Proof.

I know these aren't the best pictures, but they happen to be the ONLY one's I have taken in days! Poor Brooke came down with a double ear infection, she woke up screaming and crying in pain Monday morning....which is VERY unlike her. I should say we are very blessed, this is only the second time she's had an ear infection in her nearly five years of life.....but, that doesn't make HER feel any better!

When I took her to the doctor Monday the doctor prepared me for her left ear rupturing....and tried to make it sound like no big deal, all while making sure I keep her on pain meds....hmmmm. Anyway, I am happy to report nothing like that has happened, and after missing two days of school Brooke woke up RARING to go this morning!

What the pictures are proof of, is that she is feeling MUCH better. This was her outfit she picked out all by herself yesterday, and she was dancing in the living room.

I pray she is on the mend and out of pain!!

Exercise!

Another wacky weather day here in West Texas. Yesterday was almost 80 degrees, and Thursday is supposed to be in the 30's....no wonder Brooke stays confused as to why I make her wear long sleeves!

Taking one look at our growing girl and I have to reassure you I DO feed her! She has gotten so long and skinny! We weighed her and she is already 50 pounds, but I haven't gotten out the tape measure yet to find out how tall she is.

Funny story about exercise is that Brooke says she loves it. When she was out of school for Christmas Break she would do my morning work outs with me, until the last day she suddenly stopped and said "Momma, I have had enough of this exercise. It's making me breathe funny and get all icky and sweaty." Yes, I had to stop and laugh for a bit. I told her that was kind of the point with exercise!

Her first choice of exercise these days:

No, she doesn't match at all. She was wearing a dress over this wild colored outfit, but she took it off so she could ride her bike. There was actually traffic going down our street (a strange occurence here), so she had to make do with our driveway.

I just took this picture after I found her Barbie helmet. I think it's too small, but she crammed it on and wore it for a while.

A couple of silly's:

Last night I rubbed lotion on her after her bath. It was a new, unscented kind that according to her 'stinks'. So, I told her we could give the unscented stuff to Daddy and I will get her some that smells girlie. Her response, "Yes Momma I want to smell good like a girl is supposed to, not like a stinky BOY!"

I always ask her about her day at school and her favorite things they did that day and least favorite. She said one of her favorite parts of her day yesterday was playing outside AND playing ring around the rosie (which made me assume they did that outside). So, I asked her if they all fell down outside in the dirt and she said "Momma, we did NOT play ring around the rosie outside, we played that in the gym." I asked why and she looked at me with a 'duh' expression and said "MOMMA, the music player has a cord and there are no pluggy thingys outside!" Gotcha.

A cute thing I forgot to share around the holidays....if she comes to your house and asks for a glass of hedgehog, that is what she calls eggnog.

I will try to scan a bunch of her school work and blog it. I have been really impressed with her writing and how much it has improved, as well as sounding anything out, trying to spell anything, working with patterns, etc. The other night she ate an ENTIRE bowl of stew in a pattern....and if you could guess it took FOREVER, but hey she ate it all!

11 Years!

It is hard to believe for us too. 11 years since this day:

We have grown so much together in the last 11 years and here is to hoping for many more wonderful years together!

My grandmother once told me that a secret of marriage is realizing you won't always LIKE everything your spouse does, but you should always LOVE one another, that knowledge gets you through whatever silliness you might go through. Also realizing that just as any friendship, a marriage has to be worked on and nurtured in order to grow. I am very thrilled to say I love this man more now than when this picture was taken. I still don't want to ever be without him. I look forward to the challenges we will face together.

Happy Anniversary Steven!

Made my afternoon!

Look at what Brooke's awesome teacher Mrs. Bundy just sent me! LOVE it!

Steven and Brooke at their Dad's and Donuts thing this morning.

And, I forgot to add this earlier. This is what Brooke made for her Daddy....too cute! It has peanuts and nutty bars inside.

What a man....

