The Kindest Thing…

About 15 months ago, some one did the kindest thing for me. It was the day we brought Brayden home from the hospital. We introduced him to Grizzly. We introduced him to Peanut. And then we needed a nap. It had been a really long weekend.

We very gently placed Brayden in his crib, and I climbed into bed. Then Jeremiah climbed into bed. And I panicked.

“You are going to take a nap, too?!”

“Yes, I haven’t slept in a really long time.”

“But who is going to watch Brayden?!”

“He’s sleeping.”

“But he is so far away!”

Brayden was exactly 24 feet away. Sleeping like a baby. I was bawling. He was So. Far. Away.

Jeremiah stood up, rubbed his face, and said, “I am going to go get a bassinet”.

Never mind we said we didn’t need one. Never mind the two foot hallway was all that separated us. If we were ever going to get any sleep again, we needed one.

Jeremiah went to Walmart, Kmart, and Shopko before he stopped into the second hand store and found one we could afford. Then he came home, set it up and washed the sheets, while I sat on the bed, holding my sleeping baby. Then Jeremiah moved it into the space between my dresser and the wall, six inches from my face. I laid Brayden down in the bassinet, climbed under the covers and fell peacefully asleep.

And that is the kindest thing anyone has ever, ever done for me.

The last few months...

In the last few months, we have had several hospital and doctor visits. We've realized the windows in our house don't really keep the cold out, and one particular door doesn't really keep out the spiders (or the cold). Then Brayden got healthy, Daddy got sick, the dishwasher exploded, the fuel pump in the Xterra stopped pumping fuel and the oven took a sh**t. The state of Minnesota is demanding 6% sales tax on the two vehicles we purchased years ago as Montana residents, and I have to find my shredded Montana drivers liscence to prove my citizenship. To make it all worse, my curling iron, which also seperates into a flat iron refuses to heat up (you should see my frizz ball hair do today!). It's been a challenging winter for our family.



I say all of this to you for one reason, and one reason only. It isn't so that you will feel bad for us either. It is because I read the Pioneer Woman's blog the other day, and they got stuck in a ditch, got out, fed the wild mustangs and on their way home, in the middle of a spring snow storm, they ripped the drive train out of their truck.







And I felt better.




Not in a vindictive, I hate her anyway, sort of way. I felt better, because it happens to them too. I write this, so you will feel better too. Maybe it will help you feel like we are all in this together. Whether a drunk driver turned your life upside down, the baby you have been praying for came 7 weeks early, insurance refuses to cover you, your job has disappeared, the baby you desperatly want to be part of your life refuses to turn the urine stick positive, or a much anticipated pregnancy disappeared five weeks into it's nine month journey, your boss is threatening, the money just will not last or your three year old is about to drive you out of your mind. We are all in this together.





I write this so you can laugh when you get psoriasis medicine for your birthday, and can think "they are getting through it, we will too". I write this so that when empty Zantac bottles fill up your Easter basket, you will be take comfort in the fact that it happens to all of us, and we are all in this together. And we will all get through it together, even if you have to call and cry, just because this moment is so tough. And you can always, always call just to cry, or swear, or just say "poop".






Speaking of Easter, Brayden met the Eater bunny this weekend. Here is the proof (smooshed up against his cheek):

And there was egg hunting!

Look at him go!

And what is an Easter Celebration without a fire truck?

From the trenches,

The Suggs Family

Maverick Steven

I usually post on Mondays. Between Monday and Friday, I don't usually think we will have anything to write about.

(Except when things like this are caught on film, then I know they have to be posted...isn't he so cute?!)

Then Maverick Steven came to visit us. And it was nonstop the whole time. :) Cousin Nicky dropped him off on her way through town and by the time his seat was strapped into our truck Mav and Brayden were giggeling like little fools. At one point, Mav was sucking his thumb as he cuddled Lambie. Brayden decided he better suck his thumb, too. He hasn't done that in about 12 months. Have I mentioned that Brayden loves Mav?

