We make some pretty good Walk-ers!

For the past two weekends, Bryce and I have rented a redbox Saturday night and thus, it needed to be returned on Sunday. When we lived in Provo, we would often walk to the local Smith's store since it was only 5-8 blocks away (depended on which location we lived at) and would do our light grocery shopping and/or return the redbox; depending on the day of the week, of course! No grocery shopping on Sunday. Well, when Bryce reminded me that we needed to return the redbox 2 weeks ago and then asked if I wanted to return it or if I wanted him to return it, I remembered how much I enjoyed living so close to a redbox in Provo and how that would be our family walk and how I wished we could do that here. Well, even though the closest redbox is about 1.5 miles away, each way, we gave it a shot! We really enjoyed walking on the campus, the first time Bryce has done it on a non-school day, Brycen absolutely loved it-fell asleep 10 minutes into the walk and slept the rest of the way, and we enjoyed it so much as a family that we did it again the next week.

Getting ready to go!

"Pictures? I'm bored..let's go already!"

The campus bell tower, look at the beautiful sky!

Gotta love the Fall leaves!

Bryce's home away from home-the Chemical Engineering building

Brycen and I also got to see Bryce play in a soccer game with his fellow colleagues as they played the faculty. The students won (Bryce scored the winning goal!)-it was a fun and pretty amusing game. Most of the faculty lasted 3 minutes before requesting a sub. haha. And Bryce said that it was even more amusing to see his teachers walk (or should we say limp) into class the Monday after. Brycen was fascinated by the continuous moving soccer ball and tried his hardest to follow it with his eyes. He also did a fair amount of cheer leading and provided much entertainment to all, as he performed one, continuous monologue at the top of his lungs before conking out cold on my shoulder for the last 15 minutes of the game. If anyone turned his way, he would give them the biggest grin (showing off his very own 4 pearly whites) and like many times before, they all commented on how happy of a baby he was. We are so blessed!

Getting ready to play!

"Where's Daddy going?"

We also got to attend the temple recently and enjoy the beautiful Fall trees!

Chicago, IL Temple

Haalloooweeennn!

Well, I'm usually not a huge fan of Halloween but I absolutely loved it this year! Brycen and I started out the weekend by making a trip to campus on Friday to see Daddy. Bryce's school building is a little over a mile from our apartment and since there isn't really any close parking and the bus ride takes as long as it does to walk (and they look at us like we are aliens; a baby is a RARE sight on campus/ let alone on the bus, so they LITERALLY stare at us the entire ride-the longest 17 minute ride of my life); so we decided to walk. On the way there, it started to sprinkle but wasn't bad at all; definitely worth it over the very awkward bus ride.

Brycen was a pumpkin and LOVED seeing Daddy!

"Hey, look! What's that?" Brycen is sooo good at looking away from the camera (sound familiar Uncle Mike, this picture is for you!)

Super pumpkin!

Sitting on Daddy's lunch bag.

We weren't as lucky on the walk home. It POURED 30 seconds after we left Bryce's building and ended 30 seconds after we arrived home (go figure). It was so bad with crazy wind, that I attempted to stop and wait out the rain at different campus buildings along the way. As soon as I stopped, it would start to just sprinkle so I would think, "let's make a break for it, since rain was expected all day; I can handle sprinkling". As soon as we started again, it would POUR, the wind would start up again; making everyone that even attempted to use an umbrella look like a fool so I layered up Brycen's legs (the only part of the stroller not covered) and decided to stick it out and go straight home. Make-up ran into my eyes making it almost impossible to see, my shoes were not even a tad-bit waterproof causing puddles to form within my shoes adding to quite the overall wet experience; somehow though, we did make it home. It will make a fun memory.

Brycen must've found the rain pretty soothing!

After Brycen went to bed that night, Bryce and Christi carved a pumpkin (Christi's first!) and then roasted the seeds--soo yummy! while watching a movie.

On Halloween, we all dressed up to go to a Halloween Party hosted by the community we live in. We were one of the VERY few entire families that dressed up; typically only the kids were dressed up. Lots of the international people took pictures of us and asked to take pictures with us...it was kinda weird.

I love this picture. "Daddy, you look silly!" Bryce was a clown.

I was the farmer that grew this pumpkin :)

Wearing Daddy's hat.

Our three pumpkins.

Brycen couldn't help it...too irresistible.

Glowing!

That night, Christi and Bryce finished the Halloween festivities dipping apples into homemade caramel.

Bumbo!

Meet Bumbo. It is a lightweight chair that helps babies sit up on their own and has been WONDERFUL for the full week that we have owned it. You see, even though Brycen has mastered sitting up on his own, he occasionally likes to throw his head back, or reach for something that causes him to fall and hit his head (we have hard floors and Brycen has VERY developed lungs; he especially likes to do this as soon as Christi walks away). However, with this Bumbo, it is designed to hold him in without straps (big bonus, Brycen HATES straps of any kind) and kind of molds to his body so that it holds him in place but he can still move and reach for things without falling over. Christi just wishes she had discovered this about 4.5 months ago. Babies can start using it as soon as they learn to support their own head and since Brycen stopped wanting to lay on his back months ago and thus, Christi has had to carry him everywhere, Bumbo could've came in handy awhile ago. Oh well, it comes in GREAT handy now! Brycen loves Bumbo but only for roughly 15-20 minutes at a time (the length of time for him to explore his surrounding area and get bored), which is enough time for Christi to do a load of dishes, do her hair, fold laundry, etc. It has also served and will continue to serve as a high chair, a travel high chair and booster seat. It made the trip to Chicago with us last weekend when we attended the temple and Brycen was able to sit at the table with us when we went out to eat and when we ate the breakfast the next morning (everyone thought it was "so cute"). No more trying to balance Brycen on one leg and eat with one arm! Yes! He also sits on the counter while Christi does the dishes, sits on the washer while doing laundry, etc (probably not recommended but Christi watches him). The Bumbo goes in every room with us.

