Holiday Update!

January 9^th, 2007

Happy New Year!!!!

We had quite the eventful trip to Missouri for the holidays. Because of the big Denver storm, our flight from Eagle to Denver was cancelled. We decided to drive and stay over night in Denver and catch our connecting flight to Missouri in the morning. The line for baggage was going to take 2 1/2 hours and the line for security was 3 hours. We were never going to make our flight on time. After waiting in line for an hour or so we decided to go back on the shuttle, get in our car and drive the 13 hours to MO. It was a fairly get trip out. Brayden did very well in the car, but then 2 ½ hours outside of Independence he had a meltdown and would not go to sleep in the car. After a half an hour we pulled over and spent the night in a hotel. We made it safely to Noni and Papa’s house early the next morning, got showered and headed to church to see all our friends that were also home for the holidays. From there we were busy, busy with Christmas and then an extended family and friends brunch the day after. With driving we lost so much more time that Ben graciously let Brayden and I stay to visit longer while he drove home to go to work. We had no idea that the worst storm since 1902 was about to hit Kansas that weekend. We were stuck and unable to get back to out Daddy. So what was to be a very short visit ended up a wonderful week and a half. We only wish Daddy could have been a part of it. But, we are safe at home at last, trying to find places for all out new goodies, and settling back in to our quiet lifestyle.

Here are some of the things Brayden has been doing while we were gone. He has grown up so much over the past two weeks. I think we are entering the toddler stage. Brayden talks up a storm, has a mind of his own and wants to be very independent.

-Auntie Jen taught Brayden to wink. He does it with both eyes and wrinkles up his face. It is so cute.

-Brayden loved playing with Noni and Papa’s fridge icemaker. He thought it was funny to see all the ice spill out on the floor.

-He enjoyed Noni’s jewelry box and playing with all its contents.

-Jen and Brayden would do silly voices at each other and say, “I love you!” Brayden's was always deep and raspy. They would also make silly faces in the mirrors.

-Brayden enjoyed the big houses we visited. He loves the space to run, hide and romp around. He would roll on Papa’s pillows downstairs, lay down on the floor and roll around and even climbed on and over the suitcase I was packing up. It was fun to see he being so active. He does not act like that at home. I think it must be because we do not have much space.

-He loved Noni and Papa’s stairs. He wanted to go “Down stairs” all the time. By the end of the visit we was able to get down or up about 4 steps on his own using the railing to help him down. I think he liked the independence.

-Noni bought Brayden a camp chair that was a bit tall for him, but Brayden learned to hop in and turn around in no time. You can see it in the pictures.

-Brayden really enjoyed hide-n-seek still and loves to hide behind pillows. Noni thought is was so cute.

-Noni had a singing Rudolph the Reindeer. Brayden loved it so much. Now he has 5 singing holiday toys we got on Christmas clearance. He is still playing them all the time at home. You can see some on the video clip. (We went to a friend’s house today and she has a Tickle me Elmo. Boy, did Brayden think it was funny. He was laughing up a storm. We get to borrow it in a few days. He loves the toys that sing, light up, and move their mouths and dance)

-Brayden loved taking pictures with Auntie Jen’s new camera. You can see it in the pictures.

-By the end of our visit Brayden had found Noni’s chocolate stash. It was too cute to watch. Check it out on the video. The only problem now is that he keeps asking for chocolate.

-Over the visit Brayden went through another “No” phase. He answered most questions with a “NO!” (Although we found that did not always mean no) If his answers were a yes, he would smile and shake his head.

-He loved playing in Noni and Papa’s sinks. He loved to play in them all. He really liked the kitchen sink. It was really deep so he could take his socks off and stand in it and spray the water around. Playing in the sink is Brayden favorite thing to do right now.

-Brayden locked himself in Aunt Baps guest bedroom and few time. He also loved her giant tub and the glass doors on her shower.

-Brayden loves to play his new game he made up with Auntie Jen called “Get Out!” Brayden pushes his opponent out the bedroom door yelling “Get Out!, shuts the door and runs to the other side of the room before they open the door tickle him. It is pretty fun! (He used the “Get Out” phrase on me the other morning. I was coming by the bathroom and he was sitting on his potty. He got up, yelled “Get Out” and shut the door. When I opened the door, he was back on his potty saying “Poopy!” And, sure enough, he had gone poopy. We just might try this potty training thing early.)

-Brayden loves his DVD player in the car. His Auntie Jen and Louis got that for him. He gets in the car and says “TV on. Watch movie!”

-He loves to run all over the stores squealing and playing hide-n-seek in behind rack and clothes.

-Brayden gets a lot of energy at night and runs around. He thinks it is funny to have to chase him down for bath time.

-He parrots everything anyone says around him and says things back using big phrases. I can believe what a great talker he is although many times it is hard to figure out what he is saying. He will say it over and over trying to get you to understand. When one does understands him he smiles and makes a breathy excited noise. He also shakes his head in a “Yes” fashion.

-Brayden likes to point out any and all animals he sees and says their names.

Here are some Braydenisms:

“Watch TV”, “TV on”, “Papa’s base”, “Up” (with his arms reaching out), “want down” (he flings himself out of ones arms), “Noni up?”, “Where Papa?”, “Miss Daddy?”, “Get Noni”, “Go downstairs”, “Eat nuts”, “OOO cold”, “Want that”, “more please”, “Play sink!”, “Walk”, “Look1”, “Make work”, “Go Noni and Papa’s house”, etc.

He is amazing!!!