Big girl, big toy!

Tuesday after Brynn's appointment Ryan decided it was time to get out the Baby Einstein jumper-thingie and put it together.  Just a warning...my husband likes to "work" and put things together without a shirt on...don't ask me why!  (Our basement is always cold, so I don't think it's because he is over-heated.  I think he likes to catch himself in the mirror and look at his "I get up at 5 am and work-out" body.  HAHA!  I seriously catch him looking at himself in the mirror and doing weird flexing poses!)  But anyway - that's beside the point.  For some reason we took a BUNCH of pictures of this, so the other warning is that you might get a little bored of a billion pictures of Brynn playing in her new jumper.

Wahoo...hot bod! HAHA!  (Maybe I should try to sneak pictures of him flexing when he doesn't think anyone is looking...that would make a FABULOUS blog post!)

Wow guys...what do I do with all of this stuff?

Okay...I know she isn't smiling in hardly any of these pictures, but I promise she was!  HAHA!  

Her legs don't touch the floor yet.  So precious!

But never fear...when your husband is a physical therapist he knows what to do.  He added a book under her so she could put weight on her legs.  I believe he called it a "weight-bearing modality" or something like that...what a nerd!  HA!  Just kidding...I love seeing him in physical therapist mode.

We realized he had grabbed a Bible and she was standing on it.  I said "oh my gosh, she is standing on the Word of God.  I want her to live her life like this!"  To which Ryan began singing a hilarious rendition of "Standing on the Promises of God!"  It was such a funny moment!  But also very symbolic...I really do want this to be the foundation of her life.  Isn't it interesting how God uses everyday little moments to remind us of Him?

She is really starting to grab and hold things.

I love my new toy!

Doctor Visit

Tuesday was Brynn's 4 month check-up.  We hadn't ever taken pictures at the doctor before, so we figured we would snap some this time.  We have scheduled all of her appointments on Tuesdays because Ryan is off work and likes to go along.  Her stats were...

• 14 pounds, 9 oz. (75%)
• 25 1/4 inches long (85%)

Brynn looks fascinated...haha!  We had undressed her before they weighed her so we were just waiting around for Dr. Hoffman.

We go to church with our pediatrician and I really like him!  I kept thinking "I hope other people have taken pictures at their appointments because he probably thinks we are crazy parents!"

Brynn had to get three shots and one "drink" of something.  She didn't seem to notice the first shot and I was thinking "wow...she doesn't have mommy's fear of needles!"  Then by the second and third ones she was screaming and looked as red as a tomato!  I can't watch her get them...obviously...with my fear of needles I am seriously afraid I would pass out!  I told Ryan that as she gets older HE is going to take her to get her shots!

At least the medicine tasted okay.

I think she is thinking "what did they just do to me?"  See her three little band-aids?  She was fine after they were over, but whew...for a second I thought she was going to blow a lung out!

We are so thankful for a healthy report by the doctor!  By six months he said we should expect her to be rolling all over the place, maybe being close to sitting up, and some separation anxiety.   WHOA...she is getting too big!

Happy 4 months Brynny-Bear!

This past Friday, July 22, Brynn turned 4 months old!  WOW! 

HAPPY 4 MONTHS BIG GIRL!

Here are some special things about Brynn's 4th month...

• You weigh 14 lbs., 9 oz. (75%) and are 25 1/4 inches long (85%).  You are wearing size 2 diapers.
• Mommy LOVES nursing you and you have been exclusively breast-fed since day 1!  YAY!  Thankfully you take bottles (of mommy's milk) very well too! 
• You rolled over a few days before you turned 4 months, but still only from tummy to back so far.  You are trying so hard to make it from your back to your tummy, but usually just end up on your side.
• Your clogged tear duct finally cleared up on its own!  We are so excited that it doesn't get all gunky for you.
• You are smiling and laughing all the time...you are so happy and content.  People tell us all the time what a happy baby you are and in the church nursery they always tell us you were so good!
• You are now nursing about 5 times a day, usually every 3 1/2 hours, and eating rice cereal after your 7:00 feeding and after 5:30 (when your daddy loves to feed you!)  
• I nurse you at 9:00 pm before bed and then we swaddle you and put you down.  We wake you up every morning at 7:00 am.  Daddy loves to go in and wake you up.  He lets you lay there for a few minutes and then changes you and then you are ready to nurse.
• You are really starting to grab for things.  You will hold them with your hands, even mommy's face.  It is so cute! 
• You sit in the bumbo!  You usually always sit in the bumbo while we eat supper.   
• We started swaddling you with one hand out during the day and with both hands out at night, just in case you roll over.  Maybe it is coincidence or maybe it's because of your arm out, but your naps have been weird the last couple of weeks.  You seem to have trouble getting over the 45 minute mark.  We have tried some things that have helped, like giving you the paci, and lots of times you will go back to sleep.  Your last couple of naps are usually just cat naps.
• YOU ARE JUST THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER!

