody doesn't always take off his clothes. It is when I have my guard down. I decided to post about this quirk of Brody's because of what happened in nursery on Sunday. I was called out of Sunday School because, you guessed it, Brody took off his shoes and socks, pants AND DIAPER while in nursery! Some say, "oh that is a good sign, he just doesn't like his wet diaper." Well to those who say that I politely reply BULL****!! You give my son too much credit and forget he likes to create and be trouble. Cute as can be and sweet as ever but trouble nonetheless. There are many other times that Brody keeps on wet diapers. It is just occasionally, at the wrong time and sometimes when he is bored he decides to strip. Then he just goes back to playing with trains or sitting on the couch. I discover his exposure, so to speak, and he looks at me as if to say, "oh, hey Mom" like nothing is the matter and everything is just as normal as can be. So I paint this picture to illustrate Brody's quirk and to show how hilarious his lack of reaction is. I say hilarious and it is, which makes it difficult for me to be mad and not show my natural reaction which would be to laugh. Unless there is poop involved then that is no laughing matter!

Another recent incident was the evening of the fourth of July. He didn't have a nap that day (cause he fought it after two hours in his room). So he crashed around 8 pm. Before Jake and I went to bed we went to check on him. He has been asleep for a while by then. The picture below is what we found.

Then when it comes to playing in the water Brody does not care for his swim shorts or his swim diaper. There have been countless times I have tried and he just spends a few minutes in them and then takes it off. Those swim diapers are expensive so I stopped trying. There are times we are outside and he has this little plastic pond that we use for a little play pool. He will run around, play with balls and cars and then starts taking off his clothes, comes to get me and take me to the hose to turn it on, "Oh Brody you want to play with the water...is that what you trying to tell me"! Sometimes his lack of words makes for Brody displaying what he wants in a funny and obvious way!

So here are some pictures of Brody's fun naked time! Also I have included some pictures of Brody and his little toy. It is a car that he used to push around the house when he was first learning to walk. When stuff in the house got crowded it was put outside. You can see how old it looks from the sun and much use. Over the past almost 6 months it is as if Brody has rediscovered it. He loves it and takes it with him all over. Brody pushed it on the new slip n' slide, he pushes it up and down the slide, he puts it on the swing and as you can see, he puts it in the water with him !

Little update and Memorable pics

I don't have much to say about our life right now. A few things I guess. Not much with our summer. Lots of outside time with the water hose and slip n' slide earlier in the month but now it is just TOO HOT outside. There was a quick trip to a cabin with my family (Lewis family that is) but I don't have pictures to share. Brody slept horribly and a couple hours sleep the first night and a little more the second. We are trying to block the memories of those nights. Ryan just went to the dr. 95th percentile for height and 75th percentile for weight!! Longest he has gone in his life so far without having an ear infection - 3 weeks. YEAH!! Oh and Jake has a 2nd interview with University of Phoenix today. It is not his dream job and almost the same pay as he earns now but he is longing to work at a place where there is a possibility he could get a promotion or a raise. And most importantly not work horrible retail hours AND, if he gets the job, he can get his masters degree and still be able to work!!! If he gets the job I get my husband back on holidays and he can go with me to church! So there are lots of pluses. We are praying and crossing our fingers.

Have a bunch of great pictures I have taken recently that I just HAVE to share

Brody has been plugging his ears lately. I don't think it is anything more than Brody noticing the difference of sound with his ears plugged and then when they aren't plugged. I just thought it was a funny pic and does it a lot.

Chunky baby

I hope this picture doesn't look inappropriate it is just to show Ryan's chunky legs and to point out how interesting it is that it is adorable for a baby and even a toddler to have chunky thighs but teenager and older it is quite the opposite!

Donna was taking some pictures and she put the book by him and he loved looking at the book

I guess he already likes books!

I feel bad cause no one can see the details of this cute 4th of July shirt. It says Little Firecracker. It is this really thin, light t-shirt for Ryan. We put it on him one day to cool him off after a hot car ride. I also love this picture cause his shows his mid-drift

Okay I just took this to show how big Brody is getting

More adventures with rice cereal. Ryan is doing better. He was also giving the camera a strange look while I was taking a picture.

Brody is doing awesome drinking from a cup. Yes, I realize that many 3 years olds have already mastered this but he is late with it and he has been doing a great job in a short time of practicing. Plus drinking from a cup for Brody means he eat more cause he isn't downing an entire sippy cup of liquid in a minute...no exaggeration!

I walked into the living room the other day while Brody was watching his Sesame Street Alphabet video and this is how I found him

Brody was very non-chalant about this. He was acting as though it was no different than standing or sitting on the couch. He stayed there for a while.

Classic Brody picture - setting up his trains

These ones are his trains in for bath time. Brody loves lining them up and counting them.

Just a funny picture of Bro

A picture of Ryan with spit up all over but it was right after the first time he rolled over!!