Yep, he's mine...

The older Barrett gets (15 months), the more I see myself in him. At times this fills me with wonder and at other times, absolute terror. Oh to see yourself through your children...a truly humbling experience!

Barrett is a chocolate LOVER. There are bad teething days when normal food is slapped off the plate, but M&M's or a cupcake are met with a happy scream. Bear knows the Chickfila chocolate chip cookie well and greedily shoves huge bites into his mouth. Smart boy. The end result is a chocolate-covered toddler who the staff knows as the "Cookie Boy". Who couldn't love him? Most ladies love chocolate and love chubby-cheeked kids. Put the two together and you've got a combination that no one can resist!

On a less sweet note is Barrett's fiery temper. I, according to my poor mother, was a troublesome toddler. To this day, I'm still head-strong and am working on my short fuse. With his newfound freedom on two feet, Barrett has places to go and does not want his mama in his space! The energy and passion that he puts into making his opinion known is impressive, to say the least.

Dogs are a major fascination for Bear. Despite the fact that he couldn't win over our old dog, Maggie, he has still yet to meet a dog he doesn't love! I know the feeling! Thanks to my dad the dog-lover, I've been dog-crazy for as long as I can remember. Barrett wakes up in the morning looking for "Tech" our black lab...also known as Tex. He cuddles Tex, lays on his, crawls over him, and throws the ball for him. He shrieks when he sees dogs out walking or dogs on tv.

Barrett is LOUD. LOUD LOUD LOUD. If you've ever talked to me in-person, you know that my voice booms and carries. My laugh is slightly out of control and can be picked out in a crowd. Bear is no different. Whether he's just waking up and talking into the montior or laughing at his goofy dad, Barrett's voice is always heard. It goes well with his funny personality.

It's a given that your children will have at least one or two traits similar to their parents, but when you see them actually maifesting themselves, it can be a shock. That's the place where I am now. I see a little person with his own personality and habits emerging and the wonder of having my little man is reborn all over again.

A rookie mom reveals

For those who are long past the first year and those who are still in the thick of it, my personal discoveries from my rookie year as a mama...

-Sleep is both overrated and an absolute necessity. Some of my most delicious mommy-moments happened at 3am as my infant snuggled into my neck or my 10-month old gave me the sleepy bed-head grin. While I have been able to survive on considerably less sleep than expected, there are days I crash into bed, eyes closing, at 8pm after chasing a speedy crawler all day.

-Breast feeding is not as easy as I anticipated. Period.

-All those baby clothes may be adorable, but nothing beats play-time in a diaper. For Barrett, not me.

-I'm a push-over. Like many moms I've talked to, I caved and did the things I said I'd never do. Quit breast feeding before a year? Big fat check. Sugar before his first birthday? Cupcakes, check. Cake, check. Cookies, check, check, check. Buy him obscene amounts of gifts for Christmas? Sigh...check. An hour or two of Barney on a bad teething day? Check. Using my iPhone to keep an antsy toddler quiet at a restaurant? Check. Several times check. Using my Facebook page as my own personal shrine to Barrett? A disgusting check.

-Accepting help is a must. I used to think that I'd be saving time and effort for those who offered a helping hand. I might've been able to pull off that theory without a kiddo, but now? Ha! Bring on the meals, free babysitting, and an occasional house-cleaning! If someone offers the help, it's likely that you need it!

-I can take the same picture of my 2-month old laying on a blanket 15 different times and I will savor EVERY. SINGLE. PICTURE. I pity the fools who have to look at each picture and find something new to "ooooh and ahhh" over to appease this crazed mother.

-I am a pack mule. I can carry an insane amount of weight in extreme weather conditions. One purse, one diaper bag, a couple bags of groceries, a stroller, and one wiggling baby in the driving rain or sweltering heat.

-My favorite music has been replaced by an endless soundtrack of Barney, Bible, and nursery songs. I told myself I'd be the "cool mom" who'd be above it. I hear the crumb-cruncher songs in the car, on tv, and in my head. This type of torture could get the most hardened criminals to crack.

-I'm absolutely living the dream. Sure, there are days the dream involves me unshowered with a messy house, little patience for my whining grumpus, an unwalked dog, and a trip to Target just to get out of said messy house. But most days the dream looks like hugs and kisses from a chubby-cheeked boy as he drives his truck around the living room floor and my heart is full from such a simple, yet beautiful life.

