Junior High Volleyball Game

Today I substituted at Burton Elementary School. The fourth graders were amazingly smart and well behaved! It felt good to teach math and science to the kiddos.

After school, Brazos and I went to Somerville to watch the Burton Junior High girls play volleyball against the Somerville girls. A fourth grader named Sidney sat next to us and played with Brazos. She was on the right and Big Brazos, a sixth grader, was on the left! The girls won their last game, so I bounced Brazos up and down. He gave a huge smile for the girls!

National Back to Church Sunday

Today we invited my husband's brother's family to church for National Back to Church Sunday. My sister-in-law and nephew came! During the children's sermon my nephew ran down the aisle to join the other kids, but when it was time for Sunday school he hid under the table. When the class was over he crawled out and appologized to the teacher and asked her if he could come back. Brazos enjoyed having his aunt and cousin at church today!

Fair Parade

This morning Brazos rode with me in the Washington County Fair Parade. Dressed in a little cow outfit, he was adorable! He was a little fussy before the parade, but once the truck started moving he was enjoying it. Near the end of the parade the sun was shining right on him, so he was closing his eyes and everyone thought he was sleeping. When we went home, it was nap time for everyone. This was his third parade in his short six months!

Tonight we went to eat with down-the-line cousins, Cliff, Marissa, Dawson, and Hailey. I hope Brazos becomes great friends with the little ones! Dawson and Hailey were playing with Brazos, so it looks like a good start to a life long friendship.

He's gone from a baby to a little boy!

On Thursday, I substitute taught at Burton Elementary and had an AWESOME day! I was with the sixth grade class, which are the kids that I've taught for the last two years (for some I had three years). I got great hugs from all the kids, even Big Brazos was glad to see me. :)

Brazos stayed with his Great Grandma Neumann for the day. She said he was good for her. Only once did he cry when she yelled at the cat to get off the couch. He was full of smiles when I walked in the door, so I know he enjoyed the day with Grandma.

This afternoon I planted the vegetables in the garden for our fall harvest. Brazos was sitting in his stroller watching me. Then Matt went inside to get some towels to lay on the ground for Brazos to roll around on. Brazos wasn't too fond of the idea and fussed as soon as Matt laid him down. After a few minutes of wimpering, I decided to go pick him up and try something else. When I picked him up I realized he had a reason for fussing. Matt had laid Brazos next to an ant pile! Luckily, Brazos only had three little ant bites. They didn't swell, so at least we now know Brazos isn't allergic to ants.

After planting the garden, I was sitting in the garage with Brazos while Matt was working on a project for my cousin, Bailee. Gazing down at Brazos, I realized that I was no longer holding a little baby, but a true little boy. He had dirt under his fingernails and in-between his toes. His red and white striped onsie was covered in slobber and yellow stains from his food. His nose was runny and he had dried food stuck to his face. When I tried to wipe his nose or face clean, he struggled to get away from the rag. Brazos is officially a little boy!

I have hands!

Brazos' latest discovery is his hands! He's always been able to use them, but now he notices them. One moment he'll be reaching for something and become distracted by his own hand. He spends many moments of the day carefully studying those little fingers. The cutest is when he twist his wrist back and forth or when he makes his fingers wave to himself.

Six months down, six more to go!

I forgot to post the most important part of yesterday. Brazos was officially six months old yesterday! Six wonderful months down...six more to go. Then we're going to party like a pirate at his first birthday party!

When you're left to fend on your own...

Today it rained, so Brazos and I stayed home all day. When it was time for his bottle I tried something that I saw at MOPS the other day. They had him in a swing with his bottle. Well we don't have a swing, but he does have a bouncer. I laid him in his bouncer with his bottle, and low and behold, he fed himself the whole bottle! I guess when you're left to fend for yourself you'll figure out what to do on your own.

M.O.P.S.

This morning Brazos and I went to Champion Fellowship for a M.O.P.S. meeting. I was very excited and so nervous, but as I drove up and saw the mommies carrying their little ones in, the jitters disappeared. Lots of new mommies came today and we had a great time meeting one another.

Brazos was in a room with about ten other little children close to his age. When I left him he was sitting in his carseat next a little girl named Natalie. Throughout the meeting, people would give us updates on how the kids were doing, and they said that all the kids were happy and no crying was going on.

Well, when I came to pick him up, I entered a room with lots of unhappy noises. I looked over at Brazos and he was happily swinging with a bottle in his hand, but as he heard other kids start to cry he let out some wimpers, too. Then when he saw mommy he smiled. As I was getting him in his car seat, a little girl named Olivia crawled over to me and raised her hands. So I picked her up to help sooth her until her mommy came. At first, Brazos looked at the two of us and gave a giggle. Then BAM...he let out a scream and turned red as a tomato and began to cry. I didn't know what to do!

Later, when we came home he was giving the sweetest coos and cuddling with mommy. Overall, I think he had a great time and was high on love from all the other little babies. We can't wait to go back in two weeks!

Astros Game

Brazos went to his first Astros game today! The Astros jersey and shorts he wore made him look like a true fan. He enjoyed the first seven innings and then decided to take a nap in his grandma's arms. During his awake time he yelled a few times, and if you understand baby talk you would know he was saying, "Go Astros!" The only thing he didn't like about the game was the cheering during a home run hit by Pence. Loud cheering always makes him scared (but I have to say when his little face turns red and he cries his hardest, he is still the cutest little man and you can't help but smile at him). Maybe one day he'll be batting at home plate!

Brazos Moments

Today I am going to try to start posting something magical (at least in mommy's eyes) that Brazos does each day. Here goes the first...

Brazos went with me to decorate my Sunday school room at church today. During a short break, demanded by Brazos, we both laid on the couch, eyes locked on one another with big smiles on our faces. It was a moment to remember.

In the later evening while Brazos was playing on the floor, I tried to do a few chores around the house. I left him on his back on a blanket. The next minute I walk by and he's on his tummy banging on the keyboard. I walk by minutes later and he's turned 180 degrees and trying to pull over his bouncy chair. Then more minutes pass and he's reaching for his ball in another dirction. I think my little man is becoming mobile!