Christmas Tree Hunting

My parents, Del, Jake, Brilee, and I went to find our Christmas tree's today. We only had about an hour before Del had to get heading to the airport so we made it a quick trip up the mountain. We found a honey hole of Christmas tree's so we decided to start looking for the perfect tree's. My Dad found the cabin Christmas tree first and began chopping (we forgot the chain saw). Soon after Jake and I found our tree. Jake and Del went to help my Dad finish cutting his tree and then Del started cutting Jake's and mine down (Jake's elbow is still REALLY sore). Brilee thought Del cutting down the tree was about the funniest thing she had ever seen. Every time he would chop she would giggle. I love our tree and cannot wait to get it set up in our house!

Getting ready to take off.

Brilee really enjoyed riding in the truck out of her car seat, and right next to Tator.

Brilee looking for the perfect tree for her VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS!! 

Still looking...

Our tree.

Brilee giggling at Del cutting down the tree.

Apparently it doesn't matter how in shape you are... it's hard to cut down a tree, just ask Del! Good thing my Dad could help.

Finally cut down.

Heading back to the truck.

Our beautiful tree's.

Turkey Day

We had the best Thanksgiving this year! Jake and I baked most of Wednesday and then woke up early Thursday to finish our projects. We hit the road around nine to head to SLC. From the time we arrived at Bullocks until the time we left Brilee was the hit of the party! She handled all the attention very well, and even with a little cold was able to have a GREAT weekend. Cathy (and everyone else) made an amazing Thanksgiving Dinner. It was so fun to be able to eat a wonderful meal while visiting with the people we love. After dinner was ate and cleaned we went to Grandma and Grandpa's condo for pie. Again, we had a great time and loved being able to just hang out and relax. Stac, Amy, and I were feeling good after pie and decided to try a few Black Friday sales (I am so happy Amy taught me the actual meaning of the term Black Friday). This was one BIG mistake! When we arrived at the mall at 9:00 PM the security man was directing traffic to parking spots. Our first shop was Build A Bear. Stacia made the first bear of the night! We had a great time in Build A Bear and decided to try Victoria Secret. WHAT A MISTAKE! As Amy said "Do not get in between women and their underwear." The line went out the door and was moving SLOWLY! We felt so overwhelmed that we just ran out of the store. We went to two more stores and they were equally as busy as VS so we left the mall. We made a vow to never go back to Black Friday sales! We woke up early Friday morning so Jake could go snowboarding with Del, Tom, and Michael. While the boys were snowboarding Brilee napped with Aunt Cathy and the rest of us went to Costco. I LOVE shopping at Costco with Amy. After Costco we went back to the Bullock's and played games and played with Brilee. The Cooley's came over and it was so great to see them. The boys finally got home and I went to find Jake outside. He could barely move and said his elbow was hurt. We started watching it swell and bruise. We took off soon after the boys got back and on our way to Heber Jake was getting sick because of the pain. We stopped and got some ice, Advil, and water and that helped him make it home. He could barely move Saturday but today is starting to feel a little better. We spent Saturday at my parents house watching football and eating sushi. We went and got a Christmas tree this morning (this will be a separate post) and came home and laid Brilee down for her nap. She is sound asleep three hours later! We had a very busy weekend and to top it all off Brilee got two new teeth. 

This is right after we got to Bullock's. Brilee was a very happy baby!

Love these girls!

Preparing the feast.

Brilee eating her feast.  

Amy and me (and Del's arm)!

After pie.

This is everyone at Grandma and Grandpa's (minus Uncle Roger, he had to go get prepared for the Jazz game).

On our way to Fashion Place Mall. 

I can't wait for Brilee to get her bear from Aunt Stacia.

Brilee and Great Grandma Cooley

Hanging with Grandma and Aunt Amy.

I loved hearing all Ryann's stories.

Brilee got to take a bath in Aunt Cathy's tub. She LOVED it!

This is Brilee's new favorite thing to do at Grandma Dickson's house.

TEN!!!!

Brilee is TEN months old today! Brilee is the sweetest little girl, and is developing quite the personality. We think she is going to have a tender little heart, but with a stubborn mind to go with it. She is crawling ALL over the place, standing up to furniture occasionally, waving and clapping for anyone who will look at her, and playing a lot of peek a boo. Jake and I LoVe being her parents, and can't wait to spend the holidays with our baby!!!!!

