Happy 10 monthday!!! & NJ trip

Happy 10 month birthday Brooks!

Each month I say it and each month has been true- but this is my favorite age and you are so much fun!
At 10 months old you
* eat everything- I would say right now your favorite is fresh blackberries (I however am not a fan of all the purple staining of clothes and skin)
* CRAWL!!! You only started 3 days ago, but you are already scooting all over the place to get what you want. It is time to seriously babyproof. Just this morning I turned around for a second and you moved 5 feet and pulled yourself to standing on the glass coffee table.
* babble- A LOT. I don't think you really have words yet, but you love to say Bop, do lots of bababa'ing, and like the p sound. You also do m, g, k,
* Walk with assistance- you like pushing your table around and are a pro with the walker
* Still get up once a night- although twice in the last month you slept straight through 8-7. Hopefully it is soon!
* Are still nursing- it may embarrass you to read this someday, but I don't care- I am proud of us! 2 more months and you get cow's milk!
* Are really starting to show your likes and dislikes with facial expressions and grunts
* Love drumming- banging things with your hands is your most favorite thing to do
* Have a 1 tooth gummy grin- it is so cute! Most babies get the 2nd tooth pretty soon after the first, but I am glad you didn't- the smile is adorable :)
* you LOVE to be outside- when you are crabby that helps cheer you up- even looking out the window helps
* Are obsessed with Ming's food & water bowls- now that you are crawling we are going to have to move them
* Always look at me and how I react before reacting to strangers
* Have a goofy grin that involves scrunching up your face- it is silly and adorable
* Still like everything we own better than your toys
* Are really into imitation- you like to tilt your head, then watch us, then go the other way and repeat. You like to open and close your mouth if we do, blow raspberries if we do, and so on.
* things that are sure to get a smile are Peekaboo and singing The Wheels on the Bus
* you are really starting to notice and interact with other babies when we see them
* you have a great sense of anticipation- Daddy always throws you in the air when he gets home. One time when he didn't and put you right down you went into hysterics until he picked you up and threw you.
* You enjoy being read to much more lately. It used to be the same 2 books- but now you are up for everyting and like to flip the pages yourself. (although I think you like flipping the pages more than anything- you love to flip things open and shut and get impatient if there are too many words on a page)
* wave hi & bye and are starting to sometimes clap- we are working on it!


Monthly Pictures!

Here is your monthly chair pic!


Now normally I take and post a bunch of cute shots- however this month it was impossible to do so because you kept doing this:


So here are 2 other shots, but that's it!



And of course- your montly monkey comparison pictures!

1 month:

5 months:

10 months:

And again- normally I take a bunch of cute shots- but here is a photo tutorial of how taking the pics this month went!




So I thought maybe if I sat you in your glider I could get some good shots, but you just got mad


And tried to get away


Happy 10 months sweet boy!




Saturday Brooks and I went up to North Jersey to watch Uncle Griff play lacrosse. It was supposed to be a big family picnic but the weather forecast was terrible. On Saturday morning when we checked the weather and found out it wasn't supposed to pour as predicted B and I headed up because we wanted to make sure we got to a game this season. Griffin played great and B surprised everyone with a team shirt with Uncle G's number on it! It was super cold though and he got antsy- but we grabbed an impromptu lunch before hitting the road and he was great (surprisingly).

Uncle G's #1 fan!



Watching the game!

Go Chiefs Go!


I love my Aunt Ali!



And my favorite 1 toothed grin!

EPIC event!

Normally I do not post 2 days in a row- but look what someone started to do today!

checking in

Sheesh... I have barely had a minute here and there because we have been so busy. Last Thursday Brooks had a scary incident at breakfast- I *think* his waffle got caught in his throat or something, but he turned red and completely flipped out during breakfast. He cried pretty much immediately, so I don't think he actually reached the choking point- but something happened. I did throw him over my arm and pound on his back a la baby heimlich, and I swept his mouth and got some mucusy waffle. But for 30 minutes straight he did not want to be put down and was just a mess. Then for 3 straight days he was miserable, waking at night, cranky, etc. I think maybe he was sore and the waffle scratched him? (it did have a bit of a burnt edge). I don't know. All i know is that today my baby was finally back to himself, and it makes me feel so much better.

And of course- pictures.

This week- Ming & B are well on their way to becoming BFF's




Today was the Phillies Home Opener- so he got to wear a batting helmet in honor of this at playgroup :)



We also have been enjoying the great outdoors- if this picture does not capture pure joy I don't know what does. The 2nd picture not so much joy- but it cracks me up!



Give him a bag full of toys (I was cleaning out his toy bag- my house normally is not this overwhelmed by baby stuff) he would still rather play with kitchen equiptment





He has 2 working grins- his normal big smile he got from daddy, and then a closed smile where he scrunches his nose and just looks adorably silly

And today we went to meet my friend's new baby- Zoey. Zoey is 2.5 weeks old and she is bigger than Brooks was when he was born- which is crazy because she felt like air to hold and look at him next to her!

Did you know

Gum is funny?



In other news- we went to the Dr. on Tuesday to follow up on B's ear infection- all clear and he weighed in at 20lb 3oz. He was a champ with his shot- no tears at all!
We have been enjoying the weather still :)


We got a new floor mat for B- I LOVE it b/c it makes our living room still look like a grownup room, but protects him from falling on the hardwoods since he is pulling himself up to standing every time I turn my back.

And I think we should sign B up for yoga!

Hoppy Easter!

Brooks had a wonderful first Easter. We got up Easter morning and hit the road for his morning nap to my parents. We went to church- where he did great. I am very thankful for the 2 girls (age 4&7 maybe) behind us- he was thoroughly entertained by them and he kept them entertained too. It was probably comical if you watched because if you tilt your head, he tilts his, so them and their mom were slow mo tilting their heads back and forth and he was imitating. He also let out a nice belch during the prayers- it was kind of funny.
Later we tried to take some nice pics of him on the lawn- I am going to dress him up again and have another go because the sun made it either way overexposed or too shadowy. He took an almost 2 hr afternoon nap while my Ali & Dave and his brother & girlfriend and mother came to have a big Easter dinner at my parents. Then we just had a nice family day and a delicious big lamb dinner.
At church:

The best family shot we got- blech



With his Easter basket in his handsome outfit :)






We had an outfit change later just to be comfortable. He enjoyed playing outside since it was such a beautiful day.








And I didn't get pictures with all the family and am kicking myself- we whipped the camera out shortly before leaving to get a few. If I had you would have seen Ali and I wore the same outfit pretty much- it was funny :)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Eric's Birthday was Monday and we enjoyed a nice family dinner with presents and cupcakes. Daddy even sneaked B a piece of cupcake :)




B has mastered moving around in his walker- yet only likes to walk to Ming's bowls and try to get them


And the weather has turned to Spring so we have been enjoying lots of time in the park :)






Watching Ming play frisbee is funny





Tomorrow is B's first Easter- should be a great day with family!