Clarks R Us

Go Colts!

2009-10-05T13:02:00.004-05:00

The Clark family is happy to welcome the new football season. We are all about the clash of helmets and good football food. We have plenty of that with a Giants fan and a Colts fan. Brooklynn has yet to draw loyalties-she just wants football!

Happy Birthday

2009-03-10T11:12:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since we blogged and so much has happened. Brooklynn continues to be a blessing. We had a small celebration for her 1st birthday. We took her to get pictures-one of which is a "cake smash". Auntie Kimberly stayed up to the wee hours of the morning and helped me to frost a bear for Brooklynn. I love this expression as if to say- "Do you really expect me to smash this?"Brooklynn has been walking since the last week of January. Our cat is running out of "safe" places to be without Brooklynn hunting her down and "petting" her.

Brooklynn is up to 7 teeth now. 4 on the top and three on the bottom. We think we're starting to see her 4th come in on the bottom and maybe even a 5th one coming in on top. With all these teeth, Brooklynn is really taking well to solid foods. She loves fruits and vegetables. Her favorite fruits are blueberries, strawberries and apples. Her favorite vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower and asparagas. She eats her vegies a lot with pasta or rice. Of course, being her mother's daughter, she won't pass up a carb, so bagels and crackers are always nearby.

10 months

2009-01-13T10:03:00.004-06:00

Brooklynn has some 10 month photos taken. She had to be woken up to take them and really wanted to go back to sleep, but we managed a few cute ones. Lately Brooklynn has been putting her hands up as if to say "Really?" We caught a couple of these.

Puppies!

2008-12-16T10:58:00.007-06:00

Okay, we have not blogged in a while so I will try and catch up...

We went to the farmer's market with our friends Zach an Jessica. They have 2 dogs, Pancho and Paloma. Pancho came with us to the farmer's Market. Brooklynn was not too happy. I think she heard not to trust a skinny Santa :) She cried at first when Pancho licked her hand in the car seat, but she warmed up to him after walking around the market some. we met Santa at the market, but Brooklynn wasn't happy to see him. Maybe she knew she shouldn't trust a skinny Santa :)

Brooklyn petting Paloma.

2008-12-03T15:29:00.001-06:00

Brooklynn had her 9 month appointment on December 3. She weighed in at 16 lbs and 2 oz. She was 26 inches long and her head was 42 cm. She's in the 10-25 percentile for height and weight and the 10th percentile for head size. The doctor was impressed with her development. Brooklynn has started to wave to people when they say hi or bye to her and she also is babbling as if she is having a conversation. The pediatrician got to see her grab my hands and check out the office-he seemed to think she'll be walking soon. She just started using a push walker that her cousin Jadyn let her borrow. She can get going pretty fast (especially when Daddy is chasing her) and is already learning to slow it down by standing on her toes. She is having a little trouble figuring out reverse when she bumps into something though.

1st Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T16:54:00.017-06:00

Brooklynn's first Thanksgiving is being spent in Indiana and Kentucky. Last Saturday we flew up to Indianapolis to stay with Grandmama and Grandpapa Clark. Brooklynn was all packed up and ready for travel with her giraffe backpack that she got from her Auntie Sue.

That evening after we arrived, Brooklynn had a bath before bedtime in the laundry room tub. Auntie Kimberly let Brooklynn play with one of her childhood bath toys...a My Little Pony seahorse. Brooklynn enjoyed chewing on the hair the most.

Keeping the cousins apart is like holding two magnets near each other and expecting them to stay put...even when one of them is supposed to be sitting at the table and eating...

On Monday, we were visited by Brooklynn's Great Granny Helen and Great-Great Aunt Edith. On Tuesday morning, we went out to breakfast with them before they had to head back to Kentucky. Brooklynn is very blessed to have such a large extended family that loves her.

On Thanksgiving day, we traveled down to Kentucky to visit the Clark side of the family where Brooklynn met her Great Grandmother and Great Granddaddy Clark. Brooklynn is their first Great Granddaughter.

Nancy and Kimberly made some special Thanksgiving desserts. The arrangement is actually a tribute to a song that select members of the Clark family have sung called "A Turkey Sat on a Backyard Fence". We'll have to post a performance later.

Later that same evening, we went to Cracker Barrel where Brooklynn met her Great Uncle Carl, Great Aunt Sharon and second cousin Leesha. I think the kids were more hungry then that adults were...

Although not widely publicized, Santa made an early stop in Indianapolis and dropped off some presents for the kids. Brooklynn enjoyed the festivities so much, she broke into singing carols...LOL

Tommorrow we head back home. The week has flown by and we wish everyone was closer so we could visit longer and more often.

