Conversations

Not only does she repeat what she's asked to, she also makes her own stories up now and I can't tell you how much I enjoy our conversations!  Here's a typical conversation on our way home from school:

"We're going home now!"  "Yes, we're going home."  "To eat breakfast!" "No, breakfast in the morning, dinner at night." "Breakfast in the morning, dinner at night." "Daddy at work?" "Yes, daddy's at work. He'll be home soon." "Daddy be at home?" Yes, daddy will be at home for dinner."

"Brooklyn, are you ready for big girl panties tomorrow?" "Audrey wear big girl panties." "Yes, Audrey wears big girl panties." "Audrey's puppies. Audrey has puppies at her house." "Yes, she does."  "Audrey's puppies go outside and play."

I know this seems elementary to many, but to a mother experiencing these milestones for the first time? They're remarkable, momentous times that I hope to never forget. Not a day goes by that I'm not amazed by your growing mannerisms and intelligence. She actually said "excuse me, mommy" when trying to pass me in the hallway tonight. Really? What a polite little princess!  What a smile you bring to my life, Brooklyn.  Love you.  "Mmm Hmm" she responds every night.

We've got a crawler!

At 8 months and 7 days old, Bryson crawled across his bedroom floor, beating his sister's record by one day!  She was 8 months and 8 days old when she crawled for the first time.  Crazy how similar their development has been!  But....he hasn't repeated the cheer-inspiring action since his first mobile moment.  He seriously crawled from his crib to his doorway that night. But hasn't gone more than 4 strides since then. It's like he fell asleep that night and forgot everything he learned!  C'mon, bubba! You can do it!

Big girl bed

It took six months, but now we go to sleep knowing that both kids will sleep all night long...and wake up happy. Icing on the cake!  Neither are quick risers.  They wake up quietly and enjoy a little time to themselves before being picked up. 

This is probably because they transform into ping pong balls during their hours of slumber, bouncing from side to side of their cribs. They sleep so similarly: tummy down; head at the top of the mattress. But by morning, they've pinged off each wall time and time again.  They start the day tummy up, with their heads where thier toes began. 

With that in mind, maybe you'll understand now why my eyes were glued to her monitor tonight.  You see, I tucked my little girl into a big girl bed tonight.  Boy was she excited!  And me? A paranoid mess. What if she falls out? I have pillows lined up in front. What if she gets out in the morning, playing so quietly that we don't hear her? This fear forced a final run through to ensure that nothing of danger resides within her four walls. Scissors removed. Check. Outlets plugged. Check. Cords secured. Check. Crayons gone. Check.

I'll sleep like a baby tonight. Tossing and turning and glimpsing at the monitor til the nagging buzz of my alarm at 6:30. I want my eyes to be the first to open tomorrow...who knows what'll happen if she beats me!  I must log off now...just realized the race I've entered...lay still, my girl.  Lay very, very still...

2 Years

Two years ago today, I was entering my second full day of laboring. Wednesday night had been a breeze. Slept like an uncomfortable pregnant woman in a hospital bed. But I'd been used to that. (Maybe not the hospital bed part, but those are just minor details.) Thursday, the pitocin started, but I never progressed past 1.5 cm dilation. Today, a sunny Friday morning, they would break my water and the fun would begin. An Epideral and 14 more hours of pitocin later, I met the on-call doctor for the first time. Dr. Nolan introduced herself to me in the same sentence that she said, "it's time for a c-section, Mom". The room had been full of panicked nurses, shifting me from side to side, tummy to back, trying to regulate Brooklyn's heart rate. Jackson had just left to fetch his dinner in a box from Pei Wei. My sister felt weak-headed and laid on the couch for a moment. Someone had to call Jackson to turn around and rush back to get suited up for the operating room. Yet, among the chaos and hurriedness, I had an odd sense of relief and calmness. I was just ready. Ready to be done trying to labor. Ready to meet my little girl. And so we did. At 9:11, she cried her first cry. But not for long. She was instantly alert and aware. It was odd how awake she was; not even crying during her first bath. She was everything we had prayed for. She was perfect. And two years later, I say the same. She's such a wonderful little girl.

