Mr. B's Top Ten

My little boy - don't let that sweet smile fool ya!

There is much to be said about Brayden.  He's hilarious , adorable, amazing, intelligent, and the list goes on and on and on.  He's also mouthy, bossy,ornery, and repeats everything you say.  He's chock full of energy all the time.  Sometimes I wonder if his cups are laced with Red Bull.   He loves all kinds of music and he loves to shake his groove thing.  He will ask anyone that will listen if they think his little butt is cute. And if you see him in the store, please talk to him - or else he will get whiny and say "Mom - that stranger won't look at me!" or "Hey - that silly oink won't say Hi to me!"  He thinks every employee in Wal-Mart is a police officer - and if he isn't good in the store, they will take him to Wal-Mart jail where they serve nothing but cauilflower and broccoli.  My favorite - he strips down to his undies as soon as we walk through the door at home and occassionally when we are at other places.  One time, he managed to strip down in a short 10 minute car ride. 

As I began to contemplate this blog post,  I asked my parents what their favorite Brayden story was up to this point - my mom said it best:  "There isn't just one story about Brayden, Brayden is a story."  She was absolutely right.  Brayden is and always has been one in a million.  I could seriously write a book, just on "Brayden stories".  So, I've compiled my list of my top 10 moments, events, conversations etc.  You'll cry, you'll laugh, and you may even cringe.  

10.  Girl parts and boy parts.

 Brayden is always full of questions.  He requires actual answers along with explanations of "why". You can't just say Yes or No - because that's not what he wants to hear.  This is a recent conversation about the difference between girls and boys.

Brayden:  Mom - Emma don't got a weanie, right?
Me:  Nope - she doesn't.
Brayden:  Because just boys got weanies?
Me:  Yep - that's right. 
Brayden:  Yep, because girls just got two butts.
Me: What?!
Brayden: Yep, you know they got a front butt and a back butt.  They peep out of the front and they poop out the back one.
Me: (Hand to forehead). Ummm...let's talk about it when your 5.
Brayden: O.K.

9.  Get in my belly.

After explaining to Brayden that his Aunt Jamie had a baby in her tummy, Brayden turned to his Aunt Jamie and asked "Why did you eat that baby?"

8.  It's not even 9 yet. 

My mom recently started watching both kids during the day while I'm at work.  I got a call this past Tuesday at 8:45 a.m.  It was my mom and she was laughing hysterically.  Brayden had asked her to wash his blanky - she agreed and when she went into the laundry room, Brayden shut the door and locked her in there.  He let her out quickly, but laughed the whole time.  Tonight while we were over there, he locked my dad in the garage when he went out to get something.  Again, laughing the whole time.  Ornery, ornery, ornery.

7.  Where's my blue blanky?

My sister in law compared Brayden to Linus from Charlie Brown one time, and she was absolutely correct.  Brayden latched on to a very large, blue blanky when he was less than a year old.  We have dragged that blue blanky every where with us - church, the grocery store, every car trip and more.  He has a best corner and sleeps with it every night.  (He puts his "best corner" up one of his nostrils when he's really tired.)  Occassionally when you lay down with him he offers you his best corner - but only if you put it up your nose.

6. Daredevil.

We've gone to a pumpkin patch every year since he was born.  This past year, we went to one that had a zipline.  He was the first kid in his class to go up on that thing.  It was pretty far off the ground (at least I thought so) for a three year old.  He ziplined and was SO proud.  We had to call grandma on our way back to daycare AND that's the first thing he told his daddy when we got home that day. 

5. Where did you hear that?

 One morning, on our way to daycare, a guy cut me off in the highway.  I said "what a jerk."  Brayden said "Mommy, he's not a jerk - he's a jack ass." 

4.  The Mr. B Origin. 

As I mentioned above, Brayden's Grandma Poisal started calling him Mr. B.  One day they were talking and she said "O.K. Mr. B".  Brayden looked right at her and said "O.K. Mrs. Gr".

3.  Hugs and kisses.

 Brayden doesn't just give normal kisses and hugs.  He will start out with plain old kisses and hugs, but then he has bear kisses, bear hugs, monster kisses, monster hugs, then you kiss him and he kisses you, then he hugs you and you hug him.  And then you start all over.  It's pretty awesome.  I know someday, as he gets older I'm not going to get quite as many hugs and kisses - that's why I load up on them now.

2.  Our Accident. 

On our way to pick Emma up from Aunt Jana's, Brayden and I were in a car accident.  To make a long story short, there were four cars involved, we were hit from behind and our car was turned sideways on the highway and pushed into the guardrail (our license plate is still imprinted on the guardrail to this day.)  After the initial impact, he started crying and screaming for me.  He had gotten into a bad habit of getting out of his car seat restraints - thank God, that particular day he hadn't tried to get out of them one time.  The car that hit us was a mess - the back seat was in the front seat and it looked more like a heap of scrap metal than a car.   Brayden and I were so fortunate that neither one of us was injured.  Things like that will make your lookout on life change dramatically.  Our time is so short and can be taken away in an instant.  That same night, Garry had to work and my parents took Emma.  I held Brayden for the longest time.  It was just us and realized that  I could have lost him.  In true Brayden fashion, he eventually asked me to leave so he could get some rest, and I hesitated but agreed to leave the room.  Before I left, I told him that I would always be here to protect him - he smiled and drifted off to sleep.  That accident was over a year ago and every once in a while he will ask, "You are always here to protect me, right mommy?"  I always reply with a simple "Yes, baby".  That day made me slow down and start looking at what's really important in my life.  It was a life changing day for sure.

1.  My American Honey. 

Brayden loves Lady Antebellum -  I borrowed the CD from a co-worker and haven't been able to give it back because he asks for it basically everytime we get into the car.  Numbers 10 through 2 are in no specific order, but the video below is my #1 moment this far. 

We are beyond blessed with Brayden.  And though he drives us crazy at times and sometimes I wonder if I'm going to have to commit myself to the looney bin, he makes up for it with monster kisses, bear hugs, and lots and lots of love.