Posted on Sunday 29 May 2011
Well we finally did it. After 15 months with our little stinker, Ray and I spent our first night away from him together! I had left Brayden with Ray and he had left him with me, but we have never left him for a night alone together. Thus our 8 year anniversary made for perfect timing!
We snuck away to "See Rock City" and spend the night in the Queen Anne Steamboat on the Chattanooga river! We had a great time!
Rock City was fun. It should be called Gnome City cause those little boogers are everywhere! Lara would die. She hates gnomes, they freak her out and evertime you turned a corner there was a new one staring up at you! So of course i kept sending her pics of them the entire time!
Uh oh…..looks like we stayed too long!!!
The Queen Anne is a beautiful old riverboat that has now been converted to a hotel and is docked in the beautiful park on the river in Chattanooga’s downtown. We had a great day just being Ray and Nicole. We laughed, hung out with the gnomes, ate at a new restaurant and went to see one of my favorite bands the Breakfast Club! We had a great night away with just the two of us, but the next morning were we up and out of there anxious to return to our favorites jobs.. cleaner of poopie, boogie exterminators, rule enforcers, giver of hugs, stealer of kisses and chaser of a fast little stinker! I didn’t want to scar B-Ray for life so we left the Gnomes in Rock City and instead brought him back some homemade fudge…which he LOVED (that kid can sniff out chocolate from a mile away!
Happy Mothers Day to my kind and beautiful momma. I love you with my whole heart and am so very blessed to be your daughter!
We had a great Mothers Day, but unfortunately we didn’t get to see our moms. Ray had a stomach bug that weekend. It seems like someone in my house always has the stomach flu. Brayden kept it for a week before it finally hit Ray. We didn’t get to see our mommas, but I did get to have a wonderful day with my boys. That morning as I was reading my cards Brayden walked over to me with a Zales box in his hand! It was a beautfiul mothers ring with all three of our birthstones in it! Thanks Brayden.. i think he had lots of help from Dada. Ah I love those fellas!
For mothers day, we gave our moms a snapshot so they can remember just how little our little man was when he is all grown up.
It matches ones that Michelle did of Ko and Ty. He’s even wearing the same shirt! So Sandy now has a matching set of all her grandbabies and now my momma has one too. Happy Mothers Day Moms! We are so thankful to have you in our lives and Brayden loves his Nana and Mamaw.
Happy Mothers Day to all the momma’s out there! It’s the hardest and most rewarding job in the world and I wouldn’t have it any other way.. and I know all you other mommy’s wouldn’t either!
Birthday Wishes to…..
Sending big birthday hugs and kisses to our nephew Tylan who turned one last week. We love you Ty Ty. Here are the cousin’s enjoying a moment on the couch at Ty’s birthday party! These three have a lot of fun ahead of them!
Wishing a big happy 40th Birthday to Sheryl whom we kidnapped and took her on a funky fly girl night of fun a few weeks ago! And finally happy birthday to my little Wendyl.. that’s all i can say about that right now or I will cry! I love you homies!
New pics are posted in Anniversary, Family Portraits, Momma Wanda, Daddy Doug and Mom and Dad Austin folders.
Gnomeo & Juliet 
A few weeks ago I decided it was time to break down and take Brayden for his first haircut. I adored his long baby locks, but even I had to admit he was starting to look like a tiny hippie. For me it was more than just hair, cutting those beautifuly, golden curls symbolized the final goodbye to his babydom. Once those were gone.. he would be a full fledged little boy! However I had endured months of chasticing from family and friends that "that boy needs a hair cut". 
through the cut a woman came in with her grandson AND some french fries! Now Brayden wasn’t hungry and had just had lunch however I have a very nosey little boy. He thinks if you are eating he should get a bite to see what it is. Here is where i had my very first mommy embarassing moment. I knew when I saw her come that we were in trouble. Brayden’s attention immediately went to the stroller where the little boy was eating his fries. He started pointing and whining toward him. I didn’t know this woman at all, but thankfully she was kind and after a few moments of this said "would he like a fry?" I said he would LOVE a fry thank you and she gave him one. He was happy for a few moments then started pointing again and saying "MORE…. MORE…. MORE…." Then he would look at me "more… ma ma.. more". That sweet lady walked over and gave him more. After each fry he would point… say more and flash her a toothy grin! And of course she fell for it so we were able to finish the haircut in peace! Shew.. I felt like I should tip her for sharing her grandson’s fry’s with Brayden. Thank goodness her grandson likes to share and wasn’t that hungry!! So next time I will be prepared and bring fry’s for the haircut! 
