A New (Disgusting) Habit

There is always something new Brooke is doing, whether it be a new action (like cruising!) or a new word (like ball!). Yesterday she started something I thought was a fluke, but after about 10 times today I can tell its intentional.

Background:

She has been sneezing more than usual, perhaps its allergies, perhaps its not. Anyway, when she sneezes, she always sneezes twice. Her Dad does this, so I think its hereditary :) Her first sneeze is just a sneeze, but she immediately follows that with a second sneeze ...

and she ends that second sneeze with the raspberries

Essentially, she shoots snot all over and adds a ton of spit on top of that. This is especially charming in the middle of a meal, when her mouth is full of food. Also quite cute when we are playing (or changing a diaper) and my face is very close to hers. And just adorable in the middle of a book when I actually have to pause to wipe the drenched book down.

Aren't babies just so adorable? (Note: If spoken aloud, dripping with sarcasm)

Two (Plus 2?) Front Teeth

Her two front teeth are definitely in ... But it looks like the next
two top teeth are not far behind. The little gummy grin has turned
into a toothy smile in no time!

A Special Message ...

For Grandma Schneider!

The Aluminum Foil Windows

I had a couple of questions and comments about my homemade window solution and wanted to give a bit more explanation.

Yes, Brooke does already have window treatments. In fact, they are beautiful and we love them!

The issue is, they let a glow of light through. I didnt think this would be an issue, but when she started waking up the minute the sun rose I realized it was a problem. We looked into putting roller shades (or some sort of room darkener) behind the curtain ... but there isnt room! There isnt anywhere to hang another layer of curtain :( Thus, the aluminum foil solution.

Classy, right? Trust me, it looks all the more charming in person.

Since She Can't Speak For Herself

Brooke is tired of people calling her "Buddy" and "Little Guy" and her
Mommy is tired of people commenting on her "cute Son". She may not
have words ... But now the shirt speaks for itself.

The Early Bird Sleeps In!

Brooke has always been an early riser (hence, the nickname "Early Bird"). For the most part I have accepted this and changed my schedule to adapt to hers. That doesnt mean it isnt painful, but it is something that I have come to terms with.

The last few days though, she has been getting up at 5:30 (instead of about 6). If she woke up chipper and moved through the day as usual, this might not be so bad ... but that isnt what is happening. She isnt getting enough sleep! She wakes up a bit cranky, and wants to take a nap not long after she gets up. This then screws up our entire schedule and day. I have had to put her down for three naps a few times in the past few days, and we dropped the third nap many months ago. Its like we are regressing back to the days when she was still a little baby :)

A the same time she started waking up (even) earlier, she also started sleeping worse during naptime. She would wake up at the sound of a pin dropping, and lots of crying would be involved. That is when we made the emergency sound machine purchase. It seems to be helping a bit, but with the shortness of nighttime sleep I think she is just screwed up all around. She ends up overtired for her naps and just isnt getting good sleep. I was desperate.

My husband kept telling me to put aluminum foil in her windows, to make her room darker. He said "people do it". What people???? I laughed off his suggestion for a few days, but yesterday after another early morning and screwed up naps I was about to lose it. "Put aluminum foil in her windows", he tells me again. "Are you serious?", I question. He assured me that it was up to me, but if I didnt want to go nutty it might be worth the try :) So I put aluminum foil in her windows last night before she went to bed ...



AND SHE SLEPT UNTIL 7:20 THIS MORNING.



Today just might be the best day of my life. (Sighs)

I Smell Trouble

Brooke curiously checks out Wrigleys toy basket ... While Wrigley
stands behind, anxiously watching.

Early Bird Eats Out For Breakfast

This morning the 530 wakeup was too much for Mommy. We packed up our
stuff and went directly to Starbucks so Brooke could people-watch and
dance to the groovy music (lots of jazz thus morning ... And she is
digging it!) while she eats her breakfast.

A Tribute To The Peanut's Cuteness

A Bit Nervous

Brooke's Mommy is trying a new exercise class this morning. (She
really liked the old one, but it has ended) We hope we like this one
too! Exercise is important ... But it has to be fun too. And Brooke
is generally the one to decide whether or not something is fun, so the
boss will provide her review later ;)

A Shoptastic Day!

I try not to do too much with Brooke in one day. I feel that her time should not be spent going from store to store, running errands, and sitting in her carseat. She should be playing, exploring and learning! We always have a fun "activity" every day, and I always try to do something productive every day. Today was all productive, but we managed to make it fun ;)

I needed to run to the bank this morning, which obviously is not the ideal place for a baby. In addition, its not likely she is ready to learn about finances or money management ... so we werent going to turn to trip into an educational one. The bank is not too far from Kohl's, where I needed to make a return. So we hit up Kohls first. She hasnt been there since she was a tiny baby, and this time she was big enough to sit in the cart. They have a very funky cart that is like a high-chair attached to a basket. She honestly thought it was the coolest thing in the entire world.

After Kohl's and the bank we went home for a nap, which met with some issues. Brooke has become a very light sleeper. By very light, I mean that we cannot talk or move (or breathe), have had to turn all of our phones almost to silent and turn the house into a graveyard at naptime. Unfortunately, Wrigley was not in on the plan. She decided she needed to yell at another dog for peeing on her tree ... and Brooke woke up. Her 1.5 hour nap turned into 30 minutes, and she was not happy.

