The Brooks Family

First Month......

2012-01-28T21:52:00.000-08:00

Just born

Two weeks

Three weeks

Four weeks

One month old

Kylee's first month has flown by. I still can't believe that she is here already. It was really hard having her in NICU for 2 weeks, and as I look back at it, I realize just how hard it was. The 4 days I spent in the hospital where really hard. The other times, I had a baby with me in the room. This time, I just sat there in bed watching tv. I had some really hard moments! But now she is almost 6 weeks old, and healthy. What more could I ask for? She is the best baby, and a great sleeper. She first smiled for me on Jan. 27 (she was 5 1/2 weeks old). She has the cutest/funniest smile, all gum and no teeth :O) We love her to bits. Kaleb still does amazing with her and thinks she is his Ky baby! Kylee loves her bottle, sleeping, baths, the sunshine, her swing, and sleeping. She hates hiccups and tummy time. She has been to 2 birthday parties (mom and Ashley's) and to see 2 of her grandpas (she still needs to meet grandpa Mel)....

Craziness~

2012-01-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

It was a rough couple weeks after having Kylee. She had to spend 2 weeks in the NICU. First she had an pneumonia, then was diagnosed, after a spinal tap, with meningitis. She is home now, and healthy. Thankfully. It has been a crazy few weeks getting adjusted to having 3 kids, because now dad and I are outnumbered :O) Thankfully Kylee has been a great baby, and she came home on a schedule (thanks to the nurses). She was up to 8 lbs 10 ounces at her 2 week check up, and she eats like its going out of style. She usually only wakes up 2 times a night, but goes right back to sleep after she eats. Our days are hectic.....Get up, change 2 babies diapers, feed 3 kids, get 3 kids dressed, get Kater to school, come home, feed Kylee, get myself ready, start laundry and dishwasher, get Kaitlyn from school, get mike from work (and that is all by 1 pm)......usually calms down a little after Mike is home.

Kaleb has taken very well to Kylee. He will tell you that she is his baby Ky key. And he helps to hold her bottle, and has even gotten to hold her a few times. Kater is a helpful big sissy, sometimes too helpful LOL. She loves to hold Kylee, and feed her.

Kylee Makelle Brooks

2011-12-23T19:14:00.000-08:00

Baby Kylee was born 12/20/2011 at 8:02 am. She weighed 7.15 pounds and was 21.25 inches. She was my smallest baby, but still a good size. They rushed her to NICU right away, because she was having a very hard time breathing. Every day has gotten worse since then. They did a chest x-ray and it shows signs of pneumonia, and is on 2 different antibiotics. She was on 3 mL of fast flow oxygen, they stopped feeding her and did IV nutrients only, and she had to be treated under a light for jaundice. Today, she was put down to 2.5 mL of oxygen, and her resp rates were a lot lower. They decided to do a spinal tap though, to rule anything else out. It breaks my heart, because I want to be with her constantly, and want to cuddle her. She can't come home with me tomorrow, and will be here at least til next week sometime, if not longer. This is not what I had planned at all, and I know some things don't go to plan, but I wish this wasn't one of them. I am so sad, and it does not feel like Christmas to me at all. But I have to put on my happy face for my other 2 babies, and just keep praying for my Kylee. Please, Please let her be ok. That is all I want!

4 more days.....

2011-12-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

We only have 4 more days until Kylee is here. I can't wait to see what she looks like. In my mind I keep picturing Kaitlyn, but I know that she will be different. The doctor thinks that she will be my biggest. I think maybe she will be, but then again Kaitlyn was 8.12 lbs, and she was on time. Kylee will be 8 days before due date, so we will see. I know she will be at least 8 lbs.

In the back of my mind, I have a small fear of her having craniosynostosis, like bubs did. Mike's first job when he first see's her is to check her head. I wish there was a way we could tell sooner.

Kaitlyn is sooo excited that she gets to spend a few days with her cousins. She loves going over there. I am worried about how Kaleb will be. I think the first day, he will be fine, but then he may start to freak out. He has never been away from us for more than a day. Gotta figure out the schedule for the kiddos, since Mike will have to work next thursday and friday.

