Birthday Party

I am late posting, things have just been a little crazy busy around here.

Brooke's Birthday fell on Thanksgiving this year. My sister hosted Thanksgiving at her house and my other sister made a little surprise Thanksgiving dessert for Brooke. Yes, Brooke is a dramatic 3 year old as you can see by the way it takes everything in her to get that candle out.

Brooke is at the age where she doesn't hold back her excitement.

Or know what things not to say outloud as she chucks clothes and those "just batteries" to the side looking for more toys.

Trying out her smart cycle from Tim's bother's and sister's.

Enjoying her blue frosting birthday cake. A lesson learned, no more blue fosting cakes. Everyone's tongue and lips were stained the rest of the night. Oh, the ice cream cake from Handles was so yummy.

Did you say ice cream cake? Yummy!!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Brooke

Oh my little Brooke is 3 today.

I can't hardly believe that 3 years ago I held you in my arms for the first time. Just like all mother's seem to say, "I can't imagine my life without you". What would I do during the day? You bring so much joy to the family with that personality of yours. You are expressive and let us know what you think no matter how silly or frustrating it may be. You make me laugh multiple times throughout the day or shake me head smiling at you because I can't believe what you just came up with.

You are kind, giving hugs, telling me how much you love me, or how happy you are to see me. A mamma's girl for sure. On the rare occasion that Lindsey lets out a cry I catch you singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to her or asking me to tell Lindsey it is going to be OK from the backseat of the car.
You are a smart little 3 year old that is for sure. A sponge for information that is all around you. The things you remember from so long ago I just cannot believe. I am pretty sure your memory just may be better than mine on some days. People ask me how I got you to figured this or learned that and sometimes I just don't know what it was that taught you a particular skill. Smart, I say just a smarty pants in so many ways.

Happy Birthday to my sweet, kind, smart, and beautiful little Brooke.

I love you!

A look back on how Brooke has blossomed into my 3 year old
Minutes old. Welcome to your world!

Happy 1 year baby girl!

2 years old happy and full of life

Brooke's playdate/birthday party

I had a little playdate.Birthday party for Brooke yesterday. She had so much fun celebrating with her little friends. I told her last night before she went to bed that I was decorating for her party. The first thing she wanted to do when she woke up this morning was to go look at her princess party. A big shout out to Elle for making Brooke's outfit. I loved the skirt so much I had her make a matching shirt with the letter B so she could wear it anytime.

My almost 3 year old twirling around

Kara and Ethan eating their pizza and grapes.

The kids all loved playing with balloons. I'm not sure what it is about balloons but they love them!

A few of the smallest guests:

Lindsey

Reagan

Addy

Landon

A few of the kids getting together to play a game.

Now the best part of a birthday party, cake!

Anyone try or see these cupcakes from Costco? They are seriously the size of a mini cake. Ginormous cupcakes I tell you and oh so yummy.

Sam really enjoyed the frosting.

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. I still can't believe Brooke is going to be 3 on Thanksgiving! Time flies with a toddler.

Brooke's imagination

Take a guess...

Brooke set it all up. She has a Wii controller in her hands and the balloon? Well, that is her TV, she is playing video games. Don't walk in front of her or she can't see. Oh my, it just keeps getting better.

1 year well visit

Lindsey had her 1 year well visit this AM. Lets just say today hasn't been the best day for us. I will try not to make this posting a whining vent.

Stats:

18 lbs 5oz-80th percentile

27 inches-25 percentile

I can't remember the exact measurement on the head but she has a good size melon 75th percentile

She is following the curves beautifully and everything is well with her happy little self.

Now the whining is setting in. It is nap time for her I worked all night so I could also use one.

Immunizations: 2 nurses=2 shots

Pneumonia

Chicken pox

We need to get downtown to the health department this week to get H1N1 vaccine for both girls. I have to call the cardiologist because Lindsey should get the RSV vaccines monthly throughout the season because of her VSD but no one seems to know where to get it or how to arrange for it. They will call me tomorrow with the details.

