5 Months Young!

Our little peanut isn't so little anymore! Can someone please press the PAUSE button!

It seems like Brayden is growing and changing every single day! He is learning new things, talking up a storm, and reminds us quite often, sometimes in the middle of the night, that he misses us!

He is officially sitting up (well he has been for a couple weeks now) and loves it, although standing seems to still be his favorite.  He loves to sit up next to us while we lay on the floor so he is more at eye level with us, after all, it is no fun to sit up and not see mommy and daddy's face right in front of you! It is pretty darn adorable to see him sitting up, but it makes him look SO big! He is growing up too fast!

Tummy time is getting more and more fun for this kiddo, he so badly wants to move though and will kick his little legs and wiggles from left to right.  One day, but for now, mommy likes that he isn't moving around quite yet!

He is still a cuddle bug and I love it! He gives the best hugs and kisses!

He likes loves to be with mommy and daddy all the time, which makes saying goodnight for bedtime or see you soon for nap time tough on this kiddo.  I'm certain he thinks he is missing out on something super exciting.

Oh and his feet...he loves his feet! Who thought feet could be so entertaining?!

He has gotten much better at sleeping, but he is still learning.  Sleeping is tough for a 5 month old, especially when it means you're all alone and don't get to play or eat or be with your mommy and daddy when you want to.  When he does sleep, he loves it, and wakes up so happy when he gets the right amount.  If only we could get him to understand that sleep is his friend...one day, let's hope it is in the near future.  But in all fairness, he really is doing much better, sleeeping 10-12 hours every night, and eating only once in the early morning, and many nights not even waking up before that!  And his naps are starting to get better too! Yay Brayden, keep up the good work kiddo!

He loves music.  He plays his little piano (so adorable) and loves watching mommy play it too.  He especially loves kid's worship songs with motions, his favorite is "I May Never March in the Infantry".

We read a story before each nap time, and a Bible story before bed time...he really does like books, and can turn the pages...but they look very appetizing most of the time and up in his mouth before the story is finished ;).

He is starting to laugh more which is so much fun!  His laugh is to die for.  Only mommy and daddy have had the privilege of earning these laughs though.  Peek-a-boo, tickles, funny faces, and mommy's laugh are just some of the things that just might get a giggle.

He is SO serious when he is out in public or when someone comes to visit (at least for a while until he warms up to them).  He just watches people and observes their every move, taking in everything that is going on around him.  Such an observer.

We just started solid food with this little man, and boy does he LOVE it.  We did not plan on starting this early, but for about a month now he has been very interested in our food, trying to grab our spoons, and since he can sit up on his own, we thought it was about time to add a little fruits and veggies to his diet.  So far he has tried apples, bananas, and sweet potatoes...all a success!  He opens his mouth like a little bird, leaning forward and impatiently grabs the spoon if he isn't being fed fast enough (haha).  He says "mmm" sometimes, too funny!  

Brayden is such a joy to have in our lives, and we really feel more and more blessed everyday with him around.  We pray that the Gospel seeds will be watered early on his life, and he will bloom into a Godly young man at a young age.

We love you big boy, with our whole hearts!!

Perspective

Being a mother has taught me a lot about perspective; it is as if I have received a new set of eyes.  It is so easy to lose sight of TRUTH when circumstances are not favorable, or maybe just not quite the way they used to be, or the way you might assume they should be. 

I'll be honest, before Brayden was born, I had many assumptions about what being a mother required, and how a baby would function.  When he came, and many of those assumptions were not correct, there were many tears, frustrations, and a feeling of inadequacy and disappointment.  I felt silly for thinking that I knew "everything" about being a mom, and felt bad about the expectations I had placed on my sweet infant.  The truth was, God was working to sanctify and refine me; and he began teaching me MANY lessons, giving me perspective.

