First Birthday!

Brooklyn turned one today!! I can't believe that my little girl is growing up so fast. We had the party at my parents house, since we were down there for the week and boy was it fun. Shawn, Julie and Emma had the day planned with Julie's family so Brooklyn got to open the gift from them first thing this morning. She got cups to play in the tub with and a book to help her learn her colors. Brooklyn was really excited to open it!

Coby had a baptism he was going to so he and Jenna had Brooklyn open her gifts from them before he left. She got a cute corduroy outfit and a beautiful coat with a hat and gloves. She had so much fun ripping the wrapping paper open!

We snapped this next picture and the look on her face reminds me of a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. She looks like she's making sure it's okay to rip open her gifts. Too cute!!

Later, when everyone else got there, we had Brooklyn open the rest of her gifts. Nathan, Kristine and their boys came and brought Brooklyn a gift. Brooklyn enjoyed ripping into this gift too!! Who would have guessed, lol :)

Nathan said he was going to get a barn with animals, but the boys wanted to get her this Cabbage Patch Doll. I'd say Brooklyn liked the doll by the look on her face!

Brooklyn finished opening the gifts from Tyson and I and then it was on to the big one from Grandma and Grandpa Yates! When she opened this she couldn't wait for us to get it out of the package. She kept trying to take the whole thing from us. Dad ended up taking all of the batteries out of their big flashlights so she could turn it on and play with it. She had soooo much fun!

Then it was time for cake and ice cream!! I had been looking forward to this all night. We tried to get the free 1st birthday cake from WalMart but nothing was wanting to work out in that area so when we got back to my parents' house, we took a chocolate muffin (from Costco, they're huge) and put frosting on it as well as a crab bath toy. We put the candle in between its claws and lit the candle to sing Happy Birthday. I was helping record the video and I said that it would be funny if Brooklyn sneezed and blew out the candle. A few seconds later, SHE DID!! It was so funny. Her sneeze didn't blow out the candle becuase Tyson blew it out just a second before she sneezed but it made a very cute picture. After we gave the cake to her, I realized we didn't get a picture of just the cake :( I was a little frustrated with myself but decided nothing was going to spoil the moment!!

At first, Brooklyn wasn't sure what to do with the cake. We don't let her get messy much with her food at home so this was all new to her. But after she tasted the frosting she started to dig in. The muffin was dense so Tyson had to help her dig her fingers into it. After that, it was bite after bite for her!

We got some really cute pictures of the faces she pulled as she ate. There were some funny ones and some really serious ones. All in all, we had fun watching her eat the cake and two scoops of ice cream.

  

After she was done eating, Tyson and I took her upstairs to get her washed off and then everyone else sat and talked while they finished their ice cream. It was such a fun night. Brooklyn seemed to enjoy herself tonight which was GREAT!!

First Christmas!!

Today was such a wonderful day! We started the day off by getting ready for church and heading to my mom and dad's ward at 9:00. The Sacrament Meeting program was so wonderful. We had a few speakers who went through the Savior's life from birth until death with intermittent songs by the ward choir. It was an absolutely wonderful way to celebrate His birth and all He has done for us!

After Sacrament was over, we headed back to my parents' house for gift opening and snacking. I had so much fun watching Brooklyn open her gifts, and she enjoyed ripping them open. She was so excited that ripping paper today didn't get her in trouble. She got movies, clothes and toys. Shawn, Julie and Emma gave her an alphabet puzzle, which she was excited about too!

She also got a really soft stuffed cow and a blanket from Megan, which she loves to cuddle with. They are both really soft and as you can see from the pictures. The first thing she did after she unwrapped it was give the cow a hug. It was adorable!



As I spent the morning and afternoon with family, I couldn't help but notice that Brooklyn really helped me remember the spirit of Christmas. I know how special it is to bring a child into this world and how much they bless your life. I have been so blessed this past year to be a mother. It is the greatest calling a woman could ask for. There is no other joy in life that compares to the bond a mother has with a child. Brooklyn is so special and I love her no matter what! Oh what a wonderful Christmas, to get to celebrate it with a fantastic husband and daughter, and a wonderful family!!

I got my curlers I have been wanting forever!! (Santa brought me those in my stocking!!) I also got a sewing machine from my mom and dad, which I can't wait to get home and start on all my waiting projects. I also was surprised with a Cricket Expression from Shawn and Julie! Shawn got Julie the second edition and they gave me her other one!! I was so excited. I've been wanting one but it wasn't something I needed, so I never went further toward buying it
.

