One Year

Where did this past year go?!? My sweet squishy baby is now one year old (plus a week or two…) 

When I think back on the past year it has been some of the sweetest memories of my life. Tom and I have been blessed with a happy and healthy little girl. Our day in and day outs have changed dramatically. Tom pulled out his winter jacket for the first time last week and told me a monkey rattle fell out of the arm hole. You know you're a parent when… He said he just smiled. 

Brynn Marie you are the light of my life. Your spirit is oh so sweet! You are so brave and courageous. You don't fear a thing… trouble for the future? Nose dives off the couch and head first down your slide. But then there are moments where the shyness shows and I am reminded you are just a one year old. Your daddy and I both think you are advanced beyond your one year old self.. 

You love just about everyone, but you definitely have your favorites. You may reach for your momma, but you get the biggest smile on your face for your daddy. I love running to the door with you when we hear his truck so I can see the shear joy on your face when you see him through the glass door. You adore him. 

But I think you're a momma's girl… and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love walking in to get you in the mornings and see how you light up. You are so chatty. You are talking so much more and I can understand more of your words each day. Your babble has always had meaning and I love that I am understanding what you are saying, and so do you. Some words you can "say" are:  Dada, Mama, dog,  ball, baby, snack, uh oh, oh no… PRECIOUS! 

Lately you've been a little snuggle bug and it melts my heart. Since we freed you from your swaddle, you've been a independent baby wanting to stretch out. In the past few weeks before nap and bedtime we've had a few snuggle sessions. Last week while I was rocking you, your eyes locked with mine and you didn't break the gaze for literally 15 minutes. I felt like your brown eyes were staring into my soul. Oh little lady, I pray that you could see the love I have for you. It was the sweetest time just looking at you and praying for the girl you will grow into. 

As you reach each milestone, more of your personality begins to show. We are learning your likes and dislikes and what your enjoy. Your daddy and I always talk about what you will be like when you grow up. We imagine what sports you'll play (because that's a given…) and what you will enjoy. All I wish and pray for is that you love the Lord and find people & things you enjoy. I hope the joy you have now is the same spirit you will have always. PURE joy… 

In the past year the Lord had taught me so much about selfless love and showed me how selfish  I was before. Friday nights out with the girls have been a memory but when I find one of your strawberry puffs mashed to my shirt, I know I wouldn't have it any other way. There is nothing like being a parent that will open your eyes and show you a glimpse of how big God's love is for us. Each night I just stare at you baby girl, and I am amazed that if I can love you this much, how big is God's love for you?!? You are not mine, you are His. And I will love you with open hands. 

Parenting is hard…. Tom and I had to say it out loud the other night. It has stretched us, challenged us and brought us to our knees but in the end I am proud of us. All 3 of us. My family. The family that I have dreamed of for so many years. There is so much love in this home and I feel abundantly blessed to  be your mommy Brynn Marie. 

Thank you for making my dream a reality. I love you big girl! 

You are my everything.

8 Months Old

First off.... when did my little girl get so big?!? I feel like in the past month she has grown a foot. She looks like a little girl. Please time slow down. I mean look at that gummy grin. We decided to take the photo shoot outside which lasted .5 minutes. Texas is HOT baby. You can already see her hair starting to curl from the humidity in the picture.

Summer came at the perfect time for our family. We needed some quality time for the 3 of us. Tom has sacrificed some sleep to wake up early and spend time with his girls. Brynn is so much fun right now and adores her daddy. I would be lying if I said I'm not jealous of the smile Daddy gets when he walks in the door. I wouldn't change it though. They are going to have such a special bond.

{Daddy introducing her to the important stuff... Like Cabellas}

Little girl is on the MOVE! She had perfected the army low crawl but on July 4th at the family get together she crawled. It was slow and steady at first but now, there's no stopping her. If she sees something she wants, away she goes! Down the hallway, in the kitchen, EVERYWHERE! Needless to say playtime does not consist of sitting on a blanket anymore. 

LITTLE LADY IS STRONG! I'm not very good at estimating but I believe she will be walking before 1 year! This girl is strong. After she started pulling up on the crib rails we headed to Target to get some new toys. He favorite is the interactive activity table. It's bilingual! Arriba!!! The table creates so many smiles and squeals of delight! Her balance is pretty steady. She has stood byherself for a few seconds, but not on purpose. Only when she gets distracted by the toy in her hand, which in turn has led to a few tumbles. Her brave spirit earned her 2 bruises on her face this past month. One on her forehead from the crib rail and the second from the door frame. When she gets excited, she bounces while sitting on the ground. Well she got a little TOO excited and face planted into the door frame. This Mama felt so bad.

