Thursday, December 31, 2009

a future thumb sucker?

I hope he doesn't suck his thumb to soothe himself. Lots of kids do but I'd rather he didn't. I snapped this photo of him watching tv and chewing/sucking on his thumb which he's been doing a lot more lately. I think he's probably just teething and he's never liked a pacifier so I'm hopeful this isn't a new habit.

A crawler, but not the creepy kind!

Louis has officially learned how to crawl. He's still perfecting this skill but he's come a long ways. At first he'd just get up on his knees and rock, then he would move an arm and leg forward but his head got too heavy and he'd lay down. Now, his arms and neck are strong enough that he's able to move his arms and legs several times before taking a break. It's so amazing watching him develop. Now, the hard work begins - keeping him out of everything.

Brace yourself.

Winter Break 09



Daycare has been closed all week so Louis' dad and I have split taking time off to stay home with him. Today, Louis is home with his dad. They sent me this picture of Louis playing. Looks like they're having fun while mom's hard at work.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

swingin



Louis got a new swing for Christmas! He loves jumping in the doorway.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Digging for buried treasure's

Louis' new favorite thing is to dig through a basket full of toys looking for the perfect one to slobber on. It's like he's digging for a buried treasurer. He's 8 1/2 mos. old and so close to crawling. I've started rearranging furniture and moving everything up about 3 feet off the ground in anticipation of the day he takes off.


Merry Christmas


We spent quality time with family and friends and Louis got so many wonderful presents for Christmas including this BONGO! We are truly blessed. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Click here to view these pictures larger

Thursday, December 24, 2009

It's Christmas eve....

All the stockings are hung by the chimney with care with the hopes that St. Nick will soon be here!

Merry Christmas everyone.

Monday, December 21, 2009

School

Louis' attendance at school recently has been hit or miss. It breaks my heart most days to take him to daycare but I think he really likes it and that it is good for him. As most kids do, he is beginning to get a little clingy and likes his mom to hold him which makes leaving him all the more difficult. However, I don't blame him! I remember how good it felt for my mom to hold me - so safe and comfortable perched high on her hip.

I pray that I am a consistent, loving and stable mother in every action I take. From leaving him at daycare in the morning to playing with him at home each evening -  Kids need that sense of security and compassion. I want Louis to be confident to explore the world around him and to take (safe) risks but I want him to do that on his own schedule not because the world thinks he should.





Let the Christmas Festivities Begin!

We attended the Spencer Family Christmas over the weekend in Lima. It was Louis' first experience with opening gifts. He loved the fire truck and blender his Great Grandma and Grandpa Spencer got him! We had such a lovely time with the family and ate lots and lots of good food too!

Looking forward to Christmas with the Greer's and Brown's over the coming days.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Kisses!

Louis gives the biggest, wettest, sloppiest kisses ever. Not sure that he actually knows what he's doing yet but he laughs really hard and just holds his mouth open big and wide waiting for you to lean in and get your kiss.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Stocking Stuffers

After work tonight Louis and I went to World Market to pick up stocking stuffers for his papa! We got several neat things which we're excited to give him. The best part of the trip though was being able to push Louis around in a shopping cart. Now that he sits up on his own, I can just pop him in the cart and go. While it doesn't look like it in this picture he's still pretty little and I had to stuff a blanket behind his back and really strap him in so that he stayed in place. However, he seemed to love it and I kept reminding myself to pay attention to what he was grabbing! I was so afraid he'd pull a shelf of glasses off or end up with some decorative holly berries in his mouth. We stayed safe and managed to get in and out in 30 minutes. Looking forward to a merry, merry christmas.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

If you're happy and you know it -- Clap Your Hands!

Louis has learned to clap his hands! It's so cute. Sometimes he claps for no reason at all and then just laughs, other times he'll clap if you ask him to or if you start to cheer and say 'good job' to him. I love it! He is such a bright and happy boy.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Playing before bed


Click here to view these pictures larger

Happy Holidays



Let your heart be filled with the magic of the season and may you and your loved ones enjoy peace, prosperity and good health in the new year.
Hugs,
Matt, Hanna & Louis Brown

Monday, December 7, 2009

I heart faces photo challenge - Sweet Dreams



I took this photo just a few days after bringing my first born home. Louis Michael Brown was due on Easter 2009 but happily arrived a few days early. He means the world to me and has brought so much joy to my life - frankly, more than I could have ever imagined possible. Louis is now 7 mos. old and so much fun. He keeps his dad and I laughing with all of his antics. But, I'll never forget the immense feelings of being overwhelmed those first few months, the worrying and fretting about doing everything perfect, the constant waking to feed him but, above all, the falling in love like never before and the profound sense of appreciation I developed for my husband and my family.

I am truly happy and feel blessed beyond measure. Sweet dreams my love.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Christmas Shopping with Louis


We went Christmas shopping today and Louis went too! He got lots of neat Chistmas gifts. Luckily for us he slept during the entire shopping trip so we know he wasn't peaking! He's going to have a great 1st Christmas.

