Talking and Tickling

Well, Natalie's 3 months old now...and she's changed so much! I'm really trying to cherish everything that's going on right now. Looking at how big our Cody is reminds me of how fast it goes. (It's okay if I say it...but I don't need anyone else reminding me.)

So, in this video, you'll hear me laugh at the beginning. Of course, she was talking up a storm and then, as soon as I turned on the camera, she couldn't take her eyes off of it. Does that mean anything? Am I seeing into her future?

She eventually went back to talking to her doll. And then she let me get her laughing on video too. She's already REALLY ticklish!

It's so great!

2008 Complete!

I just finished up my 2008 photobook. Actually, when it comes in, I'll be adding stickers and captions to some of the pages, but at least all of the photos are in and it's on the way!

I love Blurb! I just realized that I can customize and create layouts...I think I'll be abandoning Picaboo...if I can figure out how to put in better backgrounds! Blurb is WAY cheaper!

Woohoo! Please take a look, if you'd like - WARNING! It's 156 pages....nevermind, you can only view the first 15 pages...UGH!

The Brady Family

2008

By Cody - age 2

Book Preview

She's here!

Everyone knows this already, but Natalie Ellen Brady was born on May 21, 2009. She was 9 lbs 11 oz, born at 6:47am (c-section) and almost 21 inches long.

She's beautiful and Cody loves her so much! (He's going to be as annoying as his mommy about giving kisses...)

Here's a video I took yesterday. She's almost a month old!!

Cody is 3!!!

My baby boy turned three years old on March 30th! I can’t believe it!

We had his party on Saturday at a bounce house place and were so happy to have so many people there!

Cody at his 2nd Birthday!

Cody's 1st Birthday!

Cody's BIRTH day! (Well, less than 24 hours after he was born, at least.)

"Lifesong" - Calvary Baptist Church, Beaumont, TX

My dad, Robert Boggs, is a singer - has always been - and since moving to Dallas, I haven't had the chance to hear him sing like I used to...so, it was really cool when he sent me a link to a video of him singing in church one Sunday. If you've ever heard him, you probably agree that he's fabulous...Enjoy!

Blastball & Elmo - February 28th

After at least a year of playing ball in the front yard, Cody is finally old enough to start playing on a team. It’s kind of a pre-Tee Ball version of baseball called Blastball. Kids ages 3-4 hit off a tee and run one base (although, I believe they’re going to go ahead and add in the other two bases). The base honks when you jump on it and when you “catch” a ball you’re supposed to yell “Blastball” (not sure what the point of that is).

So, here’s how the first practice went. Cody was so excited when we told him, the night before, that he was going to play ball with other kids. He woke up Saturday morning and immediately remembered our plans and didn’t stop asking to go play ball until we actually arrived at the field. That’s when it fell apart. He got nervous. We walked up to the field, he saw the other kids and immediately asked me to hold him. Jimmy walked him through the gate, which didn’t make him happy. Cody is the smallest one out there. Not only is he not quite three (will be at the end of the month and before the official games start), but he’s small for his age. I believe there’s one other 3 year old (with the same birthday, in fact), but all of the kids seem to a foot taller. Cody is also not an aggressive kid. He seems to be outgoing, playful and fun, but in new situations or with new people he gets shy. His first time up to bat, he refused to hit. We let him go back to the “outfield”, where he watched balls roll by him and at one point let a ball roll onto his shoes and off again, never budging. The other (older) kids were going after the balls and I think it freaked him out. In fact, when we got back home and were talking about it, Cody even mentioned that he let other people have a turn. We had to explain that sometimes it’s his turn. Anyway, once all of the kids had hit, and Nana showed up to give him a little coaching, he was much happier to hit and did a great job! The bat is too long for him, so we’ll get him one that’s his size and hopefully that will help him out a little more. Once practice was over and we got Cody back home, it was clear that he enjoyed it and he’s looking forward to playing again!

Later, that same day….

Just before Cody’s nap, we told him that we’d be going to see Elmo after he woke up. (Cruel, I know, but it does seem to get him to go to sleep more quickly.) This was especially exciting for him because he had seen a commercial for Sesame Street Live and loved it.

“Ah! Look, Elmo! Is that Cody’s Elmo? That’s a sweet Elmo!”

I knew after that reaction that we needed to get tickets. When he woke up from his nap, he was ready to go and talked non-stop the whole way there. I told him that we’d get cotton candy, which I’m sure he didn’t have a clue about…didn’t seem to matter though, because then the excitement was about getting “hot candy” and seeing Elmo. Before the show started, he ate his Hot Candy, danced to the music playing and giggled a lot. Once the show started - nothin'. He got very quiet, wouldn't eat or talk. When we left (with a spinning Elmo flashlight, program and Elmo balloon - courtesy of Grandma) he talked the whole way home and cried to go see Elmo again. Looks like he loved it and we'll have to make this an annual event! Yea!

