Brandon is 3

We began Brandon's 3rd Birthday like we have begun every one of his birthdays with our walk on the beach to throw flowers in the ocean for Noah. It is our annual present to Noah so he knows we remember him. It was a beautiful day, despite the cold. We had an amazing time and then hurried home for his birthday party. Mommy made Brandon a train cake this year (her first attempt at decorating a shaped cake) and we were lucky enough to have Uncle Chris, Aunt Sharon, Patrick, Grace, Olivia, Sophia and all the Grandparents over to celebrate our special boy. It's hard for us to see him getting so big. He's so smart, sweet and just wonderful. It seems like yesterday that we brought him home in a carrier that swallowed him up. There is no other love like this.

 

 

 

 

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Brandon's 3rd Christmas

Brandon's 3rd Christas was extra fun this year as he really got in to the whole holiday season, and opening gifts. He helped with everyone's presents and was so happy with everything.

 

 

 

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Preparing for Santa

Here is our big man making cooking with Mommy to leave out for Santa. Some cookies ended up with more sprinkles than actual cookie but from what I heard, Santa didn't complain.

 

 

When I was a little girl we used to listen to the radio and listen for the DJs to give us updates on where Santa was on Christmas Eve. I remember the DJs telling us that he'd be on the East Coast soon and we better get to bed. Now, through the miracle of modern technology, Brandon is able to track Santa's journey online through NORAD's amazing Google Earth inspired tracking system. He LOVEd clicking on all the places where Santa had been and seeing clips of Santa flying over cities in far-off countries. It was really amazing.

 

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Brandon and the Concrete

While playing ball in our backyard Brandon face-planted on to the concrete patio and ended up becoming our Rudolph for the season.

 

 

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Winter Wonderland

Tonight we joined our friends the Martins in St. Augustine and had dinner at a great restaurant called the Gypsy Cab company and then headed over to the St. Augstine Ampitheater for their Winter Wonderland. It was really fun to watch Brandon and Maeve run around in the elf village, see Santa Clause, and roast marshmallows in the open fire pit to make smores. YUM. We also played the fair-type games and "won" some treats and holidays pens for the kids. It was a later night for the boys and both Brandon and Alex were sound asleep in their car seats within 5 minutes of pulling out of the parking lot.

 

 

 

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Morningtime Cuteness

Every morning when Brandon wakes up he comes out to see me and we exchange a huge hug and say "good morning!" We chat for a minute and then go use the potty and get dressed. This morning I asked him "How are you doing today 'handsome'?" Brandon looked at me and scrunched up his face in a goofy smile and said "That's not right Mommy!" "What do you mean? I can't call you handsome?" He replied, "No Mommy! I'm Brandon!"

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More Wii Play

Brandon can play the Wii sports games almost entirely by himself now, figuring out how to point the 'finger' cursor at the right on-screen buttons and pressing the right controller buttons to select them. He knows how to start the game he wants, how to bring up the menu and click the Quit button in order to switch games, and even how to exit the game entirely to the main menu. He also knows how to switch clubs in golf, although sometimes he insists on teeing off with his putter, which doesn't work so well. He calls the driver "the hammer" for some reason.

Tonight he figured out how to change characters, and pointed the finger at mom's Mii. "Who's that?" he asked. "That's Grandma Jan" I told him. "I'm going to play Grandma Jan!" he said, as he picked her character. Then he proceeded to select the baseball game, and said "Grandma Jan likes to play baseball."

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