9 Months and the State Fair

Our big boy turned 9 months old yesterday! He's recently been busting out a lot of new tricks. He's really begun babbling and has been saying the sounds "ma ma" and "da da" an awful lot! We aren't counting them as his first words since he doesn't connect us with those sounds yet, but they are what we've been waiting to hear! He's also on the very brink of crawling, and does a great army crawl by pulling himself forward on his elbows. While we are definitely excited about this new phase of life Brennan is moving in to, I sometimes wonder if I'm actually ready for him to be more mobile!

The Virginia State Fair started this past Thursday, and since I really like going to fairs (it's really all about the food), we decided to head on out and see what it was all about. We went yesterday and had a blast! It was fun to walk around and see the animals, the plants, the different arts and crafts entries by people from around the state. Once Brennan got a little catnap in, he was more pleasant and ready to see all there was to see. Overall a great day, and we all arrived home hot and tired (and a little dirty in Brennan's case)--it was worth the trip!

John was thrilled there was an alpaca barn. The woman invited him to come right in the pen to get up close and personal with the alpaca!

Checking out the chicks or chick magnet?

Look at the horns on that Texas Longhorn!

After many hours in the stroller, he sure loved the feel of the grass!

We found this gorgeous garden behind one of the buildings for a peaceful respite before leaving the fair that night.

The grass sure was fun to play in!

I loved this part--there was a giant box of CORN for kids under age five to play in. They had some wooden toys and big spoons to help with the fun. Brennan sure did like the feel of the corn! Thankfully, none tried to make it in his mouth--although he did try to sneak a few kernels home in his tightly clenched hand!

Four Generations

My great-great-grandfather made a small rocking chair for my grandpa back in the 1920's. Four generations of Prechels have used this little chair. It's been different colors throughout the years. And on the bottom are the names of all who have used this chair: my grandpa, my dad, me and my brother, and now Brennan's name joins the list.

Goofing Around

Climbing on Mama

Look at those blue eyes! Like a mini Sinatra...

He's already fascinated with electronic gadgets and tries to grab the remote control and camera every chance he can.

Visit from Grandpa

John's dad, Grandpa Downer, came up to visit this past weekend on his way up the East Coast. Brennan sure enjoyed the time with Grandpa!

Big Bed, Little Boy

He's our sleepy little boy! And he looked too cute all snuggled under the covers on our bed. He had just woken up and was needing to eat his breakfast, but he needed a little extra R&R to work up the energy to eat breakfast.

On Our Nightstand, Part Two

Here are some more books that we've recently read (or are currently reading) that we enjoy.

1. Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw
2. Red Sox Rule: Terry Francona and Boston's Rise to Dominance by Michael Holley
3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
4. Prisoners of Hope: The Story of Our Captivity and Freedom in Afghanistan by Dayna Curry, Heather Mercer, and Stacy Mattingly
5. Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancey

Happy 30th from your friends!

Naomi's friends sent along this sign for me to put up out front. Here she is with it, and a video of her seeing it for the first time. Enjoy!

Baby in the Bathtub!

This is just because everyone needs to have a baby in the bathtub photo. It's just kind of a must!

Welcome to the Club

Sunday, August 31, marked my official entry into the 30-somethings club. The day itself was pretty low-key: mini-golf, dinner out, and cake at home. Today, we celebrated with a picnic at Maymont Park with some dear friends who came to celebrate the day with us. It was a lot of fun! Thanks to all who sent birthday greetings from afar and those who wished them in person!

Addiction?

My name is Naomi, and I have an addiction--to the library! I absolutely LOVE going to the library and usually wind up there once a week, generally under the pretense of checking out books for Brennan. But we all know that I tend to wind up bringing home more books for me than for Brennan. It's gotten to the point where I've started to bring one of our cloth grocery bags because I've got so many books that I can't possibly carry them all without dropping them, plus I'm pushing Brennan in his stroller and juggling all the paraphernalia that goes along with bringing a baby out in public. I love books and I want Brennan to grow up loving books as well. I think it becomes a problem, though, when I check out way more books than I can possibly read in the time allotted to me and when I have multiple books on my bookshelves at home that I want to read but am trying to plow through the books I've gotten from the library that have a due date attached to them. So many books, so little time. Sigh. But, hey, if I'm going to have an addiction to something, why not the library? Because at least it's free.

