Bragging Rights: Caution! This Could Make You Sick...

I realize that this post is going to solidify a spot for me in the Obnoxious Mothers Club (and run the risk of jinxing everything!), but hey--if you don't like it, don't read it!! Now that you've all been warned, allow me to share what I think is pretty exciting news about both my husband and our son.

My guys

 Zach and I have been talking about refinancing our house for quite sometime. The interest rates are considerably lower today than they were when we bought our house about four years ago. The only thing that stood in our way is what we thought would be an expensive fee to go ahead with it. Turns out, my master math teacher of a husband figured it all out and at a very minimal expense to us, we have finally refinanced our place! We've opted to pay a bit more a month, and in just doing that, we will officially own 846 Hawk Valley Drive by the time Brady is a sophomore in high school!!!!! That means we won't be paying on our house and a kid's college tuition! Although, if you ask Zach, we're buying a beach house. Either way, we're super pumped to know that there is light at the end of our financial tunnel!

Someone's not sleepy!

 Speaking of college, we're pretty sure Brady is ready to enroll. Well, maybe for kindergarten. I've never had a kid before so I can't be sure of what a 17-month-old should know and be able to do, but every day, this boy impresses us more and more! He knows the colors blue, purple, red, yellow, orange, and green, and he readily points them out whenever given the chance, like today in Giant Eagle...for a solid 40 minutes. He knows the difference between a circle and a square and has mastered his shape-sorter. He knows and says the parts of the body, and can identify his own, another person's, or someone in a picture or book.

His manners, although simple, have come so quickly and easily. While he still requires the occasional reminder, Brady actually understands "the look" means he needs to say please or thank you. He points to photographs all over our house and names the people in them, even if he's only met them a few times. Each day, he takes a roll-call of those he has seen most recently; being that the holidays just passed, we go through about 15 different people over and over again! He really is a quick learner and he doesn't seem to forget anything.

Saying "thank you," I'm sure...

He listens well, follows simple instructions, and appears to already understand the concepts of compassion and empathy. We were out a few weeks ago and a baby was crying and Brady just kept saying, "Sad, sad." Again, I've never raised a child before so what I'm bragging about could be stuff most kids mastered months earlier. At any rate, I am just so filled with love and awe (and clearly ridiculous amounts of estrogen) at this little person who, a short year ago, could barely sit up on his own. And the year before that, he wasn't even a thought in mine or Zach's head, but today we can't imagine what our lives would be like without him. In short, I can't get over how remarkable my son is!!!! I pray each and every night that Brady's sister/brother is as healthy as he is; we have been blessed with one heck of a kid, but we are most grateful that he's a healthy and thriving little guy.


Okay, I think I'm done. Told ya: I'm bound for the obnoxious club for sure!! Now if you will excuse me, my Ivy League scholar has just head-butted his crib and I need to assess the damage...

"Si-yee" (AKA: Silly)