INDY 500

Mommy's first Indy 50o!!

Just chilling...

Not too sure about having to share my mommy

-We had a great Memorial weekend! Our good friends, Mandy and Toby, from St. Louis came into town with their 23 month old little boy, Nicholas. It was SO nice of them to take the time to visit us. We had a great time. Nicholas is such a smart boy and so funny! I can't wait until Brooks is able to run around after him. Brooks really enjoyed watching Nicholas play around him.

-I went to my first Indy 500! It was so much fun and so crazy there! It was amazing to be so close to those Indy cars. It was loud and hot!! Of course I had to go to the hottest race day on record. Oh well....well worth it. Thanks to my sister and brother for watching Brooks and Nicholas while the adults could have some fun!!

Play Time!

Mommy decided to give in and let me have fun

in my exersaucer...everything in moderation!

Must play, no sleep, must play, no sleep...

-Brooks is doing great this week and really into playing with toys. He is grabbing for everything! He especially loves cold bottles. He is doing well on the rice and oatmeal cereal. We started green beans on Friday and he was not too sure about them. Tried them again today and he did much better! He really loves making a mess by chewing on the spoon after every bite. He even cried when taking the food away today. I think he's starting to get the hang of it!

5 months old

All smiles...

Getting kind of bored...

Oh, what's this?

Got it! I'm so silly!

-Brooks is 5 months old today! Wow...time flies by when you're having fun:) What a different place we ALL are from a few months ago. I am really loving being Brooks' mom. This stage of development is SO much fun and easier than the newborn stage for me. He is such a happy baby now and really social. His smile melts my heart!!

-He still has a lingering cough every once in awhile, but overall is doing great this week. He is back to sleeping 8-9 hours versus the 10-11....but can't be picky! I feel really lucky that he sleeps well at night and is beginning to sleep a little longer for naps. He is doing a little better with the cereal and loves the spoon. I figure we can start something more exciting this weekend. He makes the funniest faces and is enjoying the physical activities/play. I try not to focus on the physical development too much (because that's my day job!), but he's doing great for his age. I'm so proud of him and all he is learning each day. It is such a blessing to have him in my life.

Yummy in my Tummy!

My first go around of real food...yummy?!?

-Brooks had his first bites of rice cereal today now that he is close to 5 months old. His face was priceless after his first taste. We got it on video and will try to upload (not good at all this technical stuff!). He really did well and I think he will like food. No choking or gagging....just reaching for the spoon for more.

-Brooks had been coughing all week when asleep or after feedings. I thought maybe it was reflux. Nope....our baby was getting his first cold. I took him to the doctor Friday and his lungs were clear. I was almost expecting to come home on reflux meds and was not even thinking cold! Typical first time mom! There was no runny nose and only occasional sneezing. The doc wanted us to keep an eye on the cough and asked if we had history of asthma. Ugh...hope its not the start of things to come! Josh had asthma when younger. He has such sensitive skin and stomach...why not lungs?!?

-Brooks has been a sleeping champ lately. Probably because he is not feeling 100%, but it was so nice to have him sleep for 10-11 hours this past week. Of course, next week may bring on something completely different, but for now I'm catching up on my zzzzzz's!

Mommy's First Mother's Day!!!

I really love my mommy!!

-Today was such a special day for me. Brooks is such a blessing in my life and has already taught me so much about myself. I am learning everyday from him and strive to be the best mom for him. I have so much more to learn, but I am excited about this journey ahead of us. He is so much fun to be around and I think he is going to have his dad's sense of humor! He gave me some beautiful flowers and a voice recorded card. Daddy helped out by doing housework....the best gift ever!

-Today is also so special because I have the greatest mom in the world! She has always been my best friend, but having my own child brought us even closer. I have gained so much knowledge just by watching her take care of Brooks. She is so good with him! I feel so blessed to have her in my life and to live so close. Happy Mother's Day to my mom and my mother-in-law (Grammy)...as well as all the mothers out there!!! I have now realized that being a mother is the hardest job on earth....but the most rewarding!

Four Month Pictures

Say Cheese!

I can't get away from these Bulldogs...

Pass the remote

Ah...not too sure about this photo shoot thing...

Oh...I'm getting the hang of it now!

My silly face that mommy loves...

All smiles

-I decided to go ahead and get a few "professional" pictures taken of Brooks at 4 months, 8 months, and then at 12 months. We decided this time to go to Portrait Innovations because we could get a few cute/funny pix for a cheaper price. I just posted a few pictures for you to enjoy. I can't believe Brooks is 4.5 months old! He's doing really well overall and so much fun to be around. He's still spitting up tons after nursing, so I'm struggling with what to do next. I do NOT want to stop nursing...but if he is allergic to something else I'm eating, then it is so hard to figure out what it is without taking EVERYTHING from my diet. So, we'll see what happens in the next few weeks. I'm not giving up quite yet!

My First Hair Trim

Think I need a trim?

Superman!

What's all the fuss about? I think I look good :)

Family event....daddy thought it was crazy to get a trim.

Here I'll help out...

What do you think? Glad Aunt Tammy is a hairstylist

-Ok....don't make fun on me...but Brooks got his first hair trim at 4 months of age. It was getting so long on top that it would do nothing. It looked like he had a comb over when it was greasy. My sister Tammy is a hairstylist at ADo and would not have her nephew looking like that:) So....we decided to give it a little trim on top to help it lay a little better. He's almost bald on the sides, so there really is no good way to fix his hair. It really does not matter because he's so cute any way it looks (ok...I'm a little partial!).

Do you believe in miracles????

I did it!!!

-This week was HUGE for us!!! My mom and I have been beating our heads against the wall trying to figure out why Brooks will not put himself to sleep nor sleep in crib for more than 30 minutes for naps. We were going to get down to the bottom of this now that he was 4 months old. My mom tried a modified version of the Ferber method. Some of you may not agree with this method...but it has been a miracle worker for us! Last Wednesday my mom tried it out for the afternoon nap time and after only a few minutes of crying (seemed like eternity to grandma), he put himself to sleep and slept 45 minutes (see above picture with his "love love"). The next day she did it at am and pm nap time and he did it again! This time slept 2 hr in am and 2.5 hrs in pm!!! He then did a similar thing for me all weekend long. I am SO proud of my big boy. It was like something switched and his nervous system matured. He can now fall asleep and is almost on a nap schedule. I know it could change next week on us...but I now know he CAN do it!!! You have NO idea how huge this is for me and my sanity. I was having such a hard time balancing all my "hats" in my life because Brooks did not nap nor fall asleep on his own. It is hard to get anything done with that schedule. He is working out of his colic and now so amazing to be around. I always thought he was something special...but never knew it could be like this. Like I said....this sleep thing could change tomorrow.....but today I'm counting my blessings. I DO believe in miracles :)