Brayden had a great Easter visiting our family, flying kites and hunting eggs. He did ok with the big easter egg hunt but once he found an egg he would just sit down and play with it or try to eat it. He wasn’t at all interested in hurrying to find the rest of the eggs like his momma wanted him too! We found out this year that Brayden is a cadbury egg fanatic! He LOVES them. You can’t let him see the box or he starts pointing and wanting some. 
Hitching a ride with Daddy. He loved mowing the yard.. we both hope he doesn’t grow out of that ha!
New pics are posted in Easter, Spring and family portraits. Here is one we took after church in the park a few weeks ago. Such a cutie pie! I hope all of you had a blessed and happy Easter. I am reminded each and every day just how very blessed I am! 
We recently celebrated Brayden’s first birthday. What a wonderful, crazy and fast year this has been. In some ways I can’t believe a year has flown by, but at the same time I feel like he has been part of our lives for so long I can’t remember what it was like without that beautiful baby in my life.
I just want to hit the pause button and savor every single second of his childhood because it is already happening so very fast. We’ve celebrated each and every one of these tiny milestones that over the past year has turned my baby into a full fledged toddler with oodles of personality. He went from this tiny little helpless person to rolling over, then holding his head up, sitting up, getting from a tummy to sitting position, saying his first words, to crawling, to playing peekaboo, to waving, riding froggy on his buggy and now walking, talking, starting to comprehend things we say, following directions and also ignoring instructions(even though he fully understands what no means) to being into absolutely everything! His newest thing is watching to see if your looking before he touches the trashcan, pulls open drawers or anything else he isn’t supposed to be doing. He will stand there really quiet and look over at you and just hold his hand up waiting for you to tell him no and watching to see if you are looking.
so fortunate to have the life I have. I have all the things I need and want and am so very blessed . I think of all the money we spend on Christmas every year rushing out to buy this or that as a show of love. What kind of difference could we make if one year we didn’t do that at all. Instead we put that hard earned money and love toward buying 20 or 30 children coats, shoes, toys etc and really made a difference in their lives. Even if it was just for one day. It’s definately food for thought. 
Santa Train is one of my favorite weekends of the year and this year we introduced Brayden to the tradition. He had a great time sharing in the festivities and hung in there like a trooper! 
Here’s our little Elf posing with the Judds. He was a crowd favorite in his cutsie costume (I know someday he will hate me for all these outfits but I cannot resist it is too much fun!) and when the Judds had him all the reporters and crowd were firing away shots. Apparently Naomi and Wynonna both loved his costume. They both commented seperately about how cute his outfit was and said he was adorable and wanted to know where we got it. I’m glad I’m not the only one who appreciates a good costume.. ha!
After watching the toss, watching Dada shoot pics, meeting the Judds and of course spending the morning with his awesome babysitters Makayla, Makenzy & Megan, B-Ray made his way down to center street to watch Mama. He joined us for the end of the broadcast and did oh so good. Especially considering the poor little guy hadn’t had a nap all day and had just fallen asleep when they brought him to the stage. He napped for maybe 20 minutes before we woke him up to put him on air. He did great and just sat there with a curious face watching me, the parade floats and my headset. It could have went soooo differently. Afterwards I was imagining all the things we didn’t even consider before we plopped him on the table on live tv. I could just imagine him crying, trying to eat the paper, pulling at the cords or trying to crawl off the table. But it went well and he was such a good little elf… Santa I hope you were watching! 
Brayden’s first Halloween was fun not only for Brayden, but for mama & dada too. Ray and I have always loved dressing up for halloween and this year was no exception. Of course we added trick or treating to our festivies this year and it was every bit as fun as I remember from my own childhood. Brayden was the lion, I was Dorothy and Ray was the Tin Man. Me, mom and Ray took him to the trunk or treat event downtown. 
Since I’m just now getting around to blogging I want to wish a special Happy Birthday to my momma. We actually went trick or treating on her birthday so that was a special "treat" for her! Happy birthday my sweet beautiful momma. I’m so glad you could be with us on Brayden’s first Halloween. We should have dressed you up as the good witch Wanda to go with the theme! I love you!
