* When she trips or falls down, she says "I'm okay. I'm okay." even when she really is hurt and crying. (She totally gets this from us, because every time she trips or falls, we say "You're okay" in an attempt to keep her from freaking out each time it happens.)
* The other day, she was playing with her cousin Owen at Grandma's house. They were both running around, arms flailing about, when Owen accidentally bumped into her, brushing her shoulder with his arm. She looked at him and said "O-O, be nice!" My mom apparently fell on the floor laughing. Now, keep in mind my last post about how Brooke is the bully around her cousins. While Owen can totally hold his own around Brooke, he's much more passive and usually lets her get away with a lot. A total pot/kettle situation, no? I guess hearing "Brooke, be nice!" a million times actually has registered in that tiny little mind.
* She appropriately uses the phrase "Awww nuts!" when something doesn't go her way, she drops something, etc. Hilarious. She gets this from her BFF, Aunt Sus.
* Saturday morning, she picked up Daddy's phone, put it to her ear and had this conversation. "Hi. Me Brooke. Okay. Bye-bye!" Oh, and I should note that she wasn't holding it with her hand; she had it wedged between her ear and her shoulder so she could multitask while she chatted :)
* Lately she's been into watching Jake & the Neverland Pirates on Disney - a show I don't recommend...it's stupid. Jake is supposed to be like Peter Pan's little brother or cousin or something. Captain Hook & Smee are in it, and they basically bully Jake & his buddies in every episode. Brooke gets very upset with the Captain, especially when he takes something from them. She very passionately yells "Hook, back! Hook, back!" as if he will hear her & stop being such a bully. So funny.
This will likely become a recurring post in the coming weeks & months. Because now that she puts words into sentences, almost everything that comes out of her mouth is adorably hilarious.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
3/4 down!
How far along?: 30 weeks, 0 days.
Total weight gain/loss: No comment.
Sleep: Insomnia has kicked in big time this week. And it doesn't help when the Toddler wakes up crying just minutes after you finally fall asleep. I'm averaging around 6-7 hours a night, so looks like afternoon naps may have to begin soon (like today.)
Movement: Baby Reeder is getting strong...and feisty! People have asked if this one is much like Brooke was in the womb; it's hard to remember, but I don't think he/she moves as much as Brooke did (or maybe I just sat still more when I was pregnant with her, hmmm...) However, I don't remember her movements being nearly this strong! I think we're going to have a real bruiser on our hands this time :)
Food/Cravings: The sugar thing is getting out of control. It's not even one or two particular sweets that I want; it's all of them.
Gender: I really have no feeling one way or another. Your guess is as good as mine.
New w/pregnancy #2: I didn't think it was possible, but I swear I'm having even more trouble breathing with this pregnancy than the last.
What I miss: Shaving my legs with ease.
What I am looking forward to: (This is going to sound crazy. Like, certifiable.) So after a dreadful week of sleep this week, I am looking forward to those first few weeks after the baby is born when you are so incredibly tired that you can fall asleep the second your head hits the pillow. I have never been the type to fall asleep quickly (unlike the husband, who I am convinced starts drifting off as he walks up the stairs.) But those first few sleep-deprived weeks after Brooke came home? I was like a narcoleptic when I had the chance to sleep or nap. I look forward to having that again. (See, told you it would sound crazy.)
Best moment this week: Enjoying a nice Father's Day brunch today, just the 3 (& a half) of us :)
Weekly Wisdom: Nada.
Milestones: That's right, kids. We're three-quarters of the way done with this thing. Hallelujah! Well, I guess it's likely I'm going to deliver late, so more like we're almost three-quarters of the way done with this thing. ("This thing" being the joys of pregnancy, of course. Not to knock my second-born or anything... I'm just ready to meet you, Baby!)
Oh and p.s. A big giant Happy Fathers Day goes out to the Daddy of my two precious kiddos. You're rocking this whole fatherhood thing. Keep up the good work ;)
Total weight gain/loss: No comment.
Sleep: Insomnia has kicked in big time this week. And it doesn't help when the Toddler wakes up crying just minutes after you finally fall asleep. I'm averaging around 6-7 hours a night, so looks like afternoon naps may have to begin soon (like today.)
