Happy Easter Every Bunny!

We headed to the mall this morning and Garrett decided he must have his picture made with the Easter Bunny! He wanted to sit next to the bunny, but not on its lap! I know Easter isn't for another week and a half but I couldn't wait to share the picture!

Breakfast and Art!

So we decided to do a little sticker art this morning while eating breakfast. It was a good way to get Garrett to sit still and eat while letting his creative juices flow. I don't know if you are aware of this but 2 year old little boys tend to be quite wiggly and very busy! So to accompany his "piggies in a blanket", waffle, and chocolate milk (its ovaltine people... full of vitamins I promise!) he decided that he would make a picture for Grammie. The stickers are of modes of transportation like airplanes, cars, trucks and boats (aka "Daddy's boat" cause EVERY boat is a Daddy's boat!) We talked about all of the ways we could travel to Grammies house! It was pretty cute!

This also doubled as time for me to practice some photography. I am lucky enough to be learning under a professional photographer via the internet. She has offered up teaching us and we have weekly assignments. I am extremely intimidated by her work (she is amazing!), but I also know this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I am jumping at the chance. She is so nice and so willing to help and desires for us all to have the same love and passion and eye for photography that she has. So composition is this weeks assignment. Simplicity, balance, lines and shapes, the rule of thirds, framing, and mergers or things to avoid. All stuff I learned in my photography classes in highschool, but things I really need to work on and have a refresher in. So I hope you all will enjoy my photography venture with me and watch me grow and (hopefully) improve! I have a week to complete the assignment and then I have to post 5 photo examples of how I put them to use. This is our third week and it sounds like she will continue to teach as long as we are willing to learn! So check back in a week for those examples!

Tea with lots of extra sugar!

First time to the dentist!

What a fun first dentist appointment it was! Garrett went to see Bippo the Hippo at "Bippo's place for Smiles". A pediatric dental practice geared 100% toward kids. Let me start at the beginning...

A month or so ago when I scheduled his appointment they sent a welcome package for Garrett with a poster to color, and a children's book written by the dentist called "Bippo goes to the Dentist". Bippo is the mascot, he is 3 years old! (or so they tell us) When you enter the building there is a kids entrance and a teenager entrance. The kids entrance is a long corridor that is muralized like a forest with a stream and at the end of it is a door that is painted like a big tree with a hole cut out in it for the kids to crawl through into the waiting room! The waiting room is a kids dreamland complete with a saltwater aquarium, a rock cave, a video/playroom, a teen hang out with video games and tv's and there is a huge playground right out the doors. Why would a kid ever want to leave the dentist office?

Sooooo while we are waiting Bippo the Hippo comes out with a woman who is helping him and they say " We are looking for Garrett. Garrett Henderson!" Well Garrett's eyes lit up and he walked right over to them and gave Bippo a big hug and then the lady took his picture with him. After that all of the kids in the waiting room wanted to run and give Bippo a hug! They really make a big deal about a child's first visit to the dentist. When we were in the exam room (filled with toys, I might add) the dentist came in and right off the bat gave Garrett a beanie baby Bippo, a new toothbrush, let him pick a toy from a toy bin, and then stuck stickers all over Garrett's shirt. It was a total ice breaker and Garrett sat still and did wonderful for the exam! when we were leaving they gave Garrett a helium filled balloon and let him pick the color. He picked orange! Our littleman did so good and is definitally trying to grow up on us!

Tic Tac + Nose = Garrett's first visit to the ER!

Garrett had his first trip to the ER today. Thankfully it was nothing too serious but his pediatrician wanted us to go. He stuck an orange tic tac up his nose. It was up too high for me to get out and I was terrified he would inhale it further. He was screaming in obvious discomfort and that had my mommy nerves all a mess! The triage nurse said that most kids start putting things up their noses at 4 years of age and that she was really suprised that he did it at 2 years old. So I guess we just have an advanced kid! Ha ha! Anyways, all is well with him and they just want us to keep an eye on him for signs of a sinus infection. He is a trooper, but sheesh! We definitally have ourselves a 100% BOY!

You can be a Cowboy too!

His imagination never ceases to amaze me! Did you know that with three essential things, you too can become a cowboy?

1. The imagination of a child

2. A cowboy hat, of course!

3. A trusty horse (a flyswatter will do in a pinch!)

P.S excuse the roadrash on our little buckaroos face! He has been beating himself up at the park!

Daddy's littleman~

Forever Changed

Our littleman today 2 years old!

One year old!

Our precious newborn baby boy!

August 11th 2004 Garrett Bradyn entered the world at 1:13 am. 7 lbs 11 oz, 20 inches and our lives were forever changed.

Before Garrett arrived I was told that life would never be the same… That was an understatement. I can barely remember life before him or imagine what I would do without him. He is such a happy boy and has brought so much joy into our home and love into our lives. We love him so much! From the first instant that I held him in my arms I knew that I would do anything for this little being. I felt an overwhelming sense of love that has only grown stronger as the moments of each day fly by, a love that I can only describe as “fierce.”

Rediscovering the world as he discovers it for the first time in all of its freshness is one of the most incredible things I have ever experienced. His innocence and his spirit captivate me. I am in constant awe of the daily changes in him as I watch him grow and I marvel at the wonder of his smile. (See, I told you it’s a “fierce” love.)

As I realize our boy’s time with us all to himself soon will be ending I am reflecting on his life, and our life as a little family. It has been yet another (Huge) reminder of the many gifts that the Lord has blessed us with!

As our family grows, and the day draws closer to when Garrett will have to share us with his baby sister I can’t help but get sentimental, bask in his joy, and cherish each moment that much more! One thing I am now certain of, he will never have to share our love… there is an abundance and the love we have for him is his forevermore! Garrett, you'll always be my baby!

(I intend on putting this into a letter to Garrett for him to read one day so that he knows how special this time is for us. I also know that the time to come will hold many, many, more special things and I can't wait!)

Half way there!!!

Commemorating the half way point of our pregnancy! Only 20 more weeks until our little pink bundle of joy is here! In honor of this exciting milestone we had a family photoshoot in our living room!