Tot School - 17 Months

Tot School didn't officially happen this past week. I promise we'll be diving back in this coming week! I thought I'd go ahead and share a few pics of some of the fun we did have though! These are some of our favorite "go to" things we enjoy quite a bit!

A trip to the aquarium.

Playing with water inside.

Playing with water outside.

And more outside water play.

Maybe I should actually buy the kid a baby pool?!?!

Sidewalk chalk is a new favorite! He started by just taking chalk
out and putting it back in, but now he likes to scribble outside with it.

Head on over to Carisa's blog to see much more inspired Tot School ideas!

Getting Closer!

Brennan is getting closer each day to walking on his own! I know a kiddo walking around comes with a whole new round of stresses, but I can't wait for him to do it. I mean, he's almost 18 months old! A friend at church recommended I stand him against a wall and have him walk to me. I got that advice well over a month ago and have been trying a lot since then. It wasn't until this past Wednesday that he decided he would walk to me. So proud of him!

He can actually do more steps than he took in that video, but you get the idea.


Also, check out one of my newest Pinterest inspired creations! I am going to frame it and put it in his nursery!

WILW

My mom was just asking me last night if I had posted anything new on the blog. I've been a little bit of a blog slacker for the past two weeks, so I thought I'd better link up with Jamie today for What I'm Loving Wednesday!

{one}

My last post was all about my trip to GA! It was great! I will forever be thankful Josh and Kyle were stationed together on the Alexandria, so Amanda and I could meet. It's stinky that we live far apart now, but I am thankful for the times we do get to visit one another!

{two}

The day after we returned from Georgia, Brennan had his final physical therapy appointment! Yep, he's all done! He's still not walking on his own, but Ms. Jen felt like she no longer needed to work with him because he had made great improvements while we were there. I know he's capable of doing it; it's just a matter of when he's ready.

{three}

During our weekly physical therapy appointments, we worked a lot on trying to get Brennan to pull himself to standing. It's so crazy to me because I always see my friends posting on Facebook about their seven-month-olds pulling up in their cribs and until this week Brennan had NEVER pulled himself to standing. So far he's only done it a few times and always using the new train table Kyle built for him, but I am so proud that his is making progress there too!

{four}

VBS is happening at church this week! Lots of churches are doing the same Pandamania theme this year. I am leading music each night and it's been a lot of fun. I always have fun when you combine three of my biggest passions: Jesus, kids, and music!

{five}

Brennan has been waking up earlier than usual this week. I know I have nothing to complain about because earlier than usual means around 6:30 and I know plenty of kiddos who wake up earlier than that on a daily basis. Even though he's been waking up early, he wakes up so incredibly happy and I love that! I don't go into his room right away because he's content just rolling around in his crib. When he hears me open his door in the morning, he almost always starts shouting or laughing. As soon as he can see me, he gets a huge smile on his face and starts moving all around in his crib. So thankful for that smile in the morning!

This was taken one afternoon when I went to wake him up from
a  FIVE HOUR NAP! For some reason he's started to sleep in this position.

{six}

I haven't had much time to be "pinning" many new things recently, but I thought I'd share some of my Pinterest inspired creations. I shared a few two weeks ago, but I've got a few new ones to share with you too!

Our new menu board (don't judge our menu this week; I have to be out of the house
by 5:20 to get to VBS.
Inspiration found here.

Love my new storage for my straightener!
Inspiration found here.

Fruit of the Spirit for marriage!
Inspiration found here.

Came home from GA to find these! Thanks, honey!
Inspiration found here.

{seven}

As always I'm loving these two guys! Thanks, Kyle for putting B to bed each night this week, so I can work at VBS. I love you!

We don't have to go to GA to enjoy the beach! We have "beaches"
right here in CT!

This one was taken last summer in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Have a great Wednesday!

Recap of our GA Trip with iPhone Photos

Brennan and I are safely back home in CT after spending a week in St. Mary's, GA. We had a wonderful trip visiting with my friend Amanda and her two sweet daughters. Here's a little bit about what we did while we were there. I tried to capture some fun memories on my handy iPhone!

We flew from Providence to Baltimore where we had a very short layover and then headed to the Jacksonville, FL airport. Brennan was super on both flights down.

We ate a yummy lunch at Chick-fil-a after Amanda picked us up at the airport. We might've eaten there two other times during the week too!

We went to the beach and Brennan LOVED it. He has no fear of water of any kind. I think we'll have our hands full when we return to the beach in Sept with my family if he is walking then. We also went to the pool one day.

I couldn't get enough kisses from sweet baby Michaela and Adah!

We did some grown-up shopping at Ann Taylor Loft in Jacksonville and then ate at Steak-n-Shake. Oh how I love me some Steak-n-Shake!

We walked around downtown St. Mary's and stopped by a cute little shop. Then we went to a nearby playground. Brennan loved the fountain!

We sent some pictures to Dada because we were missing him!

But Dada was staying busy with projects at home! More details to come soon on these pictures!

Brennan had a great time playing with Adah's toys!

Our friend Karen came up to visit and she went with Val and me to get tattoos! This pic was taken right after mine was done! It's 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing."

