Christmas and New Year

Christmas was very busy as usual. We ran around like chicken with our heads cut off....but it was so worth it. Worth it to see family...worth it to see Brooke's eyes light up when she opened presents...worth it to have one more reason to smile. Brooke's favorite presents were Disney Princess Dollhouse, Talking Belle, and Lalaloopsy. I know that next year will be even better - watching her eyes get big when she realizes that Santa has come again.

For New Years Eve, we celebrated with dinner at KT's and then did a countdown with Brooke at 9:00 pm. She had some sparkling Grape Juice, and although she didn't like it too much, she wanted to keep drinking it because it was special. We blew noisemakers, drank sparkling juice, and said Happy New Year at 9:00. It was very neat for us to do.

Right before NYE, I lost my wallet at Walmart. Could not find it anywhere. Tried Customer Service to no avail. So, I called the bank and canceled all my cards. Brooke was asking me why I lost my wallet - so I told her that it was an accident. She started to sing: Oh where, Oh where is Mommy's wallet? Oh where, Oh where could it be? With it's zipper and a million dollars, oh where, oh where could it be. I cracked up! Mommy wishes she had a million dollars in her wallet. Everytime Brooke loses something, we walk around and sing that song. We always give two attributes to the missing item....so, for example, if she lost a doll, we would sing: Oh where, Oh where is Brooke's doll? Oh where, oh where could it be? With it's long blonde hair and pink dress, oh where, oh where could it be? So she picked up on this and sang the song about my wallet. It was too stinking cute.

Not a whole lot new with Taylor these days. She is, of course, getting bigger. The giggles are coming more and more, and she smiles all day long. She is such a happy baby - as was Brooke. Taylor is really starting to play with toys of all kinds. She is very alert and wants to be doing something. I have to say - she's probably going to be my busy body of the bunch. Maybe it was the mountain dew I drank while pregnant?? Who knows. She goes for her 4 month checkup in a week or so, and I can't wait to start her on rice cereal. Well, I take that back, I can wait. I don't want her to grow up so fast. I would love her to stay in each phase 3 times as long as she should. Knowing that this will most likey be my last child, I am spoiling the heck out of her. She is doing better sleeping...but it's still hit or miss. Bath nights tend to be the best for her - I think it makes her sleep more soundly....like last night - slept from 10-8. Not too shabby!

Raisins after dinner and Exersaucer

Funny story about Brooke...it's not going to be nearly as good typing it out, because you have to hear the singy voice that Brooke and I both used. So please, feel free to ask me about it - and I would love to tell you the story in person! The other day, Brooke asked if she could have Raisins. I was cooking dinner, so I told her "Raisins after Dinner, Raisins after Dinner"...now this is the singy voice I was using. She then asked if she could have fruit snacks...so I said "Fruit snacks after dinner, fruit snacks after dinner" (again, in my singy voice). A little bit later, I opened the freezer to get something out for dinner and Brooke saw the ice cream. She looks at me and sings: "Ice Cream for Dinner, Ice Cream for Dinner". I laughed hysterically and gave Brooke the biggest hug and kiss. It was one of the most adorable things she had ever done!

I put Taylor in the Exersaucer for the first time the other day, and she did great! She held her head up, she played, she smiled. Brooke was very good with her too - she was showing Taylor how to play with things. It amazes me how Taylor played in the Exersaucer compared to how Brooke did at this age. Brooke just sat there while I pressed things. Taylor actually presses the buttons - and she really means to. Brooke didn't mean to press the buttons until she was like 5 months old or something.

I got out the baby book the other day to see when Brooke started laughing. She first giggled at 15 weeks. Curious to see when Taylor will laugh the first time - she's 13 weeks now. I can't wait for that day.

Brooke's first tooth came in when she was 23 weeks. Taylor has a little white spot in the bottom gum line - Melanie and Jeremy both swear a tooth will pop through very soon. I am a little skeptical and don't think she's quite ready for that to happen yet. Time will tell who's right.

