Hello World

11 Months

2013-06-16T21:34:00.001-04:00

Dear Reesie pants,

Today you are 11 months old. It's Daddy's first father's day and we just got back from your first trip. We went to North Conway, NH and stayed at the Red Jacket Mountain View Resort. We shopped at the outlets, went to Storyland, and Kahuna Laguna indoor water park. You loved swimming inside and outside, and you really loved the carousel at Storyland.

You haven't taken any steps on your own, but you have been walking with your baby doll carriage and shopping cart. We brought your baby carriage walker to New Hampshire and let you walk around the hotel with it. It was so cute! You do a few other new things now too including sharing food with me and daddy. You even feed us. You carry your baby everywhere. You're the best mini mommy. You also pretend that everything is a phone and you put it up to your ear and say, "hi". You've used mommy's scarf, a bag of cookies, a facecloth, and even just your hand as a phone. It makes mee laugh every time. You giggle a lot especially when someone looks at you really fast. You also turn your head fast and do it back. You shake your head 'no' when you don't want something, such as food. The best news this month is that you finally sleep through the night. It took. You until you we're almost 10 1/2 months old, but now it's the best.

Mommy got a new job so this week will be the first Wednesday that we won't spend together all day. I'm going to miss you SO much. My heart hurts already.

Every month we get to see more of your personality and we love you so so much. Next month, you will be ONE! So big. Time is flying by, unlike when you were growing in my belly and I was waiting to meet you. I can't believe the amount of joy you give to me. I love being your mommy! Happy 11 months my happy, silly baby girl!

Love,
Mama

Happy First Father's Day Ryan!

2013-06-16T17:48:00.005-04:00

You were born to be a daddy! We love you so much!

10 Months

2013-05-19T10:27:00.000-04:00

Dear Reese,

I have a new nickname for you. Muffin. It's short for Love Muffin, but sometimes I also call you Little Muffin too. You turned 10 months old three days ago. I'm feeling some mom guilt because I am overdue on taking your official monthly pictures.

You learned to say "hi" within the past week and you say it all the time now. I can't get enough of hearing you say words. You say mama so much more now too. You also smile and wave all the time.

You've tried so many new foods including raviolis, avocado, ritz crackers, egg yolk, mashed potatoes, ground beef, cheese, and apple cinnamon cheerios. You still love plain old cheerios the best, and so when I want you to eat anything else, I have to hide the cheerios. There are cheerios ALL over our house. Literally. Your favorite new food besides cheerios is egg yolk. I think you like them so much because I ate eggs mostly every day when you were growing in my belly. Also, I have secret. I let you try a lick of ice cream and you loved it.

Your first birthday is less than 2 months away, and I can't believe it. One of these days, we'll make you start wearing shoes. For now, you'll stay my barefoot baby and I'll carry you in my arms.

Love you to the moon,
Mommy

Happy 32nd Birthday Ryan

2013-04-17T07:53:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to the best husband and dad in the world!

Love,
Brooke and Reese

9 Months

2013-04-16T06:40:00.000-04:00

Dear Reese,

In three more months, we are going to be celebrating your first birthday! I can't believe you are already 9 months old. You have made more changes than ever over the past month. You are crawling at full speed now and you can feed yourself your entire bottle without any help. You say dada all day long, but you seem to only say mama when you cry. I reach for you and you reach back for me.

You can do the pincer grasp and feed yourself cheerios and puffs. Besides Fergie the cat, cheerios are your favorite thing.

You love when someone is coming up the stairs behind you when you are in mommy or daddy's arms. You love sitting in the front of the grocery cart. You love when we make horse sounds and bounce you up and down. You love when we sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow. You love to watch strangers when we go out shopping. You have started to wave too. You understand when daddy plays peek a boo behind the blanket and you are able to play back. You aren't fooled; you know that daddy is still behind the blanket. You are potty trained. Just kidding. You aren't. But you are very smart! I think that you are trying to blow kisses now too! I think you learned that at school.

You wear size 9 months-12 months. You still haven't slept through the night. I don't know when that day will ever come.

You bring me and daddy more joy than I could ever have imagined. Happy 9 months sweetheart.