We even let him try a few of his treats! And he LOVES candy. Imagine that!
Brayden took his first trip to the zoo. I think he probably needs to be a little older before we try this again. Forget the pandas, elephants, giraffes and zebras his favorite exibit was the parakeets. You go into the open air room and they are crazy, frantic and zipping past your ears. I was terrified one would peck my eyes out, but Brayden loved their shirll squeaks and bright colors!
We also went to the Georgia Aquarium, which is the largest in the world and has more than eight million gallons of water! Not bad for his first time. He LOVED it so much more than the zoo. Watching the fish swim, crawling through the tunnels to peep into the exhibits like the penguins and splashing around touching the star fish and sting ray water. Ray and I loved it too. If you ever have a chance to go we highly recommend it. 
We also met up with our friends in Atlanta and had a great dinner at a Hibachi grill. Mmmm Japanese yummo. Brayden loved watching the flaming onion volcano!
It takes a lot to travel with a baby.. shew and this was only for 5 days. I hate to see what it will look like if we go somewhere for a week! 
This pic looks innocent enough right. He’s dressed so sweetly in his mommy’s little pumpkin shirt… ah the calm before the major blow out. We were eating at a really nice mexican restaurant and I took Brayden to change his diaper. However I made the mistake of only bringing a diaper and wipes with me instead of his entire bag. I knew it was a bad situation when i pulled off his pants and there was poo on his sock! I pulled off the pants and there was poopy everywhere.. in his pant legs, up his back, in his socks and here i am without my diaper bag, without his extra clothes and without the plastic baggy to put his dirty poopy clothes in AND Ray is across the restaurant and I can’t leave Brayden. So I get him as cleaned up as you really can with baby wipes and put on his diaper. I pick Brayden up and carry him outside the bathroom. I look at Ray hoping to make eye contact so I don’t have to trapse my naked baby across the restaurant. 
Am I raising a puppy?
A few weeks ago Wendy & Gerb went with us to take Brayden to pick out his very first pumpkin! We took him to Fenders Farm for the day and had a blast. I love that place. There is so much to do we ran out of time and 
didn’t get to do the corn maze. 
And so there it is, Brayden’s first pumpkin! He likes it.. he likes it! Notice the Carhart bib overalls making Uncle Bub so very proud! 
!
Ninja warriors.. told ya we were Charlies Angels.. don’t mess with us! 
hrm maybe it didn’t taste as good as it looked ha!
All done! Good job Dada & B-Ray!
What a whirlwind of a few months we’ve had! In September, my cousin Stacy came in to stay with us and meet Brayden for the first time. We headed up to New Castle for the annual Fleming Family Goat Roast. Of course this was Brayden’s first Goat Roast and he had more fun than he could stand. My little cousins kept him busy playing and feeding him and he enjoyed the music and family until he was too tuckered to party anymore. 
The next day Stacy and I saw a hay truck drive by and noticed one of the bales was smoking. I ran to get my uncle and by the time they got down to the road the whole hay truck was on fire and the guy had drove into my uncles farm! So the Fleming Family fire department went to work. My brother drove the tractor and was pulling flaming bales off the truck and dumping them in the river, while my dad and cousins shoveled burning hay off the bridge into the creek below. It took more than 15 minutes for the volunteer fire department to arrive and if it wasn’t for my family that guy would have probably lost his truck, flatbed and set my uncles farm on fire! Pics are posted. Shew never a dull moment with this crew.
Brayden is growing like a tiny baby weed. He says dada, mama, nana, ita (for kitty cat.. everytime he sees Phoebe he tries to say here kitty kitty phe phe.. but it comes out ita ita ita). He has 2 teeth on the bottom, one that is poking through on top with another top toofer on the way! He started crawling a few months ago and the very next day was pulling up. He is starting to let go with one hand and find his balance. I swear that little stinker will be walking before we know it. He loves prunes ( i know right of all things.. strange), bananas, anything with apples, puffs of any kinds (but he only likes it if you let him feed himself…very independent little man), crumpled up wheat bread and every kind of fruit. He isn’t big on any of the meats unless it’s paired with a fruit like apples and chicken, ham & pineapple etc. He is a picky little eater and wont open his mouth to anything green.. (he must get that from dada). He loves to play (let’s find mommy) and will crawl from room to room searching for me! He is a little chatter box and will goo and gaaa on and on throwing in mama dada and nana into the mix and changing the inflection of his voice as if he really is telling you something very serious or funny that we have done..ha! He has the sweetest giggle and an infectious laugh! Strangers stop me all the time to tell me what a cutie he is cause my little social man will flash them his 3 tooth grin as we walk by. He is definately a chamber baby and loves to go to work functions with mommy. Lately I can’t show up without him even if it’s in the middle of the day because people ask me where B-Ray is! Oh my am i going to have my hands full with this little booger! 
