The Adventures of New Parenthood

Long OverDue!

2009-02-06T23:44:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it has been 3 months since we've updated this thing! Life has been so hectic. I wanted to share with all of you a very cute thing that Brody does. He got a motorized tractor for Christmas from his Pappy and Gandy, and he has now figured out how to operate it. It's quite funny, because since he figured out how to press the pedal, he can't reach the steering wheel. It looks so funny!!! But Very Cute!

Brody Payne Davis 17 Months old

2008-11-09T14:25:00.003-05:00

Above: Brody playing at Betty Virginia Park. He had so much fun.

Brody was a male nurse for Halloween. He got a lot of compliments on how cute he was. He kept his stethoscope around his neck the whole night. He didn't really "get" the whole trick-or-treat thing. He wanted to go in everyone's house and play with their toys.

Brody took fall pictures. He is my little man!

Brody autumn of '08

2008-10-19T22:18:00.003-04:00

Brody playing in the sand box at the RevelBrody posing as a nurse like his Mommy & Daddy
Brody cooling off at the Revel
Brody didn't want anything to do with this creature
Jade & Brody posing for autumn pictures

Brody has enjoyed himself so far this autumn. He went to the Red River Revel 3 times! He had so much fun! He is growing up so fast! ~Mommy

What to you get for the kid who has it all?

2008-09-03T10:51:00.004-04:00

I had this brilliant idea for Brody's new table.... butcher paper, masking tape, and some good ol washable markers equal hopefully to one occupied baby boy and one alternative to keep aforementioned baby boy happy while I study. Here are some pics of him thus far with this experiment. With a little work, I welcome you to the next phase of Brody's Picasso Course.

Brody rocking the baby doll

2008-09-02T22:23:00.003-04:00

Brody was mocking me by rocking Jade's baby doll and singing to it. It was so sweet!

Brody 14 months old

2008-07-20T18:35:00.004-04:00

Brody's trip to Chuck E. Cheeses

Brody's Trip to Hidden Oak Farms Brody swimming in the backyard

Brody is growing up so fast! He is trying to walk and is getting very brave. He has 6 teeth now, so he can eat all sorts of new things. I wanted to update this blog and show some of his newest pics.

Jess

Priceless

2008-06-26T23:04:00.005-04:00

Brody @ 5 months

Brody @ 13 months
Brody @ 13 months

Costs of gas to and from Dallas-------------$1400
Food expenses-----------------------------$600
2 Doc Bands -------------------------------$6600
Seeing my baby boy with a round head ----priceless

Brody's Visit to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX

2008-06-22T21:52:00.002-04:00

Brody really loves lemons! HAHAHA! He doesn't even pucker!
Brody loves to tear up toilet paper!
Brody in the inner tube in the wave pool at Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Waterpark.
Brody is very tired and throwing a fit. He is good at fits.

Brody's Last Visit to Cranial Technologies!!

2008-06-22T21:45:00.003-04:00

Brody had his last appointment at Cranial Technologies in Dallas, TX on Friday. He did his final pictures and scan (the scan is brand new instead of having to do another head mold- this is a good thing!!) He will wear his DOC Band for 3 more weeks and then it will all be over! We are SO GLAD! I know he will be glad to not have to ride in the car for such long stretches of time! We are so happy with the progress of his head getting more round. He looks so good!

Brody at The Swim School

2008-06-17T19:44:00.006-04:00

Brody had a great day at his swim class today! He didn't cry one bit. He is the 2nd to youngest in his class now, b/c an 8 month old boy started today. Now, Brody is the big boy! Hahaha! He just loves the water. His Daddy is the best. He is in the water with him every week!

Proud Mommy

Brody's 1st Haircut!

2008-06-12T13:17:00.003-04:00

Brody and Daddy got their hair cut today. Brody didn't really like it, but the pacifier helped. He looks so handsome! The boys both had Dum Dum suckers for a treat when they were finished. Brody ate all of his and the rest of his Daddy's. He is so sweet!
Mommy

Brody is Very Independent!

2008-06-09T21:51:00.002-04:00

My Brody Boy fed himself spaghetti today. He is such a big boy! I love him!

Mommy

GREAT NEWS!!!

2008-06-02T21:38:00.003-04:00

We had our appointment at Cranial Technologies in Dallas today. Trips to Dallas have gotten harder the older he gets! He's been in this second DOC Band for 8 weeks now. We got some great news today! We will wait 3 weeks instead of 2 weeks for our next visit, and that one will be our last visit! At that last visit, we will do all his pictures and measurements. He will then wear the band for 3 more weeks and then that will be it! I am so happy! Wendy, our Occupational Therapist, said that even if the dog ate the band today, she is happy with his progress! His head looks SO good! All this sacrifice has definitely been worth it! Thank You LORD! Enjoy these pics from today.

Brody Riding His 4-Wheeler

2008-05-15T23:35:00.002-04:00

Brody's Pappy got him a 4-Wheeler for his birthday. He LOVES it!

Pictures of party

2008-05-10T23:14:00.003-04:00

Brody and Jade
Brody Dodie and Camden in water
Brody and his own cake
Brody's other cake
Success

Brody's 1st Birthday Party

2008-05-10T23:02:00.003-04:00

Brody and Jacie getting ready for party
Only fitting to have on bday suit
Brody Dodie and Camden
Blowing a kiss
Playing in the grass

Today was a joyous day. We celebrated Brody's 1st birthday at our house. We had so many guests. Thanks for the turnout for our baby boy's party. I was truly shocked to see my grandparents from Many. It almost seemed like a family reunion. Above are plenty of pics. You always hear that you learn from experience, this one was a great one...

I just LOVE this boy!

2008-05-01T17:45:00.003-04:00

Brody is growing up so fast! I can't believe he's almost 1 yr old. It's absolutely crazy, but also VERY fun to watch! He's so cute. He still only has his 2 bottom teeth, but the dentist said she felt them under his gums and that it is ok that they haven't erupted yet. (See 1st pic). He loves his sister, Jacie (our poodle). He plays with her rough! He gets her toys and throws them for her to fetch. I think he's going to play baseball like his daddy and Uncle Mikey did. He already has a good arm. That 2nd pic is of him chasing Jacie around the living room. His daddy and I love him so much. I can't even imagine our lives together without him!
From Mommy

Back To Our Normal Routine!