Next week, Brooklynn will have her 9 month appointment and I'm sure some new pictures too!

Not the momma....

2008-11-14T23:51:00.006-06:00

I am so blessed with my family. I love my family dearly, but when Brooklynn cries and she only wants me or when Piggy is trying to curl up in the one space I have to myself on the bed and the dishes and laundry start to pile up- not to mention all the feedings and cleanings...I find myself a bit worn out.(Piggy likes to eat grass or small crawling things and then spit it back out, usually on the carpet or my clean laundry-bleck) but then moments like the one pictured above remind me why I love being the momma.

8 Months

2008-11-01T15:52:00.004-05:00

Brooklynn is 8 months old today. She's flying through the baby milestones. Brooklynn started crawling a few days before she turned 7 months old and now she cruises along like she's been doing it her whole life. At 35 weeks old now, she can take alternating steps if someone is holding her hands, pulls herself up to a standing position when she's near furniture or a coffee table and claps her hands in response to praise.

Brooklynn's two bottom teeth have come all the way through and you can catch a glimpse of them sometimes when she smiles. She's responding to her name more and she'll even come crawling towards you sometimes when you call for her. She still likes for one of us to be near by when she's playing. She'll even call for one of us sometimes. It sounds like she's saying "Hey!".

Last Thursday, Nancy and I went and voted early for the 2008 elections. We thought we'd be in and out of there, but it turned out we waited in line for 1 1/2 hours! Brooklynn took it all in stride though. She entertained everyone in line with her laughing and squealing.

6 months +

2008-09-23T11:09:00.004-05:00

We have been so busy this month we are a little late with our 6 month post. We had Brooklynn's 6 month wellness check on September 3rd. She measured in at 25.5 inches (50% percentile) 15 pounds and 3 ounces (25-50%) and her head was 40.1 cm (10-15%). At the beginning of the month she was rocking back and forth, getting ready to crawl. Now she can scoot herself forward. She can also get her legs straight up to move her feet forward. She was also cutting her first tooth. We could feel it, but were not able to see it. Now, you can see her tooth on the left side sticking out through her gums. Of course, we're too serious to smile and show it...

Brooklynn has been watching Christopher and I eat and reaching out for everything. I had been letting her gum on my apple slices, but one day she actually bit off a piece. I took it away to put it in a teething bag for her. Now, Brooklynn has never really cried other than being wet, hungry or dirty. She was very upset when I took away her apple. I will have Christopher put up the video and you can see for yourself. With the presence of a tooth, we gave Brooklynn some rice cereal to see how she does.

We took another picture with Luc and Ally. Luc had been out of town all Summer, so it had been awhile since all three have been together.

We also got a visit from Brooklynn's cousin during Hurricane Ike. They lost power for 12 days and stayed with us. Brooklynn picked up a few things while Rylen was here such as how to turn on her music cube and how to bang legos together.

She also had a friend in the car that made it easier to fall asleep.

Last Saturday, we hosted a get-together with the other families that were in our home birth group. It had been about 4 months since we had seen each other.

Having her fall asleep next to you never gets old.

Hey, this isn't my cowboy hat...

2008-09-11T00:00:00.009-05:00

I wanted to write and celebrate. Brooklynn has learned to use the potty!

These are some pictures we took when we opened the new chair. Coco thought it looked like a hat.

I know she is only six months and we don't expect her to use the potty every time or at night, but it is sure exciting when she does. I do love using cloth diapers with her and I wouldn't change, but the laundry is enough to drive me crazy. I think to myself as I fill the washer "..didn't I just wash these yesterday?!?" So for her to use the potty chair and only use two diapers the whole day is something to celebrate.

Christopher's mom (yay momma) got us a book with our first pregnancy that had child training tips, one being about potty training from birth. The author learned it while on a mission trip. She taught it to her youngest. Intrigued, I searched the Internet and found out more. Others have done this successfully and I thought it was worth trying.

Well, I didn't follow the points exactly, but I did what I could and it is working! Brooklynn used her potty chair 3 times on Tuesday and three times on Wednesday!! Yay Brooklynn.

On the Move...

2008-09-02T20:36:00.014-05:00

I can't believe how the time flies by each day. Brooklynn has had numerous adventures since we last posted. Her 2nd cousin Stacy from CA was here to visit. We got to play and Stacy spoke some Korean to her. Then we had Grandmama (Alice) visiting. Brooklynn got lots of love from her Grandmama... and the big kids did too :) Alice made us Granny's homemade chili-yum! Momma and Grandmommy had fun shopping for Brooklynn and cousin Rylen.

