Last weekend

On Thursday, April 16th we got a call from my aunt in North Dakota that my uncle Kevin passed away. He is my moms younger brother. We were shocked. He just turned 51. We all headed up to Bismarck for a couple of days. He was never a fancy guy and just wanted to be cremated and his ashes spread on the farm. He didn't want a viewing or funeral. We did a small viewing with the family and then we was cremated that night. Friday morning we took his ashes to the farm in small town Zealand, ND. The farm was where my grandfather was born and passed away. My mother was raised on this farm and I spent my summers there as a little girl for 3 months at a time. We sold the homestead a few years ago when my grandfather passed away and the land is rented out. The neighbors are a mile away and they are wonderful people. They have 6 kids from ages 30 to 14. We stopped in to see their farm. They have one horse, dogs, sometimes chickens, farm the land and milk 50 cows twice a day. It is the middle of baby season so we stopped by to see the 18 baby calfs and many more are ready to be born. Some of these calfs are 2 weeks old or so. This was Brandon's first trip to a farm to see animals and how milking was done.

Update in photos

Trip to Macy's Flower Show

My favorite times with Brandon

I love my time with Brandon (okay maybe not when he is throwing a fit- but I still enjoy it). However, I have my favorite times with him.

My first favorite time is when he gets up at about 7am. Rob usually stays in bed and I go get Brandon. I get him some water to sip on while I get my coffee set. We do diaper change, play in the living room, practice walking and watch a Channel 2 program. He usually watches that while I am enjoying my coffee and checking in with my momslikeme.com site that I enjoy. Then around 8:30am we have breakfast, clean up and head back to the living room to play. By 10am Brandon is close to morning nap. He goes down really well.

My other favorite times are when we are out and about. One-he LOVES looking out the window in the mini-van. I love peeking back in the back seat and seeing his eyes starring into space. Many times he also starts talking in the back seat to himself. I really like when we go places such as the zoo and to see his expressions and wonderment on his face. I love his smiles when he sees the giraffes at Como. Our outings are always fun for him and wear him out well.

My other favorite time is actually in the middle of the night. He still wakes up once a night- sometimes more. When he does I answer the call and get him a bottle (he only gets that once a night). I love rocking him with his bottle and smelling his sweet baby smell and give him LOTS of kisses. Then he rests his head on my shoulders and falls back to sleep. I can easily get up and put him back in his crib but I never do. I always extra time taking in the moment...the smells of his shampoo from bath time or just that amazing baby smell...the sounds of his breathing....and feeling his chest rise up and down with each breath he takes. I melt in that moment. There have been times I have fallen asleep in the rocker holding him- but I always find a way to give him one last kiss and 'good- night' love and put him back in his crib. He stretches, rolls over and doesn't even realize he is no longer in moms arms. I cover him up and sneak out the door.

I love these moments!

The last of the 'firsts'

Happy Easter! First and foremost.

Today I am a bit sad. I realized early this morning that this is Brandon's last of the 'firsts' holiday wise. Oddly this is his first Easter (even though his first B-day is in two weeks). We had a wonderful day at Grandma and Grandpa Herbst's with lots of other family and friends and even his 2 cousin puppies- Hudson and Jackson. He was very well behaved and did good. The Easter Bunny brought him oodles and oodles of nice things...what a nice Easter Bunny (aka- Grandma). Even mom and dad got an Easter Basket. How sweet!

We had a nice quiet night at home. Brandon is now playing ball. He can roll it and throw it a bit so we did a lot of ball playing, walking and Grandpa even ran with him. He liked that.

As Mom I am sad that I can't say "This is his first xyz" anymore. He is dying to talk and run around the world and I really want him to stay my little sweet boy.

