Brooks: Week 40-41

Whew! It has been a busy past two weeks! Lots of fun for the Batia’s and tons of firsts for Brooks!

We started off all the fun by going to the Mascot Games at Amway Arena. Brooks and I went with our good friends Carol, Katelyn, and Brady Burless. The kids a great time…it was loud and crazy but still a lot of fun! I of course told Brooks all about Albert and Alberta from UF and was sure to point them out to him!

The next day we continued the fun with Brooks going to his first birthday party! His little buddy Brady turned 1 and so we had to go over and help him celebrate! Brady had so much fun “eating” his cake…he really showed Brooks how to get it done! Cake was everywhere but isn’t that the point? All the festivities got us in the mood for Brooks’ big day! It will be here before we know it!

During the week Brooks and I were up to our usual antics…going on long runs, splashing in the pool and spending time at my mom’s sewing and such. We are really getting into this whole sewing business idea. We have lots and lots of ideas and now we just need to decide exactly what we want to commit to. I’ve been busy making some really cute tee-shirts for Brooks. I got the idea from seeing a shirt in a baby boutique that was super cute but SUPER expensive. I thought “I could make that!” and so I did! With a little help from my mom, Google, and YouTube both shirts came out adorable! I was so ambitious that I even made one for Brady Hart who came to visit us last weekend…don’t the boys look so cute in their matching shirts!?!

Speaking of visiting friends we got to spend part of last weekend with the Harts. They were in town for an engagement party and afterwards all the adults got to go out for a good time downtown! Thanks mom for staying the night and watching Brooks! She even did baby duty the next morning so that we could sleep in since we got in really late! Mark and I even got to go to the movies that night before we met everyone out downtown…that was a first since Brooks has come along! It was like two date nights in one! Woohoo for momma and daddy!

Brooks continues to grow and amaze us everyday! Over the past few weeks he has really taken to playing with balls. He loves any sort of ball, baseballs, footballs, bouncy balls…if it is round and looks like a ball he likes it! He will throw and play with them for quite a long time…for a baby! Here are some action shots of him tossing and playing with his little purple ball…he even knows how to crawl on his belly and reach under the couch to get it when it gets away from him!

He is also standing up on his own now. He doesn’t need to hold on to anything or pull himself up on furniture. He'll just squat down and then stand up in the middle of the room! He then puts his arms up like he is saying “Look mom! I am SO big!” He just smiles and is so proud of himself!

This week I took Brooks to his first music class. We’ve noticed for a while now that he LOVES music…in the car it sometimes is the ONLY thing that will make him stop crying…instantly! He will dance (i.e. bob…see video below) and kick his legs to the music. He has great rhythm by the way! He just loves it when Mark will pull out his guitar and play for him…Brooks will just sit at his feet and be mesmerized! So anyways, we went with our friends Ny and Ella to a Kindermusik class and we all had a great time singing and dancing and playing with all sorts of musical instruments and toys. It was great! Check out this short video of Brooks enjoying “The wheels on the bus” song! So cute! I hope to continue to go to more of the classes this fall…we will have to save up our pennies cause it isn’t cheep! It seems like all the cool things for kids are expensive!

Brooks and I also went to the library to check out a book for the first time this week. It is awesome because the public library is right downtown next to the park that we love to visit. After the library we had to go hit up the swings at the park…they are his favorite! I’ve been letting Brooks crawl around the playground too…but man oh man is he filthy by the time we leave! He has to have an immediate bath when he gets home…and believe me; he makes mud in the tub!

Here are some pictures of Brooks with his favorite man…his daddy! He is so cute when Mark gets home in the evenings. Brooks and I are usually playing in the living room about the time Mark comes home from work and Brooks will hear the keys in the door and will start crawling full speed towards the front door to see his daddy! It is so cute and I just know it melts Mark’s heart! I just love the ones here of Mark playing with Brooks through the glass door…Brooks is saying “my daddy is SO crazy” I just know it!

Food is still Brooks’ favorite friend! He is definitely more interested in the foods that we are eating more than the foods that I feed him but I can’t complain! He is such a good eater! This week he tried pizza for the first time and LOVED it! I knew he would because I craved it big time while I was pregnant! He also loves noodles…any type! Chinese noodles, egg noodles, chicken noodle soup, you name it he likes it! I did however have a time getting him to eat his blueberries and strawberries this week. I think they were both a little sour…he would spit them out as fast as he would put them in! Hilarious!

This week we had a special treat…we got to go to lunch with Trish and Diane! Brooks and I met up with them in Winter Garden. It was such a treat to see them and Brooks just loved playing in the fountain with Diane! I think he has a new buddy! Well we have a big weekend planned…we are driving to Perry tomorrow to see all the family and to go to a little class reunion/get-to-together for me. It ought to be loads of fun! Brooks just loves his Perry cousins and they love him to bits too! I’ll be sure to take lots of pictures to post next week!