What She's Doing

Brooke has a host of new "tricks" that I guess I should mention (since I have yet to do so).

She is into peek-a-boo, putting items of clothing on her head. But it doesnt stop there. She also puts toys, books, and food on her head. Anything and everything goes on the head. Here she is in a restaurant, putting the menu on her head.

We have a new word: "Bye". The interesting thing about Brooke is that she picks up a new word and says it for about a week. Then she just drops it. We dont know for sure if she is storing words in her vocabulary or not, since she only uses them for a week. The only word she consistently uses/repeats is "more". And she sure says that an awful lot.

She also has become very firm about what she does and does not want to eat. If she doesnt want to eat something, it is promptly thrown onto the floor. While the dog truly appreaciates this, its it becoming a bit frustrating. Especially because she changes the items she is willing to eat on a meal-by-meal basis. She has a few true favorites that have yet to change: asparagus and cheese. Everything else is unknown until we put it down on her tray to find out what she will do!

Brooke is doing a lot of standing, and a lot of cruising, but only a little bit of walking. The most she will take is about 3 steps, but she is definitely on her way!

Table Manners Lesson = FAIL

As Brooke approaches her 1st birthday, we are aware that we need to start working on moving her from "baby" to "toddler". Some of this naturally occurs on its own, but there are other things that we need to actually teach her. One of these things I gave a shot at this morning - table manners. As a baby Brooke can eat off her high chair with her hands, but eventually she needs to use dishes and silverware. We give her a spoon every-once-in-a-while so that she can get the feel of it. She can occasionally put food (that we put on the spoon for her) into her mouth, but more often it ends up on the walls or back in our faces. Still, its good practice.

We decided the other day that she needed some practice at eating out of a bowl (or off of a plate). I have a few bowls with suction cup bottoms, a great starter for a baby that likes to throw things. So this morning I put all of her fruit into the bowl, and then stuck it to her high chair. Things started off great!

Unfortunately (and this was mostly my fault) things went down hill from there. Brooke's high chair has a nice feature - a double layer tray. The tray has two parts so that you can remove one and use the one underneath it. So when the top one is dirty, there is still another surface to eat from. The problem is that this top layer just sort of rests on the bottom layer. It comes off quite easy, which has not been a problem ... until now.

I then removed the top layer and stuck the bowl onto the bottom part ...
the actual high-chair tray that is firmly attached to the high-chair seat.
Problem solved, right?
Well ... it appears that no silly little suction cup can deter my little muscle girl.
After a little bit of work she simply pulled the bowl right off the tray,
and proceeded to dump all of its contents on the tray and the floor.

After making her mommy look like an idiot, Brooke removed her bib
and clearly indicated that breakfast was over.

If Brooke Is Going To Be An Internet Sensation...

She has got to work on her moves. There are a lot of babies out there shaking it on YouTube ;) Whats up with none of these kids having any clothes on? Maybe it frees up their dances moves? We are going to have to try that method...

Hard At Play

I took Brooke back to the Family Grounds Cafe yesterday and snapped some cute pics. Thought I would share :)

Spent some time playing with trucks and the train set again

But this time she spent a lot of time in a play house ... equipped with baby dolls, dress up clothes and a kitchen!

Brooke even made a new little friend, who was just as excited about all of the fun girly stuff as she was ;)

If she's gonna feed the dog from her high chair...

She better work on her aim.

Brooke Eats Healthier Than Me? I Sure Hope So!

We (Jeff and I) admitidly have poor eating habits. We want to eat better, but we think about it more than we act on it. A new baby in the family was a sign for us to start changing things, so we could have a happy, healthy family. We want Brooke to have a healthy relationship with food, to make wise choices, and to understand the value of all of the items on the food pyramid (not just the junk food pyramid). Unfortunately, while we have been good about providing Brooke a healthy and varied menu ... we have yet to make the changes ourselves. And we are not alone! According to a recent poll at parenting.com, 73% of parents admit their kids eat healthier foods than they do. Whoops!

So what is the big deal? Well, the good news is that, according to recent research, babies are being fed better than ever before. The bad news is that this trend does not continue as a baby grows in to a toddler ... parents do not seem to know or understand how to prevent toddlers from picking up poor eating habits. Most toddlers are not getting the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day. One of the biggest problems? FRENCH FRIES!