I can't wait until Christmas and see Brooke's face as she opens up her presents on Christmas morning. I hope Santa Claus brings her all that she wants this Christmas.

Update from the last few weeks

Little Miss Taylor was baptized on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We were blessed to have Chris, Jenn, Abby, and Lizzie in town to see the event. Chris is Taylor's Godfather and Melanie is her Godmother/Christian Witness since she is not Catholic. I was also very privileged to be Elizabeth's Godmother and witnessed her being baptized. It was a very nice ceremony.

Taylor is getting better at sleeping longer periods of time and her in bed or bassinet. Hopefully we will continue on this track as I go back to work soon. She has also been playing with her hands much more and kicking her legs for fun. It's very cute to watch her play. She is such a happy baby.

Brooke is also getting so much bigger and smarter. She amazes me the things she learns and how fast she learns them. We have been singing songs and she already knows all the words to Rudolph and Frosty. We were doing a shape puzzle the other day, and I thought it would take her a while to get it - but she got it right away. Pretty amazing to watch.

Taylor is 2 months!!

Taylor had her two month doctor appointment earlier this week and everything went great! She weighed 10 pounds and 10 ounces and was 22 3/4 inches long. That's the 24th percentile for weight and 44th percentile for height.

It's funny because Brooke was 6lbs at birth and weighed in at a whopping almost 12lbs - nearly doubling her weight in two months. Taylor was just 7lbs 5 ounces at birth, gaining only 3 pounds 5 ounces in two months. It's amazing the difference in the two girls and their growth in two months.

Taylor got two shots, and cried with each one. It broke my heart that she was in pain, but she did really well the rest of the day - she was very sleepy.

The doctor finally told me to stop co-sleeping with her - so I am going to try to put her in her bed and see if she will sleep in there. It's just so hard...she's just a good little cuddle bug!!

Long time no post...

It seems like I have a hard time finding any time at all to post a new blog entry, but I am trying! Now, if only I can remember the 1,000 things I wanted to share with my readers.

First of all - some cute things Brooke has done recently. Today, her new thing is saying "Seriously, Mom?". I will tell her some fact - like I would like the "B" sticker and she will say "Seriously, Mom?". She gets that from me - I tend to say that a lot.

When I dropped Brooke off the other day at school, her teacher told me that Brooke has some of the best manners out of the whole class. She uses her pleases and thank yous most of the time, and when someone tried to get her attention by using "Hey!", she turns around and says "Hay is for horses". This, she gets, from her Daddy. Jeremy tends to say that a lot!

She is still doing wonderfully with her baby sister. She doesn't give her a ton of attention, but she is not acting out because Taylor is here. Brooke's bedtime routine is also getting a lot better at night. She doesn't call downstairs as much as she used to. Hopefully she is starting to break that habit.

Taylor is doing great as well. She is growing and her cheeks are getting chubbier! Very cute. She is a very happy baby and still, the only time she cries is when she is hungry. She has a few fussy moments here and there, but for the most part - a very happy baby when she is awake. She still sleeps a lot - which is just fine by momma! She is starting to use her voice a little more, but it's still very inconsistent. You can tell she is gaining strength in her legs and her neck and is really doing a good job at tummy time.

Taylor will be baptized on November 27th when Chris and Jenn are in town. We have asked Chris to be the Godfather and Melanie to be the Godmother/Christian Witness. Chris will also be baptising Lizzie Leigh and I am very priviledged to be her Godmother.

I will be going back to work on December 12th and will probably work a total of 3 days during the month of December. It's almost pointless, but I figured it would be a good transition to get out a few days that month. Taylor still has a hard time taking a bottle - she doesn't like it. I am contemplating buying a few different bottles to see if she likes any of those better than the Doctor Brown's bottles.

I guess that's all for now! See you next blog...