Her favorite toys are anything that makes noise, sings, flashes lights or is a stuffed animal. Brynn's the queen of hand me downs. Tom's 2 older sisters have been such a blessing. Brynn's Aunt Christie delivered the mother load!! An activity table, Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Door and Fisher Price Baby Gymtastics Play Wall. She LOVES them!!! Tom's "Man Cave" is slowly becoming the play room, one corner at a time. Both of the toys are the perfect height to practice pulling up on and Brynn can walk and scale them, shuffling side to side. 

{Blurry, I know, but check out the JOY}

Brynn is so close to saying her first word. As much as I want it to be Mama it will most likely be Dada! She says it repeatedly over and over but we haven't "officially" counted it. Last month she was taking everything in and didn't talk too much but it must have been an observing stage because Lordie, her voice is back. The babble, the squeals, the screams, the raspberries, and fake coughs. She's a hoot! 

Another {Baby's First}... Brynn has her first tooth! FINALLY... it popped through about two weeks ago and with no crying fits or fevers. We are so lucky. She has acquired the new nickname Snaggletooth! It's on the bottom left. The right one is barely poking through. We have been giving her pieces of cold fruit and veggies to chew on for teething pains. Did you know that celery has a natural numbing agent inside? We have the gel and tablets on standby... just in case. This past week she was using her tooth to scrape the apple chunk! Smart girl... baby genius! She was quite proud of herself. 

Have you seen these Teething Necklaces? {Chewbeads} Brynn's Memaw gave us these a present. At first I thought they were a little silly but they are anything but silly. In this picture though you can see she is simply wearing them as an accessory :) I am loving their website. 

Brynn is officially a formula baby now. This past month my milk started drying up and could tell she was getting frustrated during our feedings. Rather than fight a losing battle I decided to give in. There was part of me that was kind of depressed and sad, but I was proud of how hard my body had worked for almost 8 months. I was just happy to make it past the 6 month mark where breastmilk can aide in allergy prevention. Brynn transitioned really well to the formula. We supplemented with breastmilk but not for too long. We were nervous about the cost of formula, since before Brynn was born, and cringed when we bought the first tub for a whopping $25!!! That thing wasn't going to get us through a week and half. Sister in law to the rescue once again... my sister in laws neighbor is a rep for Infamil and hooked us up with the mother load! 7 cases of formula, each with 6 cans!!!! 42 cans! Brynn drinks the Infamil Gentle Ease formula. The cans that she gave us each cost $17.99... that is $756 we would have spent. {Yes I used my calculator}  Praise the lord, we are LUCKY! 

She is loving her solids. This month we have tried; plums, carrots, blueberries, peaches, spinach mash and pineapple. We have also done a few of the pouches because they were on sale and had a mixture of breakfast grains with fruits. Tom also wanted her to "get her protein in" so a few pouches were a chicken veggie bake and veggie lentil bake. So far there has only been one food she's not fond of which was... the veggie lentil bake. I mean, can you blame the girl?!? I try everything I give her and this was dog food. 

A for your Friday night entertainment...

                                          

{I think food pictures are the best}

Big girl feeding herself... well kind of

Don't you know the only way to drink a bottle is with your feet? Little monkey.

First time with chunks. Avacado everywhere. Ears, nose, eyes.

Pea pop! These contraptions are a Godsend. A great distraction when mama is making dinner.

This past week Brynn has started to sleep through the night again! Amazing. This does not make me go to bed any earlier though. Mama is a night owl and enjoys her "me" time. She usually wakes up around 6:45ish and is waiting in her crib for her daddy to come home from work. Tom has been SUPERDAD and even after working all night will wake her up, change her, feed her oatmeal and her bottle and play with her for a bit until he can't keep his eyes open anymore. He says he feels bad I don't get to sleep in on my summer break. SWOON. Secretly I know he adores that time. She is the happiest in the morning and he says its the best part of his day. I think it would brighten anyones day after fighting the "bad guys" all night. We have transitioned to 2 naps. She usually goes down around 9am, 2 hours after she wakes up and then another long nap in the afternoon. She may doze in the car but we can count on the 2 for sure. 

