The things strangers say...

It rained again today, so I had to be a bit creative in what Braydon and I would do to stay busy and keep entertained all day. Since Braydon DID NOT want to play with ANY of his toys, we decided to go to PV mall this morning so he could run about and play til lunch time. PV mall is super kid friendly and Braydon completely wore himself out. After a quick lunch we headed home and he napped.

Well, after a 2 hour nap Braydon woke up in a monster of a bad mood and went on a tantrum tirade. Finally at 3:15 I decided to take him to the book store so he could play with the train table and perhaps read some books, too. While there, Braydon calmed down and played with the trains for almost an hour. After that, he was busy exploring the kiddie section, playing on the stage (for story hour) and just being a typical toddler boy. That's when some man stopped and asked me if Braydon had ADHD. The man said Braydon behaved just as a toddler with ADHD would. He then asked me if Braydon's pediatrician is concerned or if we are and if we've considered ADHD being a possibility. Finally he said that I should try giving my 20 month old some caffeine!!! I just kept my cool and asked, "Ummmm What!?!?" And then said caffeine acts like a depressent for kids with ADD/ADHD and that I should either give him some watered-down soda or coffee with a lot of milk. He said if it calms him down, then that's proof positive my son has ADHD.

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!

Shortly after my encounter with this stranger, Braydon threw a monster $hitfit, and we left the bookstore. The fit was the result of me not allowing Braydon to hit a little girl at the train table or for not allowing him to steal one of the store's little train engines. Worthy of a fit...? I guess it was :)

Anyway, that was my Wednesday. Oh, the crazy things people feel at complete ease to say...

In a 5-minute time span...

Braydon pukes from drinking too much water, too fast. Once he pukes, he purposefully steps in it and begins to track it through the house (luckily, just on the tile). As I'm cleaning up the puke and clorexing where it landed, my dog decides to poop in the kitchen. Floppy (the dog) decided her paws are too delicate to touch water- drenched grounds, thus deciding the best place to poop is by the kitchen door. As I begin to pick up the poop, Braydon beats me to one turd and begins to squeeze it between his fingers and both hands. Immediately we wash hands, search for any remaining turds, and return to life as we know it... That is, until I find my son playing in puddle -- literally laying in it on his belly. The DAMN DOG peed on the tile AND the carpet in the office. Forget washing hands -- time for a bath -- a hose down.

DAMN DOG!!!

More Braydon Pix

Pix of Braydon (now 20 months)

Mommy and her little man :)

Getting acquianted with his new potty chair!

Watching TV and flipping the bird... quite the multitasker:)

He's actually saying, "CHEESE!!!" in this picture

Quinn Tyson & Addison Elizabeth

Today, we would have been celebrating your third birthday, but instead you've been three years gone. I don't have the words to express the pain we've felt, but because of your sacrifice, we're now full of joy. If not for you, we wouldn't have your baby brother, Braydon. If not for you, I doubt we'd know such a pure and raw sense of what is real and true in this life.

Because of you two, Daddy and I never take a single moment with Braydon for granted. Because of you, we have a deeper sense of what a parents' love is, how it feels, what it looks like, and how totally consuming it is. Because of you, we try to love as if there is no tomorrow.

Because of you and Braydon, we walk the path of broken, yet peace, love and joy-filled hearts.

Quinn and Addison, we love and miss you endlessly. Til we meet again, know that you are forever in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers.