Almost a year!

Can you believe that Brody has been home for almost a year? Next Sunday is 1 year - August 24th!!! WOW.
So much has happened over this year!
Brody...
.... learned a whole new world!
.... graduated from Preschool!
.... knows all his ABC's & 123's up to 100!!!
.... is learning how to swim - and is pretty good at it!
.... does gymnastics, and had a show back in June where he showed off his strength!
.... loves playing with his 3 cousins!
.... loves his 2 pugs (but who doesn't)
.... is constantly learning new words.
....went on his first big summer vacation to Yosemite with family & friends.
.... went river rafting down the Merced (while in Yosemite).
....only had training wheels on his bike for 5 months before they were taken off!
.... is super fast on his razor scooter.
....tries new food all the time!
.... had his first Halloween - he was Superman!!
.... had his first Christmas!
... .didn't like ice-cream at first, but now he loves it. His favorite is Orange Sherbert!
.... will be joining his first soccer team in Sept!
.... will be going to Kindergarten in 1 week!
.... had so much fun at all the summer camps he went to!
.... went to his first wedding in May for Cousin Damian & Lauren (now Cousin Lauren).
.... while at the wedding laid under the cabana with his sunglasses on eating and drinking!!!!

Unfortunately this year Brody also experienced what it was like to loose someone. When Brody came home in August last year, it took him awhile to open up to everyone (mostly the adults)... then by October Papa (my daddy) was already sick again with Cancer (3rd time). He had surgery in mid October, and never gained his full strength. In April (4/16) Papa passed away! Brody was sad, he didn't really understand it. But his sadness was for Donca (grandma) & me. He knew that we were very sad. So it's been a rough year! He's been putting up with a mother that has been going through a lot! He's had to accept all of this as his world now too! Then one of our dogs, Butch, got sick. We thought we were going to loose him a few weeks ago. Butch has cancer too. When Brody asked if Butch was going to die like Papa, I had to tell him, probably. He asked me why? I told him that maybe Papa missed Butch and wanted him to be in heaven with him as a Pug-Angel. I had told Brody back in April that Papa was an angel now, and he could watch over us all the time! It makes me so sad that Brody will never know Papa, and what an amazing man he was! I will always tell him stories about him!

So what does Brody like to do?
Brody likes to.....
... watch movies
... ride his bike
... ride his scooter
...play with his cousins
.... go swimming
.... EAT
.... sing & dance, but he won't admit that!
.... color & do crafts
... read stories (well listen while we read)
... tell stories. He is the big story teller!
... talk on the phone, sometimes!

So it's been a crazy year! And I'm sure next year will be the same.
Here are some photo's of activities we've done!
























Hopefully you have enjoyed checking
out our photo's through the year!!!

LOVE,
Julie, Scott, Brody, Butch & Bella