SO LONG

I know I say that everytime but it's so hard to find the time to sit at the computer and take my time on here! Sorry for anyone who actually read this lol :) Let's see, quick updates....we bought a new home and we are closing this Friday and moving all weekend, woohoo! Brin is almost 10 months old....going way to fast. Crawling all over, pulling up on everything, starting to stand alone....she's so smart. Says mama, dada, baba, nana, papa, hiiiii, bye, waves, imitates and elephant and bear, knows pictures in picture books....she is too funny. Still having sleeping issues but we're use to it by now lol. Summer has been fun, lots of trips to the zoo, the beach, some parties, just outside fun :) Some pics...

Summer 2011!

It's finally seeming like the rain may be done a bit here and the sun has been shining! Fun! We went to Lincoln Park Zoo 2 weekends ago with Robby's family. All the babies were great and we had a really nice time. Weather was perfect, but it was super crowded. Tomorrow we are having dinner at a friends house, Saturday we have a birthday party to go do for Mia and Ayden, Sunday is church and hopefully Brinley catches up on some sleep :) Monday Alan's parents will be here and we are going to a cookout at Nate's parents (amy's boyfriend.)

We also put an offer on a house and it has been accepted, the banking is all in order, but we had the inspection today and there was some fireplace/wood damage that needs to be fixed so we'll see where we stand after it's brought to the attention of the seller.

Pics from the zoo and my Grandpa's birthday party! It was last weekend and it was very nice!

7 months!

I can't believe our baby is 7 months old!!! Time flies when you become a parent.
Here are some 7 month pics:






She is still a bad sleeper. Goes down around 8:30, up around 11, up around 2, eats around 3:30 or 4, back down around 4:45, then up at like 6:30 or 7:00. I'm exhausted but I know it's all worth it :) Some nights it's up more than that, I'll be so excited when the day comes that I put her down at 8:30 and she sleeps til like 6 lol...
She is a really really funny baby. Fiesty personality, laughs out loud at things that are funny, still has some stranger danger but doing a little better. She looks ridiculously cute in her baby clothes for summer :) I love her baby legs. She snuggles on my at her night time bottle and it's my favorite. She drinks a bottle every 4 hours, anywhere between 5 to 7 ounces. She eats a fruit for lunch and a veggie at dinner. Not a huge fruit fan! She absolutely hates bananas, they about make her puke! She has loved carrots and sweet potatoes. Tonight we will be trying peas for the first time...I wonder how that will go :) She rolls all over the place, LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She can sit up but typically refuses to, she's too busy and always wants to be rolling and playing. If she is sitting it's because there's a toy in front of her that requires her to sit.

She is taking longer morning naps and shorter afternoon naps. She takes about an hr to hr and 15 morning nap and about a an hour and a half to 2 hr afternoon. She really fights sleep like a champ lol...makes me be patient that's for sure! I absolutely love her to the moon and so does Alan :) So blessed :)

Nothing really else is going on! Alan is liking his new job which is great! We both love the hours, so does Brin :) He's excited for his first Father's day this weekend! He's a wonderful Dad!! Hope all is well with everyone!!

6 months and such...

Well baby girl turned 6 months old on May 14th! She also had her 6 month photos taken by Tiffany Ann! Tiffany is fabulous, Brinley was VERY tired, hadn't napped all morning but she never cried, just wouldn't give us a single smile lol. My first Mother's Day has also come and went, it was awesome. I felt special and got cards from Alan, my parents, Brinley, friends, family...thank you so much to everyone who sent me things for my 1st Mother's day, it meant a lot! I love being a Mommy :)

So Brinley had her 6 month check up this Tuesday (which included shots.) She weighs 16 and a half pounds and is 27 inches long! She is in the 90th percentile for height, my tall girl, but very lean haha. The Doctor said this is pretty much a good marker (at this age) for how they will weigh throughout life. She goes to bed about 8:30 every night and is up around 10:30, 2:00, then eats between 3 and 4, and up for good no later than 7:30. She is eating rice cereal and starting a week ago Sunday we began bananas :) She actually sort of makes a face to them but keeps eating so I do think she likes them, but they may not be her favorite. She rolls back and forth and is working on sitting up alone still. She insists on looking down so she slumps haha, we have to pull her back up but she'll get it soon :) She is VERY smart, don't ask me how I know I just do it. She misses nothing...studies everyone and everything, still has stranger danger but getting better...is super fun, laughs, talks (lots of B sounds like babababa and some v's in there, a few m...) is really good with motor skills for her young age in both hands. She is wearing 6-9 month jammies (for length) but 6 month clothing in anything else.

