Roadtrip to Mqt to visit Dad!

I am very fortunate to only have in-seat classes on Monday and Tuesday nights so I was able to take almost a week and go visit Buddy in Marquette! It was so much nicer than driving up Friday and leaving on Sunday. I actually had the opportunity to see everyone that I wanted to and even relax a little bit!

Brogan spent most of the trip sleeping like in the picture here. He still takes 2 naps a day, and so we left around 10 am when he takes his first nap and he slept almost until the bridge. We stopped in Gaylord to run around and take a break from driving to stretch his legs. Although I bet he was more comfortable than me riding in that easy chair of a car seat... complete with cup holder and memory foam pillow.... What they don't think of these days....

We had GORGEOUS driving weather which was a concern, especially with how cold and yucky the weather has been this year. And its usually the norm to hit at least a little bit of snow while making the commute! But not this time! I LOVE driving over the Mackinaw Bridge... this will be Brogan's 3rd trip to the yoop, while outside my belly anyways.








"looking pretty comfy there mister Brogan! "

He lasted until about Munising... which is 45 minutes from Marquette, then he got pretty antsy. I'd say thats pretty good with only stopping 1 time to move our legs! Needless to say he was a wild man when we went out to dinner with Katie and Jeremy at the Casa that night. But of course everyone in the resturant understood and said HEY he just rode in the car 7 hours let him run around... its fine! I love how nice everyone in the yoop is :)





















On Thursday after Buddy went to class, we went to our favorite restaurant in Marquette, Mandarin Garden's. This is a must stop when we go there. The stuffed mushrooms are the best! And Brogan loved it too! He had sweet and sour chicken, stuffed mushrooms, mandarin oranges, and a fortune cookie!


We stayed with our friends Katie and Jeremy and their dog Bentley. Brogan LOVED Bentley, he didn't really want to pet him, but he would get close and just go HE HE HEEEEE and clentch his fists and get really excited! Katie loved snuggling with Bman and he warmed up to the place fast. The first night was a little rough, but after that he did just fine!





























On Friday morning, I let Buddy sleep in and met up with Jenna, Vanessa and Quincy at Starbucks for a morning coffee date! We took over a corner, and blockaded Brogan in so he couldn't run wild. It was so nice to be able and sit and talk and catch up on the boys (little and big) Jenna got engaged over Christmas and I haven't seen her... or the ring... since Oct! And Quincy has gotten soo much bigger since seeing him last. Being able to catch up with Vaness about all the new Motherhood stories was fun too! So it was sooo nice to get to hang out with my girls again!

"Quincy's facial expressions are priceless, not to mention his cute Mohawk! "

"Bye Bye baby Quincy"

Friday night, we stopped over at Cindy's house to visit with her and Alicia. She was like my friend/mom away from home while I was at Northern! We hung out there and put Brogan down and while he slept Cindy watched him there for a couple hours while we hung out with friends. Then Saturday we had a chill out day at her house! It was so nice to just NOT do anything for a whole day!

You know he is up to something with the look on that face!

(the Big stinker... daddy... sneaking the little stinker bites of his doughnut! )

DOUGHNUT FACE! Boston Cremes, MMMMMM!

Saturday night Buddy and I hit the town with a bunch of friends! Our friend Amanda had been asking if we needed someone to watch Brogan so that we could have a night out with each other! Fortunately our friends Vanessa and Alex also found a sitter for their son Quincy (whose blog is also on here) so that we could have an awesome "parents" night out of sorts of course along with the rest of our friends! A nice Break for us moms!

Brogan at Amanda's house having a ball! They had so much fun together. THANK YOU!!!

"The Parents" Me, Buddy, Vanessa, and Alex- after a long fun night of dancing and hanging out with friends!

In our original plans, we were going to leave Sunday morning. Then I thought, with a little coaxing from Buddy, that I "really" didn't have to be back until Monday night at 6pm for class so why not stay another day. I am the planner, and he is the "free spirit" so he helps me unwind a bit! hahaha So we stayed Sunday and had another just relaxing day and also watched the Super Bowl together at Katies parents house! (which I forgot to take pictures of, but here are some of us relaxing on Sunday morning... of course watching the toons!)

Then it was off to Grand Rapids, so that I could get back for a class presentation I had Monday night at 6pm ... yes it was cutting it close... but I was trying to be SPONTANEOUS... We got home 15 minutes before I had to be at school! SUCCESS! We went to Big Boy (of course) before we hit the road, and Brogan LOVED the oranges! I didnt get it on camera, but he was holding the orange in his mouth with just his teeth it was SO funny! Then we said goodbye to dad (but only for a couple weeks) and then left in this totally opposite weather than what we came in, but more of what I susspected and was used to driving from/to Marquette in. We had such a great time! And it was so nice to be able to hang out and see everyone all in one trip as ushually 2 days doesn't leave time for that. We'll be back to see you all soon!

"Map out your future - but do it in pencil. The road ahead is as long as you make it. Make it worth the trip! "

The Whites' stopped for a visit...

My "Grandpa John and Grandma Sharon", who arn't really blood related, just very close friends of our family, and my mom lived with for part of her young adult life, were in town from Iowa!


















"Nothings changed, I can still sit on your lap! "

















We haven't seen them in several years, and in fact they haven't been to our house since we remodeled when I was in 7th grade! They could only stop by for a couple hours as they had to head back, but we were so glad that they could stop as our last plans got snowed out...