I am so glad that my mom is coming home this weekend, there has only been 1 other time that I have not talked to her for this long, and I think even then it was 4 days. I can't wait to talk to my sister too. Miss them all lots.

Update

2011-12-14T08:59:00.001-08:00

I have not written on this blog in forever, we have been sooo busy. Now that things are settling down, I can do it more. Here are some up dates on everyone....
I am currently taking a break from school to have Kylee. I stay busy with Kaitlyn and Kaleb though, and there is never a dull moment. We live in Orem now, since Mike got his own store in June. I love Orem, it has the smaller town feel, but still has everything you need within a few miles.

Mike is now a Manager with Holiday, and loves it. He works really hard and he works a lot, but he is doing awesome. Kaleb and daddy love to play football and xbox when daddy gets home from work. Another nice thing, is that Mike is home in the evenings now, so the kids get to see him more.

Kaitlyn is now in Kindergarten, and she loves it. She gets to do dance, karate, and singing too. She loves her teachers, and I can't believe how much she has learned already. She is soooo excited to have a new sister. She is so helpful (sometimes too helpful LOL).

Kaleb is almost 2 now, and is a pistol. He loves football (playing, watching, anything to do with it), and basketball. He loves to sit next to daddy with his very own controller and "play" xbox. He loves his big sister. He has no idea about his little sister yet, (he just doesn't understand), and it will be a shocker when she comes and never leaves.

We have 6 more days until Kylee gets here, and I have been busting my butt to try and get everything for Christmas and Baby done. I still have so much to do, so I hope that she holds out until the 20th :o) Mike has been so busy with work, but he helps me out as much as he can.

May 1, 2011

2011-05-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

I logged onto my facebook to post some pics of flip flops I made for my other acct, and was totally thrown off by the news I saw.........Osama Bin Laden was dead, and his body was in US custody. The actual first post I saw was from my cousin, Ryan~who is in the airforce, saying Bin Laden confirmed dead..Check Mate! I couldn't believe it. It has been almost 10 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I changed the channel to the news and Kater said....Mom, I wanna watch my show. I said, Kater mommy wants to watch this right now.........She said.....But I don't like that guy, he looks mean (it was a picture of Bin Laden)...Then she heard about how he murdered so many people. How do you explain to a 4 year old (who must know all details, and won't drop it), about this evil person. I showed her pictures of the twin towers, and then she said....Can I see a picture of the soldiers. That made her happy, knowing they watch out for us and protect us. Finally, we can have some peace, but I am scared of retaliation. No US soldiers were killed, but Al Qaeda used a woman as a shield, and she died. What cowards, to hide behind an innocent person.

OBAMA GOT OSAMA (he kept his promise).

More Bows.....

2011-04-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

I am loving the bows I have made.....Here are a few more. Gotta think of a cute name so I can sell them....

Bows Bows Bows....... and turning 27

2011-04-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

I have started to make some bows, and here are a few I have done. More to come, then going sell them on etsy.

I am just about to be 27, sigh. Where does the time go? I cannot believe it. My little girl is going to be 5 in a few months, and my little guy is 14 months old. WOW. Almost have been married for 8 years too. I just cannot believe it. Hope this year is better than last! The best thing about last year, was bubs being born. Can't wait to see what this year brings ;o)

Vintage Pics.....

2011-04-01T20:43:00.001-07:00

We had vintage pics of the kids taken. They turned out so cute. I do wish Kater had her long hair still, and that she had her shoes off in the pic that she is standing up in, but oh well :o) Kaleb looks so much like my grandpa, I can't believe it. He is so serious in all the pics he has had taken. It looks like he is either thinking, What the heck am I doing this for, What the heck am I wearing this dumb hat for, or A tea party, you have got to be kidding......He is too funny :) I hope our family pics that we are going to have done will turn out good and that he will at least smile. We will see.

I am going to give a try to selling bows and tutus and flip flops with bows on them on etsy. I am going to start making them next week..........so excited :o)

Grandpa and Grandma....

