Braden's Blog

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Playdate

I am so thankful for all my friends. We try and get together every week for a playdate. Sometimes at the park, other times at someone's house. I am one of five babies that was born last year in our small group from church. I am actually the baby of the group, but I think I outweigh some of them! Maybe I shouldn't admit that! God has really blessed my mommy and daddy to with all their friends they have met from all over! Here I am in the swing for the first time!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Around the world in 80 days

WOW! Well I have been neither around the world, nor travelled for eighty days, but it sure feels like it! I have lots to share with you! Mommy and Daddy have been lugging me all across the country the past few weeks. Of course you know we went south to Alabama and Destin, but that was just the beginning. I have been to Nashville, TN actually two weekends in a row. First we met Nana and Grandfather so he and Daddy could go to a Moody Blues concert and I got to spend some QT with Nana. That was so special! She rocked me to sleep~ something I could definitely get used to! The following weekend we were back out there for Mommy and Daddy to run a race. However, Daddy wasn't feeling good at all so Mommy had to run by herself. Can you believe she went 13.1 miles and could have taken me with her in a stroller and she didn't? But I got to meet her at the finish line. Then Mommy, Aunt Rachel and me went to Jacksonville, FL to see one of my Aunt Jennifers (I have two, one is living in Africa for a year!) She is going to have a baby in December. So that means I will either have a new best friend or a wife. I'm told there is an arranged marriage already planned. I also met my great grandma and grandpa Grubb for the first time! It was a very special day! My travels didn't end there. I came home for a couple days and packed again to head to the coast... the Pacific coast!! I went to San Fransico! I had the time of my life (except for the usual meal time and bath time!) You name it, I've seen it! Fisherman's Warf, Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, Napa Valley and Yosemite! I made lots of new friends! We were on a five hour (one way- mommy and daddy didn't know that when they booked the tour) bus tour to Yosemite and everyone around me started singing my favorite nursery rhymes. I think they were trying to keep me from crying- and it worked, they were quite entertaining actually! This weekend I am going to see my Mamae and Papa Don. I haven't see them since I was two days old! Then we are going to stay at home for awhile and take lots of naps. I've had a busy few weeks! I have a few personal accomplishments I am a little proud of... I got my arms and legs to work together to crawl... and forward too! And what has a green face, green shirt and green hands? ME after eating green beans! Yup! I have had my share of green beans and squash and today I tried applesauce! Hello taste buds! (But Mommy don't get too far away- I still need you!) So there is my story for this chapter! I hope all my family and friends are doing well! Talk soon!

Here are a few of my favorite pics! Me and Mommy on the plane. I survived nine hours on planes, 10 hours on a motorcoach, and countless trips on cable cars, public buses and trains! Me and Daddy at the Golden Gate Bridge. While in Chinatown, one must have egg rolls. Lower Yosemite Falls. Mommy and Daddy's favorite spot, Seal Rock at Land's End. (I am the one under the blanket!)

Friday, April 4, 2008

A Little Sand, A Little Sun

I just got back from my first trip to the beach and wanted to share a few pictures with you. Daddy had business in Mobile, Al and we went down a few days early and visited the Gulf Coast. We stayed in a log cabin for a few nights before heading to the big city of Mobile. I had lots of fun! Daddy lugged my pac~n~play all over... in the cabin, on the beach, up on the pier. He got to fish and even cought a couple things! Mommy tried to enjoy the beach, and she did, but I definitely got more attention from her than the waves did! I saw some dolphins! And Sand! What a neat thing. It feels kinda rough, but slips through your fingers like water! I am also trying cereal again. I'm almost seven and a half months, so its time. Enjoy the pics!

Monday, March 24, 2008

Hoppy Easter!

Ok, that was corny, but Mommy made me say it!

I hope you had a Happy Easter as we celebrated the resurection of our Lord!

Here's a few pics from me first Easter! I was dressed in my first suit. Maybe I shouldn't admit this but it was a 12 month outfit and I had to suck in my tummy and hold my breath for these pics. The dress shirt was a little tight! Fashion can be painful!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Welcome to my hometown! This weekend I visted two of the ATL's hotspots...

the Varsity and the World of Coke!

I didn't get a chance to meet the "real" polar bear, so I was happy enough to meet this big guy. Sing along with me... "I'd like to give the world a coke..."

Just one of my new tricks. Why sit up and play with the toys when I can just lay here and move the whole thing? I'm really starting to get around now. I can push myself backwards, but Mommy and Daddy put toys in front of me and I just get farther and farther away from them. One of these days, in the not to distant future, I'm going to be crawling forward and really going places!