Brooklynn is growing like a weed. She is on target on her development chart. She has been transferring objects from one hand to the other. When she wakes up now, she rolls over and pushes up. Then she will start rocking on her knees and getting up on her toes and hands. In the last few days she has been creeping or lunging forward, but going backwards seems to be her most productive mode of transportation. Imagine my surprise when I put her down (in the middle of the living room) on her back to make a phone call and came back to find her under the coffee table behind her!

The rest of the trip...

2008-08-19T22:43:00.007-05:00

Well, we've been back for a couple weeks and have yet to update the rest of our trip to South Carolina. It's been a real busy August for us so far!

After the beach, we met some friends of ours who are living in Columbia, SC now. They drove down to Charleston and we went out to lunch and then downtown to walk around and see the sights.

On Monday, we met Rose for lunch before we left town early on Tuesday. It didn't take long in our visit for Brooklynn to recognize all the new faces she had seen and warm up to them when she saw them again. Rose and Brooklynn enjoyed playing "Patty Cake" over and over (and over...)

I love this picture of Brooklynn sitting next to Nancy in the booth at the restaurant.

By the end of the night, we were exhausted and so Brooklynn and I headed to bed while Nancy squeezed in a little more visiting.

We had to be up and heading to the airport by 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. And that was eastern time! I don't think my body ever left central time the whole time we were there. Brooklynn did great though. She slept the whole way from Charleston to Detroit. Once we got to Detroit, we got delayed and eventually realized we were going to miss our connection in Indianapolis. So, Nancy got off the plane and asked what our options were. The gate agent found a direct flight from Detroit to Austin that would get us home about an hour later than we were originally scheduled. But they only had 2 seats left...and they were first class!

Well, by this point in the trip, Brooklynn was a seasoned flyer, so she was ready for the upgrade to first class. She greeted everyone has they walked on the plane and made them feel welcome.

Once everyone was on board, she got comfortable in the plush leather seats. It's so roomy in first class.

Of course, Brooklynn fell victim to the classic rookie first class mistake. When the drinks are free, you've got to pace yourself...

We made it back safely and we were so proud of Brooklynn. Grandma Coco was there to pick us up and Brooklynn was excited to see a familiar face again.

5 Months

2008-08-01T19:08:00.006-05:00

What an adventure Brooklynn had leading up to her 5 month birthday. Nancy and I made plans to visit some close friends of hers that she knew while she lived in Charleston, SC. Nancy hadn't been back to Charleston since a few months prior to our wedding and I had never been at all. This would be Brooklynn's first airplane ride and we had no idea what to expect.

The route we ended up with was not what we would have chosen, but due to the rising airline costs, there was a big price savings if we flew to Indianapolis first, then to Detroit before finally heading down to Charleston. 3 takeoffs and 3 landings for Brooklynn's first flight was going to be a test by fire. Brooklynn took it all in stride. For those of you that spend a lot of time with her, this probably doesn't come to much of a surprise. She often just goes with the flow and quickly adapts to her changing environment. Plus, she's a complete ham to anyone that shows her attention, so the more new faces on the planes and airports there were, the better.

We left Austin at 2:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday for our first leg of the trip. Once we were in Indianapolis, we were able to visit with my Mom for about a half an hour or so.

Our next leg was a very short flight which left us with an hour and a half layover in Detroit. After having some dinner, we left Detroit around 9:40 p.m. EDT and made it into Charleston just a little before midnight. Brooklynn slept most of the way on the third leg since this was around her normal bedtime. Once we finally landed in Charleston, we felt so relieved that we weren't that family with the screaming baby on the flights. Of course, I guess there's always a chance on the way back!

Today, we went to the beach and Brooklynn got to see and feel the ocean and sand for the first time. I always think it's messy to go to the beach and you get sand everywhere. Well, my experiences are nothing compared to bringing a baby to the beach. Talk about sand everywhere! And it's not as easy to clean her up as it is yourself. Fortunately, the pictures make it look like it was no trouble at all and it did capture the enjoyment of watching Brooklynn see everything for the first time. It makes you wonder what she must be thinking..."This is the biggest bath tub I've ever seen!"

By the end of the day, the sun and activities wiped everyone out. Brooklynn was the first to go.

But on the ride back, she was quick to tell us that she gives Charleston two feet up!