2011-03-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

Today I am missing my grandparents a lot. I don't know why its harder today. Grandpa's birthday just passed, and it wasn't a hard day for me like normal. We wore our green, and sent up a balloon. Today when I was showering, I washed my face, and the face wash smelled just like the kind grandma used to use. Made me really sad. I miss them and their house and everything about them so much. I wish they would have gotten a chance to meet Kaleb. Kaleb looks just like grandpa did when he was a little guy. I put grandpa's old bear (it is about 76 years old) in Kaleb's room up on the shelf. The song If Heaven by Andy Griggs came to mind when I was thinking about them. I am glad they are not in pain and together. Love you both and miss you so much!

Madalin Carol Van Epps Murphy~ February 22, 1942-December 17, 2008
James Patrick Murphy~March 17, 1932-October 1, 2007
Married November 21, 1962

13 months old......

2011-03-09T16:16:00.000-08:00

Kaleb will be 13 months old tomorrow. Holy Moly, where has the time gone? He got to sit in the chair all by himself, and he thought he was a big boy :o) He still isn't walking yet, but I think it will be soon, we will see. He also has started to sort his toys (cars in a pile, balls in a pile, etc).

Tomorrow Kater has her first big field trip to the fire station. She is so excited, and I think it is awesome! She has another dance performance coming up in June. We are going to let her do soccer and swim lessons this summer, to keep her active. She can't wait til summer so we can ride bikes, go swimming, and play at the park.

Mike is still working away, hardly at home, and we miss him! I am trying to think up something I can do to make extra money. We can't wait for summer either, to go camping, swimming, etc. We also are planning a trip to disneyland instead of a cruise. I can't wait :o)

Kaleb's new word.......

2011-03-03T23:11:00.000-08:00

Kaleb has learned a new word today.........Baaaaaaaa (it means bath). Right after dinner, I say, "Okay, Kaleb, lets go have a bath". So after he was done eating tonight. He looked right at me and yelled BAAAAAAAAAA. I put him on the floor, and he hauled it right to the tub. He is too funny :) His vocabulary now consists of Da, ba-ba, boo, baaaaaaa,ball, and mommmmm. He sure likes the B words. He also makes car noises, barks, will hold a toy gun and make a shooting noise, scream at the top of his lungs (Kater and him like to have screaming wars).

This morning, Kater comes running in our room, screaming..."Mom, get up, I gotta go to pre-school. I am late and my team needs me." She was so upset. I looked at the clock, and it was only 8 am, so I was like, Kater calm down, you are not late. She was so worried. She missed school the last 2 days, because of her croup. I am so happy that she loves school. And its funny to me that she thinks of her friends as her team.

It seems that aunt Aimee, has gotten Kater to eat potatoes. I have tried for years and years to try and get her to eat potatoes with no luck. She asked me tonight...."Mom, can you make some potato salad?" I said," I don't have the stuff to make it". She says "Well, do you have potatoes?" "Yes."........."Well, Do you have cheese?" "Yes."......."And I know we have salt and pepper, so yes you do have everything to make potato salad. I tried it at Aimee's and I liked it." I think she may have been talking about funeral potatoes, but not sure. Anyways, I gotta see what Aimee gave her and get the recipe.

Khloie

2011-03-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

Usually Khloie prefers to sleep in her kennel at night, that is how she was trained by the people who had her first. But last night, she didn't want to. I think she thought, If I am really cute and pose, they will let me sleep in the bed. Of course it worked :o)

Khloie is a great dog. She loves both the kids, and is doing a lot better with Mike. When he fell down the stairs today (cuz they were icy), she laid by him. She is the sweetest girl. Everyone thinks she looks like a fox, so I call her our little foxy mama :o) Her favorite toy, is her little pink seal. She chewed the eyes off, but she takes it everywhere.

Random...........

2011-02-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

I had fun at the painting class on saturday. Good few hours to just get away :o). I finished my LUCKY blocks. I love them, they are so cute......Kater also painted her little tile, which turned out really way cute. I got all of my shamrock stuff up. I can't believe it is already almost March.