Brooke's Bday, 3 year old room, and Taylor updates

Brooke's birthday has came and went. She's officially three years old. My oh my where has the time gone? We had a lovely party with family and friends on the 15th. The theme was owls and I made an owl cake out of cupcakes and then individual owl cupcakes. They were fairly easy to make - just time consuming. She thought they were the coolest things! I thought the party was very fun. Weather was nice, so the kids got to play outside. It was nice to see her interact with boys and girls of all ages and personalities and how she would deal with each person. She got about 1,000 presents too many. The hit of the party was a Jessie costume from Toy Story. It was the pants, the shirt, the hat, and the boots. She stopped opening presents and had to put the costume on immediately. Watching her face and her reaction brought tears to my eyes! We are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends.

Brooke has finally moved up to the 3 year old room. Unfortunately, she's not in Ben's room, but she is at least with kids closer to her own age. She has a computer in her new classroom, and I think she will come to love it and probably be able to teach me a thing or two next week! Hopefully she will enjoy school a little more again.

Taylor had her one month appointment on the 12th. She weighed 8lbs, 13.5 ounces and was 21 1/4 inches long. She is doing great! Doc said she was gaining an ounce a day, which is perfect. I went back and looked at Brooke's baby book and saw that she went from 6 pounds at birth to 8lbs 12 oz at one month old. Taylor went from 7 pounds 5 oz at birth to 8lbs 13.5oz at one month old. Brooke gained a whole extra pound during that time. I am curious to see the comparison at two months old.

Taylor still will not sleep in her bassinet. If I lay her down in there, she fusses and whines and moves around until I cuddle with her. From that point on, she sleeps very soundly. I know I am creating awful sleep habits for her and for myself, but I just can't help sleeping with her. She is so sweet and so cozy - I can't put her down.

Three out of the four family members are battling sinus issues. I am not sure how I am the only one who does not have any snot dripping out of my nose. Everyone else is green and yucky...even Taylor. Taylor can produce more boogers and bigger boogers than her mom! It's quite shocking. I feel sorry for the little girl.

Brooke's new thing is asking "Where are we going next?". If I get her dressed, she will ask where she's going. I tell her school, for example. She will then ask where we are going next. I will say home. She will protest and ask if we can go somewhere else - like Grandma and Grandpa's house. I guess she got so used to running around right before Taylor was born, she expects to go somewhere new every day. Whether it be grandma's, aunt patti's, target, or the playground - that girl doesn't want to stay home!

Oh, and terrible twos? Oh no...not at all. Twos are angelic compared to the glimpse I have seen of the threes. Brooke is defiant, she is bossy, and she is very demanding. I feel like I am always saying no and answering the question of "Why". This is the time where she is certainly questioning authority and I just have to make sure that she knows mommy and daddy are boss and that we stick to our guns when we say something. It's just hard sometimes!

Well, that was a very long post...I will try to not make the amount of time between posts so long - but life has been pretty crazy recently.

A few updates

Well, the big news this week - is Taylor smiled a real smile for the first time on Thursday. That means she was just 3 weeks, 4 days old. Brooke was 5 weeks when she first smiled. Taylor has been smiling about once or twice a day since Thursday. The first time she did it, I got really teary eyed. Everytime she smiles, it melts my heart. I absolutely love it! I can't wait until she really smiles at her big sister...I think that will just make me keel over :)

Brooke wanted a special treat after dinner the other night, so I told her that I would give her broccoli. She looked at me and said "Broccoli is not a special treat". So I asked her what broccoli was - and she said that it was dinner. I got a little chuckle out of that. Her facial expressions made this story even better!

Brooke has had some issues going to bed recently. She keeps making excuses to get out of bed...she has to pee...then she has to poop...then she has to blow her nose..then she needs to be covered up. It goes on and on. Not really sure what's going on with her. She also has been waking up in the middle of the night with some sort of problem. Last night, she said that ants were crawling on her. I have no idea where this has come from. Don't know if she dreamt about ants that were crawling all over her or what. Either way, I hope that this stops!

Taylor has been a great baby. She eats, sleeps, and poops. She stays up for about an hour or two a few times a day, but mainly will just sleep! She has been eating pretty well, although she likes to "snack" and then eat again in an hour. Luckily, she doesn't do this as much during the night, but it does continue throughout the day. Oh the joys of a newborn ;)