Back to work

Baby girl let me have a whole half hour to get dinner going and do the dishes before she decided that she didn't want to sit there alone anymore. (We've recently discovered that Sesame Street already completely fascinates her at only 2 months old.) So we are now cuddling and there is nothing on TV and my Nook is charging or I would read. So it's blogging time!

Last night was my first day back to work. I didn't work for the last week before I had Savy J and I was lucky that it's been slow at work so I was able to just do on call shifts, which allowed me to extend my 6 week maternity leave into 9 weeks. So I had not been to work in 10 weeks.

It was weird going back. It felt like a cross between my first day at work and a first day at school. The night before, I felt like I needed to go buy pens and a notebook or something. 

It was really nice to be back. I've missed my co-workers and my store. I felt really out of the loop though. They had moved a few things around, and I hadn't kept up on all the new releases out. In fact, one of the first customers I had said "I need that new book on Obama's mom." when I asked what the title was, or who the author was, she said "I don't know, but it's a new release. You're supposed to know all the new releases right? Don't you have a specific spot for those?". If I had been to work when the book came out, I would have known exactly what she was talking about. Thankfully, I decided on a whim to check the new in biographies bay, and, wouldn't you know, it? It was there! I was glad I found it because I had 3 more requests for the book, and not a single customer knew the title. 

I liked being back at work, but I missed Savannah more than anything. I think I would have done better if it was only a 4 hour shift, but it was a full 8 hour shift. All I could think about was getting home to her. It was so slow they even sent a few people home, but as much as I was dying to get home, I wanted to stay and work the whole shift, just so that I could get back into the swing of things. It's nice to be making money again too. I feel like I'm contributing more.

I don't know when the next time I'll be going back into work will be since I'm just an on call person for the summer, but it's good to be back.

Museums and Greek food!

I really need to head over to the craft store, but Savy is taking a nap, and by golly, I'm going to let her sleep. So while I'm waiting for her to wake up and for my laundry to get done, I'll whip up a new post!

Yesterday was Bryant's day off, and starting next week, he will be coaching a basketball camp for a month and won't have any more days off except Sundays. So yesterday, he and Savy slept in most of the morning, (Savannah's been sleeping for 7+ hours the last few nights, but I'm still on our 2, 5, 8am schedule so I was already up). After they got up and ready, we headed off to the Bean Museum at BYU. And no, it's not a museum of beans, like Bryant thought it was going to be. It's a life sciences museum.

Gotta get my picture in front of the Peacocks!

 

I thought this was pretty awesome. It's a butterfly made out of butterfies

We had fun and I love taking Savy to things like this because it's fun to think that it's her first time ever seeing these animals and bugs.

After the museum, we went out to lunch at one of my favorite Greek restaurants.

   Yum

 

Savannah was a little mad that she didn't get any chicken gyro.

Our Anniversary Weekend

Today is Bryant and I's 2nd anniversary.

We had gone to Disney World for our honeymoon and Disneyland for our 1st anniversary, and we kind of wanted to go again for this anniversary and make it a yearly thing. But, I just didn't think I could have left Savannah for that long since she is only 2 months old.

So instead, we decided to stick close to home and spend the weekend in Salt Lake.

We left yesterday afternoon and stopped at the Jordan Commons megaplex theaters, where we had lunch and watched Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. I though it was a pretty good movie. I actually liked it better than the last 2, and I thought it was a lot funnier.

After the movie, we headed up near Sugarhouse and checked into The Parish Place, which is a cute little bed and breakfast. 

We booked the "Daybreak" room, which was a Victorian/garden theme. It was really cute and cozy and we loved it! 

 

(this was the lamp behind the bed. Love it!)

 

We then got all dressed up and headed to Temple Square and walked around for a while and enjoyed all the tulips. We even did a tour of the Beehive House. 

Then, Bryant surprised me by taking me to the Roof for dinner! And to make it an even bigger surprise, there was a bouquet of roses waiting for me on the table! Bryant always spoils me too much. 

We got the perfect table. We were right next to the window and had an amazing view of the sunset behind the temple on one side, and the evening light hitting the capitol building on the other. 

The food was amazing! My two favorites were the top sirloin in a spicy peanut sauce and chicken in apple curry. The best part was the dessert! They had every type of dessert you can think of out and we went up and got 4 or 5 different things to try. We spent a good 2 hours there, talking, enjoying the view and eating to our hearts content.