4 Months!

2008-07-01T20:34:00.007-05:00

Watching Brooklynn grow up is so subtle to our eyes, but when we look back and see all the earlier pictures of her, it's amazing what she's able to do now and how much bigger she is. Brooklynn has discovered her tongue and is trying different ways to incorporate using it, whether while she's babbling or blowing bubbles or playing with her toys. A new toy she's become fond of are her feet. She loves to hold them in both hands and look at her reflection in the mirror.

Before Brooklynn took to her feet, she found that sucking on her fingers helped her to relax. Specifically, her middle and ring finger. Here's a quick video of how this helped put herself to sleep!

Brooklynn's head control is much more stable now and she prefers to be standing (with support) or sitting up rather than lying down or reclining. We recently sat her in her new high chair, a recent gift from her Auntie Sue, Uncle Marcus and cousin Jadyn. Brooklynn really enjoys sitting with us while we're eating and has taken to mimicing our chewing motion. Of course, her version involves sticking out her tongue as much as possible. We'll find out soon whether this will pose any issues with food going in once she starts to eat sold food.

A little over a week ago, Nancy had Brooklynn in her chair in the kitchen and thought she could entertain herself with a wooden spoon while Nancy started working on dinner. Well, Brooklynn entertained us all. After holding the spoon and examining it, she suddenly smacked herself on the forehead with it and caught herself by surprise. Nancy couldn't contain herself and started to laugh. Brooklynn looked up at Nancy, still trying to figure out what happened. Watching her mom laugh started to make her laugh. Brooklynn giggled so hard, she wacked herself again! And so it snowballed and I tried to catch the rest of the escapade on film:

Finally, here's some 4 month shots of Brooklynn. Enjoy!

16 Weeks

2008-06-21T22:04:00.004-05:00

Brooklynn turned 16 weeks today. She now weighs 13 lbs. 9 oz. and is fitting in a lot of 3 - 6 mos. sized clothes. Brooklynn had her first successful rollover from back to stomach this morning. She got all the way around with one of her arms still stuck underneath her, but she lifted her head and begged for it to count. We figured it was close enough. :)

We headed to Brenham later in the day and visited with Nancy's parents and family. Brooklynn had fun visiting with everyone, especially her older cousin Jadyn.

Elderberry Necklace

2008-06-19T17:15:00.001-05:00

Here's a shot of Brooklynn wearing her first necklace made from the branches of elderberry bushes. Brooklynn's great uncle Carl makes them for the family. The necklace reduces the effect of drooling and teething pain as long as it touches the skin until finally it dries out and you have to get another one. Brooklynn has been drooling a lot for the past month or so and biting on her hands and fingers. We're not sure if she'll be an early teether or not, but this should at least help with the drooling and rash she gets as a result on her neck.

For the record, I got my first tooth when I was a little more than 5 months old and Nancy got hers when she was about 10 months old, so Brooklynn could be on either end of the spectrum.

Cookin' at CoCo's

2008-06-18T16:13:00.001-05:00

Brooklynn is whippin' up a tasty batch of something good to eat.

Who wants some?

Happy 1st Father's Day

2008-06-15T21:07:00.003-05:00

How great it is to be a Dad!

This morning, after I returned to my bedroom from being outside, I was surprised to find a gift bag on my side of the bed. Inside the bag was a onesie for Brooklynn that had an Indianapolis Colts helmet on it that said "I'm a Colts Fan Just Like My Daddy". We had a long day today, so we didn't get a chance to take a picture of her wearing it, but preseason starts 7 weeks from today and I guarantee she'll be wearing it plenty this season! Nancy actually made the iron-on and Brooklynn oversaw the construction and gave the final approval.

Along with it was a card from Brooklynn. Inside the card Nancy "translated" for Brooklynn and wrote the following:

"I am so happy you're my Daddy. I love the way you play with me and give me kisses. I can't wait to tell you, but for now I'll just keep smiling to let you know how much I love you. --Brooklynn"

Her smiles the rest of the day have told me the same thing

"Look how tall I am!"

"Hey! Why is everybody upside down?"

After church, we went out for lunch and ate at Houston's. The prime rib I had was delicious. Once we got home, Nancy took a nap and Brooklynn and I played for a little while. She's really enjoyed looking at herself in the mirror and she can really hold herself up well now too!

Thank you Brooklynn for a wonderful day. I'm so proud to be your Daddy and I'm looking forward to all the Father's Days to come and every day in between. I love you!

"Bye Bye"

"I said we're through taking pictures!"

Splish Splash I was taking a bath!

2008-06-14T19:19:00.001-05:00

I like the smirk she gives halfway through...

Over 100!

