Man...am I getting old or what

Remember how I was going to finish watching Bolt tonight? Well, it's not even 11, & I fell asleep again! Guess I'll finish it in the morning.

A very busy Friday

Brooklyn & I started out this morning with a Stroller Fit class. New Moms, if you have a class near you-try it! It was a great way to get plenty of exercise & interact with other moms & babies.
A super secret trip for her first photo session in the studio had the photographers saying she was such a great baby! (Which she really was by the way). The session started an hour after her appointment & it was during her typical nap time.
Since it's Lent, we also had planned to have the family over for a Fish Fry. It was fun; we used our mandolin to make homemade saratoga chips, along with hush puppies, cod & shrimp. Mimi also brought over a seafood bisque & Grandma Kay made macaroni. Granny played with me while everyone buzzed around in the kitchen. Since another party was still going on at bedtime, everyone there took their turn trying to get Brooklyn down. She finally fell asleep when we brought her into the living room & let her sleep in her PeaPod. Whew....an exhausting day! I had rented Bolt, but only made it an hour into the movie before I fell asleep. We'll finish it tomorrow night.

Found my toes!

The Crazy Sock Cucos

All 3 of us had on our crazy socks & headed out for our first family night of fun to play Rock Band: Sean on guitar, me on drums, & B on mic. Sounds great doesn't it? B didn't need a microphone-I think the neighborhood heard her. WE ARE TEETHING, and wow can the girl let out a scream! On top of that, I hear she is her father all over...meaning if there is a party going on, there is no such thing as bedtime. She wore herself out so much, that by the time I walked from one side of the house to the other, she was fast asleep.

Our belated 4 month check-up

YEAH! The ear infection is gone. She's 4.5 mos old now, & weighing in @ 15.69 lbs & 25.5 inches, which places her in the 80% for other babies her age. I'm sure you could tell she's a healthy eater from the photos! ;)
Doc said to wait until her 6 mos check-up before starting solids since she's still gaining weight just fine. She's gaining & growing so much, we moved into 6-9 mos clothes already. Growing quickly!!

My day w/ Kremer

We started the morning off with a shopping trip to Kenwood, (where Kremer found the deal of the century on a pair of 7 jeans!) Brooklyn kept staring @ her, & smiling all morning! Next, we headed over to the Card & Party store where a "I'm a wee bit Irish" hat was too cute not to try on. The hat didn't make it home with us, but green glitter sure did! :) Our friend Mike met us @ Graeters & treated everyone to blueberry ice cream, a first for me. Delicious.
Kremer, thanks for saving my back & carrying her for awhile. It's a sure fire way to build those arm muscles, isn't it!

Happy St. Pat's Day!

Just noticed not very many pics of me w/ B on here, figured I better add one! Headed out to Mimi's for Corned Beef & Cabbage, Irish soda bread, green cocktails, & a Bailey's bunt cake with a pot of silver....yep, all out of gold coins! Which reminds me.....I know I saw her give me some of those chocolate coins, but where did I put them. Hmmm.... more & more convinced of this phenomenon called 'mommy brain.'

Kiss me I'm Irish!

Got my Irish Pj's on & I'm off to bed!

Dinner

Dinner time has gotten interesting lately. Brooklyn used to sit in her Rainforest bouncy seat & play. For the last 2 weeks, I chuckled when she called out to Sean if he went to take a bite & his eyes were not on her! Now I'm the sucker. She's realized she's not at the same level with the 'big people,' so now I get the shout-out & of course, pick her up to sit on my lap. (G-ma, I know you're just rolling your eyes by now for giving in, but wait 'till you hear my justification.) See, it's ok, because she's we're getting closer to starting baby food & now she can learn table manners, right! :)
Two nights ago, she just watched: my fork pick up food & put it in my mouth. Last night, when my fork did its job, she tried to lean forward to EAT my food! Curious little thing, isn't she! Crackers were on the table, so I let her try it. She kept gumming the corner 'till it was soggy, then I let her try my pinky finger dipped in applesauce. She gave it the ol Rachael Ray "Yumm-o!" Hope broccoli & aspagus go over as well!

