Back to work....

Well today is my first time back to work in two weeks....I could cry! I have had Brookelyn-Grace at home with me everday and I had to take her back to her sitters today. I miss her so bad! She is all I can think about! I can't wait for 4:30 today so I can go pick her up! I might leave a little early today just in case she's missing me :( She started this new thing over the Christmas holiday where whenever I walk out of a room or give her to someone else she starts to cry. I love it but it just breaks my heart! She didn't cry this morning though when I dropped her off, but still I could have! I miss my little princess butt! Oh yeah and an update on her sickness cold thingy. We took her to the doctor on the 27th to Urgent Care and we finally got some medicine! I loved the doctor that treated her! He gave her antibiotics and a antihistamine for her stuffiness. They took her blood and did chest x-rays. The doctor told us that her lungs were "junky" just full of mess! Her blood work showed that she had type A namonya and he couldn't believe that her regular doctor had not taken blood work or done chest x-rays! We even took her to Children's one time! The doctor was in shock! He told us that he thinks that we might need to find a new doctor or put them in their place during her next appointment! Well we have an apt. Friday and you can believe that I am going to go PSYCHO on her doctors!!!! Oh and she also had an ear infection that he said has been there for a good while and we took her to Children's the week before Christmas! I am PISSED! Excuse my language but that's my child and if you cant do your job right then get another one!

Christmas 2008

This year was by far the best Christmas I have ever had! Brookelyn-Grace has brought so much to mine and Keith's life! She is our everything! I loved watching her open all her presents from our families (she got sooo much. She had almost double of everything! Ugh we have a lot to take back!) Christmas morning was the best! :) She loved opening presents, but I think it was just because she loved eating the paper ha ha. Everytime she would open a present and there was no more paper she would be reaching for another! It was so adorably sweet! We taped every minute of it! When we first got up Keith went straight to the living room and got ready to tape her and as soon as me and her came around the corner she lite up! She started getting so excited and burying her head in me like she was embarrassed! It was so funny! Another thing that made this Christmas truly special is that she is "DADA" for the first time! Then the next day she said "Moma" It was great! She so discovered her voice Christmas morning because ever since then she has been saying "babababa moma bababab Dada" Its just beautiful! Well I got my I-PHONE! Yah, I was sooo excited! I usually never buy in to the phones but I just really, really wanted one for some reason. I love it! You can do just about anything on it! I also got some tennis shoes, a sewing machine, some tops and three beautiful pictures from Kirkland's to put in the house :) Everything was PERFECT!

MILESTONES!

Brookelyn-Grace is really reaching some BIG milestones! When she lays on her belly she can hold her head up so good by placing her hands on the floor and pushing up! Her entire tummy is off the floor. She can also put her legs in the crawling position but she can't do both at the same time. She is also doing the sweetest thing! I will put her in front of me and make kissing noises with my lips and she will lean all the way in with her mouth open and kiss my lips! It is amazing! I love it! It seriously has to be the sweetest thing I have ever seen! She is also sucking on her lips and I think she's trying to make the kissing sound when she does it. It sounds like it, but not quite there ha ha. She is just so smart! You can really start to see her personality blooming! She is so funny! If we have company or she meets anybody new she will smile so hard at them or laugh at her self and then dig her face into me and then look up again at them to see if there watching her. It really gets her tickled! She is a funny baby! I swear you can't get her to quite smiling! She smiles and dies out laughing about everything! I love it! I seriously believe that in no more than two weeks she will be all over this house! She is so so ready to crawl! I am super excited, scared and sad about it though. I am excited that we are getting to see her reach this new milestone, scared that she is going to get hurt doing it and, sad that she is growing up so fast! It is amazing how fast they really grow! I feel like I blinked and there she was at 6 months!

Well on another note we went to Miss Kenlie's birthday party today! She looked beautiful as always! She is a doll! She turned 2!!! We had a good time! I can't wait for Brookelyn-Grace's birthday party! I kept staring at Kenlie thinking OMG Brookelyn-Grace will be there before you know it! I mean to think in 6 more months she will be 1! I can't believe how big she is getting! She is such a princess! I can really tell a lot about her personality too! She is going to be loud but shy,and sweet but mean if you tick her off!I love everyday learning something new about her personality!

Day's & Night's MIX-UP!

