Cutest bellhop I've seen

We are on a short road trip (here today, home tomorrow) to Indianapolis to go to the Children's Museum, which we've heard amazing things about AND they have a China exhibit for a bit!! Our hotel is beautiful and Bray is having a blast exploring!

Who needs water?

Lol :)

Few more pics

The straw that kept him busy....with the $20 toy on the tray ;)

Our little cowboy :)

Pool time while Sarah's boys had swim lessons

Pics not posted

The moving walkway before leaving for Texas. Bray was fascinated with it! :)

Home sweet home!

We had a great vacation!!! It was sooo great catching up with some of our travel group members (and seeing Maddi!!), meeting their wonderful families, and introducing Bray to more of his family!!

Brayden did pretty well for the first few days, and then started getting a little fussy and whiny. He had a slight cough when he woke up today, so that might explain part of it, but when we got him home and in his room I swear his smile was one of relief!!! He looked so happy to be back in his room!

He was awake for more of the flight home and was phenomenal!! We got three compliments on how well he did when we landed, two from the flight attendants!! Brayden looked super confused during take off, but went with the flow since we were fine. Again, all the toys we had prepared and he spent a good chunk of the time trying to get the straw back in the top of the cup slot from his apple juice from the drink cart! Whatever works!! Now, do I save the toys for the next flight so we have to go somewhere again soon, or just give them to him? ;)

Just so grateful for this amazing boy, and all our friends and family we got to see!!! Love y'all!!! :) :)

Better safe than sorry

After a monkey backpack and 2 carry-ons with new toys and snacks (and checked luggage with new toys for the return flight) for our two and a half hour flight to Austin, we were ready!!

We left at 2:40 so a bit later than Brayden's nap time, but after letting him walk all over the terminal, he was tired.

This AMAZING traveler fell asleep on daddy while we were waiting to board, woke for a bit as we buckled him into his seat, and for another 15 minutes to have a snack and that was it!!!

Where are we going next?!?! Maybe I should ask that after our return flight. ;)

Practicing!

The three of us are heading to Texas and the monkey backpack bought for the return trip from China filled with toys he never saw is being filled up again! Since Bray is walking now and we leave a bit after his nap oir plan is to try and keep him awake and walking around the airport. I put the backpack on to see how he would do and he was walking around like a champ! Brayden looked sooo cute, but sooo old! I kept laughing and getting sad since he looked like he was going into his classroom :( that day will be here before we know it *sob*

He likes his toys, but still finds non-toys more interesting so I went to the dollar store and wound up buying him measuring cups and spoons, cupcake liners, and a coupon holder to open and close and put notecards in ;) one of his therapists recommended playing with the air sickness bag and the emergency flier since it's laminated and usually a tri-fold so we can work on open and close. Should be some interesting flights! 

Why do I feel like the 2 hour flight is going to feel like a 13 hour flight?!?! ;)

Silly pictures

All of these pictures are also from MLK weekend, when Benson's sister (my awesome sister-in-law) was in town from California for a belated Christmas (and Brayden's dedication).  Bray fell in love with his Tita Bev, and she was able to get some GREAT pictures of him!!! :)

Our little hipster :)

A light stretch after breakfast ;)

Plotting....something!

Selfies!  Luckily, no one has taught him the duck face ;)

Hipster glasses with the Bruno Mars hat :)

Dedication

We had Brayden dedicated over Martin Luther King weekend, when Benson's sister was in town from California.  It's a quick addition to a regular service, but beautiful and very meaningful in that we dedicate Brayden to God and promise to teach him about Him, and then Brayden will decide when he wants to be baptized when he gets older and has formed that relationship with God. 

We absolutely love our church and Brayden did so well being held by Pastor Mike that when a different pastor started preaching, he said that Brayden should run classes to all the new babies on how to be dedicated. :) 

This picture was texted to me by our small group leader's wife, and her husband is the one in the striped shirt.  We loved that he was able to be up there with us! 

Summer haircut

"Why yes, that is a mega-block in my mouth."  Don't ask!

"That tickles!!"  Getting my hair buzz cut since my mom and dad are taking me to Texas soon!  Plus, I gotta look good when I see Maddi again!

