12weeks: Spring Has Sprung...I think!?!

My Daddy got me this onesie from Colorado...

Soon I'll be flying down the slopes with him!

Grandma McCarroll loves me so much!!

(I think she's pretty special too!)

Brutus loves to give me kisses...but

I'm starting to have skin reaction from it.

I hope I'm not allergic to the bullies!!!

Daddy got me to nap twice this weekend with little effort!

My first stroller ride outside with mommy.

I slept the whole time!

One of my favorite places...only places..I like to nap.

My second stroller ride in the sunny weather!

I was wide awake for this one!!

-This past week was so special because the warm weather has arrived...at least for a few weeks. We got outside every chance we got to take a walk. Brooks seems to really enjoy it. We even took the bullies for several walks and to my surprise, they did GREAT!!

-Brooks practiced taking a bottle again from my mom. I go back to work next week and we did not want to leave Grandma stranded. She is really looking forward to watching him. I just pray he does well for her. He has been really fussy when he is tired. We are still working on him going to sleep "on his own". He still has episodes of gas that causes him pain. He has been very inconsistent with this night sleeping. He had a few nights of 2-3 hours...ugh!...and a few of 5-8 hours. Who knows what is going on. I just know I am exhausted during the day because he fights naps. I'm ready for a routine, but just can't get on a consistent one!

-Brooks is doing SO much better with floor and tummy time. He is actually starting to enjoy it! He doesn't want his PT mommy to look bad :)

-Josh is busy with work now that the spring sports have started. That means longer work days and shorter time with Brooks at night. It makes me sad to think that I will also have a few days a week when I only see him for a few hours. I have mixed emotions about going back to work. Everyone says it will be good for me and therefore good for Brooks. At least I have peace knowing he is in the best hands during those 3 days with my mom and sisters.

11 weeks: Supermom to the rescue!

Rock On!

My first soccer game!

Helping hold my bottle for G-ma. She finally got

me to take it after much encouragement. I'm a boob boy:)

Floor time with Bru Bru

-Well we survived....a very long week without Josh. I have so much respect for the single moms out there. As much as I love Brooksy, it is nice to have a break and some help! I am so thankful to my mom for helping out and Cousin Cassidy for keeping Brooks entertained:) Josh went with his dad on our annual ski trip. They went to Durango, CO this year. I was so bummed to have missed this year. Oh well..there's always next year!

Daddy and Grandpa Lee on Sally's Run....nice!!

-Brooks was such a good boy this week, despite his inconsistent sleep and naps. He prefers to sleep on me rather than his bed for naps. That is our goal before I return to work...more naps. He can sleep through the night at times, but goes down so early that the last half of the night falls apart. I'm beginning to wonder how I'm going to function at work.

-Brooks went to cousin Cassidy's indoor soccer game and Cameron's b-ball game...all firsts! He was loving being out around town.

-Brooks almost forgot how to take a bottle. After much patience from Gma, he settled down enough to realize there is also milk in there. Good thing we tried again before I went back to work.

10 weeks: Ouch!!!

My first road trip with Mommy, Grandma, and Aunt Tammy

I'm "dog"tired

I got my mom right where I want her:)

-Brooks had his 2 mo checkup and vaccinations on Monday. He weighed 13 lb 12 oz and was 25 1/4 in long!! He was almost off the charts. He did great with his shots, despite my nerves. He screamed when he got them, but then calmed down very quickly. Josh and I were so proud of our big boy! That day he slept most of the time and was very fussy when awake. We ended up giving him some Motrin to help with his aches. He was more like himself the next day and never developed a fever. He goes back in 2 months for another checkup.

-Brooks did not sleep as well this week and was a little "off" his "routine". Maybe due to his immune system working overtime. He did nap a few days this week in his crib! Off course today he did not. I just can not seem to figure this little stinker out.

-Brooks had his first road trip to Cincinnati to look at bridesmaid dresses for Aunt Tammy's wedding. It was a success and he was such a good boy! He of course had a blowout when wearing his cute outfit...go figure! He slept the whole way there and back. It gives me a taste for what to expect on our road trip to Florida for spring break. yikes!!!

