blowing raspberries

We've got video (with sound) I've been playing around trying to learn how to edit our video and get it posted to the blog and I think I've got it figured out.

Brendan learned a new trick this weekend that he's quite proud of - blowing raspberries. He also thinks its very funny when we do it too.




Our little boy is growing up so fast

He also learned how to get from his stomach to a sitting position and he's trying so hard to crawl but usually ends up farther away from where he's trying to go. He has figured out how to get around by going from his tummy to sitting position and back to tummy and when he keeps repeating this he can move accross the room. Since he's mobile now, we're tring to get the playroom setup so that he has a carpeted room to romp around in. Brendan was playing in his crib after waking from a nap and I left him in his crib while I cleaned up a few things in his room. When I turned around, he had pulled himself up to a standing postion - so we lowered his crib mattress down.






One of Brendan's favorite toys is his leapfrog activty table - he's getting better at standing up to play with it though most of the time we take off 2 of the legs so that he can play with it sitting down. He loves all the different musical sounds that it makes and all the levers and buttons that move - this toy keeps him entertained for quite a long time.

Brendan meets more grandparents

Brendan is spoiled by having many grandparents - he has 4 grandmas and 3 grandpas. Grandpa Brown and Grandma Betsy came out for the week from Michigan to meet their grandson. Brendan had a great time hanging out with them and especially likes Grandpa's beard.

6 month stats and other updates

We just got back from the pediatrician's office and Brendan checked out healthy. He got 5 shots and only cried when he got the last one but recovered in a few minutes. He's slowing down for height, catching up for head size and remaining steady for weight.

height: 26.5 inches, 50%
weight: 20 pounds 10 ounces, 90%
head: 17.5 inches, 50%

Feeding update

Brendan is taking a bottle! We've struggled for the past few months trying to get Brendan to take a bottle and its always been a battle. On his 6 month birthday, he decided it was time to switch and been consistantly taking the bottle easily since. This means freedom for me and Rob and Nicole can participate in the feedings.

We're continuing to try more foods and most have gone over well so far:

yum list: rice cereal, carrots, apples, peas
yuck list: sweet potatoes

Brendan is getting mobile

He keeps doing better and better with sitting up. He's also getting very good at pulling up to a standing position while holding onto your hands or other things that are placed low enough for him to reach. He's trying really hard to crawl getting up on his knees and rocking but gets frustrated when he moves farther away from where he's trying to go.

Future drum player

Brendan's latest favorite activity is to bang on pots and pans.

Rob and I went on our first evening date since Brendan was born (our first date out alone was to an afternoon movie). We went to the Chris Isaak concert with Therese (one of Rob's coworkers) while Grandma Brown babysat.

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July. My mom came out from LA to spend the long weekend with us and Rob's mom joined us on the 4th. With temperatures over a 100 and the pool finished, we spent a lot of the weekend in the pool. Rob fired up the grill for the first time and cooked us some yummy burgers and dogs. Because Brendan doesn't like loud noises especially when he's tired we decided to skip watching fireworks this year.

Happy Half Birthday Brendan!

Today Brendan is 6 months old.

Its amazing how much he has changed.

• He's sitting up really well on his own and can sit and play with his toys a long time this way. He can't pull himself up to a sitting position and does fall backwards sometimes so we have to pull him up every once in awhile. Now that he can sit up, he can sit in the shopping cart seat and highchairs at restaurants - so much easier and he loves it.
• He's a lot more mobile these days. He can roll over both ways and while he's not crawling, he can move backwards when he's on his tummy. We have to keep an eye on him since he doesn't just stay in one place anymore.
• He loves to play with his toys (and especially things that aren't toys like the phone or remotes) and puts everything in his mouth. He now gets upset if you take a toy away. He also really likes toys that make noises - his favorite toy right now is a baby einstein block that quacks like a duck.
• He has a fascination with glasses of water and water bottles. If we have one in our hand while carrying him, he has to hold it. He likes to feel the icewater in his mouth but doesn't swallow it. He also likes to play with cups and has recently discoverd that he can make a lot of noise if he 'talks' into a cup.
• He loves to eat his rice cereal which we're feeding him twice a day. We tried sweet potatoes this week but he decided he didn't like them and clamped his mouth shut. We'll try a different vegetable this weekend.
• He loves the water - he loves to splash in his baths and loves it when we take him in the pool. Next week we start swimming lessons.
• He's a flirt - he will smile and giggle at girls of all ages. He always gets lots of attention when we're out running errands.
• He's around 20 pounds (we'll get the exact numbers when we go for the 6 month appointment on the 10th) and wearing size 12 month clothing.
• He's not sleeping very well at night like he did from 2 to 4 months but we're working on that and hopefully that will get better soon.

new pool toy

With temperatures over 100, we've been spending a lot of time in the pool. Brendan got a new pool toy this weekend that he loves

Here's a photo from Cassie's birthday party last week showing them both in their polo wear - Rob and Cassie's mom are cousins so that makes them second cousins (or something like that?). Its challenging to get a 6 month old and a 1 year old to pose for a picture together.

I made my first cake this weekend since Brendan was born (besides the cupcake cake that I made for Rob's birthday) - it was black russian with chocolate Kahlua glaze, yum!

Happy Father's Day

In honor of father's day, today's post will be pictures of Rob and Brendan:

Splish Splash

Our pool is finally complete and today we took Brendan in for his first swim

sitting up like a big boy

This past week Brendan has mastered sitting up (though he hasn't yet learned how to pull himself into the sitting position).

Sometimes he gets excited and starts to kick his feet which causes him to fall backwards.

He's very good at rolling from back to front but hasn't learned yet how to roll front to back though he keeps trying. Hopefully he will learn this soon because he rolls over in the middle of the night and I have to go in and roll him back.

Now that he can roll, he sleeps on his side or tummy.

take me out to the ball game

Brendan's first baseball game - Diamondbacks vs NY Mets (although Brendan was rooting for the San Diego Padres). The game was a group event with Rob's department at Pulte.