Brayden's 5 Month Update

It is official Brayden is a mover and a shaker!! He is so alert to all of his surroundings and is a bundle of craziness. We believe he is between 15 and 16 pounds, we will know for sure when he goes back for his 6 month well baby check. This last month has brought us so much joy in watching him grow and change and we can't wait for what is in store in the upcoming months!

-You have outgrown most of your 3 month clothing
-You are sleeping thru the night..only waking a up a few times for paci
-You are sitting up all by yourself
-Mornings are still your most happiest time
-You love you fruits, except for prunes
-You can really move around in your walker..and torment the dog at the same time
-Learning to crawl is becoming your biggest mission at the moment
-You are very talkative
-You are a BIG flirt

Sunday Suppers

Well I am starting something new in our family!! We are usually so busy and always on the move, Brad and I decided no matter what unless he was working that we were always going to try to have a Sunday dinner here at home with me cooking. I love to cook I just really haven't gotten the chance to do it much lately since Brayden was born. With that I thought it would also be a great way to share some recipes! Hope you enjoy them if you decide to try them!! :)

Bacon-Swiss BBQ Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
26 oz bottle of barbecue sauce
6 slices bacon, halved and crisply cooked
6 slices Swiss cheese

Place chicken in a slow cooker; cover with barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. Arrange 2 stripes halved bacon over each piece of chicken; top with cheese slices. Cover and cook on high setting until cheese melts, about 15 minutes.

Brayden's 4 Month Update

Well we reached the 4 month point last Saturday and we just can't get over the burst of energy and development he has reached. He has been rolling over since he was 3 1/2months old, but in the last few weeks he has just amazed us! He is now up to 13lbs and 23 inches long. We can't believe that you are 1/3 of the way to being One!! You have learning some awesome things, but you are also teaching us every step of the way..Brayden you are truly a blessing!

This past month...
-You have rolled from your back to belly and belly to back (you are slowly enjoying tummy time)
-You are most happiest in the mornings when you wake up
-You have tried eating apples and baby oatmeal
-You are offered 4 to 6 ounces at a time
-You have sat in your high chair (only during your spoon feedings)
-You can recognize your name
-You reach for things and can hold on to things like a champ
-You love sleeping on your side or belly
-You some how manage to escape from your swaddle on some nights (maybe it is time to retire the swaddle)
-You love to blow bubbles and raspberry noises
-You are beginning to put EVERYTHING in your mouth..toys, fingers even your hand when you can get it to fit
-You can scream like nobody's business...your daddy says you have your momma's temper
-You are most ticklish on your belly and sides
-Your laugh is indescribable
-You are a snuggle bug

You have changed so much and it is so hard to believe! Momma and Daddy love you to pieces!

Our Smoky Mountain Vacation

Well we are back from our vacation and slowly but surly getting everything unpacked. It is amazing how much more stuff you have when you are vacationing with a child! It was nice to just get away and not worrying about Brad being at work or appointments, getting to sleep in and just spending time with family. We did alot of walking, shopping and eating!! We even went to see the new Titanic Muesum in Pigeon Forge...it was really awesome! It was also just awesome to be with Brayden he has been changing so much and it was nice to just slow down and savor everyday with him, we can't wait to go back next year!! There will be much more to pack and much more to do! Here are a few of our photos...enjoy!

3 month update!

Wow time is really going by so fast!! I can't believe that Brayden is already 3 months old, he is growing up way to fast. He doesn't head back to the doctor until the middle of October..but the last time he was weighed back at the beginning of September he was 11lbs. We can tell everyday that he seems to get longer, but I think his weight is finally starting to catch up to him. He also has found his hands and feet and loves to play with them! He loves to talk and smile and when he wakes up in the morning that is when he has the biggest smile on his face!! A couple of weeks ago he started to sleep in his crib...thanks to his Uncle Josh!! He doesn't last the whole night in there but he does sleep thru the night without waking up to eat, so we will take whatever we can get! We are also getting ready for our first family vacation...we are really excited to show Brayden the Smokey Mountains! We will be sure to post as may pictures as we can when we get back..but for now here are a few from this past month.