When nesting/decorating Brynn's nursery I put my baby blanket in a basket. Mostly for decoration and filler. But when it got cold there were a few night we would lay it over her she snuggled to it as much as she could all swaddled up. Of course when summer came, the blanket went back in the closet. Somehow it was thrown into the hamper and went through the laundry. Brynn was "helping" me fold laundry and when she saw the blanket she pulled it down and started snuggling to it. She remembered the blanket!!! Luckilly I had my camera/phone right there to capture this special moment with her mommy's blanket. I cried! {thebottompicture} Guess it's not mine anymore. Now she can't sleep without it.

This girl is a hoot! She has such a personality and has the sweetest laugh. We try and get her to giggle when she's tired, because its WAY too easy. Here's 2 of our top favs. {Sorry about the singing} Mama's gotta do what mama's gotta do.

Oh Lord, my heart is so full. Being a mother and loving someone so deep makes your love even more real. And to imagine you love us so much more... I am humbled.

7 Months Old

                     

Oh sweet summer is upon us and this mama could not be happier to spend the next few months with this sweet girl! Brynn is SEVEN months old! Time is flying by and Tom and I are soaking in every moment. We are so blessed with this happy, happy baby! 

Yes, again, I will tell you that this month has been my favorite. Her personality is shining through in everything she does. She is all smiles and we have witnessed many giggles from this girl. We I actually got it on camera on my first day off from school. It was such a gift. She is so observant... taking in everything around us. This also causes overstimulation sometimes which in turn causes a short meltdown before napping. Not very often though. 

Little girl is playing hard. After eating she is on the go until she goes down for a nap. She is busy, busy. She can sit up on her own for long amounts of time and has very good balance. She is reaching for everything and is drawn to toys that light up and play music. We are headed to Target to pick up some new summer toys this week. She has not officially crawled yet but can ooch herself across the blanket or roll repeatedly to get where she wants to go. She is constantly pushing up on her hands and knees and perfected the rock but can't figure out how to pick up her hands. Instead she pushes herself backwards which makes her very frustrated. She is one strong girl... yesterday she pushed up into a baby plank on her hands and toes. No joke! It was so funny.

Little missy capitalized on some tummy time in her birthday suit.

Brynn still hasn't said her first word but watches us very intently when we say Mama or Dada. She will open and close her mouth imitating our mouths so I am sure it will happen soon. Instead we still get the constant bubbles and screeching and of course, that sweet sweet laugh.

Other milestones this month... little girl went on her first plane ride to Pennsylvania. We went on our first vacation as a family to my Aunt's lakehouse. We made so many special memories just the 3 of us and with my parents and extended family as well. First plane ride, first boat ride, first trip to NYC and meeting my Aunt MB and her Great Grandmother. More to come.

First Family Vacation

I achieved my goal. I made it to the end of the school year feeding Brynn strict breastmilk. I had 2 bags of milk to spare! Talk about cutting it close. I am beyond excited to say "goodbye" to my pump for a while. I am trying to feed Brynn a big bottle before bed instead of the boob to help her get a good night sleep and then pump right before I go to bed. This way I can have a few bags of milk in case Tom and I go out for a date. Other than milk Brynn is LOVING, I mean LOVING her purees! So far we have tried; avacados, sweet potatoes, zucchini, bananas, pears, butternut squash, and apples. There hasn't been a puree she doesn't like. I have a feeling she's going to be a food lover. We have also introduced puffs and baby mum mums to her. At first she was having a hard time picking up the puffs and putting them in her mouth but after a bit of practice she's a puff master. These both are great to kill a few minutes while mama is making her coffee and eggs in the morning before we enjoy our breakfast together. 

Brynn was not sleeping through the night since about month 4 but recently (as in the past 3 nights) started to sleep through the night again. We have tried to stretch her bedtime until 8pm and she usually sleeps until 6:30 in the morning. I told you... she loved her sleep. I think the vacation wore her out and made her appreciate her comfy crib. Because Brynn plays so hard she loves her naps! She was still sleeping and napping between each feeding, usually :) Now it seems like she is naturally moving to one longer nap in the morning and then in the afternoon. I am hoping she will find a good schedule that we can keep. She does a good job of being flexible if we are running errands and the carseat and car ride are still her kryptonite. When Brynn wakes up from sleeping we let her "hatch" for a little bit. If we go and get her too early sometimes she is still waking up. She is completely content playing in her crib and singing to herself. It is so fun to watch her on the monitor. 

