Love Bug

Being a mom has been the the most amazing experience...and it has only been 4 1/2 months. It makes me think about life in a completely different way. For Valentine's Day this year I thought about what traditions I want my children to remember. Some of those traditions include, Valentine's jammies, a card, a small meaningful gift with heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast, and something cute for lunch and dinner... I haven't decided what yet (suggestions welcomed!)which is ok because Brooke is still too little to even know this day is different than any other. Here are some pictures of her first Valentine's Day!

Our Love Bug

This is Max. He is Brooke's "boyfriend" they are in daycare together and they really like to hold hands! This is not a posed picture.

Valentine Jammies - sitting up with a little help from Daddy

This is her version of sitting up! She is close!

Happy Valentine's Day

4 months

Well, I know I haven't posted much lately...mostly because this month has been difficult...I went back to work and Brooke went to daycare. Brooke has been sleeping through the night since she was 8 weeks old and decided to stop the second day of daycare...which has made the whole transition that much harder. I always thought that I would go back to work after I had kids, but I think by the time Brooke was 2 weeks old I was already trying to calculate if I could stay home with her. Right now we know it's not a posibility, but maybe someday... I do have to say that I am so thankful that, if Brooke has to be in daycare, she is so close to me. I get to go feed her on my breaks and go visit when I need mommy time since she is on the same campus and only a few yards from my office. And I do really like my job...without those 2 things it would be miserable!

Brooke is now 4 months (and 2 weeks) old. She is so much fun right now. She laughs, rolls over, and tries so hard to talk and sit-up. I am loving each new thing she does! She is 26 in long and is in the 93 percentile and 14 lbs 4oz and in the 62 percentile.

We feel so blessed that God has given her to us.

Brooke's first day of daycare with her "teacher" Mrs. Marie

After we picked her up...She really had a great day but this picture is too funny!

my loves

Daddy's favorite outfit

Tagged by Amy

The Rules:

1. Go to where you store your digital photos and open the 4th folder.

2. Post the 4th picture in that folder.

3. Explain the picture.

4. Tag 4 people.

This picture is of Tim and I during our engagement photo shoot with Natalie. We got to our favorite beach a little earlier than planned so we decided to take some pictures despite the blinding sun...hence the squinting...We didn't use the squinting pictures for anything but we had so much fun that day! I truly treasure the time we were engaged...but this picture...not so much.

I am tagging Bekah, Malorie, Grant&Emily, and Marcella

Christmas and more...

We had a great Christmas and New Years with a trip to So Cal thrown in. Brooke finally got to meet so many friends that have been waiting so long to see her. We had an amazing couple of weeks. We didn't get pictures with everyone, but here are a few.

Merry Christmas

Brooke's first Christmas

4 generations on Daddy's side

Nana Connie and Uncle Todd

4 generations on Mommy's side

Great Granparents and Grammy

We had dinner with Travis and Hayley and Brooke's future boyfriend!

We had dinner on New Years Day with Michelle and her BF Ryan...the world travelers

Michael and Brooke

I was really curious to see how Michael was going to be with Brooke. Because we did not decide on her name before she was born it took him a while to remember her name. The whole, no short term memory thing is really no fun! My parents and sisters would work with him to try to help him remember and after a couple of weeks of him saying, "what letter does it start with?" and then guessing Bailey... he finally got it! Michael has always liked babies. He likes to wave at them with his pinky and he loves when they put their hand around his finger, but that is kind of the extent of his interest in them. He covers his ears or hides his face when they cry (he has done that since Leah and Courtney were little). This weekend Michael came over to stay with us for a few hours while my dad sang in a Christmas concert. When he came in he said "Hi Baby Brooke," waved at her with his pinky, and had her hold his finger... When she started crying he covered his ears with a pillow ...predictable Michael... but later when Brooke was in her swing and I was in the kitchen, her pacifier fell out of her mouth and she started crying. I went and put it back in her mouth and went back in the kitchen. It fell out a few minutes later and she started crying again, and as I was drying my hands off I turned around and Michael was not covering his ears anymore, he had gone over to her swing and put the pacifier back in. It was so sweet! I think that Brooke is very blessed to have her Uncle Mikey!

Uncle Mikey holding Brooke for the first time in the hospital

San Francisco

Every year, since I was 6 years old, we have gone to San Francisco for my Aunt Linda's birthday. We always go to Fishermen's Grotto and sit in the same corner looking out at the Golden Gate Bridge. We have the most amazing food...sourdough bread, clam chowder, fresh cracked crab, spumoni...so good! My sisters and I still get shirley temples. I look forward to it every year! This year Tim and I got to bring our daughter. It is so fun to think of new traditions that we get to start with Brooke, but I hope that someday she will look forward to going to SF.

The Salamone's and Brown's

Brooke liked looking out the window

Tim and I

Brooke and Auntie Courtney

The waiter put one on Michael as a joke, but Leah put one on herself!

Oh, how things change...

As I think back to life before a baby (it's hard even though it was only 2 1/2 months ago) I think back to things that used to excite me... new shoes, new clothes (ok... shopping in general), a really good Vanilla Chai Latte, dates with my hubby, going to the beach, hanging out with friends...and while those things are all amazing and still excite me, nothing compared to the excitement that I had today that came from...a poopy diaper! Brooke had not had one in 2 1/2 days and I was starting to get a little worried. I won't go into anymore details... but I just had to share my exciting news! :)

This picture looks SO much like my baby pictures

Brooke loves her swing! Thanks Aunt Tam!

This picture looks like more like Tim...but a girl version :)