Learning and Walking

Braelyn has recently started to CHOOSE to walk. Although she has been able to walk for well over a month now, she has realized that walking is much faster than crawling. There have been lots of bruises and crying, but she still gets up and tries again and again.

We have been watching signing times every day (it is the only way she holds still long enough to get her hair done). She loves it!!! I uploaded a short clip of me trying to get her attention while watching Signing Time... She signs:

All done

More (She even tries to say this one "MOE")

Shoes

Ball (Shoes and ball look a lot like more so luckily she says MOE)

Play

Dog

Bird

Fish

Eat/Food

Book

Baby (this one is still my favorite)

Please

Thank you

Prayer (We taught her to fold her arms when we say prayers and now when I say prayer she gets ready. She even attempts to say AMEN at the end)

She also knows where her belly button is, well...sort of, sometimes she points to her chest or leg. She can show you her tongue and point to your hair, nose, eyes, ears, mouth, hands and feet. She also thinks she knows what a pig says and she does do the same noise every time and scrunches her nose up :)

Brae looks more like her dad...at least that is what people tell me. So one day we decided to do Daddy's hair. Brae thought it was funny.

Oh yes and she loves gum! She is definitely a Perrero!

SpRiNG BREak!

These first few pictures are at the end of our Spring Break. I have been watching the neighbor boys on Monday and Wednesday. Brae loves them at the house and she especially loves to ride in Carter's truck! Somehow they all wore blue that day:)

Braelyn has been walking so well inside that we have given her a few chances to try her skill outdoors. She loves outside and if you ask her about it she immediately looks at or walks to the door and whines to go out.

We spent most of our Break in Williamsburg, VA. It was so much fun to see the historical sites, relax, enjoy food and friendships. The drive was 9 hours! Brae did great in the car, although there was a few tantrums, she learned some new signs and how to show everybody her tongue.

I can't believe that they held prisoners in these before their court trials. Jeff and Ashley got to be in reenactment in the courthouse. I don't have any pictures because Braelyn did not want to listen.

Matthew and Brae became best of friends. You will see later, that she cried whenever Matthew was going to bed. I love her pigtail hairdo, especially after it comes out and she has horns.

We came across wild Bamboo. It was the first time I have seen so much of it. Brae loved it and so did Jeff, I even snapped a shot of Jeff climbing up the shoots.

I love this picture. Too bad, Jeff has his admission sticker on :(

This was a first for Brae. That's right, she had never been in a swimming pool before and as you can tell by her expression she was thrilled. She didn't mind doing back floats, kicking and yes..being dunked. That's what you get when your mommy taught swimming lessons for five summers.

Tonight we had family home evening and Brae showed her newest skill...folding her arms. It is so fun to watch this little girl grow, we love her more every day!

Cake

Has anyone ever made a fondant cake? I'm thinking of making one for Braelyn's first birthday. Any suggestions?

House For Sale and New Videos of Braelyn

Our house is officially on the market. It is sad to realize that we will be leaving Kentucky so soon, but we are excited for our future in Utah! Here is a link to our MLS page:

http://glarmls.com/GLARReports/ListitLib/report_builder.aspx?category=1&r1=1XTXdj47TA8!AVz4Z2&m1=yhotyt5aG&footer=54545350&maillog_id=6615762987

Braelyn is getting so big! She is 10 months old and learning all sorts of new tricks here are a few:

Waving hi and bye

Giving kisses

Pointing

She knows where lights are (like if you say where is the light?...she looks up and points to it)

She says dad and duck

She points to her duck in a book and says duck

She signs baby (she loves her baby dolls and kisses them lots)

She signs thank you

She signs all done

She signs more

We are working on signing please

Shaking her head no no

She crawls all over the place

Crawling up and down the stairs

She can about 10 steps but she is a big CHICKEN

She can tell you where your nose, eyes and mouth are but sometimes she gets a little confused

There is lots more we can't believe how much she is doing and we love her so much!

This is a picture of her first time eating spaghetti! YUM

She had a playdate with Bennet (he was recently adopted from Ethiopia). His mommy and I went to nursing school together and it was so fun to hang out with them!

Braelyn and I spent 10 days in Utah and watched my brothers and a few of my cousins while the parents went on a cruise. One night we went to Classic Skating's Bounce House. It was crazy!

Braelyn loves her daddy! They play when he gets home from school and she laughs and laughs.

STeaching her to sign has been really fun. Both Jeff and I are amazed at the things she memorizes and how she can communicate. These show her three favorite signs BABY, MORE and ALL DONE.

Graduation, Birthday, Christmas, Dress and Duck...

I have finally graduated nursing school. I still have to take boards, but being finished is such a relief. YAY YAY YAY! I graduated at the top of my class and got a fancy award for it, Jeff was very proud and I was very surprised.That same night we had our own Christmas in Kentucky. Jeff got a gas blower, Braelyn got clothes and a few toys and I am getting a sewing machine. We are so exciting
All the little girls in Jeff's family got these gorgeous dresses. Brae looked so cute in it!


I love this picture of her eyes...everywhere we go people comment about her pretty eyes and long lashes.

She loved the cat at Grandma's house. She was always trying to get them but was not very successful.

The little girls got to take a bath together and they had a blast. Brae loved being around Averee and Taylor.

These next few pictures were on Christmas Eve when all the kids get new PJs from Grandma.

Wow...the big kids are HOT!

This is my family on Christmas Eve in our new PJ's from my mom. Our family is getting bigger and bigger.

Brae got her first Christmas ornament.

Jeff's Birthday was on the 18th. He turned 27 years old and decided to try to look more manly by growing out his facial hair.

Luckily his mom persuaded him to shave most of it off before the family Christmas party. So this picture shows the remnants of it.

Braelyn is saying Duck...or at least we would like to think she is :)

Ready or not...here we come!

I wrapped Jeff's Christmas present and Braelyn loves it! She keeps picking at it and trying to eat it. Christmas should be fun this year with all the boxes, tissue paper and wrapping paper.

We have been trying new things with her hair...this is the remains of a side ponytail :)

This little girl is getting more and more wild. So family, ready or not, here she comes!

More Brae...

This is a post for our families...preparing them for the little girl coming to visit. She is trying to reach her Christmas presents. She gets up on her tippie toes and grunts.
I do not remember if it was Brandy or Great Grandma who gave Brae her hat, regardless it finally fits and it is adorable.

She is starting to balance but she does not understand to fall to her butt, she just free falls to anyone in front of her.

She is our little screamer. Jeff's mom told us that Jeff was always screaming with a high pitch and I think Braelyn is a MINI Jeff.

She has started to laugh hard! She is also cruising around getting into everything. Jeff said the other day, "she is a real person."

Her new tricks are walking around and around this chest until she falls down. Every once in a while she gets adventurous and goes over to the couch and back. She is getting very daring! We are excited to come home and show everybody this fun "real person."