Bless his heart though he has had a rough few months. By the time we got home from the Goat Roast we discovered he had a double ear infection from the cold he had just gotten over earlier that week. He got better from the ear infections then got a horrible stomach flu. By that weekend Ray and I had it too. Thankfully Vanessa took pity on me and drove me to the ER and stayed there with me until 4 a.m even after my momma arrived. You rock Vananna!!! The next week my dad and in laws came over to help take care of Brayden and dad and Sandy ended up with the virus too. It’s a mean one so watch out. Everytime we would think Brayden was better he would throw up or have diarrhea again. So by Thursday the following week he was admitted to the hospital. He was absolutely pitiful and it broke my heart. But finally after 12 days of the virus after lots of iv fluids, meds and a 2 night hospital stay he finally kicked it. He went back to daycare last Wed and by Saturday woke up with a cold again which mommy has too. Sigh… maybe our immunity will finally kick in and he and I will have that powerful immune system everyone keeps telling us will happen! Fingers crossed! Even when he felt horrible my little sweetie pie still managed to smile at the nurses… that is after he gave them a serious once over to make sure they weren’t going to poke him or take his blood! Check out the pics from our hospital stay in the sickly folder. A DB football player came by the hospital and gave him this football. A sick but sweet smiley boy!
This past weekend Brayden and I spent the night at mom’s while Ray was away on his annual leaf trip with the boys. We celebrated mom’s birthday early (since her actually birthday is the day kport celebrates halloween). Dougie, Ambra, and Drake came over and we had a great weekend hanging out with family. I have to say that Ambra and Drake’s gift to mom was the best. "Crapping it Rich" a whole roll of money.. literally. She wrote the funniest poem to go with it. Check out the momma Wanda folder to see it and pics from our weekend. Also my sweet mom woke up in the middle of the night with Brayden and held him from 4 in the morning until 8 so I could get some rest. Since his double ear infection then followed by the stomach virus that just wouldn’t go away he has had a hard time sleeping. He will wake up every hour and a half and scream unitl you hold him. It’s been a long sleepless month and mom said I looked exhausted so she took care of him so I could catch up on some sleep.. now if she just lived in Kingsport we would be in business..haha! Happy early Birthday momma.. i’ll save your real birthday wishes until the end of the month!
the shy pumper
It is with great pride I annouce that Brayden said his first word this morning… DA DA! Everyday I say Ma Ma and Da Da to him as well as incorporate his name into songs, sentences etc. "Ma Ma loves Brayden" " Da Da will miss Brayden today" etc. We talk in the car on the way to daycare, on the way home, while i’m cooking dinner in the evenings, before bed etc. So this morning he was sitting in the floor and started exploring sounds different than he normally makes. They had a d sound. So I sat down in the floor and started saying Da Da. He would watch my mouth and try it. After a minute or so I knew he was getting close so I yelled for Ray and as he was coming up the steps he said Da Da for the very first time. It absolutely melted our hearts. We grabbed the flip (that my hubby got me for my bday cause I am a videoing machine) and recorded those sweet little sounds of his very first real word. Although once when he was crying really hard Ray and I swear he said BAGEL..haha! Maybe he’s trying to tell Da Da he would like a cinnamon crunch bagel from Panera!! ha! The da da video along with the many others are posted on Brayden TV.
Ray and Gleason installed our new child proof banisters this weekend and they look great. I loved my cherry wood banisters however they weren’t up to code and a child could easily get his head stuck. Last year Ray took out the old steps and installed beautfiul wooden ones with a partial new banister and this weekend they finished the rest. It looks great! Thanks guys for your hard work. I love it and now I dont have to worry my soon to be crawler won’t get his head stuck in there!