Powerful: Derek + Laura

My sweet daughter Brooklyn is 1! I can't believe that. That means I have been a mom for 1 year. Good news is we both have survived! She's grown so much sine she's been 1. She didn't become a toddler overnight but as soon as she could walk she left those baby years behind her and hasn't looked back. I on the other hand seem to always be looking at her like my little baby. I guess I need to get with the times and realize my baby girl is no longer a baby. Here are some of our fun activities and happenings from her 12th month: 1st dentist appointment: 12/11/2103 Learned to clap: 12/19/13 Tried whole milk and wasn't a fan (still isn't) Celebrated her very first Christmas Celebrated her 1st birthday  Pointed, and still points, at everything Will open the door if you ask her to Knows how to turn on and off the light switches when you ask Loves to read and loves her blanket Is more of a sound sleeper than I knew. She slept through a fire alarm and a lo...

My goodness life has been busy here trying to get ready for our move to Texas but I still wanted to make time to write down how Brooklyn has changed and grown in the last month. I already feel bad for my future babies...I doubt they'll get records of each month of their 1st year of life. I'll do my best. Anyways... Isn't she cute? Melts my heart everyday. Here are some of the things she's been up to this last month: Reaches out to touch your face and show that she loves you Got her 2nd tooth! Does the funniest thing where she chews on her top gums with her bottom teeth. Her nostrils flare and her nose gets all scrunched up. It's pretty dang adorable. Loves to play sitting up. She can sit up like a champion Slaps her hands down on everything: legs, tables, floor, water in the bath or pool Loves to also play on her tummy and will go from sitting to her knees to flat on her belly While she's on her stomach she'll turn herself around in a circle. Th...

So Derek and I tend to be lucky people. I never really noticed it until my mother pointed it out the other day. We tend to win a lot of free stuff and I am not even sure how it happens. I am always that person who wants to win things. I think it's fun and exciting and gives you opportunities to do or have things that you wouldn't have spent the money on yourself. For most of my life I haven't won free things and it has only been recently that things having started to come my way. I remember being at our HS grad night for all the seniors and wishing I would win of the cool prizes. No such luck. Grateful that my luck has changed, for now. Win #1: Sevendust tickets. I was getting ready for my band concert, I know...so cool, and I was listening to the local rock station in Appleton, WI. They had a contest to win tickets to see Sevendust in Milwaukee so I called up and actually won! Did I go? No! I didn't have many friends who liked "hardcore" music and I wasn...

So my sweet girl is 6 months old. I feel like from the moment she was born I was waiting for her to be this old. I knew we would have so much fun together as she can do more and interact more than she could when she was just a wee little one. She's grown and changed so much this past month. She amazes me everyday. She is always on the move. Examples: She rolled of the bed when I was brushing my hair and what I like to call...the swing incident. Our dear friends Jackie and Par have let us borrow their swing. It has saved our life on many occasions. Anyway, I put her in there for a nap one afternoon and start to hear her wakeup. Usually I let her wake up a little before I go and get her. So I start to listen to her get a little more fussy so I go back there to check out what she's up to. She is on her stomach, her head is facing down where her butt should be, and her waist and legs are dangling off the swing and it goes back and forth. I should've snapped a picture but I m...

So 5 years later... Sorry it's taken me so long to post about the rest of our vacation. My goodness where does the time go? Moving on. So Friday afternoon we drove down to Newport Beach to spend a lovely week in the ocean air. We took Brooklyn to the beach, the pool, Balboa Island (a family favorite), Huntington Pier, and really just took some time to relax. I don't think Derek had gotten this much sleep in a a couple of years. We took naps when she napped. She slept like an angel. She must be a California girl. With her early bed time we enjoyed making dinner together, playing some brutal games of monopoly, and just enjoying each others company. Towards the end of our stay Derek's mom came to visit and on our very last day in Newport his Aunt Cindy made a long trek to see us and meet Brooklyn. It was so nice to have her there and she was great with Brooklyn. We took a walk along the beach and as she was holding and walking with B she fell asleep. Why she never does t...