Happy Birthday Brooklynn

We had a blast celebrating Brooklynn's 1 year mark. We had many friends and family join in the celebrations. Thanks for sharing her special day everyone :)

My first attempt at doing something fancy for a cake. It was three layers of chocolate cake, and in between each layer I used pudding and whipped cream. Once we started cutting into it, it was slipping and sliding all over the place, and toppled over but still tasted delicious.Waiting for her first piece of cake and first real sugar rush.

I love this little face!

I can't believe my baby is 1! This has been the most exciting, and rewarding year of my life as I watched her grow and change and ever so quickly. It's been amazing to see how much this little child of mine has come into her own so much in such a short amount of time, she's really taken on the world for what it has to offer a person in their first year of life. I'll never be able to fully express how thankful I am for her, and the blessing she is in mine and her daddy's life. I look forward to many more birthday's Brooklynn and watching you grow more and more each day.

Love Mom

Thanks for Visiting!

My family came to visit recently, and they've gone back to Ottawa already but I just wanted to thank them for all they did while they were here. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to get to know Brooklynn more. When there is a baby/ grandchild in the mix there is a different kind of love mingled through the moments you spend together. The dynamics change in your relationships and I love it. I'm so grateful for my family, I wish we saw more of you more often.

Happy Easter...

Don't worry the Mr. Munchy and Mini Eggs are for Jason.

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It was fun to play the role of Easter bunny for the first time :)

Invermere Getaway

A little apprehensive about the tunnel slide...

This was about the 5th photo my sister took of the two of us, Jason refused to smile normally.

Brooklynn owning "her" remote. She has a little remote control and portable phone obsession.

Mmmmmmmm, homemade chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream= D E L I C I O U S.

Jason enjoying the fruits of his labour. He made the ice cream, I think it was attempt #3, or 4... the others didn't turn out but at last SUCCESS!

Daddy and his girl.

Mommy and her girl.

It happened back in February, the last weekend. I just forgot my camera and had to wait to get the ones we took on my sister's camera before I posted about it. She uploaded them today and I am excited to record the happenings from our little trip.

We headed out to Invermere Friday afternoon with my sister Amanda, Brooklynn, Jason and myself. Jenn and Justin took off a little later in the day to show up at the condo around dinner time. We were staying at my in laws condo pretty much on Lake Windermere. It's really pretty out there, BC is just GORGEOUS! Right beside Invermere is this little town called Radium, and there are natural hot springs, we really want to check those out sometime soon. Other than that it is pretty untouched from a lot of commercialism, buildings, etc. There aren't really suburbs and whatnot, just cute little homes with lots of property, locally owned shops and restaurants- nothing too developed but LOTS of cabin and and vacation property around the lake and resorts tucked away in scenic spots but nothing too overcrowding. I like it. It's a great place to getaway and it's under 3 hours to drive there from Calgary. Just perfect. It was really nice for us to be able to spend some time with my siblings. We live soo close but we always say that we take it for granted. We have different friends and we forget to just spend good old down time together to bond more, so this weekend was dedicated to that. I'm grateful that Jason's parents let us spend time out there too!

Our Little Miss Messy

She has to spend a lot more of her time without any clothes than she ever had to before. She is CONSTANTLY soiling her outfits with food as she loves to smear it everywhere, especially on her face and in her hair!
Here's Brooklynn in her spoiled sleeper after breakfast- strawberry and banana stains. Somehow her foot slipped out of the foot pocket and was causing some drag in her pant leg and it made the buttons pop open. I found her like this after I cleaned up her highchair.

"Little Miss Messy"

Doesn't this look awkward?

After lunch Brooklynn was in dire need of a bath, and she took the liberty of taking a pooh in the tub! Like I said, what a mess. Or should I say what a little stinker we have over here?

I Swear I'm NOT Pregnant!

I have been suffering the affects for quite some time though, or the aftermath I guess. I have done some pretty bizarre things or stupid things in the last year or so, that have been so embarrassing. I can't tell you how many dates I have messed up. I never know what day it is, or when things are. I have been severely handicapped without my Outlook in front of me the way it was at work a year ago. I don't have alarms that announce a meeting request, events, or appointments, and I've only learned too slowly how MUCH I depended on it. However, since I took the liberty of hanging a calendar on my kitchen wall things have improved slightly, but it took my long enough to realize I needed a stupid calendar!
I'm sorry for all the visiting teaching appointment I have messed up or forgotten about. I'm sorry for standing up my dentist last spring. I'm sorry for missing my roommates baby shower. If you had a birthday in the last year and didn't hear from me when you feel you should have... I'm sorry!
Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself and my absent mind otherwise I will cry more than I already do and live in a bubble or stress and negativity. I just don't put myself first anymore! Well at least rarely. My time is spent on thinking of a baby's schedule, how to manage time to clean my house, get groceries, preparing lessons and activities, feeding my family and anything else that should require my time. And that may not seem like a lengthy list there, but throw in nursing, and messed up/ lack of sleep and it's an intense one at that.

Lately, or the past few days I have had a couple of those lingering "prego brain" moments:

• Got home from the gym and I was trying to dodge muddy puddles in the parking lot as to not soil my clean runners, only to notice I should be wearing my winter boots instead - Yes I walked right past them, leaving them at the lockers on my way out!
• went shopping for my sister's birthday and was trying to find a waffle iron, only I pronounced it affle wiron (Amanda caught that and had a good laugh)
• Was at Superstore yesterday and couldn't find the card aisle?? Searched forever and then gave up.
• Gave Brooklynn a bath last night only to notice when I dunked her in she was still wearing socks!
• Oh and here's a real goodie - went out a week ago and realized I forgot to wear a bra!!! Luckily I wore a sweater... (thanks for the friendly reminder Jen and letting me confide in you with my stupidity)

Those are just a few to mention, and I'm sure I'll be able to add more to this list before the week ends!

Bragging Rights

I love this little girl too pieces. Brooklynn got her pictures taken by the ever so talented, Heidi Allred once again. She did Brooklynn's newborn photos, and here she is at 10 months and working it like a pro. Anyways the photos and title can speak for themselves. I am just one proud mommy who has one stinking cute little girl.