Jump Around

Brooke loves to jump and dance. What better song to jump to....

Mommy's shoes

My daughter has a shoe fetish. I know hard to believe a girl would love shoes. Brooke is constantly at the back door looking for our shoes to put on and wears them all over the house. She points and says, "shho, sshho". Man are we in trouble, 2 girls and one that already loves shoes.

I love this rock star face she makes.

Some shoes are a little harder than others.

Any my other question, why do I still have boots sitting out at the back door when its summer?

What a little fish...

Brooke loves to swim with her Daddy. We took her last week to his Grandma's to have some fun in the water. She absolutely loves the water. She especially loves when Tim tosses her up in air. She went so high she was out of the picture. With my new camera and no delay this is a perfect example of what won't happen.

Purple Pill

Oh how I love thee. After trying Tums, Maalox, and Zantac with no relief I finally broke down down and asked my Dr last week if there was anything else that would help with the reflux. I have been constantly hiccuping and burping the last month and a half bring up this nasty acid that would just sit in my throat. I know TMI, but it was nasty and made me want to vomit some days. The Dr. prescribed Nexium and bam, no acid taste. YEAH! Especially considering the only thing I have wanted for the last 2 weeks was orange juice.

The last of the 20 something birthdays

Yesterday marked the end of my "20 something" birthdays. I can't believe next year I will be thirty, married, and have 2 kids. Where does the time go? It just seemed like yesterday I was in college and had roommates. I couldn't be happier where my twenties have taken me and look forward to what my thirties will bring.
Thanks for all of the cards, messages, and phone calls. Working nights all weekend is not how I would have picked to spend my birthday but everyone made the best out of it. Basically, it turned into a smorgasborg. The day shift showed up with doughnuts.

This is the beauty that Tim had waiting charged and ready for me when I woke up. No more, "I hate this camera" or "Brooke show Mommy again". Now I just have to figure out how to use all of the fabulous options. If you thought I took a lot of pictures before, just wait.
Not only did I get the camera but a cookie cake, yummy!

Once I was back for another night of work we ordered food from Red Robin and they brought in these wonderful strawberry pies topped with whipped cream and a candle.
Thanks again for all your warm wishes and thoughts.
There will be plenty more pictures to follow.

When its not 100 degrees...

Brooke likes to go for bike rides. She loves just looking around at everything and not being strapped in her stroller for a walk. However, the dogs prefer the stroller so they can get a walk in.

Congrats to the Balsters

Congratualtions to Laci and Matt. They welcomed big 9lb 5oz Maxton Lavern Balster last night at 11:10. Can't wait to see pictures.

Amazing...

Since our little girl was proving to be stubborn at the 20 week ultrasound we were scheduled to get the remainder of the measurements today at my 24 week appointment. I couldn't believe the difference 4 weeks can make. She is measuring at November 10 at 1 lb 7 oz. Don't let her fool you with these darling pictures the tech as able to snatch, she still wasn't cooperating. Her arm was right in the way of measuring all four chambers of the heart and was moving at a steady pace making it hard to pic up a good heart beat. In the end everything measured well. Her heartbeat was at 160bpm and she was showing off her moves.

Tim thinks she looks just like Brooke already.

She also informed me that the placenta is attached facing forward which is why most of the movement I feel seems to be towards my back.

Profile

Feet

Cautious

But finally willing to play in the sand table. She cautiously reached her hand in the sand to get the shovel and yet to not touch a grain of sand. I think she then realized, maybe this stuff isn't so bad.

A letter...

Dear Jamie & Amanda,
I know my Mommy had fun with you girls last week and I noticed her pretty pink toenails right away. My Mommy said you are great teachers and gave her some recommendations for some new books for me. I love to sit on my Mommy & Daddy's lap to read books. This was the book she brought home for me and we have read it everyday since. I love it!
Love,
Brooke

Product Description:
All three characters from the #l national bestselling If You Give . . . series have brought their books, recipes, songs, and activities to this family treasury, chock-a-block full of fun things to do. Parents, grab your kids! Kids, grab your parents and join Mouse, Moose, and Pig as they read, bake, sing, and play.

Monkey...

...devouring a banana

What can I say, the girl loves fruit.

If we can't figure out a name...

....we should at least work on ideas for the room. Everything that I like looks just like what we did in Brooke's room. I am trying to steer away from that and while keeping away from the character theme type rooms or overwhelming flowers.

This one still looks like Brooke's but I just like it.

Bubble Gum Bedding by BananaFish

Dancy Laugh Sing Bedding by Kimberly Grant

Clothesline Baby Bedding by Kidsline

This is the one that I am leaning towards. At first I didn't like that it only had drapes but I found cute valances to match on another site.

Vivian

Vivian is a perfect little angel. Amanda has been blessed with the perfect pregnancy, labor, and now baby. She is already sleeping through the night for her. Lucky Mommy! You really do forget how fast they grow until you hold a newborn or hear that little baby cry. I am so happy we were able to spend some time with her while she was so little.

This part is pretty much a direct copy from Amanda's blog with a few little added tidbits. She couldn't have said it better and took the time to do all the links.
Jamie and I arrived in St Louis on Tuesday morning and we had a great visit. It was sad to leave this morning but I was also missing my little Brooke. Unfortunately, the Midwest is experiencing a heat wave, complete with insane humidity levels. So, most outdoor activities were off the table. Since I am against fetal alcohol syndrome, that left us to 3 of our favorite activities: pampering, eating, and shopping. Right away we had pedicures at Go Spa and ate at Trainwreck Saloon. The pedicures were amazing. All three of us sat side by side in a recliner chatting while someone rubbed my feet without my begging and polished it off with a fantastic shade of pink. We also ate at Fritz's, Trailhead, McGurk's, and the Boathouse in Forest Park. We shopped by the riverfront in St. Charles and at The Galleria in St. Louis. Yes, we ate a lot. I hate to see the weigh in this week. I am also going to have ice cream withdrawal between Fritz's, homemade sundaes, and Dairy Queen. In between all of that was plenty of bottle feeding, gossiping, diaper changing, gossiping, television watching, gossiping, and couch sitting. I was in need of some gossiping and couch sitting so it was perfect.