2008-04-22T22:37:00.003-04:00

The boys are well and we're back to our normal routine. We went to Dallas yesterday and had the DOC Band adjusted for growth. Today, we had an appointment with Dr. Ghali, Craniomaxillofacial Surgeon, today. All is well with the band rounding out his head. We also saw the dentist, Dr Cook, while we were there and although he only has 2 teeth right now, she felt the other ones under the gums. Hopefully, they'll pop out soon! We went straight to The Swim School for Brody's "Baby and Me" class. He was tired and cried a lot, but overall enjoyed and is learning so much. He's getting good at hanging on the side of the pool and climbing out. He slid down the slide twice today. (His Daddy caught him, of course). He does well going under water. I'm so proud of him! He had to wear a life vest for about 10 minutes to practice water safety, and he didn't like it one bit! He cried almost that whole time. SAD, but kinda funny! I love that boy! Well, that's about it. . . we're just glad that everyone is well. We're looking forward to Brody's 1 yr bday coming up. We'll have his party May 10. It is the Saturday I am off before his actual birthday on May 13th. Hope to cya there!

Jessica

Random Thoughts

2008-04-21T01:44:00.002-04:00

It is 12:48 am on a soon to be busy Monday excursion. I just came home from work about an hour ago or so and on Sundays I typically follow the same pattern.... clock out from a long 16 hour day.... get in my truck.... call Dad and see what is going on with him.... we both work till 11pm on Sundays, Jess is usually in a lull deep "you better not call me and wake me up" type of sleep.... and chat until i make it home around 11:40 pm. Check and see how the Chicago Cubs did... check my email.... and then check out the blogs. Recently I have seen one familiar topic of discussion.... The nasty "C" word... and no Sandy I do not mean CRAP. Cancer.... not just cancer, but it's relationship with kids. As a nurse I see this nasty stuff rear it's ugly head every week with my adult population. It is no fun.... but a kid...... my heart breaks!!!!! As a new Daddy, all I can think about is my own son and the lengths I would go through to keep him protected from any weapon that would harm him. As much as I try to imagine how much that would take, there is not enough empathy in my heart to feel what two blogger pals are going through or had faced with their boys. To those MEN I would like to say many kind words of encouragement but the only words I can express are .... I love you. There is a kind of love in my heart for you that is a pure true feeling.... these include feelings of gratitude, strength, hope,wanna give you a massive hug and shed tears with you and face the battles with you kind of love. Words are merely at a loss. In this new journey of my own life I am learning through raising my son that one of the most degrading gut wrenching nauseated feelings that I feel is when my son is "sick" and I am helpless!!! All i could do was pray. So MEN, at this juncture of this journey I extend my heart to you.... as a fellow DAD, i pray for you and with you for strength and courage that God would provide understanding for us all. Thanks for sharing your journeys with us....MEN. May God bless you and keep you....

Love,
Brody's Daddy

My Sick Baby (Healed in Jesus' Name!!)

2008-04-13T21:17:00.002-04:00

My baby boy has been sick for over 2 weeks! He had a runny nose, fever, cough, & runny eyes for almost 2 full weeks. Then, he must have picked up a virus from the clinic in Dallas. Brody and his Daddy are my "Poopie Babies." I feel SO BAD for them both! Brody definitely has been very snuggly these past couple weeks, which is the ONLY benefit. I love my boys, and I need them to get better. HAPPY 11 MONTH BIRTHDAY, BRODY!!!

2008-03-28T15:45:00.002-04:00

Brody had to get casted for his next DOC BAND in Dallas, TX this past week. His head is really shaping up well, but he is growing out of his current Band. The procedure only takes 10 minutes, but seemed more tortuous this time, because he's older and more mobile. We had to hold him down, and he did not like that! Jade, Julie, Mom, and Joni were there. Jade almost started crying. We'll pick up his next Band Monday, April 7th. Alison, our Occupational Therapist, said to expect it to be much bigger than his current one, since his head is bigger and it will be thicker. His current one has been adjusted so much that it is almost see thru from the inside out.
From, Mommy

Brody's 1st day at The Swim School

2008-03-11T18:08:00.007-05:00

Brody started his first class at The Swim School today. He loves the water so much and had so much fun. He did cry a lot when the water went up his nose or down his throat. Overall, we are VERY happy with our decision to have him take swimming lessons. He is in the "Baby and Me" class on Tuesdays at 4:00pm. You can come and watch him swim either out by the indoor/heated pool, or in the lobby on a big screen tv. He is getting to be such a big boy, and we love him so much.

Mommy

Brody's new hobby is playing in the tupperware cabinet! He crawled into his Bathtub duck all by himself! He's so cute!

Jessica

Brody's busy 2 days!

2008-02-26T19:06:00.006-05:00

OUR VERY BUSY 2 DAYS, BY MOMMY.

We had a busy 2 days. Yesterday, we drove to Dallas and back for his DOC Band adjustment. It is rounding out great! We are very happy with the progress. He will wear this band for the next 6 weeks, and then we will reassess the chance of having a 2nd one fitted (since his was such a severe case). Today, we went to Gymboree, and Brody had fun. There was only 1 other child there today, guess it's better than him being the only one (like 2 weeks ago)! He loves popping bubbles and playing with the parachute! After eating a quick meal at Jason's Deli, we went for his check-up with Dr Ghali (Craniomaxilofacial Surgeon). He likes Brody's progress and will see him again in 3 months.

We are VERY tired this evening!

Here are a couple pics to compare his progress:

The first one, he was 4 1/2 months old. The second one, he is 9 months old.

Movin and teeth producin.....

2008-02-20T12:30:00.002-05:00

Well i meant to post this sooner but I will post this now. On last Wednesday, Brody's 9 month birthday, Brody figured out how to coordinate movement of his arms and legs and started crawling. At first he would hold himself up on his arms, bring both legs together then hop. Now he is actually moving better.

Also Brody cut his first tooth. I would post a picture but it takes more than two hands to capture the beautiful little gem. We tried to take a picture of it but Brody would stick his tongue out or blow spit bubbles at us.