Yes, we're going to Austin to visit Sarah, Maddi, and meet the rest of their family and then see Nora (her friend who travelled with while their hubbies stayed behind with the kids) and meet her family PLUS visit Benson's cousin.  The huge state of Texas and they all live about 15 minutes from each other.  Can't wait to introduce Bray to more of his family and catch up with our travel group friends.  The little girl who was adopted from Brayden's orphanage also lives really close in that area, but no one has their contact information.  It stinks!

So, if it's not food that Brayden holds in one (sometimes both) hand for awhile until HE says he is done with snack, then he has to have a toy in one hand.  Lately, the toy holding has extended to both hands, which makes it hard for him to do some things.  It's hilarious watching him decide which toy to put down when offered a snack, but on the way to his haircut last Friday Brayden had it all figured out!  Thanks Tita Bev for taking this great picture! :)

4th of July

Bray's first time eating corn on the cob.  He kept trying to bite the ends and would get mad at one of Benson's aunts, who is holding him, when she tried to fix it, but once he FINALLY realized she wasn't going to take it away, and it tasted better when she fixed it, he "allowed" it ;) 

Brayden stayed awake for fireworks and was snug in his stroller when they started.  He was amazed by them and just kept smiling (melted my heart because I LOVE fireworks)....until about halfway in when all of a sudden they got louder and he realized he was tired, but couldn't sleep with all the noise. 

I wanted a picture of him in his little lawn chair watching the fireworks so I could caption the picture, "Watching something made in my birth country here in my new home," but he wanted nothing to do with the chair. 

Water!!!!

His first time at the splash pad :)  He looks like he is controlling the water.  Brayden is magical!! :)  I told him all winter that it wouldn't always be like this, and I think he is finally starting to believe me. ;)

Pool party in Indiana July 12, as in yesterday.  The most updated pictures of our little Emperor :)  My aunt invited the family out and the weather cooperated, even if it was cloudy for most of the pool time.

I LOVE  that smile and can hear the giggle when I see it in pictures!! :)

In desperate need of a nap, but I'm loving every SECOND of my snuggle time with my little wiggle worm!

More birthday pictures...4 + months later!

 Are these not the cutest shoes in the world?!?!  Too bad they are a size 6 and Brayden is holding steady at a 5.  They are from his AJ (Aunt Jeannine) who promised to always buy him cool shoes as her duty as Aunt :)


So I've been wanting to update the blog for forever, especially once I got out of school and had more time, but my phone only lets me upload one picture at a time, and then I have to go to the computer or ipad to type descriptions (I know, feel real sorry for me Ha!).  Tonight I finally had the genius idea of transferring my phone pics to the computer.  Not all of them have come through, but since it's pretty easy I PROMISE to post more....if I/we even have anyone still checking.  Plus now that he is walking, he does not stop long enough to get a good picture, so I have a lot of videos of him that Blogger doesn't let me upload :(

Brayden LOVED these cars (Target!!) from our friends from church.  He doesn't really get how to work them (pull them back then let them go), but he loves when we do!! :)  Now that I think about it, he totally gets it, but just lets us do it.  That boy!! :)  Now that he's walking (can you tell I'm super happy, excited, and proud of this!), he'll stand in the way of the cars and CRACKS up if they hit him.  The second they stop rolling, he signs "more". 

This was at the Children's Museum in Naperville on his actual birthday.  Daddy had a great time building and Brayden had a great time drumming! ;)

Actually playing with them "correctly", but if he's happy, we're happy, and we want him to think outside the box :)

Brayden loves anything see through and is fascinated when he can see something, but can't touch it.

See saw fun with Momma.

Organizing beach toys. 

Find Brayden :)

Eating his first, authentically Polish made pierogi, made by one of my student's moms for Brayden's birthday party.  That family is so amazingly sweet!!! 

He loves splashing in the bath, loved his swim lesson, but this water table blew his mind!!! :) 

Bus driver

More see through things :)

Bongos!  If it's not water, music/making noise is another love.

 

Family picture after his birthday dinner (Chinese, of course!)

Touched

Benson got a text or email awhile ago from one of the mom's from our travel group saying she wasn't sure if she had ever shared this picture with us.  It was taken when I finally gave Benson a turn holding our new son on Gotcha Day.  I don't think any other words are needed!