PS - I said you love playing chase around the ottoman...here's a video to prove it :)

Daddy & I caught you doing this last night...and apparently you don't need anyone chasing you at all actually ;)

We call this the Brooks-Go-Round:

PLEASE NOTE:

- Your breathing (turn up the video to hear it)...you do this lion-rawr thing all.the.time. Our little animal ;)

- The hole in the old ottoman (we put it in front of the fireplace to keep you from from getting burned...not so smart)

- You were doing this non-stop for more than 6 minutes...Gave mom and dad a good laugh for sure! (hence the shaking camera)

** this post goes along with yesterday's letter to Brooks :)

Dear Brooks,

You, my forever sweet boy, turned 11 months on Valentine's day. You're just 1 month shy of turning [the epic] ONE! To say I'm a proud Mama is an understatement. To say you bring a kind of joy that fills my heart to overflowing wouldn't be saying enough. And there are not words to describe the kind of love I feel for you & your Father when I see you two play together. If I counted the number of times you make my heart smile each.and.every.day I know it'd be at least 1,243,660 times ;)

Here are just a few things that you've been doing lately that make my heart smile...

{you've been on this head-tilting kick...whether it's to a stranger playing peek-a-boo with as we wait in the check-out line at the grocery store, or you lean your head on my shoulder after I get you up from your naps...it's beyond adorable}

{The other night after a giving you a bath before bed I was trying to put on your diaper...which has turned into wrestling matches lately (haha)...and I decided to let you "roam free." Within about 3 seconds, you pulled yourself up on your rocking chair's ottoman and you let loose to pee on the carpet. I yelped out of surprise!!...which cause you to immediately stop the "leakage" and look at me with a shocked face. Then I was laughing uncontrollably!...only to stop to snap a pic before sanitizing the area. (Can you see the pee, right below the book?...HahAHhahhAhAa)}

{You are magnetized to the remotes in the TV room (you think they're pretty tasty I guess), and the TV for that matter (we'll get an entertainment center for it someday)...so when Daddy was watching a football game or we were watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, you were a little trooper when we put you in that box to play. Lately you've been a little too cool for your bouncer ;) }

{You have started to pull, crawl, climb, open, squeeze, and wedge yourself into just about anything, anywhere. You get stuck under the bar stools and your high chair often...but don't worry, I always come to your rescue!}

{You LOOOOOOOVVE playing chase around this ottoman! With me on your tail, you go round, and round, and round...}

{These pictures (above and below) are bitter/sweet for me Brooks...the box is one of a few that are filled with clothes that are too small for you. It's fun to go shopping and get bigger clothes for you, my growing boy...but I have a hard time packing up your clothes that have such sweet memories woven into their fabric...I've even kept the ones with stains from the first few times of feeding you solids. Those, I'll keep for memories; but the rest of your little onesies, pants, jackets, and shoes are still fine and they'll be ready for if you have a little brother in the future! isn't that exciting to think about sweet boy??}

{I bought these for you the other day...they're size 18-months...YOU're only 11 months!! please stop growing so fast :) }

{And bath time with you ALWAYS makes me smile...until I have to wash your hair, you most definitely have not liked that lately}

I'll love you forever and ever Brooks.

And one more thing, I canNOT wait for Spring time to get here! Taking you on walks to the park, playing in the yard, baby-swim-lessons at the rec center!!...oh, with you the sun is only going to shine brighter :)

love ALWAYS,

Mom

Dear Brooks,

Hi sweet boy. I call you that a lot, don't I? (I apologize ahead of time if I embarrass you from calling you that when you're older) You're going to sleep right now, well at least you're supposed to be. Dad is "rocking you to sleep" in your bedroom, but I am hearing lots of laughter from you two ;) And I love it.

Dad loves you so, so much Brooks. And I know you love him too...every night when he gets home from work you get SO happy...sometimes it seems like you get so excited your little body doesn't know how to contain itself! You two together...my two favorite boys in the whole world.

Earlier today you were in my backpack (the one that I sat in, on Grandma & Grandpa Stum's back, when I was about your size) while I was doing dishes and prepping for dinner. You were jibber-jabbering away (mostly da-da's) and tickling my neck with you little fingers. But soon, you were fast asleep in dreamland. I headed back to your room and thought I'd be a little tricky: instead of putting you in your crib, I laid you on my chest and sat in the rocker. You're the sweetest little guy I know, but as you've gotten older snuggling like that isn't quite your cup of tea, so I was soaking up every bit of it. You seemed so big in my arms. Your head was on my shoulder. I laid my cheek on your cheek. I felt your soft breath on my neck...and I cried, softly.

I suddenly longed for you to be that tiny newborn again...with your wrinkly thighs and your wobbly head...I wanted to be tickling your tiny feet to wake you up while nursing you (you were quite the sleepyhead:)...oh how I miss nursing you...I wanted to see your arms and legs stretch and flail about while I changed your diaper...I wanted to see the way you stared at bright lights, you were so drawn to them...I wanted to gaze into your beautiful eyes as we'd study each others' faces.

I can't decide if all of that seems like just yesterday, or forever ago. But you know what, sweet boy? I then realized that I have a son who is not a baby, but is a big, strong, growing boy. You're learning so much everyday Brooks, and I love that I get to be a part of your life. You have a laugh that makes me melt...your set of two little pearly whites is the cutest thing I think I've ever seen...you can crawl (Daddy and I love that you crawl the fastest when coming to us)...your skin smells like HEAVEN after I bathe and lather you up with lotion...you love to grab my hands and pull with all your might to stand up tall...you smile at everyone around you like it's going out of style...I love that your adorable little bum is ticklish...you're starting to learn "kisses"...you love playing peek-a-boo.

You're such a light in my life. Thanks for being so good to me...you make me the luckiest mommy out there. I can't wait to see the kind of boy and man you turn out to be. But for now, I'll enjoy holding your little hands to help you tip-toe around the house. I want to soak up this part of your life, because it goes by much, much too fast. I'll love you forever.

love,

Mom