Meet Me in St. Louie

Brooke, Ozzie and I made a quick trip to St. Louis last week. The three day trips are always a little hectic as we do a lot of running around and visiting, but I'm always so glad that I went and so sad to leave.



We got to see several of my good friends, as well as spending time with my Grandma, my Great Aunt Esther, and my immediate family. Brooke was a trooper through the whole thing. As Matt pointed out, I probably am more affected by her schedule being off than she is.


Brooke and Uncle Joel.


Lexi and "Baby Brootie" playing "together".


Not too excited about the impromptu photo shoot. I love these girls so much! And is it just me, or do they totally look alike here?

Pool Excitement

As a part of our Father's Day celebration yesterday, we went to the pool. This was Brooke's first time at a pool with some baby-friendly activities and as you can see from the video, she really seemed to enjoy herself!

We'll be back in about a week with pictures of our trips to St. Louis and Culver, and an 8-month update.

Father's Day

Matt frequently takes the brunt of my sarcastic humor on this blog and it's definitely past due that he get some credit for being the great dad that he is.


From the minute we found out I was pregnant, Matt has been incredibly involved in Brooke's life (including coming to doctor's visits and making sure I avoided non-pasteurized cheeses and non-cooked lunch meats).


It's been both fun and emotional to see him develop as a father and become more and more comfortable with Brooke. He can't wait to be the one to get her out of bed in the morning and to put her to bed at night. The first time I heard him say a prayer for her at bedtime, I thought with tears in my eyes about how blessed Brooke is to have such an amazing daddy, and how blessed I am to have such an incredible partner as we go on this journey of raising this little person.


Matt is so proud of Brooke and loves to incorporate Brooke into the things that he enjoys, like listening to music on the computer and WWS football.


Matt is often "Captain Safety" when it comes to Brooke (at the mall the other day, he cautioned me not to walk to closely to the second-floor railing while holding her - I know I'm clumsy, but I'd like to think I'm not THAT clumsy). However, he's also quick to try new things with her that she usually ends up loving, like rough-housing or tasting food from his mouth.


Brooke loves her daddy and so do I. Happy Father's Day!

Brooke's Grandpas

Since it's Father's Day weekend, I thought it'd be a good time to reflect on the amazing grandpas that Brooke has. Growing up, I don't think that either Matt or I would have changed a thing. They've both been incredibly supportive, loving and generous, and this has only continued with their grandchild(ren).


It's been so much fun to see how quickly Brooke has wrapped each of them around her little fingers. She really couldn't ask for better grandpas. We love you!

"Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers." Proverbs 17:6

"GREAT" Grandparents

We're so lucky that Brooke not only has both sets of grandparents in her life, but she also has two sets of great-grandparents in her life. Here she is with my Grandpa Williams.


This was supposed to be a photo op with all the baby great-grandchildren - this was the 5th shot I took and was as good as it was going to get.


One of my favorite lines ever came from Matt's Grandpa Johnson when we told him that he was going to be a great-grandpa. He said, "Haven't I always been a pretty great grandpa?"

(Brooke was ready to open presents.)


This is Brooke with Grandma Johnson on Easter, feeling a little more happy.

We're excited to celebrate Father's Day with all of them in the coming week!

A Whole New World

Now that Brooke is a sitting pro, life has gotten a bit easier for us. We can now utilize a high chair in restaurants and she can sit in the carts at stores. She probably could have done this about a month ago, but I'm not good with change and pushing boundaries, so it took me awhile to work up the nerve to try it.



The first time I had her sit in one at Target, I felt like she was looking around thinking, "So THIS is the place you've brought me to at least once a week for every week of my life?"



I got a cheap cushioned liner not because I'm a germ-freak, but because I feel like it will cushion her ever-so-slightly if she ever loses her balance. The one that I bought also has some toys attached that keep her busy.

Half of Nothing?

In January, I mentioned to Matt that I'd always been interested in running a half-marathon and that this might be a good year for it. Being the go-getter that he is, he hopped online that week and found a list of half-marathons in our area. The one with the best timing and proximity seemed to be the North Shore Half-Marathon taking place June 13. So, in February, we signed ourselves up.

The training itself was pretty time-consuming. Basically, three nights a week, I would hand Brooke off to Matt as soon as he got home and head off to run. Then, when I got back, he'd hand her off to me. One of our weekend mornings would also be pretty much gone due to the long runs. It made for some late dinners and busy weekends, but we're both really glad we did it. We got very lucky that we did most of our training in mild weather. And the weather on the day of the race? PERFECT. Cloudy in the mid to upper 60's. I probably wouldn't have been smiling had it been much warmer.

I did discover through training for this that I legitimately enjoy running. Maybe not crazy-long distances all the time, but I really enjoy getting out by myself and being able to clear my head.

I did find it interesting that at the race, there were multiple people wearing a t-shirt stating "13.1 is Half of Nothing." Sorry, but it's actually HALF of a MARATHON, hence the title. Don't be ashamed. Own it or buck up and train for the full 26.2!