As far as his helmet is concerned... it is doing an awesome job. Brody's head is rounding out well.

Happy 1st Valentine's Day Brody

2008-02-14T17:23:00.003-05:00

Today Brody celebrated his first Valentine's Day. The boy and I had a good day but the day became more exciting after he woke up from his nap. Brody's Pappy and Gandy got Brody an enourmous bear for Valentine's Day.

About Brody's Helmet at 7 months

2008-02-13T16:50:00.010-05:00

At Brody's 6 month check up Dr. Haynie noticed that Brody's head was flat in the back. See the following above pictures....

So we were referred to a maxillofacial surgeon because Dr. Haynie said that he was concerned that Brody had craniosynostosis. In other words, Brody might have prematurely fused sutures causing his flat head. After being examined by Dr. Ghali, our fear of having surgery was relieved and we were sent to Dallas, Texas for Brody to be fitted for a DOC band. This was a huge relief for both of us. The only downside to this is that we will be travelling to Dallas for the next 3 months every two weeks.

There are no places in Shreveport that provides this service. We were informed of one possible location but Dr. Ghali recommended that we need to go to Dallas. So since the first of the new year we have travelled to a place in Dallas,Texas called Cranial Technologies.

I will post more pictures of the actual procedure on the next post.

Happy 9 Months Brody

2008-02-13T16:28:00.005-05:00

How can you ignore a face like that?

Paper never looked or tasted soo good!!!

Brody playing with his new toy shelf

Well Brody had his 9 month check up yesterday. Everything went well. He is following the 75th percentile in weight and 80th percentile in length. He weighs 23 pounds and is 28 inches in length.. It is amazing how fast Brody has grown. He is learning to crawl each day. We almost have the house Brody proof. I am so amazed at how much he pays attention to his toys. He tries to figure everything out about them. He leaves no stone unturned.

Brody and the State Fair

2007-11-09T22:59:00.000-05:00

Brody telling Granny how tall the giraffe was!!!

Action shot of Brody lauching the pacifier

Brody and Jess feeding the giraffe

Brody looking at a big pig Sooie!!!

Brody had fun at the fair. Jess wanted him to see all the animals and we tried our fair share of food. I was so amazed at Brody and how attentive he was at the fair. It was quite an experience

Brody's First Revel

2007-11-09T22:53:00.000-05:00

Brody had his first trip to the Revel this year. I was amazed at how fascinated he was about art and all the booths. Jess and I enjoyed the food but Brody really enjoyed the people and the exhibits. What can I say!!! You Brody make life worth living. Love you son!!!

Love,

Daddy

The boy and his grin

2007-11-08T11:44:00.000-05:00

Here is the infamous Brody smile. I have no idea where it came from but it is his signature camera smile.

Brody's 4 month Checkup

2007-09-11T13:46:00.000-04:00

Monday, September 10, 2007 was Brody's 4 month checkup. This was also the day he recieved his 4 month immunizations. He cried and spoke a little jibberish prior to being stuck with those three long needles. It was kinda cute but then again you could not help but feel for the little guy.

Here are some stats of his:
height: 25 inches
weight: 15 lbs 9 ounces
head circ: 15 3/4 inches

He measured in the 50th percentile in all 3 categories

The funny thing was that there was another 4 month old in the waiting area with us and Brody looked so much bigger than the other 4 month old.

Well Brody,
You are doing well. Keep it up kiddo, I am so proud of you and I love you so much.

Love,
DaDDY

Updates with pics on the way

2007-09-07T22:40:00.000-04:00

Well as I sit and read updates on all the blogs, there is one common theme......"Dont you hate it when someone doesn't update their blog" Well I apologize for not updating as much as I should.

Here are a few things that are occuring at the moment or for lack of better terms "excuses for no updates"

1. Jess started back to work on Aug 6th. When she's at work, either I am at work or being full-time Daddy to Brody. Forgive me as I am new at this "Daddy" stuff and I am trying to make sense of it all.

2. I am going back to school in January and I am preparing for that

3. When you work 16 hours on Sunday, Monday feels like recovering from a wild party night.

4. Life is full of surprizes.... you never know what will happen next...

Well I hope that helps explain it. I am trying to get back on course with updates about Brody.

There will be some new pics and videos upcoming.

Brody has his 4 month checkup on Monday. He is doing great and growing fast.

Brody is sleeping 12 hours at night.

Well I will provide more updates more frequently.

I feel like a politician.... if you vote for me.....

Thanks for your patience and understanding

Jeremy

P.S. Mauri if you read this.... add me to view your blog.... i have been denied access...

Brody's Mommy

2007-08-02T22:21:00.000-04:00

Brody and his parents. AWE!
Jade and Brody

Ok. . . I'm trying to upload pics again. I actually did it correctlylast time , but was having trouble with my internet connection. Love you guys! Jess

Brody and Mikey

2007-08-01T00:45:00.000-04:00

This is Brody's Mommy!

2007-07-30T16:25:00.000-04:00

I am not sure if I am even doing this right, but here goes. It is Monday afternoon and my boys are napping. I am trying to get some housework done and some computer stuff done while I have some time. We had a big day yesterday at Brody's Dodie's 50th Birthday surprise party. It was so fun and there were so many people who came. It was very nice, and Brody was able to meet many new people, including his cousin Camden, who is 8 weeks older- and 8 weeks BIGGER! He is SO cute! Here are some pics of Brody (if I can get it to work!)

Has it already been 2 months?

2007-07-13T23:06:00.000-04:00

Well Brody,

Today was a big day for you. Today you are officially 2 months old. Today is also the day that you went and received your first set of immunizations. Here are some statistics that your family will be happy to know.

Weight

6lbs 7 oz (birth)

11 lbs 6 oz (2 months)

Height

19.5 inches (birth)

22 inches (2 months)

Well it has been an incredible 2 months having you as a part of the family. You never cease to bring me joy. I admit sometimes it is rough, but it is a transition phase for the three of us even the dog. I am so thankful to see you growing and I am truly blessed to have you as my son. I know that this has been a rocky 2 months for you, but just realize that you are gaining such strength during this time. Your Mommy told me that the nurse had to lay on you to keep your legs from moving during your shots. I wish I could have seen that!!! You are my strong little boy.