Eric and Amanda are already showing what great parents they are and how well they work together. From baths, bottles, changes, and cuddling when she is a little sleepy they have it figured out.

Vivian looks at you with those big blue peepers like she is looking right through your eyes to something deeper. Here she is giving the lion that same gaze.

Jamie and I had an awesome time. Can't wait to see you guys in August.

Watch out St Louis...

....the girls are back together. Jamie and I are headed to St Louis for a visit with the Chacks and to see their new bundle of joy, Vivian.

Be back soon.

Mmmm funnel cakes and cotton candy....

Brooke is staying with Grandma and Papa while I get some girl time in St Louis. The first day she went to Riverfest. She enjoyed cotton candy and funnel cakes. I am going to seriously miss her but I know she will have fun with Grandma and Papa.

23 Weeks

How your baby's growing:Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

19 Month Pictures

Now that Brooke is on the move even the photographers had a hard time with her. She just wasn't in the mood. We waited a half hour before the session started and a half hour after they finished to even pic the poses. They never seem to be running on time but they are just so patient with kids and really do take great photos. This session was the hardest and cheapest of them all. She was more interested in playing then sitting for a picture. We were able to walk out with a few good shots.

Once we changed outfits she was done.

The good, bad, & ugly

Want to see all 55 pictures?

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Does this look like the face of a sick child?

Seriously, they are so resilient. I would probably still be moping around the house.

Grandma T and Aunt Christa were up for a visit while I went to work. Aunt Christa never comes empty handed. Brooke was excited for her gigundo pool party. They couldn't get the pump out

of the garage and had to blow it up the old fashioned way.

Dr appointment instead of pictures...

We planned on taking Brooke to get her 18 month pictures (I know she is 19 months) today but instead we spend the morning at the Dr.
Brooke started with some good fevers yesterday while with Grandma S. 104.3 was the highest. We have been alternating Tylenol and Motrin and although they aren't as high as yesterday I though it wouldn't hurt to get her looked at. She has no other symptoms of being sick. Drinking but not eating. Sleep last night was back to newborn stage. Up every 2-3 hours to give medicine instead of eat. I knew she wasn't feeling good when at 1am I was able to give her Motrin as she lay on her side through the crib rails. I also need to give props to my new thermometer I bought last time she was sick. Seriously who can get a restless toddler to sit still long enough for the regular ones and I just don't trust the ear ones. The back light was great to be able to see what I was doing and even give her the Motrin without squirting it up her nose.Anyway, so we went to the Dr. this am and she said that her chest and ears are good but that her throat was red and her lymph nodes were swollen. Poor thing cried her eyes out for the strep test. Thank goodness it was negative. Most likely a virus but if the fevers continue through Thursday she will need blood work and an x-ray. Lets hope she is feeling better. Will it be pictures or Dr again on Thursday? I'm going for some pictures full of smiles.

Toledo Zoo

Saturday Tim and I decided to carry on the fun of the weekend a take s trip to the zoo in the morning. Brooke has this thing lately where she smells all the plants and says, "mmmmm". There were lots of flowers to smell in the garden at the zoo.

Brooke has always enjoyed the aquarium at the zoo. This year she was out of her stroller and walking up to the fish pointing out her favorites.

Brooke certainly wasn't afraid of the baby goats. She made sure she walked around to pet each and every one at least once. Don't worry, the hand sanitizer was waiting at the exit. I also found out a new tidbit about Tim. He hates goats! He swears one attacked him as a child. There was no way he was going in a caged area full of them.

The elephants were out for lunch and Brooke wasn't giving up her sippy for this picture.

That is all I have for the weekend. It was then time to go home and get a nap in for me and Brooke before it was off for a night shift weekend at the lovely Toledo Hospital.

July 4th Fun Together

Hope everyone had a great July 4th weekend. Brooke and I started a little early spending the Thursday at Grandma and Papa's house with everyone. We then met up with Tim to watch the Sylvania fireworks at Chris & Melissa's. Working weekends I haven't seen them in forever. Brooke enjoyed playing with the other little kids and Lucas's toys. She stayed up for the fireworks but could have cared less.

Friday, Tim spent the morning golfing with his dad and few other guys. We headed over to Todd's house for a BBQ with some old friends from Tim's fraternity.
After the BBQ it was Brooke's favorite time, POOL TIME! I haven't seen her in the pool since probably Florida in February and man does she love it! Tim would take her on Sundays to the pool at the gym and lately to his grandma's. Tim's Aunt Julie has a wonderful heated pool and we had a blast swimming and splashing with Brooke.
It was so weird to put floaties on her. Initially, I reverted back to her being a baby with no head control and thinking that her head is just going to plop down in the water. Wrong! The girl can swim, and she loves it! She kicked her legs and was excited to sit on top of the rafts.

Brooke was pooped once we left and slept all night. She wasn't phased by all the fireworks going off in the neighborhood. Maize, well she required some drugs....

That was her curled up on the patio furniture. Tim and I took the monitor outside and enjoyed pizza things and smores by the fire. We never get a full day together so it was nice for the three of us to be together all day.