Tyson and I got an Acer tablet, which we conveniently left at home on our bed. I guess that was a blonde moment on my end. We got it all put away in the box (because we've been playing with it for a month) and it never made it to the car. Oh well, I guess we'll have to play with that one when we get home. Tyson got the Star Wars complete set from my mom and dad, which he has been wanting since it came out all together on DVD. He also got a board to hang on the wall at home with one of his favorite scriptures. Doctrine and Covenants 88:119. It took me two days, with the help of Angela Larsen and Heather Koster, to get all of the letters on the board. It was quite difficult but so worth it. I think he really liked it and he's been wanting that scripture hung in our house for a long time. We watched everyone else open their gifts and then had one more for my parents to open.

We gave the envelope to Brooklyn so she could walk a present over to them and she threw a fit the whole way. We finally had to give it to them since she was not going to. Here is the video of what was in the envelope as well as their reaction to it!!



I was shocked by their reaction to their last gift. I didn't expect tears but I guess it brought a lot of happiness to them. I was so glad that we decided to give it to them!!

After presents were all opened, we all grabbed a little bit to eat and got ready to go to Grandma Yates' for dinner and hanging out with more family. During dinner, my mom gave Grandma the same envelope we gave them and told her to open it. She said she wanted to share the Christmas card we had given them. Everyone was so excited when they heard what my Grandma said. It was definitely a shock to some but they all seemed happy for us. The food was great and the gifts afterward were amazing. My Grandma gave us a Ninja blender set, which will be fun to use, as well as a few sentimental gifts. Each of us received a piece of the blanket that Grandpa used to keep him warm during his fight with cancer, and all of the guys received one of Grandpa's ties. Both were embroidered with Grandpa. It was such a wonderful gift, to have a piece to remember him by. We were all so touched. All of my grandparents' kids received a sculpture of my grandparents holding hands. It was such an emotional night. All of the gifts helped us remember the true reason for Christmas, and we were all so glad to have had Grandpa for past 74 years. He was truly a magnificent man and I look forward to when I get to see him again! We finished the night off and all headed home.

So this week my poor little Brooklyn has been sick. She woke up Sunday morning running a fever of 101.5 so we decided it would be best for her to stay home. As the new Elders Quorum Pesident, Tyson needed to be to church for meetings and to hand out next year's manuels. I stayed home and took care of Brooklyn and Tyson went to church. Broooklyn's temperature fluctuated all day and she snuggled with me from sun up to sun down. I love getting to watch her sleep but I felt bad when she would flinch and twitch due to not feeling well and the high fever. I hope she gets feeling better soon!! What a trooper for being so good every time she is sick.

I took her to the doctor on Monday and they told me that she has two really nasty ear infections. She's had so many that I hope it doesn't affect her hearing! I hope she gets feeling better soon so she can get down and have fun and be herself.

John Deere Santa Night!

Tonight was Santa night at Bonneville County Implement, where Tyson works. We took Brooklyn in to see Santa and she totally freaked out again. We finally got a picture of her but she had to be sitting on one of the tractors in order to get anywhere close to Santa. If he moved closer for the picture, she would start crying and grabbing Tyson's shirt. Throughout the night, Tyson and I handed the gifts to Santa so he could give them to the kids. Tyson's nickname was "Buddy the Elf." All in all, we had a really good time.

 

After most of the kids left, we let Brooklyn get on one of the tractors that would drive if you push on the peddle. She wanted hers to drive like the other kids' and was talking and yelling at them and Tyson. After a couple of times showing her how it would move if she pushed her foot down, she started taking off on her own. She drove a lot like Tyson, looking away from where she was driving. It reminded me of when Tyson watches out the window of the car to see if the crop rows are straight and who uses GPS on their tractors. She had so much fun, that when it was time to go, she screamed as we picked her up. She wanted to continue driving the tractor. We put her down to get her coat on and she ran away to get on the tractor. It took us a long time to get her coat on, but we finally did it and left before she saw them again.

The first video is her driving and almost running into the office door. The second video is of her talking to Tyson and the other kids to get her tractor moving. 

This video is of her taking her eyes off where she was headed so she could see what was going on around her. She takes driving lessons from daddy!



Eating by Herself!