I love you.

Daddy

Updates on my Lil Fella Brody

2007-06-27T22:09:00.000-04:00

Well, here it has been since June 7th since my last post. Where did the time go? Well, let me just say that last week was a tough one for the Davis household. Let me explain....
Brody in his infinite wisdom was starting to grow and be a happy little fellow. All that ended on June 14th. Poor baby.... he was starting to have nice amounts of spit up. No big deal... can handle that. Well on Monday June 18th we get little Brody circumsized. The next morning our air conditioner goes out. We stay with Granny and Papa for the evening until Wednesday. Thanks guys you are awesome oh yeah to Mom aka Dodie for caring for Bro so we could rest. Brody's spit up got worse, lets just say that he was going though clothes faster than baseball players go through balls during a game, not normal!!! So we take Brody to the doctor Tuesday evening. Doc says that it is probably acid reflux. Well by Friday Jess and I are concerned about the little Brody. I can say that Brody was projectile vomit champion and I was his target. Friday Jess calls the Pediatrician and tells him she feels that after seeing the obvious that Brody has what is called Pyloric Stenosis. She was right!!! Saturday morning we are admitted to the hospital for this. Brody gets an Ultrasound that confirms this and he has surgery Saturday evening. After a short stay till Monday evening, our little boy is back to being himself. Wheww!!!! That was alot of stuff.

Lessons learned

God is awesome and in control even when we cannot be.
I married an awesome wife
I have been blessed to have one tough little boy
The power of prayer is beyond belief
Family is a powerful bond that only grows stronger
When life gives you lemons, add a cup of sugar and water and have lemonade
Toot sweet and a pacifier equals to one peaceful little baby boy.
Never take for granted the amount of time spent with your child
Nursing knowledge goes out the window when it is your own child
Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Well that is enough for now. I will post pictures on the next post.

I have gained a new respect for my wife and my sweet baby boy.

I love you guys very much,

Daddy

Brody and his hands

2007-06-08T22:31:00.000-04:00

Can you hear me now????

Peace

Oops there goes another diaper

This sounds important..... i'm listening......

Notice the casual middle finger (no disrespect)

Hey everyone!!!!!

I'm thinking here when is my next bottle?

What part of no flashes allowed did you not get?

Well Brody,

You will soon discover that you are very articulate with sign language at such an early age.

You make me proud.

Love, Daddy

More pics with family

2007-06-07T16:46:00.001-04:00

Brody and Jade

Brody and Granny

Brody and Aunt Joni

Brody and Aunt Julie

Brody and Rachel

Lounging around

2007-06-07T16:16:00.001-04:00

Snuggle time anyone?

2007-06-07T16:05:00.000-04:00

There is nothing more special than to have your child look into your eyes and feel safe.

The responsibility that has been given to us by God with the birth of our baby boy is so amazing and puts many things into perspective. You always hear that life changes when you make the commitment to have a child. It is very true. I believe that you go through life and the joy of it is that there is something new to learn daily from it. Well with the birth of Brody, I have honestly learned something new daily. The pictures above are of Brody with us. I love you son.

Welcome Home Brody (Sunday May 20,2007)

2007-06-07T15:44:00.000-04:00

Welcome Home Brody!!! (my little Cubs fan!!!)

Brody and Jacie's first encounter

Why not take you over the threshold like

i did with Mommy

The happy family

Brody's first trip in his carseat to home

Brody with Family

2007-06-07T15:26:00.001-04:00

Brody and Papaw Ernie

Brody with Aunt Debbie

Brody with his Dodie

Brody with Aunt Leah

Brody and his Gandy

Brody with Uncle Jerry

Stay tuned for more updates....there are so many pictures so bear with me......

What THEY say is TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-06-07T14:28:00.000-04:00

Well Brody,

The title of this entry is so appropriate. Let me explain. All throughout life you will hear many people tell you many different things about how it was for them when they had those experiences. Many times I have told them "yeah ..... i hear you..... really?" Well in this instance, they were right. Before you were born, the most commonly used statement headed my way was "Rest now because when that baby gets here you will not get any sleep." What did I say in response to that..... "Oh no big deal.... i survived limited sleep in nursing school, I am sure I can handle this." Well you are more than nursing school, i mean, in nursing school i could get away with 3-4 hours of sleep, the difference is that was continuous sleep that was not interrupted. Your sleep pattern is that of a party animal. In the famous words of the Slaughter song "UP ALL NIGHT, SLEEP ALL DAY!!!!!!" I love you so much son and you are so adorable and kissable but at 3:30 in the morning you turn into Dr. Jekyl. Just kidding. Mommy and I are getting used to your sleeping patterns and you are getting better.

I love you son!!!!!

Love, Daddy

Happy Mother's Day or Birthday or both???

2007-05-15T01:46:00.000-04:00

Well Son,

You took us all by surprize and you gave everyone the greatest gift of all for mother's day, YOU!!!Here is how you decided to arrive.... let's flashback to the wee hours of the morning on May 12,2007.... it is 1:30am and your Mommy wakes up Daddy and says that there is something wet in the bed. Well Daddy in his state of sleepiness asks Mommy if she is ok? She says that it is not her but her side of the waterbed that has sprung a leak.....interesting.....so while Daddy is at work, Mommy and Dee Dee decide to clean up the mess from the waterbed.....this equals strenuous activity for Mommy....for you it means a bigger light at the end of the birth tunnel.....May 13,2007....1:30 in the morning....Mommy wakes Daddy up and complains of being uncomfortable and says that she thinks she wet the bed....once again Daddy in his sleepiness asks if Mommy is okay? Mommy says oh it is no big deal go back to sleep.....Daddy at this point is concerned and tells Mommy to call her friend Stephanie, a labor and delivery nurse, and ask her opinion. Mommy calls her friend and then after realizing that HER water broke called the Labor and Delivery unit at her work. We arrive at 3am.......almost 12 hours later, you are here my Son!!!!!! You were born on Mother's Day at 2:36 pm. You weighed in at 6lbs and 7ounces, and you are 19 1/2 inches long. Mommy and you were great. Since you were a month early, you needed special care in the NICU. You are so awesome son, I love you so much!!!! I am looking forward to getting to spend quality time with you. Happy Birthday Son and thank you God for my beautiful baby boy!!!!!

