Strolling Downtown

Living here in ElDorado is wonderful because we have all of our friends and family here, plenty of people to love on and spoil Brody. But I must admit, there reeeaally isn't that much to do here...other than visit family, of course. There is one thing that I really enjoy doing though - I love to put Brody in his stroller and stroll around on our neat little square downtown. The bakery, the children's boutiques, the dress shops, the pharmacy...makes me just feel like I live in one of quaint little neighborhoods you see on TV. The kind with the cute houses with the white picket fences and little sidewalks........

Anyway, Brody and I met Mom and Brooke downtown yesterday and did just that. We stopped in LaBella's and got some peanut butter fudge that was to die for...

We also stopped in front of the bakery for a fall photo-op.

After our relaxing morning downtown, we went back to our house for a little bit to let Brooke and Brody play.

It was such a fun morning!! But we also had a fun evening.....I will try to post about that tomorrow!!!

Our Friday

We had a fun day Friday. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a fun fall day at home. The best kind, really.

After we ate our waffles, I did a little laundy, while Brody did a little table drumming. And he was getting after it! I wish so badly that my digital camera took video. I hate getting out our regular video cam.

He played most of the morning, while I finished cleaning, then it was nap time. Getting veeerry sleeeepy.....

Bedtime and naptime hasn't been going as well the last few nights. I swear, this kids sleep pattern in so inconsistant. He wants in his bed, but as soon as I leave the room he freaks. So, I stay in and rub his back until I think he is asleep. This has lasted for 30 minutes sometimes. Oh, and I thought most kids slept all night every night by this age. Guess I was wrong. He will go a week or 2 sleeping all night, then wake up once a night for a week. And I have made the mistake of just putting him in our bed when he wakes up. I know what you are thinking - that's her mistake!!! I know, I know. But that's the fastest way for us all to get back to sleep. So, whatever works right?

After naptime and lunch, we decided that the yard had dried out enough from the rain the day before to play outside for a while. Who wants to be stuck in the house on a nice fall day with temps in the 60's. Not Brody, for sure!!! Well, when I felt that cool breeze, all I could think of was all those ear infections from last year. So, I grabbed a jacket...with a hood...and zipped him up.

After about 5 minutes of playing, I realized that I had gone a little overboard, and let him at least take the hat off. He was very grateful, I can assure you. I don't know how I am going to keep hats on his head this winter.

Once the hat was off, it was like he could function again, and he went right to digging in the rocks.



And then proceeded to throw the rocks in the huge mudhole in our driveway.

At the rate he was going, I thought he was going to fill the hole up! I was hoping anyway....
When he started getting a little too close to the mudhole for my liking, I loaded him (and the soccer ball) up in the wagon, and we went to get the mail.

He pulled the wagon on the way back.


Peek-A-Boo!!!!!

I asked him to smell the pretty green "flower"...and what does he do???
Just rips it right off and smells it!!!!!!



Moving on to the trucks........

As much as he loves ba-ball (baseball) and oot-ball (football), I think soccer might be his sport of choice. He loves to chase it around the yard, kicking it as he goes. .....Until he kicks it right into the shrubs.....

Nursery Changes and Homecoming Parade!!

Sometimes I get in this mood where I want to just do something creative or get something new for the house or rearrange the furniture....aaaaannd I got in one of those moods this past week. I didn't do anything drastic, but I did make a few changes to Brody's nursery.

When I was in college, my dad made me this cute little bookshelf to use in our apartment. It has followed me from apartment to apartment, room to room, and has been painted about 3 or 4 different colors. Well, I pulled it out of the storage room this week, slapped a new coat of paint on it, and VOILA! A cute new shelf for Brody's room!

Also, my friend Kindra from Dallas made these letters for Brody about 3 months ago, and I finally got them hung this past week! I think they look so cute above his crib. You can't really tell by the picture, but they are stained wood with little baseball embelishments on them. And we have them haning with little peices of twine. She did such a good job - thanks Kindra!

Today, Brody and I went downtown for the El Dorado Homecoming Parade. We found Aunt Kristi and Uncle Terry, Shellie, Bill and Vickie Evans, Leah, and some other people we knew, so we parked the stroller there, and enjoyed the show!

When the parade started, I got Brody out of his stroller and he sat with Kennedy and all of her friends. He was definately lovin' all that attention.

Christian was in the parade too! I didn't even realize that it was him unti he was nearly past us, so this was about the best picure I could get. He did so good.

Just a little update

Last weekend, Tara and Ryan were in from Little Rock and Tony and Carrie were in from Fayetteville, so we all went out to eat at Abe's with Dad and Karen. It was yummy as usual. Brody always enjoys his time with his Aunt T and Uncle Ryan.



Brody's sleep routine is still going great. I havn't forced it in any way - he has totally decided to do this on his own. Right before I put him down, we still rock for a minute or two while we say our prayers and sing a couple songs. But when we are done, he always "reminds" me that he wants in his bed. How lucky am I to have a 1 year old who decided to do this all by himself? Very lucky.

Haircut, Shots, 4wheeler and MORE!

Brody and I had a great Thursay (well, mostly). We got up bright and early and met Dad and Karen for breakfast at Johnny B's. We feasted on waffles and bacon and all sorts of yummy things that are bad for you...but it was soooo good. It was pretty cool out this morning, so we actually had to pull out our light jackets when we first left the house. Yay! I LOVE fall!! And it looks like Brody does too...

Then, we headed to Charlie's Corner for a haircut. Brody did pretty well for the most part. He sat still about as long as a one year old could be expected to sit...then we bribed him with a lollipop.

After the haircut, we had to go to the doctor to get Brody's shots. Never a fun thing, but he didn't even cry! He gave the nurse a look like, "What in the world did you do that for??!!" then he went back to talking and playing. I was so relieved. We have never left there on immunization days without at least a few tears. When he woke up from his nap a few hours later, it was a different story. His little leg muscle must've been a bit sore, b/c he was limping around, pointing at his thigh, saying "My boo boo." We got a washcloth and turned on a good movie, and he milked it for all it was worth. However, I was able to get a few grins out of him....
Once Daddy came home from work, we loaded up Brody's little four wheeler and went to MiMi and Papaws to play and eat supper. He had a blast!!



When he was tired of riding, he played with Chasie a bit....

Then headed to his new swing!! As high as he likes to go on this thing, I think I have finally found my future roller coaster buddy! I think it made Brent's stomach queezy just watching him twist and turn and fly everywhere. But Brody loved every minute of it...