Playdate

Brennan had his second playdate yesterday with his friend Isabelle, who just so happens to share the exact same birthday as Brennan! He really does seem to enjoy being around other babies and is getting way more interactive when he is around other kids. Since he's not in daycare or anything like that, I love to take the opportunity to introduce him to other kids so he can make some new friends and have some new experiences. He and Isabelle enjoyed touching each other's faces, hair, and ears, but then they quickly settled into playing and watching each other. It was a good time!

Eight Months Old!

Our little boy is eight months old today! Still no teeth, but I think they're getting close (John has jokingly called me "Chicken Little" in regards to the whole teething thing because I get so sincere that his teeth are about to break through and it winds up being a false alarm). He's not crawling yet, but his favored method of getting around is rolling. Boy, does he ever roll! He's been trying all kinds of new foods and tasting some juice out of a sippy cup. Today, he just tried a cut-up spaghetti noodle to begin the whole new phase of finger foods and trying some foods that actually require chewing. As much fun as it is to make his baby food right now (and as much as he loves eating his pureed fruits and veggies), it will be nice when he gets to the point of feeding himself and eating things that are not pureed. That day will probably come way too soon!

Finally Teething

After three months of thinking that Brennan is teething, we finally think we're getting the real deal now. He's been chewing everything in sight, even more than before. His fingers are particularly tasty to him. He's also not too keen on having anyone touch his gums and they are finally starting to look white. With all of this teething fun, I decided to get him some teething biscuits and he sure had fun with them!

During his biscuit eating session...

And after the biscuit eating session! I think these will be a special occasion treat...

Yay for Grandma!

My mom came to visit us for several days--all the way from Phoenix! It was her first time seeing Brennan since April, and boy, has he changed a lot! Unfortunately, my dad couldn't get the time off, so he'll have to wait until Christmas for some Brennan-loving. We had a ton of fun showing her around Richmond and she and I got to do girly things like shopping. Brennan had a blast with her, and I know the feeling was mutual! It was a great visit, and I am already looking forward to Christmas when we'll all be together again (Dad included this time)!

Brennan and Grandma Prechel at Tredegar Iron Works

The Italian Garden at Maymont Park, most likely my new favorite spot in all of Richmond.

A waterfall in the Japanese Garden at Maymont Park

John helping Brennan climb a tree at Maymont

My dad occasionally sends Brennan "big money" to put in his bank. He's learning about saving early! Here, he's getting some help from Grandma to put the money in the bank instead of his mouth.

One last shot of Grandma Prechel and Brennan

New Things

Brennan and I just got back from a walk in the park again. I really love going to the park. Brennan is perfectly content to ride in his stroller and I get some good exercise by pushing him around. He also seems happy to just look at everything as it goes by, but we do stop and check out the geese. Some geese came out of the water right by where we stopped to look at them. It was like they were saying hello to him!

As I was walking, I let my mind wander and began thinking of all the new things that have happened in the last few months. The biggest new thing of all is Brennan entering our world and all the new that comes with having a baby in the house. Everything is new to him and he's enjoying learning and exploring the things that make up his world. It's fun to watch him discover new things and take pride in doing things that we take for granted (standing up, for one example).

Another new thing has been our move to Virginia. I just have to say that I really, really like Virginia and living in Richmond. We live in a good neighborhood where the people are friendly and we've actually met several of our neighbors. I enjoy being in a place that has seasons. We are experiencing some seriously perfect weather today, too. So much so that we have our air conditioner off and have the windows open to allow the fabulous breeze to air out the house. That may sound like a small thing, but after living in Orlando for the past five summers and needing to have the AC going non-stop from April to October, this is a real treat!

Another new thing is that I have gone back to work part-time. I am doing part-time HR work on a temporary basis. It's decent work, but a bit challenging because my background is not in HR. The hours are fantastic and the pay is better than I could have ever dreamed of for a part-time position. It was definitely a blessing to get this job and we are hoping that it turns into a permanent position.

We've had a lot of new things pop up for us. Some have been challenging and others have been welcome changes. All in all, as I look at these things, I find myself at a place of contentment. While things can be crazy and messy at times, it's all good. I'm embracing the new things, challenges and all.