While we are running errands she no longer likes to be in her carrier anymore, she loves riding in the shopping carts. We love our shopping cart cover we got from our shower. Brynn loves looking around and is completely content playing and chewing on the tags of her toys.

6 Months Old

I feel like every month is passing faster and faster! I cannot believe that 1/2 a year has passed since the day we were blessed with Brynn Marie. And it blows my mind that in the same amount of time we will be celebrating our girl's FIRST birthday! What the what?!? Let the party planning begin :) Just kidding... not really.

Like I say every month, this past month has been my favorite. Brynn has changed so much and is being way more interactive. This lady plays hard. She has definitely fallen into a routine. Eat, play for 1- 1 1/2 hours, nap, repeat. Tom would beg to differ. He claims she never naps for him on his days. Hmmmm :) I would claim she is such a happy baby. She is always smiling. She loves to be talked to and is so interested in anything we are doing. Whatever we are holding, she reaches for. Especially my phone. Probably because it is always in her face taking pictures. Guilty.

Brynn hasn't said any words yet but she is starting to mumble and I am hearing the "mmm" sound. I believe her first word will be mama. I think I say it a thousand times a day, and constantly call her little mama. She still loves blowing bubbles and if she's not blowing bubbles she screeching. Little lady is loud! No teeth yet, but they have to be coming soon. I swear we go through 3 outfits a day thanks to the constant drooling.

Other milestones this month... big girl is sitting up all by herself! It is so crazy to think about the little roly poly she was in the beginning when we see her sitting alone. Sometimes she gets a little excited and leans forward too far and if we're not careful goes down in a nose dive. But she's getting better at this trick everyday.

When we're playing she is drawn to anything that makes noise; music, crinkly toys or rattles. My sweet inlaws gave her a music toy that is similar to a piano. She lights up, smiling from ear to ear when she changes the tune with the push of a button. She is still in love with Sophie but any toy she is holding goes directly into the mouth. Like I said, 1st tooth any day now.

I have made it to the 6 month mark with strict breastmilk. My goal is to make it until the end of the school year so I can continue through the summer. I am so close. I believe I have enough milk stored in the freezer to make it. I feel proud that I can do this for our girl. I am so excited to put my pump on the shelf. We are still feeding her rice cereal or oatmeal in the morning and night, unless we are out. She is quite partial to the oatmeal, more so than the cereal. I am anxious for Brynn's 6th month appointment tomorrow to hear if we can start actual purees. I am planning on making our own baby food and am in the market for a bigger food processor.

We have graduated from naps in the swing to naps in the crib. Our girl is LONG and the swing is a little snug for her now. She likes to stretch out like her mama when she sleeps. Most of the time she is on her back but a few times we have found her on her side. We put the bumpers back on the crib after she was waking up from naps after bumping her head on the rails. We still have some anxiety about this but we believe our borderline crawler will be okay if she were to roll into the bumper.

Yes I said borderline crawler! My mom told me on my 6th month birthday I started crawling and Miss B is not far off. She prefers to be on her stomach now unless we are chatting with her on her back. She is figuring out how to put more weight on her knees and tonight I watched her push herself backwards in a sort of backward crawl. She'll figure it out soon. I don't know if I'm ready for that... Let the baby proofing begin.

I am anxious to see what this girls stats are tomorrow. Tom is taking her because I am still in school. I can't wait until this summer and I will be able to take her. Just another reason to get excited for summer. I have been a bit behind on the weekly photos. Here is a photo dump.

Miss Thing,
You are my world! I love that you recognize my face and my voice. It is the sweetest thing when you reach for your daddy's and my face and rest your little hand. It is so much fun to see you go through each stage and see how much you have changed. I feel myself going back to those first few weeks to remember so I won't forget. I don't want to forget these first months. I cherish every day with you. Each minute is precious! I cannot wait until this summer so I can spend more time with you baby girl. I can't wait to see what this next month will bring.
 Love Mama.

