Our 2 year old!!

I have many different emotions about Brooke turning 2. First, I am sad. That is my little baby girl - how can she be two??!! But then I am so excited. It is so cool watching Brooke grow up and watch how smart she is. She talks up a storm now - uses new words everyday and is even starting a couple of small sentences.

And she is a great big sister. Lorelei just smiles everytime she sees Brooke, and Brooke loves her just the same way. Brooke is also a big helper already. She gives Lorelei toys, throws away dirty diapers, helps with baths...a "big" little girl!

Brooke doesn't go to the doctor again for about 3 weeks, but I know she is still a peanut. She is only wearing size 18-month clothes! She does so much and can get into anything! It's fun (and sometimes exhausting!) to watch the little munchkin!!

We didn't have an official party for Brooke this year. After we decided that, I began to feel a little guilty - so we got her a special cake and had it on Christmas Eve.


Couldn't find an iCarly cake - so SpongeBob was the next best thing!!! Blowing out her candles:



The only lick of cake she had that night! Silly girl!

Lorelei at 6 months!

From the time between the age of 5 months and her 6 month birthday, Miss Lorelei Grace has been very busy!

In the past month Lorelei has decided to start growing up and cruising through those milestones!

By 5 months old she was holding her bottle on her own:


By 5 1/2 months old she was sitting up on her own:


At 5 1/2 months old - [on December 12th (her daddy's birthday)] she tasted her first solid food - Rice Cereal! And it gave her gas and hurt her little tummy! So, after 3 days we switched her to oatmeal and she has been fine since! She has also had pears and just tonight - prunes! Yum!

The first bite:




And the day after she turned 6 months old she started to officially crawl! She was close for the past couple of weeks...first rocking on her knees, then she got the knees moving, and then she finally figured out the hands! She is still very slow - thank goodness! But I know that we will be chasing her around the house soon enough!



Look at our "big" girl!! It will never stop amazing me how fast they grow!

November Thanks

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. And December starts on Monday. Lorelei is 5 months old today. Wow!

The girls have been great. Kevin & I have been busy working. Nothing exciting happening this month - but we are happy and healthy, so we can't be more thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Starting to sit up!

Silly Girl!

Fall/Halloween Pics!

I love, love, love taking pictures this time of year. Going to the pumpkin farms and getting pictures is so much fun. And its nice because its not too cold yet - so you don't need a heavy coat or anything.

And of course, we have to get pictures to capture the girls adorable Halloween costumes! I didn't realize how much I liked Halloween until Brooke came and we got to dress her up and until we got our own house and got to hand out candy. Its so much fun to see all the kid's costumes. (And to see how our girls costume's are the cutest of them all!!).

The only downfall this year is that Brooke is so on the go - its nearly a miracle to capture a really great picture of her. You finally get her settled down where you want her and before you can put the camera to your face - she is across the room! So, for right now, I must say - Lorelei is taking the nicer pictures! But we have patience - and thank goodness for the digital camera - so we managed to get a few sweet ones of Brooke too!

The girls at Johansen Farm...

Brooke at Glasscock Farm

Lorelei - our little pumpkin!

Brooke the adorable duck! (look at that tail!)

**Those are the duck feet on her hands! For some reason she hated them on her feet - but loved them on her hands! It worked out well that way too!

Where did September go??

I know its so cliche - but where did the time go? It's October already. That means fall. Which means the holidays are coming soon! I am not ready for all of that yet!

So, let's see...what has been happening with us? The girls are great. Getting big, changing everyday. Lorelei is becoming more and more content and smiling and laughing. Overall she is pretty serious compared to her sister though!

Brooke is starting to talk a bit more. Using a few words and saying her favorite "what's that?". She is starting to repeat what we say - so we have to start watching it! She said "oh s***!" a few days ago! She's becoming a great big sister and a great helper. She loves to help give Lorelei a bath and she is starting to understand how to put things away. She also loves to help cook!

As for me, I am back to work now. And I must admit, the week before I went back to work was probably harder than actually doing it. Mentally I was a wreck. Luckily, the transition went pretty smoothly. There are still some days its really hard to come into work because I just want to stay home! But its not terrible.

Kevin is doing well staying home with both girls now. I think there are challenging times - but that is to be expected. Overall, I think they are all getting along!

And of course - some new pictures!

Lorelei (about 2 weeks ago)

Lorelei & Maggie

Brooke - climbing as usual!

Summer Zoo Day!

We all went to the zoo yesterday. It was a perfect day. Not only was it perfect weather (low 80s, no humidity), but it was also not at all crowded since most kids are back in school. So, it was lots of fun! Of course Lorelei was barely awake while we were there - but Brooke is really into the animals now.

Brooke hanging out watching the bears!

Sisters at the zoo


Brooke's first carousel ride! She LOVED it!

2 months already!

Just a little update. Miss Lorelei went to the doctor today for her 2 month check up. She weighs in at 12 pounds and 12 ounces and 23 inches long. Her weight is about the 88th percentile and her height is about 72nd percentile. She is on the path to being so much bigger than her "big" sister!! Brooke was not at that weight and height even at 3 months old!! But Lorelei is healthy and perfect, and not every baby can be the little peanut like Brooke! I think they will be the same size a lot sooner than later!!

