Perfect Age...

Every parent has a different "favorite" age...so many people have told me that 6-12 months is the "best" age. Well I must admit, when 6 months came...I felt a little let down. The positives about 6 months for Brinlie was that she could now sit up and entertain her self with toys, this is a BIG plus, however the negatives...TEETHING...bad and she became very NEEDY. So to me...6 months, well it was not my fave! We are now approaching 8 months...and well we have arrived at my favorite time so far...(I know you are thinking...just wait...there will be better time ahead, yes I get that, but so far...this is it). Why you might ask? TWO word... PLAY DATES...

Anyway, I loves this! She is just at the right age to not fight with her friends and she can't move to fast yet that I have to chase her. What this means is I can sit and visit, drink beer, socialize, and all the other things I did before child, but now...even better! As anyone who knows me...I am a social butterfly, I love to be having adult play dates, so this is great Brinlie and I can do it together now. Here are a few recent play dates:

Brinlie and Mallory Aley...

We spent some time at the park with our friend Amber and her 2 girls...well Andie Reese slept through most of this! I guess lunch wore her out! We still had fun!

Mallory and Brinlie played...at the park!
This play date happens very often...this is Curt (my nanny's son) pushing Brinlie in her walker! They are having fun!
I am so excited for the future play dates!! For the adult time as much as seeing my sweet girl interact with other kids!!

March of Dimes Walk!!

What a GREAT day to dedicate your time and money to such a special fundraiser! I must admit I didn't know much about the March of Dimes and what this wonderful organization did for premature babies, until my dear friend Christy delivered her twins at 25 weeks gestation. I will never forget the phone call I got around 7:30 that morning from her telling me she delivered the twins that night. I was in shock...just like she was. However, they are so wonderful now! Healthy and Happy! This is a pic of this wonderful family at the MOD walk!!

Well... let me go back with the story and tell you that Christy and I went to high school together. We were both pregnant and due September 2, 2008...how exciting...we had the exact same due date. Since Christy already had one child, I called her just about every other day (sorry Christy to bother you so!!) to ask questions about how I was feeling and what to expect next. Why...b/c she was going through the same thing I was, but she had a little girl and boy in her belly! We grew very close during this Awesome bonding experience, I cherish her friendship. Anyways, my precious friend delivered very early and she now has 2 miracles, gifts from above that are 11 months old!!

So, this is who we were walking for...Maddox Aaron and Mallory Hope...

The walk was 6 miles, however we chose to participate in 4 miles (it was getting hot in SC)- we socialized for a bit and then were on our way! Christy arranged for us all to have shirts that matched and the kids too. It was a wonderful time and a great opportunity to see many people from Lexington! Of course, you know I have to include Brinlie in her March of Dimes "get up"!!

Almost there!!! You can Do it!!

If you had to ask me today, I would say Brinlie will be an "early" crawler. If you know me...that is not what I secretly want. Call me lazy, but it is so much easier now that I can stick her on a blanket in the living room and she not move. Once she starts crawling I will no longer be able to do that. I am not sure how long the time spans between when they figure out how to get on the hands and knees and start rocking back and forth until they actually move their legs. (my guess is a few weeks??) I am really not sure, I need to ask around to all you Mommy's who have babies crawling!! This is what I am talking about...

Brinlie finds herself in the weirdest spots...she moves backwards...

She will move clear across the room, but scooting backwards. It is funny how she does it. Anyway, we can find her under chairs, tables, and other places she does not need to be!!

Snow day

Well this post is a tad late, but things have been busy in the Hoover household. BUT...I could not resist sharing some photos of the snow that we got 2 weeks ago. The snow started falling around 6 pm Sunday night and it covered our deck within 10 minutes. It was so pretty. However, b/c it was night time, we could not enjoy watching the snow fall. However, when we got up the next morning...everything was covered. We received about 4-5 inches of snow. So we quickly figured out who was staying home with Brinlie (I did) and took her out quickly for a photo session.

Happy Eating

Have I told y'all how much my child loves to EAT...well we all know she has always been a big girl, but nothing is slowing her down now...she still love to eat. So we are now onto food and she is SOOOOO ready. We waited until she was 6 months b/c of possible food allergies. She is liking everything so far. This is a pic of her taking down some sweet potatoes!! More to come...

So far she like sweet potatoes, applesauce, and HATES sweet peas. The first time she was eating the peas, she ate the first 10 bites...then decided that she does not like them. She tried to spit them up. Very funny. Well...it's a first...something that my child will not eat! We will try them again in a few weeks!

Swimming!!

Okay so I promised some pics of swimming lessons...Check out his hot bathing suit. Too bad there is not "adult" version of this, we would be hot...Just kidding. The worst part about taking Brinlie to get in the pool is that I have to put my body in a bathing suit...I HATE it!!

But we are learning lots...she is so funny when she sticks her face in the water. She kicks her feet around too. Now we just need her to work on the arms... Well my goal is that she will be comfortable enough to be in the water and on the boat this summer!

