Half birthday

A half a year has passed in what feels like a blink! And yet I get sad trying to remember what he was like as a newborn: his tiny hands, movements, soft cry, sweet baby face. I'm afraid that I'll forget my newborn and only be able to remember this baby that is growing and learning new things every day!

From 5-6 months Bradley:
- rolls all over the place
- has perfected the arch/ fit
- loves/prefers to stand up
- squeals and gurgles constantly
- if he's rested and fed he is the happiest smiliest little guy
- still not quite sitting up. He's physically capable, but is too interested in everything he lunges forward.
- started rice cereal and does good but thinks its pretty bland.
- still impatient when hungry for a bottle
- chunked up after he was introduced solids.
- eyes have changed to brown after long wondering if they'd be blue or green.
- loves to be thrown or bonked on the head with a pillow.
- still eats and grabs his toes all the time, even when your holding him
- feet are too small for 0-3 month shoes
- doc says his dry skin is eczema
- holds his own bottle like a champ.
- puts his arm around you when you hold him.
- a very social baby
- started a serious red poop face
- reaches for everything in sight
- started on rice cereal and carrots- loves it
- 4th percentile on weight at 6 mo appointment (14.4lbs)

My sweet baby boy,
You have been the best baby! I think your dad and I were spoiled when you came to us. You have a happy demeanor and love attention! I hope you carry that on as you grown up and be a leader as your friends and younger siblings look to you for an example. I love your innocence and playfulness. Your smile that greets us in the morning is priceless! The perfect start to a day for me. As much as I love you, I get a much needed rest from my job as constant entertainer while you nap. But by the time it's time to get up I am rejuvenated and ready to party! You still make me feel like your favorite when you shake your whole body when I walk into the room! Each day you teach me love, excitement, patience, and devotion. You are my world and I love you more than you know!
Lots of love,
Your mama

5 months

This blog has quickly become my shrine to Bradley. Can you blame me? Here's to another month passing too quickly.

My sweet bubbas,
I'm finally down to my last month of work. I never thought time would go by so fast. Your daddy has taken such good care of you but still admits that I am your favorite. I think it's your way of making me feel less sad about leaving you during the day. You are so happy and active. I'm not forcing you to rollover or crawl anytime soon because I know as soon as you learn I'm gonna be so busy! You love singing in the car and playing with your feet. I want to remember you just the way you are. It's amazing to me how much I love you! You will never understand until you are a daddy yourself and by that time you won't believe that I loved you as much as you love your own kids. You constantly need attention and are even starting to throw little fits when you don't get what you want. But you never cease to melt my heart with a simple smile or coo or raise of the eye brows. You are perfect. Absolutely perfect..
All my love,
Your mama

From 4-5 months:
- rolled all the way over finally but still prefers to lay on his side
- mom and dad let him "cry it out" and he's sleeping pretty consistently from 9-5 or 6 am every night :)
- gurgles constantly
- sucks on his toes
- loves being outside. It is our nightly solution to his antsy behavior
- needs attention and hates being alone or else he'll whine. We let him whine often.
- balanced on dad's hands at 4 1/2 months
- must be sitting up and facing out to be in all the action
- scratches his head really hard and mom can't figure out why. Usually when he's tired.
- very impatient when it comes to eating. He wants food and wants it right away!
- kicks his feet with joy when out for a walk
- learning to reach when he wants to be picked up. Does it best for mama.
- has the sweetest softest voice when he talks
- still the busiest little body: hands and feet always moving
- still has the best hair and always gets told how handsome he is

4 months

Where did my baby go?? At four months:

- grabbing and mouthing everything in reach
- has started rubbing his face on you when he's tired
- grunts and yells to get attention
- makes mom and dad laugh every day
- will no longer lay on his back. He wants to be sitting up and looking around
- looks 10x chubbier in pictures for some reason
- loves his entertainment center and grabs and twists himself around so he can see us
- still wont break through the 5 hour sleeping mark at night
- loves standing up and gets a smug look on his face as if to say "look at me! I'm so proud"
- has the tightest grip. You are in trouble if he gets your lips!
- I have to trim his finger nails like every other day it seems like
- fake coughs
- needs a lot of attention and gets bored really quickly.
- holds his legs out straight all the time (in car seat, swing and stroller)
- looks like he got a hair cut because it's straight across on front and short on the sides
- still can't flip over from his back to tummy but is really close.
- just learned the infamous arch
- always has a wide stance with locked legs!
- found his feet
- loves being nakey
- still needs his arms pinned to sleep or he'll wake himself up

My sweet Bradley boy,
Another month has passed and I can't stand it. I wish I could freeze time and take mental pictures of all the things you do. From the way your little voice sounds, to the softness of your little fingers and the way your eyes look at me. I love the way you wrap your arm around me and need me to hold your hand while you eat. You laughed the hardest yet today and I cant think of another sound that makes my heart smile like that precious laughter! Even though you whine and fuss because you want my attention or to be cuddled I know someday I will wish you would want and need me like you do now. thank you for coming to our family and making me understand unconditional love like I've never known. It makes me want to have a little brother or sister for you already! Yikes! You are the light in our day!
Love you times infinity,
Your mama

3 Months

Bradley has grown up and changed so much even just within the last month.

