The Transition From Toddler to Boy

It definitely didn't happen overnight. It was a slow transition, thankfully! But then as I was editing pictures from last weekend...I came across this one, and it hit me like a train that Braden is now a little boy:

I know I'm his mother, and you could call me biased....but that is one handsome little boy, I dare you to argue with me! He's lost most of his toddlerisms and he's turning into a smart, kind, gentle, and funny little boy. Sure he still has his toddler lisp, which I adore - you know saying "fank you" instead of "thank you" and "that's siwwy!" instead of "that's silly!" But I can have full-on conversations with this boy! Some of the things he's said to me, especially this past week, have just blown my mind! Did I also mention we have gone 5 successful nights diaper-free? My boy can sleep 12 hours without an accident! Has a bladder of steel like his daddy as a little boy! So here's some Bradenisms as of late:

• Braden was fussing at 6AM the other day, so I went in to take him to the bathroom in hopes that he would go back to sleep for another hour or so and he says... 
  "Mommy go away! It's still dark outside! Shut the door!"
  Wow! Turns out someone isn't a morning person just like their mother!
• "Bugger off fly! Go make some honey!" 
  Firstly, yes. He learned "bugger off" from me last weekend as I was frustrated with my "cabin fever" dog at my mom's house who was pestering a 34 week tired, pregnant me to take her for a walk. My bad - seriously! Aaaaand he's convinced flies make honey, like bees do.
• "I want to put on my underwears ALL BY MYSELF!" 
  Mom taught him how to do this so don't you DARE do it for him anymore...even if he does put both legs in the same hole, occasionally!
• "Mommy, I don't want to wear my Thadas [his new word for Thomas] jammies anymore. I want to go put my clothes on." 
  Okay...what?! He said this the other morning and it just blew my mind!
• "Mommy, I want to go to work wif Daddy. You stay here."  I got TOLD to stay at home. Fine by me!

And note, super cute video from last weekend:

So, yeah. That's my little boy! I think he's going to be a great big brother. I've really started organizing the nursery, but he thinks it's all for his cousin Abby. He doesn't quite understand that it's for the baby in mommy's tummy! He's just darling...I'm so blessed to be his mommy!