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).

Last week of February

Here is Brooke at 8 Months + 4 Weeks. This weekly picture taking really may be ending soon as she keeps "leaping" off the side of the chair.
We took a trip this past week to Pittsburgh as well into Chicago to see family and friends. Brooke did great traveling! Unfortunately the camera didn't go along to document our adventures.

On Friday, Brooke enjoyed playing with Charlie (and Mom Erin). Charlie was very sweet in sharing his toys with Brooke and showing us his toddling moves.

Valentine's Day

Here is Brooke at 8 Months + 3 Weeks.

Happy Valentine's Day (last Saturday). Brooke helped Mom bake a cake,

and she dressed in red and pink hearts -- come here for a kiss!

She's also been practicing her standing....

"ah, so that's what my feet are for -- I thought they were just for sucking on!"

A Quiet Week

Here is Brooke at 8 Months + 2 Weeks Old.

Taking pictures has become challenging, as she lunges towards the camera and/or the side of the chair. Thus, don't expect those cute weekly pictures anymore, as convincing her to sit still is impossible.

Speaking of sitting still (or lack thereof), here's some crawling around under the exersaucer.

Messy Dinners

Brooke is 8 Months + 1 Week Old.

The field trip this week was to the Durham museum, which has a lot of history of our town. Here's Brooke and Dad in front of a train engine.

Mealtime has gotten more interesting, with Brooke taking a more active role in the process. This translates to quite a messier occasion.

And some parting Maddie shots.....as this IS her blog and she's getting shafted on the pictures.

For those dedicated blog readers, you may recall comments from last year about how Maddie carries around her rawhide for months (often whining), before ever sitting down to chew it. Well we've learned she chews it when it is "in danger." If another dog enters the house, she immediately chews/eats her rawhide. If Brooke tries to take her rawhide, she immediately chews/eats it. I guess this is one area where sharing will not be allowed by Maddie (and quite fine by Mom).

Squirmy

Brooke turned 8 Months Old today! She is very squirmy these days. And, as she gains weight (chubby thighs are sooo cute!!) her sudden shifts in squirminess cause surprise if she's in your arms. Otherwise, she's moving quickly across the floor, always in pursuit of Maddie's toys. Here's some happy floortime. She's working on tooth 2 (lower center right). We'll try for a picture next week.

With Dad home for 2 weeks we're making "field trips" to places we have yet to go before we leave. This week it was the Strategic Air and Space Museum. Lots of 1940's planes to look at -- first 3 were interesting, after that, not so much.

Can't tell, but here's Mom and Brooke.And here's Dad and Brooke.

Lastly I've been meaning to say congratulations to "new parents" from the last month or so:

• Kristen and Jon welcomed their 2nd son in early December,
• Jennifer and David welcomed a daughter before Christmas, and
• Julianne and Craig welcomed their 3rd daughter (and a 2nd dog!) at the end of December

Congrats to all and sleep tight! ;-)

Slithering

Here is Brooke at 7 Months + 3 Weeks.Last weekend Brooke and Dad went out for Saturday morning breakfast, leaving Mom to sleep in. Brooke enjoyed the conversation over coffee. Mom enjoyed the sleeping. Dad enjoyed his Lumberjack Breakfast. The past few weeks the slithering has continued to progress. First it was just her arms pulling herself forward. Then the tip toes got involved while the tushy pushes into the air. And now she's starting to use her knees too. We'll be zooming around before we know it!

Week 33 - Carrots

Here is Brooke at 7 months + 3 weeks. She later apologized to Lamby for the abuse. Also, you may notice the teddy bear is missing his white ribbon...we grew tired of her pulling/eating it during each week's paparazzi session.In the kitchen this week our creation was carrots. They went over pretty well. I think the natural sugar hypes her up because she goes bonkers after eating them (not good for bedtime settling down). Next up is sweet potatoes.In other eating news, one day she was blowing "raspberries" all day long and in general being very vocal, even through lunchtime. So a spoonful of pears (a very liquidy food as it is) goes in, then Mom immediately holds her hand 2" in front of Brooke's mouth as it gets "spittled" out. (Mom learned to hold her hand up after wiping it off her face/clothes a couple times)

The First Tooth!

Here is Brooke at 7 Months + 2 Weeks.

This week was the spotting of her first tooth! It's the lower left central one, and it's already breaking through the gum. Mom just happened to notice when she was chewing on a toy. I feel bad as I hadn't seen it before, but luckily there hasn't been any crankiness associated to any pain or excessive chewing, drooling, etc... In other events, Mom tried her first attempts at making homemade baby food, with a course of mashed peas. There was some gagging (on Brooke's part), as I think it tastes more like real peas then the jarred stuff so she wasn't quite sure about it.