Love,

momma

I hope you dance

2013-03-19T20:12:00.000-04:00

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion, always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

Songwriters: Sillers/Sanders

Kiss Me, I'm Irish

2013-03-17T15:22:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Check out Reese's pose. A future gymnast, perhaps?

8 Months

2013-03-16T19:26:00.000-04:00

Dear Reese,

You are 8 months old today. You stopped sucking your thumb 3 months ago which I know is a good thing, but it makes me so aware that you are growing up so fast! You are doing so many new things since last month. You scoot around the floor on your bum, but you don't crawl forward yet. You also learned to wave and you are taking a bath in the regular tub now. You even sit up on your own. You are a fast learner and you are so good a copying daddy and me.

When I pick you up after a nap or after you've been at school all day, you often grab my face and seal your lips on my cheek. Sometimes you even blow a raspberry on my face. It makes me laugh every time.

Daylight savings time started last week. I am so excited that I get to spend time with you when I get home from work. It's still light outside, and soon when the weather is nicer (come on Spring!), we can takes a walk with the stroller.

We have a whole new bedtime routine which starts with eating baby food, playing, taking a bath, reading a book, and then having a bottle. You are finally staying awake until after 7pm! You still wake up twice a night, but you are sleeping later in the morning. It would be nice if you slept through the whole night, but I know that soon, I will miss the nights when you wake up crying, and I rock you back to sleep. I still hold you in my arms for a while after you fall back to sleep, and I study your little hands and feel your baby breath on me. The best parts of my day are always with you!

Your giggle is the sweetest sound I've ever heard and when I see your little smile, it brings me more joy that I ever could have imagined. You are so perfect and I am still amazed that you are a part of me. I'm waiting for the day that you call me momma. I love you to the moon. Can you tell?

Love,
Momma

Love you to the moon

2013-03-05T20:44:00.000-05:00

Every night...

2013-02-28T21:51:00.000-05:00

...except that I'm the one who wants to give the goodnight kisses

while Ryan threatens to karate chop me

Dancing before bedtime

2013-02-27T20:22:00.000-05:00

YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE

Pictures from the Blizzard of 2013

2013-02-20T09:07:00.001-05:00

Front Yard Before

Front Yard After

Trying to keep warm after we lost power (no heat or running water)

After more than 24 hours at home without heat, we checked into The Bayside Resort on Cape Cod

Yay, it's warm here!

Daddy, you're so funny

Reese's first time swimming

Snuggling up

Helping momma work remotely

Heather's cowgirl bridal shower

2013-02-17T14:23:00.000-05:00

Remember these two? That's right...Andy and Heather. Well they are getting married on May 25. 2013. Originally, they planned to get married on a beach in Massachusetts, but then plans changed. After deciding to move back to Heather's home state of Missouri, they also decided to move the wedding there too. The weekend before their departure back to Missouri, we celebrated with a bridal shower. Here are some pictures from the day!

I filled an extra large mason jar with tongue depressors and each guest wrote

on a stick their idea for a fun date

The favors were small mason jars filled with chocolate and wrapped with burlap and twine

A burlap love banner and photos hung onto twine with clothes pins

The cowgirl hat with a veil attached was for Heather, but Andy looked cute in it too

My favorite picture from that day

Andy and Heather, we'll see you in May!!

7 Months

2013-02-16T20:10:00.001-05:00

Dear Reese,

You are 7 months old already! I have been soaking in each second of your infancy, because I know that one days soon, I'm going to blink and you aren't going to be a baby anymore. I am looking forward to your first words and first steps. My new favorite name for you is "Love Bug."

Last week, on February 8, your two bottom teeth finally popped through!! I knew that it was going to be any day, because you were trying to teethe on everything! Over the past few days, you've also learned to scoot backwards. You are so close to crawling, but it hasn't happened yet.

Daddy taught you how to clap your hands. He claps his hands and says, "Yay", and then do try to copy him.

You are very interactive and social. Whenever we go out, you smile and look at everyone. You are always a big hit at the grocery store. This week, you and I took a trip to the Plymouth Town Hall to pick up your birth certificate. You were a big hit there too. I had you standing on the counter and you were smiling and dancing while I held you up.

You really like when I sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star before naps and bed. You still aren't sleeping for more than 4-5 hours at a time though. Daddy and I are beginning to wonder if you ever will! And sometimes you take long naps and sometims you take short naps. One thing is certain though: you nap much better at home than you do at school!