Brookelyn-Grace has got her day's and night's mixed up bad! Well it happened the night we took her to Childrens. She of course had been a sleep since 10 p.m but when we got their at 11 p.m they were poking her and everything else so it woke her up. She stayed up the enitre time at the hospitol and on the way home the poor baby was so tired & sick all she could do is cry :( She cried from Sumiton to the house! So since then she has been taking a four hour nap from 2p.m-6pm in the afternoon. Then she takes another about 9-9:30 and then she doesnt go back to bed until 1 a.m. It is about to kill me, especially since Keith is taking that mining class. When he gets home at 10:30 I do not even ask him to help me becasuse he goes to work at 4:30 a.m and then goes to that class at 6:00 p.m. Keith and I have decided that one day this weekend we are going to keep her up all day long so maybe it will fix her day's and night's mix-up!

Staying sick!

Well I have always loved the cold weather and the holidays but I am such a Scrooge this year, but I have good reasons. Brookelyn-Grace is staying so sick, and it's this weather that's causing it! Keith and I took her Sunday night to Children's! She was running a 103 temp and she could barley breath! The Doctor said it was viral so they couldn't do anything but give her Tylenol or Motrin...(MAKES ME MAD!) She has been sick since two weeks before Thanksgiving! The Doctor said the best thing that we can do is keep her at home...basically corontined! So we let her sitters know she wouldn't be coming and I am taking off of work today at lunch and tomorrow at lunch. Then my aunt is taking off Thursday and Friday to watch her :) Then next week I am off work until after the New Year so I am going to keep her at home with me ;) I feel so bad for her! She stayed up until 1:00a.m last night! I am so exhausted but its hard for her to sleep because she cant breath! I hate this weather, but I think keeping her inside will help her a lot!!! I still have so much to get done this week! I feel so rushed! This is Keith's last week to take his mining class and then It want be so bad because I am all by myself and doing everything! I could seriously scream!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!!! :)

THE TOLBERTS!

It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!

I love Christmas and it's going by way to fast!!! Keith & I have already finished Brookelyn-Grace's Christmas. We got her baby rings (of course), a Play and Learn Table, Laugh and Learn Puppy, Learning Kitchen & Living Room, Sing Along Stage, Winnie the Pooh Crawling doll, Cabbage Patch doll, a lot of books, and two huge plush Minnie and Mickey Mouse dolls. Well that's all we have got her! We didn't want to get her too much because we have so much family that will be buying for her! I swear we're going to haft to put some of her toys up for later! She is going to have way to much! I hope we can hurry and get the house or were going to be crowded! Thank goodness for having her a play room in the new house! If not we would haft to sell our furniture just to have some room for those huge, bulky toys! lol On another note...Brookelyn-Grace is staying sick! I don't know what to do! We have gone to the doctor so many time I'm beginning to feel like we live in Birmingham. They say that all we can do is use a humidifier, elevate her mattress, use saline drops and give her Tylenol every 4-6 hours. It's not helping though! Now she has a bad cough and it make her gag! I hate it for her! I wish I could just take it away! I wish I could just stay at home with her everyday until it's gone, because I know getting her out in the cold weather everyday isn't helping. Another thing this week is going to be stressful! Keith starts his mining class tonight. It is for two weeks 6p.m-10p.m so I am going to have Brookelyn-Grace by myself. On top of that I haft to go to Farmstead J.R High tomorrow and Wednesday to finish up some observations. Then Friday night I haft to go to Athens for a final at 6 p.m and then Friday I have a final in Hanceville! I could so cry :( Thank God Brookelyn-Grace is a good baby because if not I would be in some trouble! I guess I'm going to haft to wait until she goes to sleep to study this week and then get a sitter for the days I have finals! I could not imagine being a single mother! So to all the single mothers out there...YOU ARE AWESOME, because I could not do it!!!

Things change after you have a baby....