I began coming in contact with quite a few families (none of whom I knew personally), who were battling trials with their children, FAR GREATER than sleep deprivation or a colicky baby: Cancer, still birth, SIDS, a heart transplant.  My heart began to break for these mothers, and fathers, and my heart began to gain new insight into my own reality.  Although my lot in life may not be as simple as I expected, or as I had seen in the "Smith" family...it was blessed, beyond comprehension and very undeserved.  I began to grasp a new perspective: Any sickness, sleepless night, tough day, etc. is God's affliction for MY profit, because He loves ME and wants to make ME a partaker of His holiness (Hebrews 12:10).  And EVERY day of health, restful night, blessed day, etc. is an undeserved blessing for MY profit, from the hand of God, because He loves ME.

I am certain that God will continue to work in me, His character/holiness, and refine my perspective on a daily basis.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18 is a good frame of reference for this perspective: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all! So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal!"

20 Weeks

I thought I'd only post once a month about Brayden, but he is just growing so fast and learning so much every single day I figured I needed to post a little more frequently so I don't forget how much he is changing!

This little man is SO MUCH FUN! I love this age.  Every day is a new adventure filled with excitement for all of us as we anticipate what "new" skill Brayden might show off.  And even though he is still little, I look at him and wonder what happened to my baby?!

As you can see (above), Brayden LOVES his activity jumper.  Although his feet don't quite touch the ground, and he can't turn everywhich way, or reach all the toys (its for kids a little bit older than him), he enjoys it.  He tries so hard to grab everything, and gets a little frustrated when it doesn't come as easy as he would prefer ;), but he is a hard worker and doesn't give up!

 This little guy is the happiest little baby I have ever seen.  He smiles at mommy, and daddy, ALL the time.  I can't get enough of those smiles, they melt our heart.  And every time we leave the room and come back in he gets super excited to see us and kicks his little legs and waves his little arms.  We are his favorites, his best friends, and we cherish every moment with this precious little babe.  As I have mentioned before, he is OH SO CUDDLY, and for that I am so grateful!  It may have something to do with the fact that for the first 3 months I held him for almost every single nap (totally goes against most baby books and a lot of "advice" I got) he took, but I am so thankful I did because I wouldn't trade his cuddles and love for anything!  Keith made such a good point about the fact that we are trying to win our little one's hearts, so that we might win them to Christ one day, and part of that is showing them Christ's love which is sacrificial and selfless, and that starts at infancy!

 EVERYTHING goes in this kid's mouth!  He is at that stage I suppose.  From toys, to mommy's hair, to cell phone's, if he can get his hands on it, it is going in his mouth!

 He has just recently started figuring out that when we put things in our mouth we are eating, and is super interested in that...some rice cereal or starter solids are in his near future (I'm trying to hold off as long as I can), he is definitely ready! Until then he enjoys grabbing our spoons and straws (his favorite thing to put in his mouth), and trying to get them in his own mouth!

 Brayden loves music.  Every night during our bedtime routine we sing worship songs, and some kids worship songs and he just soaks it up!  And throughout the day mommy and Brayden have music time which brings a huge smile to his face.

 Tummy time has become more tolerable for this little guy as of late.  He kicks his legs so hard and moves his arms from right to left and moves a little in those directions, and tries so hard to move forward..."If only I could get those toys".

 At around 3 months, Brayden was able to sit up for about a couple seconds on his own before he would topple over.  Since then he has been able to sit up for longer periods, maybe 10 or so seconds before he falls to the right or left.  I don't think he is quite aware of the fact that he is sitting up alone, but I'm certain soon enough he will be doing it for more and more time.  It is pretty cute to watch him sit up, he looks like such a big boy!

This boy LOVES to talk.  He spends much of his play time talking to himself or mommy or daddy (he doesn't talk too much when others are around...he is to curious as to who they are) and he puts himself to sleep most naps talking to himself.  It is pretty adorable, we LOVE it. 

Here's to you my sweet boy, happy 20 weeks of life (outside the womb)...mommy and daddy love you, you have our hearts forever!