Last week I was trying to feed Brooklyn and she wouldn't eat very well so I gave her the spoon and fork and helped her eat and then she ate everything on her plate! I was shocked. I guess she's decided she wants to be a big girl and eat by herself. We still have to help her a little bit but she's figuring it out. We definitely have messes to clean up afterward but it is fun to see her learn something new. Tyson let her share some of his homemade chocolate pudding tonight and she loved it!! She kept sticking her spoon out for him to put the bowl closer for her to reach it. It was so cute to see the two of them eating together.

She absolutely loves to spend time with Tyson, and she's still a momma's girl which is nice. I'm glad she still wants to come to me. I am usually the one she wants to put her down for bed at night and it makes me feel so loved! Oh how I love this little girl of mine. She is my little angel!

Pregnancy

This pregnancy has definitely been a lot harder than the last. My morning sickness lasts all day and seems to get worse as the day goes on. Brooklyn's poopy diapers make me gag every time, so I have had to come up with a creative way to change them without smelling it. It is definitely funny looking but it gets the job done without me losing everything I've eaten that day.

We went to the doctor for the first ultrasound on November 30th and found out that I am not as far along as we thought. The ultrasound tech had a really hard time finding the baby because I was barely 6 weeks along so it is really small. She had to look a few times and she finally found it. In the picture she printed out for us, the baby looks like a diamond ring.



I was really nervous during the ultrasound because she didn't say anything for a really long time and I was thinking maybe we had a false positive test. I was getting discouraged but she finally told us she had found the baby. My heart had a jump start and then things seemed to go okay. I am super excited that we are having another baby. Brooklyn will have so much fun with a new sibling and by the time the baby is born she will hopefully be old enough to hold it and help me out a little. She loves little kids so I'm sure she'll have plenty of fun with a new baby brother or sister!!

Thanksgiving!!

This year we had Thanksgiving down at Gary and Kaye's house. It was so much fun!! I helped out in the kitchen so we didn't get any pictures, which I'm bummed about, but we had a wonderful time. Dinner was amazing so I kept wanting to taste this and that. By the end of dinner, I was stuffed. I was so full my stomach hurt and I felt sick. There were a few families there and it was fun to get together and share the holiday with family. Brooklyn ate a lot and had fun running around the house playing with toys, cousins, and everyone else that was there. It was nice to get to spend the day with Tyson and Brooklyn and just enjoy the day.

I am so thankful for the people in my life:

I have the best husband in the world. He loves me for who I am and he cares about my needs and my feelings. He works hard to provide for our little family and is a blessing in my life. He is my best friend.

I have a beautiful little girl that blesses my life every day. She gives me hugs and kisses and always knows when I need a little extra love. She is my little angel and I love every moment I get to share with her.

I have a wonderful mother who doesn't care how many times a day I call. Whether it is once or ten times, she is always there to listen!! Love you mom!

A dad who loves and misses me and our family. Who would do anything for us and has provided for me most of my life! Love you daddy!

I have fabulous in-laws that are always there when I need something. They are always thoughtful and kind and they love Brooklyn as much as my mom and dad do!

I couldn't ask for a better life:

I have been blessed with good health and a fabulous life.

I live on a farm out in the country and I get to spend every day with my little angel. 

I get to see Tyson every day and love spending time with my little family.

Tyson has a job that provides for our needs and wants.

I have a roof over my head, clothes that keep us warm and food on the table every day.

The Lord has blessed me with everything I need and so much more. I am so grateful for Him and His son Jesus Christ who paid the ultimate sacrifice for me. They know who I am and they care about my needs and how I am doing. I can talk to them any time I want and they will help me!!

I have the best life and family that I could ask for. My life has truly been blessed and I am thankful for everything. I am so fortunate to have the things that I need and I pray that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

#2

Today we found out that we are pregnant again!! I am super excited. We calculated my due date out on the doctor's office website and I am supposed to be due on July 7th, so really close to Tyson and Kaye's birthdays. We are so excited to be expanding our family! It will be fun because we are planning on telling family during Christmas, so it will be fun to see their reactions.

Dancing

This morning I was working on my class in Brooklyn's room while she played with her toys. I stopped studying to watch what she was doing. She was playing with her walking toy that plays music, and when a new song started up, she started dancing to the music!! It was absolutely adorable. I love when she starts doing new things. She started dancing to music a few weeks ago but I was never able to catch it on video because she always sees the camera. This morning she was too preoccupied by her toy to notice that I had the camera. I finally caught it on video and thought I would put it on our blog.

(The video is kind of dark, her room doesn't have the best light.)