Poor little Lorelei also got 4 shots and an oral vaccine. She didn't take the shots very well. It took her quite a while to calm down...but she did fine and then she passed out for a nap! The doctor says she is doing great and even ahead on some things like holding her head up and rolling over.

Everything else is well for everyone - I go back to work in about 3 more weeks - I am not looking forward to that and am, in fact, trying to pretend it isn't happening! But I knew these good times would end eventually...but I plan to enjoy every second off that I have!

2 MONTHS OLD!!

Proud Big Sister!

Just cute!

All is well here. Lorelei started her first real smiles on August 6th. So, just at 6 weeks old - which is the same time her big sister started smiling too! However, I have yet to be able to capture this on camera - so you will just have to take my word for it!!

I just had a few pictures I thought that I would share...

Every time we leave Lorelei propped up in the chair - Brooke climbs right up in there with here. Sometimes she rubs Lorelei's head or kisses her - but most times she tries to hug Lorelei by laying over her!! So, I think in this picture - Lorelei is thinking - "uh oh! Now what is she going to do!!??"

Just Adorable! (six weeks old)

I propped her up for a few minutes and the angel fell asleep just like that!

Lorelei's 1st Tub Bath!

All has been going well for us. We are doing great getting used to being a family with two daughters! We are keeping busy and I am loving being able to be home with my 2 baby girls!

Lorelei is growing like crazy. She has rolled over from her tummy to her back and even sleeps some 6-hour stretches. And Brooke adores her. She always goes to see why Lorelei is crying and gives her lots of hugs and kisses and even tries to share her food with her!

Lorelei's latest "first" was getting her first "real" bath in the baby tub. She HATED all her little sponge baths...but she seemed to enjoy and relax for this one! She is maturing already!

Chilling out - waiting for the bath to begin!



Enjoying the first tub bath!


Getting all dried off!

IT'S ANOTHER GIRL!!!

On Thursday June 26, 2008 we were blessed with another beautiful daughter. We named her Lorelei Grace. She was born at 9:23 a.m. at 7 pounds, 7 ounces & 21 inches long. Lorelei weighed exactly the same as Brooke did, but was one inch taller. I guess we just have babies of a certain size!!

Things went well with the c-section. Mom and baby were healthy and there were no complications. For some reason it seems the recovery time and pain have been a bit less than with Brooke, so that is nice. But don't get me wrong - I still need those heavy pain pills!!

Brooke seems to be doing pretty well with having Lorelei at home. She kisses her and tries to share her food and juice with her. Sometimes she rips off her socks or blanket - but all in all not too bad! She hasn't really "acted out" too much - but she seems maybe more sensitive to everything - a bit more getting upset when we tell her no and crying more. However, we have been cognizant of making sure she is getting lots of love and attention and especially some one on one time with us.

And now - the part you've been waiting for...Pictures!!

Introducing Lorelei Grace

Sucking her thumb within the first hour of birth

The sisters meet for the first time!

Daddy & Lorelei - Day 2

Lorelei with her eyes open - Day 3

Brooke welcoming home her new baby sister - June 29th

Lorelei - 1 week old

Update - Almost Time!

Tomorrow is the big day. The new baby McDermott will be arriving. We have to be at the hospital by 6:30a.m. for paperwork and prep. I can't believe it myself. I am so excited...and even more so because I don't know if it will be a son or a daughter. No offense to anyone - but why would you want to know? Its so fun and exciting NOT to!

Anyhow, here I am today - 39 weeks, 1 day

Brooke had her 18 month appointment on June 13th. She is 21 pounds, 8 ounces and 30 inches tall. Both about the 10th percentile. She is growing right along her curve - all perfect. The doctor said her 10 words are plenty and there is no worries about her speech. And she pretty much excels in every other gross/motor skill for her age. She is climbing everywhere like its her job! Never tires - needless to say - keeps us busy. But she is a good girl - so we sure aren't complaining!

We don't have an appropriate tree to put her swing in, so Kevin mounted it in the garage - and Brooke loves it!

Do you know what this is?

That is the dog food container. The red and green things are the army-guy gummies we gave Brooke - thinking she was eating them! But we later discovered she was throwing them in with the dog food!!

Maybe its not as funny to everyone as it is to me - but I thought it was so cute and funny!

Pregnancy and Me!

I've been a bad blogger! It has been awhile! I did try to upload a very cute video of Brooke climbing her stroller, but for some reason it didn't work!

Anyhow...this post is about me and the new baby. Just to say we are both doing well. All mine and the baby's stats are good. Besides feeling fairly huge, I feel good. With the humidity here - I have a bit of asthma trouble and some swelling...but overall, I can't complain.

Today is 3 weeks until the scheduled c-section. So, unless this little one decides he/she wants to come early - that is when we will meet the new baby! I am very excited! I still can't believe how time has flown.

Ok, with Brooke, for some reason there were no pictures of me after about 32 weeks. So this time, I wanted to try to be sure to get more.

Me @ 32 weeks, 4 days (5/10/08)


Me @ 36 weeks, 2 days (6/5/08)