1 month

2 months

3 months

HAPPY 4 MONTHS!

We love you soooooo much and can't believe God gave us YOU as a precious gift.  You are the best thing in the whole world!

Just some pics...

Just a few pictures to show you what we've been up to...

I love this picture!  (Not so much for the fabulous smiles...haha...but just for what it represents and the stage of life we are in).  This is how dinner goes in our house now...Brynn nurses around 5:30 and then when Ryan gets home around 6ish he gives Brynn her rice cereal while I get some of our supper stuff together...then Brynn sits in the Bumbo and watches us eat!  It is our "new normal" for dinner.  It's definitely different than how dinner used to be...but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Sorry we couldn't capture a smile, but Brynn LOVES bath time.  Ryan is trying to give her some privacy here...haha!

I love when bath time is over and we wrap her up in her little towels and just cuddle.

We went to see a friend's new house today.   (Side story...as soon as we got there Brynn had a HUGE poopy blowout up the front, but thankfully my friend Lindsay has a little one so we just scooped Brynn up and put her on Jackson's changing table.  That reminds me that the poopy onesie is in a Wal-Mart bag in Brynn's diaper bag and I better get it before I forget!)  Anyway - when we got home we were waiting for Ryan to get home for his lunch break so we were just doing some tummy time and I thought I'd take a pic.

Oh...these are the days!  I know in 20 years I'm going to miss them so much...poopy blowouts and all!

Also wanted to give a shout-out to Curt's grandma Betty!  I know she reads my blog, and I love love love reading her blog, but I can't figure out how to comment.  So Betty...just wanted to say hey and let you know I'm reading! 

Wedding Dress Weekend

July 21 marked ONE YEAR until my sister gets married! So...Friday morning bright and early we dropped off sweet baby Brynn to Pamaw's and me, mom, and Linz headed to St. Louis for a weekend of wedding dress shopping!  We had 3 appointments on Friday (which in hindsight might have been too many because we were so sick of seeing lace and beads by the end! HA!)  We had SO MUCH FUN (and even shed some tears) when little Lindsey was trying them on. We think she found "the one" at the very first boutique (which also made it hard at the other places because nothing compared).  Here are some pictures from our day, and don't worry..."the one" isn't pictured...you'll just have to wait until July 21, 2012 to see that beauty...oh yeah, and that's if we can convince Dad to fork over some major moolah! 

There were some GORGEOUS gowns in this "trunk show" area, but unfortunately they started around $4000...don't think we need to be looking at those!

These flower pins were EVERYWHERE...I was getting in the wedding dress spirit!

After we found the winner, nothing else measured up...Linz wasn't feeling anything else.

It was so fun doing this together!  We ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory...2 of my favorites!  We had fun talking and planning for the wedding, and I can only imagine what it wil be like 20 something years from now...will I be watching Brynn try wedding dresses on??

We might be healed!

Just a quick post about Brynn's clogged tear duct.  She has evidently had it in her right eye since she was born, and it gets gunky and matted ALL the time, like constantly.  Her doctor said that if it hadn't cleared up by 6 months then she would see a pediatric eye doctor and get it probed...it is a very simple little surgery, but one I wasn't really thrilled about.  They put them under anesthesia, etc.  Anyway - this is the 3rd day in a row that we haven't seen any gunk and haven't had to clean it out CONSTANTLY...praise the Lord!  We think it might have finally cleared up!  Thank you God so much!

Milestones and a Powernapper?

Brynn has become quite the little grown-up over the past couple of days! HA!  Two days ago she rolled over for the first time! YAY!  She was laying on her tummy at my parents house and she was kind of in "push-up" mode.  She was looking at some books and then she started swaying to one side...we were like "oh my gosh!"  Then she tumbled over and we all yelled so loud (in excitement) that we startled her and she started crying!  It was so funny!  Then yesterday she rolled over 2 more times (both from tummy to back). 

