Happy Halloween & BIG BOY ROOM!!!

Master Penguin- right down to the waddle!!! Enjoy this video :)





Happy Halloween!!!
We had a wonderful weekend. Last Thursday Eric took an early lunch to join Brooks and I at the Gymboree Halloween party. It was a lot of fun and we discovered that B has a massive love for cheese curls. I think he is going to look for them in the music room every time we go back. On Saturday we went to a Halloween Party thrown by a mom in my playgroup- lots of kids, lots of fun. Before we headed over we did some trick-or-treating in Rittenhouse, as it was a big 'event' that the stores participated in on Saturday.
Sunday we trick-or-treated. I thought it would be a little lame with a 1 yr old. I just figured he wouldn't last long, plus our neighborhood isn't too big on it. Well boy was I wrong. We went a few blocks away- and everyone who is giving out candy sits outside while the kids walk up and down (saves you from ringing doorbells and wondering if people are participating). Brooks had SO MUCH FUN! He was running around like crazy, looking at the costumes, shrieking something that Eric and I imagined sounded like trick-or-treat (although in reality there is no way), waving hi, bye, and thank you to everyone, and just had a blast. We brought his little car and he would alternate walking and riding (his choice, he would get in and out). He didn't quite grasp the concept- at some houses he took his candy and put it in their bowls rather than taking new candy, but he had fun. Eric gave him a taste of a Milky Way and later he saw one and spit everything in his mouth out to go for it. We had dinner at a local restaurant and hit a few more houses on our way home- and then he passed out for the night. It was the greatest day- I still can't believe how much fun it was.

And in other news- Brooks' big boy room is in progress!!! The furniture came today and it is all set up. Now I just have to decorate and move his stuff in. I also have to figure out what to do about him and sleeping. He isn't ready to leave the crib- but there isn't enough room for a crib. Why oh why don't they make some sort of crib-on-top-of-bed thing?

Pictures!!!



Trick or Treating:
Getting Ready to put his costume on



And we are off...








Big Boy Room: (remember- this is just the furniture and such. I still have to decorate, do window treatments, etc)



Not the best shot- but the other pictures make the room seem crowded, I think this one shows how much floor space there actually is- everything fit so well!


Back to window, facing door


Back to door, facing windows



Halloween Parties:

Updates, get your updates!!!

Warning- this is a long one!

October has been a crazy month so far.

We spent the first weekend in Baltimore for our annual trip to the Fells Point Fun Fest- I am so done with going, but Eric loves the 'tradition' since we have gone 10 yrs in a row. They don't have too much for kids, and the past 3 years now I have been pg or bf'ing with a child in tow- it's quite a change from the beer garden, bar hopping years in the past. Now it is kind of just the same old carts with the same old crafts and some greasy food- that is a 2 hr drive away. (I sound like an alcholohic I know, but we could go to that here).

The next weekend we went up to my parents to celebrate their birthdays. My mom, dad, FIL, and Step-MIL all have bdays within 1 week of each other so it is a busy time. It was great to see my family.

During these weeks B officially got 3 molars and his last incisor- so he has been wonky.

This past week was HELL. Our furniture company called and B's big boy set is in and coming next week. This gave me 1 week, with a baby in tow, to get ready. Within the past few days I have packed up the guest room, packed up the basement, had a furniture donation company come for the desk, and had a moving company move a bunch of stuff to storage. The painter comes tomorrow, and the furniture probably in a week (they deliver to Philly on Mon & Tues and I said no to this Tues in case the painter was not done). PHEW

The other part of HELL- Brooks, Eric, and I ALL got a 36 hour stomach bug. It started with Brooks acting oddly tired. He has never been one of those kids who just passes out, so when he does- I worry. That night he crawled up on me, I thought to give a kiss because he loves doing that lately, instead he vomited- all over me, making me a puddle in my shirt- disgusting. Then the next day I woke up feeling ehh- within 2 hrs I was puking. Puked my brains out all day, I mean all the way to bile, peeing a little and hurting abs with each heave. And this is while taking care of sick baby Brooks. I called Eric sobbing for help. He came home, walked in, and said he didn't feel well 3 hrs later he was puking. It was terrible- the worst. Thank God it was short lived and we are all better today. In fact, we went pumpkin picking!
This is how I knew he wasn't feeling himself.





