Happy New Year 2007

Happy New Year!! We have had a wonderful holiday time with family. Uncle Bobby left today, Amity and Jean left a few days ago. It seems like such a short time looking back, but we have appreciated all the time we did have. Brayden really had a good time too. Of course Uncle Bobby was his best buddy, he really hit it off with Aunt Amity and Luc too for just seeing them for the first time over x-mas. He knew Aunt Jean, she was good fun too. Grandpa and Grandma kind of took a back seat during our time at their house, so they came down for New Years to have their time with Brayden. Mama and Daddy really hardly existed when there were so many others to answer his every need. :-) Made for a nice break. We took one afternoon and went to Thermopolis to the swimming pool for a couple of hours. Brayden just loves water, so he had a wonderful time in the baby pool. I will post several pics with not much text. His smiles tell it all. It has been so much fun to share things with this little boy, he just soaks up everything and is happy to do so. He is absolutely amazing and we are sooo blessed to have him. We understand that things are changing a lot in the Russian adoption situation with their new laws to encourage domestic adoptions. It may get a lot harder to adopt healthy children from there. Today we feel very lucky and blessed to have done this process and come home with such a healthy happy boy.

Things mommy lets us do

The things mommy lets us do, even leaving butt tracks on the tray. Its just such a kick to see what he will try. So far the high chair he has climbed up the front of it and gotten on top of the tray without it being meal time!! He climbs anything and everything and falls off lots of stuff. We still have bruises all the time, but then he's a boy!! The smile though is worth a ton...he loves it all and just gets such a kick out of most anything.

Happy holidays to everyone...I am working on the photo cards, but ran out, and overnight ups is stuck in Denver till the airport clears enough to let planes go out regular. Have patience with me...I will get them out right after x-mas. Amazing how this change in our lives has made such an effect on how many cards I need. Thought I had plenty, when I get this order back I will have ordered 100 total and I think there won't be any left over. :-) We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, be safe, be happy, and be thankful!!! Love you all and again, thanks for sharing this with us.

Phone...still big toy!!

We talk on the phone an awful lot at our house, mom is always on it and it shows in how Brayden uses it!! He just chatters away with the same voice tones as mommy uses all day long. Its just such a fun toy!! So far we haven't called any far away countries...good thing we don't have long distance service on that line!!

Sometimes I play in the shop, sometimes I ...

Daddy had a good photo op here, Brayden decided that he was too tired to play anymore and since Daddy was just making noise that he couldn't hear...its time to catch some zzzzz's

There is just something about warm clothes fresh from the dryer. They require a baby be in the basket with them, its just required.

We ago to get Amity and Luc from the plane next saturday. I will try to post before we go, but it is the last week before x-mas so it might not happen. In any case, I will post pics after x-mas for you all. Please excuse further lateness this holiday season, its a busy time for every one. We wish everyone a wonderful holiday. For those of you new to our site, don't miss the archive files, the earlier postings get filed in archives, they don't all show up on this page. Also our thoughts and a piece of our hearts go with Becky and Noah as they leave tomorrow to go back to Russia to get Kevin!! We hope they have a speedy trip and all goes well. And finally our thoughts go to all the children still without homes this holiday season and the homes waiting for children here. Russia has NOT allowed any agency to reaccredit yet and it may not until March. That means that Brayden and Daniel were the last ones allowed out of Omsk. The last referral out of Omsk was for Daniel the week after Brayden. That was in May, really brings home the length of the wait for others that have signed with agencies and haven't gotten any further. Also reminds us that we were told we might have to wait until the agency was reaccredited to finish the adoption, how glad we are that didn't happen. Those traveling now are independent and the Russian government has started a law to stop those too. We are thankful every day that we got things through when we did, grateful that we had help from Heaven to do it all. And everyday we pray for others that are waiting and pray that the country will open again and children will have homes with plenty. Merry Christmas to all, please remember to sign the guest book again and again and again. :-) Afterall, I sign on here every week or two...:-) Its fun for us to see who comes to check on us every so often. We are so glad for the support and love of family and friends.