We tried some cereal a couple weeks ago. It was a big deal and I had fun with it. But that only lasted a few days. I just don't think my tummy was ready for it! I'm completely satisfied with just me and mommy and I am definetly not having any weight loss. (I was 22lbs and 28 1/2 inches at my six month check up!) I'll be seven months next Monday, so maybe we will try again soon!
I met some wonderful people this weekend! This is my Uncle Preston and Aunt Sara. Well, he is like a brother to my mommy and daddy, so he might as well be like an uncle to me! And Sara is his girlfriend!

And to top off a great weekend, I met my Uncle Jim! He is really my great uncle, but lets not make him feel too old! He is mommy's unlce from NY! He surprised us all with a visit for the weekend. We went to the park, and the Varsity and the World of Coke and sat by the pool and had a cook out with the whole family, Unlce Preston and Aunt Sara, too! Daddy made his famous chicken wings and I of course was the entertainment!

Till next time!

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Picture this

Here are a few snapshots

Whats a kid gotta do to get some food around here?

Unless you are on the Grubb side of the family, you might not recognize this lion pillow. My Mommy remebers it being on the bed at my great grandma Grubb's cottage when she was little. We need to ask her how old this pillow is.

If I were a thug, this would be my mug shot

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Me

I know it has been such a long time. Life is busy in this big world when you are only a few months old. In fact I will be six months old on Sunday Feb 24! Here are a few of the highlights since my last update...
I already have one tooth and Mommy just discovered I am working on my second one. Yup, the bottom two are the first. This new bouncey seat is my absolute favorite. I can jump and fly and spin around anywhere Mommy and Daddy stick me.
I know this is a little behind the times, but here is a little quiz for you... At my four month check up, which do you think weighed more... A. four 5lb bags of sugar, B. two 10lb dumbells, C. Me, or D. all the same. Correct answer: D. I was off the charts for weight and height! I did really well with my shots, too! Afterward Mommy took me to see the new Veggie Tales movie. Actually, she wanted to go, I just went along for the ride!
Speaking of Mommy, guess what she did? She quit her job! She is home withme right now. SHe will probably do something part time, but just not as stressful and time consuming. I am so happy to be with her everyday. I am also helping her with a new business idea. She wants to start a cake business. Infact, she has already started. Its called Takes the Cake. She has made baby shower cakes, Christmas party cakes, birthday cakes and even a wedding cake! Keep her in your prayers. If this works well maybe she won't haveto go back to another job! Till next time...

Take My Hand

Little moments with little ones can turn into huge life lessons. Braden's new game is the perfect example. He has put two and two together. If there is something that he wants but can't reach, he has discovered that he can take someone's hand and walk them to what he wants and they will probably get it for him. It reminds me of how I approach God sometimes, "Lord, let me show you what I want. Now, can I please have it?" There is also certain words, or word-like sounds, that accompany Braden's directing... "come on," and "get it." Sound familiar? There are times when Braden wants a book or his favorite toy and I gladly reach it for him. Then there are other times when he is asking for one more cookie or a sharpie marker to color with. Those are the times when I say, "lets find something else." The Word says, "we have not because we ask not," and "ask and you shall recieve." And thank you Lord I can approach the throne of grace with confidence. But next time I am tempted to seek Your hand for what you can get me, help me to remember to seek Your face and what you want for me!

A Special Relationship

There are so many ideas out there on God's relationship with children and babies. Of course there are scriptures that tells us that Jesus desired to spend time with the children in the new testament. We have also heard the stories that pull on our heartstring about children who said they have seen Jesus and angels soon before dying. As I was holding Braden the other day, he looked away and his gaze shifted up like something caught his attention up above him. Now some may argue that it was the ceiling fan that he noticed, I think there is more to it than that. I belive that God would not create a being that he could not communicate with. If we were created for a relationship with God, why would God bring a life into this world and not be able to communicate with it until it was old enough to speak words? Well, I am no theologian, but I do believe that God can speak and reveal Himself to his children. Even if they can't communicate with him with words like you and I! It must be one special bond! And to think He loves all of us that way!

