Austin.

When we found out that Jeff had passed the Bar exam, we immediately knew that we would be in Austin for the official swearing in ceremony today. However, we weren't sure what all of that would entail.

At some point last week, Jeff told me that he decided for Mother's Day, he was going to take me to Austin sans Brady Bug and we were going to have a night out on the town. (His parents were going to bring B. up on Monday morning.) I was excited all last week for Sunday afternoon to arrive!

We ended up leaving Dallas around 2:00 and hit Austin at 5:30. The Driskill was amazing. I love historic buildings... especially BEAUTIFUL historic buildings. I was especially excited that we ended up with a room on the historic side of the hotel! We hung out around the hotel and got cleaned up for a bit and then headed out for dinner. Sweet Judson recommended Eddie V's for dinner, and our concierge recommended the same place... so we had a winner.

Eddie V's was two blocks from our hotel... and let's just say it was an interesting walk... especially after dark. Jeff and I've always loved Austin... but there are sure some interesting people hanging around 6th street at night time. I couldn't believe it was so happening on Sunday Night! We decided to sit in the lounge with the live music for dinner... and it was well worth it! We had a great dinner with good food, good music and awesome people watching! I'd recommend Eddie V's any day!

On Monday morning, we woke up and met Jeff's parents with Brady downstairs. We headed over to the main swearing in ceremony at the Erwin Center... which was pretty interesting. We were happy to see my Uncle John, who is the Chair of the Board of Law Examiners... and he was even happier to see the Bug! (We didn't get a great picture of it, but he WAS wearing a tie with dragons on it!!!)

We were so honored that Judge Don Willett asked Jeff if he could do a private swearing in ceremony for us at the Texas Supreme Court in the afternoon. However, we had to find something to do with our sleepless little one in the mean time. We headed back to the Driskill for a low-key lunch at the cafe (which was so yummy) and we all took turns trying to get him to fall asleep. He had been awake since 5:30 a.m. when Ron and Darlene left Dallas!!! He HAD to be getting sleepy!!

The Bug was such a trooper though... and although he was super squirmy at the Supreme Court, he was pretty well-behaved. Judge Willett has two little boys and just had a little girl 4 weeks ago, so fortunately he understands the no-sleep syndrome. we were trying to hold onto him and the court room, and he so generously waived us off and said, "Let him crawl around! He needs to get some energy out!"

After Judge Willett swore Jeff in, it was time for us to head out of town! Brady slept until we got to Waco and then he was ready to play again. I felt so sorry for him, being strapped in all day and not able to move! He was such a trooper and he crashed at 6:45 tonight! I am so proud of my dear husband, and so thankful that we can now check all of this off our list!

Our room at the Driskill

Eddie V's

My night out on 6th Street
(We were in by 9:30 pm)

Jeff's firm got us this expensive bottle of champagne when we found out Jeff passed the Bar.

My Uncle John

B. is checking the list for his daddy's name.

When we arrived at the Texas Supreme Court.

B. is sitting in the lawyer's chair.

Being sworn in.

Being sworn in (5 seconds later).

Signing the oath.

Parking Garage

My parents gave B. a Little People parking garage for his birthday. I put it together while Jeff was watching the Master's a few weeks back, thinking it would probably end up in the gargage for a few months until B. was old enough to play with it. Well, lookie here - he loves it! From the moment we set it up, he puts everything down the 'chute' and down the elevator. He's finally figured out how to get the elevator back up to the top. (I actually caught him yesterday trying to push his sippie cup down the chute).

"Structured" Play

Brady has started having temper tantrums the last two or so weeks, and as much as I would like to say he's getting a tooth, I don't think that's the case. I think it's more like he's been getting every toy that he wants when he wants it. Whenever we're playing at the house - he plays with all his toys, all at once. I am kind of thinking he's getting a little A.D.D. because he won't sit and play with one thing for more than a few seconds before moving on.

Please don't get me wrong, I play with him, read to him, we sing silly songs, go on walks, etc. It's just that I feel that maybe he's getting a tad bored. (Maybe it's more like I am getting bored...) None of his toys are new... and as much as we LOVE our trucks and cars, there isn't really anything for him to figure out on those quite yet. I can tell that his mind is working more, and he's starting to 'get' things. My keys are not out of sight out of mind anymore. If we're at the store, he knows they're in my bag and will throw a fit until he gets them. And let me tell you what, I will not have it anymore. The Leach House is about to lay down the law.

Along with all of these tantrums, comes the issue of our 'schedule'. As many of you know, we 'scheduled' Brady from the time he got home from the hospital. I know there is some controversy on this, but it worked so well for Brady, and for us. I don't really know what we would be doing without the initial schedule. A few weeks ago however, I could tell we were kind of going through a 'nap transition' where one was getting shorter and the other one longer, as well as staying up later and getting up later. So I decided I would just kind of feel it out until I figured what would work best for him and for us. Three or so weeks later, I'm still 'feeling it out' and it's become disastrous! I feel like we're both kind of 'off' and I need to get back to being a little stricter with our 'schedule'. I've always been a laid-back kinda gal, and Jeff's always been the more structured one... so he's getting a kick out of me making a new schedule for us to use as a guide. I say guide because I'm a firm believer in being flexible with a little one!!