I am so proud that I am your momma. Everywhere we go, I just want to tell everyone that you are mine. I belong with you and you belong with me...you're my sweetheart.

Love,

momma

My most precious jewel

2013-02-15T18:27:00.000-05:00

The most precious jewels you'll ever have around

your neck are the arms of your children.

-unknown

Reese's First Valentine's Day

2013-02-13T20:31:00.001-05:00

I am posting these a day early, but it's only because I'm head over heels for this little girl!!

My Minnie Mouse

2013-02-03T20:21:00.000-05:00

"Seriously, Daddy. Take me straight to Disney World."

...babies don't keep

2013-01-30T21:45:00.002-05:00

"The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow, But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow. So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep! I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep"

- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

10/16/12 with mommy

9/28/12 with daddy

Daddy's Patriots Girl

2013-01-20T21:23:00.002-05:00

6 Months

2013-01-16T19:56:00.001-05:00

Dear Reese,

You are 1/2 year old already! I can't believe that I have a 6 month old. You are a sweet little drooling machine with the cutest gummy smile that I've ever seen! You are turning into a little person with your own personality. You are sweet, curious, and fiesty.

You are absolutely smitten with Daddy. Every time you see his face, you smile really big and your eyes light up. You are already really good at sweet talking him. I love to listen to him playing with you and singing and talking to you in his Mickey Mouse voice. You try to grab his face (and mine) and bite it.

One of the best feelings in the world is when you are sleeping on my chest and I can feel your baby breath against my neck. This is how I put you to sleep at night. One of my favorite places is in your room sitting on the recliner with you snuggled up while we listen to the sound lamb play sounds of the ocean. And you drift off to sleep. Sometimes, you take a little while longer to fall asleep so I pat on your back pretty hard, and you love it. Other times, you refuse to sleep so we take a drive in the car. Last night, you didn't want to fall asleep so we put you in the car and by the time daddy backed out the driveway, you were already asleep!

You've been sleeping in your crib for 2 weeks now, and you are doing such a great job. I was so anxious about it at first, but now I think it's ok. We had to return your Nap Nanny to Babies R Us, because it was recalled. That was a sad day for all of us! You are still waking up 1-2 times per night, and Daddy and I are crossing our fingers that you'll sleep through the night soon.

You eat solid foods now. You've tried sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, rice cereal, and oatmeal. Out of all of those, your favorite is rice cereal! You don't yet have any teeth, but I don't think it will be long. You open your mouth really wide and stick out your tongue to let me know that you want more food. You do this now too when you want your bubby. Sometimes you even try to grab it with your hands. You are also able to sit unassisted now. I'm so proud.

Every month with you gets sweeter and sweeter. You are my sunshine and I love you.

Love,
mommy

Likes:
Rice Cereal
Grape teether
Daddy
Being burped
Your new bouncy seat
Barney
Peek a Boo

Dislikes:
Hoodies and jackets
Socks
Shoes

A Year in Pictures: 2012

2013-01-06T23:19:00.001-05:00

2012: The Year of Pregnancy and Reese

JANUARY

Hampton Inn, Westport, MA

Lots of morning sickness here

On January 26, 2012, we found out that Reese is a GIRL!

FEBRUARY

We had a superbowl party where Ryan made baked ziti. We also had a cookie cake shaped like a football and buffalo chicken dip. My computer won't let me upload the pictures!

Also, my morning sickness was officially gone at 18 weeks :)

MARCH

Quasi Baby Shower at Aunt Joanne's

APRIL

Easter

Katie and Derf's Wedding. I was 29 weeks pregnant.

Ryan's Birthday

MAY

Atlantic City Babymoon

Scusset Beach

JUNE

Stormy Beach Pictures at Scusset

My Baby Shower at the Monponsett Inn

Arone Wedding at the Narragansett Towers

We also got our maternity pictures taken

JULY

My water broke :)

July 16, 2012-Best day in the World

Reese is born

Postpartum Complications and Boston hospital stay. Reese was 7 days old.

Reese's Newborn Pictures at 5 days old

AUGUST

Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary

SEPTEMBER

Ned's Point Light Pictures

Apple Picking

OCTOBER

Reese's First Halloween

I returned to work after maternity leave

Pa's 85th birthday

NOVEMBER

Our First Thanksgiving as a family of 3. We were all so sick!