12 Months...and Beyond!

Now over two months ago, Barrett hit his 1-year mark! A lot has happened since June 6th, but we must document this huge day! On the actual day, Grant was in Atlanta for a conference and ended up getting stuck there due to weather. Poor Daddy Bear! He spent his 30th and his son's 1st birthday away from his family! Thankfully, Bear had plenty of family members around to party with him! Sug, Grammy, Aunt Cookie, and I took him out for a birthday lunch, which he was much too busy to eat. Then Aunt Cookie and I took him to swim at a local water park.

The weekend after his birthday, family gathered to celebrate our big boy. Both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even great aunts and uncles came together to party! Barrett was beyond spoiled with all kinds of toys, books, and clothes. He got a tent full of balls with a matching tunnel. He received a farm, a walker, and his favorite toy was a bright red fire-truck from his Uncle Duke that he immediately started playing with. He was so excited about it that he wasn't interested in opening any more presents!

Barrett loved his smash-cake, though it took a couple of minutes for him to figure out that it was all for him! Once he understood that, he went into destruction mode! And then promptly fell into a sugar-coma. Life was good to Barrett on his special day! He fell asleep at 6:30pm without any dinner while the rest of the family continued to celebrate.

Welcome to life as a 1-year old, Bear!

11 Months!

Barrett turned 11 months the day after I turned 30, yet I feel like I've aged 10 years! Barrett is fast. He's into everything, he's fast, and silent...and fast. My official job from this point forward is keeping the Bear alive and keeping up with him. These are his 11-month pictures. He is absolutely WILD.

Barrett says Da-Da, ball, hey, bath, 'Pa (for his Grandpa), and bye. He knows that someone heading towards the door or hanging up the phone is his cue to babble "bye bye". He also chimes in as I sing the bye-bye song at the end of his bath. He has learned to wave, but still looks at his hand in shock as it opens and closes.

Bear eats just about everything, but he's been indulging in a ridiculous amount of sweets lately. Between visiting Grammy, my birthday, and being spoiled by Sug, he is well-versed in cake, cookies, and ice cream. I fear we've all created a monster. His birthday cake doesn't stand a chance.

The remote is the boy's new favorite toy. He understands that pushing buttons does something fun to the tv. It's so cute to see him sit in the middle of the living room and point the remote at the tv like a big man. He is his father's son!

Despite being a complete monkey, Barrett has some very cuddly moments. He hugs me when he gets up from naps and gives me very drooly kisses when we're playing. He likes to wrestle with his dad and seems to understand that he can be rough his old man.

Bear's obsessions are anything with wheels and drums. He whips his head around the minute he hears an engine. He is perfectly content to sit in the front yard and watch cars drive by. Give him a drum or a bowl and spoon and the boy is in his own world. He likes to play to music, but will also crawl around the house with his drumstick firmly in hand. Funny boy.

In less than a month, I will have a 1-year old. The time has absolutely flown by...as has my child. Gotta go!

Trip to DC!

After a flight cancellation at Easter, Barrett finally got to fly to DC to visit his Grammy & Grandpa in the middle of April. It was Barrett's first time in their neck of the woods and we all had a blast!  
Grammy was more than ready for her grandson's arrival. She had a high chair, walker, pack-and-play, rocking chair, and loads of toys. Barrett was spoiled beyond belief! She loved feeding him and introducing him to new foods. Grandpa took Bear for walks every day to look at the trees and flowers. Bear started pointing while on his adventures with Grandpa. Back here at home, we go on walks and I still see a little finger point up at

the trees from the stroller. Barrett got to see his cousin, Meeka, who lives there. The last time she saw him was last July! Needless to say, she was shocked at how much he's grown.

We visited a small town, called Clifton, with a quaint downtown and a train that runs through. Barrett found his new love...anything with wheels! Whether it's a train, truck, or bus, everything stops for Barrett when he hears an engine! On Saturday we took a ride on a mini-train in Burke Park. He was completely silent and wide-eyed as we rode and the train whistle sounded.

Like I said, Barrett was completely spoiled while visiting his grandparents! We had so much fun and can't wait to go back!

10 months!

Prior to April 6th, I wondered what it would mean for me to have a ten-month old. Three words. Busy little clown. I am constantly chasing, redirecting, and laughing at Barrett. A day at our house is never dull! Heart-stopping as he climbs and grabs? Yes. Dull? No time for that!

*Barrett went from occasionally pulling up in his crib to pulling up on everything in sight. He loves to cruise around from place to place. Oh the view from two feet!

