8 Months

At 8 months Brooklyn:
- Scoots on her bum and reaches to get what she needs to.

- Will go from sitting to an almost crawling position, stays there for a bit but then ends up on her tummy.

- When on her back will roll to her side and try to push up into a sitting position.
- Likes to sleep on her side for naps and bedtime.
- Sleeps for 11 hours before needing to eat at night.
- Takes 2-3 naps a day.  First one around 9am second one around 1pm both about two hours. Sometimes she needs an a hour nap around 5pm.  
- Likes the juices we make in our new juicer. Loves my Camelback water bottle and I'm totally impressed she can use it cause it has a bite valve so you have to bite it and suck at the same time. 
- Loves to feed herself cereal, peas, butternut squash, apples, and pears that are steamed and cut into bite sized pieces. She's doing really well with her pincer grasp and hand-eye coordination in order to feed herself.

- Wears 6-9 month clothes.
- Weighs 16.5lbs
- Loves to pull things out of boxes.
- Loves books and has started to want to turn the pages herself when being read to.
- Is very entertained by other kids. If kids are sitting by us at church she is a happy camper.  She loves going to play dates and being around other little ones.
- She has a mobile on her crib that plays music if you touch a certain part of it and she is a pro at getting it going when she first wakes up to entertain herself for a bit.  I love hearing her cute little babbling over the baby monitor. 

I seriously fall more and more in love with this little girl everyday.  I miss her sometimes when she goes to bed and is just in the next room. 

Mad Hatter Tea Party

My friend Jillian was inspired to host a Mad Hatter Tea Party after going to tea with her sister at a local restaurant/tea shop.  There was a great turnout and it was so nice to get out and chat for a few hours while snacking on yummy treats. Jillian and her sister found all of the tea kettles from local thrifts stores.  They were so creative with the decorations it was adorable. I'll let the pictures do some of the talking.

Random shots

Just some random shots from this month.

The things that most entertain Brooklyn are books.  Part of our morning routine is after I have fed and dressed her I set her down in her room next to her books while I get my breakfast made.  I can see her from the kitchen and it's so funny to hear her babbling away and checking out all her books.

She loves cords (what baby doesn't) and so helping Thomas hold the cord while he vacuumed was a productive solution.

I've always wondered how mom's get pictures of their kids while they are sleeping in a dark room. I was always too scared the flash would wake her up and nap time is way to precious to take that gamble. But the other day I needed to wake her up anyways so I took the gamble. And ironically it didn't even wake her up.

I love her in jeans.  She looks so grown up in them.

Thomas was commenting how she almost reaches from side to side.

I don't remember if I posted these pics of this canvas I had made from an Etsy vendor.  It's a quote from the book "The Help"  (except I fixed the grammar).  I had a really pretty mirror above the crib but I was worried it might fall on her.  Paranoid mom.

Snowshoeing

This past weekend we went up to Bogus Basin to try out hand at snowshoeing.  And........ we loved it! Since it's hard to rationalize spending money to go snowboarding and get a babysitter for Brooklyn this was the perfect compromise.  We were able to get up to the mountains and all spend time together as a family.  And for all three of us and our equipment it was cheaper than one lift ticket, can't beat that.

Jilian and Kevan

Checking out the trails

We went with our friends Jilian and Kevan and enjoyed getting in our excercise and catching up with them. It has been super cold in Boise because of the inversion so it was about 10 degrees in Boise but 40 degrees up in the mountains.  We worked up a sweat!
Thomas pulled Brooklyn in the chariot most of the way but I took over for a bit on the way back and that certainly adds some burn to the workout.  Kevin also volunteered to haul her part of the way.

Pulling our little babe

First time snowshoeing for all of us

Those are some studly men right there

The princess and her chariot

The little princess slept most of the way and woke up the last five minutes and wanted out so I got in an arm workout too holding her while snowshoeing.We all agreed we will be continuing this new hobby.

Brooklyn's Christmas Pics

Thank you so much to Mary for taking these pictures while we were in Yakima for Christmas! My parents got all of the granddaughters Christmas dresses and I wanted some good shots of Brooklyn in hers for her first Christmas. And thanks to my mom for taking Brooklyn to get them done while Thomas and I went snowboarding. I'll cherish them always.

That round little face!!! Seriously I have to try to restrain myself  when it comes to kissing those cheekies or she gets a little annoyed with me always mugging on her :) And that little nose too! Perfect for eskimo kisses I tell you.

Yum Yum

When I see her expression in this picture I can just hear the little laugh she makes.

Our little Christmas beauty.

I dare you to not kiss those cheeks when you are around them!

She looks so grown up to me in this picture.  Sitting up so tall!