Happy 6 months!!

Happy 1/2 birthday my precious little girl. I LOVE you so much...more and more everyday!! It is truly amazing how your love for a child can grow stronger everyday...so amazing. I feel like Brinlie is such a special gift to us... our entire family. I wanted a baby so bad and I feel so blessed to have her in my life and I never take one day for granted. I know all you moms know the feeling, we are lucky...huh! It is just amazing, that is all I can say...

Brinlie is getting so much fun. I think this is my favorite age so far, she is sitting up all by herself now so she can play with toys better. I think she can sit up so good because she has a chubby belly, check her out!

Reaching Arms

What means so much to me about arms reaching out to me? Brinlie that is...when I walked through the door tonight from work...she was so excited to see me...reached her arms for me. Oh my, how good this made me feel. (I had been gone for 2 evenings, so I really was missing her). My mom was with her today and she was sitting on the floor playing with her. My mom had not seen her get this excited either...it melted both our hearts. What a special moment that was for the 3 of us to share. I hope that this is a new thing I get when I walk through my door each day, it will only make each day more special.

Swimming Lessons!!

What a fun thing!! We started swimming lessons...believe me I do not expect my almost 6 month old to swim, however it is so Great to have her in the water and just being comfortable with it. We go to swim lessons for 4 Saturdays, for 30 mins each session. There are 2 instructors and 14 children (6-36 months). Brinlie of course is styling in her zebra with hot pink bathing suit, she is so cute...she is also the youngest.
She actually did really good the first time. They instructed us to "blow bubbles" in the water to try and get the babies to put their faces in the water. At first Brinlie was paying no atteniton to me, but then she started getting it, she put her face in the water several times, she even drank some of the water. The tell you to teach them to "spit" when they drink the water. That is hard, she has no idea what spit is!! But you would be surprised what a 6 month old can do naturally. She was kicking her legs...next we will work on her arms. Anyways, we had a good time! I just hope by the end of the 4 weeks, Brinlie & I feel comfortable abou her being in the water, espcially for the boating season on the lake!! I will update picture soon!!

Weekend mornings....Favorite

If someone where to ask me what is my favorite time of my life to this moment, I would respond Weekend mornings with my precious daughter and wonderful husband. I LOVE being able to wake up and not be rushed with all the morning activities...shower, feed Brinlie, Pump while I get my make up on and dry my hair (multi tasker), pack my gym bag, pack my pump bag, get dressed, make sure all bottles are made, dress baby, and on...on...on...- BUT I would not change it. All I am saying is that I LOVE not having all that going on for 2 mornings each week.
Our typical weekend morning is letting her sleep until she wakes us up (6:30/7). Then one of us goes to get her smiling face (she is so happy) and bring her to bed with us- which we play and laugh with her. Then I feed her and she falls back asleep, which means we can too!! On a good day she will sleep with me for 90 mins and we get to cuddle and not worry about TIME.

I LOVE THESE MOMENTS!!!!

First B-day Party...First Cold

Ok, Ok...Lesson Learned. Note to self, when attending a large function with multiple children, keep your away from the ones with colds. We went to our friends son, who turned 1, b-day party...which was fun and a blast watching him eat his cake! However, when we returned Brinlie starting sneezing, then the night was BAD...she got up 6 or 7 times. She could not breathe through her nose and suck on her pacifier at the same time. During the day she is in a great mood, but at night...WOW! She has not been running a fever so we were not too concerned. We After 4 nights we took her to the Dr and she is congested and now has a slight ear infection in one ear. So she started on her first antibiotic and is slowly getting better. My mom was so sweet to take her one night, so Matt and I could rest for the entire night, which was so Great. She is getting better though! I guess we have been lucky that she is almost 6 months old and has not been sick yet!! Praise the lord for that!!

Lots of practice...

Doing what you might ask??? Well Brinlie is getting lots of practice rolling over, eating cereal, jumping, and laughing. She has got the back to stomach rolling over thing and is really practicing at night...which mommy and daddy do not like. Something wakes her up around 2 am and she decides that she wants to play on her tummy, so she will roll over. Then she realizes that she is stuck (b/c she can't roll back yet). So she gets upset. Anyway this is been the cycle for the last 2 nights, we will see if it continues. We are working with her on learning that she can sleep on her tummy, but that would require her to put her head down on the matress...slowly she will get it. We also are working extra hard on her tummy to back roll!! Very funny to see her doing this though!

She is getting practice eating cereal now too...we added lunch into the mix now, so she gets 2 cereal feedings a day now, which she loves...she would eat 5 if we let her...let's just say she loves her food!! We are going to start baby food around 6 months, not sooner b/c the potential of food allergies.

Since she is eating all this cereal, she is needing to exercise, right? Well she is jumping all the time now. She gets in her Jumperoo and LOVES it. She has figured out that when she kicks her legs she bounces and then she gets excited and bounces more, so stinkin cute! She is just starting to be able to reach the ground, but she will stretch her toes out and jump...entertaining for us, but also allows us to get some things done while she is having fun!

