Bryan Family Blessings : School's Out For Summer

The last day of school was June 5th. It was a "half day" so Jace got out an hour early.

I am not sure how much he understands that its summer break and he isn't going to school for a few months.

He is all smiles though and that's all that matters!

The last day of PPCD

Daddy took Jace to his 23 hour EEG on April 19th.

The past 2 times he has taken him since Levi is still pretty young and I am still breastfeeding.

Both times he as done great! He happily stays on his bed (though he doesnt HAVE to), plays, watches TV, eats and sleeps. According to JB, Jace only gets off the bed to go potty.

Eating lunch and cheesing for the camera!

Happy boy getting his "stickers" removed to come home!

While they were at the EEG, I was home with Levi. We dogsat my friend's lab, Koda.

I forgot how big labs were! He was so sweet and Levi was very curious about him.

Oh.....whats that thing that moves all the time? Let me have it!

Levi discovered a new skill that weekend as well - opening drawers AND taking stuff out of them!

I remember this stage with Jace all too well. Wonder if it'll last as long as it did with Jace.

Now, almost 2 months later, he has found the cabinet doors and is constantly digging in the cabinets when we let him. I desperately need to baby proof the cabinet!

On April 21st, JB and I went in front of our church and dedicated Levi. We made the commitment to raise him in a Christian home and instill the values that come along with that.

My 3 boys!

After church that day we had some family and friends over.

We had pizza and enjoyed everyone's company.

Levi checking out his cousin Ady

Being outside on our porch and letting the boys play is one of our favorite things to do.

Levi likes to climb, naturally, the slide...

...and Jace likes to lounge in his chair when he isn't jumping on his trampoline.

His feet are propped up and all

Levi also found the world of ride on toys!

Riding the loud annoying lion at Papa's house

We go to Lexington fairly often and I love when Jace gets to see his little friends his age!

This particular weekend he got to see Keely! And I got to see Misty!

Jace loves him some Keely!

Levi has started to cruise....and he does it well!

He likes to go from window to window to mess with the blinds.

Once again, as it was with Jace, all of our blinds are drawn up out of Levi's reach.

It looks silly but I prefer to not have to replace blinds because of his curious hands!

I love to watch this boy experience new things and enjoy the little things.

Who knew lights could produce such joy!

May started off BUSY!!

On the 3rd, Jace had his first field day at school!

PPCD had their own little field day separate from the other grade levels but it was just as fun for them!

There were tricycles, shaving cream, bubbles, a small trampoline, and soft building blocks.

Jace riding the tricycle

They finished the field day off with some Italian ice! YUM!

Cherry Italian Ice deliciousness!

Jace and his amazing teachers!

The next day was the Step Forward to Cure TSC Walk!

Jace's Prayer Posse raised $1050 - $50 over our team goal!

Thank you thank you thank!!

Brayden and Jace enjoying juice after the walk

Wearing Jace's old shirt from our first walk

Our team that walked this year!

JB, Brayden, Jace, Levi, Me and Sheri

Every year the Houston Fire Dept brings a truck to the walk.

This year Jace went into the truck and checked out all the tools in storage as well.

After the walk we had a our first block party on our street.

There have finally been enough people to move in to have a party.

It was a great turn out!

Some stayed well into the night enjoying the company of great neighbors

Teacher Appreciation day is May 7th. It is celebrated all week but "the day" is the 7th.

I decided to do a gift for the 7th rather than something all week.

I put together these little kits for the teachers.

They have measuring spoons, a spatula, and a package of cookie mix all put into a measuring cup.

Add cute ribbon and a card that reads "You've measured up to make me a smart cookie" and its a cute gift!

I have started to plan the boys' birthday party!

I designed the monsters for their shirts and finally finished them!

I decided to not put their age in numbers on the shirts.

Instead, I put the corresponding number of eyes and party hats on the monster.

I have to say I think they turned out adorable!

Levi's Monster

Jace helping me sew his shirt

Jace's Monster

Since Jace is not a cake fan I wanted to make sure he had some goodies of his own.

Custom cookies are EXPENSIVE! Thankfully Sheri was able to teach me how to decorate sugar cookies.

Here is my very first test run - and thanks to her incredible teaching skills I succeeded!

Delicious sugar cookies waiting to be decked out

Flooding fun

Quick monster faces
The white icing was too runny but I will know better for the party!

Custom cakes are also pretty crazy priced so I am doing the cake topper option.

This gives me the ability to just get a plain cake with a bright border - nothing fancy, no writing for them to "cake wreck", and no intricate details on a cake that will be consumed in 30 minutes!

These cake toppers can be kept as keepsakes and were fun to put together!

Its hard to tell in this picture but the numbers are glittery and the eyes are googly eyes.

I had to use actual fabric for the party hats and feet since I could not find matching paper anywhere.

I love the dimension these have with the different textures.

While I was practicing making cookies I whipped up a batch for Jace's teachers.

It was early but I sent them for an End of the Year treat!

I am improving my royal icing writing skills!

Levi is almost one! My last baby is almost no longer a BABY! *tear*

It goes so much faster with the 2nd child. I can only imagine that it probably goes faster with each child.

Levi - 11 months old - May 10th

Loves to take pictures with bubba!

I am trying to savor this baby stage! I am going to miss the simplicity of it!

I do enjoy watching him explore, learn, create relationships with Jace and Daddy - he needs to slow it down.