Might be a Dr....

Uncle Bobby is here for the week and he has supplied an endless bit of attention. No matter where he is, Brayden will find him. Here he decided to see what was in Uncle Bobby's ears, thats just a computer adaptor cord, but worked pretty good he thought. Obviously our little boy has had his ears looked in a lot in his time with us. He and Daddy have this finger in the ear thing going too. He just giggles and wiggles when Daddy puts his finger in Braydens ears. Guess it tickles a lot, but its really a lot more fun when Brayden puts his fingers in Daddy's ears too.

Sour orange!

Brayden came down with another cold this week, its different from the last one in that he has a cough this time and much more congestion. I am trying to feed him fresh fruit and as much water as possible, here is the reaction to the oranges. They are a bit tart, but he really thinks they are tart!! In fact he really won't eat oranges now, just pears please. We even seem to be off the banana kick. Its sad really all the stages we go through in short amounts of time. He changes what he likes really fast, just a few weeks ago he wouldn't eat homemade turkey potpie then a couple nights ago, he ate it really good. Might make a difference how hungry he is too, but its amazing how quickly the likes change.

Forever late!!

Late, its not just my middle name, it might very well be all of my name!! Most of you know though just how busy I get at the holiday time, so this year is no different, I just have so much to do and not nearly enough time to get it done!! Posting has taken a back seat!! I finally got our x-mas pics back from the lab and now I just have to get the envelopes addressed and then stamped and sent, its a long process. :-)

This weekend Granny and Grandpa came down again and Bobby is here, so there is plenty to do and lots of people to pay attention to. On friday night we were at a church gathering of about 35 people or so. Brayden still doesn't do crowds well. Anyway, I mentioned to him that Grandpa and Granny were coming to see him the next day and he said "papa" and started to look all around the room looking for his "papa". It was sooo cute, but I decided that I wouldn't mention it again until right before they got there as he seemed to think they were already there. :-) So when Granny and Grandpa pulled into the yard I was working on lunch, so I opened the big door and told Brayden to go tell them hello, he went right outside to the car to see his "papa". They were thrilled with the welcome and he was soo glad to see them. Now he is loving to play with Uncle Bobby. I think it goes both ways!!

Tonight we ate dinner by candlelight as the electricity went out about 4:51 and didn't come back on till 6:30 p.m. I had put supper in the crock pot this morning so it was still warm enough to enjoy when we sat down at 6. Brayden wasn't sure what to think with the light switches not working!! He loves to go over by the back door and turn the lights on and off. But when they don't work its really odd!! The house was pretty well lit with all my candles going. I decided it had been a long time since I had enjoyed the candles on the walls, this was the perfect opportunity to BURN the cobwebs off them!!! Yup, housekeeping has gone down the drain and it may never return!!!

I will try to get some pics posted tomorrow, have to get some video footage from Granny to work with as mommy hasn't had much for camera time lately. Thanks to all our faithful viewers...sorry we are always late, but thanks for coming to check whats new.

BANANA MESS

Ok, the order of events was that we were finishing Sunday lunch of pizza and the phone rang. Becky was calling me back for a nice chat. I was finished so I gave Brayden a half of a banana, a bit ripe, and went into the living room to chat. Roger was sitting right beside Brayden working on the laptop computer. Well Brayden realized he had NO ONES attention and proceeded to smash his banana to nothing but smears and a few chunks that are on the floor. Then he took his socks off and smeared banana on those and it was also smeared all over his tray top, sides, front, everywhere!! He was soooo pleased with himself!! Of course the dog doesn't care for banana, so we had to clean up the floor ourselves. What a kid, he is apparently over the banana kick, or maybe its just the ones that are a bit over ripe!! Whatever it is, it might be a very long time before he has banana unsupervised!!

SOOO Pleased with myself

Doesn't he just look soooo pleased with himself!! The pic above this one will show you why, Daddy wasn't paying attention and Mommy was on the phone with Becky, Brayden was having soooo much fun!!