-Brooks is starting to "google" more often in vocal exchanges. That is what I call his cooing. It is so adorable and always brings a smile to my face. How precious these moments are to me! He is batting towards toys and brings hands nicely to midline. However, this physical therapist mom is ashamed to admit that he hates his tummy time! I know, I know...practice what you preach...but it was so hard to find floor time between two dogs, frequent nursing, gas, fussiness, spit ups, and sleep! Time to get our little Brooksy on a workout routine! :)

2 Months: I'm a big boy!

Ready to go workout with mom

Thanks Aunt Tammy for my bulldogger outfit!

-Our big boy is now 2 mo old! He gave me a nice surprise and slept 7 hrs 15 min straight last night!! What a difference a week makes at this age. Let's see if that lasts:)

-I finally got motivated to start working out today. It felt great to work up a sweat. I plan to get back slowly to stay healthy. But I figured I needed to start soon because I'm supposed to wear a swimsuit in less than 6 weeks...yikes!

-We took Brooks to the mall for the first time today. Boy was it crazy and so crowded! Brooks did great and loved all the noise and excitement. It was one of our first family outings. I love doing that kind of stuff and look forward to many more.

8 weeks old: Our Little Valentine

My First V-Day! Thanks "Aunt" Em for my cute shirt!

All smiles for mom with my Clemson colored outfit.

Thanks "Aunt" Jen!

Ahh....a sleeping baby! Like father like son:)

All ready for Spring Training...Go Cards!

Thanks Grandpa Lee for my Cardinal gear

-Brooks had his first dinner outing to Benihanna on Saturday night with the McCarroll family. We were celebrating my niece Cassidy's 10th birthday. He did really well considering it was 100 degrees in there!

-Happy Valentine's Day!! I got beautiful tulips from Josh and we got Brooks some bibs....practical gift! Brooks gave us the best gift of all by napping a few hours during the day.

-Brooks continues to nurse well and gain weight. He has his 2 month shots and checkup next Monday. He is starting to bat at toys and notice people and toys more often. We are getting many purposeful smiles and coos. He is starting to interact much more and it is so rewarding. He thinks his mom and dad are the best singers...ha ha. He is not liking his bath time too much. He still has a hard time napping during the day for more than 20 minutes at a time, without me having to hold him. Any tips on napping are appreciated! He is sleeping better at night (knock on wood) and we are getting more consistent 3-5.5 hour stretches. He is back in his big boy crib!! He remains pretty gassy so we decided to try the gas drops. Worth a try!

7 Weeks: Colts....DAT WHO!!!

Mommy and Daddy's "official" night out to CDC Gala

-This past week was a good one for all of us! I went to a breast feeding support group to discuss some of the gas Brooks was experiencing. Come to find out that I have an over-abundant milk supply with a forceful letdown...ok, more than you may want to know. Anyways, it causes gas, spit up, choking/gagging, little sleep, and frequent feeds. So, they had me try block nursing for 3 days to decrease my supply. It seemed to help out with all those symptoms! He had a few 5 hour stretches of sleep at night and had a 6 hour stretch last night!!!!! He only had one bad day and that was when we decided to stay in all day. He does best when out and about the town. Just wish the weather was better so we can go on walks outside.

-I had a great Saturday. I got my haircut while Josh watched Brooks for a few hours. We then went to the Carmel Dads Club Gala to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Grandma Jan, Aunt Tara and cousin Cassidy had a great time watching Brooks. I feel so blessed to have family close by that I trust to watch our little man.

-Today we plan to stay at home and watch the Colts in the Superbowl. We all have our Colts gear on and are excited to curl up on the couch to cheer them on. After a long night out last night...it will be nice to hang out with sweats on. GO COLTS!