Movement: Baby Reeder is getting strong...and feisty! People have asked if this one is much like Brooke was in the womb; it's hard to remember, but I don't think he/she moves as much as Brooke did (or maybe I just sat still more when I was pregnant with her, hmmm...) However, I don't remember her movements being nearly this strong! I think we're going to have a real bruiser on our hands this time :)
Food/Cravings: The sugar thing is getting out of control. It's not even one or two particular sweets that I want; it's all of them.
Gender: I really have no feeling one way or another. Your guess is as good as mine.
New w/pregnancy #2: I didn't think it was possible, but I swear I'm having even more trouble breathing with this pregnancy than the last.
What I miss: Shaving my legs with ease.
What I am looking forward to: (This is going to sound crazy. Like, certifiable.) So after a dreadful week of sleep this week, I am looking forward to those first few weeks after the baby is born when you are so incredibly tired that you can fall asleep the second your head hits the pillow. I have never been the type to fall asleep quickly (unlike the husband, who I am convinced starts drifting off as he walks up the stairs.) But those first few sleep-deprived weeks after Brooke came home? I was like a narcoleptic when I had the chance to sleep or nap. I look forward to having that again. (See, told you it would sound crazy.)
Best moment this week: Enjoying a nice Father's Day brunch today, just the 3 (& a half) of us :)
Weekly Wisdom: Nada.
Milestones: That's right, kids. We're three-quarters of the way done with this thing. Hallelujah! Well, I guess it's likely I'm going to deliver late, so more like we're almost three-quarters of the way done with this thing. ("This thing" being the joys of pregnancy, of course. Not to knock my second-born or anything... I'm just ready to meet you, Baby!)
Oh and p.s. A big giant Happy Fathers Day goes out to the Daddy of my two precious kiddos. You're rocking this whole fatherhood thing. Keep up the good work ;)
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Twenty-nine.
How far along?: 29 weeks, 0 days.
Total weight gain/loss: Interestingly enough, I'm down a pound this week, so that puts me at +19.5 lbs total.
Sleep: Not awesome, but not overwhelmingly atrocious this week either.
Movement: Baby punched me in the hip bone today.
Food/Cravings: Did really well with the sugar this week...until Friday, when the storm totally ruined our pool playdate and, consequently, my mood. I pulled out the mixer during nap time and whipped up some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (made with whole wheat flour & no butter, so I pretend they're good for me.) So, so delicious & satisfying.
Gender: This week when I asked Brooke if we were having a baby boy or a baby girl, she said "A Boots!" (Boots is Dora's sidekick, in case you don't watch Nick Jr. all day long like some of us...) So she thinks we're having a monkey. Which might actually be okay - bananas are crazy cheap.
New w/pregnancy #2: Acid reflux attacks. And they are awful with a capital A.
What I miss: Breathing. This has been a really-hard-to-breathe week. So my fear that this child is going to live in my rib cage like Brooke did appears to be coming true...
What I am looking forward to: Starting the name discussion with the husband. We had our names squared away by 18 weeks with the first one, and this time it's like "Eh, there's still time." At least it's a lot easier to say we really don't have names picked when people ask versus "We know, but we're keeping it a secret." (p.s. We'll be keeping these a secret, too. Sorry folks, but I just don't want to hear opinions.)
Best moment this week: Reuniting with some friends we haven't seen in years at our college reunion last night! Despite the late night and the 5 straight hours of standing I did, it was an awesome evening. Our friends were very interested to hear about Brooke & the baby (or at least they did a really convincing job of pretending they were.) And many were super-complimentary of the pregnant lady; one of the husband's roommates actually said to me, "How is it that you look even thinner with each pregnancy?" I almost hugged him. (See Weekly Wisdom.)
Weekly Wisdom: Complimenting a pregnant woman is a great, great idea. Every woman can use a mood-boosting compliment now and then, but most especially those that are with child. However, and this is a giant however, your "compliment" can easily be misconstrued, so tread lightly. "You look adorable" or "You're so tiny" are awesome choices. "You don't look that big" still implies that I look big. (Oh and also, Husband: stop agreeing with me when I ask if something makes me look super pregnant/big as a house. And just saying "No" isn't the best response either. Something along the lines of "No, you look [insert positive adjective here]" would score you some big points.)
Milestones: The "Oh my god, how am I going to survive 2+ more months of this?" panic attacks have officially started! Milestone? Indeed.
Total weight gain/loss: Interestingly enough, I'm down a pound this week, so that puts me at +19.5 lbs total.
Sleep: Not awesome, but not overwhelmingly atrocious this week either.