*Barrett has transformed his army-crawl into a classic hands-and-knees crawl. From time to time, he'll drag one leg behind him, which G-Dad has coined the "crippled lamb" crawl.

*Bear's hair has grown like a weed in the last month. He has those sweet baby curls in the back and on especially humid days, his whole head gets a bit unruly. It works well with his wild personality.

*Barrett, always the chatterbox, seems to understand more when we talk to him. He says "hi", "bye" and will finish the phrase "let's go" if I start with "let's". More than once, I've answered my cell phone with "hey", only to hear a small voice say "hey" from his high-chair. Hearing Barrett chat it up never gets old!

*We are starting to receive Bear-kisses, which leaves big drool spots on our cheeks, chin, and mouth. He can be quite affectionate!

*Barrett took his first carousel ride at the zoo last weekend when his Aunt Caitlin and Uncle Duke came into town. The movement of the ride seemed to make him more sleepy than excited.

*Bear still loves to eat and discovered how yummy and fun spaghetti can be. He also likes cheese ravioli, hasbrowns, flatbread, and drinking from my cup of water (which quickly becomes his cup with all the floaties he leaves). Barrett would always prefer veggies and fruit to anything else. I'll take that!

With every day that I survive my little tornado, I grow more crazy about him. We hit the jackpot with this kid. :)

Bear in the Bluebonnets

It's true!

Look out ladies!

So glad he chose to eat something other than a bluebonnet. Phew!
Those big brown eyes already get him out of lots of trouble!

Mama and baby Bear.

Hanging out with Dad.

Those eyebrows are from Barrett's G-Dad. They both use them when they're deep in thought.

Mr. Charmer

And he's off...

What a nut...

9 Months!

You know it's been a trying month when I blog about my 9-month old two weeks after the fact! Barrett has experienced the usual kid-illnesses since January (colds, ear infections, etc.), but this month has been a doozy! The last two weeks have been an ugly combination of cold, stomach bug, and an asthma diagnosis. Top all that with teething, blend, and you've made one miserable baby and a concerned, sleepless mama on the side! I am constantly reassured that this kind of thing is normal in the life of babies so in keeping with that idea, let's get back to routine with Barrett's monthly "check-up".

*Barrett is still army-crawling, but now loves to pop from his belly up onto his booty. He thinks this trick is especially fun in the bathtub where he is almost certain to give me a heart-attack.

*Barrett would rather crawl than pull up on furniture, though he is quick to pull himself up in the crib when Grant gets him up in the morning. He loves his daddy!

*Barrett's favorite new sounds are anything starting with "B". He has said "bye bye" several times and will copy me when I say "ball"...while playing with a ball, of course. Mostly Bear just loves to shout "bah bah bah" when he's happy or wants attention.

*Our little comedian has quite an impressive "fake laugh" that he'll demonstrate to get himself into just about any conversation.

*My hungry Bear continues to discover new foods. He loves fish, noodles, watermelon, pancakes, lima beans, and raspberries. He is guilty of using his cutest face to get frozen yogurt out of anyone within eyesight. He has also enjoyed chocolate cake, courtesy of Aunt Cookie. Go figure...

*Barrett now has 8 teeth, a perfect row of 4 on top and bottom. They make him look like a big kid! From the looks of it, he's working on #9 and #10. The poor guy can't catch a break!

*Bear has bumped up his swimming from 2 to 5 seconds under water independently. I have high hopes for him this summer!

*Barrett spent his first full weekend with just his daddy at the beginning of March! I was lucky enough to fly out to Houston for some time with my best friends. Bear spent the weekend taking walks, meeting friends for play-dates, and visiting aunts and uncles. He was so happy when I got home and wouldn't stop touching my face and staring at me. The house was much more clean than I expected, but Grant was just as tired as I anticipated. I'm so thankful for his willingness to play Mr. Mom and give me a breather!

Though it's been a trying month, I am constantly reminded of how blessed I am to be Barrett's mommy. Even on his most sick or grumpy day, those brown eyes reminds me that I've got more love to give than I ever realized.

8 Months!

8 months is here! And the changes still continue amaze me...

*Barrett still prefers the "army-crawl" method, but man, he is fast! He can follow me around the house or quietly sneak off to play with the kitchen cabinet doors or hide under his crib.

*The dude can now stand up and hold onto the side of the crib or couch while I spot him. He's not pulling himself up, but I fear that's not too far off.