I was very close to thinking about trying to wean him from breastfeeding soon. To be honest, it was a selfish reason, to lose weight faster once he is done nursing. But after our decision to make him our last baby, I just knew I couldn't force it yet. Yes I want my body back, yes I am annoyed at times with nursing, but I KNOW I will regret weaning him before I am 100% sure we are both done with it.

So, bring on the extended breastfeeding! I nursed Jace until he was 14 months. Levi may or may not go past that. We will be making the decision on the go :)

We have been gearing up for the summer. Getting sprinklers for the backyard, buying floaties for the pool, and pulling out the sunscreen. We will hopefully be at the pool quite a bit this summer!

One of the many perks to the new neighborhood and gym we go to.

Jace playing in the sprinklers

Levi loving on his teddy bear! :)

Jace made me a card at school for Mother's Day.

These are so sweet and I LOVE to see his artwork on them!

Mother's Day we went to church then came home and relaxed most of the day.

JB bbq'd some ribs, baked potates and made boiled squash.

It was a delicious meal and we didn't have to fight any crowds!

My sweet boys on Mother's Day

Levi found the volume dial in the car. He would jump everytime he turned the music up loud!

It was pretty funny!

Crank it up!!

How sweet is this little cloth diapered tushy?

Remember earlier when I mentioned Levi climbing up the slide?

Well he has finally figured out how to get down. This was his first attempt and he has fallen from there a few times. As of now, he has learned to turn around and slide backwards on his belly down the slide.

We never taught him to do that either - he just did it! Smart little guy!

What goes up, must come down

JB and Jace were playing with the football in the backyard. JB taught Jace to spike the football then do a touchdown dance! It was too cute!

And a video of his football skills

Levi had his first taste of the famous Snow's BBQ in Lexington.

While he was there he tested out a raw onion as well.

I think he liked it....he ate 2 pieces.

Jumping in the rain puddles at Papa's

Nap on Mama during the crawfish boil.
Sweet sweet moments!

Jace's class had a "Celebration of Learning"

They sang 2 songs, introduced each child and then we watched a sweet slide show the teachers made.

They get a little distracted during the songs but it was so fun to watch.

The boy on the left side of Jace is his best friend at school!

They ride the bus together and he ALWAYS talks about him.

If you watch you can see Jace signed the color Red when the teacher said his favorite color was red.

Then he got shy after that :)

Ms. Liz, Mrs. Bravo, and Ms. Amy
These 3, along with his speech therapist, have done SO much for him since February!

Jace's Favorite's card

We bought Jace's yearbook from school.

His teachers signed the inside and all!

Jace's first yearbook picture

Jace and Levi have become closer and closer. I love to watch their relationship develop and strengthen!

Levi always wants to do what Jace is doing and Jace is always worried about Levi or trying to help him (or hold him recently). Levi has even begun to pester Jace like any good little brother should do.

I just see it as the start of returning the favor since Jace likes to just take over what Levi is doing, even if it is a baby toy or activity.

Golf lessons for Levi

Always hugging and kissing his baby brother!

Here are the boys being brothers at its best!

Levi knocks down his towers and Jace eventually pushes him over.

All I can do is sit back and laugh at this.

Thankfully there have not been many times I have had to step in...YET!

And this is an example of monkey see, monkey do!

Levi's crawl has evolved from the classic crawl to this bear crawl.

I can only assume its preparing him to walk? I get why he does it outside.....the concrete hurts his knees.

He does it inside sometimes too. Hes quick like this so maybe that's his reason.

Who needs knees to crawl?

The small horse made for his size is just not good enough. He has seen every child that has come in this house get on the bull and by golly HE wants on it too!!

If I don't help him up on the bull he will stand on the side step like this, holding the reigns and rock like hes riding it.

We did a little shoot for the boys' birthdays.

I haven't gotten the pictures yet but I snapped this while we were out there!

That Levi is something else!

Sitting on the couch like a big boy!

I LOVE that they love each other!

Jace has been asking lately to hold Levi! LOL

This day he just went over to him and picked him up into his lap himself. Levi wasn't really amused by this! Especially after the 2nd time!

This past weekend Jace started with a fever, sore throat, cough, congestion......the CRUD.

He wasn't completely miserable but then again he is a little trooper.

He shared his germs and the crud hit me! YUCK!

Fevers are no fun and seem to affect you worse when you are older.

The worst part of this lasted about 2 days for Jace and me. Unfortunately it decided to hit us right before a weekend. We had already planned a slow weekend but with this we didn't get out much at all. Fast forward to 2 days ago and Levi started with fever. The difference with Jace and Levi at this age and being sick.....Jace was pretty easy to comfort and get to sleep - even if it was on me.

Levi was up nearly all night long tossing and turning, moaning and whining....whether he was on my chest, in my arms, or in his bed. I hadn't had that bad of sleep in a LONG time!! I got about 2 hours of sleep total all night - but those 2 hours were broken. I tried my hardest to sleep holding him in the rocking chair but he would not rest for longer than 20-45 minutes. Poor baby was miserable!!

We had an appointment for the ENT, who is difficult to get into, the next day.

I picked Jace up from his last day of school and we went to the ENT appointment.

The ENT suggested we get Levi tube and said he would even do them the next day but since he is so sick and running a fever that we need to wait. His ears were not infected but he was places on an antibiotic to prevent an infection until we get his tubes places. The procedure is scheduled for June 20th and at this time he will be the first patient since he is the youngest.

We got home and laid low. Levi was so miserable!

This picture sums up how he was about 90% of the day and night before.

Thank God for Ibuprofen and Tylenol......alternating them was the only way I could get his fever to break.