New Trick

Brennan learned a new trick, one that he gets really excited about. I would like you to believe that he did this all by himself, but alas. He got some help with standing up from Mama. He is pretty proud, though, of being able to stand by himself (with assistance from the couch and no hands from Mama and Daddy). And he's been standing at the couch for several minutes before getting tired and falling down. Our little boy is growing up quickly!

It's Noisy in Here!

I begin this post with a big sigh. Brennan is finally quiet--with the help of a pacifier and his activity mat. Lately, he has begun crying and screaming when he is not being held. So much so that his voice actually sounds hoarse. We can sometimes put him down and he'll be okay, but only if we stay within about two feet of him. Anything further (even if he can still see us) is enough to bring on the wailing. We certainly enjoy holding him, but let's be realistic. It's impossible for one or the other of us to be holding him all day long. But doing those other things that we do without our extra appendage becomes stressful when the background music becomes the sound of an upset child.

Now, we are first-time parents and have never had to deal with separation anxiety stuff before. This is definitely a trying time for us! Sure, Brennan has had his moments and afternoons before where he got upset when he wasn't being held. But nothing has ever lasted this long before and to this intensity. We're pretty sure he's not sick. He's sleeping well and eating decently. No fever and no other strange behavior. Maybe he's finally cutting teeth? Or maybe he just really is having a hard time with having Mama and Daddy not in his immediate vicinity.

I did have one very small victory today, though. I was actually able to put Brennan on the living room floor and made brownies. He could still see me and hear me, and I could still see and hear him. He was occupied with some toys and he even looked up and smiled at me. It lasted long enough for me to get them mixed up, but the tears came just as I was getting things cleaned up. I'll take those small victories when I can get them!

We really do want Brennan to feel safe and secure and to know that when we leave him, even for just a moment or two, we'll always come back to him. But it is difficult to weather this storm. I try to remind myself that this too shall pass, but it's hard to remember that after enduring hours of endless crying and screaming with pauses only for sleeping and eating.

He's still quiet. The pacifier has fallen out of his mouth and he is engaged in playing with some hanging toys with his feet. Esther is laying nearby and that is helping occupy him as well. I'm enjoying my brief moments of silence when I can get them. It's an all-too precious commodity these days!

Mini-Break!

We had a wild and crazy and wonderful weekend down in Newport News, VA. Several very dear friends also live in Virginia, and we were finally able to arrange a time for all of us to gather together for some much needed fellowship. The wild and crazy part is that we had nine adults and five children under the age of five!

On Saturday, we got to spend some time at Bluebird Gap Farm where we all could enjoy seeing different farm animals, the kids could feed said animals, and the kids could run wild on the playground.

Brennan and I got to meet Data, a retired Thoroughbred racehorse.

Brennan really enjoyed the swing, but he liked it even more when Daddy played with him!

Peacocks just roamed around the grounds.

The next day, we enjoyed some time at the beach. Since it was pretty hot outside, the water felt really good! Brennan did not like the feeling of cold when we first got in the water, but as soon as he adjusted, he loved splashing around and didn't really mind it when a wave splashed him.

Daddy introduced Brennan to the sand, and he had a blast playing in it!

It was a great gathering of people, and we are already looking forward to the next time we can all get together! Now that we are all living in the same state, it will certainly be easier! Now for a couple other random photos from the weekend...

Uncle Chris Lane and his five "nieces" and "nephews"

Just in case you forget what our family looks like...

A Boy and His Balloon, Part 2

We felt really, really bad when Brennan's balloon popped. I mean, he loved playing with it and only had it for about half an hour before it met the popcorn ceiling. Today, Brennan and I went out to the park for a walk and some time in the baby swing. When we got home, Daddy had a surprise waiting for Brennan in his room--an Elmo balloon! It was love at first sight! He grabbed onto the string and had a blast bouncing it around and laughing super hard. We'll be keeping a close eye on this one in the hopes that he'll get much more enjoyment out of this one than his first one.

Brennan is also 7 months old today! It's definitely hard to believe that it's already been seven months since he entered our lives. He's just such a great kid!

