Zoo Trips and More!

We're having too much fun these days.

Bradley loves playing with hangers and mirrors. In our bedroom he gets both!

Today we went to the zoo with Bradley's friend Eli and Eli's mommy. While we aren't super keen on the animals, we may love the carousel more then swings (which is saying something) and we also greatly love chasing our friend around. Bradley is just two weeks older than Eli so it's pretty adorable to see them run around together. Eli likes to try to feed Bradley goldfish crackers, which Bradley thinks is an admirable trait to have in a friend. Sometimes the goldfish makes it into Bradley's mouth and then is taken back out and then put back in again but Bradley is surprisingly patient with this whole process.

There was a lot of smiling on the carousel but shockingly enough none of those photos were in focus

New zoo hat! He didn't throw it off and actually wore it around the park. This is really good, hopefully we won't have to sunscreen his head everywhere we go this summer.

Playing with Eli. They love each other.

It's harder when they're playing pass the stick back and forth between strollers and Eli passes Bradley his stick, which Bradley takes and then passes back, and then Eli SELFISHLY holds onto his stick. A boy has to yell and holler when this sort of injustice takes place. Eli's mom tried to give Bradley a bigger, cooler stick so he would have one of his own to hold onto but she is clearly no judge of what makes a good stick and Bradley promptly threw away the inferior replacement and hollered at Eli some more. That's my boy.

Bradley is into everything these days and he's fearless, which is both admirable and horrible. We've been going to a number of parks with a mom group I joined and Bradley loves to try to follow the older kids around. He's getting better and better at climbing up on play structures and is very annoyed when overprotective Mommy comes along with him and insists on holding his hand when all he wants to do is see if he can walk off the side with no railing or go face first down the slide. I'm eight and a half months pregnant so we're quite the sight. No idea how we'll do this when the baby girl is here and I need to either stay by her in the stroller or have her in the baby carrier.

We may spend a lot more time at home playing in our backyard when little sis first makes her appearance. I got a couple kiddie pools in preparation and we tried out the gigantic one with lots of bells and whistles just last week. Unfortunately, it was a little cool when we got it out and the hose water was very cold. Nathan and I made a lot of trips with hot water from the house to help warm it up but Bradley was still not a fan. Especially when his daddy made him sit down in the water. Bad Daddy. But it should be great this summer, Bradley loves water and once we get it warm enough for him he'll be a big fan.

I've had a few favorite Bradley moments in the past week or so. One was after we came home from the park and Bradley had been running around in the sunshine and was a bit overheated and drinking water wasn't cooling him down fast enough for his liking. I got a strawberry popsicle out of the freezer and sat him down on the desk in the kitchen so we could share it. He was so so happy. I was sitting across from him and I'd take a bite, then he'd take a bite, and there was a lot of smiling back and forth. Beyond sweet.

Another great moment was this morning. I was doing some dishes while Bradley wreaked havoc on the foam floormat in the living room (he LOVES taking it apart) when it got a little quiet and then he ran into the kitchen with a huge smile on his face holding his Where's Spot book. He loves this book and he loves having me hold him on my lap while reading it to him. The dishes were left instantly and I read to my little boy. 

And here's another with Bradley and his daddy watering the new grass. Bradley was the best helper there ever was.

The video: http://youtu.be/jX6rZsHIplk

I ADORE this picture

Bradley loves Nathan so much. I'm a bit jealous at how good Nathan is at getting Bradley to cuddle with him. I get a reasonable amount of cuddles but Nathan is the master.

Daddy is also super fun and tall. Here are a few pictures from our first trip to the Kansas City zoo a couple weekends ago. Bradley quickly ditched his stroller for the much more fun Daddy ride!

This was probably the most excited he got about any animal while we were at the zoo. Yes, this is a polar bear statue. We're only moderately excited about animals that are not doggies or kitties.

Luckily - carousel! Instantly means that the zoo is a hit. And yes, I am getting quite round these days. There is a gigantor baby girl in that tummy. 

We've been having a good amount of fun around the house even before we set up the kiddie pool. I thought it would be nice to fill this bucket with water and have Bradley splash around and Bradley was very onboard with the idea. 

We brought out a few stacking cups and a pink ball for him to play with. We had a great time throwing them into the water ... and then we had a great time throwing them out of the water and off of the deck.

Bradley still refuses to go down stairs on his own so he was forced to beg his daddy for assistance whenever he needed to retrieve the ball that he had thrown far, far away.

Things got a little pathetic. And quite bossy.

All this hard work means we have a very good sleeper on our hands most days. No, that stuffed toy isn't smothering him, it's just the angle I took the picture. None of his blankets stay on him for long. He's such a stinker.

He's also getting a lot of new teeth (we're up to seven!) so he's been chewing on anything and everything within reach. That's half of a plastic Easter egg in his mouth, I had to hide them after I took this picture so he couldn't do this anymore.

In addition to the parenting award I should receive for the picture above, here is my child eating a Reece's peanut butter cup. Why didn't I take a picture of him scarfing down Nathan's grilled zucchini? I need proof that he eats vegetables.

Nevermind, I forgot about this picture. The kid loves corn. I didn't want to give him the cobb but Nathan insisted that he would like it and it looks like Daddy was right!

However, Nathan may have been less correct when it came to dressing Bradley for an afternoon of errands. I was told that this was a "hipster cool" outfit. Bradley and I are not so sure.

I can't believe how big my sweet Bradley is getting. Although it shouldn't be that much of a shock, he eats SO MUCH. But he's starting to really look like a little boy instead of a baby. And he's so fun to play with. Nathan spent a reasonable portion of this evening chasing him around the family room and Bradley was shrieking in delight and running alarmingly well until he'd look over his should and lose his balance and fall down. He's a tough little cookie and he definitely outlasted his poor, tired daddy. Probably this time next year he and his little sister will be chasing each other around! Can't wait!

The kitties can't wait either. Click on the link for the video of him chasing Sookie around with a kitty toy http://youtu.be/Aby332uW4fM

Playing with the balloon we were given at the grocery store. It's always a party when I go out with my cute and social little guy.

And here's one last video of Bradley running around in just his diaper. It's a little longer than the others but pretty cute and it's worth watching the last few seconds to see the force with which he throws books around. Yeah, that's how he "gives" them to me so I can read them to him. Mommy is getting some very good reflexes. http://youtu.be/z4zlqOKuJ4c