Dear Bman,
I am SO proud of you sweet boy! After one rough night learning to sleep in your crib you slept all the way through the night last night! When I woke you this morning you were FULL of smiles and ready to play!
What a learning experience for both of us. It was hard but we made it! Daddy and I are so proud of you. This weekend we are preparing for our trip to Pensacola Tuesday to see Nana and Grandpa (and Uncle B and Aunt “Lello!”) I am going on a trip for work and you’ll be staying with Nana and Grandpa! I am so sad to leave you but promise to bring you a surprise! We are headed to Pensacola a few days early to see our friends and spend some time with our family.
I love you big boy! Your two teeth are growing in so quickly on the bottom. I just can’t believe you’re already nine months old.
My most favorite time of year is coming up! I can’t wait to make so many memories with you in the coming months!
I love you B!!!
Love,
Mommy
Dear Bman,
Tonight is no fun. Today your daddy and I talked to your doctor about how much you don’t like to sleep at night. He told us that it’s very important that you learn to sleep at night no matter what it takes. And he told us we had to start teaching you that everything is okay when you wake in the middle of the night by letting you settle yourself back down when you start crying.
This is so hard for me. When I heard you wake a few minutes ago I wanted to run into your room like I normally do, scoop you up all warm and slobbery and sad, hold you tight and let you lay your sleepy head on my shoulder until you fell back asleep in my arms. But tonight I have to watch you on your monitor and hope you find that comfort in your crib. When you went to sleep tonight we said prayers together that God would hold you tight and calm your little heart when you woke to look for me.
I feel like tonight is the first time I’ve had to let you be a big boy and not a little baby. It’s so hard. You’re still so sad right now.
Just know that at night Mommy and Daddy are watching over you and that we will scoop you up in the morning when you see the sun peek through your window.
I love you more than words sweet boy.
Love,
Mommy
Dear Bman,
Happy Halloween handsome! Today was such a fun day. I will post some photos for you of your first costume but I love this photo of you at Wee Play today. We had so much fun with your friends!
You were very well behaved even though you stole Beckett Pittmans pacifier a few times : ) Weve been taking an hour or two a few days a week and going to a few fun things with our playgroup friends. Last week we went to story time at the library. You loved the dinosaur popup books!
Last week was tough though. You got sick for the first time ever. Your temperature was 103 one night. After a lot of baths, some cherry flavored medicine that you didn’t like, a trip to the doctor and a lot of love from mommy and daddy you felt much better.
Then the next day, I was giving you a bath and your Daddy said “Does Brady have any teeth pushing up yet?” I said “No…. He’s going to be toothless forever…” and rubbed your bottom gums… And sure enough… Your middle bottom left tooth was poking through! We went straight from sick to teeth and the next day you had ANOTHER tooth making an appearance! You’ll have two bottom center teeth before we know it big man.
Saturday we hosted your first Halloween party. The babies from our group of friends (our playgroup) came over in costume (and some mommies and daddies!) and we had dinner and a
lot of fun. You, your daddy and I dressed up as Toy Story. I was Jessie the Cowgirl, your Daddy was Buzz Lightyear and you were a sock monkey!!
Tonight you sat in the driveway with us until bedtime dressed in your green monster jammies. You guarded the candy from the trick or treaters! Tomorrow is your nine month appointment. It’s a little early (you won’t be none months for two weeks) but I still can’t believe how old you are. Everyday you are doing new things. Your daddy and I love you so much, B!!!
Your first Christmas is around the corner and I’m sooooo excited to experience this with you! It’s our favorite time of year!!
I love you!!
Mommy
Dear Bman,
I feel like you’re telling me “don’t make me crawl mama! I just want to DANCE!!”
You dance, B!
Love,
Mommy
Dear Bman,
Mmmmmmm! Chicken and sweet potatoes!
I love you so much!!!!
Mommy
Dear Bman,
Right here with you is my favorite place in the world. Your arms and legs hang off when you lay here with me.
You’re flat tuckered out today. We went for a walk with our friends down by the water. Then after we were done working we took you to ride the carousel. You smiled really big while you and I sat in the “rocking baby chair” and we went round and round. I held you up and you bounced on your legs and smiled (and I made you pretend wave) every time we passed by Daddy : )
I love you. Sweet dreams little man.
xo
Mommy
Dear Bman,
Ok, to be fair… I had to post a few belly photos. Since I posted a belly photo of you : ) Nice comparison, right? The last picture is 7.5 months old just like you : ) Minus one day. Isn’t it neat to see how you grew? It kind of blows my mind to think you grew in my belly. Amazing.
This song (To make you feel my love, a cover by Adele) just came on and it reminded me of a February 15, 2011. The night before you were born. Your Grandpa and Nana came down and your dad and I went to PF Changs (one of my favorite restaurants and something I craved a lot when I was pregnant with you - steamed veggies and chicken, yum). We came home and I was taking a shower VERY pregnant. Attempting not to topple over while I washed my hair. And this song came on. I got all teary eyed and thought about how I’d be meeting you the next day. And oh what I’d do for you. Just anything, little guy. That night was so surreal. I remember thinking… life is about to change FOREVER. And ever. And ever… in the best way possible. I took my time and dried my hair and put on a green shirt and grey comfy pants. The shirt was really tight and fitted. I remember seeing my belly in the mirror for one last time. I have to post this here, even though it’s HELLO skin. That was YOU in there. We took this picture just before we headed to the hospital to meet you.
God is so good, little man. When I think about all that you, your daddy and I have experienced this far… its a miracle. Watching you grow every day… its amazing. Yesterday you were sitting in a center split with your legs all the way out to both sides. It was the funniest thing, but every time we put you on the floor you did it. I told your daddy you were going to be a gymnast. He told me that linebackers don’t have time for gymnastics : )
I love you, my B!
xo,
Mommy
Dear Bman,
One day youre going to be really mad at me for this photo.
