2 months old!

Brooklyn is already 2 months old if you can believe it.  We are still wondering where all the time has gone and I think it will continue to be this way forever!  It's funny because when I was pregnant, she couldn't get here fast enough.  It seemed like I might be pregnant forever, but now that she is here - the time is going too fast.

This past weekend I had my first diaper stripping.  Build-up in the diapers (detergent, hard water, stains, etc) gets built up in the diapers and in the inserts.  When this happens the diapers do not absorb as well and repel any liquid (pee and poo) that comes into contact with them.  Stripping them takes time because you have to rinse many times in the wash to be sure all detergent comes out.  After stripping them, a friend told me about an easier way to be sure that you never have to strip the diapers again.  Just add a few drops of tea tree oil to the washer each time and it will keep all the funk out of them!  Sounds much easier and less time consuming, so thank you, Sarah!!

Work has been going great!  Brooklyn is such a great baby for me to work at home with.  She is a big time sleeper (like me!) and spends the morning either sleeping or eating which allows me to work.  She usually sleeps in her playpen in the basement where I work or in her swing upstairs while I listen on the monitor to the same music playing - getting kind of sick of it now . . . . . .

Mike comes home for lunch everyday.  He loves to spend as much time with us as possible and would rather have left overs or whatever he can find than the cafeteria food (except on days when they serve CRISPITO.  Apparently, they are just so delicious that he could never miss out on that.  Mike has school this week until Thursday with an early release at 2:20.

We are preparing for our big holiday vacation and we leave Friday morning.  We will spend a week in Montgomery over Christmas with the McCrady's.  Grandma and Grandpa Meuret will join us there from Brunswick, Nebraska.  We are excited to introduce them to Brooklyn.  Last time we saw them was at Allistair's graduation in June and Brooklyn was just barely a bump in my belly!

I am hoping while in Montgomery that I can finish up some fantastic sewing projects that have been in my box (which is now 2 tubs!) for years and years.  Really hoping some of my projects don't turn into decade-long projects!!

Santa will visit Brooklyn in Montgomery.  She even got a stocking this year.  Wondering what Santa will bring her since she has been such a good girl this year!  She is definitely on the nice list (if you watched the video below).  We will post pictures of her 1st Christmas next week.

On Friday the 30th, we will head to Bemidji to spend New Years with the Hougens!  Mike has to head back to Iowa on Monday, January 2nd because school starts Tuesday.  I have decided to spend a few more days in Bemidji visiting my Brother and Sister's families.  I am excited to see Ryan and Kristy's new house and Jake and Ashley's new addition to their family, Patrick, who is only a month younger than Brooklyn.

I will head back to Iowa on Friday, January 6th.  2 weeks on the road with a baby, cloth diapers and in the dead of winter!  Luckily there is no snow in Iowa or Minnesota.  Looks to be a brown winter.  I cannot remember the last time that this happened.

What a special idea!

A message to Brooklyn from Santa Clause

Just for Fun!

Mike's special video from Santa

Silly Daddy!

Funny story from this morning!

I usually get up around 5 and get ready to work.  Mike has been in charge of getting Brooklyn up and dressed whenever she wakes and then bringing her to me to eat.  This morning, I am working in the basement and I can hear them upstairs getting ready.  Brooklyn is crying - well, really screaming and I can hear Mike talking to her and trying to calm her down.  It was about 5 minutes of this.

After about 5 minutes I hear Mike yell to me that she has no clothes left! 

Yah right - this girl has way too many clothes.  I yell up at him that they are in her closet (where they have been since day 1). . . .

a couple minutes later I decide to go upstairs to see what is taking so long because she is still screaming.  Brooklyn was laying there waiting to get dressed (and eat) and Daddy still couldn't find anything to wear.  He was frantically going through her closet looking at each outfit.  I tell him to just pick something from the closet and he says:

"But those are all size 3 months."

Yes, dear - she wears size 3 months now - I say

"oh, okay"


She is definitely a growing machine! 

Look at how big I am! 7 weeks old

Each day I cannot believe how big Brooklyn is getting.  I am so excited for her to be growing and learning new things each day, yet its kinds of sad because I want her to stay little forever!!

She has outgrown nearly all of her newborn clothes and is now in 0-3 months and some 3 month clothes!

Brooklyn is now smiling and coo-ing and making gargly noises when given a lot of attention.  She has been focusing on objects like her mobile and our faces more.  We broke down and bought her an activity gym last night because she is more than ready for it.  She is really thinking hard about wanting to touch these toys or hit them, but hasn't quite figured out how to move her arms the way she wants yet.

Here are a few videos of her smiling, cooing, and playing with her new toys.  Daddy had fun with the video camera!

Updates on her larynx -

We went to the University of Iowa to the ENT (Ear, Nose Throat) doctor after getting a referral from our physician.  She makes a very funny noise with her throat - almost like she is congested and wheezing at the same time.  Her oxygen levels are fine, she just has a very skinny larynx and her disease is called Laryngomalacia (floppy larynx).  We got to see her nose and throat with the use of a scope.  It was really cool and disgusting at the same time to be able to see all of it.  When the Doctor got to her larynx we could clearly see that it was very oval shaped when it is supossed to be quite round.  We go back in 6 weeks for a followup appointment.  Diagnosis - about 90% of infants outgrow it between 6-12 months.  As she grows, her throat and larynx will grow with her.  If she does not outgrow it, she will need to have surgery to trim around the larynx a bit more so she does not make the noise.



Brooklyn's Baptism Video