Happy December 18th

Um, hello! Did you know I'm here?!

Dear Brenna,

One year ago today, I was laying in front of the Christmas tree, relaxing, and all of a sudden, I felt a tap, tap, tap on my belly. It was you! I felt you for the first time.

I called Daddy over, and he could feel you, too! It was the first time you decided to make your presence known.

Now, we all know you are a pro at that. But a year ago tonight, it was the first. These days, I get all emotional about firsts. In one week I will celebrate my first baby's first Christmas.

Because Christmas has always been my most special day, it practically makes me cry to think about sharing it with you. I look forward to you learning about Baby Jesus and gaining faith, and I can't wait to see the twinkle in your eye as you put your hopes in Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas. This week is the first of many firsts!

Brenna, you are the greatest thing to ever happen to me and Daddy. We love watching you learn and grow! Thank you for saying hello a year ago and every day since.

I love you so much!

Love,
Mommy

Happy December 17th

Sometimes Brenna makes a weird little face that looks like we told her to say, "Cheese!"

This forced look is what I think her senior pictures are going to look like:



Well, sort of. You can see her underpants and she has drool running down her chest in the pics above. If her senior pictures are just like this, that means I don't do a very good job in the next 18 years.

Happy December 16th

Happy 31st Birthday, Erin!

We can't wait...ONE MORE MONTH until your little boy joins these two wackos. They both enjoyed posing for birthday/Christmas pictures for you!

Funny faces!

The wrapper was ON the candy cane...



This final picture cracks me and Kelly up. Maura's smile is great, and Brenna looks embarrassed, like she just realized she is naked!

Happy December 14th and 15th

Sorry I was slacking on Friday and Saturday. I was busy partying (Brad and Kirsten's annual Christmas party in their gorgeous house) and Christmas shopping (I'm done!).

Our Christmas cards are out, so I can publish it on my blog now. This was our completed card:

My mom told me that her good friend, Mrs. Fischer, thought I bought the cards from the store with some random baby on them! One of her daughters said to her, "Mom, I think that baby is Brenna." Best compliment ever! :)

Happy December 13th

Hey, Mom, get down here quick!
I have to show you something.

There is ice all over my front tree!

And all over my back deck, too!

It's a good thing I'm prepared for this. I wore my ice skates shirt today!

Wow, did you see those hangy water things? They are called icicles!

There are some little ones hanging from the table!

Man, winter is pretty cool.
There is something new every day.

And guess what? Sometimes we even get early dismissals.
Because of all of this ice stuff, Mommy and I got to come home at 2:30 to talk about it!

Standing woman

Yesterday when I went to pick up Brenna at daycare, Miss K told me that when she woke up from her nap, she pulled herself to standing in her crib.

Since I missed this milestone, too, I challenged her to recreate the moment for me when we got home. Of course, I sat in her rocking chair with my camera, eager to capture the second time she pulled herself to standing.

The Rudy theme song should have been playing in the background. When Brenna first rolled over or the first time she sat unsupported, she didn't seem to have any realiziation that she was doing something she couldn't do before.

But, this time, she knew. It was the first time she really seemed proud of herself. She grunted and whined while pulling herself up, but when she did, she laughed and laughed. It was great to feel like we were cheering together. Like we were a little team :)






God, she's getting big. Where did six and a half months go?

SAT Prep Course

I guess I'm going to have to sign her up now for tutoring. The dummy doesn't even know her book is upside down.

Happy December 12th

Brenna's shirt says DJ because Jamie DJ's on the side. Considering we think he's the father, it's fitting. :)

Actually, this shirt was the first gift she ever got. My sister Kelly sent it when I told her I was pregnant, and I told her before I probably should have even known I was. So, Brenna was getting outfitted before most moms-to-be would know that a baby was in their future. That's how cool she is.

This is normal crawling, which she can do.

And this is crawling Brenna Style, which I also like to call Captain Dan Style - pulling herself around the house with her arms.

Jamie just informed me that it's Lieutenant Dan. Screw him.

Happy December 11th

This is Brenna's fat face picture. It is probably not that cute to others, but I love it anyway...


Also, she wore her Christmas dress while I took these pics, then she drooled/spit up on it. So, I washed it so it would be clean for Christmas.

I guess the tag saying you can wash and dry it was written by a big, fat liar! The dress now has a giant hole on it, and the color is all distorted. I'd take it back, but I don't really feel like it, so she'll just wear her red dress.

Happy December 10th