Family Time

Last week a bunch of my family came into town to get my cousin Laura set up at her dorm at Radford..she is a freshman in college, I can't believe it!! And this also ment Brayden got to meet more of his family and his new cousin Chloe!! Chloe was born 2 weeks before him..by surprise! We had so much fun catching up and I love when all of them come into town...especially the younger ones that I have watched grow up. And now that Laura has moved from the DC area down here hopefully we will see a lot more of them!! :)

Chloe Jane and William Brayden

Caroline, Aunt Carolyn and Brayden

Paul and Todd

Laura and Brayden

Claudia and Brayden

Cezanne and Brayden

Jennifer and Chloe

2 month update!

Well it has been a few weeks since I have posted something...it is just so hard to get on here now a days. Brayden is doing fantastic!! He is up to 10lbs, 7oz and 22 inches. His personality is really starting to show...he loves the outdoors we sit on the front porch a lot! His smile really lights up his face and he loves to just talk to you. His eyes are a deep shade of blue and I just loving looking into them day after day. We can tell that he is going to be a very active little boy, his little legs are always moving. He is starting to sleep thru the night without waking up for a feeding, now we just have to get him to lay in his crib. Here are few pics that we captured this month..hope you enjoy them.

July Ending...

Well July is now ending, but so many other things have been happening! Brayden is now 6 weeks old...I can't believe it!! He was up to 9lbs and 1 oz at his baby well check, he loves to eat!! He got to meet his other great grandparents on there 50th wedding anniversary last weekend and he also had a new friend born into the world this week..Miss Marian Elizabeth. Here are a few of the pictures from the past couple of weeks..hope you enjoy!!

Brayden visiting daddy at work

Playing on his activity mat!

Looking at his cute self!!

Smiling for Granny Lou

Sitting with PawPaw Bud!

Celebrating 6 weeks!!

Brayden and Marian

Brayden's Newborn Photoshoot

We had the honor again to have Beth Ann come back into our home to shoot Brayden's newborn photos and she did such a wonderful job. He was a little fussy in the beginning, but after another ounce of milk he settled down. We had so much with these shots and hope to have her do them again when he is 3 months!! Here are just a few of the shots, we hope you enjoy looking at them as much as we do! :)

Fouth of July Weekend

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!! We spent our first 4th of July with Brayden at the lake house for a week and had a wonderful time! He saw his first fireworks & went on his first boat ride..but of course slept right through them. He also got his feet wet in the lake with daddy. Brayden also met one of his great grandmothers..and she couldn't get enough of him. She wanted to take him home with her! It was really great to see her spend time with him!! Brayden is her 13th great grandchild, and me being the youngest of her grandchildren it was just a wonderful moment!! Here are some photos from the week, we hope you enjoy them!! :)

Welcome William Brayden Bryant

Well I can't believe that Brayden is finally here!! Our son is the most precious little angel and we couldn't be more in love! He is a very healthy eater, sleeping during the night he is getting better at. He only cries when it comes to having his diaper changed...he has a very healthy set of lungs that we are sure of!
Bradley has been amazing!! I couldn't ask for a better husband and father! He is very involved he changes most of Brayden's diapers and doesn't mind giving me a break if I need one!

I won't go into the heavy details of Brayden's birth..only to say that I did experience the pain with out an epidural, but for only a couple of hours and then I had to give in! Dr. Keene came in and broke my water around 12pm on Tuesday and by 3pm I sure did need something. I was in active labor for almost 15 hours and pushed for 3 of those hours. He finally made his appearance at 2:41am on Wednesday,June 16th. Brad and I have so much enjoyed being parents to this wonderful and happy baby and we can't wait for what's to come!! :)

39 Weeks

Well we have made it to 39 weeks and this will be the last photo that we post as me preggers!! We had our weekly appointment on Friday and everything thing looks great, Brayden was up in size to 6lbs 11oz! She speeded up my dialation process a little and we then we discussed if he wasn't here over the weekend then we would go into the hospital on Tuesday morning for induction!! YAY!!!! We have been so ready for the day to get here and with all the other crazy things that have been going on..we consider it such a blessing!

Brad and I cannot believe that by the end of this week we will be holding our precious son!! We can't wait to meet you William Brayden!! :)