Ice Cream Fridays!

So over the last couple of months, we've started a new tradition. After either Nick or I pick Brixon up at school on Friday, we bring him to Dairy Queen. Brix and I usually share a Butterfinger Blizzard, and sit by the window so we can watch the cars and trucks go by. This is probably what I look forward to most every week. It's such an everyday, normal thing, but we all love spending that time together so much, especially after a busy week!

Spending as much time together as we can is so important, as Brixon is growing into a little boy more and more every day. He now responds to questions by saying 'nope' or 'yup!' He's also starting to put together two-and-three word phrases; "no, mommy, no," "shoes on, please." A few weeks ago, he even repeated "love you" for the first time! We've been working on that one for a while! It seemed like he would repeat everything but that! One of my favorite things he's been doing lately is he'll pretend to smell your feet, and then scrunch his nose and say "Peeeeeeyooooooou!!!" We are always teasing him because he has really stinky feet, so now he's doing it to everyone else :) He absolutely loves to be outdoors, and if I let him, he would run around the house pulling his wagon all day long. He seems to be getting quite the independent streak, and doesn't want to hold my hand much anymore :( Hopefully that's just a phase!! He is also starting to engage in pretend play. He'll drive his little cars around the house, and 'fly' his airplane while making noises and talking...it is so cool to see him do that!

We're getting ready for Halloween, too...I think he and his friend, Carter, are going to be a hamburger and fries, with Wrigley as a cup of pop! hehe...I'm taking on the task of making Brixon's fries, so if you notice that I haven't updated the blog in a while, it's probably because I have third-degree hot glue gun burns :)

The Class Clown

Oh boy. We had our first "parent/teacher conference" the other day at school...isn't B a little young for this?!?! It was too funny; Ms. Kim said "Brixon is a joy to have in my class! He interacts well with others...he's my class clown (that's from his daddy)!! He loves art (that's from his grandpa) and is very vocal" (that's from...well, any of us ;))! He absolutely loves school. If you ask him who is in his class, he says "Sarah" first (that's his buddy!). Then if you ask him who else, he'll say "Kylie!" Then finally comes "Kim!" (his teacher...we're trying to get him to add the 'Miss' part, but half the time he calls ME by my first name, so my expectations are low :)). We never have any trouble dropping him off, and he comes home absolutely exhausted from his day of learning and playing!

School isn't the only place Brixon is a goofball. Last night, my mom and I brought him to Dairy Queen for an ice cream cone. There were several elderly people there (in Charlotte County?! Unbelievable :)), and Brixon had to say hi to all of them. In fact, one gentleman walked by, and Brixon said "Hi, man!" The old man laughed, and said "I think he said my name! Fred!" So then B started saying "Fred! Fred!" Then he said, "bye! See ya!" Everyone was hysterical! He also started saying 'Yo!' when he plays with my cell phone (which Nick says sometimes when he answers!) I prefer when he says 'hello,' which comes out more like 'heyo' (we're working on our 'l's!') When he wakes up in the morning, usually he'll start out by calling for either Nick or myself. Then he'll start going through family members, cartoon characters, and inanimate objects..."Mom, Dad, Mimi, Papa, Gampa, Nama, Titi, Buzz, Mee-mo (Nemo), Giggy (Wrigley), boat..." Ha!

Well, we are looking forward to some cooler weather here soon so that we can spend time outside! He's getting stir crazy in the house (So am I!)! Fall is welcome here at the Nemec's!

Until next time....'bye! see ya!!'

Back up North!

This weekend brought us another great trip to Grand Rapids! This time, though, Brixon was really able to do a lot of fun things, and enjoy them! We really tried to cram as much into three full days as we could, and I would say we were successful...and then some! Friday, we went right to Robinette's from the airport. I was hoping to bring Brixon on a hayride, but we were one day early! Bummer...oh well. He quite enjoyed the giant apple that's been there since I was a kid, and the slide. In fact, he didn't want to leave that apple. I tried explaining to him that Delta wouldn't be kosher with me trying to check a ten-foot tall fiberglass apple, but no such luck. We did end up coming home with a few real apples, though, which seemed to do the trick. After that, we went up to Uncle Dave and Aunt Vicki's, then out to see Grandpa Don. Then we headed over to Blue Water Grill. The food was fantastic and the weather was amazing. Such a relief from the Florida heat! We had gotten up at 4 that morning to catch our flight, so we made it an early night!!! On Saturday, we brought Brixon and my Godson, Mason, to the Grand Rapids Children's Museum. Let me tell you, I used to volunteer there when I was 15, and to be bringing my own son there 13 years later was pretty surreal! Especially when I had worked at some of the exhibits that Brixon was now loving!! I would have to say his favorite thing was the yellow Volkswagen Bug. He did not want to get out of it! So then we had to have the whole 'what we can bring home on a plane' discussion again ;) After the museum, we went over to Founders for lunch. Mmmm....then I dropped Nick off at The Score so he could watch the FSU/Oklahoma nightmare, and the Michigan/Notre Dame football game while I came home and got ready for my ten-year high school reunion! Yep, ten years!!! We headed there for a couple of hours to catch up with some old friends (I wish more of them would have come!), and then headed downtown for the night to catch up with some more friends. Sunday morning brought a severe bout of exhaustion, but we pressed on, like real troopers (this may be why I came home sick Monday and Tuesday!!) We met Joelle, Steven, Tre and Morgan for a beautiful day at John Ball Zoo. Although we were in a zoo, filled with exotic and interesting creatures, Brixon's favorite thing was the wooden train :) And my little Jay Leno cracked everyone up when he started saying "I sorry" in the sweetest little voice to anyone that would listen after he heard me say it to someone that I had bumped into! After lunch at Twisted Rooster, we went up to Grandpa Vic's in Sparta, back to Joelle's parents on Silver Lake, then I went to dinner with my friend, Tricia, on Sunday night...holy long day! But so much fun. There is nothing like catching up with family and friends. Even if it means a day-and-a-half of feeling like death when you finally get home!!!

Here are lots of photos of our journey...sorry they're out of order, but this little notebook is not cooperating!

In front of the famous (in GR anyway!) John Ball statue

B and Morgan

I literally had to pull him through this window to get him off of this train!!

Love this one! B and great grandpa Vic

Bubbles!!!

Brixon and Mason

Soooo sleepy...

at Blue Water Grill

Wheeeeee!!!

We found a tree that had started changing!

You may or may not see one of these in our backyard someday (along with a VW Bug and a wooden train)

"air-pain"

Beep Beep!!!