The Reign of Brendan

Last but not least...that's my baby, Brendan Joseph.  

He's the last in line (currently, anyway.  #notanannouncement) and I have so much motherguilt with him.  I haven't even started his baby book yet!!  He is not the world's easiest baby (we've had a few of those, and oh my, a spoiled mother do they make) and that makes him harder to *like*.  I know!  Things only a mother could type!  I *love* him but can we please just hurry him up to the best age ever...four.  As I try to type this, he is planning an escape from the toy room where his big siblings are watching him in shifts so that I can have a moment of downtime before my head explodes.  It's been one of those days.  The great thing about having lots of kids is seeing lots of personalities and knowing that this too, shall pass.  We've had hard babies turn into wonderful kids, so I know all hope is not lost!

On Saturday, Brendan turned ONE!  

When you ask to go to the beach but all you get is a lousy sprinkler.  Also, can we just acnowledge those precious thighs!!

My Bookend Boys.  Oldest starting high school in a few days and youngest just adores him.

Godmother Haley

Just to prove I was there!

(I love my shirt, p.s. from Loft, great sales right now)

A year ago, this baby was born and I cried and stressed over his name because although we had gone from Bennett to Charlie and felt pretty confident with that name, he didn't look like a Charlie.  (Phil was like "huh?" internally but very supportive externally of my name indecision).  You see, he instantly looked like a Brendan to me.  But we had already had a ring made with all the kid's names and birthstones during my 9th month of pregnancy...and Charlie was on the ring.  So I just kept thinking, do I go with my gut (Brendan) or with the ring (Charlie) and then I realized I was agonizing over a piece of jewelry of someone's lifelong name!  The name won!  If it had been a more expensive ring...well he probably would have been a Charlie.

Brendan started walking a couple weeks ago, and now will barely crawl...he's a maniac on feet.  He's huge and strong and he knows how to get what he wants.  His favorite toys are the toilet and the dog food/water bowls.   He takes one big nap a day (we're talking 3 hours) around lunchtime and goes to bed by 7 pm.  We have to lay him in the crib and sit in the rocking chair next to him while he falls asleep, but it only takes a minute or two.  So much easier than when he was younger.  He eats pretty much anything, and we just discovered his love for tomatoes which is a baby first in this house.  He still drinks 3 bottles of this formula a day because his mom forgot to cancel the Amazon subscription, but as soon as it runs out, we will switch him to milk.  He wears 18-24 month clothes and I have no clue what size his feet are because he's been barefoot all summer.  He has eight teeth and makes the best "cheese" face for the camera.

Exhibits A, B, and C:

cheese!

Cheddar!

Muenster!

Both sets of grandparents were able to come celebrate his birthday, as was his godmother and one of my sibling's family, and he got the Traditional One Year Old Present from us...

BALLOONS!  

(Come on, what does a baby need?)

We had a big cookout, and then ice cream cake for dessert:

From the homemade ice cream shop where JP works!

He liked it!  Mikey Charlie Brendan liked it!

And just like that, my baby moves to a toddler.  Look out world, here he comes!  And I promise you, Baby B, that I will have your baby book done by your next birthday :)  We love you so much and I'm gonna go smooch your face off right now...