Movement: Baby punched me in the hip bone today.
Food/Cravings: Did really well with the sugar this week...until Friday, when the storm totally ruined our pool playdate and, consequently, my mood. I pulled out the mixer during nap time and whipped up some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (made with whole wheat flour & no butter, so I pretend they're good for me.) So, so delicious & satisfying.
Gender: This week when I asked Brooke if we were having a baby boy or a baby girl, she said "A Boots!" (Boots is Dora's sidekick, in case you don't watch Nick Jr. all day long like some of us...) So she thinks we're having a monkey. Which might actually be okay - bananas are crazy cheap.
New w/pregnancy #2: Acid reflux attacks. And they are awful with a capital A.
What I miss: Breathing. This has been a really-hard-to-breathe week. So my fear that this child is going to live in my rib cage like Brooke did appears to be coming true...
What I am looking forward to: Starting the name discussion with the husband. We had our names squared away by 18 weeks with the first one, and this time it's like "Eh, there's still time." At least it's a lot easier to say we really don't have names picked when people ask versus "We know, but we're keeping it a secret." (p.s. We'll be keeping these a secret, too. Sorry folks, but I just don't want to hear opinions.)
Best moment this week: Reuniting with some friends we haven't seen in years at our college reunion last night! Despite the late night and the 5 straight hours of standing I did, it was an awesome evening. Our friends were very interested to hear about Brooke & the baby (or at least they did a really convincing job of pretending they were.) And many were super-complimentary of the pregnant lady; one of the husband's roommates actually said to me, "How is it that you look even thinner with each pregnancy?" I almost hugged him. (See Weekly Wisdom.)
Weekly Wisdom: Complimenting a pregnant woman is a great, great idea. Every woman can use a mood-boosting compliment now and then, but most especially those that are with child. However, and this is a giant however, your "compliment" can easily be misconstrued, so tread lightly. "You look adorable" or "You're so tiny" are awesome choices. "You don't look that big" still implies that I look big. (Oh and also, Husband: stop agreeing with me when I ask if something makes me look super pregnant/big as a house. And just saying "No" isn't the best response either. Something along the lines of "No, you look [insert positive adjective here]" would score you some big points.)
Milestones: The "Oh my god, how am I going to survive 2+ more months of this?" panic attacks have officially started! Milestone? Indeed.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
All is well :)
Baby Reeder at 28w4d
All is well with the whole Reeder clan! Mom & Baby were checked out today at the OB - nothing new to report! Everyone is healthy: Baby's heartbeat was at 152 bpm, my weight gain was a perfect 4 lbs for the month (jackpot!), and no one passed out after the Rhogam shot. Oh, and the OB says that despite the fact that I feel like Gigantisaurus Rex, I'm actually measuring right on track and that the baby is only about 2.5 lbs right now, which is average. Best. News. Ever.
No complaints out of Dad or Brooke today either (especially the chickadee that got to have a popsicle AND ice cream in the same day...)
In the words of Charlie Sheen, WINNING!
(Oh, you're not up on pop culture so you didn't get that last reference? Shame on you. Go find an US Weekly.)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
17 plus.
So a week ago, my baby girl hit 17 months. And I didn't even mention it on here. What a terrible, terrible mother blogger I am.
17 months! Hooray! And since this is a week late, we're less than a month away from Brooke's half birthday. One-&-a-half, people. That's insane. I caught myself using that as her age when asked yesterday. Nutso! So here's a little peek at some of our almost-one-&-a-half year old's happenings.
~ The munchkin is still killing us with her vocabulary. It's like once she hears a word, she'll repeat it and log it in her tiny little brain to be used in the future. And she's starting to use sentences, mostly 2 & 3 words (like "more juice please" and "thank you Daddy".) She also helps us read books, and by that I mean she has memorized parts of her favorite books and will blurt words out before we get to them.
~ A couple days ago, I'm getting ready in my bathroom while Brooke wanders about. She started playing with our bathroom scale, realizing that if she pressed on it she would see "mumbers" on the digital screen. So I'm brushing my hair and I hear "six seven eight nine". I quickly turned around like "Huh? Did she just count?" We've never tried to teach her any numbers past 1, 2, & 3, as we thought we should master those before moving on. Well, as it turns out, Big Lady has been able to count this whole time! She knows 0-9, but often stumbles over 4 & 5 (go figure.) Once we master those & #10, I'll get it on video for all to enjoy :)
~ Someone still loves her purses. (Notice all the jewelry she wears while shopping, too.)