Pumpkin Picking was a blast! The pumpkins were not as scary for B as last year. We need to find a new place to go- the place we have been going is soooo commercial to the point it is not enjoyable because it is so much traffic, confusion, etc.
Family Pic!

Trying to get a good pic with mommy for once


And sitting in the pumpkins, he was unimpressed





He preferred the wheelbarrow to his stroller

Not into the growth shot this year

My love

Look Mom, a goat! (you can't see, but he's pointing)


Exhausted by the end


SQUEAKS NEWS!!!

I am over 21 weeks pregnant now!!! 21 WEEKS!!!
We had our big ultrasound last Thursday. We stayed true to being team green and did not find out. Squeaks was adorable and waving his/her arms around the whole time. Everything with the baby looked perfect and healthy! That is great news. The only bad news was I have marginal placenta previa. I am trying not to think too much about it because I have so much time for it to resolve itself. The dr. seemed to think there was a great chance it would move on its own. I go back in 8 weeks for a followup appt. If it does not move- I will have to have a c-section. So this wasn't the best news, however- baby looks great and that is the most important thing!


And a few other pictures= Go Phillies in the playoffs!!! Eric got honored for his volunteer work and we went to a luncheon for him. The place overlooked Philly and had gorgeous views.




Congrats on your award Daddy!



Loving this fall weather

Happy Belated 15 months!

15 months already?!?! NO WAY!



Brooks turned 15 months old on September 17. Now that he is 1, the stickers for shirts go on a quarterly schedule, and sadly I apparently am as well with the updates.
Stats!

* Weighs 23 lbs 6 oz (30th %ile)
* Is 32" tall (70th %ile)
*Has an 18" round noggin

And of course- our pictures have returned for a quarterly installment as well!!!

The chair pictures: (1, 4, 8, 12, then 15 months!)

15 months- which one do you like better? Eric and I can't agree :)



And the monkey pics! (1,4,9,12, & 15 months)








He was really silly- but this was the absolute best we could get where his body was actually spread out and not curled up or twisting to get away like this:



Some other shots from our chair shoot- I always said it got harder and harder to get a good picture. I am still not satisfied, but after 3 separate attempts and with Eric to help me try to get him to sit still, I finally accepted we did the best we could. All he wanted to do was climb, stand or run away :)

Trying to show him how it's done :)



Dancing

Slouching




Getting angry!





It was hard work :)


At 15 months Brooks
* Is on a good schedule and is decent about being flexible. Some days he takes 1 2.5-3.5 hr nap, others he is still doing 2 1.5-2 hr naps. It all depends on when he wakes up.
* Has 8 teeth- 7 in front, 4 top/3 bottom, and 1 molar in the back!! I think this is the reason things have been a little wacky lately, and know this is also the reason he is always chewing on his finger.
* Is beginning to run! It is amazing he took his first steps at 13 months, 3 weeks later was walking like a zombie, and now has it down to a science and is starting to run!
* Is climbing- like a maniac. He maneuvers himself onto the couch, tries to climb bookshelves, etc.
* Doesn't have too many words- he says Dada (gaga), Mama, Dog (guh), ball, ball-pit (baa-poo) which also means basement in his head, bus, book, bath.
* Eats 3 meals a day, a few snacks, and drinks solely milk & water.
* Can be a very adventurous eater (he had a flounder sandwich for lunch the other day)
* Can be a very picky eater and live off of cereal bars and bagels
* Throws tantrums when he isn't allowed to do what he wants
* Imitates everything- holds phones to his ear, brushes his hair, brushes his teeth, tries to put shoes one, etc.
* Loves to wrestle and snuggle
* LOVES to "pet" Ming- poor dog, he also has a bad habit of tail pulling
* Likes to makes that sound with your mouth when you run your finger over your lips (video coming soon).
* Goes after the trash, into toilet water, tries to steal the toilet brush, etc
* Still loves drumming/banging on things.
* LOVES to read and will ask for books to be read to him over and over again
* Understands pretty much everything we say that is part of his routine (going for a walk, time to eat, brush your teeth, etc)
* Can show us where his fingers, feet, belly, and sometimes head are.
*Climbs up slides then plops on his tummy to slide back down backwards
* Is super smart
* Has become super snuggly
* Is so much fun and makes us laugh
* Is the light of our lives!