2008-06-09T18:43:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, Brooklynn turned 100 days old! Nancy and I were thinking back to when Nancy was 100 days pregnant. It's so awesome to have her here with us.

Brooklynn and Ally Robertson are two days apart, so Ally will be 100 days old tomorrow! Usually Brooklynn has the smile and Ally is the one that looks serious. Yesterday, they decided to swap!

Just before Brooklynn turned 3 months old, Nancy and I attended a pool party over the Memorial Day weekend. This was Brooklynn's first exposure to water other than her bath time. We touched her feet into the pool, but she didn't like it at all and she wasn't bashful in saying so. She spent most of the time there watching all the commotion around her and didn't seem too impressed.

Nancy and I also had our first real evening out on the town this past weekend. Our dear friend Seeju (aka Grandma Cocoa) watched Brooklynn for us while we attended an Accenture office party. Nancy looked great and we were both excited to spend some romantic time together.

With so much happening, we need a nap!

A New Perspective

2008-06-04T14:47:00.001-05:00

Brooklynn experienced a new perspective while playing today...upright!

Thank you cousin Jadyn for lending your SuperSaucer!

Shrek Baby?

2008-06-02T18:56:00.003-05:00

I don't know if it's because I just watched Shrek the 3rd...but I kept seeing Brooklynn when those Shrek babies were on the screen...

3 Months

2008-06-01T18:56:00.004-05:00

Today, Brooklynn is 3 months old. When we look at pictures from when she was just born, we're reminded of just how much she's changed. Yesterday, she weighed in at 12.8 pounds. Almost 13 pounds at 13 weeks.

Brooklynn starts her morning with breakfast and much conversation. She has so much planned for the day and wants to tell us all about it. While Nancy is at school teaching, Brooklynn and I play for an hour or two before nap #1 comes around. She enjoys sitting in her bouncing seat, kicking the toys or lying on her exercise mat, swatting and tugging at the toys suspended in the sky. During the day, Brooklynn takes 2 or 3 bottles. This past week, she worked up to 3 ounces in each bottle. Quite the accomplishment considering it was like pulling teeth just to get her to take an ounce 6 weeks ago.

Brooklynn is always excited to see Nancy come home and we get a few hours of family time in before it's time for her to go down for the night around 9:30. She still wakes probably about 3 times or so during the night to feed, but is quick to go right back to sleep once she's finished. All in all, she's good for staying down about 10 hours before wanting to get up and be active. I think once Nancy is home during the day and Brooklynn is getting more to eat then what she's currently getting from the bottle, she'll probably drop some of her feeding during the night.

Well, here's a sampling of some photos we took of Brooklynn on her 93rd day with us at 3 months of age:

4th trimester

2008-05-27T12:32:00.003-05:00

Yes, I know, the word "trimester" is defined as only having three parts, but the first 12 weeks after birth is quite significant as Brooklynn, Nancy and I adjust to our new lives. It's with this in mind that I thought I would mark these first 12 weeks as the 4th part of a journey Nancy and I started a year ago.

After two miscarriages and difficulty getting pregnant a third time, there were moments when my faith was definitely challenged to believe I would be holding my child in my arms. And now, it takes an effort to recall a time in our lives when Brooklynn wasn't a part of it and we weren't totally focused on her. And that's only after 12 weeks of her being here!

Our friends and family have been such an encouragement and blessing to our lives. It's you who genuinely love us, pray for us, and read our blog! So, thank you for supporting us through all 4 trimesters!

Here are some photos of Brooklynn after a recent bath with her Pooh robe on. Precious!

And here's a short video of Brooklynn talking and almost touching her feet!

Nancy's First Mother's Day

2008-05-16T10:22:00.006-05:00

Last Sunday, Nancy was blessed with her first Mother's Day celebration. I surprised her with a corsage and another willow tree angel, this time one with a mother holding her baby. After church, we took some pictures with everyone dressed up.

My parents were in town as well over the weekend and so I was able to spend Mother's Day with my Mom as well!

Later in the afternoon, we drove to the house of Nancy's parents where my sister and her family met us. It was Kimberly's first Mother's day as well! Here's a picture with all the mother's and their children.

Taking family photos takes a lot of preparation. You've got to make sure everyone's hair is fixed and noses are clean...

Shake, Rattle and Lean

2008-05-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

Another week has already passed. They just seem to go by quicker and quicker.

