Thursday, May 31, 2012

summertime

Dane loves to be outside. If he's fussy or bored, even just a few minutes outside seems to reset his system and puts him back into a cheerful mood. It's been that way from the day he was born. In Kentucky, it got HOT early but we've enjoyed a cool spell as of late. Even if it's hot as blazes, you'll find our little man playing outside. If there's water involved, even better!

playing outside with his Gran.
 Dane loves textures, so playing in the grass is always fun.
 could you not just bite every inch of him?!

 It may be the most awkward looking thing in the universe, but this form of crawling will actually get him places!

 Boys. Are. Dirty. Dane seeks dirt and can make even a clean activity into the messiest event.



 Our first mouthful of dirt. Yum!
 I left for about 30seconds to put the clothes from the washer into the dryer... and this is what I found. He loves the dogs' water dish.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

all growed up (10 months)

 Perry Dane,

You just might have grown faster this month than all the other months combined! You can move pretty quickly, as long as there is a piece of furniture for you to lean on. You move easily around the coffee table and ottoman and go back and forth from the couch to coffee table babbling as you go. You can say "dadada" and "yayaya" and in the last few days you've add "vavava". Momma is STILL wondering when you're going to add "mamama" to the mix! You give big, sloppy wet kisses and love on people by laying your sweet little head against their shoulder. You love to share your food with the puppies and have mastered the pincer grasp so you can easily pick up food and feed yourself. 

This month you spent your first night away from mommy and daddy at your Gooden Grandparents'. When we went to pick you up the next morning you gave us hugs and then wanted to go right back to your Gran! While it broke momma and daddy's hearts a bit, we were glad that you weren't scarred for life because we'd left you for the night... that made us look forward to doing it again! In just about ten days, you'll spend TWO NIGHTS away from us while we head to Florida to help the Prather Family move back to Kentucky. Papa J and Granna Pruitt are coming to your house to take care of you and the puppies. You're going to have so much fun!

After spending your first night away from us, you then spent your first Sunday church service in the nursery. Like, the WHOLE service!! We anxiously watched the big screens in the auditorium waiting for your number to show up, which means you need to be picked up. Towards the end of service Daddy leaned over and said, "He grew up this weekend." Boy, was he right. How did it happen so quickly? We've been watching you this whole time but it seems like you change in the blink of an eye.

You sleep so soundly at night, usually 11 hours or more. In the last two weeks you're even putting yourself to sleep in your bed with your favorite blankie. Momma nurses you until you're very sleepy and then you snuggle in and do the rest yourself. It's exciting to see, but also a little sad for momma because I can see you beginning to wean yourself. You still nurse a lot throughout the day but you LOVE to eat solid food too. We have yet to find anything you really don't like. Bread, crackers and tortillas seem to be some of your favorites. You also love yogurt and scrambled eggs and lots of different fruits and vegetables, especially watermelon, strawberries, bananas, sweet potatoes and squash. 

Your momma is afraid of a lot of things, but for some reason I never worried about you smothering on your crib bumper. Probably because you didn't move until around 7 months and didn't roll over until you were nearly 9 months. I took it out last week because I was afraid you were going to start using it as leverage to pull yourself up in your crib. You are so very smart and will work at something until you figure out how it fits into something else or how you can take it apart. The night I took out the bumper you got your chubby thigh stuck through the rail and I awoke to your panicked cry on the monitor at 2am... so we put the bumper back in and are hoping you learn how to pull your limbs back through the rails before we have to take it out again. 

You also received your first battle wound this month. The picture doesn't do it justice, but you fell out your wagon and scraped your nose and forehead on the concrete. For the record, the wagon wasn't moving, I had JUST put you in it and you leaned over to look at the tires on it. Thankfully I was standing right there and was able to grab your rolly little leg to keep the damage to your face at a minimum. Lesson learned: Dane can't ride in his wagon until he learns to SIT and keep all hands, arms and legs INSIDE the vehicle at all times. 

There is this wall decal I've seen on pinterest that reads: "boy; noise with dirt on it". That. Is. So. True. You can find a way to get dirty in the bathtub. Outside you want to dig in the sand, or dump water everywhere and splash in it. You get food ev.er.y.where when eating and we both end up wearing food most of the time. Some days I feel like a napkin! The louder you can be, the happier you are. Pounding things with your toy hammer, babbling at the top of your lungs, or singing/cooing until you fall asleep, I would not use the word quiet to describe you. :) Then again, you sit at home all day with the most talkative woman on the planet, so I guess I can't blame you for having something to say! 

You are loved to the moon and back...and back again! You complete our little family and your daddy and I are overwhelmed at how much we are able to love you. You bring joy to everyone who meets you. You're quite the entertainer, too, making faces and laughing at strangers in the grocery store and restaurants. When you were just a month old I read Jeremiah 1:5 for the first time. It says, "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world." I have prayed that this verse will be the verse that guides your life. Your Aunt Meagan made a beautiful frame for my birthday with this verse inscribed on it. So, I'm not the only one who sees how special  you are and believes that God will use--is using-- you to bring Him glory and make waves in His kingdom. 