Highlights at age seven months:
1. He's been sleeping about 11 hours (sometimes longer) straight at night! What a treat!
2. The only food he's tried that he really doesn't like is papaya. He doesn't really care for peas, either, but I just discovered a great way to get him to eat them. I mix peas, sweet potato, and carrots together. It sounds gross but he gobbles the whole bowl up!
3. No teeth yet. We've thought he's been teething for the past three months. All the signs are there, just no sign of those pearly whites!
4. He's a moving machine. I plop him on the floor for some tummy time to build those crawling muscles, and the next thing I know, he's rolled halfway across the room!
5. Bathtime is SO much more fun now that he's sitting up by himself. He loves the water and starts splashing as soon as he gets in the tub. The downside is that Mama gets way wetter than before!

A Boy and His Balloon

We ventured out to Chick-fil-A for lunch today, and a very nice lady there gave Brennan a balloon that was left over from a birthday party. The kid LOVED it! He grabbed onto the string and held on for dear life. He was enthralled by bouncing it up and down and just laughed and laughed. We managed to get a couple pictures of him and his balloon before it met an untimely demise at the hands of the popcorn ceiling in his bedroom. This picture doesn't do justice to the balloon-love that Brennan demonstrated earlier (he just gets super serious whenever the camera comes out!). We'll definitely look forward to the day when he gets to play with another balloon--and we'll be extra diligent around those pesky popcorn ceilings!

On Our Nightstand

A regular feature in our newsletter used to be "On Our Nightstand," where we would take the opportunity to share some books that we had read recently that we were impacted by. That feature got pushed to the side as other things came up that needed to be included instead. So, we (I) decided to revive this feature on the blog, particularly since I love reading (see the Storytime entry below). Without further ado, here's a list of some books that we've read that we want to pass along to you, our faithful blog readers!

1. Red Moon Rising: How 24/7 Prayer is Awakening a Generation by Peter Greig and Dave Roberts
2. The Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne
3. Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughs on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller
4. Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 by Steve Stockman
5. Anything by Lynn Austin or Tracie Peterson

Preserve the good name of Brennan!

I encourage all our readers out there to make a stand for the sanctity of our son's name by boycotting the soon-to-be-released movie "Step Brothers".

Naomi and I were very careful to choose a name that was unique, had a good sound to it, fit well with Downer and, last but not least, would be hard to make fun of. That latter stipulation eliminated these options:
Debbie (if it had been a girl) -- thanks to Saturday Night Live
Stan -- put it with the last name
Pat -- see above
Prima -- would only work if she was a first born and destined to become an opera singer.
and any combination of first and middle names that would create initials of BAD, SAD, MAD, BED or DED (among others).

Anyway, we thought Brennan met all of the above criteria, and was unlikely to be soured by any TV show or misbehaving celebrity. But then along came Will Ferrell to play a character named Brennan Huff, in what is sure to be the latest of his ridiculously over-the-top roles. I just hope this doesn't become one of his more memorable roles.

So we ask you to do your part to spare us from a future of, "Brennan? Like the Will Ferrell movie?" We much prefer, "Brennan. Like the author", because then we get to tell people about "The Ragamuffin Gospel" and other good books.

When you think about what movie to see this weekend, go to Batman so that our choice of Brennan won't come back to haunt us and become the equivalent of, say, "Ricky Bobby Downer", "Mugatu Downer" or "Ron Burgundy Downer".

We thank you. And Brennan thanks you.

Funny Uncle Brent!

Uncle Brent sure got Brennan to laugh hard! His little laugh is definitely the best sound in the world!

Newport News Day

We decided to trek down to Newport News for the day on Saturday to visit with friends. Brennan got to hang out with Uncle Brent and Aunt Wendy, and meet Aunt Liz and Sydney and Savannah (Uncle Kevin was sadly absent due to being out of town for the day). We had some great hang out time, got to experience the beach, and ate at a GREAT restaurant called Cheddar's. Fun day!

Brennan experiencing the sand. He thought it was kind of fun!

It took a little while for him to get used to the water. He really did not like sitting in the shallow end with the waves splashing up by him. We took him out a little ways, and he LOVED it! Splashing was the greatest thing in the world, and he even discovered the joy of kicking his legs a little bit!

He loved hanging out with Uncle Brent and Aunt Wendy!

Tired Boy!

Brennan didn't sleep nearly as much as he needed (and usually does) during his afternoon nap today. This was the result! A VERY tired and cranky boy and a brief nap after dinner! I think he'll have an early bedtime tonight!

