Sunday, January 16, 2011

Friday, January 14, 2011

I don't want to forget...

I feel like if I don't write this stuff down I'll never remember all the cute things Brooks is saying these days:

"Mommy. Mommy. Mom. Maaamaa! Mommy. MOM! Mommyyyyy!" He had to have said my name at least 100 times on our way home from church the other day.

The other day we were just hanging out in his room. He looked at me and in the cutest voice said, "You're my best friend mom!" Oh, I just melted.

Me: "Brooks don't you want to go teetee on the big boy potty?"
Brooks: "Naaa!"

Brooks' new favorite game is to tell us to lay down and sleep (a pretty good game if you ask me). The other day he was playing this game with Chad. Chad was trying to get up and Brooks kept saying, "No Dad! I tell you to lay down!" He's quite demanding.

When we wrestle with Brooks it's obvious when he's had enough: "No! Stop everybody!"

Chad: "What are you doing, bud?"
Brooks: "I'm doing stuff."

Brooks was acting silly at the dinner table and Chad called him a dork. Brooks said, "No, Dad. I not a dork! I a big boy!"

I've mentioned that he loves to sing songs, but he has gotten better at making up random songs for everything. He kind of reminds me of a walking musical. The other night he was singing, "I want an olive please, mom. I want an olive please, mom, please."


My little boy...such a great combination of silliness and sweetness.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Oh girl!

I love to nuzzle my face up against her cheeks. They may be small...but they are so adorable.

I love putting bows in her hair...everyday. Okay, so this bow was just for fun, and just for this picture. It's so big on her little head - it cracks me up!

I love that over Christmas she wore her first little dress with tights. I've been waiting to see her in tights. In my opinion there's nothing cuter than a little girl with tights and a dress.

I love how she holds her head up to look around. Her adorable little tongue sticking out is pretty darn cute, too. And check out those BRIGHT blue eyes.
Man - she's so stinking cute!

I love her smile. She is smiling more everyday and completely loves interacting with us. She has this funny smile where she opens her whole mouth.

And then she has this funny smile out of the side of her mouth.

I have to say...I love the pink! I never thought I would. I guess as long as it's not on me it's okay.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

No White Christmas Here!

After spending Christmas Day in Austin, we traveled down South to Corpus to be with The Hoffman Crew.
Brooks had 4 cousins, 2 grandparents, 2 aunts, 2 uncles, mom, dad, and sister to play with all under one roof.
Brooks (2 1/2), Brodie (4 1/2), Megan (almost 5), Delaney (2 months), Dawson (7 1/2), Bryan (7 1/2)

Delaney loved hanging out with her Aunt Jill.

This was a popular nighttime activity.

And this was a popular daytime activity.

And on the last day...some mini golf with Brodie!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Christmas Memories 2010

All ready for Christmas Eve service.


Christmas Eve service and Brooks was super excited to hold the candle.

Hanging out on Christmas Eve with our precious little girl.


Santa was here!

The best present under the tree this year was definitely our little peanut.

Brooks on his bike for the first time. Okay, so he can't reach the pedals, but he'll grow into it.

Opening presents was so fun this year. Brooks was totally into it. He loved his dump truck!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Christmas in the Kitchen

Between cooking meals, baking cookies for Santa, and making a birthday cake for Jesus - we were in the kitchen a lot. Brooks had a great time helping out!

Our family cookie tradition is making cookies with the cookie press. We make all sorts of shapes, color the dough and add sprinkles. In my opinion - they are the BEST cookies!

Brooks and Gammy were getting pretty excited to eat some cookies!

Can you tell which cookie Brooks sprinkled all by himself?

Making a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Day.

And like every good baker...Brooks licked the batter off the beaters.


P.S. Brooks got that hat in the last box of his advent calendar. I knew he'd love it. He wore it all day.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Milestones

This month Brooks is 2 1/2 years old and little Miss Delaney is 2 months old.

Brooks
Approximately 32lbs and 39inches tall
*He is a big boy but still not big enough to be going potty in the big boy potty. He's gone a couple of times, but nothing consistent. I ask him all of the time if he wants to go on the potty and he always responds, "No, mom. I don't wanna go teetee on big boy potty!" I would like to say that he responds in a nice voice, but most of the time he uses a loud voice. (We're working on voice control.)
*Brooks loves to eat just about everything from chicken nuggets to salmon.
*He loves to sing! He even takes a tune for a song and changes the words. For example, he likes the song "Where is Thumbkin" and he'll switch out the words to: "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy..." (You get the idea)
*He has a wonderful imagination. He is constantly playing with his toys and role-playing with them. His toys usually like to go to baseball games together or go see movies together. Which brings me to the next thing...
*Brooks loves to watch movies. CARS and TOY STORY are his current favorites.
*He gets really upset when he gets caught doing something wrong.
*When we go to the park, he'd rather spend that time exploring the woods surrounding the park then sliding or swinging.
*He loves to collect acorns.
*He's silly.
*He's a good cleaner. He doesn't argue when I ask him to clean up his toys. And the other day he was playing pretend and was using a cup to "clean up the dirt" (it kind of looked like he was using the cup as a dustpan)
*He's becoming more interested in throwing balls. He doesn't like any organized games - he'd rather just throw all of the balls out of his basket and then go clean them up.
*His teacher constantly compliments him on what a good helper he is. He is generally a very helpful/caring person. He is always willing to help me with Laney. Although now some times he's too busy taking care of his own baby: Baby Aubree (picture below)
*He's a sweet boy. He gives hugs and kisses, tells us he loves us, and loves to cuddle at bedtime. He especially enjoys scratching his daddy to sleep when they lay down together.




Delaney:
8 lbs (She's still below the charts for her weight)
22 inches (45%)!!!!
*Looks like we have another tall and skinny child on our hands.
*She started interacting more by smiling at us.
*She's learning that she has a voice. She recently starting those loud cooing sounds.
*She wakes up around 6:00ish to start her day. She eats, stays up to play a little bit, and naps between 1.5-2 hours (REPEAT). This goes on until about 10:00ish when we give her a bath and then she eats again around 10:30. Yes - that's right...she sleeps about 7 hours each night!
*She's kind of grumpy at night. We're still working on a schedule between 6-10.
*She's a good eater. Considering that she dropped down to 4lbs in the NICU, she's actually doubled her birth weight in just 2 months!
*There is nothing "lady-like" about this little girl. She burps as loud as her dad and you can hear her toots across the room. She makes us laugh.
*Brooks was a projectile spitter, Laney is not (thank goodness). In fact, she hardly spits at all.
*Laney likes bath time, but she does not like the being naked part before and after.