Week 52-- 1 year baby!!

Well we made it.  Caitlyn is 1 year old and the blog will come to an end.  Thanks to the followers who kept reading it and following us along for the ride.  It was a great journey and I apologize for the late entries.  Having two kids under three is very time consuming and tiring, with little time left for all the small things.  I don't regret any of it and will cherish every moment going from 1 to 2.  But, I do not want to get all sappy so lets talk about our vacation.  Ironically, Colby's blog ended when we went on our first Bahamas cruise.

Let me talk about the last week.  We went on a wonderful vacation.  The weather was gorgeous, the boat was spectacular and the ports where beautiful.  We started off at Port Canaveral, then went to CoCo Cay Island, Nassau and Key West.

Disney was so much fun, but very hard with two young kids.  We did manage to go on two rides, Small World and the Little Mermaid.  The kids were fantastic on both and there eyes were so bright with happiness.  We even got to eat at a restaurant inside the Magic Kingdom this time around.  I was smart and made reservations 6 months in advance at the Liberty Tree Tavern.  It was so good.

We walked around, got very sweaty, took lots of pictures, ate ice cream and saw Mickey Mouse.  Colby got some Mickey Ears and loved it.  CiCi just went along for the ride.

CoCo Cay was also another amazing stop.  Caitlyn got to wear her new bathing suit and hat.  She had fun sitting in the water and eating the sand to our shock.

Her favorite place was at the aquariums in Atlantis Resort.  She had so much fun standing next to the glass and pointing to all the fish.  We tried so hard for her to start walking but it didn't happen.

On our last formal night, we celebrated Caitlyn's birthday again.  She was all dressed up and looked so pretty.  She got to smash another cake (3rd one) and had chocolate all over her face and dress.  She loved it.

Colby and CiCi had a blast at the beach and all the attention they got.  They loved spending time with Grandma Marsha and seeing all the new places.  It was a wonderful vacation.

This year ahead will bring about so many changes that I can't talk about here.  Maybe one day I will come back to the blog and update it to let everyone know what happened.   This is my new mantra (and it was taken from a very wise Greek Lady, Aunt "WOW" Lisa) that new beginnings are awaiting the Brooks Bunch.

"Beginnings are only possible where there are endings.

Clear acknowledged endings are as necessary to intelligible life, as pauses between notes to intelligible music. Although endings sometimes feel like the end of you, take them for what they really are, - the end of a stage in your life. Here is to new beginnings!"

Week 51

We are cursed.  After CiCi's party she started to develop hives.  Like Mommy, like daughter.  Now we think it was the amoxicilin from the ear infection.  They were horrible Monday and Tuesday.  We took her to the doctor three times this week and only now with the steriods, they seem to be disappearing.  Poor Baby.

Colby also is sick but we don't know what really is ailing him.  He just had a fever and been super clingy.

Time for cruise yay!!!  HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY too ;-)

Week 50

The big first party day is almost here.  Party plan mode is in full effect.  I am not sure what the real theme will eventually be.  I was thinking polka dots, but don't really have anything that is polka dotted.  Ohh well, I will make some banners and some circles and call it good.  Mom of two = no free time.

We did do something pretty fun over the weekend. We had an ice storm but that did not stop us from Caitlyn's first birthday photo-shoot.

I can't wait to see the photos. Caitlyn was dressed up in a purple romper with a matching headband and a necklace.  Her second out was her birthday girl tutu.  She looked so adorbale.  At the end, she smashed a cupcake.  It took her a while but she figured it out.  The whole cupcake was pretty much gone by the end of the shoot.

Update (party photos here): 

Week 49

Caitlyn has been transitioning between furniture and has even start to stand in place for a couple of seconds.  She has gone leaps and bounds from last week.

I am now introducing her to the scooter so she can walk with it.  She has taken a lot of steps while holding onto the scooter.

Tomorrow, Caitlyn has her 1 year photo shoot.  She will be smashing a cupcake (i hope) and wearing the cutest outfits. I have two outfits and lots of head bands. One is a purple romper with a necklace.  The other is her birthday outfit with a pink tutu and it says birthday girl.  I can't wait to see how these pictures turn out.

Update:  Cally sent me a sneak peak on her smug mug website and here is one. I am in love.

Week 48

Caitlyn has two more teeth!!  She is also a biter.  It has been almost impossible to get a picture of her teeth.

Birthday planning is in effect.  The theme is poka dots.  I am not sure if I will make a cake or buy one.  Who has time to make food anymore.

Week 47

We are all sick again.  I hate winter.  It all started Sunday night.  Caitlyn looked fine before I put her to bed, then 1 hr later, she puked up all her lunch.  Then another 1.5 hrs later, she puked up her dinner, then 2 hrs later she puked up what was left over.  It was a rough night.

Then Monday, I started to feel like I had this bug.  I thought it was food poisoning, but now that we all have it.  I am positive it is the 24 hr flu bug.  I went home early Monday, then both Bill and I got it and stayed home Tuesday.  Found out yesterday that Caitlyn's daycare has it too so I am home with her today.

Cailtyn's favorite activities are crawling, standing and dropping toys on the ground.  She loves to listen to music and dance along.  I can't wait to see this little girl grow up.

Week 46

Caitlyn's birthday invites are here.  Now, it is tine to plan the theme.  I am already stressig about it.

Caitlyn got a chance to swim this weekend.  Bill and the family took a little impromptu trip to Hunt Valley Maryland to see the area.  The kids had a wonderful time.  There was grass, city and rolling hills.  We never get to experience that in Easton.

The count down has also begun for our cruise trip.  Just like with Colby, we will be celebrating Caitlyn's first birthday in the Bahamas.  We can't wait.