She has also seemed to want to eat less frequently.  That same day she ate at 4, and then didn't want to eat again until bedtime at 9:15!  I don't want her to go that long, so I'm trying to let her eat about every 3 1/2 hours or so, and she seems to be doing good with that.  BUT...she hasn't wanted to nurse from me very well.  A couple of times a day (usually during the day) I've had to give her bottles for her to eat.  I'm not going to freak out majorly about it...she is going to have to start taking bottles much more frequently once I go back to school, so maybe God is just getting me ready for it.  It is kind of sad though, because as bad as I thought I'd be at nursing, I've actually really enjoyed it and feel like it has been a special bonding thing between us.  She is still nursing well in the morning and at bedtime, and I'm trying it every feeding, so we will just see how things go. 

And now for our new snaffu (how do you spell that?)  It seems like when we get one thing down we are on to something new...I'm learning that parenting is like that a LOT.  She has been sleeping longer through the night and is a lot more active and awake during the day, but only wants to take about 40-45 minute naps (one around 9, 12:30, 4, and 7:30).  I feel like she probably needs longer naps, but she is so happy and content and playful during the day that maybe she's fine.  I don't know.  I've looked up a ton of stuff online, and one parent's comment stuck out.  She said her child was doing the same thing and that she stressed about it for a month, tried a bunch of stuff, and finally just accepted the fact that she had a child who took 40 minute naps, and her life was much easier!  =)  Maybe I need to just do the same thing.  Who knows??

She is getting to be such a BIG GIRL!  Look at that head control!

So sweet!

On another note, have any of you heard that song "Cutie Patootie" by Eden from Toddlers and Tiaras?  She sang it on "The View" the other day and I can't get it out of my head.  I've been singing it to Brynn all the time and she starts giggling and smiling.  It's so cute!  I don't know all the words, so Brynn and I have been making up our own version!

Hope you guys have a GREAT day, and if you get sleepy, just take a 45 minute power nap...evidentally they are just the thing tired girls need!

Garage Sale Success

Friday and Saturday Lindsey and Curt had their big "honeymoon" garage sale.  They worked so hard loading, unloading, pricing, and SELLING.  And the best part is...drumroll please...they made a KILLING!  By the end of the day on Saturday they were hilarious...Curt was asking everyone who walked up if they wanted to buy an awesome Christmas tree or some luggage.  (They had decided that pretty much everything they didn't sell they were just going to load up and donate, so they were trying to sell EVERYTHING, even if they didn't get much for it).  It was hilarious...he got people to buy stuff they probably never thought they'd go home with! HA!

The future honeymooners...trying to make some money to go on their future honeymoon!

This is the only picture I took with my camera...somehow when Lindsey and Curt get their hands on my camera I always end up with a bunch of pictures I never took...see below...

I guess Curt wanted to take a picture of his beautiful bride-to-be.

And then Lindsey must have decided to take a picture of Curt.

And then someone (my guess is Curt) decided to take a picture of the hills nearby.  This picture doesn't even look like you are in Cape Girardeau, does it?

And then the best decision they made...to take a picture of this cutie patootie!

Good job Aunt Lindsey and Uncle Curt!  I hope you go on a great trip next year!

It's so crazy to think that in just over a year they will be getting married!  We are so excited for them and can't wait!

Harry Potter

This Friday marked the end of an era...the last Harry Potter movie came out!  I think I was in ninth grade when I read the first book, and I have been hooked ever since.  I've read every book probably several times and love seeing the movies.  Friday night Pamaw and Papaw kept Brynn while we (me, Ryan, Lindsey, Curt, and my mom and dad) went to see the movie.  We decided to see it in 3-D, which was pretty cool!  It was SO GOOD, but I was so sad to walk out knowing there will never be another HP book or movie.

Curt modeling his 3-D glasses...he can't wait to get in the theater!

My mom is modeling the very fashionable trend of wearing your 3-D glasses OVER regular glasses...how chic! HA!

Even though we had already bought our tickets we went pretty early and waited in line so we would get a good seat...I didn't want to have to sit in the front of the theater.

