Brennan-10 months

This month Brennan sat up on his own for the first time! He was laying on his stomach, then pushed back until he was sitting. All it took was the one time, and he acts like he's been doing it his whole life. He still hasn't started crawling, but he sure gets around by rolling repeatedly and scooting on his butt.
He's still incredibly happy. He has a perma-grin! Everywhere we go, strangers comment on how happy he looks. I definitely credit his joy to having a daily routine. He takes his naps at 9AM, 1PM, and 5PM like clockwork. He goes to bed at 8:30PM and wakes up at 7AM everyday! He also eats every 2 hours and that just keeps him happy :)
Brennan is a total people-watcher. He leans over my shoulder and watches people whenever we're out running errands. He's intrigued by everything they do.
Brennan's top two front teeth have been coming in for the last few months. It's bittersweet, because he looks so darn cute with that little gapped-tooth grin, but he doesn't look like our little baby anymore.

 Rubber duckies

 He loves his grandpa!

 Mother's Day

Strong shoulders

Outtakes:

Brennan-9 months

Age: 9 months

Weight: 18lbs 5oz (30th percentile!)

Length: 28" (50th percentile)

Head: 46cm (70th percentile)

Brennan is so close to crawling. He gets up on all fours and rocks. Sometimes he will go backwards, but most of the time he gets frustrated and flops to the ground.

Brennan has been doing this fake laugh recently. He says "hehehehehe" almost from sun up to sun down. It's so cute! He loves hearing his voice, as do we!

It's so nice that Brennan enjoys playing by himself now. It's almost a little sad when he tries to wiggle out of my arms, because he'd rather be on the floor with his toys, though! 

This month we celebrated my mom's 60th birthday! We went out to dinner at Johnny's Steakhouse and then went back to my grandma's for cake and cheesecake.

The Rosenquist family at Johnny's Steakhouse

Playing with GG

 We took Brennan to his first Brewers game this month. He loved it! He was talking at the players and kicking his feet. Bernie (the Brewers mascot) waved to him.

Brennan and me in the Johnson Controls Stadium Club

We had a wonderful Easter! We hosted my family on Friday and Saturday. On Saturday evening, we drove to Eau Claire and spent time with Ryan's family that night. Then, we had brunch Easter morning with Ryan's extended family. 

Easter brunch

My family sporting Jus' Poke shirts (my cousin's new restaurant)

Outtakes:

Brennan-8 months

Brennan was so happy this month! It takes very little effort to make him smile or giggle. Usually all it takes is a look in his direction. Brennan also thinks our dog, Xander, is hilarious! He's always cracking up when Xander has an itch, yawns, or is just laying in the afternoon sun. (Xander is not so amused by Brennan. He rarely gives him the time of day.)
I know it's so cliche, but we really can't believe how fast Brennan is growing up. He's starting to look like a little boy.
He enjoys playing on his own. He'll sit and study his toys for about 10 minutes, before he gets bored.
Brennan has tried a variety of foods. His favorites are bananas, apples, and pears. He's not so fond of avocado or carrots. He really puts it away, too. He can eat an entire apple in one sitting.

He's so sweet

He's getting strong

So fresh and so clean

Outtakes:

Brennan-7 months

Age: 7 months

Brennan's favorite things: Brennan loves touching everything and anything! We went out to dinner the other night, and Ryan was holding Brennan on his lap. Before Ryan even sat down, Brennan had his hand on the steak knife. He quickly went to the plate, napkin, salt, and then to the butter. It was hilarious watching Ryan trying to keep up with him!
Brennan loves to eat solid foods! This month Brennan had his first taste of real food. He has had avocado, banana, and sweet potato. I think his favorite so far is banana. We're going to try peas next.

Our favorite things: Brennan is sitting up so well. It's fun, because he can play in a whole new way now. We always joke that he has a little engineer mind. When we handed him a brightly colored plastic piano, he turns it over to the blank white side and studies the screws and battery cap.
Brennan is finding his voice. The sweet sounds he makes are too much for us. I love hearing him babble to himself in his car seat, or over the baby monitor when he wakes up in the morning.

Outtakes:

Brennan-6 months

Age: 6 months

Weight: 14lbs 3oz (3rd percentile)

Length: 26.25" (50th percentile)

Head: 43cm (50th percentile)

Brennan's favorite things: Brennan loves to reach for everything! He extends his arm out whenever I am carrying him, in hopes that he'll get his hand on anything that we walk past. He doesn't care what it is, it can be a person, the refrigerator, or even the wall.
Brennan loves his Christmas gifts! My parents gave him a Jumperoo, and he will go nuts in that thing. His latest move is a smooth sway, though. My older brother gave him a play gym mat. He will lay on it for an hour, just trying to reach all of the hanging toys.

Our favorite things: We adore how incredible happy Brennan is. There is nothing else in this world that warms our hearts as much as when Brennan smiles at us. We were in a waiting room this week, and I had Brennan's car seat facing away from us. Suddenly we hear him just giggling away! I look and there's a little girl in his sight. She's just sitting there, holding her mom's hand. She wasn't giving him the time of day, but he laughed at her for a good 10 minutes.
We adore that Brennan recognizes us. Just seeing one of us makes him smile. We also have to be careful that we don't make eye contact if Brennan is content. If he spots us, he starts fussing and needs attention. He's starting to get a little separation anxiety. Even though it makes us feel very loved, we're trying to discourage this behavior.

Outtakes:

Brennan-5 months

Age: 5 months

Brennan's favorite things: Brennan still loves to touch everything. No matter what I'm holding in my hands, Brennan will reach out for it. He loves to explore with his hands. He pets the side of his changing table, and the wall next to his changing table. He plays with all of the objects on his Exersaucer. He holds his toys. He always pulls his pacifier out of his mouth and sometimes it even makes its way back into his mouth the right way. I can't believe how fast he is learning!
Brennan loves Baby Einstein. It doesn't matter how upset Brennan is, the second he hears the opening theme music, he strains his head to look at the TV. He could watch it for hours.

Our favorite things: We adore how content Brennan has become! He's a totally different baby from a month ago. He is always so happy!!! He will just lay wherever we set him. Before, he ALWAYS had to be held and we ALWAYS had to walk while holding him.
We adore that Brennan is such a great sleeper. He's been sleeping in his crib, in his nursery, since he was 3 months old. He has slept 10-12 hours straight through the night since the first night in his crib. It's almost too good to be true!

Outtakes:

Brennan-4 months

Age: 4 months

Weight: 11 lbs. 14 oz. (3rd percentile)

Length: 25" (50th percentile)

Head: 41 cm (50th percentile)

Brennan's favorite things: Brennan still loves to be held. Nothing makes him as happy as being in our arms. Sometimes it's draining, but I know I'll miss this when he's a toddler, pushing me away and wanting to run and explore on his own.
Brennan loves to use his hands to touch. He loves to caress my neck, hair, and face. We just put his Exersaucer together and he's enjoying reaching for the different objects

Our favorite things: We adore Brennan's voice. He has been so vocal. He puckers up his lips and "whooos" like an owl repeatedly.
We adore watching Brennan hit his milestones. He recently rolled from stomach to back for the first time. Ryan and I were both there for it. We couldn't believe our eyes, but then he did it two more times.

Outtakes: