Happy Half Birthday

Happy 1/2 Birthday Brooks - you are 6 months old!

highlights (and lots of firsts) of month 6...
- the end of our breckenridge trip with the fuquays

- first real food, first rice cereal (which Brooks totally loves) and then sweet potatos yesterday (he was unsure at first, but eventually seemed to like them)

- first trip to the zoo (not that he knew what was going on, but good nonetheless)

- first rolling over (back to front and front to back)

- first sitting up (July 15th in the afternoon - he couldn't do it in the morning!)

- Brooks was baptised at our church last Sunday (July 19th) - sorry for the lack of pictures

- a visit from "aunt" jill and "uncle" ben and their 6 chihuhauas (Sophie, Lola, Frank, Carlos, Hector and Ralph). Brooks loved playing with dogs more his size! i hope he doesn't think having 8 dogs in the house should be a regular occurance!

- lots of swimming with Emily & Xander

- lots of walks with Ashley and new baby Payton

To see all the photos from this month, you can also go to
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=bg0m1qv.8ohj4zm3&x=0&y=-h62o1i&localeid=en_US

Where the Green Grass Grows...

is where you will find Brooks SITTING this afternoon! WHAT?

Until today, our little guy was just a weeble-wobble, but now he's sitting! and not just for 2 seconds either - we had a whole photo shoot! and the dogs were running around him too! he was so steady and (i like to think) proud of himself.



Since we started the rice cereal, it's been one crazy achievement after another around here ...first sleeing on his side...




then waking up on his tummy and totally rolling over...

and now sitting on his own!

this is such a fun stage and i am so glad that nana, grandpa phil, mimi and grandad will all be here in a few days to enjoy him.

A true BabyWise Baby

I couldn't resist posting these pictures of Brooks "reading" our next Baby Wise book. We are learning all about how to introduce solid foods right now, and i guess Brooks wanted to keep up on what was coming his way!

First bites

We are about one week into this rice cereal and Brooks is liking it ok. He is usually more interested in watching the dogs from his seat than eating the cereal, but it goes down eventually!

5 months...a little late!

We were in Breckenridge for Brooks' 5 month birthday (also the same day as our 3rd anniversary) so the pictures were a little late...

This stage of his little life sure is fun - he is really growing and showing so much personality.

I love...

- when we kiss your belly and you make a real laugh

- watching you roll from side to side on the floor, grabbing a toys and being so proud of yourself

- the rolls on your legs that are getting thicker every week

- your cheeks, and how they are the first thing people notice when we go out in public!

- that your hair is coming in more and more and staying just as red as the day you were born

- how you smile at daddy when he comes home from work - like, "where did you come from? i'm sure happy to see you!"

- that 99% of the time you are such a happy little boy - especially when you wake up from a good night sleep and are just smiling in your crib when i come it to get you up.

more vacation fun!

A few more pics from Brooks' summer travels...he has really been busy!

Visiting with friends Heather & Henry and their daughter, Karla, in Toronto. Brooks made quite an entrance - this picture was taken just seconds before a terrible blow-out and a very public diaper change in the Maag's living room! Nice job Brooks - way to make a good first impression!

Karla has been working on her knitting skills and made this cute hat for Brooks. we had a few good laughs at the shape, but it's still adorable!

Then on to Breckenridge with the Fuquays for a week! Richard celebrated his first father's day with his dad too.

I just love this one of Brooks with his new monkey as his cheeks look like the monkey! this is a new favorite toy at the moment - just his size!

Brooks on his first hike with the whole fam - he slept through most of it in the snuggli.

chillin' with daddy in the mountains - this is the life!