Alan started his new job at Mittal and knock on wood so far seems to be enjoying it. I know he is LOVING more time at home, with his baby, and freedom on the weekends! This weekend coming up is Memorial weekend...I am off the entire weekend and Alan is off Sat, Sun and Monday. We have plans sat, sun, and monday :) So ready for it and for the rain to please go away and the sun to come and stay! Brinley loves when we get to walk the neighborhood!

Here a few pics! They are of Brin's 6 month with Tiffany (just put a few), her eating rice cereal, us on a walk, her and I on my 1st Mother's Day before church...oh and the Easter baskets my Mom put together for Brody, Sadie, and Brinley...so nice!

I'm a slacker!

It's been too long again! And guess who turned 5 months old on the 14th ;) Pics...





Let's see...as of 5 months you weigh 15 lbs 6 ounces. You are still in 3-6 month clothing. You started cereal this week actually and like it :) We tried a month ago and you wanted nothing to do with it lol. No teeth yet but you suck on your little fingers all the time. You have started spitting bubbles/drooling. You are on a decent schedule, 2 morning naps (35 mins) then a good 2.5 to 3 hour afternoon nap, then a short evening nap. You eat your cereal at about 6:30, get a bath, a bottle, and usually in bed by 8:30. You still wake up in the night to eat and have been waking up just to fuss once or twice lately too. But to date you have slept 6 hours straight three times :-)

Stranger danger is still going strong but seems to slowly (maybe?) getting a little better. Fingers crossed :)

We went and saw the Easter Bunny last weekend. I had no idea that they didn't let the bunny hold babies so we had to get in the picture with her. I was sick with stomach flu the day before and wasn't exactly looking my best haha but it's cute still cuz she makes it that way :)

We have her Easter basket all ready to go and her Nana and Papa got her a big basket full of goodies too :) Lots of Easter pics to come! LOVE spoiling my little sunshine with holiday presents :) Little girls...SO fun!

We just got back from Katie and Carter's (the twins) 10th birthday party (my cousin Steve's kids.) They are so cute, so well mannered, and are getting so big...it was nice to see everyone and I'm excited for tomorrow :) My Mom has tons of eggs for the easter egg hunt, love to watch the little ones find them.

Happy Easter everyone, God Bless!!!!

Alan's Birthday

So my amazing hubby turned 32 on March 27th :-) We stayed here and had dinner and cake because Brinley is on such a good schedule now we just thought let's stay home and relax. He got $$, clothes, shoes...made out pretty well! My family spoils him haha, I LOVE that they treat him and love him as one of their own, not something he or I take for granted. My Mom treats us all (me, Robby, Alan and Christal) equal, like she has 4 kids now instead of 2 haha ;)

Just a few pics b/c lil miss is waking up from her nap. Oh and by the way, it's sunny outside right now and you would think it's super warm, except for the SNOW THAT IS FALLING...what the heck!?!? Seriously spring...you can come and stay anytime now!!!!

Brinley on Daddy's birthday before we left for church...


Daddy and Brinley...


Presents...




Cake, the fam :)


Hope you had a very happy birthday babe (and Daddy!) We love you very much!!!

Brody's ABC's!

So smart, and cute, and precious :)

Miss Millie

So, Brinley has this little lamb/blankie that is her absolute best friend. She goes to sleep with it and I don't leave the house without it because she always wants her hands to be busy, so she plays with it the entire time we are out while she's being strolled ;) She rubs it on her face to fall asleep and when she finally falls asleep I move it away. I'm glad she has taken to it honestly, I like that she has something that comforts her. We have named her Miss Millie.

I kiss Miss Millie.