10 Firsts:

First Bath---1/23/09

Andre came to the hospital to give Brilee her first bath in the nursery. Brilee cried at first, but then settled down and actually liked the bath. Jake went in and recorded her first bath so I could watch too. I LOVE to watch that even now. 

First Smile---3/14/09

This was the first time that I was 100% positive Brilee was giving me a social smile. She smiled a lot before this but I just never knew. I kept smiling and laughing at her and then she would smile at me. I hurried and got my phone out and took pictures and sent them to all of her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. I thought this was the best b-day present Stac could get.

First Laugh--- 4/13/09

This was our first day back to work at the BLM. Brilee was laying on the floor at fire center and I kept having to jump up to answer the phone. Every time I would sit down and jump up Brilee would crack up. It was so cute. 

First Roll Over--- 6/7/09

Brilee always HATED tummy time, and we HATED torturing her with it. So, she never really laid on her tummy. On this day Jake and I decided we would tough it out and make her have some tummy time. We laid her on her play-mat and within seconds of laying her down she rolled to her back. We were both so shocked that we just picked her up and considered tummy time a success even though she was on her tummy less than ten seconds. 

First Word --- 7/28/09

Jake, Grandma Dickson, Brilee, and I were all walking back from the garden when Brilee started saying DADADADADA. She said DADA for months and Jake was so happy every time she would say it. I loved when she would wake up early in the morning saying DADA, because Jake always went to get her!

First Wave--- 9/13/09

I had taken Brilee to Wal-Mart and a couple of strangers commented to me on how Brilee was waving at them. I had never noticed her doing this and thought it was just a coincidence. That weekend Jake and I went to Wendover and on our way home we ran into my Dad in Heber. While we were talking to them at the gas station Brilee started waving at her Grandpa.  

First Peek A Boo---10/19/09

Brilee woke up in the best mood and so we were laying with her in bed when she started burying her face in the pillow. She would then sit up really fast and giggle. Jake and I started saying Peek A Boo and she would get really excited. Then she started hiding for longer and so we would say "Where's Brilee?" and she would get really excited. It is one of my favorite memories of my little Bri Bear. 

First Clap---11/16/09

Jake came over to the fire office to visit Brilee and me. Scott, Jake, and I were visiting and Brilee did something so we all clapped and cheered for her. She looked at us and started clapping back. Then when my mom came to pick her up she started clapping and saying what sounded a lot like "yay"!

First Crawl---11/18/09

Brilee had been getting on her hands and knees and taking a few crawls here and there for about a week. I took her over to meet her new little friend AddyLynn Nyberg last Wednesday. I sat her on their floor thinking she may take two or three crawls and then be done. But... instead she just started crawling. She crawled all over their floor, and she kept crawling towards their sweet little baby and everywhere else she could. I was taken by such shock that I didn't say anything about her new abilities. I took her home and half expected her to forget how to crawl, but she didn't forget! Instead she started improving her skills! She is getting faster and braver by the hour. I love it though because now if I leave a room she follows me instead of crying after me. 

First Stand---11/8/09

I already did a blog about the first time I caught Brilee standing, so instead I will tell about the first time Jake caught her standing. Last Sunday Jake was playing with Brilee in the living room while I was working on something in the kitchen. Brilee kept wanting to get the elk horns he has decorating our fire place. So Jake scooted them back and I heard him say "HAHA now you try and get them Bri Bear." So next thing I know Jake is hollering at me to come look at Brilee. Sure enough Brilee pulled herself up to the fireplace and was standing trying to figure out a way to crawl into the fireplace to get the elk horns. I guess she had to show her Dad that he will have to work harder to be able to trick her! 

We love you more than anything Brilee and are excited for all of the other "firsts" we will be experiencing with you!

Not very long ago I was able to sit and snuggle Brilee every time she needed to eat, but now she just wants to feed herself like a big girl.

Brilee crawling to her toys. I keep them in a basket in my entertainment center, and Jake always teases me because I am always picking up all the toys and putting them back in the basket. I tried to explain to him the only reason I do it is because she has so much fun pulling them out (he didn't buy it)!