Love, Daddy

Closer than we thought

2007-05-09T11:56:00.000-04:00

Hey Brody,

First of all let me start by saying "I love you." Sometimes my world gets so busy and hectic with work that I come home so tired that I visit with your Mommy and go to sleep without telling you those three special words. The more I think about you, the more my heart feels a special warmth that causes my eyes to swell and I just want to cry. Not a sad cry but a happy cry.
We had your appointment with Dr. Tynes on Monday. It was supposed to be a routine "How is it going this week" appointment. Your Mommy was telling the nurse Mrs. Carolyn all about how she was having soreness and that she has noticed her ankles disappearing into her legs, aka cankles. The nurse let Dr. Tynes know about this and Dr. Tynes decided to evaluate your Mommy and see how you were. I will spare you the details of how this happened but Dr. Tynes felt your head and told your Mommy that she was dialated 2cm and 50% effaced, in lamens terms, if your Mommy kept being active, you would be here before we knew it. At that appointment you were 35 weeks along. We are hoping that you hang out in there for two more weeks. So now your Mommy is off work for the time being.
Your Mommy and I are looking forward to seeing you real soon. My co-workers, a bunch of lady nurses are making wagers to see who guesses the day you are born. So far the popular vote is May 27th. I like that day as well because your Mommy and I got married on that day. But the important thing is that you are healthy when you get here. So Brody, whenever God gives you the okay to show up then I will be happy with his decision. I love you son.

Love,
Daddy

Here's to Baseball

2007-04-18T11:15:00.000-04:00

Hey Brody,

You will see that your Mommy and I have started you an extensive collection of Chicago Cubs clothing. You now own more Cubbies apparel than me. When we found out about you, one of the things I told your Mommy was that I would not force any team on you as to who your favorite teams in sports would be. Well, as you will see..... no pressure. I have had many people ask me, including family members, Why the Chicago Cubs of all teams???? Here is my response.

Many years ago when I was 8 years old, I can remember my Papa and I watching tv together. We would watch many shows. There was Pasquali, a chef, Justin Wilson, a cajun chef, and then there was the Cubs game on WGN. Papa to this day says that the only reason he watched it was because of Harry Caray. Well Brody, wathching the Cubs game with Papa was the highlight of my life. For once as a kid I felt really important. I was watching a baseball game with my Papa. Back then, I always looked at hanging out with Papa a priviledge. Papa was who I looked up to as a child, so to me the Cubs meant more than just some baseball team that had an announcer that coined the phrases "Holy Cow" or "Cubs Win....Cubs Win.....yeaaah." It is times such as those that I can only hope that we will have together Brody. Below are the pictures of the cool Cubs stuff your Mommy and I got you.

Well son, next Monday we will have another Ultrasound of you.

I love you,

Daddy

It Is Finished!!!!!

2007-04-06T22:27:00.002-04:00

Hey Brody,

Great News!!!! I am finished with your room and closet. Well, minor touch ups are in order but for the most part.... it is done. I hae spent the majority of my days off of work and prior to getting a job, days off from school since December working on your room. All that is left is to pick up your furniture later on this week and then have you. Your Mommy made me laugh tonite. This is what I heard.... "Well do you like the Doritos or not?" Apparently she needed some sort of snack and so Nacho Cheese Doritios were her choice. You on the other hand had her curious about your preference because you were moving around a lot. It is the little things like that, that make me love your Mommy so much. You are already providing us so much joy. My patients I care for hear all about you and they are excited for you to be here. Brody, this is the most I believe I have ever done for anyone so I truly hope that you enjoy your room. Well I need to get ready for bed, I am working the entire weekend. Happy Easter to you son. One day we will both learn about the meaning behind this holiday. I already know some about it but I am ready to learn with you so that you can provide your thoughts and imagination to it. I love you Son.

Love, Daddy

What has been going on in your world?

2007-03-29T13:09:00.000-04:00

Hey Brody,

How have you been? I see you moving a lot. How is it in your Mommy's belly? Hopefully you are comfortable and feel safe. Well outside of your world, in my world, there is so much going on. It is hard to imagine that in 10 weeks I will get to see you. Your Mommy was going to get to see you in 4-D yesterday, but everyone was busy. Your Daddy, me, has been working a lot. But I am making a decision that will be a good one for all of us. Starting May 15th or the week thereof I am going to be doing the weekend option at work. I will work on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday's and be off work Monday-Thursdays. What all this means is that I will get the sincere chance to hang out with you during the first 4 days of the week. It will probably be short term though. It is a 6 month contract. That is my plan. I think about you a lot. I have heard people say not to revolve your life around your children. I say to them thanks but no thanks. I have dreamed about you for a long time and I want you to experience what I am only now getting to enjoy. That is getting to spend time with you and getting to know you. You are a product of your Mommy and me but God ultimately created you. You will be loved by us no matter what. You have a neat extended family as well. I hope that one day as you get older we can have a strong relationship with one another. So many times it will seem like you know everything and I know nothing. I was the same way and in many aspects I still am towards my Dad. You will learn much from others as well as from us. Well I guess I am rambling now. Your Mommy is 29 weeks along with you. Your heart rate is still in the 160's. We are scheduled to have another Ultrasound of you at 32 weeks. Well boy I love you and hope you continue to feel safe in your Mommy. Oh yeah, you got your first set of scrubs the other day from your Mommy's friend Leah.

Love Daddy

Mommy's Dream

2007-03-22T13:56:00.000-04:00

Hey Brody

Well kiddo, you are an awesome joy. I miss you already, you don't know how bad I want to see you, feel you, and hold you in my arms. Well your Mommy had a dream about you last night and I guess I am thankful that God blessed her with it, but I am a little jealous that I could not experience also. Here is the email your Mommy sent about the dream:

had a dream last night that I had Brody. We were in the hospital and there were so many visitors that it took a long time until I finally got to hold him myself. I put my pinkey finger in his mouth and he began to suck. His skin was a combination of my olive complexion and Jeremy's red skin! Then, I was supposed to try to breastfeed him, but then the dream switched to when we were leaving the hospital. For some reason, Jeremy wasn't there by then, so, I had to drive myself home, but Mom and Denise were with me. Weird, I know. Denise made me go by Office Depot on the way home to get some computer thing, and there was a lot of traffic, and I was getting mad- saying that they should have let me just go straight home and she could have gone to the store later! hahahahaha!

