Happy Halloween

This is what it looks like...

For those of you wondering what moms mean when they say that their baby pooped up their back, this is what it looks like:

umm...rice cereal

Brooks has had a cold for about 2 weeks now. He is snooty and has a bit of a cough that comes and goes. The doctor said that his acid reflux causes his cold to stick around longer, and his cold causes his acid reflux to flare up. She suggested trying some rice cereal for breakfast (I forget how it's supposed to help). So this morning Brooks had some delicious breastmilk that we eventually followed with some rice cereal. I don't even know how much he actually ate. It seemed like he just spit most of the cereal back out of his mouth. I wish I could've gotten a picture of his face as he was eating it - he was not necessarily enjoying it. I did let him use the spoon all by himself though, and he seemed to enjoy that. It just made a bigger mess of course, but I think that is all a part of the experience. We'll keep trying it for a week or so and see if he learns to like it.

Who needs a Bumbo?!

Brooks has actually been practicing sitting up on his own. He is still pretty wobbly, and I have to keep him from falling over a lot. I let him fall over once on his own, and he cried. I think he got scared - so now I just cushion his fall a bit. He is growing up so fast!

4 months old

Brooks had his 4 month doctors visit yesterday. He weighed in at 11lbs 13oz, and was 24 1/2 inches long. He jumped from the 3% to the 25%-50%! She said he is growing very well, especially in his length. The doctor described Brooks as being long and slim...wonder where he gets that?! There was a lot of excitement that came from the doctors visit. The last time she thought Brooks was about a month behind developmentally, and this time she said he was a very typical 4 month old. I asked her about teeth, and she said it would be early to see any teeth. But, sure enough...she did see some little buds in his gums on the bottom. No wonder he is drooling and sucking on everything!
Overall, it was very comforting to know that Brooks is doing so well.
Here is his latest picture in the chair, taken yesterday (his 4 month birthday). I went ahead and put some Halloween gear on for this month. He is getting so big in the chair! You can see how he is trying to sit up, but eventually he toppled over.

Fall Colors

Fall is one of my favorite times in Colorado. Unlike Texas, we actually have four distinct seasons. Fall here is full of cool days and even cooler nights. In the city the leaves range from yellow to orange to red. It is a beautiful site driving down the neighborhood streets and seeing all the leaves falling, and all the kids playing in the piles on their front lawns. We happen to have a small tree in our backyard that has beautiful red leaves. The pictures don't even capture how red the leaves really are, but it will give you an idea. We should be getting our first snow in the city soon, and then the leaves will fall off completely. We are just trying to enjoy the fall colors while they last.

Play Time

Brooks doesn't have a real good play mat that he can lay on where everything hangs down in his face. So instead we just lay him on his back on a blanket. Since he was totally tiny I've been introducing him to toys and books. I'll lay some down next to him on his blanket or dangle them in his face. Just a week or two ago he became interested in the toys. He'll now grab at them and put them in his mouth. His "favorite toys" are just those rings that hook together. They are real easy for him to grab and play with. Last week I introduced him to this bug/butterfly thing that lights up and plays music. The wings on the bug have that crinkle material, and he seemed to like that. He grabbed the bug and played with the wings and put it in his mouth. I know it seems dumb, but every small milestone is big to me. Brooks seems to be about a month behind in development and growth, so I love to see him learning new things. He can also hold his head up real well while on his tummy, and he can roll from his tummy to his back. He smiles and laughs (I'm still working on a video of him laughing), and he really seems to enjoy interacting with people. I'm looking forward to our 4 month doctors visit tomorrow to see what she thinks about his growth...I'm not looking forward to his shots though.

Sitting up in the Bumbo

So, Brooks has been practicing sitting up on the floor (with the help of Mommy and Daddy of course). I thought I would try out the Bumbo. I couldn't wait to put him in the seat and bring him in the kitchen with me so he could watch me cook. I sat him in the seat and put it on top of the table, and I gave him some rings to play with and chew on. A couple of minutes later I looked up and he had spit up all over. I took him out and cleaned it up and then put him back in. Not two minutes later and he did it again. Well, this happened one more time before I decided that the Bumbo after a meal wasn't the smartest idea. I tried it again the other day (when I took this picture). I guess it doesn't matter how longer after he has eaten - he still pukes all over the place. Too bad, he seems to like it. He's not even bothered by the puking. This little guy is just the biggest puker that I know. He is constantly spitting up - and nobody is safe! It will be a good day when that little thing in his throat matures.

To see more pictures...

...go check out the "Our Family Photos" Link. I upload all our pictures on a shutterfly site, and then pick the best for the blog. But just in case you haven't gotten enough of my adorable little boy, I wanted to make sure you knew where you could go to get your fill. Ha.

The eyes of Texas are upon you...

The Longhorns came into town this weekend to play CU, and of course we were there to support the team (thanks Bryan). We had a great day! We spent some time in the foothills so we could capture the fall leaves, and then off to the game. Brooks watched the game from the comforts of the Baby Bjorn. He watched a little and then slept, and then woke up to eat and watch a little more. It's times like these that I really appreciate what a good baby Brooks is. He is so mellow and easy-going. He just hung out and had a great time. I can't count the number of people that pointed and commented on what an adorable baby we were carrying around. He did look pretty stinkin' cute!

Pumpkin Patch

While in Arlington, my mom and I took Brooks to a pumpkin patch. We thought about all the adorable pictures we could get of Brooks in the pumpkins. Well - Brooks had other plans. The poor little guy was so tired (and in baby world that translates into grumpy). We got a few shots before he seriously broke down. As soon as my mom finally picked him up - he fell asleep before we even got to the car. What a rough life?

Pictures from Texas

We were so lucky to get to see family while in Texas. We stayed with my mom and step-dad (Grandma and Pops). My dad and step-mom stopped by as well (Grandpa and Ladybug). Chad's family was also in the area so Aunt Jill and Brodie, Aunt Joy, and Birdie and Scoops all got to come hang out with us. Gosh - do you think Brooks will be spoiled at all with all those grandparents?!

High School Reunion

Alright, so it wasn't our "official" high school reunion, but some of the old gang got back together to hang out while I was visiting Texas. Jennifer and I have babies just a month apart, and it was really fun to see them together. Even though Mollie is a month younger than Brooks, she is actually a tad bit bigger. She was such a flirt when she and Brooks first met, but Brooks was more interested in Jen's watch. Brooks and I also took a little swim in the hot tub. He was so relaxed that I actually had a hard time keeping him awake. Look at how adorable he is with his swimsuit and hat! SO CUTE!