-Brooks continues to grow before our eyes. He is wearing 3 mo clothes and I bet weighs close to 12.5 lbs now. He is becoming more vocal everyday. I love the times when he coos and smiles at my silly songs. He is more content in his swing, boppy and bouncy seat for longer periods of time. This helps me get a few things done around the house. He still does not nap long...but we are getting there! He is making much better eye contact and is responding to my voice. He loves music and relaxes at night to the white noise CD that I keep on loop. He noticed Brutus for the first time and thought he was silly:)

6 Weeks: Our little "piggy"

I think this shirt will come in handy...

Still getting used to my baths...thanks Grammy V for my towels!

I look like a little man in this cute outfit...thanks Aunt Tammy!

-Brooks is now 6 weeks old and is growing so big! He had a checkup on Friday and weighed in at a whopping 12 lbs 3 oz!!! He was 23.5 in long and was in the 90th percentile for height and weight! This boy does not miss a meal!! We feel blessed to have a healthy eater on our hands. That can be stressful for some families. Our stress has been related to his gas and slight reflux. He needs constant motion to remain happy and content. We get those wonderful smiles and coos...just after some work. This weekend was hopefully a turn around as he was MUCH better (knock on wood). I am trying to limit my milk intake to see if that helps his little belly. Now if I can get some 3-4 hour long stretches of sleep!

-Josh was off of work this past week for a few days to hang out with us. It was SO nice to have that extra set of hands to help out. It is so hard to get anything done around this house when it is just Brooks and I. However, I love those moments when we get to curl up on the couch together. I know they will be gone too soon and I should cherish them. Housework will always be there....as my mom says :)

5 Weeks: Still Mommy's Little Stinker

My shirt says it all...

Still one of my favorite spots

All ready to go mom!

Do I look like dad?

I might have my dad's long legs

-We are sitting here watching the Colts game with our little stinker. It is not as easy to curl up and watch the game with a little one :) However, the infant carrier I have comes in handy for times when he just can't settle easily. Right now he is all nice and cozy....and asleep!

-This week Josh gave Brooks his first bottle. I had been pumping to save up milk for when I am back to work. He did great!! He took the bottle like a champ and wanted more. He is a good eater and his weight shows it! I am anxious for his checkup this week to find out how much he weighs now. I bet close to 10.5 lbs. He has been spitting up more and gassy after feedings, but don't think that is interfering any with his growth.

-Josh and I were excited to have a "date" Saturday afternoon together. Grandma McCarroll was excited to babysit for the first time. He did great for her! However, our date did not go as planned. We wanted to see Avatar at the IMAX. Well...it was sold out when we got there. I was SO bummed because so much effort goes into getting ready and planning ahead of time. We made the best out of the situation and enjoyed a late lunch and trip to grocery store....so romantic! However, it was so nice for Josh and I to spend time together.

4 Weeks Old: GO COLTS!

My parents can't believe they have survived a whole month!

Go Colts! I was dozing in and out during the game.

Grandpa Lee was in town and helped Dad put together this cool swing!

-Well, Brooks is one month old! I can hardly believe it. It seems like forever ago that I was in the hospital delivering him. Things are starting to come together and we are learning more about how to raise a newborn each day. He is teaching us well:)

-Grandpa Lee was in town again from St. Louis. He enjoyed holding Brooks while he slept on his chest. He did a great job putting together the swing with Daddy. I have a feeling this swing will be my friend at times!

-Brooks slept in his room the whole week! He sometimes was successful with sleeping in his crib flat on his back...but I needed some sleep and resorted to putting him in his lamb seat inside of the crib at times. Hey....got to pick our battles right? I need to function and had to get my sleep somehow!

-I started pumping now that he is 4 weeks old. Just when I start to figure things out, I get thrown a curve ball. A whole new experience to learn about. However, it will be so great for Josh to feed him a bottle at night or for us to be able to have a "date" night while Grandma watches him.

-Finally, if you are interested you can go to our photographer's blog site to check out a few of Brooks's newborn pix. There are some cute ones and we can't wait to see them all. The website is: http://www.jessicarstrickland.com/blog/portrait/brooks/

3 Weeks Old: Any sleep in sight?

Don't know why I'm yawning.....

Just chilling...