*Bear eats more than any baby I've seen! He loves to wake up and get right down to business with a banana and a bottle. From there, he eats his way through the day and our kitchen. He loves strawberries, blueberries, whole black beans, entire avocados, peas, carrots, cheddar cheese, and cottage cheese.

*Barrett is very vocal with his food, especially in the morning. As I start handing him food, he likes to say "Mmmmm!" with every bite. He's even watched me take a bite of my breakfast and then made the same sound.

*I'm losing my baby who loved being fed just last month. I'm now hardly allowed to feed him with a spoon at all. We're doing mostly foods that he can pick up and feed himself. If I try to feed him and he's not interested, I get growled at! Which means, Bear is now learning what a firm "no" means from Mommy & Daddy.

*At swim lessons, Barrett is now going under water for two seconds by himself. I'm not even holding him! He wears the cutest baby fins and he kicks with all his might! He comes up smiling and ready to do it again. I have an 8-month old FISH!

*Bear also loves to hang upside down. He sees his Sug as his own personal "Six Flags" and will throw himself back when she holds him because he knows she'll swing him around by his feet. He is a total boy and loves it.

*While riding in the car, Barrett enjoys "singing" to the radio, especially when Brad Paisley comes on. Barrett rolls his tongue and makes all kinds of high-pitched sounds and then goes silent when the radio is turned off.

*Bear officially has six teeth and is currently working on his top front two. He is a drool machine!

The nicest thing my husband has ever said...

"It's fun watching you as a mom. You know how cool it is to watch someone do what they were born to do? Like watching Dirk play basketball or Ben Folds sing? That's what it's like watching you with Bear."

Wow.

Barrett's Dedication

In the middle of January, family and friends gathered for Barrett's dedication at our church, First Baptist of Hurst. While Pastor Jeff carried Barrett around the sanctuary and spoke to him about the meaning of his name, a slideshow played pictures of Barrett. (Please excuse my funky hair. That was my poor attempt at curling it. I've since cut my hair from the shame of these pictures!) Pastor Jeff spoke about the correlation between Barrett's name, meaning "strong and courageous", and the man of God he will become. He also shared the life verse that we gave Barrett. "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Pastor Jeff asked us to accept the call to raise Barrett under God's direction. He then asked the church to support us as parents.

Barrett's Preschool Director, Kellie, presented us with a brick that has the word "Promise" printed on it. On the back of the brick is the verse in Deuteronomy 6:6-8. "Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night." Barrett also received a New Testament Bible.

7 Months!

"This is my son Barrett. He's 7 months old." That phrase sounds so odd coming out of my mouth. Even though he's a mere one month older, "7 months" sounds like so much less of a baby! A lot of that shock probably has to do with the fact that he seemed to hit so many more milestones this past month. (I bet I say that every month.)

I now have a boy who:

*Loves mashed blackbeans, carrots, green beans, and avocado. He recently ate an entire avocado while out to eat with his Aunt Cookie. He then started begging for her salad.

*Has mastered picking up cereal puffs and is working on grabbing pieces of pears and steamed broccoli. (We've yet to find a food he won't happily cram into his mouth.)

*Thinks he's hot stuff at restaurants in his high chair, munching on a baby mum-mums (glorified rice cake for babies). He is a huge flirt with any female waitress or nearby diner.

*Army crawls!

*Flies around the living room in the walker that Olivia & Davis were so kind to loan him. The dogs constantly have to be on alert or he will mow them down in an attempt to get to their water bowl. He also loves to hit buttons on the cable box and stare at the tv from directly below. I pull him away from the tv and my stubborn little dude wastes no time in running his little feet right back. You've got to admire the persistance.

*Goes underwater! He has also discovered splashing and does it with a joyful spirit. During swim class we have to back away from the other babies and moms so that Barrett doesn't soak them. He also splashes in the tub at home and creates a good-size mess for us to clean up after baths.

*Understands the word "more". I try to use sign-language for a few simple words and the minute I say and sign "more" during a meal, Barrett's mouth pops open and leans as far forward as he can in his high-chair. He may understand several other words, but that seems to be the only one that matters to him.

*Is in the process of cutting 3 more teeth. He's working on his top two "fangs" and a new bottom tooth next to the two front. Besides the constant drool and occasional ear-pulling, you'd hardly notice a change in his behavior most days. If I sense a bad day coming on, we spend a lot of time outside.

There you have it. The latest on my Bear. The months fly by and it just keeps getting more fun!

Snap-shots of Bear's First Christmas...