Brogan, Morgann, Grandma Sharon, My Dad
Me, Grandpa John, my Mom

Brogan loves his 'toons....

I just thought this was such a cute picture, with me doing so much homework lately for school sometimes he has to entertain himself if I am taking a test or something for a little bit.... He loves sesame, little einsteins, My friends tigger and pooh, and anything with music. He was being such a good boy this day, he loves his down feather blanket and snuggles all up in it and will watch his interactive sesame street dvd, in between getting up to dance to the songs or come to mommy for a hug...

anyways I just thought this picture was too cute...

** Playing in the Snow **

Nana and Grandpa got Brogan a sled for Christmas! Since it was sooo cold for such a long time, we weren't able to use it until recently. Here are some pictures and a video of us playing outside on a beautiful day!

Brogan did not like making snow angels..... hahahaha


Where does the white go when the snow melts? ~Author Unknown

OUR BABY IS ONE!

Ok ok... so I know I have been slacking.... I heard it from everyone! HERE THEY COME!!! This is/are going to be a pretty substantial post/s...
Brogan turned one on January 16th, I CAN'T BELIEVE how big he is already. I can't believe they called my baby a TODDLER at the doctors office for his one year check up! He was being such a show off for the doctor, he even recognized her this time. When he heard her coming down the hall to his room he ran to the door and let out a little happy scream! When she came in it was like someone handed him a couple sugar cubes... he started doing laps, and dancing, and "talking" putting on a real show!

His new stats are:
Weight:25 lbs
Height:28 1/4 in. (although I think this
was measured on the short side as he
is not standing up yet)
Head: 46 1/2 cm

Still a big boy! He is wearing 18-24 mo and sometimes 2T tops, but still some of the 18 Mo pants are too long (he's got a really long torso so it makes his legs look short) and just recently moved up to sz 5 shoes! Grandpa went out and bought him seme light up sketchers! What a spoiled grandson! He is running around now, still falls occasionally on account of being a little "top heavy" with all those brains! But is so fun to have around! We even have to watch him as he is such a stinker and climbs his gates!! He definitely inherited both Buddy and my arm strength, he pulls himself up about 6-8 inches off the ground using just his arms! He's smart too, he can figure out a lot of things now just by watching you, or by himself. He has figured out how to get his big toes in the slots in his downstairs gate so he can "scale" it like rock climbing. Here's a picture of the stinker in action!

Buddy had to return to Northern to finish his 2nd to last semester (HOO RAH) the week of Brogans 1st birthday so the day before he left we had a party for him at Buddys Parents house. It was so much fun. He is such a little entertainer... at first he was a little confused at why everyone was staring at him before he got the cake, but as soon as he got his hands on it, OH BOY! He didn't need any help.... YES it had sugar... I gave in for his birthday (any one that doesn't understand this... I'm quite the stickler about what kind of sweets Brogan gets and I hear about it quite often... ) But this was a special occasion! and off course we brushed real good afterwards! :) Although the red frosting did stain his face (and the sink afterwards) for a couple of days! hehe.....

After dinner and cake Buddy pulled out the little wrestling singlet that was for Brogan to see if it fit yet.... well see for you selves... (there is a mini war between the fams, because both hockey and wrestling fall in the same season, my family are big hockey fans, and his family are big wrestling... so this was really funny)

Then of course were presents and more presents... and a cowboy show hahahaha... ask if you don't already know!

Then on his birthday we had another party at my house, this one smaller and just because it was his birthday. We did get a cake, and I cooked chicken N dumplins' for dinner. Brogan decided he wanted to try and feed himself! He couldnt scoop the food, but if you gave him the fork, he knew exactly what to do with it!

This was his birthday cake! I thought it was so cute!

This is a video of Brogan dancing to the "na na song"(this is what we call it) by Akon. Its his auntie Morgann's ring tone, and for whatever reason he just picked up on the beat! Everytime it comes on he starts dancing away!!! haha

Brogan liked his cake this time equally as much, and since he did he thought that he would share some with mommy :) what a nice boy! haha
Again Brogan got SPOILED with gifts... can you believe Christmas was only 3 weeks prior?








This is a picture of what Brogan got from Auntie Morgann/ Grandpa Wood! His very own hockey skates and helmet!...
He's so cute!











After the cake into the tub he went.... Auntie Chelsea got him a new bath bubble maker! he loved it!

Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manhood, we find a delightful creature of a boy.
-- Author Unknown

:: Gymboree with Andrew ::

My former babysitter Megan and I like to get the boys together every so often for playdates! Since the boys were so used to playing with each other everyday, they miss each other too, and it is so cute when they see each other to see the big smiles and hugs! She invited us to go to a gymboree play center for the kids. They were having an open gym day and thought it would be really neat to try! The kids had a blast! They had so many activities for them and did parachute, bubbles, and songs! Right up there alley... Here are some pictures and videos!

Andrew even got Brogan a Birthday Present! It was a little book that you could unzip and it folded out and has all the letters and small stuffed things that match that letter! Brogan loved it!
Thanks Barnums!

You also wouldn't believe it by his big smiles in these pictures, but after Gymboree we took Brogan to see the doctor, he had been acting a little bit funny and tugging at his ear.... and yep he had a ear infection :( His first one, and if you ask me making it almost all the way to 1 with only 1 ear infection is pretty good, and we are thankful! We did find out he weighs 26 lbs! EEK we go back the 21st for his 1 year well child, and I will update you on the rest of his stats then!
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A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.
-- Anonymous