Here are some crazy stats I found surfing around:

• French fries are one of the three most common vegetables eaten by 9-11 month old babies
• French fries are the most common vegetable for babies 15+ months
• 26% of children in that recent study eat French fries at least once a day.
• The majority of babies and toddlers over 8 months old had at least one dessert or sweetened drink every day
• And a different survey indicates that by age 2, 1 in 5 toddlers is eating candy every day
• 60% of toddlers (2+ years) eat some kind of pastry every day

Right now its important to provide the nutrition that Brooke needs and give her a variety of foods. Research indicates that the avoidance of fruits and vegetables in older children (and even adults) most likely originates in life experiences before two years of age. And ... that early and repeated exposure to a variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables, has been shown to increase children’s liking for them.

So, what is my point? I guess we have made it our mission to avoid the bad foods (like fries and desserts) with Brooke. We are not planning on keeping her in a bubble ... but for now we hope to provide her with experiences that will help her become someone who embraces all food - veggies and fruits included ;) When she gets older we can teach her about moderation, at which point she can hopefully understand the role of "junk food" in her diet.

And what is she eating now? Last night she had brussel sprouts and corn for the first time. She wasnt a fan. BUT, it can take 8-15 times until a new food is "familiar" and thus accepted. So though she didnt like them, she will be getting them again :) She rejected strawberries initially, but now loves them. I just have to give her a chance and she is going to grow up to be a foodie. Now, what to do about myself ... I have no idea.






This is a real ad that was printed in 1971! In case the words on this ad are too small for you to read (which I assume they are), here they are: "For a better start in life start COLA earlier!How Soon Is Too Soon? Not soon enough. Laboratory tests over the last few years have proven that babies who start drinking soda during that early formative period have a much higher chance of gaining acceptance and 'fitting in' during those awkward pre-teen and teen years. So, do yourself a favor. Do your child a favor. Start them on a strict regimen of sodas and other sugary carbonated beverages right now, for a lifetime of guaranteed happiness. - Promotes active lifestyle! - Boosts personality! - Gives body essential sugars!"

Practicing ...

Mission Accomplished

Brooke made it to the top of the stairs today! She doesnt have regular access to stairs in our house (thanks to all of the baby gates), but I do bring her to them every now and then for practice. Since her previous attempt she really hasnt had any interest in climbing them. She might go up a stair or two, but then she decides that she doesnt want to do it anymore (pretty typical of her behavior in general lately ... things only keep her interest for a span of a few seconds). Tonight was a different story. She crawled over to the staircase with a look of determination, so I let her climb. And she never looked back ;)

Sharing Is A Good Thing, Right?

Brooke is all about sharing lately. Unfortunately, she isnt doing that sharing with us ... she likes to share with the dog.

This one is my fault. Since the ball incident I have been working with both Wrigley and Brooke. I have encourage Brooke to "throw" the ball to Wrigley so that Wrigley understands that she doesnt want to keep it, only to play. And I congratulate and reward Wrigley each time she fetches a ball from Brooke, and more importantly ... allows Brooke to snatch a ball away from her. It has gotten much better, a bit too good I guess ...
This one is all Brooke. She likes to feed Wrigley from her high chair, and Wrigley truly appreciates it. We havent been doing anything about it hoping this new trick will just fade on its own. If we laugh, it will encourage her. If we tell her "no", she might just do it to spite us. So far ignoring it hasn't been working ... but we will see.

Busy First Day Of School

Today was the first day of Brooke's new class. She must have been excited, because she woke up an hour early this morning, at 5:45. Technically, it wasnt a bad thing. I wasnt too sure how long it would take to get there, or what the parking lot would look like, so I hoped to leave early anyway.

There was another perk to her early wake-up ... enough time to go to Starbucks! (seriously, why dont they just give me a job already? I think I have proved my loyalty and pretty much do all of their word-of-mouth advertising. But, I digress...) We went to a Starbucks Brooke has never been to before, and I have never seen her so excited. They had these green chairs (the ones at our are purple) and Brooke spent about 5 minutes jumping on one. She also really appreciated the wall decor and spent some time "reading".

Brooke finds inspiration at Starbucks

From the moment we entered the classroom until the moment we left, Brooke was wearing her "Dora the Explorer" hat ;) There wasnt an item in that room left untouched! It was the perfect thing for us because the toys at home are getting a bit old and familiar for her - this classroom is filled with things for her to see and touch, and more than she could get through in one day.