We had a bath party every night!

Val and Karen were kind enough to stay at home with the kids one night so Amanda and I could go out to dinner. We stopped at the Bealls Outlet on the way home. I sent Kyle this sexy picture since I knew he was missing me!

We went to breakfast at Cracker Barrel on Monday morning before Karen drove back home. Gosh I love these kids!

On our last night there, I decided to play dress up with Brennan. His Dada wasn't too happy about my choice of outfit.

We flew home on Tuesday and Brennan did even better then he had done on the flights down. Our 2nd flight was delayed, but he was a trooper the whole day!

It feels good to be back at home, but now the little guy is sick and has a fever. :( Hoping he feels all better soon!

Thanks so much, Amanda for letting us come disrupt your life for a week. It was so much fun and I wish we lived closer so we could see each other more often!

Dear Brennan,

Whoa! You are seventeen months old! Next month you will be a year and a half and I feel like we just had your first birthday party yesterday! Time sure isn't slowing down and I don't think it ever will.

You are still wearing 12-18 month clothes and a few things that are 18-24 months. I love picking out your outfits each day. I think I'll be crazy about dressing a little girl if you are lucky enough to ever have a little sister. We just recently bought you your first pair of shoes. Any shoes you had worn up to this point were hand-me-downs. The sandals you were wearing almost everyday were starting to get a little snug, so we made a trip down to the outlets and got you two new pairs at Stride Rite. You wear size 4.5 in shoes right now. You have small little pudgy feet! You continue to be in size 3 diapers during the day and size 4 overnight diapers at nighttime.

You still love The Wiggles and any song from Sesame Street. Mommy recently discovered our library has tons of kids DVDs, so we have been checking some out. Sometimes you will sit on the floor and watch an entire episode of The Wiggles. Mommy also has a DVD of Vacation Bible songs and you love to watch that. I will often put it in the computer after you eat breakfast, leave you in your highchair, and go finish getting ready. You will drum on your highchair tray, clap your hands, and dance by bouncing up and down while watching music.

We check out lots of book from the library too. You love to sit in Mommy's lap and point to all the pictures. You understand so many words it continues to amaze me! You also like looking at books on your own. I just recently bought you a shape sorter toy and you love that thing! You are getting so good at putting the shapes in the right place. I knew you'd be good at it because you're so good at puzzles! You love anything water related: the bathtub, the hose, a pool, the splash pad. Letting you play in water usually makes you happy.

We are still going to PT once a week right now. You only have one more session scheduled after today and then we'll see what Ms. Jen wants to do. You still aren't walking, but you have taken your first steps. It actually happened at PT on June 20th! You took three steps that day. You have taken as many as 6-7 on your own, but that's it. You seem to take the most independent steps when I take you to the mall play place. Not sure why that is. You are awesome at cruising now, but still can't quite pull yourself up to a standing position. It's funny how not crawling affects so many gross motor activities. Most kids are in the crawling position when they pull themselves to standing, but since you never get into that position, you have a really difficult time standing. You also can't climb stairs (well you can't really climb anything), which I guess is a good thing because you stay out of danger. You are doing much better at being able to sit up from lying down. I have also seen great improvements in your reaching for objects while sitting. This helps you get more things you want, which is nice since you don't crawl or scoot.  At PT, Ms. Jen always talks about how smart you are, so I know you'll get this walking thing down sooner or later.

You still don't really say any new words. We try so hard to get you to repeat things, but you will just grunt the correct number of syllables as the word we are saying. Again, you understand so so so much. We can say to you, "Show me what you what" and with our help you will walk to exactly what you want.

You got a cool new haircut a few weeks ago. Daddy was going to just trim it, but when that didn't go so well, he just got out the clippers and took a lot off. I think your new 'do makes you look all grown up!

You now have eleven teeth. Three of your first year molars have come in. They really didn't seem to bother you too much. Teething has never seemed to affect your sleeping and I am very thankful for that. You are getting over a little cold right now and that has caused you to wake up a little earlier than usual, but for the most part you are still a champion sleeper. I love nighttime because I read you a story, you fold your hands while I pray, and then you lay your head on my shoulder while I sing "Jesus Loves Me". It just melts my heart!

Tomorrow we leave for a trip to Georgia. We are flying there and Mommy is a little nervous since you are so much bigger this time. I am still taking you as a lap baby, so I hope you do well like that. Auntie Val is coming with us, so Mommy will have a second set of hands to help! I am excited for you to see Adah and Michaela again! I'm hoping busy, non-stop talking Adah will help teach you to walk and talk in the week we are there!

You are doing better with your separation anxiety. You don't cry as much on Sundays in the church nursery now. You were good for Auntie Val when she babysat you a week ago and didn't cry when Daddy left you at Parker's house last week either.

As I guess you can tell you are pretty much awesome! :) Mommy and Daddy love you so much! I'm so blessed to be able to stay at home with you and witness all the new things you are doing. Being your Mommy is the best job ever. I love you very much!

Love,
Mommy

Brennan back at 16 months

Brennan today at 17 months - please excuse his snotty face - still getting over that cold!