Driving the car

This is our latest fun thing to do. He loves to get out of the car seat when we get home and then while mommy and daddy unload the car, he climbs back in and gets in the drivers seat and drives. Then he wants to sit on our lap while we drive to the garage. For now, he is happy to put his hands down and let us drive, but that won't last I am sure!!

Late again!!

Here we are again, late in getting the posting done. This time I have an excuse...I have been sick this week. Its a nasty cold and unfortunately, I have shared it. Brayden hasn't been feeling real well either, but he doesn't seem to have it quite as bad as I have had it.

On Monday we went in for Brayden's flu shot booster, ( I haven't had a flu shot at all:-)), he did ok until the nurse came into the room with stuff in her hand, and it was the same nurse that gave the last shots. Daddy wasn't with me this time, so it was all up to me to help her contain him. He was NOT going to straighten his leg out for her to give the shot either, she said he was a strong little guy. He had tons of determination in holding his knee up!! We got the shot overwith finally and the tears stopped almost immediately. The doctor looked in his ears for me too, since we were there, I wanted to know if the drops were making any headway in clearing out the ears. Finally we can see the eardrum in the left ear. He said it was a little dull but we can see it. Now we can stop the drops and just do normal things. I ordered an otoscope for myself, ya know Dr. Mom, but its nice to see what I have to work with. I do want to take him back into our audiologist and have her look again to see if there is anything else that we need to work on. Brayden continues to try to talk a lot, he really is getting vocal. He isn't able to make things sound just like we say them, but he sure tries hard. It probably won't be long and he will be talking up a storm. For now though we still have to guess at what he wants and needs most of the time.

Want to take a moment to say congratulations to Noah and Becky on their new little boy. They will be bringing him home at the end of the month, end of the year. What an ending for them this year. We are sooo excited for them and know that the next trip over to Russia will be sooo much more fun than this first one was.

games and fun

Our camera is going on the blink...the lens in it keeps doing weird things, so the pics aren't real good, bear with us until we get something else done. :-)

Last night we played mexican train...Brayden learned how to shuffle the dominoes and how to throw them too. :-) He had a great time with all of it. Now its back to just the three of us and Brayden is having along nap. Must need to catch up real good. He has been down for 2.5 hrs now, he should be in rare form this afternoon. Its been a busy weekend for all of us. Its nice to wind down and be quiet.

Now only one!

Two olives

Note the two olives on the fingers...had to teach him that, every kid needs to know they fit like that!!

Thanksgiving

First Thanksgiving Dinner and Brayden got served first. Daddy was helping him eat while I took pictures. He didn't eat real good, but with 14 other people at the table perhaps its no wonder. Over all he had a real good day. He was a bit clingy and whiney, but with so many people in the house on his turf I am sure it was very strange and unsettling. We have so much to be thankful for, it was good to have family around here and share all our new fun with them.

Big HELP!!

Today we had a BUSY day!! Here he is helping Granny wash windows. Its time to get the house cleaned for Thanksgiving!! That deep detail cleaning that may never get done again, at least not without help. Here he is helping out soooo much by spitting on the window, too bad she started with the bottom one! :-)

Its been a good week, but nothing real special has gone on. Its amazing to feel like he has always been with us. We miss all the little changes in him because hes just always here. Good that others notice the changes and mention them to us so we can be reminded that we really have been home just about 3 months. Lots of changes in all of us for that short of time.

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still on the phone!!

Another place we like to sit, how nice that it is sooo near the phone!!

Chatting with Grandpa

Grandpa called yesterday afternoon, I was on the business phone, but didn't want to let the answering machine get it, so I picked it up and told him it would be just a couple of minutes and handed the phone to Brayden. They just chatted up a storm for the 10 min it took me to wrap up the business call. Brayden wandered around some while he was talking to Grandpa, but he sat and rocked most of the time. He just chatters away, constant, not much of it makes sense, but he is getting the idea of talking anyway.

Ready for Church

Just ready to go to meeting. No smile though, not sure why. The shades though, they make the boy!!