At the end, the instructor wanted to sing some songs. Brooke did not think this was appropriate and wanted to continue to play with all of the cool toys. So while the other kids and mommies sang songs, Brooke layed flat on the floor and made weird noises on the carpet. Oh well.







Brooke was quite tired after class. I guess waking up an hour early and then playing with a bunch of new toys can be very exhausing. She could barely stay awake for the ride home and her Mommy had to keep talking to her to ensure nap would be taken in the crib versus the car. She passed out as soon as we did get home and took a nice long nap.

We can't wait to go back next week!








I felt bad that Brooke's playtime was "ruined" with song-singing this morning, so this afternoon we went to a new coffee shop called Family Grounds. I know, it doesnt sound like I was thinking of Brooke with this outing, but I swear I was! If you look at the website, this coffee shop was built with kids in mind. Brooke and I got there and ate lunch, then it was time for more exploring. Brooke was all over the place like frosting on cake. I couldnt even take pictures cuz the kid was crawling so fast. You can see what I mean...

Try and catch me if you can!

And while we were there Brooke found a new obsession ... a train set! She didnt totally get the concept and did a lot of train throwing, but she couldnt keep away from it. It's definitely a toy for a little-bit-bigger-engineer, but enthralling nonetheless. Future engineer

It's Always Something

Brooke popped up with a rash today. I'm not a doctor, but I think we
have got a case of roseola here!

Besides the rash, one of the big indicators of roseola is a high fever preceding the rash for a few days. Just google "fever followed by rash" ahd you will see how I came up with my diagnosis ;)

I actually changed the picture to one that shows the rash better ... I think? The issue is that on my phone its a much better picture, but when I look at it on my laptop I cant see the rash. I think its my laptop resolution but I'm not sure. Perhaps none of you can even see it anyway?

Babble Best: Sippy Cups

There are a lot of things that happen around the magical 1 year mark. First, a whole new variety of foods that were previously not allowed become options. She can have citrus (like oranges), honey, nuts (like peanut butter), shellfish and berries (raspberry & strawberry). Second, Brooke will move from formula to cows milk. She has already begun this process ... each week we change the blend of her "milk". Right now its about 60% cows milk and 40% formula. By her birthday it will be 100% cow milk. Which gets me to the third change - the sippy cup. Most pediatricians recommend that after age 1 that a baby get all beverages in a sippy cup versus a bottle. (More on the sippy cup transition) Brooke has been "off the bottle" for a while now, but we still have some issues with sippy cups. This article, Babble Best: Sippy Cups has some pretty helpful information when it comes to the different types/kinds of sippy cups out there.

I have to admit, even though the article has a lot of information, we actually do not use anything on the list (or on the top rated/purchased lists from below). Brooke uses the "Nuby Mega Straw Sipper".
The main reason I went with this one is because the traditional sippy cup gets some bad press. There are two potential problems 1) possible speech development delays (issues with teeth and tongue) and 2) tooth decay. Most suggest that the straw will avoid some of those issues. In addition, putting kids on a sippy cup still requires one more transition, whereas a straw will be used for the years to come. More on the "sippy cup syndrome".

Oh No, Not Again!

Not sleeping well, glassy eyes and refusing to eat. Actually, she
WILL eat. Gerber yogurt melts: all sugar and pretty much no
nutritional value (yes, takes after her mommy).

Well, looks like we will be spending some more sick time bonding on
the couch ...

Daddy Gets A Haircut

Daddy got another haircut while Brooke watched. Poor Brooke! It still will be quite a while until she sits in that chair, but until then ... she sure does enjoy watching Daddy :)

Daddy is getting a haircut! Its about time!

Hey Lady! I think you missed a piece...

This is taking too long. I think I'll catch up on some reading.

Done already? Where to now?

Brooke HAS Class

Tonight I go to an orientation (yes, fancy) for a new class Brooke will be starting next week. Its a Parent/Infant program at a Montessori school. She has spent the past few weeks tearing up the house and needs some constructive learning time (if she is going to get into an Ivy-League college and all).

I am also looking to sign up for a fun class for the winter (in addition to this educational one). We are considering another session of swimming, a music & movement class (not Wiggleworms, a different one) or a "gym" that teaches physical development and movement.