~ She's very into Dora. Like big-time BFF's. Elmo's still a good friend, but if you mention Dora, the girl gets giddy. Which I'm cool with b/c I don't mind listening to it. She was given the DVD where Dora becomes a big sister and it has really helped her understand more about babies. Dora's mom has twins...I hope she doesn't think 2 are gonna come outta me.
~ Speaking of babies, she loves them. All of them. I pointed out a baby in church a few weeks ago and was rewarded with 3 minutes of complete silence as she just watched him. She loves loves loves to try to hold her 10-month-old cousin (poor Hannah...) She knows that babies drink from bottles and you have to be gentle with them. I take all of this as a sign that maybe, just maybe, she'll welcome her new sibling rather than ask to send him/her back.
And she's been to the big pool at the Rec twice now and ADORES it. She walks around with no fear, even though she's still pretty wobbly as she wades through the water. She has no problem going under water - no tears! In fact, she started clapping for herself when she'd do it. She is starting swim lessons within the next week and I know she's just going to love it.
~ Um, we're going to start potty-training very soon in hopes that we only have 2 children in diapers for a very short time. (There. Now that it's in writing, I have to follow through. Even though is scares the life out of me.) We bought a potty and have Pull-ups on standby (though I'm confident it will be months before we get to that point.)
~ So this is the part where Brooke's "perfect child" image comes a-crumblin' down. Homegirl got mine & the husband's worst traits: our stubbornness. This child is the definition of stubborn. Her favorite word is "no" and is very specific about what she doesn't like. "No shirt! No drink! No Mickey!" (All of a sudden she has a problem with watching MMC. Strong Dora loyalty, no doubt.) Sure, much of it is just your typical toddler defiance/boundary-testing, but she takes it to a whole new level at times. She's smart enough to be able to be reasoned with...sometimes. If you give her options over something she is allowed to do/have instead, she can be easily distracted. Other times? She acts like the 17-month-old that she is, complete with meltdowns over absolutely nothing.
~ If she were to get a report card at this age, there'd be a big fat red checkmark in the "doesn't play well with others" box. Maybe 2 checkmarks. By herself, she plays really well. She's an awesome independent player. Put her together with her cousins (the only kids she's ever around) and fights ensue. Bottom line: Brooke is the bully. At least that's how it seems to me. She isn't as much of a toy-stealer as she is a toy-hoarder & craptastic sharer. She does not put up with someone else taking what she has and is oddly territorial over what she's playing with (doesn't really want anyone to join her.) We are very, very aware of all of this and are very, very unsure of how to fix it. I'm guessing it's something that will only come with even more playtime with cousins and, eventually, siblings. But it's no fun to be the bully's parents, you know? (And to the parents of said cousins: please bear with and forgive us until we figure it out.)
~ Apparently Brooke is exactly like me when I was child. Smart & cute, sure, but also sassy as the day is long. I was the queen of attitude, and Brooke makes a perfect successor to her Mommy's throne. My family is getting the last laugh on this one...
Finally, here are a few extra pictures from May. The first few are from the Memorial Day parade, Brooke's 2nd Annual. She had a great time collecting candy and waving her little flag.
17 months! Hooray! And since this is a week late, we're less than a month away from Brooke's half birthday. One-&-a-half, people. That's insane. I caught myself using that as her age when asked yesterday. Nutso! So here's a little peek at some of our almost-one-&-a-half year old's happenings.
~ The munchkin is still killing us with her vocabulary. It's like once she hears a word, she'll repeat it and log it in her tiny little brain to be used in the future. And she's starting to use sentences, mostly 2 & 3 words (like "more juice please" and "thank you Daddy".) She also helps us read books, and by that I mean she has memorized parts of her favorite books and will blurt words out before we get to them.
~ A couple days ago, I'm getting ready in my bathroom while Brooke wanders about. She started playing with our bathroom scale, realizing that if she pressed on it she would see "mumbers" on the digital screen. So I'm brushing my hair and I hear "six seven eight nine". I quickly turned around like "Huh? Did she just count?" We've never tried to teach her any numbers past 1, 2, & 3, as we thought we should master those before moving on. Well, as it turns out, Big Lady has been able to count this whole time! She knows 0-9, but often stumbles over 4 & 5 (go figure.) Once we master those & #10, I'll get it on video for all to enjoy :)
~ Someone still loves her purses. (Notice all the jewelry she wears while shopping, too.)
