14 Months Old Today!

Today Brayden turns 14 months old, and it is the BEST feeling in the world to know that he won't have one other birthday, anniversary, holiday, etc. without a family! :)  He has been "home" now 10 days and I have to say things are going well. The overwhelmed feelings that we had the first 48-72 hours are gone, and I feel like we are all getting into a  routine, (or trying too!) The unbelievable spring weather has helped too, I'm sure! Yahoo, fresh air, playing outside, going the park! So much more fun than sitting in the house all day!! :)

We had a great weekend and I have to say, our boy LOVES being out! We went to dinner TWICE this weekend with family on Friday and friends on Saturday, and he did great! He loved being out to dinner! He sat in his highchair at the table with us through our whole dinner, just looking around and smiling. He was so happy feeding himself pieces of bread, and mom's potato, and even tried a few small bites of grilled chicken! Of course this was all in addition to his own Gerber meal and applesauce! :)

He is liking his car seat now too, and really enjoys being in the car, well as long as we're moving! He whines a bit when we are at a red light, but once we start going he just looks out the window and  talks to things out the window and to us! He also will wave to us up front through his little mirror (since he's still rear-facing in my CR-V) Just yesterday, he started doing Peek-A-Boo with me too! So cute!!!  Then usually anywhere from 10-20  minutes in the car, he passes out! He LOVES to sleep/nap in his car seat! Yesterday he fell asleep on the short ride home from Whole Foods! Since it was close to nap time, and such a beautiful day out, I opened the windows and decided to drive around for 90 minutes and let him sleep!! We got gas, I got an iced coffee at Dunkin Donuts drive thru, we took the drive two towns over to my parents house so they could stare at him sleeping in his car seat! Ha.

So his other big adventure this weekend was our visit to Snip-Its on Saturday morning! Yes, daddy won, and we took Brayden for his first haircut. Mommy was torn with this you see. Yes, his hair WAS getting a little crazy, Yes, people tended to ask me if he was a boy or a girl, or just refer to him as "She",  but I love, love his curls! Anyway, we did compromise and I agreed he needed a trim. Well, he got more than a trim, he got a full on haircut! I have to say that the woman, god love her, did a really good job. Especially since he was far from still in his chair! Overall, Brayden did fantastic! To be honest, Randy and I were surprised at how well he did!!! The bubbles they had there that mommy kept blowing at him helped to distract him a lot! Not to mention, all the other little kids that were there too. He was fascinated looking around at everyone, only near the end did he start to fuss a bit because it was taking too long and he was done!! No tears from him at all! The only tears were from me!! His curls are gone! : (  I know they will grow back, but it was sad to see them go! Although, I have to say he is adorable with his short "boy's" haircut!  He looks like a little man and I think he loves it! He looks at himself in the mirror and smiles and talks to himself!!  Ha!

Well, I better wrap up, the little man should be up any moment and ready to start his day! Oh and here is a picture of the "new" Brayden!  :)

BEFORE PIC - "I'm not sure about this place...." 

AFTER PIC - "I'm a new man, and ready for lunch!!!"

Gotcha Day!!

Wanted to share a video that we took of Brayden playing in the hotel room the afternoon we got him! He loves the mirror!!! :)

Also here are a few pictures too!!

 I really loved my papa and he's so comfy!! 

 My girlfriends gave us a great homecoming last week!!!

I just woke up, and I'm covering my big yawn!!!

Sweet Potatoes!!YUM!!! 

Look at me! I am almost walking on my own!!!

One Week Home!

Ok, Yes! I have meant to post earlier than now, but I think it's fitting that my first post home is on our week anniversary of being home together as a family! So, what can I say? We are parents!! We have a 13 month old son, our house looks like a bomb went off in it, I am tired in a way that I didn't think was even possible, our lives have 100% completely changed and I could not be happier!!!! Randy just got Brayden down for the night, and now it's "our" time to just hang out, check email, watch a television show, and when I go to bed at night, I can't wait to wake up and see him again! I am just so, so, in love with him!

So, everyone's wondering, How's he doing? Honestly, he's doing unbelievably fantastic! He has adjusted so quickly and is just the happiest little boy most of the time! Yes he gets whiny and cries here and there, especially when he's tired and wants mommy to hold him and rock him, but I also know how lucky we are that he has attached to us so well! (especially to mommy!!!) He really does have such a great little personality on him and he's funny!! He's full of smiles, giggles and he has the best, best belly laugh ever! (especially when your playing and you give him raspberries or tickle his tummy!) Before bedtime he just LOVES to cuddle with mom and just the other day, began giving me "kisses". Every day he tends to get more comfortable here and more independent and we've already seen such huge strides in him!The first few days, I literally had to carry him around with me, and couldn't leave his sight without him screaming! Now, he will play with his toys and if I leave the room,  he just thinks it's a game and will crawl or wall/walk towards me to find me, giggling and babbling away. Yes, there are still times when he only wants mama and will cry even when he's with daddy till I take him, but I'm just so glad that he's bonding!!! He's all boy though, let me tell you! He LOVES to climb, and he loves to MOVE!! Just started dancing for us the other night too! It's hysterical and I have to get it on video soon!!!

