For the Record Braeden

This entry is a snapshot of my boys as they are now, it changes so quickly I don't want to forget as we move on to the next phase.

Braeden: 3 years 2 months.

My alarmist. yes, he gets me up in the morning. I am referring to his panic button whenever anything is "wrong". This is most helpful when Ian is getting into things I hear, "BABY! BABY! BABY, NOOOOO!"; when Brandon leaves cabinets open or forgets to put things away I hear, "AH AH AH" while pointing and jumping until it is fixed, when I change the place of an object or a method of getting something done I hear, "Uh oh" and he fixes it. It has to be the same as the first time he saw it. Now this is fantastic for making sure things are put in their place! Somehow this doesn't translate into picking up his toys ... hmmm. :o)


He is starting to use words. His vocabulary has increased immensely in the last two months. He picked up a new sentence that he has used repeatedly, " I see you." Christmas lights are "NOOW" emphasis on no. We got snow Thanksgiving week and Christmas lights went up too and he thinks they are the same. We have a lot of noow in the trees downtown right now.
I love you is "bubbye."
Ellie is " Ne."
Train is "choo-choo."
My mom (Granny Bug) is "Bug."
My dad is "Pa Pa."
I am "Mommie."
Brandon is "Da ya."
Ian is "Baby."
Tyler is "T."
Amy is "Mayme."
Home is "hoome."
Hello is "hell loo."
Go is a short "go." 
More is "mo." 
Gone is "gon."
You're in my way is "beep beep."
"Hey You!" 
Ball is "ball."
Football is "ball."
"Hey Guy!"
No Way is "No Waay."
Wall is "waall."
"Chayya" is Africa. The song on our presentation.
Candles are the sound of blowing candles out "pft pft."
Words that all sound the same 
"juice, shoes"
"no, snow"

Technology wiz! He texts, as many of you have been on the receiving end of his jibberish. He has been restricted to texting one person only, T. I had to start using a log in system on my Mac to keep him contained as to what programs he is allowed to access. He can set up our projector and do our Ghana presentation without our help. He can figure out any new techie phones and gadgets within seconds and knows it for life. We are not high tech folks, but our friends are, especially Joel who keeps Braeden savvy and up to date.  


Can he speak? Not so much, but he can recognize words, dare I say read.  He knows his letters & numbers. He can find in our contact list on our phone Bug's & Pa Pa's home, Joanne's cell, Brandon's office, Brandon's cell, Pa Pa's cell, T, Mayme & Rachel. If we allowed him to call others, he would know those too. When he hijacks my Facebook account, he finds his buddy's mommies & his Bug & types them messages. He allows my account to play the games he chooses. He can google pbs and find pbs kids. He can navigate to disney.com from there.  He googles espn3 to get his football games. He understands which games he can play and those he can't and obeys cause if he doesn't, he loses his privileges. 


Music fiend. He loves playing the drums, piano, and his guitar. He dances and sings & stops to listen to music every time he hears it. Brandon says he has perfect rhythm. He is music. It seems to envelop him.


He is a daddy's boy. Their personalities are the same. Their eating habits are the same: juice, fruit/veggies, pizza & ice cream if left to their own devices. Brandon got up in the middle of the night as a toddler to play in his room, Braeden does the same but from ten to eleven. And that panic button... yup, inherited that one too. :o) Their love language: quality time.


He loves taking pictures and well smiling and poses for pictures.  The latter when he's in a good mood. So I have been blessed with lots of great shots of my buddy.


Loves trains & building one dimension domino trains and squares. Everything has to be exact on the masterpiece.  He loves airplanes. I'm thinking he is almost ready for a visit to the Spruce Goose.


Football. Last week, Thanksgiving, was the best he has ever known of football on tv. He loves to play. Soccer: strong left foot -- we are thinking a left winger. Everything is "GOAL!" which he learned during the World Cup. He is left handed but his strongest and most accurate throwing arm is his right.  Yet he golfs lefty.

He is astute with navigation. He knows exactly where things are in town and how to get there. He has a phenomenal memory. Has just recently decided he will sit through a book being read. He is very sensitive and gentle yet tough when it comes to getting hurt.

Self-portrait at Thanksgiving