Future brother-in-laws!  Just for the record, Ryan has never read any HP book, but just goes to the movies.

I love this pic!  We LOVE Lindsey and Curt so much!

Busy Week

Whew...this week has been so fun and busy.  This week is VBS at our church.  I'm not helping like I normally do, which has made me kind of sad.  I really LOVE helping at VBS, but with Brynn as little as she is I know that it is better for me to just stay with her and then next year we will have a blast going together.  Sunday night our church had a prayer walk for VBS and Ryan and I did the pre-school prayer walk.  I LOVED seeing their little rooms and the crafts and music and games they would be doing.  I think Brynn is going to love it as she gets bigger!  Ryan did a skit on Tuesday for one of the daily dramas at VBS and I did one today...so at least we got to help out a little bit.

Tuesday is Ryan's day off from work, and was also Brynn's 16th week birthday.  So we celebrated with her first taste of rice cereal.  It was so much fun and adorable watching her "eat" it, and by eat I mean slobber, smile and blow bubbles on the cereal. 

Daddy's such a good helper!

What is this stuff?

I LOVE IT!

 This child had rice cereal (which was seriously like spooning breast milk in her mouth!) ALL OVER HER!

After her diaper change she spit up BIG TIME...all over mama!  Ryan was cracking up and said we had to take a picture.  It may not look like we were covered, but it was EVERYWHERE!

When I used to smell other people's kids spit up I seriously wanted to throw up.  I thought it was even worse than poop.  But when Brynn spits up I just think it's adorable...I guess that's what becoming a mom has done to me.

 Now the real reason we are busy busy this week is because my sister is having a "honeymoon" garage sale.  When Ryan and I got married we had a garage sale...our family and friends donated stuff they didn't want and they said we could keep the money and use it for our honeymoon.  So Lindsey and Curt (who are getting married next July) are having their big garage sale this weekend.  Wednesday we went to Oran to get a bunch of stuff from my grandparents.  We ate fried chicken and fish and had so much fun visiting with them.  Then we came home and helped Lindsey unload all the stuff, organize, price, etc.  Today (Thursday) Curt is in town and they are taking all of his stuff, getting stuff from our house, finishing up getting a ton of stuff from my parents house, etc.  It has been a lot of work loading, unloading, pricing...I hope they have a great sale on Friday and Saturday.  Brynn was such a big helper! HA!

I put Brynn in her carrier so that we could help them move stuff out of our house.  Brynn LOVES being in this little thing...I think it's because she always wants to be able to see what's going on.

Good luck at the garage sale Lindsey and Curt!

Weekend Wrap-Up

This weekend was really fun!  On Friday night we went to the driving range to tune up our golf swing! HA!  Lindsey came with us and helped watch Brynn.  I thought my swing was looking pretty good and that I might just tear it up on the golf course the next day. =) 

Saturday morning my mom watched Brynn and Ryan and I went to play golf with our friends Jen and Geoff.  They both really like to play and we had so much fun playing with them, despite the blazing heat!  Geoff is REALLY good, and then there was me, Jen, and Ryan...haha!  I honestly think I might have done better if I hadn't gone to the driving range! I beat Ryan by 3 shots, but we both played pretty bad. 

Jen and I ready to go!  (I meant to take a few more pictures but never got around to it.)

 Then later that night we went to a wedding for a girl I grew up with.  Sometimes it's just fun to get dressed up!  Brynn went over to Pamaw's so Ryan and I had a fun evening out.  After we picked Brynn up it was time for her to go to bed.  I'm just going to warn you that these next couple of pictures are NOT ATTRACTIVE, but they are so special because this has become one of my favorite parts of each day.  After she nurses that last time she is SO SLEEPY...I just love to hold her close and cuddle and rub noses with her. =)  She just smells so good and I know that when she grows up I'm going to miss this!  So, Ryan gets out the camera and decides we need to capture this moment.  In the pictures it may look light, but in reality it is all dark in the house during this time...just the crazy flash lights up the whole picture.  It didn't seem to faze her though.

Told you this picture wasn't very cute....haha!  Pardon the sweat pants, tanktop, glasses, hairband, etc.  (And I probably shouldn't say this on here, but I'm going to...I think my friends are going to be shocked by the fact that I have some cleavage going on! HA!)

I LOVE looking down at her little face and hearing her breathe in and out...it is precious!

