Fallapalooza 2010

For Halloween we headed to our church for their annual harvest carnival which is called Fallapalooza. They have tons of games, food and of course, candy :) Brooke was just over a year old last year and wasn't able to play many games, so this year was really fun for her. She loved all the games and getting to pick her own candy...I definitely encouraged her to pick mommy's favorites! Tim was in charge of all the bounce houses and was supposed to wear a costume so we decided to go with a family costume theme again (see last year's here). We decided to go with a football theme and I have to credit to Hayley for the idea! Tim was the football player (Chargers, of course), Brooke was a cheerleader, Brayden was a football and I was a referee. We had such a fun night!

The cheerleader and football (mid-blink)

My little football

This picture made me laugh...this totally captures how she feels about taking pictures right now. I am having to bribe her to smile in pictures now, so unless I get a picture where she is actually smiling without posing, I get this.

bribed

playing games

CANDY!!

blurry action shot with Uncle Mikey, Papa and Mimi in the background

Brooke and her friend Makayla

Brooke loves Toy Story! So when she saw Buzz Lightyear, she couldn't take her eyes off him! He was nice enough to take a picture with her. I can't imagine what Disneyland will be like for her!

Brooke, Brayden and Mommy

Brookie and Daddy

Football Family

Our brave girl

On Tuesday we had to take Brooke to the Kaiser in Oakland to have a branchial cleft cyst removed on her neck. She has had the cyst since she was born and when she was about 10 months old it got infected and kept getting infected every few months. We saw a specialist last year and he told us they were going to have to put her completely under anesthesia to remove it, and I'm not going to lie, that really made me nervous. We had her pre-op appointment last Wednesday and they told us we couldn't bring Brayden in the area that Brooke would be in that day. So not only was my baby girl going to have surgery, but I would have to leave my 7 week old baby boy for the first time too. Can we say emotional wreck?!? We had to leave for the hospital at 5 am on Tuesday. I nursed Brayden before we left and left him with my mom. At least I made it out of the door before the tears began. We got to the hospital around 6:15 and talked to the nurses, the anesthesiologist, the resident, and finally the doctor. It was a little overwhelming talking to everyone, but we finally felt like all our questions were answered and felt as comfortable as we could about the whole thing. They gave her what they call "happy juice" about 25 minutes before they took her in, and we didn't really notice any difference in her until right before they took her. She was laying on Tim's lap looking up at the ceiling saying "around and around and around..." over and over with her finger pointing up in the air. It was so sad...and a little funny... that she was that out of it. We prayed with her then walked her half way into the room she was going to have her surgery in. Then the nurse took her and walked away with her. I lost it. I can't even describe the feeling I had watching he take Brooke, and to make it worse the nurse carried her so as she walked away, Brooke was looking over her shoulder back at us. AWFUL!

As we walked away, Tim brought up how thankful he was that this is the only thing that we have had to deal with in regards to Brooke's health. The fact that she was just having a cyst removed considering all the diseases and cancers that are out there. It kind of put everything in perspective. It reminded me that our kids are not our own. They are the Lord's and we have been given them for a time and are responsible to teach them and train them in the ways they should go. The whole process has given me a new light on parenting and could not be more thankful for the blessing it is to be Brooke and Brayden's mom.

Brooke's surgery lasted about an hour and 45 minutes. When we got up to the recovery room she was just waking up. She was in a little crib bed hooked up with an iv, it was so sad. She woke up and the nurse handed her to me. She was still really out of it and started crying and tried to pull her iv out and take off her clothes. Nothing we did helped her. We talked to the resident and got discharged from the hospital quickly...so quickly we felt like we weren't really sure what had jsut happened. The resident told us everything went well, but we never got a ton of specifics. I am glad we have a follow up appointment next week! Brooke bounced back quickly and is back to herself already. She will feel the surgical tape on her neck or the soreness around her mouth where the breathing tube was taped and tell me she has a "boo boo" but that is it. She is such a brave girl and I am so proud of her.

sitting with daddy...not sure about what's going on

in her scrubs

we told her it was like a costume and she got to dress up like a Doctor

We had a long wait so Brookie and daddy read her favorite book. She loves Snoopy

Resting the day after with Brayden

here is her battle wound...

you can also see where they taped the breathing tube on the sides of her mouth. She has been such a trooper and has bounced back to her normal self!