Nobody is smiling for a reason

My three couch potatoes cheered their hearts out, but the 'Cats, Cats, Cats', didn't win their game today to play in the NCAA tourney. First time since I was in high school. My boss' pastor says all the players must be Catholic...he knows because they gave up basketball for Lent.

A visit to Khrone Conservatory

G-ma Kay, Brooklyn & I started the day early this morning to go see "Flowers in Bloom." It wasn't crowded, but a good handful of moms & grandparents with little kids were there! I thought this would be a fun way to introduce colors & scents, but B was more facinated with sounds: a waterfall, the worker sweeping up the blue rocks from a kids play area, & the wind chimes at the gift shop.

Me in my new yellow overall outfit

"Yeah, go ahead & click on my photo to blow me up, mom says I'm super cute! Big kisses to everyone!" -B

Entering sitting up stage too

Since B is still on the mend, & another girl at daycare is now sick, Mimi & Aunt Mere watched her today. I think with this being the first grand-daughter (v/s 3 boys!), they're really enjoying playing dress up with her.She came home today in a new, very cute yellow overall outfit....which daddy had no idea was new! Also today, she did her "protractor" moves again (see wiggles post), but is now working on trying to sit up while in her bouncy seat. She's kicking to make herself bounce, & grabs the bird & monkey to pull herself upward. They took this photo for me....helps take the sting out of being at work & not seeing her accomplishments first hand. Amazingly enough, during bath time, she kept raising her head & trying to sit up again. :) Looking at this photo, anyone else think she's getting more hair?

Stuff I don't get to see all the time

I've heard from Sean & our daycare provider that's she's trying to hold her bottles now. She holds it though at the tip of the bottle, & sometimes, tries to suck her fingers & drink at the same time. There was a bit of a bottle left Sunday night so when I got home, I wanted to check it out for myself. Notice her soccer ball wrist rattle? She's preparing to play all the time! :)

Entering the Wiggles stage

So the wedge that was bought with the intention on helping her sleep on her side so she can have her 'bad ear' up,isn't doing its job. It is however, showing me Brooklyns' determination. Within 2 short nights, she has learned how to wiggle out of it. Now this wedge is all connected, it's about a foot long, made of memory foam with a pillow & two triangle wedges that velcro to a mat that she should sleep between. She has figured out how to wiggle thru it by thrashing her head back & forth, & kicking her feet on the mattress to gain momentum & move her butt down! I found her at the opposite end of the bed!
Now when we lay her on her play mat, she keeps her head in the same spot & spins the rest of her body around in a circle, kinda like a protractor!

You said you wished you could see her right now!

Belly laughs

My mom stopped by for an hour to see how B was doing. She started sneezing & B belly laughed! Mom started doing it 'on demand,' as well as coughing, & she was laughing so hard. What a fun moment to brighten her day!

Cold part 2

Brooklyn's 4 month birthday present to herself wasn't a good one, an ear infection. :( Wed. I ended up coming home from work early, still very green myself. B had been up every hour Tues.night, which we thought was from her stuffy nose. Mere came over to give me a hand, since I was SO under the weather & she & Brooklyn bonded quickly..... meaning they were up together from 11pm-3am, she would NOT go to sleep. (I now know B also likes Ussher songs from her cell phone & tries to dance, but that's a whole other 'uh-oh!') We headed to our 1st sick visit Th morning, her well visit was supposed to be this Fri, but didn't want to wait. Good thing!
It's now 6am on Fri, & even though she still fussed every hour, she slept. Looks like her ammox is already helping. (And a big, major thank you to the wonderful doctor in FL who called in my prescription!)
Shes's loving her 'feel better soon' presents from Mimi & Mere: a bed wedge (to help side sleep), a snuggle blanket-just like my pj's that she always grabs onto, some crocs, & a water tummy time mat. Doc says we'll have a different baby in 72 hrs.
Next appointment is 2 weeks for check-up, tats, & shots.