We went to run another errand, walking up to pick up a race packet for a race I am running on Sunday. I thought the walk would do my cranky baby some good, and it did. We then met my friend Emily (and Brooke's friend Owen) for lunch and followed lunch with a trip to Target to buy a sound machine (I have heard that babies who are sensitive to household noise do better with these). At Target she sat in the shopping cart, and it actually was her first time to do so! We always walk to stores (she is in her stroller) or go as a family (she is in her Ergo carrier or stroller) and I actually have yet to put her into a shopping cart. As you can tell, it was even more awesome than the Kohl's trip!

As you can see, she appears to have adopted a "shopping cart pose", since the Target and Kohl's pic are almost the same :) My mom asked me if I was teaching her to shop, and mentioned that she seems to like it. Honestly, I think Brooke was born a shopper. There is no training or education needed!

Now it is naptime again. Brooke is testing out napping to a waterfall (must be nice). The dog just barked (stop peeing on her tree!!!!) and Brooke is still sleeping. Dont know if the sound machine helped with that or not, but we will be testing out this new toy over the next few days to see what happens.

Riding Big Kid Style

Future Aspirations

Brooke has been working on her skills so she can be in the next version of this.

Dreaming Big...

Brooke spends some time watching Daddy get his haircut. Someday the
roles will be reversed :)

Early Bird Demonstrates Her Inner Daredevil

Brooke is better at crawling, but she definitely hasnt mastered it. Just crawling forward a little over a week ago, she still topples over and gets stuck on occasion. She has gotten faster, and the dog has been doing a lot of scattering as a silly, screaming, smiling baby insists on attacking her each time she decides to lay down. She has also gotten more confident, moving from crawling to pulling herself up on objects and walking around (aka: cruising) as she holds onto things (like the couch, ottoman, or legs!).

This morning she tried a new trick. She pulled up on my legs, stood up, released one hand ... AND THEN THE OTHER. The baby that has just learned to crawl and is not yet 9 1/2 months, decided that she can STAND UNSUPPORTED and was successful at it for about 5 seconds.

You hear the term "baby steps" all of the time. My understanding means that you take one-small-step-at-a-time. The terms origin is in the fact that babies do this ... they slowly go from one stage to another, each milestone is one of many towards the completion of a larger task. They take one tiny step followed by another. For instance, Brooke has been babbling for months. Then she would put some letters together. Then she would say words but not actually associate them with anything. Now she occasionally says a word with association. I do not think it means that a baby should learn to crawl and then try to walk within a week span. Brooke has no limits. No boundaries. No fear.

As her Mommy ... I think I have enough fear for the both of us :) Where did this little daredevil come from?????????????????????

Teething & Talking

One of Brooke's top front teeth is making its grand entrance. She is definitely feeling it and has been gnawing on everything (including her own limbs) but actually seems to be handling it better than she did the bottom teeth ... so far at least! It looks like the second one is just behind this one so we have a delicate few days ahead.

Brooke has always been a babbler, but now there are a couple of words I can make out. She says "more" for sure. I am pretty sure she says "uh oh" and occasionally she says "mama" (and actually means it).

It seems like every day lately we have some sort of new development. It is hard to keep up with all of her changes!

Enjoying Her Morning Latte

The Zoo

Brooke went to the zoo today. As usual, her favorite thing was the bubbling water in front of the giraffe habitat. But she also took special interest in other aquatic things ... fish!

More On Babies & TV

There is always something out there regarding the influence television has on babies. A new research projects suggests that even background TV may delay infants speech.

Essentially, it appears that while a television is on both the parent and child/baby speak less. Thus, there are less words exchanged and less interaction. This in turn impacts the child's speech development.

Makes sense to me! Thats just one of the many reasons we dont have the TV on for Brooke :)

9 Months!

Weight:22 lbs 3 oz
Height:29 inches
Brooke went to the doctor on Monday for her 9 month appointment. The doctor said we are doing great and to "keep doing whatever you are doing". So that we will!

According to What to Expect the First Year, at 9 months Brooke...

should be able to

• work to get a toy that's out of reach X
• look for dropped object X

will probably be able to

• pull up to a standing position from sitting
• creep or crawl X
• get into a sitting position from stomach X
• object if you try to take a toy away X
• stand holding on to someone or something X
• pick up tiny object with any part of thumb and finger X
• say "mama" or "dada", indiscriminanately X
• play peekaboo X

may possibly be able to

• play patty-cake (clap hands) or wave bye-bye CLAP & WAVE
• walk holding on to furniture (cruise)
• understand "no" (but not always obey it)

may even be able to

• "play ball" (roll ball back to you)
• drink from a cup independently X
• pick up a tiny object neatly with tips of thumb and forefinger X
• stand alone momentarily
• stand alone well
• say "dada" or "mama" discriminately
• say one word other than "mama" or "dada"
• respond to a one-step command with gestures ("Give that to me," said with hand out)

X means Brooke can do this at 9 months