Mother's Day 2013

This morning I have a moment to breathe and I am grinning from ear to ear thinking about celebrating my first Mother's Day with Brynn. Last year I celebrated quietly in my heart and with a yearning to hold Baby H. Every time someone commented about it being my first Mother's Day there was a tiny sting with each word. Last year was hard but this year was full of smiles from Miss B and although a part of me still aches for the day to hold my son again I can celebrate that he is somewhere so much better than this earth.

Of course, Mr. H had to work Saturday night but that didn't stop him from spoiling me with breakfast in bed. He walked in the bedroom, still in full uniform, with a plate of french toast, bacon, eggs and hashbrowns. My Oh My, it was a beautiful sight. He wished me a Happy Mother's Day and it was followed by, "I was going to cook you breakfast myself, but at 6am IHOP just does it better!" True... very true. Brynn woke up at the perfect time. My sweet husband went to get her and walked in with our precious daughter and my sweet gifts. The hormones are still flowing, so instantly I teared up feeling so blessed in that moment. This is what God created me for. To be a wife to this man and the mother to this little girl. I love that she smiles when she sees me. My Mother's Day was complete in that breath at 6:30 in the morning.

After opening up my presents, eating my feast and enjoying a few moments as a family of 3 my husband went to sleep and Brynn and I spent the morning as a mother- daughter team. To celebrate Mother's Day with my mom, Brynn's Nana, we went to church at the Village. Brynn is getting a little big and doesn't sleep through anything anymore so I decided to put her in the nursery for the first time. I was a bit nervous, but our church family blew me away. I am so glad to have a church home that loves my girl well, praying for her during the service. There was even a little sticker on her diaper that said, "Little Village prayed for me today!" And the security measures taken to ensure safety... amazing. She did perfect, a little fussy when I picked her up, but perfect for her first time.

After the service my family, the Farrell four + Brynn, went to Corner Bakery for brunch. Brynn sat in a high chair for the first time and I got to use the precious shopping cart cover for her. She's such a big girl now. A small part of me was said watching her sit up so big, but the other 90% if me was so proud as she  held herself up so strong.

This picture captures my mom's love for my little girl so well. Even after watching her 2 1/2 days during the week for us my mom can barely stay away. I am so thankful for my mom and for so many reasons. She instilled so many values in me; patience, compassion and most of all faith. She is such a godly woman with a heart for the Lord and she loves my dad so well. I am thankful for the family she  led and I hope that I can lead my family in the same way. My mom truly is my best friend and I pray each night that when Brynn is grown that she will love me the way I love my mom. 

We spent the rest of the day with Tom's family and then a relaxing night at home. I almost forgot to take a picture with little missy but remembered right before bed time. So thankful that the Lord shared this little lady with me and made me her mother. On the days I feel inadequate I am thankful for the one who leads us both. 

Brynn, 

You made me a mama! I can't help but smile when I think about your sweet face and personality. Somedays I feel like I'm walking blindly in motherhood, and although I make mistakes (daily) I promise you I will always love you.... unconditionally! I can't wait to see the lady you turn into. I pray I can lead you, teach you to love the Lord and stand up for the good. I love you so much my girl. 

Mommy

Happy Mother's Day.... to all the moms.

Beautiful Day

I have said it many times before... I cherish my weekends. Like soak in every moment, wishing time could stand still, cherish every moment. Today was no different. After a morning workout Brynn and I ran around for a bit before coming home for a picnic in the yard while we were waiting for Tom to wake up.

 This girl couldn't get enough of the fresh air, grass and cool breeze. I mean look at this smile.

This was mid shrill.

Sophie was invited.

Look at this big girl sitting up on her own. So big.

 Brynn adores Kali. She smiles so big when she walks by. Again she was screaming and trying to "talk" to Kali. Kali is such a good sport. The are going to be the best of friends. 

Yes, we were thanking God for the beautiful Spring weather today. Counting down the days until summer.

5 Months

20 Weeks

I have been longing to put our girl in this adorable smock dress since receiving it as a gift at my baby shower. It did not disappoint... I love my girl in polka dots.

 

Doing a little catch up on the blog before the big 5 month post...

Things I should be doing instead:

• Laundry
• Dishes
• Laundry
• Laundry
• Laundry 

 Okay, enough procrastination.

Longest Blog Post EVER

Man... I was doing so good with the blog posts. I feel like new mommyhood, being a working mom, and midnight feedings have finally caught up with me. Here in lies the lack of blog posts. I feel like returning to school after Spring Break was almost harder than returning from maternity leave. Brynn is so much fun and I appreciated my time with her so much. 