Puttin up the tree

This weekend we put up the Christmas tree. This is Louis first Christmas and eventhough he'll only be 8 mos. I am really excited to share the magic of the holiday season with him. I hope he 'believes' for a long time.  

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Louis' song

When Louis was an infant he would cry for hours in the evening and I would walk around the house singing and rocking him until he'd pass out from exhaustion. On one of those many nights when he was so very young I made up a song for him which, even though he's long outgrown the colic of those days, Matt and I still sing to him. He likes the rhythm and repetitiveness of the lyrics.


Louis Michael Brown
eyes so blue and hair so brown
Louis Michael Brown
cutest baby in town!

Every little baby should have their own song.

Bedtime routine

Every evening about 7:30 p.m. Louis get's his jammies on, a bottle which he drinks in his bouncy seat, a quick prayer and NickJr. cartoons on the tv. It's like a religion. The same thing every night, no deviations and it works like a charm. He'll be asleep by 8:30 p.m. He's such a good baby.

Right now I'm listening to the tail end of tonight's bedtime routine. A 'growling' baby about to doze off to sleep and the mechanical rhythm of the bouncy seat going up and down. I love those sounds :)

Thanks to a new humidifier in his room Louis has slept until 6:30 a.m. the last two nights. Fingers crossed that tonights slumber is just as long and uninterrupted. Sweet dreams my little Louis!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

New Blog is Up and Running!

So excited to have a new look and feel to Louis' blog! Thanks LeeLou for working with me to design a blog that's perfect for my family to tell our stories!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Dinner at DirtyFranks


We stopped on our way home from work Thursday evening to pick up a couple DirtyFrank's amazing hot dogs!

Matt and I both ordered Jumbo Dogs grilled with cheddar cream cheese, jalepenos and bacon...Delicious! I can't wait to go back.

Check out DirtyFranks location and menu here http://www.dirtyfrankshotdogs.com/

Next time, I may just have to order the 'Glen Beck' - a plain old weiner :)




Big foam blocks are exhausting



One evening last week when Matt and I went to pick Louis up from daycare, we found him passed out and sleeping in a giant play pen of soft, foam blocks! I had never seen him fall asleep among the toys he was playing with. He was sleeping so soundly that I felt so bad waking him up to go home. 


Since that day, he's fallen asleep in the middle of playing two other times. He's such an active little boy! I'd be exhausted too if I were him.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sitting up. On my own.


Louis will be 7 mos. old on Monday - his dad's b-day! And he can sit up while holding things for long stretches of time. It really is neat to watch him develop and meet these milestones. But, already I feel the pang of losing 'my baby!' It's amazing how strong and independent the little dude has become in just 7 mos. He's the best thing Matt and I could have ever dreamed of!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Coming Soon!

I'm so excited to be getting a new blog design for the Adventures of Little Brown Sprout! Want your own? Check out LeeLou Blog designs at http://www.leeloublogs.blogspot.com/!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Ouch! Two new teeth


Ouch! Little Sprout has two new bottom teeth. So yes. That's a total of four bottom teeth and no top teeth :) Except for about one week when he was a teeny, tiny baby Louis has never used a binky. He now however -with all these teeth popping through - likes to chew on the binky's. Here's a recent photo of him on a walk chewing the heck out of his binky.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Trick or Treat


Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Little Brown Boot Lost

Louis refuses to have anything cover his feet - blankets, socks, shoes, etc. Since he's been born, I've been unsuccessful at keeping those tootsie's covered. As winter approaches I'm fretting just how I'm going to keep his feet warm and him healthy. I've purchased about five different types of shoes/boots to protect his feet and I've been putting a pair on him everytime we leave the house. Many times this makes a simple walk or trip to the grocery a scavenger hunt as we try to locate the kicked off or thrown boot!

Case in point, yesterday while checking out at the grocery I looked into Louis' stroller to realize that he was sans boot. After checking out, I walked back through the store looking for the lost little brown boot. With no luck we left the store and retraced our steps home. Finally, upon approaching the back yard,  I saw what appeared to be a little brown boot in the grass.


I guess the jokes on me Louis :) You were able to sneak that thing off while I was preoccupied...and, it took me an entire hour to realize you'd chucked it out of the stroller!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Look at that beautiful smile!


Firetruck


We've been home this week with Louis and the weather has been beautiful - 60 and sunny! We've gotten out most days for a walk and to check out the changing leaves on the fall trees. I took this pic with my camera phone the other evening while on one of our walks. Louis is sporting a new sweatsuit - this one features a bright red fire truck!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

obama pride!



this onesie rocks!
it's got the prez on it.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

There's a bear in our tree!

It's a gloomy Saturday in October but we didn't let that deter us from having some outdoor fun. Louis put on his little bear suit and we took a walk...capturing these adorable photos in our own front yard. Louis is at a great age (6mos.). He's so happy all the time. He's learning to sit on his own, has a fantastically healthy appetite and is practically sleeping through the night!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Cutest little scarecrow

After much debate we chose a little scarecrow costume for Louis. It's so cute in orange and brown and has an adorable little hat (which he doesn't really care for).