Brilee started doing this the other day. I don't know what she is trying to do, but it looks funny. She laughs and laughs when you get up close and talk to her. I think she likes looking at things from a different perspective. She goes from this position to a standing but she doesn't have balance to stand yet so she just plops down on her bum. It has been very entertaining watching her figure this all out!

Thanksgiving #2

Today we had Thanksgiving dinner with the Birchell's. Jake and I were assigned cranberries, apple pie, sweet potato casserole, and lemon meringue pie. We started baking at ten this morning and finished at three thirty. We had a lot of fun, and were proud of our pies! They were yummy and better looking than last year. The dinner was delicious, as always, and there was a lot of entertainment. 

Brilee loves to clap and cheer and play Patty Cake. 

Our little helper (destroyer???) was fine as long as she had the measuring spoons in her hands.

All of our hard work.

Getting ready to head out the door. (We have to make all of this again for Thanksgiving Day... UGH!!!!)

Just getting started.

Fun Girls!

All they want for Christmas is their two front teeth!

Dinner time.

Isn't he the cutest?!?!

Jake went ahead and took an already wild party and made it worse. He wrestled with Caleb and Jens and got them so wound up. 

The girls dressed BreAnna up as Santa.

Beth, Bri, and I went out to visit Carly Saturday. We had such a great visit, and I am so proud of Carly and how far she has come. She is so awesome and I had soooo much fun with her Saturday! We went to Olive Garden, Old Navy, Forever 21, Costco, and the coolest place ever Gardner Village. 

First Black Eye

Brilee got her first black eye today at work. She used my chair to pull herself up and look around. I thought it was so cute that I started looking for my camera. Within seconds of standing up she moved the chair and made a nose dive for the floor. Her little eye smacked the corner of the wheel, and it left a nasty welt. She started screaming so hard I was sure she would pass out. I ran her outside (it was freezing cold) and that got her to stop screaming. She then cried for about fifteen minutes after. Everyone at work started teasing me that I had hit her, which at the time wasn't funny!  I have been warned this will not be the only bruise Brilee will get in the next couple of months:( Brilee is fine now, and here is a picture of her battle wound.

The worst part is in the corner of her eye which you cant really see...

Nine Month Well Child

Brilee had her nine month well child appointment last week. She is 27" and 20-22 Pounds. When we first put her on the scale it said 20.3 pounds so I went to move her to get her measured and then it said 22 pounds. So I think I accidently screwed up the weigh in, but oh well! Dr. Staker came in and said she looked great. She is in the 90th percentile for weight and the 25th for height! Dr. Staker said this is fine though. We were worried that Brilee's ear tube may have fallen out so Dr. Staker looked in her left ear and said it was great. He couldn't see the right ear's tube because her eardrum has a blood clot over the top of it. He said this is common and prescribed her some ear drops, and he will look again in a month. They then gave her the seasonal flu shot and they gave me the swine flue live vaccine. I am so glad to have these both taken care of! I didn't take any pictures at the doctor's office, but here are some pictures from the weekend! 

This is before Brilee went down for her two hour nap this morning.

This is after... CUTE HAIR!

Brilee has out grown her infant car seat and is now in a forward facing car seat. She loves it! I am so glad to have her looking forward. 

When Brilee woke up from her nap today I walked in her room, and this what I found! (I am thinking Jake and I need to figure out how to lower her crib). 

Brilee now waves all the time. She waves and says bebe (aka bye bye).

Brilee spent about three hours of her weekend being pushed by Jaylie in this swing. I was making a quilt and Brilee wanted to be outside. Jaylie is such an awesome baby-sitter. She kept running into the house to tell me Brilee was laughing so we decided to make up signs for laughing and crying so she could just come to the window instead. When Jaylie would walk in the house Brilee would start looking all over for her, and then when she would walk back out Brilee would get so excited! She would start squealing and kicking and laughing. It is so fun to watch her play with her cousins!

Spicer

Brilee loves her kitty Spicer and gets so happy when she comes to the window so Brilee can see her. (I know what you are thinking... how can MY daughter be a cat lover? I DO NOT KNOW, but it has happened!) Yesterday I had Brilee in my lap watching Spicer and then she pulled up on the window seal. She thought she was a big shot. Now I ask her where her kitty is and she starts looking towards the window for Spicer.