This past weekend we cleaned the garage, the basement, and my entire closet. It was a very productive weekend. We are both exhausted but are very glad it got done. There is a large pile in the basement that is for the 'next baby' and most of Brandon's clothes. I picked up one of his old outfits that was on the top of one of the boxes. It was the outfit he wore immediately when he came home from the hospital. It was a snugglie type and was NB (newborn) size. I held it up to my belly wondering how this big creature was once inside my belly...then I went to hold it up next to him. It would now fit him as a t-shirt. I can't believe how fast this past year has flown by. It has been the best year of my life and one filled with tremendous challenges in all areas of my life: job, financial, marriage, parenting, weight, spiritual, physical, emotional......it is amazing!

Now I need to change my mindset to "This is Brandon's SECOND"....

The Boys

From our living room looking into our dining/kitchen area.

Eating out with Auntie Key!

Key and her husband, G...(Brandon won't be able to fully say Garret for a while) took bear to our cousins hockey game. Mom and Dad decided to have a 'date night' at home. Mom (me) had a Lumbar Medial Branch Block on my back the night before so sitting (especially on bleachers) was not a good idea. Theses photos are from Key.

February 2009- "Mom do I have to say good-bye to this car seat?"

Mall of America with Mama and Key---Feb/March

This was a couple of months ago but I have some catching up to do...sorry. Mom, Brandon, and Key went strolling around the MOA, had lunch, and even visited the Nickelodian park thing. Brandon got on the small little horses that goes in a small circle. Look at his face when it starts and then as it keeps going. Key was behind him he whole time. He clapped when he got off-he smiled and did a small giggle. I should mention...'KEY' is Brandon's Auntie (My, Melissas, sister). We started out wiht 'Crazy Auntie Nickey' which she will always be- the fun, goofy, crazy aunt that is fun to be crazy with! Now that Brandon is starting the talking alot we switched it to 'Key' for 'Nikey'. He will catch on the more we see her. We usually see her 3-4 times a week depending on the week so he will catch on to the key thing quickly.

Playing in PJ's

This was at Gma and Gpa's house about 1-2 months ago. Photo 1- Grandpa Tim is making the light move off the reflection of his computer and Brandon was chasing it. Reminds me of our cat Ash! Photo 2: Bear found Mama's shoes. He LOVES shoes! Photo 3: Just laughing...super cute!

Steps to standing all by myself

This was about 1-2 months ago. He now stands ALL the time on his own. He is also close to walking on his own. However we have noticed a major issue...his right foot faces totally out to the right. It is surprising he doesn't walk pigeon toed since his mother was born horribly pigeon toed and was supposed to have a bar between my feet growing up. His foot problem is only in his right and from the looks of it and when we work with him it is correctable. My initial guess is that he will need some kind of brace in his shoe if worst comes to worst! I am not too worried. The last Dr. apt said you never want kids feet to be perfectly straight forward. The best runners have a slight in or out step. Rob was happy to hear that since he wants bear to play baseball more than anything! Our next Dr. apt is very end of April for his one year and we will double check his iron/anemia levels in his blood and check with the foot.

We're still here....

Yes, we are still here!

Just been busy.

My back is better. The branch block took somewhat. I still have some pain but not as bad.

Now I have a foot issue (it is going away). I was in Richmond, VA for work and was driving around with our client. She thought I was out of the car and started driving and ran over the back part of my heal. It is really sore, black and blue, and swollen. There was a very small fracture but it is much much much better! I am off crutches and walking fine.

Brandon is doing well. His next 2 teeth (number 7 and 8) are coming in. He is saying wow, ma ma, da,da...ity for Kitty. He is eating lots...growing well...sleeping so-so. He loves playing at the Eden Prairie Center- on the climbing things. He loves animals. He loves touch and feel books. When he sits in his stroller or shopping cart he sits side-ways so he can see in front and behind him. It is funny.

He has taken one fall down the stairs. He got a small bruise on his head and gooser of a bump. He has taken other many falls from learning to walk but he survives the falls! They are normal falls like every new walker goes through.

He loves his kitties. They don't love him too much. He isn't too gentle with them all the time and likes to pull their fur and not pet it. However he will also cuddle with them and lay his head on them like he is loving them. It is pretty cute.

All for now...more later with photos! I have lots of them.