To Pau Pau's house we go - golfing

For Valentine's Day, we went to see Gran and Pau Pau. Once again, it was all about golfing and driving the golf cart. Pau Pau was impressed by his ability! Ha!




We also got to take Cody fishing at their lake house on Lake Fort Phantom. Cody was over it quickly and freaked out by the fish Gran caught. He found a broom and seemed to enjoy sweeping more than anything!

The big day will be....

May 21st! ...Maybe...Ugh! Here's the deal, my doctor is moving his practice and wants me to deliver at a different hospital and apparently scheduling is not so easy. They're supposed to call in a week or so to confirm, but until then I'm to "pencil in for the 21st".

Now for the deets: She's a "big girl" according to the nurse - which my doctor wasn't too thrilled about her saying. She is big, but not in a dangerous way. Cody was 9lbs 2oz, so it's nothing to be concerned about. The doc just thinks that she'll probably be a 9 pounder too - even though we'll be delivering a little early. I'm happy that she'll be big (yes, a c-section makes this easy to be happy about). I loved that Cody was so strong and "independent" very early on. He was lifting his head the day he was born and rolled from his stomach to his back (multiple times) at three weeks! He could sit up in his bumbo chair earlier than most and we weren't so worried about neck support, since he was lifting his (giant) head and turning it by himself. So Cody was born in the 90th percentile, but has consistently been in the 10th for his height since then...poor tiny boy. (Still in the 90th for his head, though!) We expect him to grow a lot in high school - that seems to be a Brady boy trait.

Anyway, baby girl looks great. According to the sonogram, she's already 4 pounds measuring in the 32nd week, but I'm actually 28 weeks! That doesn't really mean we're off on our calculations, just that she's on track to be big like her brother! Oh yeah! And she already seems to have lots of hair! Cody was born with a little and lost it until he was about 18 months. Maybe this means she'll actually keep some and look like a little girl!

We got the BEST video of her yawning! I wonder what this says about her? In Cody's final sonogram, he was flapping his little arm like he was waving at us. You think she'll be a calm one? Cody is definitely active!

Look who’s updating her blog!

I know, it’s been a while. Although, I have a feeling that updating this thing is only for my benefit. One day, I’ll print these posts out and put them in a book for posterity….

Okay – so going back to Halloween. A little trick-or-treating, but not much on the actually night. The majority of the festivities were at church.

Thanksgiving. A lot of eating. First time to have Thanksgiving (or any holiday) at our house, although, I still avoided having to do the cooking. Nancy (Jimmy’s mom) made most of the food and Jimmy fried the turkey. Fried turkey – by the way- is the ONLY way to go! I made sweet potatoes with marshmallows. I used the holiday marshmallows, so they had green Christmas trees and red stars, which all melted together, but yummy! Cody called them “green mash-pototoes” and asked for them multiple times in the days that followed.

So, wait – backing WAY up. We’re going to have another baby! I neglected to update here, because 1. I’m not good at it. (I can’t even keep in touch with friends in email or on the phone.) And 2. I told people at work first (so when I started pudging out, there wouldn’t be any speculation) and then wanted to wait awhile to tell the world…which I finally did on Facebook, in person and on the phone, but just never made it back here.

We’re having a girl this time and we’re really excited! To be perfectly honest, we would have been thrilled with another boy, though. Cody is so awesome and we already have the “stuff” so it would have been super easy for us. But, instead, we’re just going to have the perfect little family and we’ll get to experieince the joys of both! Cody is 3 (almost), so he kind of gets the whole “baby sister” thing, but at this point just asks where she is…he’s settled on she’s sleeping, will be here soon and that most likely she’s imaginary. A couple of weeks ago, on his way out the door one morning, he said “Come on, baby sister. I walk you to the car” and pretended to hold her hand all the way to the car. So sweet! We’re optimistic that he’s going to be a great and loving big brother.

I’ll be going to the doctor tomorrow for a (final) sonogram and the doctor will go ahead and schedule the c-section. I had to have one with Cody (many reasons), so we’re not going to risk anything this time and just put it on the calendar. Right now, my due date is May 27th, but we’ll likely have the baby between the 14th & 21st.

Christmas was split (as usual). This was an Abilene year, so we were there on Christmas Eve and day. Cody fell in love with Pau Pau, who took him to the golf course on the golf cart and of course, raked in the presents from all of this grandparents. Tons of cars – he was in heaven!!

That brings us a little closer to what’s going on now. My mom is living with us, as she’s just started a new job in Sachse and is trying to sell her house in Beaumont. It has been interesting, but so far pretty good. The only frustration is that I’ve been in limbo as far as getting ready for the baby. And I’m not a limbo-er. I’m just ready to have the room set up and ready for our baby girl to be here. Not to mention that I need to buy a TON of stuff (everything we have is far too boyish). I’ve decided to make our bedding and so far Nancy is doing it. I feel bad about that - I need to figure out how to get it done without it being her burden. Skill is what I lack.

There are a couple more things to report, but I think I might make those individual posts…do you think it will happen? We’ll see!!