As I started thinking more about our new schedule, I decided to add some 'structured play time' to our day. This was brought about by all of the items above, but also through an email my friend Julie sent with a whole bunch of websites with activites for your kiddos. My favorite one she sent was The 1+1+1=1 Blog. It is wonderful. This lady actually has 'school' for her kids, and I don't plan on doing that... I just want B. to sit with me and focus on an 'activity' for 10 minutes or so. There were several great ideas on the website that B. is just too young to do, but I've pulled some of his toys out of his basket that we can 'work through' together.

(The pictures are coming, I promise!)

I decided to test the 'structured' thing out yesterday after B. got up from his morning nap and had eaten lunch. I sat some blocks in front of him with a wooden salad bowl and showed him how to put the blocks in the bowl. At first he just played with the blocks and then played with the bowl, but after a little while he began actually putting the blocks in the bowl! I was honestly amazed that he picked it up right away! I set my kitchen timer for 10 minutes but we played at the table long after the 10 minutes were up. He kept flipping the blocks, we'd stack them up and he'd knock them down. It was such fun (for us both!)

Any ideas for 'structured' activities for a 13 month old? Let me have 'em!!

Wipe Out

Monday night I was getting all of B.'s dinner stuff cleaned up because he makes a MESS when he eats now, and after I put the dishes in the sink and wiped the table off, I came into the living room to find this:

Jack and Jake

On Monday afternoon, Brady and I went up north to visit our new friend, Jake Olson. We spent some time playing in their WONDERFUL playroom until it was time for Jake to get up. Once Jerica brought her beautiful new boy upstairs, we kept trying to get the boys to notice him... but no such luck. They kept right on playing. I even fed Jake for a bit, thinking that would get Brady to notice the baby... but nope. He didn't seem to care - at all. In fact, the only time he seemed to notice him was after Jerica had laid Jake on his boppy pillow and Brady was attempting to crawl over it. I guess boys just don't care as much. We've never had a problem with seperation anxiety, and from what I've heard from my girlfriends, it seems that girls deal more with that than boys. I can't say that I don't wish that Brady would get sad sometimes when I leave... but I know that we're so blessed for him to adapt so well to other people (it's really probably other toys, right?)

Rain, Go AWAY!

Does this weather seem to make anyone else feel gloomy and depressed? Like I said last week, I love a day or two of it... but over a week? No, thank you!

(I am being reminded right now to be THANKFUL in ALL circumstances... including the weather!)

Megaw

Megaw came into town today and she brought homemade chocolate chip cookies just for Brady. After they shared her special snack at B.'s table and we played out in the front yard and waited for Aunt Katie to get home from Waco. We blew bubbles, Brady crawled up and down the sidewalk (much to my grandmother's dismay) and he even crawled a bit on the grass! (We're making progress!)

After Aunt Katie and her sweet dog, Fender, got home, we all walked to the park that is in my parents' neighborhood to swing and go down the slide. We had lots of fun singing songs and taking turns on the slide with Brady. Katie took the camera for a while to see if she wants to invest in one, so we got some pics of B. and I this afternoon as well! I feel like I'm always behind the camera!!!

My dad ended up getting off of work early so he came by the park for a bit as well! It ended up being a fun-filled family affair, I guess!

(As you can see from some of the pictures... Brady has his pointer finger working pretty good. That's his new favorite thing to do - along with clapping to "If You're Happy and You Know It". He would point to cars as they'd go by and keep his pointer out in the same spot until they were long gone.)

Big Red Ball

This afternoon, we hung out at Nana's house waiting for Megaw (my grandmother) to come in town. After we ate some Chick-Fil-A, B. showed me his new favorite toy at Nana's: the Big Red Ball. As you can see, it's much bigger than he is, yet he rolls on it, bounces on it, picks it up, throws it and rolls it. He basically wrestles it just like he currently wrestles anything that is his size or bigger (including Georgia). He's all boy and I adore it.

(This is a picture of his new 'fake laugh'. He does it when he wants to get you to look at him and it sounds kind of like a cough - but it's more like a forced laugh - and he makes this face!)

My New Love.

Wow, I feel kind of behind on this post. You can obviously tell that these pictures were taken last week, while the sun was shining!

One of my goals this month has been to spend more time outdoors and less time inside (watching t.v.). I was doing pretty good until this week - and all the rain came. I've actually felt kind of depressed being cooped up all week. I love the rain and all - but one day out of 7 with a good, heavy downpour is all good for me. I don't need 7 days of 7 downpours and sprinkles and fog. Nope, Seattle would not be the city for me.

For my birthday, my mom took me shopping for all new plants for my front porch. Then I went back and decided I was going to spruce up my backyard as well so that B. and I could enjoy spending time playing outside more! (Hence, the Splash Table). Here are pictures of my 'groupings' in my backyard. I've decided to stick with 'container gardening' since we don't know how long we'll be here and I want to be able to take them with me! So we have baskets and pots and stands and what not filled with flowers. I've so enjoyed waking up and watering my plants in the crispness that is the morning (until this week, of course!) I'm still tweaking my front porch - so these are just pictures of the back.

Sweet Ryan & Lindsay.

Lindsay said that when they came across this plate in an old antique shop, they just had to get it for Little B. Man. How fun! Looks like we're going to have to make a visit to Brady, Texas at some point! (P.S. Lindsay, B's ready for a playmate! Just Kidding - kind of!) We love you guys!!!

Beside Myself.

This is what B. thinks of his daddy passing the bar.

(I think he was also giggling because we were at Gloria's until way past his bedtime!)