Nine Years Old!

My sweet little boy turns 9 today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAEDYN CHARLES!



2 days old just home from hospital!







Seems like just yesterday when we were blessed with this beautiful baby boy to bring home. It was the start of our family! A day I will never forget! My first day as a new mom being worried, scared, and excited.  Did the babysitting of ALL my little cousins growing up, going to prepare me for this task?

It was a freezing January day, as he was born on the coldest day of the year, January 18, 2004. We kept the newspaper from the hospital to remember that day. That reading seems strange now living in North Carolina! Our First Born! I will never forget that night as we drove to the hospital, I don't know who was more scared me or your dad! It was a long 13 hours and you entered the world with a ton of black hair and eyelashes that wouldn't quit. They are still the longest eyelashes I have ever seen.
He was a miracle child and with that start in life, has proved just that! I now know, God had a plan for me all along and that was to be a mother. Again, I had went back to college and he was born during my last semester. I thought I would work in the sport industry one day, but as soon as that baby was placed in my arms, I knew I could never leave him with anyone else. So did I finish college? The answer is no. Seems like every time I have gotten close to finishing a degree, something happened. I did get a an associates degree a long time ago, but my four year plan never worked out... First time I tried at Winona State University, I got pneumonia for two months and never went back, and this time at the University of Minnesota, I was close again but this was much more important to me than any schooling could ever provide. My dreams have changed over time or shall I say in a blink of eye that day. Being a mother in a child's life is the most important job of all and I didn't want to miss a single minute. Luckily I have a wonderful husband who can provide for us, so that I was able to do be a stay home mom.

I am thankful for all the time we got to spend together when it was just Braedyn and I. We had all day together at home to play, go for walks, and go to the park. We would find interesting places to visit or drive to Grandma and Grandpas house. I treasure all those firsts and memories from the first steps, first words, first swim, first time fishing, and watching the excitement and joy when he realized what was happening. I was looking back at these pictures and remembering all the fun times!

Baptism and dress is over 100 years old! A treasure in our family passed down thru generations, I wore it and my mother and grandmother wore it!



First Push up

Swimming, loves to splash around

just hanging out with mom

Six months old

reading the sports page already!

cheese

first time at the pumpkin patch

First Timberwolves game

First time in snow with daddy

first time fishing with daddy (I think this was at Yankton, SD)

we are moving!

First Birthday cake from Great Grandma Nelson, he still doesn't like to get his hands dirty!

Cousin Jonah reading to him!

WE LOVE YOU!

Braedyn is our sweet, beautiful, caring, loving, nurturing, artistic, thoughtful, creative, and emotional little boy. Over the past 9 years we have watched him turn into such a wonderful young boy. I am honored to be his mother. He is the perfect big brother. He is definitely a first born with the qualities he possesses such as being driven, the perfectionism, he is a care taker, and the responsible one (well, so far). He is always helping with his brothers, teaching them new things, and trying to get them to follow the rules, even if they are his rules! He's so very sweet and loves to cuddle with mom whether we are on the couch watching TV or in the morning still watching cartoons. Sometimes I find him cuddling next to his brothers.... I will take it while I can!!! He loves to watch sports with daddy at night when he should be going to bed for school the next day. When Braedyn looks at you with those puppy dog eyes, he is hard to say no to. So if you come under his spell with that look, it is quite powerful! When Braedyn looks at you with those puppy dog eyes, he is hard to say no to.
The boys fight like your typical brothers do which can come to blows and that is because of their strong personalities. I don't know where they get that from! They usually end up apologizing then hugging it out. Cooper and Braedyn's friendship has gotten even closer and it is a wonderful thing to see them be such best buddies. He takes care of his brother Jordan and watches out for him. He is patient with him sometimes more than I find myself to be.

Jordan fell asleep with his brother

 

having some fun with Grandpa's Halloween wigs...it's Axel Rose and Michael Jackson!

playing ball

Best Buddies!

Lean on me Always

Cooper was losing his best buddy during the day~ His first day of Kindergarten

never far behind!
 

It was very apparent to me one day when I was in bed with the flu and it happened to be over Christmas break when they were home, that he has grown up.... He told me I could stay in bed and he would take care of everyone....I thought it wouldn't last long but he did. Daddy had called from work and asked him to help and he sure did. When Jordan or Cooper needed something he took care of it even the potty. He would say don't go in there mom is resting.

I know God has wonderful things in store for you. We watch in awe as you grow and you realize your different talents and personality. You amaze me everyday at the things you are learning and your creativity and artistic abilities. There is so much in store for you. Me and daddy believe in whatever you do because you have the heart to achieve what you set out to do. I am excited for what your future holds!

You will find Braedyn singing always! I think he knows every song that comes on the radio! He got to go to his first concert this fall to see one of his and our favorite local country artist and he got to meet him...Jason Michael Carroll. He knows all of his songs by heart.

Jason Michael Carroll with Jordan and Braedyn at the North Carolina State Fair October 2011
(the Orange thing is a stuffed animal Braedyn won for Jordan by making 3 baskets in the basketball shooting game)

 He had started playing guitar and it had been to much with baseball so he had to take a break from it but now wants to start back at it. Luckily, for us, his new music teacher at school is going to start giving him lessons again. He loves music! This is the first year he has not been in church choir since he was three years old. He is artistic and always drawing something. He loves his Pokemon cards and his Skylanders Wii game. He loves baseball and football. His new passion this year was helping dad on his fantasy football league. He amazed me~he can name every quarterback in the NFL and what team he plays for and also alot of the wide receivers! He even can tell you their stats! His passion for the orange and blue has grown since our trip to the "Swamp" this year. He is looking forward to going back again. He cheers on his brother Cooper at all his hockey games and is his biggest fan! He plays hockey more with Cooper in the driveway than playing/practicing baseball for himself. He is a good student and I can always count on him to be accountable for his school work. The other night he was doing his writing and I checked on him and he was going through his dictionary making sure he spelled the words correctly that he didn't know. Also last night, he showed us his power point presentation on the computer that he created for his presentation at school for his research project -on what else but ~Alligators! It was amazing. I don't think I made a power point presentation until I was in College!

Tailgating at the "Swamp" with the Orange and Blue Men

I love you more than you ever know little buddy. You came into my life and changed my world and the ways I view the world. Some days you still give me a perspective on life which I need. As you turn 9 years old, I flash back to when I was 9 and I can vividly remember those days. So I need to remember that as your mother! I want you to be a kid, have fun and do what 9 year old boys are supposed to do. 
I am so lucky to be your mom and watch you grow into a baby, toddler, boy to be a young man.
This birthday is your last birthday in single digits! Another reminder my babies are getting older!
Happy Birthday and I LOVE YOU!
~Your Mom