The most rewarding thing right now is how much she laughs. For example, we went to dinner last night and she had so much fun looking and laughing at all the people in the restaurant. This is so fun to see her plant her face into mine and laugh at me. I knew I would love seeing this part of her personality. I LOVE IT! This age is the best yet!!

Happy 5 months!!

Wow, I can't believe my little girl is 5 months...things have been going to much quicker since I have been back to work. Not enough hours in the day I guess. This month has been a GREAT month for Brinlie! She is such a good baby. Her personality is really starting to show. She is not very patient and is already on her way of being a DIVA, which is scary. This is something that can not be learned this early...it is in her bones. Matt better watch out have both of us on his hands!

She is sleeping 12 hours for awhile now, which is fantastic! She is still eating 5 bottles/breast feedings day, and now she is eating cereal for lunch and dinner. We are holding off adding any other food b/c of the potential for allergies. So this means that she is sitting in her high chair more often. I like her to be in the high chair b/c it restrains her while I am cooking or cleaning up...but she gets bored. However, my wonderful mom had the idea of letting her watch Baby Einstein while waiting on me...Genius

She is also having way to much fun taking baths...she loves the water! She kicks her feet around and splashes. It is a fun time with her at night! I can't wait till she can sit up in the big bath tub and really play with the toys.

We are starting "mommy/baby" swimming lessons next month, so of course we had to start shopping for swim suits. I have bought her 2, so stinkin cute. I love little girls bathing suits. I tried them on her tonight and they look good. We are taking her to the pool this weekend for the first time, should be fun!

first weekend away...Baby less

WOW, I must say that I never thought I would be as strong as I am. I am on a girls "scrapbooking" weekend at Lake Lure, NC and without the almost 5 month old baby Brinlie. I am proud of myself because I thought I would cry, but I am having so much fun. There are 12 of us on this weekend get away, some are scrapbooking, watching movies, playing taboo, touring lake lure, but we all are having our share of cocktails! Very fun! I am working on Brinlie's baby album and I am completely updated. I got through all the pics I had, which is through her first 4 months. I am going to try really hard to stay on top of her album...but I think I have too many pics. I think it will take me 2 albums to get through her first year. Oh well...I guess that is what a first born is all about.
Anyway, this weekend has been so much fun...I am so lucky to have these great girls as my friends!

Thankful...Blessed...

My Blessings.....

Thinking about so many of the things I am thankful for...so many but I wanted to take some time to list just a few. With it being the new Year, I love to put it into numbers...so here goes...

My Blessings

1- Matt- wow what a great man I married, those who know me well have heard me say that part of why I wanted to marry Matt was because I knew he would be a great dad and I was so right. He is unbelievably natural at being a father, sometimes more than I. I am blessed for that. We have a great relationship and it has only gotten better since Brinlie has been born. He knows when I need support, comforting, and sometimes my space.

Brother- I am so thankful to have Brian as my brother and I am glad that we continue to get closer as the years go on.

Blaze-Great dog...love him so much

2-Parents- Wow I am really lucky on this one...I have such a support system with them. I only dream that I can be a parent like mine, they are so good to us. I hope that I have the opportunity to have the relationship with my children that they have with us. Perfect role models in the world of life...

3 - number of years Matt and I have been married- well really 3 .5- love him more today than the day i married him

4 months old- I am so thankful to have a healthy daughter who is thriving...what a joy she is in our life

The number of children I want- I know shocker!!

10 new mommy's this year- YEAH to all my friends who have had children!!

30- Birthday fast approaching- in 5 weeks I will be turning 30~and I am healthy

Thankful for my health, family's health, all my Wonderful friends...

Thankful for my growing relationship with the Lord...I am so excited that we might have found a church home...feels good to want to belong...finally after all that looking!!

I am so blessed and am thankful everyday for my life and blessing....

Saying goodbye to 2008

Wow, I can't beleive that 2008 is over...another year of life that has gone bye-bye. This year brought on so many changes...very welcomed changes. Becoming a mother has never felt more natural, a great feeling. I have always heard mothers say that your "motherly instinct" kicks in, but it is really a gift from God to have that instinct. Being a mom is such a rewarding feeling for me...having Brinlie in our life was the best gift of 2008. It is so fun having so many friends that had babies this year...so many. Amy Berdahl had Andrew in September, Christy had Mallory & Maddox in May, Marni had Patten in April, Amber had Andiereese in August, Alison had Parker in April, Donna had Christian in December, Julie had Brianna in December, James & Holly had Sam in February, Michelle had Weston in November...so many babies!! How fun will it be to get the children together as they all get older and can have some good old fashion play time!

Matt and I became an aunt and uncle in 2008, which is super cool! Even though we will not get to see Weston James but probably 2 times per year, we will keep up with him through phone calls and pictures. We can watch him grow from a far. We sure wish they lived closer!

Well good bye to 2008, and we welcome a new and hopefully fun and exciting 2009!! Happy New Year!