I love you with all of my heart, precious boy. Now, seriously-- STOP growing! :)
Love,
Mommy and Daddy 

Monday, May 14, 2012

mother's day getaway

As an 16 year old, your top priority is looking cool. Thanks to my parents, namely a dad with a car fetish, I had that covered. I drove a cute little white convertible Mustang. Even with crank windows and cassette player, I was totally too cool for school. 

Birthdays are kind of a big deal in our family. The birthday person was always awoken with a song and presents and, for me, a cup of hot coffee in my favorite mug. The morning of my 17th birthday started out this way. My parents handed me a box and I ripped it open to find... pajamas?! What? I graciously accepted and hugged mom and dad, but if I'm being honest, I was thinking, "really? pajamas?"

That afternoon as I walked out to my car in the high school parking lot I noticed my driver's side window was down. I panicked thinking someone has broken into my car. As I slipped into the driver's seat I noticed a card... and a CD propped up on the gear shift. When I moved the card, a shiny new CD player stared back at me. My parents were the car theives, taking my car while I was in school and having the CD player installed. To this day, that's one of the best surprises they've ever pulled off. 

It had been nearly a month since my parents had gotten to see Dane. Near-daily facetime conversations just don't cut it and I missed them as much as they missed snuggling their little guy. Dad came up with this idea to surprise Mom at a cabin in the mountains in Asheville, NC for the weekend. It's closer than us having to drive the entire distance to their house and my sister and her husband could meet us there too. Now...we had to keep it a secret from Momma. Easy for Brynn and I... my dad is the worst spoiler of surprises EVER because he gets SOOOO excited! :) (Sorry, Dad, but it's true!)

Brynn and I spent the week planning what we'd bring and trying to think like Mom because she's the one who thinks to bring everything you don't think you're going to need. She's pretty good like that. Dad loaded up Dane's pack-n-play in the bed of his truck and covered it with moving blankets. The PNP stays at mom and dad's because Dane uses it when we're there. Little did we know, that would be our downfall. While helping Dad unload the truck Mom uncovered the PNP. She looked and Dad and asked, "What have you done?!" and then starting bawling. 

So, we were 20 minutes short of pulling off a pretty good surprise. Nonetheless, we had a great time at the Asheville Motor Lodge, a historic and rustic place nestled at the foot of the Blueridge Mountains. 

Meeting mom and dad at a delicious and authentic Baverian restaurant. Still thinking she has no idea we're coming... but she did!

Our rustic and humble abode.
 Delicious pizza at the Lexington Avenue Brewing Co.
 Dad has started microbrewing in his basement, so this was a research trip. :) Our favorites were the microbrews at LAB.
 Playing with Granna at lunch.
Love birds. Aren't they sweet?
 Park in downtown Asheville. Asheville is full of very interesting characters. I had heard that it was "weird" but it was almost culture shock to see that many hippies living in a park outside of NYC.
 This is how we know his mouth hurts.
 Let the games begin! Playing with papa.



Giving Papa kisses. :)

 Loving on Auntie Brynn
 and Granna, too!
 Dane is a good little traveler, sleeping as well as a baby can be expected to sleep when he's out of his element.He ended up in our bed both nights but seemed to sleep pretty well and adapted well to napping while out and about. He's such a precious boy giving away lots of big, sloppy, open-mouth kisses. :) It's always hard for Momma to say goodbye, but Dane likes to leave with a smile.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Pileup

I take so many photos of this sweet boy that they start piling up and forgot which ones I've sent to family. So, by dumping them here I know everyone gets to see them.

This big boy has the sweetest personality. He's starting giving kisses and hugs and, as you can imagine, that melts both of his parents into big heaping puddles. :)

Enjoy!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

shutterbug

My parents got me a Canon Rebel for my birthday in March and I LOVE it. It helps having THE world's most photogenic baby living in your home too. :) 

I never got a baby book for Dane... and I'm about six years behind on my scrapbooking, so I post most of these pictures and stories to remember for him. So, privilege reader, indulge me while I brag on my boy. 

"Ooo, mama, that flash is bright!"
 That's better. :)
 Dane's new favorite way to play is standing up, leaning on something. He loves the coffee table... and anything you may have forgotten to put out of arm's reach. :)


 He wants to come to you but is still a little hesitant.

 Aaaand with that, this photoshoot is finished. Daddy turned on the Cards came and someone got distracted. :)


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

a teething baby's breakfast

Dane is eating less and less pureed baby food and wanting more and more "people food". :) He loves putting those two little teeth in action. With tooth #3 trying to break through, he enjoyed munching on his first whole strawberry. 





I earned another nomination in the Mom of the Year category with this teeth. I wish I didn't spend the whole first day he's teething wondering why in the WORLD he's so cranky. Just like the last time, it was late that afternoon before I noticed a little white line on his upper gums. Duh! That's why he's been a pill all day. Poor thing. 

The few days are the hardest. This time he seemed to get relief from munching on frozen washcloths and teething rings and cold fruit. I try to only give Tylenol if nothing else is working. We save it for right before bed so he can get good rest. The corner has finally come through the skin and he's feeling much better. 


I saw this on pinterest the other day and laughed out loud. Truer words have never been spoken.