Brooke's first weeks (and Thanksgiving)

We've really been enjoying this newborn stage with Brooke. It's amazing how much more relaxed you feel about parenting with the second baby. We just love to hold her and have her sleep snuggled up on one of us (which works out well because she would prefer to be held 100% of the time).

Brandon has been adjusting well to having a baby around too. He showed some jealousy signs initially, but lately he's been going up to her randomly and kissing her head, and he'll say "What's the matter Baby Brooke?" when she's crying in a really sweet voice, and he'll try to rock the swing or bouncer if she's crying in it.

We've had lots of friends visit us since Brooke has been born, and we remembered to get pictures with some of them.

Andy and Erica were the first friends to meet Brooke. This was 2 days after she was born. We were kind of jealous of how this picture turned out because it looks like it could be a family photo of them...

So we got one too. We shouldn't have. It looks like we can barely open our eyes. You think you can hide sleep deprivation, but you can't!

Brooke got her first bath at home in the kitchen sink. She pretty much hated it.

My mom got a baby doll for Brandon and gave it to him while we were in the hospital. I wish I had a picture to post of Brandon with his doll. He loves to feed it a bottle and hold it. Sometimes when I'm nursing he'll go get his doll and hold it in his lap. I bought Brandon a little baby doll stroller for his baby because he loves any kind of push toy. One of the first days he had the stroller the above happened. Can you see it? He buckled himself in the stroller and then got stuck with it hanging around his waist!

I love this silly expression on Brandon. It looks like Brooke likes it too. This is the face he will make after saying "Funny baby!"

Krzysztof nicknamed Brooke the "lizard" right after she was born because she instantly started sticking her tongue in and out. She still sticks it out sometimes, but not quite as much.

Some of you might remember how we weighed Brandon in this bowl on our kitchen scale. We did it with Brooke, and she liked being in the bowl as much as Brandon did! I guess it feels kind of womb like. I'm pretty sure that's what Brooke is remembering because only in the womb should anyone's leg and foot be in that position. Brooke lost a couple of ounces in the few days after birth but not nearly as much as Brandon did because this girl loves to eat!

Our sweet sleepy girl.

This is the first time Brooke was held by her Papa! Papa (my dad) got here the day before Thanksgiving.

Brooke loves her Papa so much she decided to sing about it!

Brandon has been doing a great job entertaining himself by reading books and playing with his toys for short periods of time during the day, which is so helpful. I love to hear him read his books. He has an unbelievable memory.

Krzysztof's college friend Paul (who currently lives in Arizona) was in town for Thanksgiving.

Paul came over for a visit with his wife Megan and their daughter Katie.

On Thanksgiving Day, Krzysztof brewed 15 gallons of beer. He took advantage of having my parents here to help with the kids and cooking to do some things he wanted to do like brewing and house projects.

Brandon spent a lot of time doing this over Thanksgiving weekend. This is his Papa's iPad. It's amazing how toddler friendly those devices are. There are so many cool apps for kids, and Brandon would have been happy playing them all day.

This little ball pit is an early Christmas present from my parents, and Brandon has loved playing in it.

Note the "I'm Thankful for my Family" bib. Funny story: Brandon wore that bib when he was 5 months old for his first Thanksgiving. He didn't wear it last year, and he wouldn't have remembered it. I pulled it out to put on Brooke for a picture, and as I went to put it on her neck, Brandon said, "No bib on baby. Brandon's bib." He threw a fit until I put the bib on him. He didn't take it off the whole rest of the evening. I took it off of him before he got ready for bed, and he said, "No bib on baby." That was the first time he actually verbalized some jealousy towards his sister, and we found it very amusing that it was over a bib. I wonder what's going to happen when she can start grabbing his toys!

Brooke has definitely gotten cuter and cuter as the days go by.

Our friends Brandon and Stephanie came by to meet Brooke and bring us a meal.

After they got pictures with Brooke, Brandon said he wanted his picture with them too.

Here is Krzysztof's brother Stefan holding Brooke for the first time.

My big Spartan and my little Spartan dressed up for the game.

Krzysztof watched the game holding Brooke like this for a long time, and when he put her down, Brandon climbed up in his lap and sat there for about 20 minutes. This is unheard of behavior for our busy toddler. He is not a snuggler and never sits in our lap for that long. Yet another example of his adjusting to having a baby sister, but we'll take some extra snuggles from our boy any day!