Being a mom is the BEST job in the world!! I get to play with her and watch her learn new things all day long! I wish Tyson was here more to see everything she does when she does it the first time. He gets to see everything when she's done it a few times. The first time there is always a look of pure excitement that she figured something new out. That face is priceless and it never gets old, and I wish Tyson could see it each time that I do!! Hopefully we will be able to figure out a way to farm full time so Tyson can see more of the things she learns the day she figures them out. Both of us would get to see Tyson more and we could ride in the tractor with him while he farms.

Waiting For Daddy to Get Home!

It was so cute to watch Brooklyn wait for Tyson to get home from work. She stared out the window for quite some time and reacted to every sound, hoping her dad was home. She knows when it is 5:00 pm, and she will find a window to look for him. She'll walk around the house saying "dadda, dadda" and search the house for him. She will go through each room, trying to find him. It is so cute that she misses him that much. When he gets home, she won't let him out of her sight and she usually does that by not letting him put her down. She is definitely a daddy's girl!!

When Tyson gets home, she gets to him just as fast as she can!! And if he doesn't pick her up immediately, she starts to whine and cry. She is definitely glad when he gets home, I think she gets plenty of mommy time during the day and she wants him when he's home. Tyson has even started feeding her at night and putting her down for bed. It takes me a lot longer to get her down than it does Tyson, she fights me the whole time!!

HALLOWEEN

Today was so much fun!! Since the movie Despicable Me came out, I've wanted to dress Brooklyn up as a little Minion. We looked for costumes but they didn't make any for infants and the ones that we could buy for older kids were not cute at all. So we decided that making one would be the best way to go. We looked all over Idaho Falls to find a pattern for the basic shape of the body. No one had anything that was even close so I decided that I would have to design her whole costume. It was a daunting task but we finally figured it out! I sewed all day Friday and finally got it done, after a very frustrating day of sewing. Trying to get a sewing machine to work, that wasn't mine, was making me want to pull my hair out.

But all of the frustration and time definately paid off! The outfit is adorable and everyone loved it. It kept her toasty warm during the evening of trunk or treating. She had a blast and even got used to her costume being on. She didn't like it at first, but after being in it for a while, she didn't seem to mind it. I can't wait to decide and make her costume for next year!

Here is a video of her walking, or should I say wadling, in her costume. It had all of us laughing!!

Cats

We got home from the store today and when Brooklyn saw the cats as we walked in the house she started talking up a storm. It almost sounded like she was scolding them. We went inside, the cats followed us up to the porch so I shut the glass door and let Brooklyn sit and talk to them for a few minutes. She seemed to really enjoy it!! The cats would come up to the door and rub their sides against the glass like they would against your pant leg. One of them would put his paw on the window whenever Brooklyn would put her hand or finger on the glass. It was really cute! 

Here's her conversation.

 

 

Playing with the cats!

Walking Better

Brooklyn is walking so much better. She is always on the go, getting into things and keeping us busy. She's enjoyed figuring out that she can move faster when she walks and she's getting more and more daring as she gets better. She'll try to run away when I chase her, but she hasn't quite got the balance for it so she usually doesn't make it far. Since she started walking, she's developed even more of her personality. She can be quite a tease. She'll act like she's walking to you and then at the last second, she turns and walks away. She can walk from one end of our house to the other and has even started standing up without having to use the furniture. She's a lot more playful with us, and we can get her to giggle a lot more. I love being able to stay at home with her!! It's the best job anyone could ask for!

Walking October 14, 2011

Walking October 20, 2011

Getting Ready For Winter!!

Yesterday we worked on the lawn as a family to get it ready for winter. We had to mow the lawn a couple times to get it short enough and there was a lot of cut grass so we decided to rake it up. I started on the front lawn while Tyson mowed the back. I didn't have a rake so I had to use a snow shovel to rake it all up, which was a lot more work to get all of the grass into a pile. Barkley got home and came over with a rake and told me it would probably work faster with it. The job definitely went a lot faster on the side lawn, and my back and shoulders hurt a lot less. After a few hours of mowing and raking the lawn, we were only halfway done. I can't believe how many clippings there are!!

We mowed the grass like this for the first pass around the back lawn and by the end my legs and back were killing me. It was fun having the three of us together while we got the lawn ready.  

Today, I strapped Brooklyn on my back so I could finish raking the grass clippings into a pile while Tyson cut hay. I was busily raking and when I stopped to give my arms a little break, I noticed Brooklyn's legs were hanging limply and she was really quiet. Tyson came up the road and I walked over to ask him if she was asleep. He laughed and told me she was out so we decided to turn her around so she was facing my back instead of away from me.