After naps, we headed to the most gorgeous trumpet recital, where both boys displayed angelic behavior beyond the age of 3 and 1. Brayden really enjoyed dancing through the music; Mav enjoyed the golden spotlight and treats. Even hour long car ride home didn't phase these two together (that is really saying something as Brayden has decided he hates that car seat thing). Mav ate all of his dinner (he reminded us several times), and must have told me how good it was 13 times. He must have really wanted that chocolate cake I kept promising him. :) Then the boys had to blow off a little steam (they sat still a LOT that day).

Mav even showed Brayden how to wear sunglasses.

Things got a little hairy around bedtime when Mav called home to say goodnight. He just wanted to hug everyone.

But by morning, it was full speed ahead! Er, around the living room...

It sure was fun to have the two boys together, but good gravy, I don't know how my sister does it!

After we dropped Mav off, we played outside all day, with the only exception of naps, dinner and snack. Brayden loved exploring every inch of his new to him wagon, and his little legs must have been exhausted from all of the pushing it up and down the driveway. But when he went to bed he smelled like sunshine and fresh air. I don't care what anyone says...summer is coming!

Texas!

Last weekend, Jeremiah’s grandma Glenna turned 85. And in this family, we love to celebrate birthdays. So when Tricia and Chrissy asked if they could fly us down so Glenna could spend some time with her great grandson on her birthday, we didn’t hesitate.

This was Brayden’s second plane ride. There were a few tense moments when we thought he might take a nap, but once we realized that wasn’t going to happen things were fine. He did think that everyone was on the plane just to see him, so he did his best to entertain them. We did our best to entertain him with books, tennis balls, chocolate chips, oranges, pipe cleaners, magazines and half apple juice.

Auntie B. picked us up at the airport. Brayden really thought she was fun (he does the best when he can meet people one on one in a quitter setting).

Later we met grandma Glenna, Aunt Tricia and Aunt Chrissy, Pappa and Gamma at the Blue Fin for dinner to celebrate.

She was very surprised!

We can't say Brayden was very cooperative (turns out he is pretty shy these days).

Wouldn't you know, we even found some pups to play with (I think this is Disney).

The next day we checked out the botanical gardens, ate Pizza and celebrated Johnny's huge accomplishment. The botanical gardens were fun to walk through, and enjoy the plants, a few flowers, and the gorgeous weather. Crew and Brayden really enjoyed the butterfly enclosure (me too!).

About a week before we left for TX, Brayden decided he was really more of a walker then a crawler. :)

It has some pretty cool stuff! There was even an elephant with water spraying out of his trunk.

There was a birthday brunch to celebrate all of the birthdays in the family (Grandma Glenna, Gamma Karen and Aunt Trisha).

Brayden met Grandma Betty too. She made the trip down from Kansas, casino hopping the whole way down.

We sadly headed home on Monday. Grizzly and Peanut were very happy to see us; Kayla took wonderful care of them. I don’t think we would have been so droopy had we known the weather would climb into the 60’s the week we got home!

Thank you for the great visit!!

Brayden and The Look

Brayden has never had has hands smacked away.

He has never had his nose pushed out of the way.

In fact, he hardly ever even gets told "no".

But Grizzly does.

Grizzly also gets "The Look" if he is being naughty.

Brayden has been a recipient of "The Look". Usually it is when he is crawling towards the cook books (shaking his head) that are only 12 inches off of the floor. They are his favorite temptation.

Yesterday, Mamma got "The Look", and it wasn't from Grizzly.

Brayden has been immitating us a lot lately, putting covers on jars, drinking like we do, talking on the phone like we do, putting his legs out for socks like we do. You name it, he enjoys mimmicking it.

So it shouldn't have surprised me to see the furrowed brow and the narrowed eyes that glared over at me yesterday. But suprise me it did! I couldn't figure out why he kept looking at me like that.

Then Jeremiah came home and also got "The Look". I laughed out loud when I realized that it was because Brayden was mimicking me. He was giving my Look! He repeated it several times, and I don't think I should laugh so hard...I still want him (and Grizz) to respond when my eyes narrow!