So other positives, he sleeps through the night without problem. He averages anywhere between 11-12 hours STRAIGHT a night! He has since we've gotten him! Last night he went down about 8:15 pm and woke up at 8:30 am!!! I couldn't believe when I woke up at 7:40 am and he was still sound asleep snoring away in his crib! Ha! He really hasn't taken morning naps much (yesterday he slept about an hour since we were in the car doing errands!) but NEEDS an afternoon nap. He's a late napper though, usually somewhere between 3 - 4 pm and sleeps anywhere from 1-2 hours. We haven't had any problems with him eating either. He eats everything and LOVES to eat!! Especially mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, and applesauce!! :) We are still mostly doing baby food but in the last few days he has fed himself some finger foods! (pieces of cheese, banana, Gerber puffs & Gerber little crunchies!!(Oh my god he LOVES these!)  He is also still taking formula as well, and luckily he absolutely loves it! He literally sucks it down!!! We are SO happy since he's still so tiny for his age and we really want him to get the nutrients and all the good stuff he was missing! Overall, feedings have been a breeze!!!

Okay now the few challenges. 1st) Brayden WILL NOT take a nap in his pack-n-play OR crib during daylight hours. He literally can be asleep in my or Randy's arms and the second you try to put him in, He stands right up and screams and screams and cries and shakes. It's really sad, because he actually seems scared and is truly distressed. However, at night, he goes right in his crib no problem and as I mentioned, sleeps without problem through the night! I can't help thinking that he's thinking of the baby home where he spent hours upon end in a crib during the day. I truly think he may still be afraid that we're going to leave him in there. So, we usually let him nap on the couch in the living room or on one of us as we lie on the couch! He falls asleep in his car seat and his stroller when we are out walking no problem either! Not sure how/when he'll get over that, but it's a battle I'm not willing to have with him just yet. I sort of get it! The only other challenge, which many have had as well, is bath time. It's SO, SO much better than it was in the beginning but he still cries for most of it. He doesn't shake anymore or try to kick his way out, and he's definitely intrigued by the bubbles and his bath toys, but he does STAND with one arm around me and cries as we wash/clean him. Although he always stops the crying for a few seconds when I rinse his head with water. He loves it you can tell, but then he starts crying again.  I do have faith that with patience and some creativity, bath time will get to be fun for him!!!

Wow! This post is getting super long so I need to wrap it up!! :) So in conclusion, everything has been going really well and we couldn't be more happy!! It's so strange he's been home 7 days and it already feels like all we went through to get him was a million years ago. None of it seems that bad now. Not the ministry, or court, or the WAITING, or the 12 hours of flying with a baby!! Ha!! Aww.. it was so worth it! I just stare at this beautiful, adorable, amazing boy and can't believe how LUCKY we are that he is ours!!! Another update to come soon!!

Quick Update from Moscow!!!

So, have a few minutes while Randy is getting Brayden down for a nap!! Things here are going really well! Can't believe it's already Wednesday and tomorrow we'll be bringing our little boy home forever! The last two days have been going really well and he's adjusting great! He is eating great,, LOVES the formula we brought which I am so happy about and inhales it!! He's sleeping through the night about 10 hours straight, although naps have been a bit of a challenge due to appts being scheduled during his usual time, and in the afternoon he just wants to play and explore! I am so so in love with him, I miss him right now as I am in the lounge checking email and updating! : ) Our biggest challenge has definitely, 100% been bath time. Wow, it's really hard. He's this cute, happy, giggly boy then once we get him undressed and in the bathroom, forget it! He's screaming his head off and shaking. He is so, so afraid of the tub. It is heartbreaking, but the two of us made it through but it was really hard.

So another quick trip for us, but honest I'm so glad it worked out this way! WIth the embassy being closed THursday and Friday this week, they expidited our passports/visas so we got everything done today! So, we got here Sunday, picked him up from the baby home on Monday, physical yesterday and Embassy today!! We are done.. well except for the 11 hour plane ride. Sigh. WE'll make it through. Praying that he does okay. He loves being held and rocked and walking when he's sleepy and cranky so hoping for a smooth flight where we can get up with him a lot!

Well, I will update more and post pics once we are home! Haven't had any luck doing it here!