I finally finished it up about 2 hours after I started and now we have five piles of grass around the house, and no idea what to do with all of it.

After taking a ride in the tractor with Tyson, we came home and took pictures of Brooklyn in the big pile of grass out back. She looked so tiny surrounded by all of it. She took handfuls of it and clapped her hands, thoroughly enjoying herself. Her eyes were so blue surrounded by the grass and the red and white coat. I love those blue eyes, they're so pretty!!

 

Beautiful Blue Eyes!

HEAT!!

So we've been without heat so far this year and with the early snow, our house has been very cold! We have had a space heater in Brooklyn's room as well as ours which keeps those rooms comfortable. Brooklyn and I have been stuck in her room for almost 2 weeks and we both are getting cabin fever. There is only so much you can do when you are confined to one room. I have been able to get quite a bit of blogging and crocheting done. Which has been a lot of fun. I also got a few lessons done for my class, which feels fantastic.

We started out by ordering 250 gallons of diesel, thinking that was the problem. When that didn't work, we had someone come to service our furnace and found out that we had to have our chimney and furnace cleaned out because they were both filled with soot. The technician told me he wouldn't finish working on the furnace until it was cleaned because it could ignite and start a house fire. He also said that the furnace pilot light wasn't getting the oxygen flow that it needed and that was why the furnace kept shutting off.

Today we finally got a guy out here to clean everything up. His truck was very different but it got our furnace cleaned so we could get it running. The guy that cleaned it out was very dirty by the time he was done. I'm glad I don't have to wash his clothes!!

This afternoon the technician came back and fixed the furnace and we had HEAT!! It was so nice to have a warm house. Brooklyn and I were really getting tired of being confined to one or two rooms in the house. Granted, I got a lot of schoolwork done, but cabin fever definitely set in. I can't wait to get the rest of the house cleaned. After a week or so of being in Brooklyn's room, the rest of the house was neglected and it'll be nice to get it cleaned.

COWS!!

Today was a lot of fun! Tyson is taking the whole week off to help on the farm and go hunting. It's been nice to spend a little extra time with him. Today we put up fence and moved the cows out to the hay. I drove the pickup up and down the lands so Tyson and Gary could get the fence posts and knobs out of the back. Brooklyn sat on my lap and peaked out the window at Tyson as he counted steps for the next post. She would talk, laugh and giggle on my lap. When we were waiting to for them to fix a path for the cows, I read while Brooklyn explored the back of the pickup. I played Peek-a-Boo with Brooklyn and got her squealing and giggling. She's really been a lot of fun. What a great morning!!

Tyson and I went into town to get Tyson's hunting license and tags while Gary tried to get all of the cows and calves to go across the canal and onto the correct land. Three of the older calves didn't want to go across, but one of the younger calves just bolted across. I guess those four were chickens, you could say. When Tyson and I got home from town, we helped load them in the trailer and then Tyson picked up the new calf that was born yesterday and we headed down the road. Tyson sat in the back of the pickup holding the calf down so that it wouldn't get hurt and Brooklyn and I sat in the back seat so she could see the calf. She was so excited she was squealing and talking up a storm. She had a lot of fun!! When we got down to the other field, we unloaded the calves into the new shoot to hold them and separate them from the others. Then the guys separated all of the cows that needed to be and then we let the little calves out. Brooklyn enjoyed getting her picture taken with the littlest calf. All of that took too long so Tyson didn't end up getting to go hunting but it was nice to spend the day together.

I hope we can figure out a way to farm full time so Brooklyn and I can spend more time with Tyson. We've all enjoyed it!!

Jack Frost Did a Fantastic Job!!

Frost on the hood of the pickup this morning! Awesome pattern!!

Dancing Again!!

I just can't get enough of her cute dancing!! She has really started to dance more this last week and we've had so much fun with it. She dances in the tractor, car, and at home. The more upbeat songs she really gets into. I thought I would put a few videos on so we could remember these fun moments! These videos were taken just after Brooklyn and I got back from helping for the Relief Society activity we are having tonight. I turned the music on so I could make the rest of the drink I am bringing and Brooklyn was rocking out to the songs. These days, when she's learning to do new things, are so much fun and they are all coming and going so quickly!! I can't believe how big she is getting and all of the new stuff she figures out. She's a smart cookie and I am so blessed to be her mom. Watching her learn and grow is the highlight of my day, week, and month. I can't believe she'll be 1 at the end of December!! Where has the last year gone. I love my little angel and I look forward to watching her learn even more.

