Happy Bday Maddie and Hola Brooke

Here is Brooke at 9 Months + 4 weeks. Last Saturday was Maddie's 3rd birthday. To celebrate she got a cake!

Brooke's newest feat this past week was standing in her crib. I walked in after one of her naps, and she's standing there beaming a proud smile.In other news, we began 3.5 weeks of traveling. We crossed Iowa into Illinois, only to fly to Arizona,

and crossed the border into Mexico!

We went to Mexico with 2 good families: Mike, Heather and Hailey, and the family of Ross, Erin and Charlie. The first morning of our trip, 2 of the dads went to check out the ocean (Ross and Charlie, Scott and Brooke).

Here's their first swim of the trip (Scott and Brooke, Heather and Hailey, Ross and Charlie).

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Here is Brooke at 9 months + 3 weeks old.

Warm weather included afternoon walks nearly all week.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Look what the leprechaun left in my pot of gold!

Watching neighbors move in. Someone FINALLY moved into the house behind us (it's been on the market for 3 years!).

Standing attempts begin

Here is Brooke at 9 Months + 2 Weeks Old (always trying to get away...).
The past couple weeks have included gradual pull-ups to her knees and feet. From time to time that also includes some falling and tears if she lands on something hard (walls, tiles, etc.). Here she is "standing" at the fireplace.Leaning into Maddie's toy bin.

Later in the week she mastered the art of crawling in the toy bin. I think she's exhausted from the struggle to get into it as that's a pretty tired look she has.

Visting Friends

Here is Brooke at 9 Months + 1 Week. Turning 9 Months old this past week included a well-check doctor appointment. She now weighs 17 lbs 4 ounces (she's still a bit of pipsqueak). Here she squirms away as we try for a 9 month picture.Continuing from the last post, while in Chicago Brooke "played" at Jake's house (with Mom Suzanne and Dad Rob). She also sort of met Tater Tot (Joanna and Andy's baby due in 3 weeks). She did enjoy giggling at their cats, Professor Plum and Colonel Mustard.

Otherwise, Brooke took to dusting Grandma Karen's furniture.Returning home, she's finding Maddie's toys much more entertaining than her own.Well finally here she decided to play with some of her own.She's also very good at pushing doors open and closed (and play "peek-a-boo" while at it).