Two years...730 days...such a small sliver of time, yet so much has happened.  She learned to crawl at 8 months; walk at 11 months; talking select words by one, and babbling sentences by two. She can count, she jumps off the ground (with both feet!). She dances and swims. Says cheese for pictures. Rocks her babies to sleep. Loves to play at the playground, cautiously manuevering her way around obstacles and down slides. She can't get enough time with her cousins, and her new-found bestie, Audrey. She's forming opinions about the clothes and shoes she wears. Loves everything girlie - pink toes, mommy's lotions, bows, dolls, and dress up. Her favorite color is a toss up between blue & yellow. Her favorite book is still Goodnight Moon, though there are numerous seconds, like the Little Blue Truck and the Big Red Barn.  Elmo outshines out any character she knows, eliciting giggles of joy and smiles every time. And what a sister. It's second nature to her to love and engage with her bubba. She'll pause her playtime to bring him toys and jump up & down to make him chuckle. He's one of the first words that comes out of her mouth in the mornings. "Bubba sleeping...shhhhh..."

Brooklyn, you light up our lives. We love you oh so much. Happy second birthday, my girl. I hope you had a good first two years...and I can't wait for more!!

730 days ago

Brooklyn was due to be born on November 1, 2009. When that Sunday came and went, my blissful pregnant memories had ended. (Well, maybe they ended before that. Like months before that. But I digress.) Point is, I was an impatient mother-to-be that Monday morning when getting my disproportionate body ready for work, only to arrive and be asked thirteen more times that day "wow, when are you due? Know what you're having?" I worked Monday and Tuesday, went to the doctor and begged for induction. After all, my original due date was Oct 27th and let's be honest. Patience has never been a strong point of mine, so having the date pushed back...and then missing my new due date? I was fit to be tied and ready to meet this stubborn child of mine, who was showing no signs of coming on her own. 

We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 p.m. 730 days ago today...

Sat down for a breather...

...and a mini Snickers. It is Halloween after all.  It's my first treat...I've had a grocery bag full to the rim since September and it's my first piece.  Jackson, on the other hand. Well, he can't claim the same. Nearly all the skittles fell victim to his lack of self control.  Sorry kiddos. If you're looking for the magical rainbow, don't come a-knockin on our door tonight.

What a morning! The kids' school hosts a Halloween 'parade' for kids of all ages. Sounds sweet, doesn't it? Bring your kids in costume for a parade of trick-or-treating!  I'm still recovering and trying to figure out who in the crowd enjoyed it most? The wailing kids, screaming infants, anxious mothers, or camera-holding dads trying everything in their power to elicit smiles from the terrified children. Here's a before...

...during...

...and after...

Get this thing OFF of me!

Looks like fun was had, huh?  NOT.  And poor Bryson. You are so loved, Bubba. But Mommy bought you the worst costume ever. The cutest, but the most unrealistic made. Daddy was right for the first time when he told me your eight fat legs wouldn't fit in the car seat or stroller. But I just couldn't resist.  So I bought it, and you're the most adorable spider ever!  But after 3 hours of lugging you around Boo HaHa this weekend, I couldn't bear the thought of carrying you for this silly parade.  So, no costume for you on this parade day!  Sorry bubba. 

I fell in love with my husband all over again today, as I lived out a morning in his every-day life:
1) Wake up to babbling Bryson.
2) Hop in the shower.
3) Scramble to beat the cries and get ready for work, as if a participant in a timed event. (This is where his hair (or lack of) gives him a competitive advantage!)
4 & 5) Rush to prepare bottle & cereal for Bryson.
6, 7, 8) Dress, feed, and load both kids into car.

And that's just what he does to get out of the house!  We won't even go into the logistics of unloading 2 kids and their backpacks, walking up stairs to the school, and taking them to separate classes.  Jackson does this every single morning. And when he calls me with a morning report, I can tell there's a smile on his face most days. How he can have such a whirlwind of a morning, and still be smiling before finishing his first cup of coffee will forever remain a mystery to this ever-appreciative mother and wife.

My girl's perspective...

"Mommy. Daddy. Bubba." I hear Brooklyn repeating these names over and over while playing on the playground this weekend. She didn't know I was following her like white on rice as she carefully maneuvered her way through the play set.  Jackson says she was repeating the names of those she loves in order...Mommy. Daddy. Bubba. But I tell him that can't be true because she stopped there, and there are many, many more names that she'd list if that were the case. But it makes me wonder: what does go through the head of my little princess? There's one story that we read at night that asks her to tell a story about herself at the end. She repeats after me: "My name is Brooklyn. I have a mommy, and a daddy, and a bubba. They love me a lot. And I love them, too. My favorite color is blue. And I'm beautiful."  I can't wait to hear her own story...and I love watching it develop every day.