I was just thinking today......My life has changed so much since I've had Brookelyn-Grace :) . I thought it was funny this morning, Jill called and I was so excited to tell her that Brookelyn-Grace's two bottom teeth had broke through!!! After I got super excited about it I got to thinking how everything that comes out of my mouth is in regards to her! It is crazy to think a year ago I was so caught up in myself. I love that baby so much! Now I find myself wishing that I could be a stay at home mom! Me, can you believe it?!? I use to always say, "I could never stay at home with a kid all day" but I could really see myself staying home with her all the time. Even abandoning my dream at becoming a teacher!!! No, I'm not going to quite school. I only have three classes left! Are you crazy! I'm just saying after I graduate I could see myself staying at home!!! I swear when I drop her off in the morning to the sitters I am almost in tears before I get to work! I miss her so bad and I look forward all day long to hurrying and going to pick her up!!! I have also learned that people that you once considered your friends no longer become your friends! I have some really great friends that ask me about Brookelyn-Grace all the time, comment on how beautiful she is and actually have something to do with her! I know people are busy and I should know, but you can tell the ones that really care because they are the ones that ask about her even if they have no time to come see her. It has bothered me for some time now, but I have come to the realisation that I do not need those kind of people in my life and neither does Brookelyn-Grace. I mean their are some of my friends (good friends) that have still never seen her!!! No I am not mad at them. I just really do not care anymore. But with all that said I am not bitter or mad...I am truly happy and hope the best for everyone :) I have a great life! A beautiful daughter, fantastic husband and very supportive family & friends! What else could I ever ask for??? (my house to be finished!) hahaha

I am thankful for so much!

This week has been great! To start the week off I got a Christmas bonus! Yah! I was very excited about that! :) Thank you Charles! I love my boss! Thursday was hectic! We had to go to four dinners! We had fun though. Brookelyn-Grace wore her pillow case dress I made her, and she looked beautiful! We started the morning off visiting Keith's dad, and then on to my moms. We then went to Keith's mom's and then to my dads. It was crazy! Thankfully we came up with a new system for Christmas. Were going to start our Christmas on the 22rd going to each person's house. It's to hard with Brookelyn-Grace, and its not fare to her because by the end of the day she is so exhausted! (she took like 6 naps that day)

So exhausted!

In between visiting with everyone Keith and I were talking in the car about how thankful we really are. We have a wonderful marriage, a beautiful, smart, unique and sweet little girl, a beautiful new home, a great family that is always helping us in anyway they can, and great friends! We are so thankful for everything we have. I know sometimes life brings hard times, but that is the way that God challenges us and keeps us on our toes! (I hate hearing people say...I can't believe that God is doing us like this with the war, money etc... Well I am hear to say that God does not do these things to us, we do them to ourselves. God cant bail us out everytime we mess up. I believe that this is the way that God challenges us and it gives up the opportunity to rise above and achieve great things. So if you have something negative to say about our society or future in these hard times feel free to gripe and complain but DO NOT bring God into the conversation!) Well enough of that....(A little fired up..I hate when people blame others for how the world has turned out!) Well back to this weekend... Friday Keith, mom and I hit Wal-Mart @ 3a.m. waiting on the sales to begin...I bought all seven kids in our family's Christmas for $70 dollars. You can't beat $10 dollar toys! We also got Brookelyn-Grace a bouncy horse for $30 that was originally $80. We are so thrifty! (ha ha). Then Keith and I came home and tried getting some sleep! Saturday Brookelyn-Grace, Brooke and I watched the game. Brookelyn-Grace was sick so we stayed home. Keith went hunting because he didn't want to see Auburn get slaughtered! (ROLL TIDE) loved the game! I kind of felt sorry for Auburn...then I got over it (ha ha). Sunday we decorated the tree and took a million pics of Brookelyn-Grace! She hung her first ornament. It was so sweet! We then went to dads for his birthday and then came home. Keith and I are still trying to recoup from our busy weekend!!!

Hanging her first ornament!

Mommy said no, no you can't have the ornament....
but Dada gave in.....how spoiled (haha)

Brookelyn-Grace
Happy Birthday Pop!

BAD WEEKEND!

This weekend was horrible! Brookelyn-Grace's teeth are already through the gums and I'm guessing they were growing this weekend because all she did was eat her fist and whine! I felt so bad for her! I had to give her Tylenol every four hours. She would wake up from her naps and bedtime crying in her sleep. It was horrible! I wish I could take the pain away!!! On top of that we went Friday night to get her ears pierced at Wal-Mart. We went to Wal-Mart because they pierce ears with the gun's at the same time. Well Wal-Mart told me to call them before I come to make sure that two people would be working so that they could do the piercing at the same time. Well, I called Wal-Mart and they said it would be okay for me to come on up and get Brookelyn-Grace's ear's pierced. So we get to Wal-Mart and there is only one lady working. Really made me MAD!!! We decided to go ahead and get her ear's pierced anyway, and it was horrible! She loved the Wal-Mart lady! She thought she was the funnies thing ever!