So what's been going on? Tom and I celebrated our 4 Year Anniversary. Last year I surprised Tom by telling him we were pregnant. Needless to say this year was less eventful and way more laid back.

I cannot believe that one year ago we found out we were pregnant. It feels like it was yesterday.. Our anniversary feel on a school night for me and a work night for Tom. Our sweet family volunteered to babysit and love on Brynn but we decided to include our girl in the celebration. We had a lowkey night with to go Macaroni Grill and a family dinner. We didn't shortchange ourselves though. We ate our to go on our wedding china. It was our first time to eat on it...in four years. Italian food and a Nothing Budnt Cake for dessert. Brynn had rice cereal and sat at the table in her Bumbo. It was so fun to have her at the table with us

Is this picture not to die for? It captures a Daddy's Love so sweetly. He loves us well. And she adores him as well.

Miss B graduated from rice cereal to oatmeal. Mama grabbed oatmeal with banana and she loves it. She is getting much better at actually swallowing the mixture instead of pushing it out with her tongue. It is so fun to watch her become interested in things. She has started reaching for the spoon and the bowl, pulling them towards her. Mama and Daddy are not a fan of the smells that come with oatmeal and rice cereal. Girl has some toxic toots going on. We're all hoping these go away as her tummy grows to know these new tastes.

We sat her in her highchair for the first time and this was the smile I got. She's so big! When did she get big enough to sit in her highchair alone? It's going by so fast...slow down girl.

We celebrated Brynn's first Easter. This holiday means so much more to me know after becoming a parent.  parent's love runs so deep. So deep. And I feel like I would already do anything for Brynn. The ultimate sacrifice was made when God sacrificed His son so we would be saved. What a great sacrifice He made for us. I feel so unworthy. We tried to soak in the holiday and remember the true meaning while creating our own family traditions.

 Daddy woke up early before the Easter family celebrations to dye Easter eggs with us. Brynn could have cared less about the eggs, she just wanted her Easter basket! I had so much fun stuffing it with goodies! Thanks Target :)

Brynn even visited the Easter Bunny. She begged to take Sophie with her but her mama said no. She did so good! I am predicting that next year won't go as smooth, based on the multiple meltdowns taking place around us. I loved her Easter dress. It was from Janie and Jack. A bit to expensive for my liking but we used a store credit, so well worth it.

We are loving the warmer weather. Brynn is already in her spring wardrobe and rocking the jellies! She was all smiles after an 8 o'clock Easter service with her mama. I just can't get enough of this little lady.

Whew... all caught up! :) Thanks for sticking with me.

17, 18 & 19 Weeks

 Brynn Marie... you've become quite the gymnast! You're feet are always near your mouth.

 You are all smiles! You melt my heart with those gummy grins! I could kiss those cheeks all day.

We have been enjoying the warmer weather. Spring is here! 

To celebrate we busted out the Jellies... come on you know you had a pair.

4 Months Old

I cannot believe our girl is 4 months old today! We woke up this morning with thoughts of our 4 month check up looming over us. She was a sleepy girl this morning and slept the majority of the morning while we ran some errands. I LOVE our pediatrician! It was fun to take Brynn this morning so I could see Dr Burgess and Nurse Janet. They love our girl well. They were commenting on how sweet she was showing her off to the other nurses. Little bit is climbing the charts in weight and height; 15 lbs 6 oz in the 89th percentile for weight.

This mama's got a confession to make... earlier this month we were having a blowout at least once a day. This went on for about a week. And after scrubbing multiple outfits I thought to check the weight for size 1 diapers. Sure enough the top weight was 14 lbs. DUH! New mama problems. Since then no more blowouts :) I think we may have a volleyball played on our hands. 25 inches... this girl is long. The time I notice it most is when she is swaddled for bed. She looks like a little papoose! She can still fit into some 3 month outfits but because she is so tall, some have become too small and is graduating quickly into 6 month clothes. Her thighs are so pinchable, if that's a word. They are chunky little things, but boy they are strong. Brynn would rather be standing on our laps then held or rocked anymore. One of her favorite things to do is start on her back then we will pull her up by her arms and she will stand up on her own... like I said, those tree trunks are strong. Our girls got a grip! She smiles so big and is SO proud of herself.