Can't wait to walk around the neighborhood in a couple weeks and look at all the ghost's and goblins.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

a not-so-spooky pumpkin


Last night we carved Louis' pumpkin. We put plastic down on the kitchen floor and let him go crazy in the pumpkin goo.

He loved it!

And, we loved watching him experience the feeling of the slimey seeds and listen to the noise made by banging on the hollow pumpkin.

We carved the pumpkin in Louis' honor - with two bottom front teeth! It's very cute!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Brown Sprout's Blue

Little guy has his first ear infection. I feel so bad for him but he's such a trooper. We went to the doctors today and his ear canal was so full of fluid (and he was squirming so) that the doctor couldn't determine if it was an inner or outer (similar to swimmer's ear) ear infection so we're treating both. He's on antibiotics and ear drops for 7-10 days. Hoping his spirits stay high and that this passes quickly.

Feel better soon my baby boy!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Growing, Growing and Growing!


Today was Louis' 6 mos check up and boy was he tired and fussy. Not to mention he got 5 shots which didn't help matters. Anyway, he is a healthy boy - other than some nasty diaper rash which we got a perscription for - and he weighs 16 lbs., 1 oz. and is 29 inches long! The kid is T-A-L-L!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Good Fall Eatin


Louis' Aunt Amy went apple picking in DC today. It sounded like so much fun and reminded me that we had delicious red and gold apples in the kitchen that Louis' grandparents had given us from their orchard. Following a friends suggestion and my favorite Zuccinni recipe, I turned those beautiful apples into some yummy apple bread. What a wonderful way to usher in the Autumn!

H1N1 scare?

Louis was really feeling lousy Saturday and Sunday and with all the hype and warnings re: H1N1 flu, I was terrified he'd gotten it. Luckily after 24 hrs on Tylenol to reduce his fever he seems to be doing much better. He has his 6 mos. check up tomorrow so the doctor will be able to rule the seasonal and H1N1 flu out. I hope folks really heed the advice distributed by the Board of Health and CDC - stay home if you're sick and stay away from others (especially babies who aren't old enough to receive a flu shot).

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Down on the farm


Today we stopped somewhere outside of Lima to pick Louis' first pumpkin. How exciting! There were so many beautiful pumpkins to choose from but we got a very special one! The sun was shining. It was a perfect day.

Look at all those pumpkins (and Louis' bald spot)!

Friday, October 9, 2009

On the road again...

We're heading to Lima this weekend to visit with Louis' grandparents (Matt's parents). Hopefully the boy's on his best behavior. He's been pretty tired this week after school.

School dayz

Louis loves school! He has so many friends - Will, Molly, Big Jack, Bailey & others which he plays with each day. They finger paint, sing songs, and spend a lot of time just looking at each other. However, most of Louis' friends are older than he is and have already transitioned out of the infants classroom. And, just this week, Louis began his own transition. A couple hours each day he goes to the 'older' kids room to play. Pretty soon he'll spend all day there. We're really proud of him and happy that he'll be in a room with kids who are meeting the same developmental milestones that he is. It seems like it was just a few days ago when we were dropping him off that first time - what a heartbreaking experience!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Half Way to my First B-day!

Birthday's are met with such excitment at our house. We spend the entire week leading up to them celebrating. So, it's no surprise that this week we're celebrating all of Brown Sprout's accomplishments in the first 6 mos. of his life. If I'm doing the math right, that's less than 200 days! That's a short amount of time to have accomplished quite a bit. In fact, we now have the high chair out (even though we're not using it quite yet) and he's started sleeping in is own room in his crib (no more pack'n play in our room).


Happy Half-Birthday Son! Have a great week.

Day two in the blog-o-sphere

Louis is 6 mos. old today! Matt and I are celebrating by encouraging Louis to sleep in his own room, in his crib. He did great last night. After his 5 a.m. bottle, we put him back in his crib where he played for about 30 minutes and then put himself back to sleep without crying. I was so proud! The little guy really tries hard to be a good boy!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Meet my little brown sprout

Meet Louis Michael Brown. Born April 9, 2009. He is an onery little guy who has filled my life with such great joy and quite a bit of exhaustion. And, boy is he growing quickly. He already has two bottom teeth, expertly rolls over, laughs big belly laughs - the type that can't help but make you smile and he loves TV.

But, he's not all Angel. Unfortunately, he bites occasionally and may spit his carrots at you - it just depends on the day! But, imperfections and all - we love the little tyke.

Let's start blogging!

I facebook, tweet, post photos to Flickr, Shutterfly and I Heart Faces and now I blog! Welcome to my site - Adventures of Little Brown Sprout. This blog's dedicated to my son, Louis and his uncanny ability to help me find joy in everything around me.