Well...at least for now, I'm sure Brycen will learn how to either get out of it or get tired of it soon. The best part of it, with the tray (something that we will use when he can start eating cheerios and such); these seats run for $50 brand new in the stores. Since Christi didn't even know if Brycen was even going to like it, she did not want to pay that much (she knows, she's cheap). So, she has been looking on craigslist/ebay for awhile but they go fast and usually people sell the seat alone for $20 minimum. Still a good deal, but Christi managed to find one that was only used twice before and included the tray for only $15! What a deal! Downside: it is purple....oh well, purple means royalty, right? haha

Sitting on his 'throne'

"Helllloooo Mom! Can't you see, I'm busy... practicing sitting on the pot?" Haha...just kidding, Brycen was watching Mommy do her hair/make-up for the day.

Brycen showing Mommy how to do laundry..."now you push this button.."

"You looking for a sock? What sock?"

"Hey, look Dad! I'm being you, 'this problem is tough, let's think hard'.

"Here's your pencil back, I rather have my little piggies"

"You again! Mommy, I'm helping Daddy here".

Our Little Man!

Brycen is only 5 1/2 months but don't let his age foul you, he is already wearing 12 month old clothing and looking pretty handsome!

Church outfit

Twins with Daddy!

Our little reader as well! (Look at that red hair :))

Corn-mazing!

Bryce took Brycen and I to our first corn maze experience two weeks ago! It wasn't any kind of corn maze though, it was one of the largest in Indiana, with roughly 7-8 miles of maze, and 5 different maze designs.

Brycen was so excited!

A right? But the map says a left...my good sense of direction turned out to be oh so unhelpful in the corn, how do you know which way is North? We were supposed to be heading to #15 (you try to find these posts with numbers on them to get a reward), and the map said it was in the middle of the witch maze....I followed the map perfectly and we ended up at #10-the very top of two mazes over..talk about skills :)!

Brycen didn't know what to think of all this..

Too much corn... soo slee...zzzzzzz

We also got to pick our own pumpkin...

Ride on a hay ride...

Ride these go-cart type things...

Play the "who can pump the water the fastest so their duckie will win" game...

And..go corn shooting!

It was a windy...

But beautiful Fall day!

So...for all those other city folk out there...corn mazes do exist; they are not just an old Halloween tale... and boy, are so they much fun!

Story Time!

Once upon a time, there was a 5 month old boy named Brycen that had a strong desire to touch everything within a 2 feet radius of him. Well, his poor mommy is still getting used to this and didn't realize when she laid Brycen on the bathroom floor in preparation for bath time; that she laid him in harm's way. As she turned away to start the bath water, Brycen's curiousity led him to pull a nearby black cord that was dangling about a foot away. This fasinating black cord belonged to that of a very hot hair strightener that had been turned on when the light switch was flipped on ( something Mommy is still trying to get used to). Brycen pulled the cord, and sent the straightener in free fall to land perfectedly around his arm causing him to literally scream bloody murder. Mommy immediately picked up the straighter and Brycen and ran the burn under cold water for a few minutes (something she just learned to do two weeks before from her husband, thank goodness!). However, serious damage had occured and Brycen ended up in the ER with a second degree burn.

The happy part: Brycen is such a trooper! He only screamed for about 2-3 minutes right after he was burned, fell asleep in the car on the way to the ER, woke up in the happiest of moods, and absolutely loved meeting the five ER employees/nurses/doctors that took a look at his burn. As soon as they came into the room, he shot them the biggest smile (showing off his very own two bottom teeth) and then continued to be fascinated by his new friends and the lovely gagets that hung around their necks and in their pockets. Brycen would let his new friends know if they got too close though by his speedy ability to sample their fingers and pens with his mouth. haha. Every single person (all the other ER patients as well) loved Brycen and the last nurse said that his smile made her day and she just wanted to take him home. Other comments he recieved: ER patients:"It's been a looong time since I have seen a cute redheaded baby". "He's so beautiful!". "Awww!"From other ER employees: "What a big boy!" "He already has fangs? At 5 months old?" haha.

Waiting for the doctor to come in..

How many patients take their picture with the emergency sign?

Big band-aids make it all better!

Anyways, what a day Brycen had. Pulled off 1.5 new teeth (one broke through the skin, one is soo close) and a trip to the ER. Lessons learned by the mommy: 1: It might be part of the ER policy, but the constant questioning and hard looks she received from the ER employees weren't fun, she does not abuse her son! Sadly, she knows that there are some that do and it's understandable that they need to be suspicious so they can report any abusers..but still! 2: She has a genius of a child and is struggling to baby proof the house when he isn't mobile. How in the world, will she be able to when he IS mobile?? She's terrified...of what her INFANT is capable of.. what's wrong with that statement? 3. Her already full time job as a mommy just turned into a 24/7 job...no more, "I'm just going to look away for two minutes" episodes. 4. Realization that this is just the beginning, can you imagine Brycen as a toddler...teenager? Oh boy.... He is soo much fun but way too smart and curious. I guess that's what she gets for marrying the smartest guy she ever met...she gets the smartest baby she has ever met (and she has done A LOT of babysitting in her lifetime).

The End.