I had so many people tell me that they only cry for a second...well Brookelyn-Grace cried for about 5 minutes! It was horrible! She has never cried so hard! It was a "you hurt my feeling's cry" She sobbed hours after too. I really think it hurt her feeling more that anything because Keith had to hold her down. After her ear's were pierced Keith handed her to me because she always wants her MOMMY when her not feel good :(. After I had her for a while she calmed down and Keith and I went and bought her a new Christmas book and a Goofy doll that talked. (She loves the characters off of Mickey Mouse Club House! She almost has all the characters!) So then Keith was going to carry her because she was killing my arm and he would hold his hands out for her and she would turn her head really fast and start fake crying. (She reached now!!!) It really hurt Keith's feelings! She knew that he had held her and she did not want anything to do with him! Keith vowed right there and then that if we ever had another girl that we would not get her ear's pierced and I agreed!!! Later that night though she finally went to Keith. :) She has this new thing were she hates to be laid down unless its nap or bedtime! (She is bad SPOILED!) I guess that's what I get for holding her all the time, but I don't care! I could hold her all day!!! Saturday Keith watched Brookelyn-Grace and I went to a jewelry show! I got some really nice pearl earrings and pearl bracelet! I can't wait for them to come in! Then Meme and I went to K-Mart to look at trees. I think Keith and I are going to buy a new tree. We already have a pre-lit tree with white light's, but we think Brookelyn-Grace will like the color lights more. Anyway we got her stocking there too. It is a puppy dog that sings. It has bells on it ears and the ears move. It is adorable! Were taking it to Mary this week to get it monogrammed! Sunday me, Keith and Brookelyn-Grace slept in. Keith put together Christmas stuff and me and Brookelyn-Grace battled her teething! Keith ended up going hunting and me and Brookelyn-Grace watched Christmas movies all day. :) When Keith got home he took over and I got some Mommy time. Although I had mommy time it always consits of Miss Brookelyn-Grace because I made her a cute picture frame, hair bows and tried finishing a dress. I have no time for anything! All in all my weekend was crazy! Maybe this week will be better! I hope her teeth quite hurting! I feel so bad for her!

FOLLOW UP ON THE WEEKEND!

So the weekend went great! Friday Keith and I went to the mall to look at Christmas ideas/presents for Brookelyn-Grace and to eat. Then we came home and had family night, which consists of a Disney movie and playing with Brookelyn-Grace. We also started baby food!!! We started with peas and Brookelyn-Grace made the most horrible face ever! She hated them! So of course I decide to give her some Bananas baby food, which she LOVED! (Although the doctor said start with vegetables or she would end up not wanting them..go me! lol) Anyway Keith and I loved watching her eat her baby food for the first time! We most definitely took plenty of pics! I will never forget those faces she made! :) Then Saturday we woke up got the Princess ready and headed to the CHS building (Festival of Trees). Brookelyn-Grace loved looking at the trees and of course I had to buy her three bows while I was there! Then we ran into Mary Lollar (LOVE HER) and of course I went ahead and ordered Brookelyn-Grace two outfits! (She has the cutest stuff!) Then Brookelyn-Grace got to meet Santa for the first time and get her picture made with him. She feel asleep, but woke up a couple of times to check him out. She didn't cry, but the look on her face was priceless. It was a look like, "Who are you" and "What is that on your face" ha ha...The picture was great although she was a sleep, but we went ahead and bought a package that consisted of an 8x10, 2 5x7's and 4 wallets! I cant wait to get those in! Then we went home to rest at home for a little bit where I started on my "bow making" (I LOVE MAKING THEM!) Here is an example of one I made :)