Sunday was just a normal Sunday, but I just love Sundays!  I LOVE going to church...I don't think I realized how much I enjoyed it until Brynn was born.  When she was so little and I couldn't go for a few weeks I missed it so much.  I love our Life Group class and our service.  I love our nursery at church and the fact that we have an amazing little nursing room where I can watch the service on the TV and nurse at the same time.  Even though she doesn't always sleep the best at church, I know she is being loved on and taken care of, and I can enjoy our class and the service.  Hope you guys had a great weekend too!

Not our best Thursday...

Several blogs I read have done "day in the life" posts recently...so I thought I'd write one too.  Turns out...today wasn't our best day by far, but that's life, right?  And just for the record, I think most of you are going to find this post incredibly boring, so feel free to skip it. 

To start off, my husband's alarm went off at 5:00 am so he could ride bikes with his training group...try as I might I can hardly ever fall back asleep after he leaves.  He got home and showered and got Brynn up at 7.  (He likes to get her up because he doesn't see her all day).  I nursed at 7 and then we went downstairs to play.  I read her some books, she sat in the bumbo, I pumped while she played on her activities mat (and tried to roll over...but couldn't so that made her mad), and then she did some tummy time. 

Ryan and I had been debating whether or not we should start "weaning" her from her swaddle blanket.  She is really trying to roll over and I'm just scared she will roll over in her crib and have no arms to help her, you know?  So...after reading what a bunch of people have tried, we decided we would try to swaddle just one arm out to start with.  At 8:30 I swaddled her and prayed she would go down like normal.  Well, praise the Lord she went down just fine like always.  She slept her whole nap, and at 10 when I went in to get her she was sleeping just like this.  So sweet!

I nursed at 10 and then we ran to Target to get a few things.  On my way out I looked down at myself and realized that one of my nursing pads was sticking halfway out of my bra! AHHHH!  We got home by 11:30 so I could put her down for her nap.  Again, I swaddled her with one arm out and she went down easily...yay!  Ryan came home for lunch at 12 and we ate and watched the Tour de France...we have been watching it over his lunch break a bunch...nerds I know.  Well, about 12:30 little Miss B was moving around and woke herself up (which happens a lot, and she usually always puts herself back to sleep), but with this new arm thing I guess it was harder.  She was crying in and out and couldn't go back to sleep.  I nursed at 1 and we played downstairs and I folded laundry.  Put her down at 2:30 and she went down (one arm) fine.  But again she woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep.  She laid in the swing awhile and then we just cuddled and rocked.  I nursed around 4 and then we ran a couple of errands...we took Ryan's grandma a squash and zucchini from our garden.  We got home and I put her down around 5:30.  I tried leaving the other arm out this time.  I started supper but she wouldn't go down.  I let her cry for awhile, and then swaddled her the normal way with both arms inside her swaddle.  She kept fussing and I tried the paci (wouldn't take it), tried to burp her, no dirty diaper, etc.  Finally she fell asleep on her own around 6...whew!  In the meantime I had been in and out of the kitchen finishing supper.  Ryan got home around 6:15 and we ate, and then Brynn woke up at 6:30.  She normally gets up around 6:20 or 6:30 from this nap, but she also usually falls asleep around 5:30, not 6.  I'm starting to think this "swaddle weaning" thing is not a good idea...haha!  Then we had to run up to church to get costumes for skits we are in for VBS next week.  We got home a little after 7 and I nursed.  While I was nursing my friend Emily stopped by.  She and Wyatt visited and we got some cute pics of Wyatt trying to give Brynn a kiss. 

Emily, Wyatt, me, and little Brynn

Whoa buddy...her daddy isn't going to like that!  HA!

So cute!

Kisses!

Emily and Wyatt left and we put Brynn down.  We are letting her take this nap in her swing, and we are watching Big Brother that we DVR'ed. 

Wow...I gotta say this has not been our best day, but I am learning to be thankful for EVERY moment of the day.  I want to just enjoy every second of this little baby!  Sure there are times I get worried or frustrated, but I wouldn't change it for the world.  God is really teaching me that when he gives us a job he equips us for that job.  Right now my job is being a mom, and even when it's tough I know he has equiped me to do it as best I can.   When I see that little smile and hear her little coos I know it is ALL WORTH IT!