New Favorite Toy

Today we put a few toys in front of Brooklyn to see what she would like to play with. We put a doll, car and a tractor. Well, she is definitely a farm girl because the first toy she went for was the tractor. She drove it around on the ground and even made noises. It was so cute. I figured this was the toy she was going to grab, since her room is John Deere as well as many of her blankets. She also enjoys going for rides in the tractor and watching them drive, so there really wasn't a question about her going for it. It was just funny to watch. When Kaye picked up the doll for Brooklyn and held it out to her, the look on Brooklyn's face was one of confusion. She looked as though she had no idea what to do with it. It was priceless!!

Ready for Snowmobiling!!

Showing off her new snow suit. We decided if it was going to be an early winter, we'd better get her something warmer. Now that she has a snow suit, we can take her snowmobiling!! There were only a few snow suits to choose from but we thought this one was the cutest out of them all.

We think she looks like the Michelin Man in it. The outfit is really big on her but by the end of winter it'll fit her just right. She can barely walk in it because the pants are a few inches too long, but she just looks so cute in it!

You've Got to Love Idaho

First Snowfall

Today was the first snowfall for this coming winter. I couldn't believe it when I looked outside this morning and saw it snowing and at the beginning of October!! The news tonight said that there was anywhere from 3-5 inches of snow in the Idaho Falls area. There were trees and branches down all over town and the power went out a couple of times. The snow was so wet that it snapped some of the power lines and branches causing a lot of the outages.

Tyson and I took Brooklyn outside when he got home from work to let her play in the snow. She wasn't too sure about it at first, but after a little while she started to play in it and eat it. We put her in a sleeper and then bundled her up in the only warm outfit we had. Then we put her John Deere boots, that are 2 sizes too big but fit well with her footed sleeper, on and went outside.

Here's a video of her outside in the snow. She had such a good time!! We enjoyed watching her experience the feel of snow and the taste. She didn't seem to mind at all. After playing in the snow outside, we went down to Gary and Kaye's house to let her play around in a warm house since our heater doesn't work right now. She had a lot of fun looking out the kitchen door at the snow. She's very inquisitive and intrigued by new things, so this was fun for her.

Hopefully it melts soon and warms up a little bit. I don't think I am quite ready for winter just yet. I would like a little more fall weather before having winter and snow here for good.

Conference Weekend

This morning Tyson took Brooklyn with him to change water. She's been sick and has two ear infections so we decided to really bundle her up. She had a blast with her daddy and grandpa. She even got to ride in the tractor on Grandpa Coles' lap.

"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling.You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It's not something you do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for." Elder Neil L. Andersen (October 2011 General Conference) This was my favorite talk that I was able to listen to. The mother than put this on her blog is absolutely right and I love being a mother!

We were only able to listen to a little bit of Conference due to a crazy weekend. Yesterday we were out farming and fixing the tractor so we were able to listen to a little bit then. And around 1:30 am this morning, we took Brooklyn to the emergency room. She had been running a fever since Wednesday and we had given her some Motrin like the doctor told us to at 8:00 pm last night. Her fever went down, but it went too low. When we checked her at about 9:30 pm she was at 96.8 F. When she woke up around 11:30 pm she was at 96.4 F. We checked her about a half hour later and she was down to 96.2 F. We called Tyson's dad to come up and give her a priesthood blessing. We took her out of her wet clothes and put her in some dry ones and bundled her up again. Her body felt cold and clammy after snuggling with her for a half hour and her temperature hadn't gone back up so we headed to the ER to make sure that she was okay. When we got there her temperature had gone back up and was at 97.8 F so the doctor just blew us off and said that our thermometer was probably not working. Tyson and I were positive that it wasn't the thermometer. I checked my temperature when we got back home and it said I was 98.2 F. I was upset that the doctor wouldn't even really listen to us. Her body was cold when we left for the hospital so it wasn't the thermometer.

Here's Tyson and Brooklyn during conference, worn out from the night's activity.

I knew why her temperature had gone up. It was the priesthood blessing that she was given. I am so grateful to have a husband who holds the priesthood. It is such a blessing to be able to have my daughter and I get blessings whenever we need them and we know that they work!! I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves us enough to help when we are worried about our little Brooklyn. What an amazing experience, it strengthened my testimony of the priesthood and gave me an added peace of mind.

All in all, we had an interesting weekend but all went well and that's what matters most.