- has found his hands and loves to eat them especially his thumb
- loves tummy time and started holding his head up so good around 9 weeks
- still the kickiest, wiggliest baby around
- talks ALL the time.
- loves to arch his head back in order to see everything!!
- smiles and laughs (he's a good performer for when he firsts meets people he smiles like crazy). Smiles with his whole body(arms and legs and shoulder shrugs)
- hates the car. Not the carseat but actually being in the car. He'll start whining the moment we close the door.
- started sleeping 6-8 hours a night until recently. He's regressed back to 3 hour shifts (I'm hoping it's a growth spurt and will soon be over it)
- would much rather sleep next to mom all the time. Little stinker.
- loves grabbing my hair and shirt
- loves when we 'eat' his feet
- grunts and shouts when he's not getting enough attention!
- survived a plane ride to AZ and a 10 hr drive back to UT and a trip to disneyworld in Florida.
-learned to roll from his tummy to back around 10 weeks
- learned he can blow bubbles and therefore started to drool!
- thinks his daddy is the funniest guy around
- has an official double chin :) gettin chubbier each day

My sweet baby,
This has been a particularly hard past month for mama. My arthritis flared up and it broke my heart when i didnt have the strength to pick you up on my own. But I wanted to be off medicine as long as I could to ensure your health was good. I'm back on medicine because I know you need your mama healthy and strong. I take a deep breath each morning as I leave for work. I don't like missing out on the fun and kisses you and daddy have while I'm gone. But coming home to you and cuddling your sweet face is the happiest part of my day! You are so funny and talk and giggle as if to say you know what we are saying! You have been one spoiled little boy with all the attention you've gotten and you've found your voice and let us know when you need to be played with. I love you so much and have to restrain myself from squeezing your guts out because of how adorable you are!! I try to cherish each moment with you because I now know all too well how time passes quickly! I love that you and your dad are becoming best friends! He's been so helpful to me as I try to get much needed sleep. You are the best thing in our life and we are just as smitten now as we were three months ago!
All my love,
Your mama

Families are forever

I love my little family and am so thankful to my Father in heaven for letting me keep them forever!

Two Months...

 My baby boy is two months old. I have never been happier and life has never gone by so fast! I start back to work in one week and want to remember a few things:

- Bradley started to smile around 6 weeks old and now is so smiley
- still eats every 3 hours during the day.
- Is soothed by being patted on the bum and loves sleeping in mom's arms
- starting to really like his binky (thank goodness!)
- is the most wiggly baby ever! Constantly moving even when he's just chillin
- Just started sleeping about 5-6 hours a night and it has made a world of difference!
- Has the stinkiest toots and loud burps
- Does not spit up (lucked out on that one)
- has discovered his tongue and loves to blow spit bubbles
- Talks all the time in the cutest baby noises
- Has grown out of his newborn onesies but still fits in newborn jammies
- His hair is growing back in
- Still has greyish eyes so we don't know if they'll turn blue or green or brown?..
- weighed 10 lbs at 8 weeks!
- screams really loud for 2 seconds when put in the bath, but then loves it after the initial shock is gone
-loves grabbing my hair and rubbing it in his face when he sleeps
- does a big bottom lip when he's sad and we think it's the cutest thing ever

My sweet Bradley,

Mom is going back to work in one week and gets so sad thinking about not getting to spend every hour of every day with you. You make me so happy and I never knew how in love with you I'd be. You are growing and changing every day and I can't stand it. I look forward to all the stages and new "tricks" you'll be learning so soon but am cherishing your sweet face. I love feeling like I am your favorite. Sometimes you whine when I leave the room and I love coming in and seeing you find me and follow me with your big bright eyes! It melts me inside because you smile at me and know when it's your mom who's got a hold of you. Your dad cant get over how sweet you are and we could still just stare at you for hours. You make us laugh and smile and get giddy knowing that you are a part of both of us. We are so lucky and do our best every day to let you know you are loved, wanted and special. Everyone says you look like me, which makes me proud, but I can see you changing and growing and becoming more like your dad. You are my cuddle buddy and I love you more than words! Thank you for teaching me unconditional love. I wish you could stay my precious little boy forever!!!
Love,
Your mommy