Birthday Boy!!!

A year has come and gone and it is our cute little boy's first birthday! So much fun! Obviously, we love him to death and he is an energetic little blast of joy!

Some fun "Brado"isms:

Every time - I mean EVERY time - Brado hears a train whistle he excitedly turns to us and moves his arm up and down like he's pulling the chord that makes it go "chooo chooo" - he loves trains.

Every day we have 'goofy' time, where Braden is somewhat tired and gets so giggly that anything we do is the funniest thing ever. It's the best time of the day. :)

Brado babbles a lot these days and we ask him questions about what he's talking about and he "answers" us in his little babble language. It is so cute.

He knows the sign for 'all done', which we use mostly at meal-time, but occasionally when we are doing something he doesn't want to do he starts waving both arms and telling us he's 'all done' with whatever it is we are doing. I can't help but laugh every time.

Braden gives us the tightest hugs these days and just squeezes his little arms around our neck. It is one of the best feelings in the world.

And one of Braden's newest tricks....HE CAN WALK!!!

Monday of last week I was sitting on the floor and Justin gave Braden his sippy-cup full of milk while he was standing a few feet away from me. After drinking a few gulps he decided he wanted to come to me - and to our great surprise - took three steps by himself and got to me! Justin and I's jaws dropped and we sat there celebrating together. It was one of those "all-time best moments of our life" that we will remember for a long, long time (our list - When we first said "I love you", When we got married, When we got accepted to medical school, when Braden was born and those precious beginning days of his life, and now this one...I'm sure there are more than that, but I won't bore you with more...)

He has continued to take a few steps here and there and it is so much fun! (We haven't gotten it on camera yet, so I'll have to post that another time.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRADEN!!!!!!

Cake time: I was so excited for Braden to try chocolate cake...but at first he wasn't so sure...
Then, with coaxing and help from me, he tried a little...

Then the joy of chocolate started setting in...
he has so much to experience in the world of chocolate! And I'm sure he will be getting plenty of it seeing as how both Justin and I are chocoholics!

Proud Mom and cute little boy!

We had such a fun time celebrating together!

Random pics:
Braden and I love going to the park. And I love watching him maneuver around the playground. He is a little monkey for sure and loves to climb things. I love how these pictures captured his intent of getting up to the top!

One morning we woke up to a freezing house with our furnace broken! Bummer. That night was one of the occasions that it got below freezing, so it was a chilly morning for sure! Brado weathered it all really well, he even kept his hat on! :)

Justin cooking us a warm breakfast in the cold

Snuggle time with Daddy