It's tough to be Brooke. She has a very hectic life.

Stroller Yoga

She Does Her Best Work Without Pants

Brooke likes to do her composing either first thing in the morning, or last thing at night. Both times she generally is not wearing any pants. She must need little restriction to get those creative juices flowing. Go figure ...

Walkin' & Talkin'

Brooke has been all about walking lately. She wants to walk all over the house holding onto our hands, and my aching back is proof of it. Today she took a few steps on her own ... without holding onto us. I dont think she really realized she did it (or the importance of what she did), but do expect her to be walking in the next few weeks (by her 1st birthday, for sure).

She also appears to have a new word: "eyes". We can point to a doll/animal and say "eyes" and she repeats us.

One more trick she has picked up. We have a box of Pampers on the floor that she likes to play with. On it, there is a tiny picture of Elmo and a much larger picture of a baby crawling. We can ask here "Where is Elmo" or "Where is the baby" and she will point to the right one. What a smarty ;)

Lunch With Daddy

Just got home from having lunch with Daddy downtown. Brooke tried
fish for the 1st time (didn't hate it, didn't love it) and then got to
go to Daddy's office and say hello to lots if people. She generally
gets pretty shy when surrounded by new people, but she warmed up
pretty quickly today.

As soon as her excitement wears off it's naptime!

The Votes Have Been Tallied

Got it a size up since she doesn't have anywhere to wear it. After
all the pondering I didn't want her to outgrow it without ever getting
the chance to show it off :)

Favorite Mode of Transportation?

Why, backpack of course!

Brooke spends a lot of time in her Ergobaby carrier. Babies can ride on the front, on your hip, or on your back. Her new favorite is the backpack carry ... which I really enjoy too. When she is on my back, it frees up both of my hands and give me more mobility. (On the front, she tries to grab my coffee cup each time I raise it to my lips)
In addition, she just looks adorable in it.

Sorry about the scar face. Again, I swear, it's not as bad as it looks ;)

I Need Some Opinions

Did a bit of shopping and hemmed and hawed over whether or not this dress was cute. Brooke doesnt wear very many dresses. A lot of this is due to the amount of time she spends on the floor and the rough-and-tumble-nature she seems to possess. This dress is corderoy and should last through the winter. I thought it would work with tights or a pair of pants underneath. But the leopard print with the pink trim? Something about it made me really like it ... but another something about it made me think it was a bit ugly.

Since my mind is obviously playing tricks on me, I'm gonna need your opinion. Please vote. Brooke's fate is in your hands.

Is this a cute dress?

Yes

No

Other

Please Specify:

ugg boots

11 Months Old :)

Weight:23.6 lbs
Height:30.5 inches
With these current measurements, Brooke is in the 89th percentile for weight and 93rd percentile for height (according to this growth percentile calculator)

According to What to Expect the First Year, at 11 months Brooke...

should be able to

• get into a sitting position from stomach X
• pick up tiny object with any part of thumb and finger X
• understand "no" (but not always obey it)X

will probably be able to

• play patty-cake (clap hands) or wave bye-bye X
• walk holding on to furniture (cruise) X
• point or gesture to something to get needs met for the most part

may possibly be able to

• pick up a tiny object neatly with tips of thumb and forefinger X
• stand alone momentarilyX
• say "dada" or "mama" discriminatelyX
• say one word other than "mama" or "dada" X

may even be able to

• stand alone well
• indicate wants in ways other than crying X
• "play ball" (roll ball back to you) throws ball back!
• drink from a cup independently X
• use immature jargoning (gibberish that sounds as if baby is talking in a made-up foreign language) X
• say three ore more words other than "mama" or "dada" X
• respond to a one-step command with gestures ("Give that to me," said with hand out)
• walk well

X means Brooke can do this at 11months

It's Not As Bad As It Looks

First thing this morning Brooke yanked in the power cord for her white
noise machine, pulling it off the shelf ... And hitting herself in the
face with it.

She won't let me touch it and I don't want to get her upset again :).
I'm waiting until breakfast and then I'll clean it up while she is
distracted by bananas.

Its just a surface scratch, but when you add up the past few days
they have been a bit traumatic. Regardless of all of these injuries
she continues to live her no-fear lifestyle.

I'm not sure where she gets it since both if her parents are pretty
big chickens ...