Keeps Getting BETTER!

Delightful. It is the best word to describe this child right now. This baby is just nothing but DELIGHTFUL lately! He has definitely turned over a new leaf here in his ripe old age of NINE MONTHS! I think we have FINALLY figured him out and have him comfortable with life. Don't get me wrong, he has ALWAYS been nothing but pure joy, but I was always feeling a bit defeated and discouraged that I couldn't get him on a great sleeping pattern and keep him moving through the day happily. It has taken us a good NINE months to get to this PERFECT place of peace and contentment.

I think the turning point has been the sleep habits. I read FIVE different books, finally finding the MAGIC potion for success in this one, "Sleeping Through the Night." It was a gradual process with immediate rewards right away and each day getting better and better. It was gentle and sensible and Brayden is reaping the rewards.

It's so funny. I never had to read any "sleeping" books with the older boys. They were great sleepers from the very start. They basically did what I wanted them to do, no problem. Yes, Brayden has taken a little more brain power, but we GOT IT! And he actually giggles and smiles when we put him in his crib now. He ENJOYS a good rest as much as the rest of us now. AHHHHH. Makes him so much happier throughout the day.

He's got some other cute things going on at this age too. Probably the newest and cutest is his waving. He waves at his little glow sea horse when we leave his room after his naps. He waves at me in the mirror. He waves at his brothers, the neighbors, anything! I love that his little brain tells him to wave when he thinks it necessary.

Well, that's not quite a "waving" picture, but just look at the length of those fingers! CRAZY! Maybe a future basketball/piano player? He's also been a little dancer lately. Most of the time he is bopping up and down to the music playing in the background in the house throughout the day. Sometimes I catch him moving and grooving to whatever is going on in his head I guess! He definitely has some grooving skills:) It's especially fun to watch while he's in the jump up thingy.

He is super social and can't get ENOUGH of being out and about and around people. We went to Iggy's for a Valentine's Eve family meal and he was turned almost all the way around in his high chair grinning and "chatting" with the people at the table next to us. He jabbers a ton and enjoys anyone paying him attention to what he has to say. Love it!

I also love that he is at that EASY age where he can stay happy with any random item I happen to give him. Or anything the boys give him (like this girl-y hair band). You know, whatever happens to be close by, a sock (clean of course), a piece of ribbon, a packaged scrapbook supply (he loves the plastic-y sound). Just anything. He will stay happily entertained with a plastic cup for twenty minutes. LOVE this!


I am a little bugged that we are on the down hill stretch to this boy's first birthday though. What happened to this year?! He is getting way too big.

I have his nine month well check exam scheduled for this week. It will be interesting to see what his measurements will be. I feel like he is starting to thin out a bit. He is still a BIG, SOLID boy, but he has more length to him now and doesn't seem quite so chunky and dead weight.

One thing's for sure, he is still a little heart breaker! I love, LOVE everything about him. I just can't seem to get enough! It just keeps getting better and BETTER!