On Monday, Brooklynn had her first pediatric appointment. Everything checked out great and she's fit as a fiddle. Brooklynn started out in the 25th percentile in weight when she was born and has moved up to the 75th percentile at a whopping 11 lbs. 5 oz. Brooklynn also started out and maintained in the 50th percentile in length. She's now 22.5 inches long, almost 3 inches longer from when she was born. Finally, Brooklynn maintained in head circumfrence with 36.7 cm., landing her in the 10th percentile.

Brooklynn's bottle taking took a couple steps back on Monday after unrestricted access to Nancy over the weekend. But, she picked back up much quicker by midweek, so all in all this week has been more successful then last week was.

Brooklynn has started to hold objects longer now. She's shakin' and rattlin', but not quite rolling over yet, but she is starting to lean to the left. I've included some pictures of her shaking her rattle.

2 Months Old

2008-05-01T22:40:00.004-05:00

Brooklynn turned 2 months old today. She weighed 11 lbs. 3 oz. on the home scale. That's a 61% increase from her birth weight in just 2 months!

It takes a considerable effort now to remember what it was like to have a day where we weren't caring for her. Life is even more special now that she's here.

Here's a cute outfit we picked out for her on the 2 month anniversary of her birth.

Life with the paparazzi is hard...

Mr. Mom

2008-04-30T15:21:00.003-05:00

Two days ago, I embarked on a 6 week expedition as a stay-at-home dad. Nancy's maternity leave ended with 6 weeks left in the school year, so I jumped at the opportunity to let her go back and teach for the rest of the school year while I stayed home with Brooklynn. Most likely, this will be the most amount of time I'll ever get to spend with her and I want to make the most of it.

Day 1 went better then I could have planned. Nancy left for work around 7:30 after nursing Brooklynn one last time. We decided that I'd bring Brooklynn up to see her during her break since this would be the longest they had been apart since Brooklynn was born. Brooklynn and I played a little bit after Nancy left and then she settled down for a morning nap which allowed me to get ready for the day. I was scheduled to leave to take Brooklynn at 10:30, but by around 10:00 it was obvious that she wasn't going to make it that long without having something to eat.

Well, this was going to be the true test. Up to this point, Brooklynn has not been happy about taking a bottle. I can count on one hand how many times we've successfully given one to her and I don't have enough fingers to count the number of times we've tried.

I held Brooklynn in my sling while I warmed up the bottle. I figured I'd start with 2 oz so as to not waste much if she didn't take it. Brooklynn watched with intent as I ran hot water over the bottle in the sink. After 4 or 5 minutes, I tested the milk and was ready to give it a go. We sat on the couch, she looked up at me and I proceeded to ask her the loaded question... "Does Brooklynn want some milk?" Well, let's just say she took to it like she's been doing it all along. About half way through, she stopped to catch her breath so I took the bottle out. She looked up at me, grinned, then let out a bit of a chuckle as if to say, "I was just pullin' your leg all along".

I wish I could say that now those problems are behind us. But as I continue to be reminded about children, nothing is ever over. The past couple days, the protests have started to return. Today, in fact, Brooklynn has taken only a single ounce of milk (spread across two feedings) since Nancy left for work at 7:30 this morning. Fortunately, Nancy is expected home in about an hour, so Brooklynn will get the good stuff soon enough.

Hunger strike aside, I wouldn't trade this time with her for anything. Brooklynn is still a very happy, playful and amiable baby. Right now she's asleep in my sling as we both wait for Nancy to get home. Yeah, she's a little hungry probably, but we're getting along just the same.

Yesterday was the first time we noticed that she's started being aware of her hands and feet. She was looking at them with curiosity and intent. It won't be long before she's stickin' that foot of hers in her mouth. Tomorrow Brooklynn turns 2 months old. Next Monday we'll have her first pediatric appointment. My how the time flies. Has it really been 2 months since I caught her being born? And now, here she is sleeping in my Darth Vader sling, clinching my shirt which I always interpret as her attempt in giving me a hug. :)

Long Time No Post

2008-04-28T14:29:00.005-05:00

Has it really been a month since we last posted anything? Spare time comes sparingly these days. Nancy and I are settling in as parents and have now spent more time at home with Brooklynn without company than with. Don't get me wrong, we've loved the help and visits we received, and always look forward to anyone who wants to visit us and our precious daughter, but it's definitely a different experience (and much more real) when it's just the three of us.

Since I last posted, Brooklynn was about to turn 1 month old. Here's a picture of her on April 1st (No fooling! )

She's alert much more often now and her motor skills are beginning to develop. Not only has she started cooing quite a bit, but her grasp has significantly improved!

It won't be long before I'll be fighting someone else for the remote.