This past month I have seen Brynn grow the most and has been my favorite month. (I will probably say that each month, I know..) But seriously-she is so fun and is smiling all the time. From the moment she wakes up this girl is all grins. The morning is by far my favorite time and I secretly love when she wakes up before I leave for work, even though it's a long day for daddy. She has begun to recognize both mommy and daddy and will smile that gummy smile the second we come into view. I wish we could see or know what all she can see, but she is definitely taking it all in. She is mesmerized by the TV and the bright lights. We don't like this too much so we have started turning off the TV in the evenings for family time. She is holding her gaze a lot longer with anything she sees as if she is studying every inch of it. She is going to be one curious girl!

A morning conversation.

We love our playtime. Brynn's favorite toys right now are her Sophie the giraffe, her Lamaze caterpillar, the activity mat and her new exersaucer. Sophie is the perfect size for her to wrap her little fingers around. We put it in her car seat for each ride and Sophie constantly ends up in her mouth while we drive. She is a kicking machine on the activity mat and will hold her own conversations with each of the characters. The dragonfly/ butterfly is her all time favorite because he makes the most noise. Brynn has fallen into a natural routine without much forcing or guiding on our part. She will eat, then we play and about 1 hour to an hour and half later she's done and ready for a nap. She let's us know..

The exersaucer is wonderful because Brynn wants to be standing up and upright most of the time. We can already tell a difference in how strong her core has grown. I am glad she has good head control so this toy could come into our lives. It's perfect for when mama's making dinner in the kitchen and I can keep an eye on her. The double whammy... caterpillar on the exersaucer tray! Mind blowing :)

Drool Monster..

Obviously from our stats you can tell Brynn is a good eater. She is still breastmilk only, feeding when I am home and bottle when I am working. I am boycotting pumping over Spring Break... oh it's been glorious! Pumping deserves an entire blog entry for itself. I started hearing the pumping noises in my sleep, that's when you know you need a break. It's nice that she can easily transition back and forth. She graduated to the big bottles this month. One- because sometimes she would eat more than the small ones could hold and two-because our dog destroyed the "shorties" one unnamed daddy would leave out. Yes, my husband calls them "shorties." The doctor gave us the go ahead for rice cereal! This is on the agenda for tomorrow night. We couldn't wait for daddy to get home from the gym before supper time tonight. We will have the camera ready for sure :)

I am so glad Brynn loves her sleep. She is still napping in her swing for the most part- or our arms :) But bedtime is crib only. After her last feeding around 8 or anytime after that we swaddle her, read a story from her bible and rock her. The majority of the time she's down for the night unless she needs to burp. The past few weeks she started waking up around 3 or 4 to eat which surprised me because she had been sleeping through the night. But it's not a big deal because she goes right back down and sleeps until around 7 or 7:30. Girlfriend loves her nightly stories. I hope she stays this way when she grows up. She is so intrigued by the pictures and I am enjoying the bible stories as well. I will add her bible to her monthly favs :)

OK.. OK sorry this one is a novel. Sorry but I'm not sorry :)

Miss B, 

Oh your mama loves you so much! You are easily the best part of my day. When I see you smile that ear to ear smile everything melts away.  You are so strong! Even your doctor said so. You are enjoying tummy time more. You are constantly reaching for something mostly your feet. Girl you are flexible! Your little voice is so sweet. We have the best conversations.. your face is so serious when you are telling me your story. It's the funniest thing. Then there are your screeches and screams.. girl you are loud! I blame myself because I squeal and sing to you constantly. But we don't mind :) You are trying to imitate everything! When we motorboat our lips or stick out or tongues to blow bubbles you tongue comes out and now you are trying to make the sound.. your are so close! Let's not forget to mention the drool! Drooling machine! We think the teeth are coming soon.

You have such a good nature about you and are such a good baby. You don't cry unless something is wrong, or your are overly tired. Lately you have been playing so hard you don't fight going down for your naps. I cannot wait to see the girl you grow into. I pray you have your daddy's determination and (part) of his hard-headedness :) Baby girl, I love you so much! This Spring Break has been the break I needed to make it until summer. I cannot wait to relax and soak in the sun with you.

Happy 4 Months Baby! 

Love Mommy

 "Hey Mom, look what I can do..."

Kali is SO not impressed.