DECEMBER

Our First Christmas as a family of 3!

Coffee Station

2013-01-02T14:44:00.000-05:00

If you know me, then you know that I.LOVE.COFFEE! You might also know that I have this weird addiction to buying multiple different kinds of tea and never drinking them! I have so many different kinds of tea in my house, including red tea, white tea, black tea as well as pretty much any flavor you can think of!

For Christmas, my awesome husband got me a Keurig coffee maker. I was browsing Pinterest and decided that I wanted my very own coffee station in the house. Check out my inspiration. What coffee lover wouldn't want something like this?

all pictures above from Pinterest

I even had the perfect place to create my station: on our buffet server. This would require removing the mirror above the server and hanging a shelf, and I didn't want to do this. This is also a place I like to display different things according to the season and holiday, and so I decided to place the kerig on our kitchen island and place a shelf next to it.

Here is where my coffee station didn't end up:

Finally, here is my coffee station. I filled the jars on top with tea and hot chocolate packets! And in the drawer of the island are all of my KCups!

I found the shelf at Home Goods for $16.00. The jars, sugar shaker, and cinnamon shaker are also from Home Goods and were all $1.99 each. I already owned the rest of the stuff, including the mugs! And as I said, the Keurig was a gift. Now all I need is a Tervis to carry my coffee in to work!

Happy Birthday Nora May

2012-12-27T19:42:00.000-05:00

Today is a very special day. A very special day indeed.

My niece Nora May was born at 9:08 this morning, and nothing is sweeter than imagining her growing up with Reese. I am so happy and proud to be her Auntie. I also have baby fever all over again!

Happy Birthday, sweet baby Nora. Auntie loves you so much already!!

Reese's First Christmas

2012-12-25T20:47:00.003-05:00

Our Christmas celebration started on December 23, when we went to visit Ryan's dad and grandparents.

On Christmas Eve day, Ryan and I travelled to my brother's house and we all wore our Christmas pajamas!

We were trying to get a picture where both of the kids were looking. We finally gave up when my nephew Dylan said, "This is taking a LONG time!"

This is 3 days before the planned arrival of my niece, Nora. Jules is a few days shy of 39 weeks pregnant!! Isn't she pretty?!

Love this picture of Reese and the most influential person of my life-Pa

Dylan wanted us to "get the brown blanket" so he could snuggle with Reese.

On Christmas morning, Reese and I woke up really early. Reese had some rice cereal and a bottle before we got daddy up. She checked out what Santa brought her.

And she liked the wrapping paper more than her actual presents!

Ryan and I hosted Christmas dinner for his family, and Reese got even more toys! We are going to have so much fun playing. I also got some pretty thoughtful gifts, some that were inspired by Pinterest. Thanks, Heather ;) This was a very memorable Christmas with a lot of love. Reese is the most precious gift I'll ever get and waking up to her every day is like Christmas all year. Ryan and I are so blessed!

5 Months

2012-12-16T08:54:00.002-05:00

Dear Reese,

Today you are 5 months old. When people say that the first year flies by, they are not kidding! I am a little more comfortable with you growing so fast because every day you are able to do more and more things! You learned to roll over a few weeks ago, and now you do it all the time! Soon you are going to be crawling!

Yesterday, we took you to meet Santa. He flew in his sleigh to Cape Cod and visited you and all the kids whose parents work with mommy. You were really excited to meet him, but you got really tired and ended up crying when you sat on his lap. I wasn't sure if you were scared of him or if you were just tired!

I can't wait for your first Christmas which is just a little more than 1 week away! It will give us a little extra time to spend together as a family, which is mommy's favorite thing. There is nothing better than being with you! When you smile and laugh, it makes me the happiest mommy in the world. I already have everything I want for Christmas baby, because I have YOU.

Happy 5 months sweet baby!

Love,
your mommy

Likes:
- "daddy dance"
-looking in the mirror while mommy or daddy sing "doodlie doo"
-rolling over
-Fergie the cat
-watching barney

Dislikes:
-being on your tummy for too long
-sniffles
-wearing hats
-getting dressed, especially with long sleeves