Tooth!

I noticed Brooklyn's first tooth has come in! Her gums have been swollen for quite some time and it finally popped through. It is really sharp too, she's bit my finger a few times and it hurts. I can't wait until the other 5 come through that are swollen. Then hopefully the teething will be over for a little while. I feel bad for her that she has so many coming in at once, but it means she won't have to go through it as often this way. She doesn't like me rubbing any medicine on it, so I've been giving her popsicles to help relieve the pain. She seems to be enjoying that!!

Walking!!

Brooklyn took her first steps on Sunday. I was so excited that Tyson was able to see it before he left for South Dakota. I can't believe that she is walking already! We bought her a toy that she can walk with on Saturday and I guess it helped her figure out that she could walk. She is a very fast learner.

This video is of her makeshift walking toy. The stroller was too light for her to walk with so Tyson strapped in the huge roll of paper to make the front heavy enough for her to walk without it tipping over.

My mom came up to spend the week with Brooklyn and I while Tyson was gone. I had so much fun spending the week with her. She brought up small Tootsie pop suckers to bribe Brooklyn with this time. My mom watched her while I went to the dentist, Activity Days, and visiting teaching. I was nice to be able to get a few things done quicker than it would have been if I she had been with me. The minute Brooklyn heard the door open, she would start crying but other than that she seemed to do fairly well with my mom. Which is a huge step from the last time. She didn't even want my mom to look at her before. I think Brooklyn is finally starting to recognize her.

The next video is of Brooklyn walking to Tyson after he got home from South Dakota. He left Monday and came back today!! She was so excited to see him that she took about 7 steps to him. He was surprised at how many steps she was taking on her own. She has enjoyed walking because she can see things that are higher up. I've had to move everything within her reach that I didn't want pulled down. In this video, we all think she looks like a gymnast when she tries to catch her balance. SO CUTE!!

More videos to come!!

Activity Days

Today I was able to take my Activity Day girls to the Idaho Falls Temple Visitor Center. On display were amazing sculptures of Christ's ministry. The sculptures were made by Angela Johnson, and they were so real. The girls loved getting to see the life of Christ through these sculptures and I got to teach them about each one. I felt the spirit so strongly as I looked at each one and remembered the stories behind them. Everyone's favorite was Joseph Smith's First Vision. I was glad we were able to take the girls to see the display because it was amazing!! I didn't think pictures were allowed to be taken in the visitor's center but they said it was okay. I'm so glad because I am going to enjoy having these pictures all the time!

9 Months Old

I can't believe our little girl is 9 months old. The time has just flown by, and she's learning so quickly. She's started walking already and full of energy. Sundays are busy at church with her. She's always trying to get away from us and trying to get into other people's bags. By the time the 3 hours are over, I'm exhausted and don't normally get anything from the lessons or talks. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. She's a lot of fun. Just really busy.

This is one of my favorite outfits and it looks cute on her!

Eventful Day

Today was a fabulous day! Church was busy and entertaining, as usual, with Brooklyn. In Sacrament Meeting, Brooklyn played by the air return vent and her dress would get sucked in and Tyson would pull it out repeatedly. Brooklyn didn't seem to notice, but we got a good laugh from it. She slept through the last half of the meeting and woke up at the end. She was busy through the Sunday School lesson playing, talking and laughing with her cousin.  Relief Society was eventful when half way through the lesson, she somehow flipped back and smacked her head on the ground and started screaming. I picked her up just as the teacher stopped her lesson and asked if she was okay. I looked up, blushing, and said she was okay and stepped out of the room. We walked around the hall for a few minutes and went back to class when she had stopped crying. All in all, a usual busy day at church.

We met with the Stake Presidency and then went to Tyson's parent's for dinner. After dinner, Brooklyn was playing with her cousins and took her first two steps!! I couldn't believe it, she's growing up so fast. Tyson was able to watch her which made it even better. It's more fun to watch Brooklyn make those milestones in person than to just hear about them or watch them on video.

Later tonight we hung out with a bunch of our friends and ate ice cream and delicious peaches!! We let the three kids play together while we all sat and talked. It was an absolutely wonderful day!!

APPLES AND CORN ON THE COB!!

Today was Brooklyn's first time trying an apple and fresh corn on the cob out of the garden. She thoroughly enjoyed both. We had a hard time getting them away from her. The apple was one that came from the tree on the farm. And boy are they good. She would have eaten the whole thing if we would have let her. Pictures and videos say it best, so here they are!!