~ Speaking of babies, she loves them. All of them. I pointed out a baby in church a few weeks ago and was rewarded with 3 minutes of complete silence as she just watched him. She loves loves loves to try to hold her 10-month-old cousin (poor Hannah...) She knows that babies drink from bottles and you have to be gentle with them. I take all of this as a sign that maybe, just maybe, she'll welcome her new sibling rather than ask to send him/her back.
~ Evidently, I gave birth to a little fish. Brooke is obsessed with the pool! We bought a little backyard pool, and she subsequently crowned us the Best Parents Ever.
(This 2T suit is a bit too small, which completely bums me out b/c it's heavenly. Once we saw Brooke's Girls pop out the top, we knew it'd have to be a For Our Backyard Only suit.)
Let's talk about those legs for a minute...sigh.
Giving Dora a bath. Obviously.
~ Um, we're going to start potty-training very soon in hopes that we only have 2 children in diapers for a very short time. (There. Now that it's in writing, I have to follow through. Even though is scares the life out of me.) We bought a potty and have Pull-ups on standby (though I'm confident it will be months before we get to that point.)
~ So this is the part where Brooke's "perfect child" image comes a-crumblin' down. Homegirl got mine & the husband's worst traits: our stubbornness. This child is the definition of stubborn. Her favorite word is "no" and is very specific about what she doesn't like. "No shirt! No drink! No Mickey!" (All of a sudden she has a problem with watching MMC. Strong Dora loyalty, no doubt.) Sure, much of it is just your typical toddler defiance/boundary-testing, but she takes it to a whole new level at times. She's smart enough to be able to be reasoned with...sometimes. If you give her options over something she is allowed to do/have instead, she can be easily distracted. Other times? She acts like the 17-month-old that she is, complete with meltdowns over absolutely nothing.
~ If she were to get a report card at this age, there'd be a big fat red checkmark in the "doesn't play well with others" box. Maybe 2 checkmarks. By herself, she plays really well. She's an awesome independent player. Put her together with her cousins (the only kids she's ever around) and fights ensue. Bottom line: Brooke is the bully. At least that's how it seems to me. She isn't as much of a toy-stealer as she is a toy-hoarder & craptastic sharer. She does not put up with someone else taking what she has and is oddly territorial over what she's playing with (doesn't really want anyone to join her.) We are very, very aware of all of this and are very, very unsure of how to fix it. I'm guessing it's something that will only come with even more playtime with cousins and, eventually, siblings. But it's no fun to be the bully's parents, you know? (And to the parents of said cousins: please bear with and forgive us until we figure it out.)
~ Apparently Brooke is exactly like me when I was child. Smart & cute, sure, but also sassy as the day is long. I was the queen of attitude, and Brooke makes a perfect successor to her Mommy's throne. My family is getting the last laugh on this one...
Finally, here are a few extra pictures from May. The first few are from the Memorial Day parade, Brooke's 2nd Annual. She had a great time collecting candy and waving her little flag.
And these are from when she helped Daddy water his vegetables. Rather than take a drink from the hose, she gets her hand wet and then just licks her fingers. Goofball!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
June!
How far along?: 28 weeks, 0 days.
Total weight gain/loss: Only up 1/2 a pound this week - hot dog!
Sleep: Ugh.
Movement: Daddy watched Baby Reeder dance around in my belly from across the room. Still freaks him out.
Food/Cravings: I'm going to make a request to all of my fantastic family & friends that keep showering me with baked goods to satisfy my killer pregnant sweet tooth: please stop. At least this week. I'd really like for the OB to not chastise me for excessive weight gain at my appt on Thursday. So I really have to be good with nutrition this week. (Notice I said this week. Feel free to resume with the gifts of sugar next week.)
Gender: If you ask Brooke if she wants a baby brother or baby sister, she'll say sister. If you ask her if she wants a baby sister or baby brother, she'll say brother. So be sure to ask appropriately if you're hoping to hear a particular answer.
New w/pregnancy #2: Well, it's certainly new to have a baby kicking me on both the inside and the outside of my belly simultaneously. Big Sister has decided that my belly is the perfect place for her feet when we're hanging out on my bed or the couch. She also uses it as an anchor to get on/off my lap. Ouch.