More Birthday Wishes

Another special birthday shout out to Grandma Downer!

Ladies and Gentleman...we have a rocker!

This is one of Brennan's new things to do as he entertains himself...

This a Daddy and Boy moment shared just before Daddy headed off to work. And yes, the wet patch on Brennan's shirt is indeed drool. The kid is a drool factory! He soaks through his clothes rather quickly. We sometimes wonder how one little boy can produce so much drool.

Special Birthday Wishes

A very special birthday shout out to Grandma Prechel!

First Haircut

Brennan was born with quite a bit of hair and it has really started to fill in noticeably lately. But the hair that he was born with has gotten quite long. So much so that at times he looked like he had a comb-over and at other times it looked like he had a pony tail. So, we decided that he needed his first haircut this morning. Daddy did a great job trimming up the really long pieces. Brennan did great too, and didn't cry at all. He just had fun looking around at all the stuff in the bathroom and then enjoyed holding my can of mousse. The picture above is Brennan post-haircut. You can't really tell in the picture since his hair is so light. He's a true blond!

Storytime

Those that know me know that I love to read. I've always loved to read. Most of my memories growing up involved books rather than playing with toys. Through the years, my love for books and reading has grown. Now, as a mother, it's my desire to see Brennan develop a love for books as well. I read him books every day and look forward to the day when he'll show some excitement about listening to stories and eventually being able to read books by himself.

It was so exciting for me to learn that the local library offered a storytime for infants called Lapsit Lambs. Brennan and I have been there twice and it's been great. We do music and movement, sing nursery rhymes, and read a story. Then, after storytime is over, the library lady who organizes it brings out a big bucket of toys so the babies can play and the parents can have time to talk. I love going to storytime in part because it's good for Brennan, but also because it gets me around other moms of young children, something that I've really been wanting ever since we moved to Richmond. Everyone I've met there so far has been really great and it's nice for me to have other women to chat with who are in the same phase of life. Plus, Brennan seems to enjoy going and looking at the other kids (playing and actually interacting with other kids may come a little later). This is definitely going to be a new weekly ritual!

Pool Time!

We went to Pocahontas State Park yesterday on the holiday and spent the afternoon at their pool area. It was the perfect way to spend a hot day. It was also Brennan's first time in a pool. He wasn't too sure about it at first, but learned to at least tolerate it. Once he gets the hang of splashing I'm sure he'll enjoy it much more.

Working on his tan ... gotta look good for the ladies.

First Week

Well, Brennan and I are surviving our first week where John is on his regularly scheduled shift of 2pm-10pm. It's definitely nice to have him home in the morning, but very strange to not have him home in the evening. Our big meal of the day is now at lunchtime. Brennan's bedtime routine now falls solely to me. So far, everything has been going smoothly and we are falling in to a new routine as we adjust to this different schedule during the workweek.

Other random notes of interest: I'm enjoying being on the blog now. While I enjoy the fact that Brennan is discovering his world, I am decidedly not enjoying the fact that he has now learned that I have glasses and hair, both of which he attempts to grab every chance he gets. Brennan is doing GREAT with sitting up (for long stretches at a time!). We are looking forward to going to Pocahontas State Park tomorrow to go swimming and enjoy the great outdoors. We are excited about taking Brennan to a fireworks display tomorrow night, but are unsure of whether he will like all the noise. Maybe we'll be watching this year's display from the car?


Since he was nicely decked out in his Minnesota Twins onesie today, I had to capture the moment. I've been discovering that Brennan is usually all smiles until the camera comes out. Then, he will smile for a second and turn his head away, or he puts on this super serious face. Oh, well. I'll keep trying to get more smiley boy photos!

Another Day in the Life

Brennan just had his six-month check-up this morning, weighing in at 18 lbs., 4 oz. and measuring 27 1/4 inches long. He's a big boy! He got more vaccinations, too, which was not so fun. Today was his second time in his new high chair, and he's adjusting well to sitting up at the table and eating with us. The picture above is Brennan pre-lunch (with a special shout out to Aunt Debbie Lager for the great moose bib!). Post-lunch (or after any meal, really) is a LOT more messy! Especially since he likes reaching for the spoon or hitting my spoon with the spoon that he gets to hold. It's great fun finding remnants of his meals all over him throughout the day...