Mama's Little Monster

Hello everyone...it's been a long time! Things here have been very busy. Brody turned 8 months on Sept. 1. He is officially crawling backwards and forwards. He is trying to get into everything!!!! Including this computer as I type. He has 2 sharp teeth on the bottom and is learning how to chew with Gerber puffs. He says "Mama" and "Dada" and can likes to play peek a boo and walk around in his car. He is about to have a cousin! Rudy's sister Klara is due on Sept. 27 and is having a boy. So they will be very close in age and I'm sure get into a ton of trouble together! I'm going to include some new pics. This Saturday we are participating in the 2009 ALS Walk 4 Life. So that is exciting. More later!

It's official! Brody's first tooth is at the wee beginning of surfacing! He has a white dot on his gums, which I've been told is, in fact, the corner of a tooth. I'm just so glad to get an explanation for his unusual behavior lately. One night last week, he woke up nearly every hour at night and needed to be held to go back to sleep. Let me tell you, I am not used to that anymore! Five or six people at work the next day asked me if I was ok or told me I looked tired. Ha! Who wouldn'tlook tired? But now that I know it's teeth, I will be more prepared and quicker to hand out the baby tylenol! So I'll be here in teething/drooling world for the next few weeks!
Brody is about to have a new friend, which he's very excited about. My friend Becky and her husband Mike (went to Western with me) are expecting their second son. He will be born on July 1! It is so exciting....He and Brody will be exactly 6 months apart!
Grandma and Uncle Phil are coming over to hang out today. Better clean up this mess of a house! Bye!

Brody has settled very comfortably into the life of eating food! Carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, applesauce, bananas...you name it, he's had it (on his face, clothes, hands, mom's hair!) He gets very excited when I strap him into the high chair, he has figured out that that means chow time. I am fairly sure that teething has begun...nothing showing yet but he is showing all the symptoms. He is chewing like crazy on ANYTHING he can get his mouth on...especially the stering wheel on his cool convertible bouncer! It has music buttons on it and I think the drool may short it out!

Brody rolled over last night! He was whining this morning around 5, I could hear him on the monitor. I went in to get him, and he was on his stomach! He's not a big fan of being on his stomach either. Everyday is something new. Can't believe he'll be 5 months on June 1.

It's official...Brody has begun eating solids! Well....semi-solids I guess is more accurate. He is eating rice cereal off of a baby spoon like a big boy! He is sitting at the table with us in his high chair and loving it! I'm pretty impressed that he caught on so quickly. And what a blast he has with it! Way to go, Brode! We are also working on getting him onto a more grown up feeding schedule which will consist of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime bottle. I'm pretty excited to start sampling different foods and see his reactions. Next week we start oatmeal. Then the following week is orange and yellow vegetables.

Brody has his 4 month vaccinations last week...still tough to watch but at least I was prepared for it this time! And baby tylenol works wonders! Thanks for the tip Julie H and Paula J! He was still crabby but much better than last time. He weighs 15 lbs 11 oz! I couldn't believe it...he went from the 25th percentile to the 70th!!!!!!!!! No wonder my back has been killing me and i have a regular appt with the chiropractor! We got the go-ahead from the doctor to start introducing solids. I am going to start rice cereal tomorrow. Very exciting stuff! He's getting so big and funny! He is about to sit up on his own. He is close to rolling over. He squeals with delight (seriously a sound only mom can love...he hits a decibel and pitch that no one should have to hear!) It melts my heart. He met his newest (and youngest friend Rocco, on Friday night. Rocco is 1 month old and has bigger hands and feet than Brody! It was so funny. Brody looked like a giant. They are probably going to get into a lot of trouble together. We were making jokes with Kristin and Mike, Rocco's parents....trying to read their minds saying "you get the beer, and I'll get the chicks!" Stay tuned for more episodes of the Brody and Rocco Show. Hope everyone had a Happy Mother's Day! Mine was very special. Check out the pic of Brody in his cool convertible from Grandma and Grandpa J!

Brody is 4 months old today. He is moving around like crazy! I put him in his crib to go to sleep. Then later in the night I hear rustling around on the monitor. When I got to check on him, he is facing the complete opposite way, still sound asleep. I hope he is not going to be a sleepwalker! I was when I was younger. A co-worker of mine gave us an exesaucer and Brody is LOVING IT! I put him in it for the first time yesterday and he loved to be able to stand, jump, and spin around. He was laughing and talking the whole time. After about 10 minutes he got tired and needed a nap. It was pretty exciting!!! Tomorrow we are going to the Goose Lake Garage Sales. Most of my blog readers probably have no idea of the fabulousness of this annual event. Goose Lake is this rural community on a decent size lake south of I80. Many of the people in this community are wealthy and have waterfront property and huge pieces of land...so the saying "One man's trash is another man's treasure" was made for this event. Rich people's garbage rules!!!! Plus there are thousands of people that go, so you are guaranteed to see some heated arguements and a possible physical altercation or two! ALL THIS, Plus be home before 10am, which used to be the time I'd be waking for my first dose of Advil after a night of partying! I will be setting out in search of Little Tykes stuff. Wish me luck!