Complete Joy

My son is the best baby in the world! OK, well I might be a little biased. We have been truly blessed with a child that is well natured, colic free and easily distracted. However, he is still a baby and that means he can scream and cry with the best of them. One minute he can be playing and laughing, doing all those cute baby expressions, two seconds later the exteme opposite! Why? Because I laid him in his crib for a nap that I knew he needed. Some of you with babies in your life know that cry I am referring to. That one that you know nothing is really wrong, but baby is saying, "what, I thought we were going to play. Please pick me up and rock me. You don't want me to fall asleep all by myself in this crib in this big empty room." The lip puckers out, the face turns red and the tears start pouring. If I were to give in right then and pick him up, the crying would cease immediately and out would pop a smile. But I know that my little man is tired and needs his sleep. So I leave for a few minutes. Usually (but not always) he is out within ten minutes. When he awakes, that big smile has returned and its playtime again! He has totally forgotten his screaming session a short time ago. The lesson for me? I can have highs and lows like this too. No, not at nap time, I would welcome that with a smile! But when things don't go my way. It maybe the little setbacks during the day or the big surprises on the road of life. Whatever it is, I must remember: Just as I know when to play with my baby and when he needs a nap more than he does, God as my Heavenly Father knows what I need more than I do! He wants my joy to be complete all the time, not just when things are going my way. Today I need the joy of the Lord to be my strength!

Greener Pastures

Why is it that we are never happy where we are! We always want something more, something different! I have never seen this more illustrated than with my little guy. I lay out the blankets, pull out all the bright colored and fun toys and sit back and watch. Does he want those toys? No. Does he stay on the blanket that I put down for him? No. In his opinion, there most be something better just off the edges of the blanket. And who wants toys when I might be able to find a cord or remote or some other item that's not "baby approved." Well, who else does that sound like? Me? You? God puts us where he wants, because it is His will and because he knows its good for us. Trust Him, that He has you where you are to teach you something until you are ready to move on to the next stage. There will be a day, in the not too distant future, when that blanket and those toys won't be appropriate for Braden any longer, and we will move to the next stage. God will move us to the next phase when he knows we are ready. Everything Braden does is just a phase. Good or bad they only last a little while. So wherever you are, if you feel like you want more, wants something different, or just don't like what you are doing, just remeber, "this too shall pass," and God will bring you into the next chapter shortly!

Good Friday was more than good!

This was Braden's first Easter! What a special service we attended! Our church hosted a Tenebrae service on Good Friday. For those of you who may not be familiar (like myself until Friday night) it isn't your usual happy and upbeat service. Its a dark (literrally) and sorrowful service intended to recreate the emotion of our Savior's death. Then on Sunday morning we praise and celebrate the Risen Lord! On Friday night we took Braden, not really knowing what to expect. We got there a little late (or right on time, depending on how you look at it.) I didn't even have time to ask if they were having a nursery before we were directed in to light a candle in front of the santuary, representing each one of us (3!) So Braden joined us in the sanctuary, for a silent service. I wasn't sure how long he was going to last. But God used this as a lesson for me! With a little thanks to Justin for rocking Braden in his carseat for a full 45 minutes, Braden was silent the whole time! He was mezmorized by the glittering candle light in the dark sanctuary and the touching music that was sung. He truly did not make a sound throughout the entire service. And the Spirit asked me a question, what might I hear from God if I were completely silent, meditating on Him for a full 45 minutes? How often can we do that? I know I would have just as hard a time finding 45 quite minutes in a dayas you would, but if we made the effort, what a spiritual reward there might be. Now Braden may not have known what was really going on, but God can use him and I know He has a special relationship with His children no matter their ages. He wants to spend the quality quiet time with us. He has something to tell us that we won't hear unless we are quiet. That "still small voice" may not be heard over the sound of the ipod, cell phone or tv. So maybe we can all search for that quiet few minutes to hear from our Savior!

This Month's Lesson- March

I'm sure you have all heard that commercial with the tag line, "What's in your wallet?" Well, I have a revised version, "Whats under your crib?" Don't worry, the answer is not the boogey man or dust bunnies!
As I was rocking my precious son the other day, I noticed a something under his crib. It was a toy that he had recieved as a gift before he was even born. He was not old enough to play with it yet, so I was sotring it for him until he was ready. He had no idea that it was there nor the amount of fun he would have playing with it. I knew that I would give it to him when I thought he could use it. Besides when your just a few months old, there is only so many things you can do at one time. What fun would it be to have all the toys at one time? Then the thought hit me...
That is just how we are in our relationship with God. As our Heavenly Father, He knows how to give us good gifts (His words, not mine). He gives us things when we need them and when we are ready. What fun would it be if He gave us everything right away, or even when we thought we wanted it? He knows what's best and every good and perfect gift comes from Him (again, His words!) So who knows what God has planned for those who love him, or what he has hidden under our beds to suprises us when He knows we are ready for a gift!

Greetings

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