Time with Michelle

Gosh...a while ago - maybe four weeks ago - my best friend from middle and high school came to visit me and Brooklyn! Michelle has been such a sweet friend to me all of my life and I'm so very thankful for her. About a year ago she came to visit one night while Matt was on call and we had a great time of course shopping, eating out, and talking about our upcoming high school reunion. This year was a little different - we just hung out at home and entertained Brooklyn! She has an awesome camera and took some great pictures of B. I'll post some below...

Brooklyn and I hope to visit Michelle later this summer over in Georgia where she lives, most of the year! She has two beautiful dogs Kolsh and Tyger and I still have yet to meet them or see her house...so a visit is due! We love you aunt Michelle!!!

Brookie loves her new toy! She is spending lots of time learning how to jump and squeal! What a fun time this is for her! ok - for some reason the video won't work -any suggestions? It uploads and then disappears!

She also recently had her first swim at Bebe's backyard baby pool! It was too cute! Here are a few pics.

Yum

So...the rice cereal is growing on us! :)

4 Month-ness

Yesterday Brooklyn was four months old. We have had a few days of changes with her right around this 4 month mark that have been fun, trying, and kind of hilarious in some ways.

The "fun" came when the DR said we could try rice cereal...she was pretty messy. We tried it last night and we laughed pretty hard! The video is a little to big to upload. More fun was when Matt put together the exersaucer/bouncy thing. She did pretty good in it for the first time yesterday. I think I took a picture of that too...

The "trying" has been her little chompers that have chosen to come through. We have two little teeth that are coming through on the bottom and little girl is not happy about it. She didn't fuss at all while her gums were red, but now that they are breaking through...not happy! Don't worry, her daddy is giving her extra love - as if that was even a question! :) Matt's a softy. Can you see the chompers?

"Hilarious" has been her behavior in her crib. She started rolling over to her side about a month ago while we were on vacation - she was in a pack in play so there were no bumpers and she could easily roll over. Well, when we got back home her legs would hit the bumpers and she would go back to her back and she didn't really care, she would just end up somehow at the bottom of the bed every morning so I guess she was scooting down. Well, while I was at home last weekend she went all over my mom's crib. She has very thin bumpers so she was able to turn over on her side and start traveling. She pretty much does a 180 during the night on her side. It is hilarious. So, when we got home we took out her side bumpers to let her go! Matt and I watch it before we go to bed and I usually wake up at least once in the night to see where she is in her journey. Regardless of what she does while she's asleep, I always greet a smiling little girl in the morning, which is a treat!

At four months Brooklyn does the following:

- eats 4 bottles a day between 6 and 7 oz

- loves her bath time

-giggles at mom and dad being silly - loves to be tickled

- sleeps great at night and takes 2-3 naps a day

- loves the activity mat still

- loves the swing - we use it as a sleep aide when needed!

- hasn't been in the pool yet, maybe later this summer

- she has traveled to Nashville a few times, Dothan, the beach, the lake - travels well!

- has two teeth

- she is such a joy and hasn't been fussy except for the teeth coming in

- she weighs 16 pounds and 3 oz (90th percentile)

- she is 27 inches long (95th percentile)

Berlin Wall 9996

So, the name of this blog is a little strange but it has to do with the game...Cranium...have you every played? Well...I'm not sure I have either, but I've tried. We went to the lake for about 24 hours (ugh) over the Memorial Day weekend. Han and Dan were so sweet to invite us up to Pickwic lake for a night. We took miss B and she did great. So...back to Cranium...we found the box and tried to play without instructions so it was a game with made up rules, and I think we did pretty good - maybe that's b/c me and Matt won!

Anyway, Daniel had to act out "Berlin Wall" and try to get Hannah to guess it - and oh my gosh I laughed until I cried...hard! Needless to say Han didn't guess it and I was a mess on the floor after he was finished trying to act it out.

We had some awesome burgers and a great time with Han and Dan even though it was short - they are such good friends to share life with! They are moving to NYC soon so we will officially have friends in NYC!!! Can we say 30th b'day party in NYC for Ashley??? :) We'll see...here are some pics!

Brooklyn was entertaining everyone!

Yum...malt liquor! :) This may have made the Berlin Wall episode a little more funny.

Little B watching the intense game of pool.

Uncle Danny and B

Hannah showing us how its done

Cutest little pup - Dahl was so good!

Han getting to know Brookie

The guys and the water...Dahl was swimming!

Han and B

We love you guys! Thanks for another memorable weekend!

PDF

So...PDF stands for "parent directed feeding" if you read babywise. Don't worry - this isn't a babywise post...I just had to note where I got the term. Anyway...so I have to say, I have adopted this theology with Brooklyn's feeding patterns, and it has worked so well. But that also isn't the point of this post...

I have had to use PDF more persistently with this little...er...large lady...

We'll just say that ever since B came home, Elle has started expecting to eat as often as the new addition - which was a lot in the beginning. Even though its slowed down by now, its still double what Elle gets. So almost every time I feed Brooklyn, Elle wants more food too. This comes in the form of actually begging the baby for her bottle, or whining at her food bowl. Which results in a lot of stern talking from me! I believe I have said a lot..."Elle - its not time yet, I'll feed you when its time!" You can't blame a girl for trying...

Anyway...so I've had to enforce the PDF philosophy more strictly with my dog than my child...thank you babywise. :)