Tonight is your first night in two piece jammies. They aren’t really working out.
Love you : )
Mommy
Dear Bman,
Here you are. Fast asleep in your eighteen month jammies. You’re such a big boy : ) Tonight I sat in your nursery and rocked you to sleep. You fell asleep after your bottle and I laid your head on my shoulder with your chest to mine. You wrapped your little legs around me and melted into sleep. You get so warm when you sleep - like your daddy : )
I rocked you and for some reason my mind wandered off to that night seven months ago when we anxiously awaited your arrival. To the feeling of the doctors shaking my hips as you were born via c-section. To the sound of that little cry. To the feeling of holding my breath like it was my last and waiting to hear that you were healthy. It makes me ache to remember that feeling - with love and with the sheer fear I had. I replay Dr. Irvin’s words in my head and pray I never ever forget that moment. She turned from behind the curtain to look at your daddy and I and said “He’s perfect. He’s healthy. And he has long legs.” I don’t remember much after that, other than seeing your perfectly purple little face, mouth wide open, skinny long legs kicking like crazy - my heart beat too fast and they gave me some medicine to calm my heart and let me rest. It was a long day. The best day ever.
I’m not sure why my heart has been set on this today… and how hard it was to conceive you. But that giant smile plastered across your face every day… it’s almost like you know : ) Like you were just playing a little joke on everyone. You’re so perfect, Brady. And even if you weren’t… you’d still be perfect. I think today I just feel very blessed. Very undeserving of little you. Very grateful to have grown so strong during those scary ten months. Very grateful for a God that led us. That held our hands and calmed our hearts and minds.
You’re an angel, B. And I’m so glad you’re mine.
Love,
Mommy
Dear Bman,
Oh I think this is one of my favorite photos of all time. I took this in our living room yesterday on your seven month birthday. Your daddy and I cannot believe you’re already seven months old little man. You don’t have any teeth just yet (but we’re convinced they’re in there somewhere!). You are army crawling (like a bulldozer!) like crazy! Every now and then you’ll get on all fours and promptly plop down on your belly and wiggle your ams and legs as fast as you can an laaaaaaaugh!
We’ve discovered your favorite food is apples. Applesauce is your favorite thing EVER. You aren’t a big fan of bananas but I bet you will be one day. I hear that babies grow a lot in the seventh month. Im excited for you to learn to crawl and become a big boy but I secretly want to keep you chubby, toothless and bald forever. I’m losing on that last one by the way, little blonde hairs are popping up all over that round head!
Being your mommy makes me happier than anything in the world. Your laugh and never ending smile… Oh I hope you keep that joyful spirit, B. It’s contagious and can light up a room. Today your daddy and I are taking you to see our neighbor and friend Dylan play football! It’ll be so much fun!
I love you, B. Being your mama is the best feeling in the entire world. I love you with all my heart.
Love,
Mommy
Dear Bman,
Ten years ago today, thousands of people went to Heaven. Your world, though you weren’t here yet, was forever changed when America was attacked. You see, there is Good in our world and there is bad in our world. When you are a big boy, your daddy and I will tell you about September 11, 2001 and how good and bad collided.
I was in a car after my Earth Science class my first year in college. I was 18 years old and I heard what happened on the radio. Your daddy was also in college and heard what happened from a friend in the parking lot. He spent the rest of the day with his friends watching the news.
We all hugged each other a little tighter after that day. We wore red, white and blue and hung our American flags. We all became friends because our country had lost so much. Many men and women have served, sacrificed and even given their lives to protect our country - to protect little you who wasn’t even here yet. You know a lot of these heroes little man. Your Grandpa, and many of your Great Grandpas are some of them.
Your daddy and I will teach you to love America. There’s a song we’ll sing together one day - about the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”
With all our hearts,
Mommy (& Daddy)
Dear Bman,
This week was a HUGE week for you! Huge! So many firsts:
Your new friend, Kara, came to play with you while Mommy worked two days this week. You LOVE her and her “yellow” hair!
You also started sitting up all by yourself - without the Boppy - this week!
You took a bath in the yellow inflatable duck sitting up by yourself! We gave you three rubber duckies and you wanted to put all three of them in your arms at the same time!
You started “army crawling” across the floor. You can’t get your chest and bottom off the floor at the same time yet, but you can sure scoot! This morning, you got on all fours for a quick second before toppling over. Our big guy has a lot to hold up! :)
You went to the Florida Aquarium with Mommy and Daddy! You saw sharks, flamingos, starfish and stingrays for the first time!
You got to see all of your grandparents on your Daddy’s side! Your Grandma held out her hands to you and you reached out to grab them. So sweet!
You said “hi” to Nana on FaceTime. Were not sure if you meant to, but we like to think so! You also started recognizing Nana and Grandpa on FaceTime! You light up and smile at them now when they talk to you!
You also started using your sippy cup and had your first Gerber peach star finger food when your friend Brayden was here. He was so sweet to share!
Were still working on our sleep at night but you’re doing better. We think your first teeth are working their way up.
Your Daddy and I can’t believe how much you grew this week! You’re such a big boy and make us so happy. Tomorrow we are going to Pensacola to visit Nana and Grandpa!
I love you so much!!
Mommy
Dear Bman,
One day you will laugh at this photo. This is you and your friends Beckett Pitman and Chase and Hale Runyan. You’re the biggest and oldest of the bunch! : )
Love,
Mommy
Dear Bman,
You rode in the buggy at Target for the first time last weekend! Mommy and Daddy had so much fun with you!
Love,
Mommy
