Week 16

I can't believe how fast Brody is growing...this Friday we have his 4 month check up and I'm dying to see what the pediatrician has to say about his growth and development! He's now eating 6 oz every 3 hours (except at night) and I'd imagine the pediatrician will recommend we start trying cereal! Cereal?!? I can't believe it, seems like yesterday he just arrived, boy how time flies! He loves to be read to and also enjoys all his fun colorful toys. One thing we have noticed is that when the TV is on his eyes are glued to it...even when you are trying to give him a bottle he turns his head to see the TV. He likes sports most of all...LOL...the other morning I came downstairs and I heard Jason saying, "yea Brody that's Lebron James...", he'll know all the great athletes by the time he can talk if Daddy has any say!

A Nature Walk...

Beggars can't be choosers and when Brody goes to bed at 7:30pm and sleeps until 4:30-5am at 3 1/2 months we can't complain. So I've decided to embrace the 4:30am wake up call from our little guy...so the last couple of weekends after the 4:30-5am bottle (of course Brody would rather stay up than go back to bed), we go for a walk. It's actually quiet peaceful at that hour, a nice chill in the air and you can hear the birds chirping. The other morning I happened to take my camera with me to snap a couple of photos, these were actually taken around 6am. It was our nature walk...the lake was so pretty and calm that you could see the trees reflection in the water.

The next morning Jason, Brody and I set out for a early morning walk (forgot my camera), we ended up walking for 2 hours (5 miles-ish), much further than we had planned. There is a great trail by our house that is very scenic. Brody was great and slept most of the trip and when he was awake he just enjoyed the scenery.

Steinemann's Pay A Visit

Last weekend Erin, Todd, Hannah and Baby Boy S "to be" came over for dinner and to see Brody. It was great to finally catch up with them. Hannah was loving Dolly and kept us all entertained, she's such a cute little girl and so well mannered. She's going to be a big sister in September, as she'll have a new little baby brother to look after. Like most little girls she wanted a baby sister but unfortunately Todd and Erin couldn't plan that! Will be fun for Brody to have yet another little boy to play with around his same age!

Hannah and DollyBrody, Erin and Hannah (sorry we left Todd out!)

Week 15

Brody is all smiles these days and it's so much fun to see his cute little personality come out! He's a definite morning baby and just loves it when you get him out of his crib at 4:30AM (typical wake up time these days). Which is always tough on Jason and I but when he smiles because he's excited to see us in the morning, we can't help but smile back!

He smiles a lot however if you are home alone and trying to get snap shots of him smiling, it's a lot tougher than a person would think. I even do a "smile for the camera Brody"...LOL, umm clearly he's not aware that what I say goes just yet as he doesn't smile until AFTER i put the camera down!

Brunch with the Wahl's and Smith's

A couple of weeks ago we met up with Anna Lee, Justin, Rachel, Brad, Brody and Leyton at Santorini's in Eden Prairie. Oh boy do they have quiet the spread for brunch! We managed to eat ourselves sick...I think I ate 3 plates...you know working towards losing some weight and 3 plates always does the trick!! I found these pastries that were to die for...how is it possible to have control at a buffet?!?!?!

Brody and his buddy Leyton.The Ward'sAnna Lee, Leyton, Justin and BradRachel, Big Brody, Little Brody and Me.Brody and I.

My most favorite picture of all. Brody shows me how he can eat a graham cracker with his toes!! TOO FUNNY! Gotta love boys!

Our Supper Club Keeps Growing!

So Brody was the first addition to Junior League Supper Club, in August Amanda and Jeffrey's Baby Kate will be #2 and then last night Mary Kathryn and Brian announced that in November a third addition to our ever growing supper club...Baby Malaney! We are super excited and thrilled for them, congrats MK and Brian!

Amanda brought ice cream and pickles, the stereotypical food for the pregnant lady!
Both MK and Amanda are expecting!
Brody hanging with the ladies.

BIG Boy Update...Week 14.

Today Brody is 14 weeks...where has the time gone!? I quickly realized after visiting my neighbor Camie's newborn that Brody is not that tiny, fragile baby anymore...he really is a big boy!

This week posed a few challenges at the Ward household as Sunday Brody came down with a cold after only 1 week at daycare; lots of coughs, sneezes, watery eyes and boogers galore. Poor little guy couldn't sleep laying down as he couldn't breathe so he spent the next 3 nights sleeping more upright in his bouncy next to our bed. I finally had to pull out the trusty bulb syringe we got at the hospital. Funny how that prior to having a baby, I was always so grossed out to see moms wiping their baby's nose with bare hands and picking boogers...now, well I'm "one of them", not so gross when its your own baby! Ahhh Motherhood! He seems to be feeling better but still continues to sneeze, I though perhaps that he had allergies but the pediatrician said that he's too young for allergies that it has to be a cold. I know this is the first of many colds our little guy will get but it's still his first so I had to write about it!

Happy Mother's Day!

Well my first Mother's Day was a little disappointing as Brody came down with a cold over the weekend. Our family had planned to meet the Osendorf family at Restaurant Max for brunch but given Brody wasn't feeling so well we didn't feel that we should drag him out. Jason insisted that I still go and enjoy a nice brunch on my special day and he'd stay home with Brody. After much contemplation I decided it would be good to get out of the house so I met up with the Os family and boy am I glad I did! The Max had an unbelievable spread with all sorts of yummy eats...I think the majority of my meal was fattening sweet treats but I enjoyed every bit!

Prior to leaving for brunch, Jason brought out a special little box (you know the smaller boxes that all woman love!!)...my first Mother's Day gift. I squealed with excitement as I untied the ribbon to see that the box said "David Yurman"...inside was a beautiful bracelet with amethyst stones (Brody's birthstone) on each side. I was thrilled with the gift, it's beautiful and I will always cherish my first gift. As I told Jason, he set the bar REAL high for Mother's Day!!

Week 13 Update

This was Brody's first week of daycare and he certainly handled it a lot better than I did! I ended up dropping him off on the first day as I was working from home...BIG mistake. I think I said good bye to him 10 times before I actually left. Then I called there at noon to check on him and they said, "he's doing OK however he hasn't slept much"..OK AND HE HASN'T SLEPT MUCH??? That is not what I wanted to hear so the rest of the afternoon I was dying to go get him! I made myself wait until 4pm as I knew that both he and I needed to adjust to the new schedule. When I picked him up he was all smiles which made things a lot easier on me. Each day got a bit easier as Jason did the drop off and I did the pick up. The schedule seems to be working for us as I go to work early so I can leave at 4pm and Jason drops him off around 8:30 in hopes of limiting as much time at daycare as possible!

The best news that came out of week 1 at daycare...BRODY NOW SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT! I of course still have to get up to pump but its much easier on both Jason and I and we are loving our little guys new sleep schedule!

Mike and Tara Pay A Visit...

Mike and Tara stopped by to see Brody, they hadn't seen him since he was just a wee one at 4 days old! Obviously Brody has changed a ton since they had seen him last!

Brody rrreallllllyy likes Tara...he couldn't stop placing his hand in her shirt and when he wasn't doing that he was all smiles for her!

Uncle Mike is a natural with Brody...we need to have him and Tara babysit some time!