That was all, b/c I woke up and wanted to wake up Jeremy to tell him, but didn't dare wake him up that early since we didn't get to bed until around 2am. He was such a cute baby, though! Of course, Mommy would think so!

Love ya
Jess

As you can see, she was blessed to have a glimpse of you. You are 7 months and a few days along at this point. I am so proud of you. I love you!!!! Only a couple of months until you are here.

Love, Daddy

What is going on

2007-02-24T21:25:00.000-05:00

Hey Brody.

It has been 20 days since I last updated this blog. What has occurred? Well I am staying busy at work and you keep growing. Look at the pictures below and see for yourself.

Oh and just so you know, you get hiccups. It feels like you are punching a punching bag but it is really just you hiccuping and bouncing around. It is really weird to see you move around the way you do. But I am sure it will only get even cooler. Well this update is a short one. I am doing this after a 12 hour shift at the hospital. Maybe after I take my liscensing exam will I have more time and energy to focus on this.

Until next time

Daddy

Well I wrote you a poem

2007-02-04T23:03:00.000-05:00

Hey Brody!!!
Well it has been a little while since I wrote on your blog. Here is what has been going on. For starters your Daddy started his new job. He is the proud owner of 12 hours a day working with cool people that get their tickers (heart) worked on. Yes son, I am considered a rare breed on my unit. I am the only full time male employee on my unit. What does this mean? Well, your Daddy gets teased all the time by his female cohorts. Oh yeah I forgot to mention, I am a RN or registered nurse just like your Mommy is. Well enough about that... moving on to better fun things. I wrote you a poem. How did this happen? Funny thing. I was in the kitchen cleaning up my mess after lunch and I started singing a song. I was thinking about you the whole time and could not stop singing. So here it is.

Brody’s Poem

Written by: Daddy on January 17, 2007.

When I think about you, I get so amazed
Thinking about this little bundle of His Grace
Wondering what it‘ll be like when I finally see your face
I know there will be this love for you that nothing can replace
You are my child that I’ve waited for so long
That when I think about you my heart bursts into this song
No matter what happens I will hold you so tight
Making sure that you know wrong from right
I just want to hold you every day and every night
I break out in tears when I think about the day
When you come along from heaven to this earth
From your Mommy’s womb on the day of your birth
You are my little one that I love so much
That came from heaven filled with so much love
You are my son….the apple of my eye…..
It is hard to imagine no matter how hard I try
That you are this little miracle that is a gift from above
I think about the day when your eyes meet mine
That first gaze will be so memorable
There will be many nights when all I can do is just look at you while you are asleep
And thank God for my little bundle of joy
And pray that His angels are watching over you and giving you sweet dreams
That you my son will be the apple of His eye
And that the two of you will become the best of friends
No matter what happens He will watch over you and protect you during the times that only He can.

There is more to this but the part above is how I feel about you. The next part is what I hope for you.

It is my hope and prayer that as your parents, your Mommy and I will raise you to be the child that grows into a man that loves the Lord and has a continual relationship with him after you leave from us and begin your own journey in life as an adult.
We love you so much.
God has given your Mommy and I the awesome privilege to be your parents.
As your parents we have a huge responsibility to raise you up and protect you from harm. To be your guide when you need an answer to a question.
To be the one’s that listen when you voice a concern
To be the one’s that hold you when you need to feel loved.

There is so much that we all will learn as the time draws near. Just know that we are here for you no matter what. Things will happen that you will not understand and as you grow older, those mysteries will somehow make sense. But the most important of all is Love. Along your journey you will have feelings that you cannot control. But as life occurs you will be around many different situations that are unfamiliar. There is someone who has been through those situations before. You will know him as Jesus. He has the knowledge and wisdom that will help you on your journey. He will tell you about every detour and every pothole in the road. The key to this is listening to his voice. There are ways that you can listen to his voice. The first way is through the Bible. This book is the most important book you will ever own. This book is Living and God makes sure to cover every aspect of life in this book. Another form of listening is through prayer. I like to think of it as having unlimited long distance. Anytime you have a problem just pray.
A valuable lesson that I have learned the hard way is that humans are human. You will soon learn that we all make mistakes. The goal in making mistakes is learning from these mistakes. If anyone tells you that they are perfect, then ask them to go look it up in the dictionary and get back with you. Usually you will find out that whoever decides that they are perfect usually have something going on in their own lives that cause them to use this as a way to deal with these problems. In life you will face many roads. Some roads are narrow and others are wide, some are clear and others are obstructed. Challenges will always be the best learning experiences. With the roads, you will see more roads that are clear and wide. The reason for this is that many people have taken these roads either all at once or over time. The narrow obstructed roads are the ones that few people take because this presents a challenge. Take the challenge. With the challenges in life, you find that your learning and character are defined and refined. It may not be fun but the reward is great.

Well Son I love You !!!

Daddy

The moment we all have been waiting for!!!!!

2007-01-15T21:52:00.000-05:00

Hey Kiddo!!!!

Guess what??? We found out who you are...we found out who you are.... nener nener nener, you have a weiner!!!!! It's official you are my baby BOY!!! Whew!!! Do you realize how hard it was for me to try to be all cool about what I wanted? Well, I have spoken about you, my Brody Payne for many years. It is true. Really. Your Mommy is really excited now. I must admit it... you made it tough for us to find out. The nice ultrasound lady was looking and looking for your "pee pee" and you were moving every which way to keep us from seeing it. The funny thing is that we were watching your movements and you seemed to find your "pee pee" after we did because you had your hand down there. You also were rubbing your eye but it was cool because it was almost like you were moving each finger like playing a piano. And when your Mommy was playing with her hair... you were playing with the back of your neck. You are my healthy baby boy. I can already tell that you have quite the personality too. Rather funny!!! Here are some pictures below......