What I miss: Breathing well. Oh yeah, struggling to breathe has kicked in hardcore this week. Here's hoping I don't carry this kid as high as the first one!
What I am looking forward to: Our 5-year college reunion is this weekend. I'm less excited for the reunion part of it and more excited to just have a night out with the husband. Not to mention that the toddler will be spending the night at "Mama & Papa's" (as she calls them), so that's one less Reeder child that could wake me up on Sunday morning!
Best moment this week: Getting to sleep in until 8:15 this morning (considering my darling girl has decided to start getting up an hour earlier lately, between 6:45 & 7:30...which is so not cool.)
Weekly Wisdom: If a heavily pregnant woman (and yes, I'm already classifying myself as "heavily pregnant" b/c OMG I am ginormous!) lets out a big sigh in your presence, it doesn't mean she thinks you're an idiot. It's more likely that she's just trying to get some extra air b/c breathing is difficult. Unless of course you're doing something stupid...then it probably does mean she thinks you're an idiot.
Milestones: It's officially summer (well, not officially, but if you go by school schedules like I do, then it's summer) and Baby Reeder is due in the summer! Hooray! It's finally June, so when I say I'm due in August, that seems super soon :)
Total weight gain/loss: Only up 1/2 a pound this week - hot dog!
Sleep: Ugh.
Movement: Daddy watched Baby Reeder dance around in my belly from across the room. Still freaks him out.
Food/Cravings: I'm going to make a request to all of my fantastic family & friends that keep showering me with baked goods to satisfy my killer pregnant sweet tooth: please stop. At least this week. I'd really like for the OB to not chastise me for excessive weight gain at my appt on Thursday. So I really have to be good with nutrition this week. (Notice I said this week. Feel free to resume with the gifts of sugar next week.)
Gender: If you ask Brooke if she wants a baby brother or baby sister, she'll say sister. If you ask her if she wants a baby sister or baby brother, she'll say brother. So be sure to ask appropriately if you're hoping to hear a particular answer.
New w/pregnancy #2: Well, it's certainly new to have a baby kicking me on both the inside and the outside of my belly simultaneously. Big Sister has decided that my belly is the perfect place for her feet when we're hanging out on my bed or the couch. She also uses it as an anchor to get on/off my lap. Ouch.
What I miss: Breathing well. Oh yeah, struggling to breathe has kicked in hardcore this week. Here's hoping I don't carry this kid as high as the first one!
What I am looking forward to: Our 5-year college reunion is this weekend. I'm less excited for the reunion part of it and more excited to just have a night out with the husband. Not to mention that the toddler will be spending the night at "Mama & Papa's" (as she calls them), so that's one less Reeder child that could wake me up on Sunday morning!
Best moment this week: Getting to sleep in until 8:15 this morning (considering my darling girl has decided to start getting up an hour earlier lately, between 6:45 & 7:30...which is so not cool.)
Weekly Wisdom: If a heavily pregnant woman (and yes, I'm already classifying myself as "heavily pregnant" b/c OMG I am ginormous!) lets out a big sigh in your presence, it doesn't mean she thinks you're an idiot. It's more likely that she's just trying to get some extra air b/c breathing is difficult. Unless of course you're doing something stupid...then it probably does mean she thinks you're an idiot.
Milestones: It's officially summer (well, not officially, but if you go by school schedules like I do, then it's summer) and Baby Reeder is due in the summer! Hooray! It's finally June, so when I say I'm due in August, that seems super soon :)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Our little monkey.
This child loved going to class each week! If you tell her she's going to class, her little face lights up & she starts listing off many of the things we do there: "slide", her most favorite thing to do at class; "bubbles", an end-of-class tradition when the teacher brings out a bubble machine for a few minutes; "hop hop", jumping on the trampoline; "itsy" & "head-toes", the songs we sing at the beginning of class (Itsy Bitsy Spider & Head Shoulders Knees Toes.) It amazes me that she totally understood where we were going when we buckled up on Tuesday mornings and that her little brain could remember exactly what she'd get to do at "cyass". She even knew that we took off her socks & shoes as soon as we got there each day - whether of not I should be impressed by her memory for things like this, I am.