Our Wintery Saturday

This was our Saturday:
Drove to Kuna per recommendation of a co-worker of Thomas' who said their was a really cool park there to walk around.  I don't know if we got the wrong park or what but it was pretty average and nothing to drive 20 minutes for.  BUT it's about quality time together right? And we actually really did enjoy the drive and walking around on the path to get some excercise. We needed to try out our new to us snowboots that we got from Salvation Army this week because next weekend we are going snowshoeing so it was a nice little dress rehearsal.

Making a snow angel. (Okay she actually kind of plopped back into the snow)

Baby snow angel

Afterwards we went and browsed Whole Foods.  Such a dangerous place because they have all these unique foods that sound good but they are pricey.  We ended up getting some pizza dough for dinner tonight, some soup, and these awesome teething biscuits for Brooklyn. It was Brooklyn's first time sitting up in the cart and she did aweseome.  I don't know why I haven't thought of it sooner.  I guess I still see her as a little baby who shouldn't be sitting up by herself in a cart yet!

We then headed to Winco.  People at Winco love Brooklyn.  So many comments and people stopping to stop to talk to her.  She didn't take an afternoon nap so to get through grocery shopping we gave her a teething biscuit and it lasted the whole time.  It was pretty darn cute seeing her face by the end because it was so messy.

Love them chubby hands!

Once home Brooklyn and I were excited that "Salon Tomas" (that should be pronounced in Spanish haha) was open.  We both had our toenails painted and felt pretty darn fancy.

Tiny toes

The artist at work.

Brooklyn's First Christmas

We spent Brooklyn's first Christmas in Yakima, WA at my parents house.  Thomas and I were so ready for a whole week together as a family. 
The evening we arrived in Yakima I went with Brooklyn to meet up with some old friends from High school.  One of them has a new two month old baby and another is 12 weeks pregnant. It's so crazy to think back on who we all were in High school and how we have changed and grown to be the people we are today.
On Christmas Eve we went caroling with my parents to neighbors and another of my friends from High school, Jessica's. A fellow student from our high school that she was very close with passed away the day before and we figured she could use a little cheering up.  You know what Buddy the elf says "the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear." She was so excited to get carolers :) Brooklyn had helped me make sugar cookies for the goody plates we brought caroling with us.

Helping me mix the dough.

We also went to look at some Christmas lights at a house that every year does an extravagant display. 

Nana and Brooklyn

Thomas and Brooklyn

Some of the lights on the property.

Nana teaching Brooklyn the story of Jesus' birth.

Brooklyn and her Nana and Pops

Our family in front of the big garage filled with Christmas characters.

Christmas morning we had Brooklyn open some of her presents first.  She loved chewing on the ribbon and did pretty good tearing the paper off. To keep her from getting too overwhelmed we put her down for a nap while the rest of us opened presents and then she opened her remaining presents after her nap.  She got lots of clothes, toys, and books.  Some of her fave presents so far are her Disney train, Melissa and Doug musical instruments, Rock N' Stack, and chew necklace. The chew necklace was a gift from Thomas to me.  It is made for mommy's to wear and babies to chew on.  Genius idea! Brooklyn grabbed for it and put it in her mouth the moment I put it on.

Kisses for her Great Grandpa Clement

Another book to add to the collection.

Look how happy this BSU outfit made her! A true Bronco's fan.

A baby can never have enough hair bows.

Playing with the ribbon.

Merry Christmas from the Giles!

Loving her Pops' attention and the Chewby necklace.

Being read to by her Nana.

Zebra print, pink, and a big bow doesn't get any cuter than that.

Christmas afternoon we headed over to Thomas' brother's house for lunch and opening some more presents.
Christmas evening was dinner at my parents with Grandpa Clement and later games.
Our Christmas festivities made for some memorable moments.  The best parts were just being with family and seeing everybody happy.  I know gifts aren't the most important thing about Christmas but this year it really clicked with me one of the reasons why we give gifts.  It's only appropriate that on Christ's, the most selfless man to have walked the earth,birthday instead of giving him gifts we give each other gifts. Another act of selflessness, celebrating your birthday by having others receive gifts.  I can understand Heavenly Father loving seeing His children happy as they feel of the givers thoughtfulness and love.  I can relate to that because having a child of my own now I really could care less what I receive but it made me so happy to see my child be showered with gifts and love. It made me so happy to see my grandpa, husband, mom, dad, and daughter opening gifts and being surprised and grateful.  Best part of Christmas. 
Thomas got a new snowboard for Christmas so later that week my mom watched Brooklyn for us so Thomas and I could go up to White Pass Ski Resort to snowboard.  I was nervous beforehand but it all came back to me after the first run and we had a really fun time.  I love seeing Thomas in his element and how happy he is up on the mountain. 
What a wonderful first Christmas for our little Brooklyn and our whole family.  

After our day of snowboarding.