Fire Drill

Since I do some part-time child care out of our home, I have to abide by state licensing rules. One of those rules is monthly fire and tornado drills, which I have failed to do until this month. Last week we did our first fire drill. Since we had never really talked about fires, what the smoke alarms are for, and what we should do in a fire we talked about that for a few minutes. Brooke was getting really nervous as I was telling them that we were going to practice what to do in case there was ever a fire. Anyway, the drill itself went pretty well, but Brooke was really shaken up and nervous for a good thirty minutes after. I had Bill check the library for some educational books and videos about fire so we could talk some more about the issue.
That night we read a book about "stop, drop and roll." The girl could not have been more serious. She was all business listening to this book. At one time Bill was reading about heat sources and began naming all the heat sources we have in the house. With each one, Brooke would nod her head slightly and say, "kay." She did the same thing all the way through the book every time there was new instruction.
Hopefully when we do our tornado drill it won't be so scary for her.

Paging Dr. Brooke

Today seems like a good day to post some updates and fun stories from around here.

A while back I found Brooke a Dr. kit on clearance and she loves it. At least once a day, she asks me if I want to be the "patienk" and gives me my "waxination." She uses her stethoscope to listen and tells me to "take a deep breaf." She also has an otoscope tool, but she's a little confused on that one. She puts it up to my eyes and looks through the other side, but when she puts it up to my ear she listens. I giggle every time! And the end of my "chep up" she declares that I am "all heaufy"
And of course, she loves to be the patient just as much as being the doctor.

An update in pictures

Sweet friends Summer and Mollie hanging out with Pooh Bear

Having fun at the indoor play-place at Crossroad's Mall. That's the only good thing left there!

Even Summer had some fun playing. Daddy was brave to let go

Look who can sit by herself now! Just a little cushion for when she tips over.

Finally got the exersaucer out. Brooke loves it just as much as Summer unfortunately

Five Months

Our sweet baby Summer is now five months old. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly they change when they are so young. A few weeks ago we started giving Summer some solids. She was doing pretty good with them but didn't seem to really ENJOY them until just the last few days. She still loves bananas more than anything! Summer is now rolling over in both directions and is sleeping more and more on her belly. Speaking of sleeping, she's been doing a lot better during the day. Lately she's been coinciding her afternoon nap with Brooke's and that is going unbelievably well. She just watches Brooke until she drifts off to sleep and they both sleep great....I'm loving it! And speaking of Brooke, Summer is really loving having a big-sister. She loves to watch Brooke dance around and play, and Brooke loves to play with Summer. The best part about that is that there is a more than willing participant in the well-loved infant game of drop the toy, pick it up.

Summer is also really excited about toys these days. She bats furiously at toys above her and grabs at anything in front of her. Just yesterday, I noticed her switching a toy from one hand to the other. A couple weeks ago she took notice of her toes and loves to put them in her mouth...YUM!

Well, we just feel so blessed with the family God has given us and these two wonderful girls!

This is a pic that Sarah took at a recent get-together. So sweet!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

I'm a tad late in getting this posted but Blogger wasn't cooperating yesterday. As most of you know we had a crazy amount of snowfall in OKC on Christmas Eve. On Christmas day we thoroughly enjoyed playing in the snow. Bill was a trooper, pulling all the kids over a snow drift and across Mom and Dad's backyard. Even Brooke and I got in on the action. I haven't had so much fun in the snow since Bill and I were dating and took some sleds to an overpass on the turnpike before it opened in Yukon. Anyway, here are some great pics and a video.

This is on our way to the interstate. The car directly in front of us is moving but every other vehicle in the frame was stranded...including the mail truck which was surrounded by at least 6" of snow.

This was Brooke's first experience on a sled. She had a great time even after getting knocked over.

This is Shianne and Dylan on the sled being pulled by Bill. At the very last second of the video Brooke got knocked to the ground "funniest home video" style but it was just out of frame so you probably won't see it.

I came across this video of Brooke at 18mos. that I had to share. We had recently been on a long trip with my sister and her kids and Brooke was very interested in watching her older cousins jump. These were some of Brooke's first attempts at jumping. She's having a blast!

Christmas Joy

What a wonderful Christmas we have had this year! We are blessed in so many ways, but most of all to have the ability to spend it with the ones we love! Christmas Eve, we enjoyed staying at home, reading the Christmas story out of the book of Luke, watching some Christmas cartoons, and watching the Celtic Women sing Christmas carols. Brooke was sure they were princesses singing the "Baby Jesus" song she knows (Silent Night). She was mesmerized by them and clapped after every song!

When I was a child, one of our Christmas traditions was to open a gift on Christmas Eve. I can only think of one or two years that this gift was not a new set of pajamas, usually handmade by my mom. Although I have never made pajamas, I loved this tradition and continue it with Brooke. She opened her Disney Princess pj's on Christmas Eve and loved them, but wouldn't let me take her picture for anything.

Christmas morning, we opened our presents at home. We kept Christmas really small this year and Brooke could not have cared less. She was thrilled with her new Cabbage Patch baby named Brandy and a Dora puzzle.

One of Brooke's favorite parts about this Christmas was getting to open Summer's presents for her.

Showing off Brandy and Christa (Summer's Cabbage Patch baby)

After spending the morning at home we went to see family. We went to Jesika and Patrick's to hang out for a bit and let Hannah and Brooke exchange gifts. Then we went to my parents' to do gifts there. By this point, Brooke had opened presents so many different times she couldn't believe there was more. When we'd tell her to open one, she would ask, "It's for myself?"

My sister and bro-in-law picked a great gift for Bill. A Snufleupagus hat and a t-shirt that says, "You don't have to be crazy to work here. They'll train you." For those of you who don't know, he works at a state mental hospital..hehe...and I've always called him Snuffy because of his insanely long eyelashes that point straight down.

Amongst many other things, Brooke was really excited about this new board game.

Papa helped Summer open some presents

The two babies hanging out with Grammy and their new chew toys

We had a great afternoon hanging out with the Wood side of the family and the kids had a great time playing in the snow...another post on that later.

On Saturday, Larry and Vickie (Papa and Mema) came in from McAlester and we all got together at Jesika's again. It was a last minute trip, so again, Brooke couldn't believe there was more. She was thrilled again over everything.

Along with a set of Play-doh and a Tinkerbell doll, she got her very first Barbie from one of her aunts

And a really cute Tinkerbell treasure chest of dress up clothes. She's been Tinkerbell or one of Tink's friends since!