This morning, we slept in (something we don't get to do with a baby anymore) and outside our door was a basket with bowls, cups, silverware, a jar of milk and a jar of orange juice, yogurt, fruit, muffins and granola. We enjoyed our breakfast at the cute little table next to the giant windows in our room, in the comfy bathrobes they provided. 

 

(my beautiful roses!)

 

(There was even this cute moose to greet us! I wish I could have kept him.)

It was a fun, relaxing and romantic weekend. 

I am so lucky to have Bryant in my life. I love him more than anything.

A Love Letter

Dear Bryant,
     Our 2 year anniversary is coming up this weekend and I couldn't be more excited! The other night, we sat in bed with our beautiful daughter drifting off to sleep between us and we talked and reminisced about how long we've been together.
     I first met you in September of 2007. I had just moved out of my parents house into a cramped little apartment with 5 girls I had never met. I was shy and quite, and a little nervous. You had just moved from California and you were outgoing and energetic and made friends quickly. You were the "FHE Dad" in our group and we had hung out in our group a couple of times, but never really spoke to eachother.

     I remember you had longer hair then and I loved your freckles on your tan skin. I thought you looked like a typical California boy. I pictured you out on a surfboard, or at a fire on the beach. Little did I know you were from beautiful Northern California where the forests are thick and the lakes are clear, and the town is small and friendly.

     I remember going to the Halloween party at that lodge. I was dressed as a mime. It fit my shyness. You were dressed like Ace Ventura, complete with crazy hair, tutu, and boots. I think it was then that I developed a little crush on you. You were crazy and fun and I wanted to always be around you.

     Remember how shortly after that I would make you and your roommates brownies? I did that for months before you finally started to become friends with me. I was sure that if I baked you chocolate goodness, that I would win your heart. Only now do I know why it didn't really work. You're not really a fan of desserts unless it's cheesecake or involves fruit...

     We slowly became good friends. Remember that night you showed up at my apartment with 2 pizzas and a bottle of pepsi? Remember how we were planning on watching a movie just us two, but my roommate insisted that it was her night to have the TV and so we ended up watching Adventures in Babysitting? I wanted so badly to hold your hand, or cuddle with you during that ridiculous 80's movie, but at that point, we were still "just friends."
     We still laugh about that night you asked me to go see the midnight showing of 10,000 BC. My hair was soaking wet and you gave me an awesome (sarcasm here) green stripped beanie to hide the mess. I count that as our first date, even if it wasn't. You paid, so it counts.

      I remember that I was crushed when you showed up a couple days later at my front door and you said you were moving to Seattle for the summer. I was planning on moving to Sweden and I was sure we would never see each other again. 
     Well I made the decision last minute not to move to Sweden, and a few weeks later, I heard a knock at my door. I opened it, and there you were. You simply said "I didn't like Seattle." My heart did flips!
     From that moment on, we were inseparable! I still remember the night you told me you loved me. It was dark and we went for a moonlit stroll through a park. We sat under a tree and looked at the stars and you said "you know, it's weird because we haven't even been together that long, but I think I'm falling in love with you..." And it was weird because from that moment on, I knew we would be together forever. I can't even describe how I knew. I just did.
     You must have loved me, because remember the day I took you to meet my family? And I mean my whole family? Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins included, and we weren't even officially "dating" yet. It was like that scene from 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding', and yet, you weren't scared off by my crazy family. In fact, that night you kissed me and we officially became "an item."
     I would say we are two peas in a pod, peanut butter and jelly, Bert and Ernie. But we're not. We do compliment each other well, but we compliment each other because we are so different. It's more like we're peas and ranch dressing, peanut butter and honey, or Elmo and the grouch. Different, uncommon, but still sweet together.

     I appreciate everything you do. You work so hard to provide for me and sweet little Savannah. You are patient with me and understanding. You make me feel like I can do anything. You make me feel confident, and strong and beautiful. Even when you say you think my stretch marks are cute because they make me look like a tiger... But that's what made me fall in love with you, the fact that you make me smile and laugh every single day. Savannah is so lucky to have you as her daddy. I like hearing you in the other room telling her how beautiful she is, and that you love her. I hope that someday she finds a boy just as wonderful as you. 
     The other night we came to the conclusion that we have been friends for 4 years, been "together" for 3 years, and married for 2. I can't wait for the rest of our lives.