Cupcakes!

Kammie made cupcakes for my birthday and Kaye sent some home with us. Tyson was eating one and Brooklyn was wanting some so he let her have some of his. She really enjoyed it!! She sucked on it until it was really soggy and Tyson decided he didn't want it anymore. He ended up throwing it away, but the proof of her enjoyment was all over her face! It was so much fun to watch.

Mmmmm........

She liked it so much she had to lean in to get as much as she could at once :)

Car Seat

Today we took a drive to Soda Springs to look at a grain trailer that Tyson's been watching on an auction. We all had a really fun time and after I fed Brooklyn, she wanted to just hang out on her car seat. Yes, this is her new favorite way to be in her car seat. We don't let her ride around like this, of course, but it was keeping her entertained while Tyson was looking at the trailer. It is quite interesting, but she loves it and it's super cute!!

She also got to see and hear her first train. She watched as the whole thing went by. She seemed to think it was really cool!

Another mini adventure in our family. We love family outings and spending time with each other.

Milestones

Today we were down to Gary and Kaye's for Sunday lunch. Tyson went out to help Gary change water and I put Brooklyn on the floor so I could wash my hands. As I was drying my hands, Kayla said that Brooklyn was crawling! I ran into the room but missed seeing it. She had only moved each leg once but had figured it out. We put toys out in front of her to see if she would start crawling again. She started moving, although her legs went faster than her arms and she face planted a couple of times. She would kind of hop, run and crawl all at the same time, which made it very entertaining for us. Tyson came back a little while later and we got her crawling again for longer periods of time. We got the camera out and got video of the latest milestone she's hitting. I can't believe she's hitting it so fast! She's only 7 months old!

Blowout!!

Today was eventful. We went down to Gary and Kaye's house to work on the gate for the stairs and the boards I've been waiting to pain and put vinyl lettering on. One board is going to be Tyson's Christmas gift with his favorite scripture. We worked on all of that until after 3:00 pm and decided to head over to Rigby to pick up a few things. Brooklyn was asleep back in the crib so we were going to run up to the house to get her carseat and drop everything off at the house. Just as we were headed out the door, I heard Brooklyn crying. I put the stuff I had in my hands down and went back to get her. When I got back there, Brooklyn was on her hands and keens crying. Her face was dirty and it looked funny. When I realized what it was, I yelled for Tyson to come back and help. He thought her leg was stuck in the bars of the crib but realized she was covered in poop when I handed her to him.

She had blown out in the crib and rolled around in it. It was in her hair, on her face, down her arms and legs, all over her onsie by her diaper, all over the sheets, bumper pad and crib. We put her in the tub after we got her clothes off. I asked Tyson how we were ging to get it off her face and he told me to stick her face under the faucet of the tub. I put my hand in the water and splashed water on her face and tried to rub the poop off with my hand. It wouldn't come off so we had to get a wash cloth and we scrubbed it off. Once we got her cleaned up, we got the crib cleaned and all of the sheets, towels and other dirty things in the washer. After everything was cleaned up, we headed up to the house and then over to Rigby. It was quite the blowout and both Tyson and I got a good laugh out of it!! There's always the first time for everything!

"Moma"

Brooklyn started saying "Moma" and "Mom" today!! Her first words. Tyson doesn't think she is really saying it and that she just learned a new sound but I like to think that she knows who I am. She is growing up so fast and I can't seem to keep up with her as well as I would like. It feels like just yesterday that she came into our lives, and now she's almost 7 months. I love getting to be with her all day and seeing the new things she is discovering about the world. She is a lot of fun to spend the day with!! I love her so much!

Tractor Ride.... I Think Yes!!

Today was Brooklyn's first ride in the tractor. She had so much fun with all of the new things she got to see. She really enjoyed sitting on the steering wheel and helping Tyson drive. She's going to be a farm girl through and through! I would turn her around on the seat so she could look out the back window to see what Tyson was doing. She saw the window wiper and tried to grab it several times. Oh it was so cute and so much fun!!



4 Months

Brooklyn is 4 months old today! She is learning so fast and talking up a storm. She'll even giggle if she is in the right mood. She changes so much from month to month. Not so much in looks but in personality and alertness. She develops more and more of her personality every day, and we are enjoying getting to know her.

She has even found her toes today!! She loves to play and suck on them. I am constantly having to change her socks because they are soaking wet. It was so much fun to see her face when she figured it out. Total excitement was what I saw in her smile. Oh how I love this girl!!!