Here is one of your face!!! And evidence of your "pee pee"

The nice ultra sound lady looking for you

Your Mommy and Daddy with the
Girly Doc listening to your heartbeat

Your Mommy and your Gandy

Well Brody... it was a great day and it is such an awesome feeling to know that you, my son, are growing so well and are going to be such a loved little boy!!!! I love you my son and I am so happy!!! I always want you to know how much I love you and no matter what I will continue to love you. It is going to be a fun adventure for the three of us!!! Until next time...

Love ya boy!!!!

Love, Daddy

Only one week until we find out who you are

2007-01-10T14:34:00.000-05:00

Brody or Trinity,

This entry may be a little long but there is so much going on that I have to catch you up on. First of all I wanted you to see what your Mommy's website says about you this week. She loves this stuff.

Your Baby

Your baby is approximately 4.8 inches long and weighs about 3.5 ounces, and he or she should weigh more than the placenta from this point on. Since your baby's hearing has become more finely tuned, he or she may respond to loud noises and you may feel movement at the sound of large trucks passing or a slamming door. Epidermal (skin) and fatty tissue are developing all over your baby's body to protect it after it is born and a substance called vernix is beginning to form on the skin tissue to protect it from the long exposure to amniotic fluid.

Ok, so it is in some foriegn language, the important thing to get from that is your size, that you are hearing now, and that you are getting some skin.

Next thing I wanted you to see is what you look like from where I am. Look below:

(DISCLAIMER, Well I am trying to experiment with this whole blogger stuff so if this looks funny after it is posted then this is why)

As you can see from the pictures you are a beautiful baby. You have a beautiful Mommy too. My hope is that you get your good looks from her.

Guess what? Next Monday we will find out if you are going to be my little boy or my little precious daddy's girl. It is funny, I get asked all the time "What do you want it to be?" My response is always the same and never wavering with " All I ask for is a healthy baby, and a healthy pregnancy, the rest is bonus points."

So there you have it, Brody or Trinity either way it turns out I will love you the same. Are my hopes up? Of course they are!!!

The next thing I wanted you to see is that you got some cool stuff from my family members. How this happened so early is that you and your cousins are months apart from each other as of in being born. And yes you will be the youngest of the three, but the cool thing about that is that you will get spoiled by the masses of relatives!!!! So here below are some of your cool stuff.

Well, this was a long entry but it was well worth it. Until next time, Brody or Trinity keep strong and know that your Mommy and I love you very much. Just think... Next entry will be different depending on how the ultrasound appears. Either way just know that we love you no matter what.

Love, Daddy

2006-12-26T03:06:00.000-05:00

Hey Brody or Trinity,

It has been a little time since my last entry on your blog. The pictures above will explain the reason for it. Here is what each picture is. Your Mommy let me paint the ceiling, so I did! Your Mommy wanted you to have a wood floor in your room, so on Christmas day, your Papaw Phil and I put in the wood floor that your Mommy picked out !(hint... lesson #1... always let Mommy or your future spouse make the big decisions... that way if it does not look good you only get blamed a little not a lot) (hint... lesson #2... always be kind and thankful... without you Papaw Phil's help I would have made a big mess... thanks again Phil) Your Mommy loves leopard print stuff... (ask her why when you can talk... lesson #3... if you don't know something... ask... it is better than feeling silly when you make stuff up.) So I painted a leopard for her and you. You will probably ask me this question when you can talk and therefore making your Daddy proud (refer to lesson #3). "Daddy, Why did you paint all this stuff on the walls?" Well let me type it so that way I can look on here to refresh my aging memory later. I was at church one Wednesday night and the congregation and I were asked to close our eyes and relax. Some minutes later we were asked to imagine our peaceful place. Then we were asked to imagine Jesus hanging out with us there. I did and the stuff I painted on your wall was what my peaceful place looked like. So, I wanted you to be surrounded in my peaceful place where Jesus comes to hang out when you are in your room and when you are asleep. The Rhino and other critters were just things that you could look at and ask about later. A little about the Rhino. Your Mommy loves Rhinos. (refer to lesson #3) When I think about a Rhino there are 3 things that come to my mind.
1. They are big... bigger than your Mommy's Tahoe (no one messes with them)
2. They always move forward and not backwards ( goal oriented and focused)
3. They are a respected animal and tough skinned ( takes a lot to bring them down)

These three things are important lessons that you will soon learn... remind me and I will tell you more later on.

Each critter is symbolic of someone that had a big influence on me.

-The Frog on the lilly pad is my relationship with God/Jesus Christ (F.ull R.eliance O.n G.od)
-The birds on both walls are for the many relatives and loved ones that have gone on and the one's who always pray for you and us.
-The fish (yellow) is for the beauty of the unknown
- The turtle is another of your Mommy's favorites... but it stands for the men who had a tough outer appearance but huge hearts to take me under their wing so that I can be a good Daddy for you.
- The elephant (no offense intended) is for the women such as your Great Grandmothers, Grandmothers, and our aunts that always showed nuturing and caring for us.
-The lizard is for the people who were always blending into the environment but always were looking out for us... guardian angels.
The Duck is for my Papa... one of the greatest men I know and love and the one you will never forget as long as I live. Thanks for everything Papa.
-The bass is for your Grandfathers, these men will teach you important lessons about fishing and life.

I seem to have typed a huge blog but it was important that you know what your room stood for. As it becomes finished I will be sure to update you on the new things.

Well Kiddo, you are growing so fast and before we know it you will be here. Your Mommy and I love you very much. I know that when you get to hang out with us more you will soon find out that the three of us, you, your mommy and me, will be very happy together. Love you kiddo!!!