We have so many exciting and adventurous things yet to come. 

 I love you Bryant Stokes, and I will forever!

Happy anniversary.

Love, Brooke                

My little trooper

Well, we survived the two month check-up, and with it, 4 vaccines!

Savy was such a brave little bug, and she held it together better than I did.

The doc says she's super healthy and developing right on track.

She weighed 9lbs 15oz -- 50th percentile

She was 22 1/2 inches long --75 percentile

and her head was in the 50th percentile.

When the doctor saw how long she was, he said "I think in this day and age, it's great to be a tall, beautiful woman!" hahaha

I was stressing about her shots all morning long. Poor thing didn't know what was coming. She took the oral vaccine really well, but when they gave her the first shot, she pouted her lip and her face turned bright red. By the 3rd shot, she was screaming, and I was crying. I held her little hand and she clenched my finger with all her might. After the nurse was done, she left the room, and they had asked Bryant to go out to get some insurance information, so I picked Savy up and just held her and cried with her for a few moments alone.

But true to form, as soon as we got in the car, she was cooing and happy.

We got home and I gave her some Tylenol and rubbed her legs and she took a nice long nap. When she woke up, I wrapped the two of us up in the softest blanket we have and we just had a good snuggle.

My own little Dr. Doolittle

It's been sort of a crazy couple of weeks.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not already (you think forgetfulness is bad when you're pregnant, try remembering things when you've got a 7, almost 8 week old. And I have a feeling it's only going to get worse...) but we had a bit of a mold problem in our wall. We had to have the wall opened up, the floor torn up and a giant plastic containment all over Savy J's nursery for a couple of weeks while they removed the mold, rebuilt the wall, then repainted everything. Then, we had to wait another 3 or 4 days while my uncle put down new carpet (we used to have wood floors in the nursery, but now that it's a nursery, we thought carpet would be better.)

So that meant that everything that was in that room, including her crib, plus some of the stuff from my parents Christmas closet was in my kitchen and bedroom the whole time. Mind you, we live in a 500sq ft apartment, which means that my space was basically cut in half. 

I didn't cook, clean, do laundry or anything for almost three weeks. 

I was going crazy.

I can deal with a mess for a while, but after a few days, I was feeling cramped so I spent a lot of time in my parents living room. Anyways, it's all done and I'm finally getting everything back in place. I was even able to get to my sink and do the dishes yesterday!

Anyways, I also decided to work on my garden as part of my re-organization project. Just get everything done, including outside. Even though we live in a basement apartment, I do have a little patch of dirt outside my door, and unfortunately, it's been sitting there for the last 2 years. I attempted to get it planted last spring, but I could never seem to weed the whole thing. I'd get started on one side, then not have time to get back to it for a week, then have to start all over.

This year, I forced Bryant to come help, then, the little neighbor kids came over and asked if they could help. So of course I let them! Needless to say, we got that weedy patch done in half an hour! Then yesterday, I planted the whole thing.

Because it was so nice over the weekend, I helped my parents get their flowers planted too. Savannah even came out for a bit.

 

I felt like a horrible Mom because it was really cloudy, so I didn't think to put an umbrella over her for about 10 minutes. Then I remembered that you can still get sunburned during an overcast sky, but I was too late. The poor thing got a bit red on her cheeks and nose! But it was good that I put the umbrella up because it started to drizzle a bit later.

Savannah is growing so fast! My dad and I took out a tape measure the other day and she's grown another 2 inches! That's 4 and a half inches in 7 weeks! She is teetering on the edge of not fitting into 3 month clothing, and we've started pulling out the 6 month. They are so wide on her, but she's so darn long that they are all that fit! 

I was curious to see how much she weighs so I stood on the scale, weighed myself, Then held her while I stood on the scale and noted the difference. It said that she was 11pounds, I'm not sure how accurate that it, but we go into the doctor this week so we will find out for sure.

 

A 49ers fan! She takes after her Daddy...

It's crazy how much she has progressed. It's so fast that there are new things I notice every day. Like just this week, she's started smiling. She smiled in her sleep from the first few days she was born, but now she smiles AT people. The doctor calls it "socially smiling" which isn't the same as a sleepy smile, or a gassy smile. 