She has learned an incredible amount from all of this, and it was so exciting for me to see her progress each week. For example, when climbing up a ladder, she used to try to go up on her knees and rarely put her hands down (i.e. relying heavily on Mommy's assistance). Now? She climbs up as intended, alternating feet and hands on the rungs. She can pull herself up on the chin-up bar with minimal assistance. She easily climbed up the giant "mountain" (pic at the top of the post) as we pretended she was a bear, with lots of growls and Grrrr's. One of her most favorite things to do is to find the bumblebee stickers that they have on a lot of their mats. By the last class, she was telling me that a bee says "buzz" each time we saw one.
Another big difference I saw in her as the weeks went on was her attitude towards the teacher. When Miss Tammy would try to help us when the class first started, she was met with the typical Brooke frown and "no no no" that so many strangers have had the pleasure of experiencing. By this last week, Miss Tammy was greeted with hugs and kisses from Brooke & was always welcome to help us (which she tried to do frequently, as she took pity on the pregnant lady with the giant toddler.) This is really encouraging to me, as I plan to start Brooke in toddler classes at the Rec this fall. Even though a parent will still be at those classes, too, I'm glad to know Brooke can already recognize who is in charge and is able to warm up to them quickly.
Providing further proof of how much she has learned from all of this, Brooke did a somersault all by herself this past weekend! It was hilarious because it was completely unprompted. She just walked into the middle of the room, put her hands and head on the ground, tucked her head under, and threw her feet over her head. She did it several times, clapping for herself each time with the biggest grin on her face! She has yet to do it again since, but if you ask her to do a "flip", she'll get in the right position and at least give it a try! All of this progress has certainly kept me open to the idea of enrolling her in Tumblebees again in the future, even in spite of the cost. We'll have to see when the Fall sessions start, as I'd imagine it will be right around the time that Baby Reeder is scheduled to make his/her debut (and since I won't be allowed to lift Brooke for at least 6 weeks after, it'd make my participation in the class almost impossible.)
Here are some of the pics I was able to snap of her a couple weeks ago. Brooke's grandma came to class with us to help give Mommy a break! (Each class, especially the last one, was pretty exhausting for me. I kept looking over at the petite little things that the other moms were supporting, wondering how much easier it was for them as I helped lift my 31 pounder all around. Definitely the biggest child in the class...though certainly not the oldest!)
She has learned an incredible amount from all of this, and it was so exciting for me to see her progress each week. For example, when climbing up a ladder, she used to try to go up on her knees and rarely put her hands down (i.e. relying heavily on Mommy's assistance). Now? She climbs up as intended, alternating feet and hands on the rungs. She can pull herself up on the chin-up bar with minimal assistance. She easily climbed up the giant "mountain" (pic at the top of the post) as we pretended she was a bear, with lots of growls and Grrrr's. One of her most favorite things to do is to find the bumblebee stickers that they have on a lot of their mats. By the last class, she was telling me that a bee says "buzz" each time we saw one.
Another big difference I saw in her as the weeks went on was her attitude towards the teacher. When Miss Tammy would try to help us when the class first started, she was met with the typical Brooke frown and "no no no" that so many strangers have had the pleasure of experiencing. By this last week, Miss Tammy was greeted with hugs and kisses from Brooke & was always welcome to help us (which she tried to do frequently, as she took pity on the pregnant lady with the giant toddler.) This is really encouraging to me, as I plan to start Brooke in toddler classes at the Rec this fall. Even though a parent will still be at those classes, too, I'm glad to know Brooke can already recognize who is in charge and is able to warm up to them quickly.
Providing further proof of how much she has learned from all of this, Brooke did a somersault all by herself this past weekend! It was hilarious because it was completely unprompted. She just walked into the middle of the room, put her hands and head on the ground, tucked her head under, and threw her feet over her head. She did it several times, clapping for herself each time with the biggest grin on her face! She has yet to do it again since, but if you ask her to do a "flip", she'll get in the right position and at least give it a try! All of this progress has certainly kept me open to the idea of enrolling her in Tumblebees again in the future, even in spite of the cost. We'll have to see when the Fall sessions start, as I'd imagine it will be right around the time that Baby Reeder is scheduled to make his/her debut (and since I won't be allowed to lift Brooke for at least 6 weeks after, it'd make my participation in the class almost impossible.)
Here are some of the pics I was able to snap of her a couple weeks ago. Brooke's grandma came to class with us to help give Mommy a break! (Each class, especially the last one, was pretty exhausting for me. I kept looking over at the petite little things that the other moms were supporting, wondering how much easier it was for them as I helped lift my 31 pounder all around. Definitely the biggest child in the class...though certainly not the oldest!)
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