Love,
Your Daddy

2006-11-27T09:52:00.000-05:00

Hey Kiddo,
Today is Monday, November 27,2006. Today is a week later since we got to see you. Your Mommy had another girlie doctor appointment last Monday. It was a good visit. The nice lady that operates the ultrasound machine let us see you again. Guess what, now we have video of you. Your mommy and I were able to see you move around and see kinda what you look like so far. Your Mommy loves McCallisters Deli and thought it would be nice to eat lunch there before the girlie doc visit. Well that was cool because it was good food. Your Mommy drank some sweet tea. Let me rephrase that.... a lot of sweet tea. At the appointment, the doc listened to your heartbeat. It was 160!!!! You are loving the sweet tea huh? I always get teary eyed when I think about you!!! God put you in a special place in my heart and mind. I am so ready to see you and get to know you. Yesterday, the pastor at church said that when you find a person's treasure, you find their heart, and when you find their heart, then you see God in that person. Well Brody or Trinity, you are my treasure. The way I feel about you, my unborn child, is so rich and so pure that I honestly believe that is the same way God feels about me and everyone. I love you kiddo and I am so looking forward to holding you.

Love,
Your Daddy!!!

2006-11-12T14:22:00.000-05:00

Dear Brody or Trinity,

It seems that the more that happens during the beginning of your life, the more I have to write about. Today is Veteran's Day and your mommy went to church this morning. Daddy was snoozing away in the bed. Well, it is a habit for your mommy and I to call each other on the way home from wherever we are. Today your mommy called me at home. I asked her if she was hungry, the answer of course was YES. I asked her what she wanted to eat for lunch. Here is where the story begins....... Her answer was " Well, the pastor said that we needed to put an X on the calendar because of Veteran's Day. I thought he said eggs. So all during church I have been craving an egg sandwhich"...... Well kiddo what mommy wants mommy gets. She came home and fixed a 3 egg, egg sandwhich with cheese. Just so you know... your mommy normally only cooks 2 eggs for her sandwhich but today your daddy messed with her while she was putting blck pepper in her eggs and it was a lot, so she added another egg. I made me a glass of chocolate milk and your mommy drank a lot of it and said " your baby is hungry." So now I have learned that now it is whatever baby wants, mommy gets. I hope you enjoyed that egg sandwhich and chocolate milk... Love ya kiddo!!!

Love, Daddy :)

2006-11-10T17:59:00.000-05:00

Hey Brody or Trinity.
Here is what your mommy sent to me about you.
Your baby is about one inch from crown to rump - or roughly the size of a strawberry. Weighing in at one gram, your baby is very active, although you can't feel its movements yet. He or she now has all the major organs, muscles, and nerves; and a Doppler may be able to identify the heartbeat. While his or her testes or ovaries are formed, the external genitalia still appear sexless, which is why it is too early for an ultrasound to reveal its gender. Eyelids are beginning to form and the trunk is straightening and elongating, cartilage and bones are forming, the basic structures of the eyes are in place, and the tongue is beginning to develop. The fingers and thumb are visible, albeit short and webbed.

Wow you went from peanut to strawberry in a couple of weeks. How cool is that? Now we just need to make sure that no one calls you their little strawberry. I hope that you are doing well inside your mommy's belly. Dont ever let anyone tell you that your mommy poo-poo'd you out. I will let you in on a secret. My cousin Haley told me that i was poo-poo'd out of my mom, your grandma and I believed her. The sad part is that if this was true, then I was the whitest turd known to man. Your mommy and I think about you a lot. We are ready to know who you are. I know this much. God knows who you are already and formed you in his image. And you have a best friend that is with you at all times. His name is Jesus. He did a wonderful thing for us all. I will tell you more about him when you get here. I am sitting here trying to imagine what you are doing right now. hmmmm. still thinking...... ........ i could sit here for days and still be thinking about what you are doing. Are you swimming? peeing? poopin? listening to tv? Just curious thats all. I have so much to talk with you about and so many things to show you. I love you kiddo.

Love your Daddy!

2006-11-02T22:08:00.000-05:00

Hey Brody or Trinity!
It's me again Dad.
I have some rather silly news to tell you about your Mommy. Tonight, lets see, you are 7 weeks and 4 days old and you are causing your Mommy to crave some weird combinations of food. Just look at what I found in the kitchen tonight!!! Yep Cranberry sauce and Macaroni and Cheese!!! Yummy!!!! Just kidding. I laughed big time. Your Mommy had a priceless deer in the headlight look when I asked her about it. All she could say to her defense was "I like Cranberry Sauce!" You really do have a cool Mommy that will feed you anything!!! Oh yeah, if you keep hearing the word peanut or the phrase "my little peanut, " just know that that is not me saying that but everyone else. Love you bunches my bundle of joy!!!! DADDY :)

2006-10-23T20:52:00.000-04:00

10/23/06-Dear Brody or Trinity, today was an awesome day!!! Guess what? Mommy and I got to see how far you have come along. According to Dr. Tynes, your mommy's Girlie doctor, you are 6 weeks and 2 days old!!! I almost cried tears of joy!!! There was this nice lady that showed us pictures of you and let us hear your heartbeat. I got to see what looked like your heart. Let me let you in on a little secret! God sure knows how to make your Daddy happy. The nice lady told us that you are the size of a peanut. Dont worry I will not let anyone confuse you for the Planter's Peanut guy!!! You are my bundle of joy. You are the best gift that anyone could ever give us. To hear your little heart beat was the best sound I have ever heard. Love ya kiddo!

Dad! :)

2006-10-09T22:18:00.000-04:00

On October 5, 2006 the most exciting thing happened. Your Mommy had a positive pregnancy test. We both were so very happy. We decided to call the majority of your family.... Your great grandparents...your grandparents....even your aunts and well....your uncles will find out later. Your Mommy and I had been waiting for you for a long time. We wanted to make sure that you were really on your way so your Mommy took another pregnancy test the next morning at 5:45 and woke Daddy up so that he could tell her that it had been 3 minutes(that's how long it says to wait). The test was positive again. Your Mommy and I were the happiest people in the whole wide world. Ever since your Mommy and I got married, we had always wanted to have you. We would talk about you to our friends as if you were already a part of our lives. I had always dreamed that I could be a good Daddy and now you will fufill my life long dream of being your Daddy. It is too early to know exactly who you are now because according to Mommy's website... you are the size of a M&M. Even though you are so tiny in your Mommy's belly your Mommy and I love you more than you could ever imagine. You are a precious gift from God. Daddy's little bundle of joy.