Lab slip for Thyroid, lead levels, and blood counts. I head on over to the lab in building where we always have them drawn with little wait. Not today on a day when we are both ready to sleep. I waited for nearly and hour! Lindsey fell asleep in my arms only to be woke up for a tight tourniquet to be wrapped around her arms over and over while the 2 techs compare what "might" be their best shot. Lovely! Some things shoud just be kept to themselves. Thank goodness all the crocodile tears, screaming, and keeping her still one swift fast poke and labs were drawn.

Off the Grandma and Grandpa's house so I can go home and get a little sleep so I can get the house ready for Brooke's Birthday party/playdate tomorrow. Lindsey has PT today because they won't be there Friday. Poor thing, office visit, 2 shots, blood draw, and PT all within 5 hours.

I call to set up her hearing test which should be done every six months. No biggie, Right? Oh no, they have to sedate for the test now because of her age. I explain that if I schedule it at her nap time like I did at 6 months there won't be a problem getting her to sleep without sedation. I soon realize I am not getting far and she is the girl that just does scheduling so I go ahead and let her set it for possible sedation knowing in my head I am going to try and convince them it is not necessary once I get there. Luckily, I worked with the pediatric sedation nurses when I worked on peds so hopefully that will also be in my favor. NO matter, 6 hours prior to the test clear liquids only and 2 hours prior nothing by mouth. Fingers crossed, no sedation!

December calendar is filling quickly with PT, feeding/speech therapy evaluations, cardiologist, tear duct surgery?, hearing test, etc but all I want is to just enjoy this smile for one day and forget about all the appointments and to-do lists!

Feeding

There are so many days when I am so tired of pulling out and buying the same old stage 2 foods for Lindsey. The bottles? I would love to see them packed up instead of pieces scattered in the sink, and taking up most of the top rack of the dishwasher. Some days I think we are never going to get there.

She is good at reminding me at those moments how far she has gotten.

She feeds herself just about anything I set on tray when just a few weeks ago I didn't even carry puffs in the diaper bag. It was Brooke that would be the one to eat them.

Lindsey would gag at just about everything that we put in her mouth unless it was a bottle or stage 2 foods. I set up a feeding and speech therapy evaluation hoping to get some tips. Her appointment is set for December 9. Now she feeds herself fistfuls of eggs, mac n cheese, puffs, grilled cheese, anything she can get her hands on. There is hope that I won't be packing the shopping cart full of baby food forever.

Someday, I will miss Stage 2 foods and bottles. Maybe?

One thing is for sure, she loves food!

Messy, Messy Lindsey.

I have a feeling

That this might be how the Christmas cards turn out.

I have these bright ideas to try out my white background again along with some props to do the girl's Christmas pictures and Christmas cards.

We shall see, but I may just make an appointment just in case.

A funny Brooke story

We are walking out of the gym when Brooke catches eye of a bench outside.

Brooke: Wait, Mommy I need a rest.

She walks over to the bend huffing

Me: You need a rest?

I am laughing at this point already as she pulls herself up on the bench like she is the one that just did an hour class of weights.

Brooke: Yes, Mommy I did so much at the gym I just need to rest for just one minute.

Update, tear ducts

Lindsey had her eye doctor appointment yesterday. I was expecting more of a one year eye exam and left to get cardiac clearance. She did her usual eye checks which Lindsey did great and asked how the tearing/crusty eyes were doing. I told her I really thought they were much better and although there is some tearing and crusty eye lashes at times it doesn't seem to be near as bad. I thought maybe I had alleviated the problem with all the massaging and warm wash clothes had done the trick after all. The doctor did what she called a stain test. You know the yellow stain they use in your eyes at the eye doctor? Well, she put a little in each of Lindsey's eyes and checked back 5 minutes later. She turned out the lights turned on one of her lights to look at Lindsey's eyes. There it still was glowing. You could see that the stain just sat in puddles around her eyes. Tear ducts, blocked still! She is explained that now is the best time to get her tear ducts probed for the best outcome and to prevent any infections. She plans to do a balloon dilation at the same time. Since it is surgery and anesthesia is involved we have to get cardiac clearance and it will be done at the hospital. Lindsey is already set up for her 3month check with the caridiologist and ECHO in early December so we will just stick with that.

There just may be an end to eye goobers.

Lindsey showing off that she doesn't have much but has enough hair to hold a bow.

Same old thing

Not much new happening around here.