There are two people in this world that, although it is hard to believe, I love more and more every single day. It will be 11 years this Saturday since Steven and I got married.....and you could not have told me on our wedding day that anything would make me love this man more, I wouldn't have believed it. BUT, something about feeling like you have gone through the trenches with someone and him sticking by you through things weaker people would not have stayed around for. Daily life, struggles, infertility, emotional warfare while on things to try to combat infertility, yes I could go on and on about what Steven has put up with from me....but I will spare everyone, myself included and just say he is amazing. He has always been my best friend, my confidant, my courage, my love, my hero.....and now he can add to that the best Daddy. I am so thankful the Lord gave us the opportunity to be parents. It has changed us both tremendously, helped us grow up, grow together and feel even more love for one another.

I don't think Steven realizes how much the little things he does with Brooke matter to her. Not just now, at age four....but she will remember this stuff when she is my age. She will always remember her Daddy being there for her as I remember mine being there for me like it was yesterday....oh wait, my Daddy still is there for me!

The last week at school Brooke's class has been studying the letter D. Today, in honor of D they had "Dad's and Donuts". I know other Dad's were unable to go, but living in this awesome community there was a larger turnout than I expected. I stayed home to enjoy the warm house (it was 7 degrees outside) and let them go and enjoy their father/daughter moment. BUT, before I sent them off bundled up for the 30 second drive to school I had to take some pictures!

Daddy made us a huge breakfast before school, and of course Brooke cuddled with him the entire time....I didn't think someone could idolize Steven MORE than I do....but it's a close call with this little girl.

When Brooke thought I wasn't in listening range I could hear her say "Daddy can you stay for lunch too?" or "Daddy, can you pick me up from school too instead of Momma?" Or even "Daddy, will you say our prayer?"

I am very blessed to know all sides to this man. The worker, provider, leader, person who does not back down, all the way to nurturer, teacher, friend, and most tender man you could imagine.

We are very blessed to have you in our lives Steven. You are absolutely adored by the girls you live with!

Pics just for the Grandmother's

Brooke showing off some new outfits provided kindly by her wonderful Grandmother's....as for the tongue sticking out, well that's her new norm.

Brooke's favorite picture and another first!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this year's Christmas Break. Maybe more than ever before because I know what it feels like to miss this ornery girl while she is at school now....something I've never felt before.

We have played games, done tons of crafts, painted nails even more, dressed up, sang, danced, watched movies with fresh popcorn.....basically just hung out and had FUN!

I didn't realize how much I had missed her while doing normal daily tasks....shopping just isn't a challenge unless you have an ornery, opinionated little girl with you! Wal-Mart will seem boring the next time I go.....hohum. This is her dressed to a tee before a shopping trip to Lubbock....in new rain boots and with an umbrella to "shade her since it's not raining".

I don't even think we left the house this particular day. Other kids might want to stay in their pj's all day....not our princess. She dressed up again and she was my fairy godmother. I took this picture before she asked me to take one of the two of us together.

I WAS in this picture, but loved her precious face so much that I cropped myself out...hehe.

I took several of the two of us, per her request.....and let her pick a favorite and of course this is it....gone are the sweet, sweet poses that used to be guaranteed!

Today is our official last day of Christmas Break. I am sad. She is very excited to go back to school, but since she has heard me TELL that she is excited all of a sudden today she says she doesn't want to go back and wants to stay home with me instead. I KNOW that will change when 7am tomorrow rolls around! ;o)

Today is also Steven's last day off work for his New Year holiday, so we took Brooke to see her first Theater movie EVER....we saw Tangled. It was such a cute movie, it was a perfect first movie for her. She has already been telling me she wanted to be Rapunzel when she grows up so she won't ever have to cut her hair again. We all three loved it!

Brooke very excited to watch a movie "on the HUGE TV on the wall"!

The best part of the movie to me was her cuddling with her Daddy in his lap the entire time....no, I was considerate of the other movie goers though and didn't snap a shot of that in the middle on the movie.

Back to the grind tomorrow for everyone. I hope you all have a wonderful New Year!!