I wrestle Miss Millie.


I snuggle and love my Miss Millie!


It's sorta funny...before we leave the last thing Alan or I will say is, "Did you get Miss Millie?" Like she's a family member or something haha...

Brinley also got her 4 month shots yesterday. She was a TROOPER. She did awesome the entire appointment...and even for the 1st shot. The second one ticked her off but once I picked her up and loved on her some she was ok :) Poor lil monkey, I hate shots :(

Brinley, show me your band-aids...no way Mom I'm hiding them.


Pretty please? No way...but look I can grab my lil piggies...


Ok...here ya go!


TIME FLIES! LOOOOVE my sweet girl :)

4 months!

Yesterday Brinley turned 4 months old! I think there is a big difference between 3 months and 4 months. Some of her 4 month pics I took...



She will be all laughs and smiles and the minute you get a camera out and she sees it she is totally serious.



Tonight, we are going to give rice cereal for the first time. I pray she does well with it, and it fills her little belly enough to sleep! Her routine now is to eat her nighttime bottle at about 8:30, go to bed about 9:15...wake up at 1:15ish to eat again, back to sleep at 2, up at 6:00ish to eat again, back to bed around 7ish, then sleeps about 2 more hours and is up for the day. Sounds great (much better than 2 months ago) but she takes 35 minutes to eat 6 ounces, is ridiculously hard to burp (last night I rocked and patted her for 10 minutes and finally got one before I laid her back down)...bless her heart. So by the time I lay her back down, actually fall back asleep, it's like I'm being awoken from a coma to get up again! We'll get there eventually :) I don't mind getting up, honestly, but my body sure could use a solid 8 hours of sleep!!



So 4 months...such a sweet and precious time. You love morning and talk up a storm. You go to bed now with a paci and with your best friend, Miss Millie (a little lamb/blankey thing.) Your crib has a cusion thing in it to raise your head b/c you are not allowed to lay flat. You have lost a solid inch line of hair across the back of your head ;) You can go in your bouncer now with a blanket to help hold you up. You constantly have a hand in your mouth, usually your left hand so Daddy says you may be a lefty. You love going to the mall and being walked in your stroller because you are curious about EVERYTHING. You are FIESTY!! CONSTANTLY moving and busy! You still hate tummy time but already lift up and move your legs like you want to take off! You 100% recognize people and are NOT into strangers right now. You sat on my lap this Sunday and stayed awake all through church for the first time, and actually sat and watched the Pastor...then you pooped and I think the entire congregation heard it, it was hysterical. You laugh out loud and LOVE your Daddy, when he comes home you are so happy :) You are absolutely WONDERFUL :)

This was after church on Sunday, wish I still had on the adorable Gap coat that went with this outfit!


She goes in for her 4 month appointment tomorrow, pray she does well with her shots!

Ready for Sunshine!

Hollywood!! ;)

Come on spring and summer, I am ready to go outside and play!

I took this yesterday, notice she has a tiny scratch on her lower right cheek. I swear I cut her little nails every other day but I guess it's just bound to happen now and then. Makes me feel bad though.

Brody was over yesterday and we played outside while Brinley napped. He is SUCH an amazing 2 year old...smart, witty, fun, adorable, we had an awesome time! He has so much energy and kept saying, "Brody run fassssst!" and then we would run laps around the house...like 20 times. Maybe he'll follow his Dad's footsteps and be a runner? I took a few pictures. Next time hopefully it'll be nice enough for Miss Sadie to come along too, it's still too cold for the babies. I think her and Brinley are going to love hanging outside soon!!!







SO FUN!!!

Bath Time

Brinley is 16 weeks old as of yesterday! This is a video of her in the bath taken about 10 days ago. SHE LOVES HER BATH. This is actually really calm, she talks and kicks up a storm usually ;) She still sort of hates the hour of 7:00 P.M. so we wait until then to give her a bath. Right now, she eats her night time bottle and then goes to bed between 8-9 every night. She's up to eat every 4 hours still, though this past week she has slept for 5 hours in between twice. Last Friday I fed her at 12:20, thought she would be my alarm at 4:20 instead of my cell phone which was set for 5:00 but my cell phone woke me up! Of course I ran in and checked on her, she was sound asleep and slept until 7:00!! Of course on a day I have to get up at 5:00 for work but I was still really happy for her!

