Salt Lake Getaway

The Fam

We had a nice little getaway this past weekend to Salt Lake and mixed business with pleasure.  Thomas had a meeting at University of Utah to learn more about the PA program and we decided to just make a long weekend out of it.
We arrived on Thursday and Brooklyn and I hung out at my grandma's while Thomas had his meeting.  My grandma is so fun to chat with.
We stayed at the Hyatt Place in downtown Salt Lake and it was just a couple of blocks from my grandma's apartment and temple square.  We loved that it had a little divided between the bedroom and the living room area so that we didn't disturb Brooklyn when she was sleeping.
Brooklyn was a champ both on the 5 hour drive there and back.  No tears at all from the little princess. She didn't nap much because we were out and about all day but did manage one 45 minute nap each day and she slept fine at night.  Traveling with a baby always makes me anxious but I am usually pleasantly surprised.
Friday we toured temple square.  I think I have always visited temple square either during conference or Christmas time when it is super busy so it was nice to be there with no crowds.  We went through the art museum, visitor centers, assembly hall, and then stopped to pick Grandma up for a late lunch/early dinner.  We headed over to City Creek Mall and ate at the Blue Lemon.  I've been craving it since we last went in October! The restaurant is all about fresh, healthy food and it is so so yummy.  Fast friendly service and delicious food.  Afterwards Grandma treated us to chocolate treats from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

Thomas and Brooky Bear outside the Assembly Hall

Inside the assembly hall.  The pews are super close together, people must have been short back when they built it cause I couldn't even cross my legs.

Love the blossoms on the trees surrounding the temple.

Families Can Be Together Forever

As soon as Brooklyn caught sight of the Christ statue she just stared.

Grandma headed back to the Family History Library and we went to our hotel to get in the hot tub and relax.
Saturday we had a fun day checking out and getting some goodies from Trader Joe's (Boise is getting one next year!) and browsing Ikea.  We met one of my college friends Carrie for lunch at a cute little Mexican restaurant.  That evening Grandma treated us to dinner at Olive Garden.

Getting loves from her great grandma.

Before heading back on Sunday we went to church with Grandma.   We loved spending time together as a family and being able to get away for a bit. 

She's a big girl now

Look who is all adventurous and pulling herself up like crazy now! And if you zoomed in on this picture you would see her two bottom teeth.  I haven't gotten a good picture of them but I love seeing them when she smiles.  And she smiles a lot when her friend Maha comes over. 

Little monkey butt

When I tutor Maha we do 15 minutes of writing/spelling a day. Today I had her use Brooklyn's new fridge magnets to spell out words. Brooklyn wanted to help of course and would grab the magnets and put them on the floor and laugh. I love that Maha came over in her footie pajamas (some days I'm still in my pajamas too when she comes over and it's not morning time either).

Beat Coach Pete 5K

Saturday was the Beat Coach Pete 5K scholarship run. For each person that beats the Boise State football coach, he donates five dollars to the scholarship fund for students.

Representing Team Beef

Thomas and I's plan was to of course beat him but also beat our time at our last 5K.
Little Miss Brooklyn got sick Thursday night and was throwing up every 15 minutes for about 4 hours.  Poor baby! Broke her mama's heart. That was my first (of many I'm sure) time as a mom being thrown up ALL OVER.  Friday she didn't throw up but only had a few bites of applesauce and 6 oz of milk the whole day.  She slept almost all day too.
Saturday morning she was still asleep at 8:30am which is very rare for the girly who likes to get up at 6am most mornings.   I woke her up and gave her about 3 oz of a bottle before she threw it all up over me which required a wardrobe change.
The race started at 9:30am so we discussed our options.  I could stay home with Brooklyn, we could call our babysitter, or we could just take her and hope for the best.  Thomas made the executive decision to take her with us.
Once we got to the start in front of the Student Rec Center she did not want to be in her stroller.  She just wanted to be held by Mama and snuggle.  So I told Thomas he should just go ahead and run and try to beat Pete and I would carry her in the baby carrier and push the empty stroller.
Thomas rocked it and ran the race in 22 minutes! He beat Pete by 6 minutes.  Brooklyn and I made it in 45 minutes.  Brooklyn was just a little cuddle bug the whole way.
The volunteers at this race are very enthusiastic even for the walkers :) And at the end Coach Pete was there to high five us.  He pointed at Brooklyn in her carrier and said "Ahhh!"
I love the sense of community that comes from having a university in our city. 
That night it was my turn to be sick and I was up all night throwing up :( .  Brooklyn has been throwing up every other day so I'm not sure what is going on.  She isn't running a fever and except for the first day her energy and temperament are fine before and after she throws up.  I'm thinking it could be a stomach virus from swallowing yucky water at the pool? 

First Day of Swimming Lessons

Brooklyn isn't a huge fan of the tub.  She pretty much cries every time we put her in it.  So I have been worried that she has a fear of water. From personal experience I feel like the more you are afraid of an activity the more dangerous it is for you because you over react and get yourself hurt. So I wanted to nip this little problem of being afraid of water in the bud early and signed her up for swimming lessons at the YMCA.
I was picturing myself with a screaming baby clinging to my neck as a attempted to get us in the water.  I even planned out my apologies to the other class participants beforehand. But... it ended up being completely fine!
We got to class about 10 minutes early and Brooklyn just sat on my lap watching the other swimming lessons going on and even seemed to be anxious to get in the water herself by her body language.
When it was time for class to start she was just calm as a cucumber.  Brooklyn was the youngest in the class at 10 months while the other two participants, both boys, were two years old. Our instructor, Annie, first had us practicing cueing.  The parents would put the babies on the edge of the pool and then count and have them jump into our arms (obviously Brooklyn can't really jump so I would just lift her into my arms).  We did this a few times and then did the Hokie Pokie and "splashed all about". Later in the class we practiced having the babies on their tummies and reaching for an object to get the outreached arm motion going.  That was followed by singing the motor boat song accompanied by actions in the pool.  And to end class we practiced having them float on their back.  Brooklyn LOVED this part.  She was so relaxed it was ADORABLE!!! And seeing Brooklyn in a swimsuit! Oh my goodness I couldn't stop loving on that little lady!

Her legs look so long!!! Mmmm yummy baby!