Brooks' Toy Store

Brooks is opening a toy store- it is a bit unconventional but I bet we will make loads of money- included are his favorite toys. Trust me, the money we have spent on fisher price, vtech, lamaze, infantino, etc could have been saved. Most of the time he would prefer the following.
(also- before you call CPS, he isn't allowed to play with all these things, he just wants to)

TIP: Prescription bottles are loads of fun. Fill an empty one with some rice and it becomes a shaker- and he LOVEs it. Also, tupperware is fun alone or on top of a towel with a bit of water and some bath toys in it :)


Mommy's accessories are huge hits- I bought a teething necklace/bracelet set and he goes to town.


The poor dog can hardly find her food anymore b/c I keep having to move the bowls as he just scoots his walker over there and fixates and grunts. He also makes kibble soup by banging the walker into the water so it spills into the food. Any empty 1/2 gallon container is good for quite a while of entertainment



Need wrapping assitance? My little guy would be glad to take tissue paper and wrapping paper rolls off your hands- If you get the metallic kind of paper it is good because they can't bite off little pieces



tissue box and cell phone


these 2 things are like finding Gold- I constantly have to hide the usb cord and the remote is his favorite (along with the phone)


Who knew colander's were so much fun? I put cheerios or toys in it, and wear it on my head- it is a blast. B also likes to crinkle and play with plastic bags (don't worry- I only let him while I am with him)

Nudie Day at Playgroup!

I am only putting a few pics up but I have tons- however, I don't want to put pics of anyone's nudie baby on my blog- but look what we did!

Happy Equilibrium Day!!!

Equilibrium Day- today Brooks is 40 weeks 4 days old- He is no officially 'out' as long as he was 'in'. WOW!!!

Here is some pics from this week :)

Here we are enjoying gymboree again- Have I mentioned how much B loves the mirror? Then again, he is pretty darn cute so what's not to love?




We bought him a walker- they are not really recommended because of the danger of stairs (I think we can handle shutting the basement door) and they supposedly don't help kids learn to walk b/c they work different muscles (but hey- we all used them and walk fine). He is just figuring it out but seems to really enjoy it. Most of the time he directs it to the dog bowl where he tries to lean over and grunts for kibble.



Crawling is near- he just needs to figure it out, one day he will take off. I also think the other pic is funny so threw it in here. (And no- Ming is not sniffing his butt, she is being the elusive cheerio thief)



And tooth update- it is growing in fast! He has been playing with his tongue a lot more because I guess he can feel it now and it is very interesting :)





Fine!!! I will show you my tooth- happy now?

Growing Boy

Do you see what I see?



Yup- that white blur on the bottom center of his gums is his tooth. It is just a small white line for now, it is slow coming in, just the tippy top is through- but you can see it!

We had our Dr's appt today
Height: 28.75" 65%
Weight 19 lb 13 oz 40%
Head 18" 70%

B looked good except- he has an ear infection! Who would have known- I hope his good sleep of the past week isn't because he is sick but is a new trend. He seems fine. Because he is acting normal we are not medicating it- the Dr. says they can resolve on their own. We go back in 2 weeks for the shot he missed today (didn't want to give it to him with an infection). If the ear infection has not cleared up we will put him on antibiotics then and then have to go back 2 weeks after that for the shot.

B in the dr's office- table paper is so much fun!




Also in growing news- we finally stopped using the tub in the kitchen. He really was too big and too much splashing. Unfortunately, with our glass doors- I hate giving him a bath in the big tub, but I have no solution- any suggestions? Even though I hate it- he seems to be enjoying the room

Happy 9 month Birthday !!!

I cannot believe my little man is 3/4 of a year old- CRAZY! We just booked his 1st Birthday party at the Philadelphia Zoo- so exciting and yet it makes me want to cry.

So Brooksles (that nickname is courtesy of Eric). Here is what you are up to at 9 months

Every single day you do something new. You have your strength and are trying to learn how to use it
* you sit easily on your own, I don't even worry much about cushions for you anymore.
* you propel yourself from sitting to a crawling position. This is the point you get really annoyed that you don't know how to go farther. Eventually you kerplunk onto your tummy
* you just started scooching backwards - half real crawl, half army crawl
* you lift yourself from a crawling position to your hands and feet (kind of like a yoga position)
*you are just starting to pull up on things- you use me, your toys, your chair and work yourself from sitting- to your knees, and eventually to standing. But you are not too good at that yet, I have to be around
* You are going to the big boy bath because of pulling up using the bathtub in the kitchen
* We are lowering your crib this weekend because you attempted to pull up on the mobile, better to lower it now before you master your skills and topple out!
*you stand holding onto things- and sometimes let go and stand on your own for a few seconds before falling
* you are babbling up a storm- the consonants you say are h, a hard k, a hard g, m, and b
* YOU HAVE A TOOTH!!!! it broke through on 3/16. It is still very low and not visible, but it is through the gum and I can feel the sharp little pointy vampire tooth with my fingers (not that you let me feel it willingly)
* you love your mommy and daddy- we get the best greetings from you
* you have started to grunt to indicate what you want- you look at it and go ugh ugh ugh
*you are wary of strangers- they have to earn a smile. It isn't until you see how Daddy and Mommy act that you open up- and even then they usually only get a close lipped smile, sometimes only a half smile
* you eat almost everything now (except the high allergy foods we avoid and fish). You had corned beef for St Patty's Day, tofu at the sushi restaurant, and you eat a wheat blueberry waffle every day for breakfast
* You are taking pity on Mommy and sleeping like a champ. For about a week now you have been sleeping 8-8:20 and only getting up once between 5-6 to eat.
* You are taking 2 naps a day at about 1 hr 40 mins each
* You are interacting more and enjoying things like gymboree and playgroups
* You love to look out the window, in the mirror, or go outside
* you snuggle up and lay your head on our shoulders if you are real tired- but otherwise you are pretty independant and just want to try to move around and play
* you are perfect and wonderful and the love of our lives


1 month vs 4 months vs 9 months- oh how you have grown!





(his face seems to say 'How many more times do we have to do this Mom!?!')


Fun in the chair! (and evidence of pulling up on it to stand!)






More interested in eating his 9 month sticker than showing it off...

Pulling up!



You are such a happy baby!