She goes in for her next doctor visit on the 16th for her 4 month shots :( I HATE SHOTS. I know it's a must blah blah but it's still so sad to watch. We had her at the Doctor about 2 weeks ago (they added an additional med for reflux but we haven't had to give it to her yet) and she weighed 12 lbs 14 oz. It's fun to see how much they have grown. She isn't really a chubby baby, just a little roll on her leg but I think her belly is getting a little bigger and her cheeks :) But, she is really long! I think she's going to be tall!

Well I think that's it for now. Somehow her schedule got all messed up today and she is due to eat again at 10:00 so I'm not going to bed until after that! I'm not sure anyone reads this lol but if anyone does, I hope you are all doing well!!! Have a great week!

In her crib...

Well, I finally did it.
Tonight at 9:00, I put Brinley to sleep in her crib.

I hate it :(

I was just talking with friends this week about how I am not ready and I like having her next to me...guess I jinxed myself because the past 2 nights I have woken up to her fussing and she has completely turned herself sideways in her bassinet. I'm afraid she is going to hurt her neck or something so in her crib she went. She fussed...a lot. I gave her the paci and she finally fell asleep. Her crib is elevated so she's not laying flat, we had to put books under the mattress to raise it some. So she has to lay in one of those positioner things so she doesn't fall to the side. Her room is cold which is part of the problem, I need to get some type of heater in there so she'll be more comfortable. My sweet little boopah. Getting so big so fast...I hope you sleep amazing in there tonight!!!! I on the other hand will probably sleep NONE because I'll be checking on you all night long!

I love my little monkey...

Brinley Chattin it up :)

Brinley girl talking to us :) This was taken about 3 weeks ago...

Sick Of Snow!

So...I got up at 12 and 4 to feed my little monkey and just stayed up after the 4:00 because I have to leave for work at 5:45. I just looked outside and there is so much snow...AGAIN! UGH...so over it! This has seemed like the longest winter for some reason! Poor Alan went to sleep on the couch because his throat is hurting him terribly, he is going to the Doctor at 10:30 I'm so afraid he might have strep so I don't want him around the baby. He sounds awful. His parents are in town too, they came on Wednesday night and met baby girl for the 1st time! We'll see what the Doctor says today...I'm on my own antibiotic right now for bronchitis...come on SPRING!

Poor Brinley seems a little under the weather too. She has a runny nose (mostly at nighttime) and spit up with every bottle yesterday :( Wish I didn't have to work today so I could watch her but I know she's in great hands with her Nana...poor baby girl.

However...I can't WAIT to buy her some fun clothes for summer haha ;) Ok well gotta finish getting ready for work just wanted to complain about the snow, have a good day! I'll post some pics too of course ;) They are Brinley's 3 month photos taken by Tiffany Ann Photography...I HEART THEM!!!

SO behind!

So...I'm SO behind on posts I feel bad! I will get better from here on out :) So on Valentine's Day my precious girl turned 3 months old! I can't believe how fast it's going!

She is doing much better with her reflux, the Zantac seems to really be helping. She does go through a rough patch every evening but we try and entertain her the best we can and it helps.

She is eating 5.5 ounces every 3.5-4 hours. She refuses to finish a bottle if she poops in the middle of it lol....she goes to bed every night between 8:30 and 9:00 depending on bottle time and wakes up twice a night to feed. However, last night she woke up but I patted her butt a little and rocked her some and she fell asleep for 2 extra hours...miracle!

At her shot appointment she weighed 11 lbs 1 oz and was 22.5 inches long. She has THE cutest baby legs I've ever laid my eyes on :)

She is such a sweet girl. She smiles all the time now (especially for Alan and Me :) and is such a joy. Morning is her favorite time. She loves her bath too! I am so thankful for her everyday....

Hope everyone is doing well, let me know if anyone reads this lol! ;) and COME ON SPRING I wanna dress her in cute outfits that show off her little legs haha ;)