Has it already been 9 weeks?

It actually feels like every bit of 9 weeks! Needless to say, Trent and I are still adjusting!!! Brooks is settling into a schedule, but I will tell you this............that "Baby Wise" book may work for a minute few, but NOT for us! I specifically recall reading that if we followed the rules of sleep, eat, play (in that order), we would have this perfect baby that slept through the night at 8 weeks. Seriously? I don't see that happening anytime soon. Not only does our little guy wake up 2 times in the middle of the night, he wakes up SCREAMING! But.....he is sooooo cute! Brooks is smiling more and slowly beginning to chuckle. He is definitely going to be a mover. We can put him on one end of the crib and within 2 minutes, he has scooted his way to the other end. Yes, Brooks sleeps on his stomach. I definitely leave this out when the pediatrician asks how he is sleeping!

I am still trying to get out of the house...at least one "activity" or errand on the days I don't work. He loves being in the water, so we got to go swimming twice this weekend. At this point, we haven't taken him to many restaurants for dinner. We may tackle that this Friday and introduce him to Lopez (our fav). Oh, and prays are welcomed as Brooks and I travel to Lubbock this weekend! Prayers not for us, but for the guy sitting next to us!

I started work 3 weeks ago and am slowly getting back into the groove. I actually enjoy getting away but can't wait to get home at the end of the day. Brooks seems to really like Berta. She is definitely patient! You can hear her singing in Spanich "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" from outside the house all day! The heat doesn't bother Berta as she takes him on strolls throughout the day. This is one of the only things that will calm him while he throws a fit.....the kid has some lungs and is relentless with his screaming if he doesn't get whatever he wants. However, we never really know what that is!

My Hugh Hefner robe for the ladies!

Lounging by the pool

Mark practicing his daddy skills

Brooks getting a lesson from daddy on how to sleep through the night

I can sit in this chair and look at the fan for hours

Jake giving Brooks a bath

Awwwww!

"I want you to stand when you hold me, Red" (he loves to be held only when you stand and bounce)

FINALLY..............

"Brooksy B" got to meet MY FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!! We made our first family road trip to Dallas.........per Trent, it won't happen again for quite sometime! After we packed everything in our house except the refrigerator, we made the 5.5 hour trip (add 1.5 hour for screaming and feeding) to Frisco. However, we can both honestly say that it was all worth it!

Brooks meets Nana and yes, she did sing her favorite song, "Little Brooks Booher went to town. Riding a billy goat, leadin' a hound. The hound dog barked and the billy goat jumped and down fell Brooks on a stump." You have to see this to understand!

Brooks meets Gonky. "Please Brooks, be a sweet as Gonky!"
Brooks sees his Aunt Kim again.....Rob is next!

Brooks meets Alex.....Reagan is next! Sharon, my mom's best friend

Larry, one of my dad's best friends

The fam...

thanks Jack Dee for coming!

Guess who retired after more than 30 years! Congratulations Mom! Now you can fly to see us ALL the time!

61 years for Nana and Gonky. It was their anniversary weekend and we surprised them with cupcakes and singing. Again, 61 YEARS.........WOW!

We missed you Reagan and Rob!

"The Man," just chillin!

Oh, and by the way, my mother has made the executive decision that she is going to be called Nana. So much for Kasey and me coming up with an original name! She won:0) Her argument is actually very sweet. It is important that she be called nana because my mom loved her Nana and we love ours. Therefore, it is fitting that she is also a NANA!

6 weeks went by............

slow at first, but now the days are flying by! Brooks is growing like a weed! He is now 10 lbs and still looks long a lean. Each morning Trent and I look at him and say, "wow, you look different today!" At this point, he doesn't resemble Trent or me................he just looks like Brooks! Other than our TERRIBLE week (the one were he cried non-stop), Brooks is a very easy baby:) He loves being outside, car rides, his "Around the World" play mat and sitting up on his daddy's lap. Each day he smiles more and more, which I LOVE! It may just be luck, but for the past 3 nights he has only woken up once.....knock on wood.



We had a fun Memorial day weekend with the Cook's, Dickey's and Gearing's. Brooks got to meet his friend Chase for the first time, and Mommy got to have fun with all her girlfriends. Thankfully, I am able to take him most anywhere as long as I have a bottle handy!