She's also started to "talk" more. She makes the cutest cooing sounds. I think she's trying to make animal sounds I swear. She growls like a bear when she's stretching, coos like a morning dove when she's content, and screeches like a hawk when she's excited. Let's not forget she has monkey toes! She's my very own Dr. Doolittle.

She's also getting really good at holding her head up! We stuck her in her bumbo chair to see how she would do. She sat straight up for about 30 seconds, then slowly started to lean over. She can also keep her head level when you pull her up. She's so stinkin' strong! (She had better be after months of using my bladder as a punching bag!) And she never stops moving unless she's asleep. She kicks her legs and windmills her arms constantly. I'm going to have a rough time on my hands when she can start to crawl and walk!

She's a cuddler too. She's happiest when you just hold her tight. My favorite is when you lay her on your chest, she will lift her head and look around for a bit, then eventually turn and lay her head down, then wiggle her way up beneath your chin. So cute! It melts my heart.

 

(She had wiggled her arm out of her PJ's)

I'm the luckiest Mom in the world don't you think?

My First Mother's Day!

Wow, after 3 days I finally have time to write about my first Mother's Day!

Savy is peacefully sleeping in her swing, despite the loud noises coming from the stairs that my uncle is re-carpeting (whish I could say the same for me. I've had a headache since yesterday that just wont go away and the noise isn't helping!)

My first Mother's Day was fantastic! We started it off with church, in which we almost made it on time (for once) I've got to start getting up just 15 minutes earlier because it seems something always comes up, like a sudden diaper blow out not 15 seconds after I changed the last one, or we've got a missing binky, or spit-up all over her 3rd outfit that morning. Ok, maybe I should plan on waking up an extra half-hour on Sundays...

After Church, my whole family drove down to the cemetary to visit my Grandma's grave. Mother's Day is a little bit hard when I realize I can't hug her and wish her a Happy Mother's Day. I like to think that when Savannah is smiling in her sleep, she's remembering her Great-Grandma.

After our visit, we all needed a little pick-me-up so we stopped at a McDonalds for cokes and jokes, and we were all feeling a bit better. Bryant couldn't wait to give me my Mother's Day present so he decided to give it to me there instead of waiting until we got home. My parents and Bryant all went in together and got me this!

It's a glider chair for the nursury! I've wanted one of these since I found out I was pregnant! Bryant gave me a card with a picture of one in it, then I wen't online and picked out the one I wanted. I love it, and so does Savy J!

Later that afternoon, we went over to my Uncle Russle's house for dinner and dessert. Then, Bryant took me out to see a movie (Thor) and my parents babysat so we could get some time to ourselves.

When we got home, my parents gave me a watch and a mouse pad with Savannah's pictures on them (so cute!)

My brother Sawyer also picked out the Zac Brown CD for me!

And lets not forget the beautiful tulips my in-laws sent me!

Ed and Robyn really spoil me. Arent they gorgeous!?

I feel so lucky to be a Mom. It's a role in my life that is new, and scary, and stressful, exciting, and fun all at once. Savannah is an absolute doll and I'm proud to be her mother and I can't wait to bring her brothers and/or sisters into this world and be their mother too. Loving and caring for a child feels like the most natual and rewarding thing in the world and I'm loving every minute of it!

I am so grateful for my Mother. Without her, I dont think Savannah would be very happy. I'm so grateful to have her here to give me advice and encouragement. She's been here to tell me "no, thats normal honey," and "it's ok, new mom's make mistakes," and "you know, it's ok to feel so tired and overwhelmed sometimes." and even a few "I told you so's" thrown in there.

She's always been an amazing Mom and she's now an amazing Grandmother. Savy and I are so lucky to have her.

And I'm so grateful for my mother-in-law Robyn. She is an amazing example to everyone and the sweetest person you'll ever meet. I know she's an incredible mother because she raised my husband to be an incredible man.

Thank you Mom and Robyn. I love you both so much!!!

Daddy/Mommy/Daughter date

We finally got some nice weather here!

It was in the 70's and beautiful!

Bryant was able to get someone to take his shift today since he had to go in on his day off, and he decided to take me (and Savannah) on a date.

He really spoiled us and took us to Tucanos for lunch. Then we went to the mall to get some sunglasses, and then to my work and his work,

Tucanos, like always, was great! The grilled pineapple is like a dessert to me! So yummy!