In the middle of April, my mom came for another visit and brought my Granny down with her. While they were here, they made a bonnet for Brooklynn out of a handkerchief that was my great-grandmother's. A poem goes with it that we'll put in her baby book. Then, if Brooklynn gets married, she'll have "something old" on her wedding day.

Four generations

Brooklynn with her parents and her great Granny Helen.

Brooklynn has been laughing a lot more and so I thought I'd conclude today's post with a couple examples. With smiles and laughter like these, it's easy to forget everything else that's going on.

Bluebonnets

2008-03-30T18:41:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, we drove down to Nancy's parents house which is near Brenham, TX. We met Nancy's sister Susan and her family as well as Susan's in-laws. After lunch, we went outside and took some pictures in the bluebonnets. Nancy had found matching outfits for Brooklynn and her cousin Jadyn to wear.

First Bath

2008-03-30T18:27:00.005-05:00

Last Thursday night, we decided to give Brooklynn her first bath. Her bellybutton had looked like it had completely healed for the past few days and we actually felt like we had some time to make a production out of it.

Our lucky volunteer...

Insert water here...

Ummm...can I reconsider? I'm not sure this guy knows what he's doing...

1....2...3...

Aaahhh...this isn't so bad...

Sorry about questioning your skills back there, this is actually quite nice...

Hey wait...no one said anything about this including a shampoo!

All done! Somebody get me a towel!

Next time, don't call me, I'll call you...

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

2008-03-25T18:44:00.004-05:00

Finding time to add to the blog has become quite the commodity lately. Nancy and I had decided to wait until the weekends to try new additions to her diet and see if it affected Brooklynn's nursing. Well, this past Friday, Nancy decided to try some cheese. Everything seemed fine until Saturday when Brooklynn became inconsolable. Nancy was starting to feel real disappointed that pizza was beginning to look like it was off the menu for a little while longer. It was hard to believe that it would have just started to affect her 24 hours later. Usually, it happens much sooner than that.

But then, we remembered...Nancy had some ketchup late Friday night with some french fries. Aaarrgghh! Those rotten tomatoes were at it again! By late Saturday afternoon, Brooklynn was settling down again and mostly slept, obviously catching up for time lost to the discomfort she had been feeling earlier. We still celebrated her 3 week birthday at 3:17 p.m. on Saturday, but the best picture we could come up with this week was with her sleeping.

Sunday morning, we planned on attending church for Easter Sunday. It would be Brooklynn's debut. We had an adorable dress that some friends of ours bought for her in Santa Fe, NM (thanks Ronnie & Judy). Nancy and I took turns getting ready so one of us could be with Brooklynn. Nancy nursed Brooklynn just before we left, hoping she would last for the time we'd be at church. We got her all packed up and got to church with 5 minutes to spare. (We'll see how long that streak holds up!).

Through the service, Brooklynn was sleeping and behaving like a perfect angel. About halfway through, she started to squirm and I anticipated that it had been about an hour since she had nursed, so it was about time for her diaper change. So, I took a diaper, some wipes and the changing pad in hand and Brooklynn in her carrier in the other and headed to the men's restroom. As expected, there wasn't a changing table in the men's restroom, so I set up shop on the sink counter. The diaper wasn't too bad. Mostly wet. I got her all changed, packed everything up again, picked Brooklynn up and then Pppbbbhhhtttt!!!! She messed in her diaper already! This time, I could tell it was much more significant than before. I had missed the window by a mere 5 minutes! And, of course, I only brought 1 single diaper with me. Why would I need more than one, I thought. Well, I'm learning....I know, I know.

All prepared to look the fool walking back into the auditorium only to walk back out with another diaper as if to say I didn't know what I was doing, I walked out of the restroom and ran into Nancy coming out of the women's restroom. Hallelujah! I told her I needed an extra diaper. Nancy said she'd get it for me and also that she found out where the cry room was that men were allowed in. Basically, women didn't nurse in that one. I told her I'd meet her there. When we got there, the auditorium lights were dimmed at the time and the lights in the cry room were off while a couple ladies were rocking their babies. So, basically, I was flying blind here and Brooklynn left me a challenge of a diaper to clean up. Between Nancy and I, we peered in close and cleaned her up, put a fresh diaper on, and we were headed back to our seat.

We sat down for a few minutes with Brooklynn now all wide eyed and alert and thinking to herself...Hmmm, I'm well rested and clean now...I'm starting to feel a little hungry again! So, Nancy was headed back out with her this time to find a cry room to nurse. She made it back just as the service was ending. Afterward, everyone wanted to stop by and see her, especially those who hadn't seen us since before the birth.

