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Sunday, January 11, 2009

My little guy...it's who he is

18 months (and 16 days) is how old Brayden James is! I just don't know where the time has gone. I will say, I am astonished at what all my little guy is doing. He really is very bright and peculiar. He is very detailed with his organizing skills (setting up his train track, playing with his hot wheels track, puzzles ETCETERA, ETCETERA), and focused when it comes to playing with toys that require the use of fine motor skills. It's neat! I guess I was just proud of him when he could (with little effort) put the tiny straw back into his juice box (and that was like 3 or 4 months ago). He even likes to create his very own master pieces (as displayed above). Daddy helped him just a bit with this was his first time to use finger paints. He is very familiar with pencils and crayons. He is STILL a bookworm. He cherishes his books. We read to him daily and sometimes he even reads to us. I am wondering if we need to have bookshelves built upstairs...(something to think about).

Talking, talking, talking is what he does best. He likes to still babble but, tries hard to repeat some words we say. He speaks in short phrases (examples: it's aah gone, daddy's book, more peese, and mom up) and likes to say "hey" as a greeting. It's sweet. We have been working on saying please and thank you too! He's definitely not consistent, but he's getting there. Just yesterday, he said "open peese." Translation: 'open please.' You probably didn't need the translation did you? Anyway, he's a talker and doer!

There is so much Brayden James does and says. BUT, the most important things are, he is demonstrating the ability to love and be so very kind. He hugs, kisses, pats, snuggles, shares, follows some very simple directions (I sincerely think out of respect). He is a happy kid and if I want anything for my children, it's for them to be happy, humble and experience humility...The THREE H's!

I couldn't end this post without including PLAY! Brayden James plays like it's nobody's business. Yay for playing! I have to say right now, he is demonstrating some "my way OR the highway) behaviors when it comes to playing. I mentioned earlier that he shares and he does but, sometimes it has to be on his terms. That's okay. He can even get mad and turn his back and sit or stand quietly (kinda like a silent fit or giving you the silent treatment). Honestly, if no other noise..the silence is profound. It's kinda funny. We don't laugh though....at least we don't let him see anyway. So, we ignore it and our main behavior management technique is distraction and consistency! So far so good. So back to play: Take a look for yourself...

Here I come daddy!

tiny bit hesitant

What the heck...let me get into position.

Success!!! Now that was fun!

Here are some of Brayden shooting some hoops. Daddy keeps moving the net higher. Goodness! But, it doesn't discourage Mr. B one bit. He can shoot and dunk!

totally focused

Dunkin' it

Yesss!

strategizing his game plan
Coming later today: My other Little Hoop Shooter
So check back! :-)

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