Brooklynn's Tricks

Each day is a new, exciting and progressing day for Brooklynn. I wanted to record all of the little tricks she does now for memory sake... She understands the words "Hi" and "Bye-bye" now so she'll wave her little hand (facing her of course), but it is the cutest thing. She can also clap her hands! Since she has started to crawl...we always clap for her when she gets what she was crawling towards, so now she will clap for herself. The other day Auntie Stephy was watching her and she said that after every time Brooklynn would get on her hands and knees she would sit back up and clap, and do that over and over again. So funny how and what little babies pick up on. When I put my hands out to pick her up, she'll reach for me now. She finds spitting the absolutely most hilarious thing in the world...even if we try to get tough with her and tell her not to, she thinks that is funny too. And she spits EVERYTIME she eats. That's my sign she is done eating. She understands object permanence now, so she loves to play peek-a-boo. If something is blocking her view to see you, she will tilt her head sideways and lean until she can see you. She does the same thing with mirrors- we'll play peek-a-boo with herself in the mirror and when she can't see herself in the mirror anymore, she'll tilt her head sideways and lean until she can. That is also the cutest thing ever! She loves and knows her daddy...if I say, "Where's Daddy?" She'll move her head and eyes to look right at him- and a smile follows of course. Obviously since she is starting to crawl, she can rollover both ways, onto both sides, and sit up. But this has actually been a pain in my side lately, because at night when she starts tossing and turning she sometimes will end up sitting straight up and because she has not yet figured out how to lay back down, she will cry until I come and lay her back down. But I totally understand her frustration...who likes or wants to sleep sitting straight up and down?? Since she started doing that she also started pulling herself up on the side of her bed, so we had to lower it! But she has also started to pull herself up on furniture. She loves to stand...in fact, sometimes she wants to stand so bad she will literally refuse to sit, by locking her legs straight. Her hair is starting to get long enough for me to try new hairstyles. I just bought some hair rubber bands yesterday to start doing ponytails and maybe some pigtails soon. We are in desperate need of a high chair because she can now get out of her Bumbo, but Paul doesn't want to move it (neither do I), so we're not going to buy one until we get back to Utah. Lastly, because she is crawling a little bit now I will find her in the strangest places sometimes...i.e. the pictures below, under the kitchen table chewing on my phone charger (don't worry it wasn't plug in and then I took it away), and under the coffee table. The joys of motherhood! I love every moment.

Thank Goodness for life insurance and eternal families!

Paul insisted last night to drive Jonesy's motorcycle home from Northstar's incentive dinner. I was a little hesitant at first but after he promised he would be careful and considering our apartment was just around the corner, I obliged. He had SO MUCH fun on it (if you can't tell from his face in the picture)! He WILL NEVER OWN ONE...so for now I just said a silent prayer and had gratitude for life insurance and that we are a forever family!!

Brooklynn is Crawling!!

So Brooklynn is in the beginning stages of crawling...just within the last few days. She is not all over the house yet by any means, but she certainly can move enough to get something she wants in close proximity. She reaches a little more than she crawls, but I imagine soon, very soon she'll be EVERYWHERE!!! Time is literally just flying by...I cannot believe I am already posting about my little baby crawling!! This is just one of the many videos Paul and I have recently taken of her crawling...but I figured you all only need one to get the picture.

Recent Giddings Happenings

The summer (plus extension) is almost over!!! And I could not be more thrilled. We have two weeks left. Paul is finishing out strong and I couldn't be more proud. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing husband. He works so hard and sacrifices so much. I truly am grateful for him...even if he does drive me crazy at times and his job choice stresses me out more than I would like...we are blessed and I am grateful. We are both looking forward to the off season- Paul already has so many plans for next summer and things he wants to improve upon so I am positive next year will be an even greater success as he applies all that he has learned from this summer.

Reasons why I am looking forward to the off season:
- Have more time with Paul...especially date nights and family time.
- The cruise!!!!!!!!!
- Brooklynn to be in her own room again!! ( We have loved having Gabe and Holly living with us- even though we know it was not the most ideal situation for them or us for the extension but I CANNOT wait for Brooklynn to be back in her own room!)
- Have all our stuff back...i.e. kitchen stuff that didn't make it out to Texas with us.
- Hang out with Jenna again! (miss you girl)
- See other friends, family and my brother, Ryan, back in Utah
- To meet all our friends and family's new babies that have come during this summer or will be here this winter!

Reasons why I'll miss the summer/extension:
- So many on hand and willing, amazing babysitters for Brooklynn
- Josh and Cassie (and Paul would say "Dat Pup")
- Paul's lovely dance parties

So here is to the closing of one door and the opening of another!

Another of Brooklynn Laughing

Brooklynn loves her daddy and now that she has more of a personality Paul loves playing with her and getting her to laugh. One night last week, when Paul got home from work, she was so excited to see him she started smiling and flapping her wings! So Paul started making her laugh and because she had just eaten dinner, it was too much for her belly and up came a little of the dinner. It was so funny it took both Paul and I a minute to catch our breath from laughing to clean up the mess, which had landed all over Paul's leg. Brooklynn was still laughing though so we decided to record it.

P.S. Please ignore Paul's throwing up sounds...not sure what he was thinking...sounds weird and gross, but apparently Brooklynn thought it was very funny!

I'm impressed

Yesterday at church Joshie asked for "the kid", so we passed Brooklynn all the way down the row...(She made several stops before making it to Uncle Joshie- everyone was surprised Joshie wanted to hold the baby Brooklynn) But once he had her, he did well distracting her with a cell phone (thank you Aunt Cassie for the help) and letting her stand up. I was impressed because when Sacrament meeting was over this is how we found them:

So cute!

Latest Brooklynn Pictures

I know I'm still camera happy...but how can I not be? She is so stinkin cute and we love her to pieces! And all of the clothes!!! Have to remember all the outfits.

Latest Phases

I think this video captures pretty well all the latest phases of Brooklynn. First of all, she and I have both been fighting colds for over a week and a half now so that will explain her runny nose (which I promise we wipe but at this particular moment I was busy videotaping) Secondly, she sticks out her tongue and spits ALL THE TIME, and I do mean ALL THE TIME. It grosses most people out, especially Paul, and especially when she is eating and hasn't completely swallowed everything...Yummy! Makes for enjoyable clean-up. Lastly she LOVES her voice. Any noises she can make, including screaming as loud as she can, can constantly be heard in our home. But the most recent is "Ba, Ba...Ba Ba Ba" and "O...Oh..." I love every minute of it. They are the best sounds in the world.

More pictures from Cali trip

Helping Uncle Skyler Pack

The day and night we were all helping Skyler pack for his mission, Brooklynn decided to help as well. Her job...the hangers.

Skyler's Blog

I finally updated my brothers blog with pictures and details of his farewell. Check it out here