A little later, we lined up Nancy with a couple other ladies that all had their babies within 2 months of each other. The way they're lined up is actually by due date, but Brooklynn ended up being late and was born last. A fourth baby was born 2 days after Brooklynn, but she was home with her mom this past Sunday. We'll have to get all four together sometime soon and take another picture.

Pizza! Pizza!

2008-03-21T22:29:00.002-05:00

Brooklynn and I had an early morning on Friday. We got up at 9:30 so we could meet Christopher for lunch. I fed Brooklynn, changed a diaper, picked out an outfit, put Brooklynn down to play and attempted to get ready. Needless to say, with an infant, it's not that easy.

I put Brooklynn in her bouncy seat and brought her into the bathroom so she wouldn't fuss, but that only lasted about 5 minutes before she wanted to be picked up. I abandoned the flat iron and tried to put on some makeup while holding her. I told Brooklynn to remember this someday when she's trying to get ready for her first date...

I went ahead and got us dressed, packed the diaper bag and headed out. Brooklynn fell asleep in the car. She always does so well in her car seat. I've been craving pizza since Brooklynn was born and had been avoiding it because of some potential adverse affects the cheese and tomato sauce could have while nursing her. But it was soon the weekend, and so Christopher and I decided to chance the cheese at least, and so we were meeting at Christopher's normal Friday lunch hotspot, Double Dave's, where they have an all you can eat buffet of pizza and salad. I ordered a special pizza with spinach and cheese and no sauce. It satisfied my craving for now, but I'm still looking forward to the real thing with sauce!

Now, almost 12 hours later, Brooklynn still seems okay and hasn't shown any colic tendencies. Slowly but surely maybe I'll be able to add more items back to my menu! In the meantime, I'm sure Christopher will be happy for us to visit him for lunch as often as we can.

On The Road Again...

2008-03-18T21:16:00.000-05:00

Nancy just couldn't wait to get on the road again. She hadn't driven since the 18th of February...29 days ago! She hadn't left the house since the 28th of February...19 days ago! So, today for Brooklynn's 2 week follow-up with the midwife, Nancy took the wheel...with a newborn in the backseat.

We got up early since this was the first time we had packed a diaper bag or even put Brooklynn in the car seat. Good thing it wasn't overly complex, although we did overstock the diaper bag a tad. Of course, this wasn't going to be challenging enough, so in addition we had morning rush traffic to deal with as well as thunderstorms in the area with risks of hail and tornadoes.

Nancy, the responsible and cautious driver she is, safely got herself and Brooklynn to the appointment while I drove separately (not that I didn't trust her...) At the appointment, everything checked out great. Nancy appears to have completely recovered and her stitches look 95% healed. Brooklynn weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs. 4 oz.! Not soon to be appearing on "The Biggest Loser", Brooklynn averaged more than 2 oz. per day since her last weighing. Nancy's making whole milk look like skim!

After venturing out finally, Nancy was feeling comfortable and decided to run a couple errands while she was out. At lunch, she and Brooklynn met me for lunch at TGI Friday's. Except for a sudden scare at a birthday celebration at a table nearby, she slept through lunch and was a perfect angel.

In the evening, we had dinner brought to us from Buca di Beppo (compliments of the Amaro's) and so we enjoyed a relaxing evening of no cooking. Around the time we finished eating, Brooklynn was fussing for some more "Daddy time" before bed, so we sat on the couch and she drifted off to sleep, confidently knowing she was loved.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho...

2008-03-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

I went back to work today. It was hard missing my afternoon nap! I did go ahead and come home for lunch though. I just couldn't go a whole day yet without spending some time with my Brooklynn. Of course, by the time I got home, it was time to change a diaper, run to the grocery store to get some milk and bread (and dr. pepper!) and then come back home for some dinner before another diaper change and feeding before bed. Ahh the life of a new parent...

Tomorrow is Brooklynn's first day to take a ride in the car! We're going to have to get up real early to get everything ready before leaving. I'm sure the first time isn't going to be the smoothest. We'll be taking her for her 2 week checkup. I weighed her on our scale here at home and she's coming in at 8.5 lbs.! We'll see what the midwife's equipment says she is, because you know, that's official...

Brooklynn's 2 weeks old!

2008-03-15T16:47:00.000-05:00

At 3:17 p.m. this afternoon, we celebrated Brooklynn being 2 weeks old. We dressed her up in her first dress that we got from her Auntie Sue. It was a dress Brooklynn's cousin Jadyn wore when she was a newborn. She's getting so big!