Then we headed to Olan Mills in the Mall. Okay, we had an appointment for 6:00 and of course when we got there we didn't get to get her picture made until about 7:00. Why make appointments when you're not going to get the appointment time! It made me MAD, because Brookelyn-Grace was fine at 6:00 (I scheduled it around her nap) and of course when 7:00 rolled around she was ready for her nap so she didn't do too good. She didn't cry but she wouldn't smile at all! We still got the pictures though, which will be here the day after Thanksgiving. (SHA DOES WAY BETTER) The background was beautiful, but the woman was not all that good. You could tell she was just ready to get out of there, and Sha does so good with Brookelyn-Grace! I will never go back to Olan Mills not even if I do have a gift receipt! (GO TO SHA, LITTLE LADY BUG PHOTOGRAPHY IF U WANT GREAT PICS!) Then today I woke up so sick! Brookelyn-Grace has had a mild cold and apparently she gave it to me, but it's like 10 times worse! So I have slept all day, I just got up about an hour ago. Keith has had Brookelyn-Grace all day! I feel kind of bad because he was suppose to go hunting and work on his Jeep, but there is no way I could have had her today. If she got what I had or felt like I do she would be at the hospital for sure! Well that was my busy/crazy weekend! This week is going to be horrible especially if I don't get rid of this cold!

13 THINGS...I got this from Beth's blog..seemed like a good idea :)

1. Brookelyn-Grace has a bad cold with a horrible cough! I feel so sorry for her :(

2. Brookelyn-Grace's tooth is finally coming through. I Love it! I bet it will be completely through my Christmas.

3. I am so ready to move into our new house! We are going crazy! I better be in it before Christmas!

4. I can't wait to go buy Brookelyn-Grace's Christmas presents. Keith and I are going the day after Thanksgiving! :) I'm a thrifty shopper!

5. I am so ready to be done with school! It's getting on my nerves bad! Only three more classes to go!

6. Brookelyn-Grace is making all kinds of sounds! I can't wait for her to say "Dada" or "Mama". I think I will seriously pass out!

7. I am so in love and obsessed with Brookelyn-Grace!

8. I love making bows! It's my new thing! When I'm not making them, I'm thinking about making them! (a little obsessed?)

9. I am going to start making pillow case dresses this weekend! FUN!

10. I want an I-phone for Christmas. Keith said if my plan is ready for an upgrade then he will get me one. I hope I get one, and I usually never care about phones? (I also want a hot pink bumper to go on it!)

11. Keith and I are going to get Brookelyn-Grace's ear's pierced...(thanks Beth)...She made me feel better about it! :) I'm kinda scared though! :( I don't want Brookelyn-Grace to cry :(

12. Keith and I are so in love! I think we need another Mommy & Daddy night though...Going to look into a sitter for the weekend! :)

13. I love Brookelyn-Grace, Keith, my family & GOD! I have a truly wonderful and blessed life!!!

BABY FOOD, WEEKEND & CONCERNS

Brookelyn-Grace starts baby food this Sunday. She is getting so big! She started cereal about two weeks ago but she hated it! She's only eaten it five times. Its is so funny watching her eat. I think more comes out of her mouth then going in! Keith and I are going to buy her a high chair this weekend. I know we should have already bought one...but I'm a procrastinator...(why have it when you don't need it) but anyway...I can not wait to see her eat that baby food! :) Her doctor say's to feed her vegetables first because if we feed her the sweet stuff then she want, want her vegetables. Poor baby :( It's got to be better than that milk though. (just so you know that stuff is horrible! You know I've tried it! lol I taste everything before I give it to her..even medicine..got to make sure that my baby isn't getting something bad!) Oh and were going to the Christmas thing at the CHS building Saturday! I'm so excited because Santa is going to be there and this will be Brookelyn-Grace's first picture with Santa! I love it! Then were going to the mall to have a couple of pictures made of Brookelyn-Grace. (no I'm not betraying you Sha! lol..we got a gift card from one of my showers from Olan Mills)<--Sha takes MUCH BETTER PICTURES THAN OLAN MILLS! but anyway...An issue that Keith and I are facing right now is whether or not to get Brookelyn-Grace's ears pierced before her Christmas pictures with Sha. Keith and I were already going to get her ears pierced for Christmas, but just not this early. Is there any particular age that is best to get ear's pierced? I really do not want to take her! I would rather Keith take her by himself or with Meme. I don't want to see her in pain! It kills me enough having to watch her get shots, but she does the best with me when she is in pain, sick or just doesn't feel good..I guess I'll just have to take one for the team and go......:( but seriously is 5 months to early to get a babies ear's pierced? Brittany :)