Savannah did great, considering she had been awake for about 3 hours at this point. She slept for the ten minutes we were at the mall, then woke up when we went to visit people at my work. I have been avoiding contacting my work like the plague because I really just want to stay home with my Savy, but my 6 weeks maternity leave is up tomorrow and I figured I really needed to go in if I wanted to keep my job.

It actually felt really nice to be back in there. I've missed the smell of coffee and books and the people I work with. I was able to talk to my manager about my schedule too. I asked her if I would be able to work only one night a week and she said that I could if I wanted too and that if I wanted, I could even just be on call a couple times a week. Perfect!

I get to be home a lot with Savy, and I get to keep my job.
Win-win for me!

Well, I need to cut this post short. Savannah is still colicy and we are just getting into the worst part of the night...

5 weeks and colic

Savy J is just over 5 weeks old.

It's so crazy to think that only 5 weeks ago, I woke up, not expecting to have a baby, then coming home 2 days later with her in my arms.

It's feels like I've had her forever.

But then I realize that my maternity leave will be up next week, and I'll have to leave her for a few hours a week and I am so sad and a little anxious about it. I really wish I didn't have to go back. I want to be a stay at home Mom and be here for every minute of her life. Last night, as I crawled into bed with my princess in my arms and the love of my life, Bryant, next to me, he asked "would you be totally opposed to quiting your job and just staying home?"

I told him that if I felt like we could afford it, I would say yes in a heartbeat.

And thats the problem. we can afford it at the moment. Bryant decided to take the summer semester of school off, and he got a promotion and a pay raise at work, plus more hours. But once school starts in the fall, we both will be going full time, which means Bryant won't be able to work as much, which means we will need me to work part time as well. Which means that I need to keep working this summer in order to keep my job.

I'm really, really hoping that I can convince my managers to let me work only once a week for the summer. I wouldn't mind being gone for 4 or 5 hours, one night a week.

But going to school and work in the fall is going to crush my heart. I don't want to leave my baby.

Anyways, enough about that (just thinking about it is making me sad).

(LOVE those leggings! They are for 12 months, but they fit perfectly as pants right now)

At five weeks, Savannah has grown so much! She's still a skinny little thing (with chubby cheeks) but extremely long! She's a good sleeper still, and I think we definitely have a nighttime routine established. She usually falls asleep around midnight, then is up at 2 to eat and get her diaper changed, then up again around 5 or 6 to eat and get changed again, then up at 8 to eat, get a bath, and get dressed. So even though I still have to get up with her, I'm on that schedual too so it's easier to get up with her, and I don't feel quite as tired as I used too.

Our only problem we've come across is between 9 and midnight, she's extremely fussy and cries. Her pediatrician told us that around 6 weeks is when babies may become colicy. He said that it would usually last around 3 hours a day, at the same time each day, particularly late afternoon/early evening. He gave me a book that covers pretty much everything from birth to 5 years old and I looked up what you can do to sooth babies with colic, and it had different ways to hold them on their stomachs, so the last few nights as she begins to get fussy and upset, I just drape her over my arm and hold her head up and she calms right down. The only downfall is that my arm hurts like crazy after an hour or so.

But hey! I can sooth my baby and tone up those "relief society arms" I've aquiered.

She gets cuter and cuter each day and she does something new each day.

Like recently, she taken a liking to giving herself hickeys on her right arm. Or how she loves to look out the window at the trees, or stare at her uncle Colter's hair with a confused look on her face.

 

Not to boast or anything (ok, well I am...) But I totally made this dress They are doing mold removal in my apartment and so everything is moved into my kitchen and its all dusty and gross down there and they have a big old plastic conatinment up all over the place. And when you live in a 500 sq ft apartment, you can feel quite cramped down there if you are stuck in one room all day, so Savannah and I have been haging out in my parents living room during the days this last week, and I had a lot of extra time on my hands and some left over fabric.

Unfortunatly, I made it just a tad small around the waist and so today is probably the first and last day she will be able to wear it. I attached it to the onesie, but I've got some purple fabric I want to use to make a similar dress out of, but I think I'll stick elastic in it so she can wear it longer. I hope I can find more yellow too because I think she looks so stinkin' cute in yellow!

Happy Monday everyone!

P.S. If anyone feels like it, my grandpa and my mother-in-law could use some good thoughts and prayers going their way. They both had surgery this week and I hope they feel better soon!