I am slowly catching on to this "mommy thing" just in time to return to work, of course! I am going to miss my little man, but have faith that if I can get through the first two weeks, I'll be okay. Bizzie will be here to help for the first week and then Berta, our wonderful nanny, will be here after that. This has been such a great learning experience, and Trent and I are enjoying each day we have with Mr. Brooks. I never knew that I would learn so much from this, and I know that I have much more learning in store!



Just a few things I've learned in the past 6 weeks:


1. The most miraculous machine in the world is a women's body.
2. I never knew just how much toots, burps and poop can make me smile.
3. Don't be too prideful to listen to others with experience.
4. No book can prepare you for EVERYTHING....it's all about experience.
5. Patience, patience, patience...........and I still need more!
6. Mom's deserve more credit.............this &*@* is hard!
7. I should have and still do need to tell my mom thank you more!
8. Marry well............a good husband makes all the difference, and I am blessed to have mine!
9. You think you worry now...........just wait! I probably look at the baby monitor 600 times a night to check on him!
10. Don't take sleep for granted!
11. I now understand the need for "mom bathing suits." They are needed so don't judge!


Brooks loves to sit up and look around. I know he is too young for the Bumpo, but he is holding his head up well and loves it!



"My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades!"



Sleeping at the pool party on Mandy's shoulder. Mandy....what a natural!



My double chin is growing!


The boys (Chase, Eli and Brooks)

He's back...........

FINALLLLLY! Our little Brooks, the baby that we brought home from the hospital, is back with us. We can all thank baby formula for this miraculous turn of events! Oh yea, breastfeeding is not for me or him, and I don't feel one bit guilty! Don't get me wrong, he still has his "fussy" period of the day, which is usually around 4 pm-7 pm. Trent and I can deal with "fussy," but what we can't deal with is a "high-pitched screaming at the top of your lungs cry" for 4-5 hours straight! Brooks is a sweet little boy that at times can still be very stubborn and actually enjoys his independence! If he is fussy, I can most of the time just put him in his crib and he calms himself my kicking arms/legs and staring at objects on the walls!

Oh, and about that cabbage. I had to give it up! It definitely worked to ease the pain with weaning from breastfeeding, but the smell got too much to handle:( I really stunk! However, I recently went to a baby store and was asking a lady that works there if she knew of anything to help. According to this lady's grandmother, you need to put some parsley in your bra. She said that it actually worked for her 4 times. Needless to say, I now keep parsley in my bra 24/7. It smells much better! No results yet, but I will keep you posted.

***I just now realized why my captions don't line up with my pictures! Too late to change it.......this takes too long! Sorry about the confusion, and it won't look like this next time!
Sitting on my Great Aunt Rhonda's lap.














He loves his "Einstein Around the World" play mat. So much to see!













Bathtime is so much fun!

Watching Sports Center with Daddy in the mornings.

Daddy loves to brush his hair, although he is quickly losing it!

I didn't think you would be able to see the tape in the pictures, but I guess I was wrong!

"Excuse me.....

who came a took the baby that we brought home from the hospital and gave us a different one?" That's right.........the first two weeks were just PERFECT! I think our little cowboy was still in the "infant coma." HE'S AWAKE! Not only is he awake, but he STAYS awake and thoroughly enjoys screaming! Don't get me wrong, he is still adorable and both Trent and I love him very much. I do not regret the decision to have a baby, I know that it will get better and I wouldn't take any of this back. But...........for all you expectant mothers and those that hope to be a mom---- IT'S NOT AS EASY AS YOU THINK!!!!!!!!! Yes, people try to prepare you, you read all the books you can, go to classes at the hospital, etc.................WHO CARES! NOTHING, I SAY NOTHING can prepare you for what it is really like!



I suppose people like Michelle Dugger (the crazy lady on TLC that just had her 19th child), do actually love screaming, colic babies and can't wait to have another one. You may possibly be that person as well and "more power to ya!" If you want to know the truth, call or email me, and I will be glad to tell you the truth.


Part of my problem, could be due to my personality! I thought I was working on changing it, but no such luck! I still can't sit still, love running errands, enjoy eating a meal, etc. Well, all of the above aren't that easy with an infant! If I didn't have the help of my wonderful mom, parents-in-law and amazing husband, I would have been admitted to the psych ward!