Check out my big feet!

I love cuddling with my mommy

I think mom and dad need some sleep...

-Well, little Brooks is almost 1 month old! Boy does time fly by. I only have 2 more months of maternity leave left. It is sad to think about going back to work. However, he will be in good hands with Grandma McCarroll and sometimes with Aunt Tara or Tammy. I know Grandma can't wait and just adores him!

-We have been trying to figure out this sleeping thing....is that even possible? Every one's advice about not being able to get on a schedule is true! Brooks is definitely dictating that one. We started transitioning him to his crib at 3 weeks and there have been good and bad nights. He slept the first night in his crib without trouble. Then the next night he wanted nothing to do with it. The rest of the week has also had ups and downs. Everyone tells me that is normal for a newborn. I get 2-4 hours of sleep at a time...pending if he is full enough or happens to be gassy that night. He is doing really well overall and I could not ask for more. I guess I need to enjoy sleeping in!

-We had our first outing on Wednesday. Grandma, Brooks and I went to Buy Buy Baby to pick up his swing. He did great! He slept the whole way there and back. He was just interested in looking around the store. He did have his first blowout that day and of course it happened while in a cute outfit. Oh well...many more of those to come!

-Here are some of the wonderful things we are starting to learn about our little stinker:

Brooks loves to cuddle! His favorite spot is up on your shoulder or on your chest. He enjoys the vibration or movement to go to sleep. That is not always a good thing...but it works for now. He does not prefer to be swaddled, but still startles at times. He sleeps through the vacuum and dogs barking. Brooks takes the paci, but does not have to have one to sleep or calm. He is a loud sleeper and grunts often when eating. He has started to spit up more often, but seems to handle it fine right now. He is eating often and pooping and peeing all the time. Who could ask for more?.....:) He is starting to smile more often and it just melts our hearts. His cries are changing and he is starting to coo. Josh and I are just loving all the changes and now just need some sleep pattern changes.....

Eat, Sleep, Poop....ahh the life of a newborn!

Josh went back to work yesterday and we missed him! We have fun sending him pictures of us through email. Brooks' umbilical cord fell off yesterday as well. Finally! That thing sure does get in the way. He is smiling more purposefully and getting better head control. I can't believe he is only 2.5 weeks old! He is sleeping around 3 hours (give or take) at night and continues to breastfeed ALL the time. I sometimes feel as though he is permanently attached. We are bonding more each day and I can't believe he is ours! So crazy. Hope you all enjoy the pix!!

2 weeks old: Superman in Training

Grandma JanGrandpa McCarroll (Doc)Grandpa LeeAunt Tara and Uncle Gene

Cousins Cameron and Cassidy

Uncle Tyler

Aunt Tammy"Aunt" Emily"Aunt" HollyMy mom's friend Jane

-Brooks is 2 weeks old already! Boy does time fly by. I really don't know where the days or hours go! I am anxious to get out and run some errands. I am house bound right now and going stir crazy! I however need to keep him in due to the awful flu season. I really appreciate all the family and friends that have taken the time to stop by and see our little stinker. We are grateful for all the love, support, help, food, and gifts that have come our way. We posted a few pix of Brooks with family and friends. We hope everyone has a wonderful 2010! We know we will!

What a Happy New Year it will be!!!

I love my boppy pillow!

Sweet Pea is starting to like me a little....

Brutus thinks I'm pretty cool...I think we will be good buddies!
My favorite position to sleep...on my mom's chest

I love cuddling with my daddy. He is the best!

-Well, we were able to keep our eyes open just enough to watch the ball drop. The holidays flew by and quite honestly were a blurr to us. The first two weeks are definitely tough! There are so many ups and downs to taking care of a newborn. We love him so much and will take the good with the bad. I am so lucky to have a wonderful husband to take care of Brooks and me. I never could have imagined how much I would need Josh. He has been there for me every step of the way and is an amazing dad already! He is a natural. There is nothing like watching your husband fall in love with your son. Can you tell I'm an emotional wreck? Ahh...the joys of hormones!