Brooke's 2nd b-day party

We celebrated Brooke's 2nd birthday, the day after her actual birthday (just behind on posting it!), by going to one of her favorite places, Kids Gone Wild! It's this place with 5 jumphouses and a play area that kids can just go wild :) All of her little friends came and they had a great time! Here are a ton of pictures of the big day!

My big 2 year old!

Brooke and Brayden

The big slide (Brooke's favorite!)

Jumpin' with daddy

jumpin' with Drew

slide with Bailey, Jenna and Makayla

playing with Makayla

Brooke and Julia (and Tim and Kerry)

Brooke picked out her own cake this year...she is a little crazy about Mickey and Minnie right now

singing to the birthday girl

Gabe, Drew, Makayla, and Abi

Princess chair to open presents!

girlfriends

cool girls with their sunglasses and suckers

family picture

Brayden is 1 month old!

Our sweet Brayden is one month old today! This month has gone by so fast...the lack of sleep makes it feel a bit foggy and we are all still adjusting, but I am loving being a family of 4! Brayden is eating a ton...way more than I remember Brooke eating at this point. He is also sleeping more than Brooke did too though. He is giving me 4-5 hours for the first part of the night, which is great! Brooke loves being a big sissy! She talks and sings to him, gives him GENTLE (we are still working on that) hugs and tons of kisses. Every night she says goodnight and "sweet dreams Bayden" (yes, we have gone from Bwayden to just Bayden...one day she'll be able to say her r's) :) I love my babies and am so excited to see how their relationship will grow and develop. And I have to say how wondeful my husband is! I am so thankful for him and there is NO way I could ever do this without him!

Here is our little 1 month old!

He looks a little scared...

GENTLE hug :)

Brooke's 1st haircut

The day after Brooke's birthday we took her to get her haircut. I had been putting it off because it has taken so long for her hair to grow this long and she has a pretty legit mullet. The hair on the sides of her head is taking a really long time to grow in. We finally decided to cut it since her bangs were almost past her eyes. We went to this cute little place that kids can sit it a car, airplane or motorcycle. Brooke chose the car and the lady that cut her hair gave her a sucker so she was happy. She sat still the entire time! She still has a mullet, but at least she can see now :)

Finished product!

My 2 year old

My Brookie girl is 2 years old today! I can't believe that she is 2! She is such a sweet girl, FULL of personality! She makes me laugh constantly! She says new things and sometimes I have no idea where it comes from...other times she will say things that Tim and I say, but coming from a 2 year old sounds so funny! The other day she saw something and said, "mom, that's humongous!" She loves to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and tells me when her Mickey and Minnie stuffed animals need a diaper change (which started right after Brayden was born). She loves to put on daddy's shoes and hat and try to walk in them. She is such a sweet big sister. She loves to hug and kiss Brayden and when he cries, she says, "it's ok Bwayden." Today in the car she sang Jesus loves me to him. It was so precious. I am so excited to see their relationship grow and develop.

Now the reality is that we, of course, have our moments...some moments last longer than others...but I know that God is using her to shape me into the mom, wife, and woman of God that He wants me to be. I am constantly praying for patience and the wisdom to raise her to be a woman of God. I am so thankful for her and so thankful that I get to stay at home with both of my babies...well my baby and my big 2 year old!

Brookie's Mickey pancakes for breakfast

Brooke loves her some Snoopy

riding the rides with brother

Family picture

Brookie and daddy

helping with bath time