Sleep.Eat.Play.Clean

Brooke has really started to play games which is great since I love games.

She loves her fishing game but she cheats! I can't really blame her those fish can get their mouths open and closed pretty fast. She usually holds the spinning plastic water down to stop it from turning long enough to get her fishing pole inside a fish with his mouth open wide or uses the 2 hand approach.

I know I say this on a daily basis but she seriously cracks me up throughout the day. Tonight I heard her tell the balloon that it needed a time out for bumping into her. Time out for bumping? Talk about strict, geez. She pulls the chair over and sets Lindsey's 1st year birthday balloon (yep that must have been some good helium) in her time out chair. No biggie, I have seen her put her animals and dolls in time outs before.

The kicker, she walks over to her play kitchen presses a few number on her microwave and tells the balloon he can't get up until it beeps when the time runs out.

Once it beeps, she walks over to the balloon which tells her he sorry for bumping into her, she gives him a kiss and tells her she loves him.

Man, she is sponge!

Great Catch, Brooke!

Lindsey works hard

Lindsey is tolerating getting up on all fours so much better. The girl can roll and spin circles to get where she needs to be but when she realizes how much faster and farther she can get crawling we are all in trouble.

Oh the things I took for granted that came so easy for Brooke.

Lindsey has really made progress with getting up on all fours over the last few weeks. Prior to this she would scream if she thought you were even going to try and get her up. Now she holds it for a few seconds, can rock side to side, and lift one hand up to reach for a favorite toy.

We are rooting for you baby girl!

kinda warm weather

It always seems to be the same story year after year. At the first sign of frost in the spring time we are putting hats on and getting outside in the 50 degree weather. We are happy for the first signs of playgrounds playing outdoors. Fast forward to fall closing in and winter approaching. We were so used to the hot summer sun that the same 50 degree weather from the spring seems so cold so we are wearing jackets the moment it dips in the 60s.

This weekend was one of those nice weekends to get out and enjoy the fall weather before we are cooped up indoors running out of things to keep us occupied. I pulled out Brooke's old cozy coop car to see what Lindsey thought of it. For some reason in my head this thing seemed so large that I wasn't sure how she would do in it. Once I buckled her in she grabbed hold of the wheel smiling and looking at my like she was thinking, c'mon mom lets goooooo. I can't believe you have been holding out on me all summer with this thing.

Brooke has become quite the bike rider that I probably don't need the steering handle attached behind her anymore. Oh, she is growing so fast.

I will miss days like these this winter when it is dark at dinner and it takes 20 minutes to get everyone bundled up to just get in the car.

Who does this kid belong to?

Who raised this girl anyway, dogs?

Disclaimer: There were no actual dog bowls used in this picture.

Brooke had finished a bowl of peaches and decided this was the solution to getting the juice out of the bottom. Gotta give the girl points for thought process but negative points in the manner department. Guess this is one way not to drip the juice on your PJs. Instead, just stick your hair in it because that is so much easier to clean.

Brooke cracks me up so many times throughout the day with the things she says and does.

She is a hoot!

OMG my BFF

She turns one and we are already going to have to cut her off texting

Halloween 2009

We kicked Halloween off with the carving of the pumpkins. Just as I thought, Brooke wanted nothing to do with cleaning them out and soon lost interest in the pumpkin carving all together.

Are you crazy mom?

Lindsey didn't want any part in sticking her hands in the mess of goo and seeds.

We stopped over to see my friend Jamie at her Dad's new house where Brooke managed to get a few pieces of candy in early while we visitied.

Brooke out to a few houses with her Grandpa.

The family at Grandma and Grandpa's house before trick or treat.

ohhhhh, look at all this chocolate Brooke gave me

Brooke fell on sidewalk not long after this picture was taken. After that she was done. Brooke wanted nothing more with candy. She did pretty good though, telling everyone trick or treating (guess she thought she had to put an ing on everytime) followed up with a thank you and running back to tell me how she had more candy. She didn't make it all the way around to the houses but I'm not complaing that there isn't a pile of candy lying around my house for the next few weeks. The costume was beginning to get to Lindsey so they both decided they were done at about the same time.

They were the cutest Pumpkin and Alice in Wonderland ever!