I hope that those of you reading this don't think I am a terrible mom.........just telling the truth. I do love Brooks and can't wait to see our little man grow. We look forward to the future and even when he screams bloody murder at 3:30 am, I do look at him and am amazed that he is ours:)



Oh, and one more thing. Breastfeeding............NOT FOR ME! I am currently weaning myself. Boy, that feels good (sarcastic)! Brooks LOVES formula, or at least I tell myself that! Yesterday I went to Target (highlight of my week) and bought a head of cabbage, baby wipes and a bottle of wine. This, my friends, is a desperate mother's purchase! If you are wandering why cabbage: frozen leaves of cabbage fit well in the bra and the cold helps with engorgement and pain:) Trent got close to me and said, "what's that smell?" I replied, "oh, that's me.........I have cabbage in my bra!" Needless to say, you won't smell like roses if you try this! Don't get purple cabbage either...........my skin and bra turned purple!



His first "real mail!"

Sorry about the hiatus............

but, I HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BUSSSSSSSSSSSSYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!! Our little cowboy, Brooks Davis Booher, arrived April 22, 2010 weighing 6 lbs 15 oz and 20.5" long. I guess those dates worked? Or, was it stripping of the membranes, my 3 long walks the day before or all my lunges, squats and cheerleading high kicks at work the day my water broke? Who cares, right! Something worked!

Wednesday, April 21st was a normal day at work. I began having mild contractions around noon that day, but thought they were Braxton Hicks. My dr had told me they would begin getting stronger so I credited my pain to that. I was hoping all day that my water would break so that I could go home from work early. I started lunging with patients with intermittant squats and cheerleading high kicks...........I am serious! My last patient walked out the door at 5:30 pm. I was at the front desk when I felt the "bubble." I quietly and patiently walked to the restroom and did notice some water. My heart started beating rather fast, and I quickly called my mother. More started coming out.........I call Trent and then the hospital. Trent was extremely calm! I came home from work, we finished packing and then began our trip to the hospital. I knew that I wouldn't get to eat or drink for quite sometime and that Trent wouldn't get to eat. So, we stopped at Whataburger! Trent made the order and then proceeded to tell the guy at the window that his wife was in labor and we needed our food pronto!!!!!!! Oh, and of course we turned the hazards on...........who wouldn't!? That just makes the experience more "movie-like!" When I got to the hospital, I was certain my water broke............Niagra Falls, folks! I quickly began to dilate, so much that they had to take me off of the pitocin drip. I so wanted my mom and Kasey to be there, so the dr helped us stall. Fortunately they made it in time:) Of course, I let both Kasey and my mom, oh and Trent, in the room during delivery. Thankfully, the whole labor process was nothing like I thought! A few pushes and BAM............BROOKS DAVIS BOOHER arrived at 2:40 am.

We have been home for close to 2 weeks now, and things haven't been that bad! Brooks is a very calm baby that loves to sleep, his little lamb swing, walks around the block and of course MILK. This breastfeeding thing is much more difficult that I imagined. I feel like I am shooting out fire as opposed to milk..........sorry for the graphic details!

One more thing, which is an inside joke. Don't ask if you don't know, but I have to say..........RIP Nadine (1978-2010).

I was not trying to be dramatic with the oxygen! They made me wear it due to Brooks' heart rate.

Oh nooooo...........9 centimeters!

And.........he's here!

Proud mommy meeting her Angel for the first time.

Daddy...........BTW, first time to hold an infant!

Car ride home from hospital

Nasty clothes I was wearing when my water broke!

First bath...........HE HATES TO BE BATHED!

First pediatrician appt!

Okay, I promise to stay a little more up-to-date with the blog! But, for tonight...........this sleepy mom has to hit the sack! ******I have edited this thing 7 million times, and I can't get the descriptions to match the picture. ******

Desperate times call for desperate measures...........

Okay, for all of you out there that have been pregnant, you know just how much advice people CAN'T WAIT to give you! Well, lately everyone I see has some sort of "special" way to induce labor.............eat pineapple and ginger, walk a lot, spicy foods, etc. However, today topped it off. A sweet patient from Saudi Arabia brought in a zip lock back full of huge black roach-looking things. Apparantly, there is some type of special date tree in her home country where you get these types of dates. Her mother-in-law brought some to the States for her, and she delivered them to me. According to my patient, this is what women in her country eat to induce labor. She said it worked on her and all her friends?????????????? Usually, I steer away from eating what my patient's bring me (you never know!), but this time...........I AM IN! I am about to eat one with a chaser near by. Like I said, "desperate times call for desperate measure!" Here's goes nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!