I started 2 new classes, Medical Terminology and a computer class. So far I like them. I got an "A" in my psychology class. I hope to get on the dean's list after my 3rd mod. Kater is feeling sooo much better, and I am so glad. Bub's has a little cold, but it hasn't turned to croup, so I am thankful for that. Belle ran away for 1 day, but then we found her under our neighbor's tool box on their patio. She thought she needed to spread her wings, but decided it wasn't the best idea. Khloie and Mike are working on some tricks. She does really well with him....I hope she just can get over the fear with other people. Poor girl.
We are planning a cruise for Jan's big 60th birthday. Should be so fun :o)

Painting and such................

2011-02-26T10:10:00.000-08:00

Painting..................... I am so excited to go to the paint class at Heartfelt Boutique. Once a month, my mom, sister, and I want to try and go for the free class. Last night I finished a bunch of the projects that I bought a while ago. Pretty proud of them :o)

Kater is feeling a lot better from having croup and an ear infection, but now she has a sty in her eye. So her eye is swollen. Poor girl. Kaleb had his 1 year check up and was not happy about getting 4 shots and a finger poke. Our Belle ran away last night, because Mike accidentally left the door open. Kater is so sad, we are posting signs, and Mike takes her on a walk around our condo's to look for her. I soooo hope she comes home soon!

It's been awhile......

2011-02-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I posted, but I think it would be good for me if I started to again.......

So, about us know~I am in school to get my bachelor degree, I love it. I stay at home with my babies and love that more. Mike works a lot these days. He is now a 1st assistant for Holiday Oil, and working on getting his own store.

Kaitlyn is now 4 1/2 and loves preschool, dance and tumbling. Recently, she did what all little girls do at least once, cut her hair. Boy did she cut it. She has also lost 2 teeth already.

Kaleb just turned 1, and has been out of his helmet for 2 1/1 months. The cranio-surgeon is pleased with the results so far. He isn't walking yet, but is close. I can't believe how fast this year has gone.

Our Pets~ Belle (the cat) and Khloie (the dog)

It has been a while.......

2010-12-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I have posted anything, so I figured I should catch back up :) The kids are getting so big, Kaitlyn is 4, in pre-school and dance, and LOVES it. Kaleb will be 10 months old in 4 days and is the best little guy. He is so sweet and so happy and smiley. Mike has been working A LOT with Holiday Oil, and is now in manager training and loving it. I stay at home with the munchkins, but am busy busy with appts, preschool, Kater's dance, etc. I am updating a few things, so be sure to check everything out.

RSV

2010-02-20T06:30:00.000-08:00

Kaleb was brought into Primary Children's on 2/19 by ambulance from his pediatrician's office. He has been sick since 2/17 but his oxygen levels started to drop. When we got here, they suctioned his nose and tested him for RSV, which came back positive. We are sharing a room with another baby who is 20 days old that has RSV as well. I feel so bad for these two little guys. They are so sick. Kaleb had a rough night, his oxygen levels dropped (and that is even with him on an O2 tube) and he got a fever of 100.8 (which is really high for babies). The decided to do a urine and blood sample, so they had to put in a catheter and poke him again for the blood. When they were giving him the IV, they tried both feet, both hands, and even his head. Finally, they called the IV team who got it in his foot. We were informed that he will be here another day at least. The little guy in the same room as us, is doing a lot better, so they are going to try him without oxygen. They may get to go home.....

Craniosynostosis.......

2010-02-17T13:25:00.000-08:00

We got home from the doctor's and he diagnosed Kaleb with something called Craniosynostosis. They will do a CT and x-rays to determine if he needs surgery. His pediatrician is scheduling an appointment with a craniofacial surgeon.

Here is some information on it.....

Craniosynostosis is a problem with the skull that causes a baby's head to be oddly shaped. A baby's skull is not just one bowl-shaped piece of bone. It is made up of five thin, bony plates that are held together by fibrous material called sutures. The sutures let the baby's skull expand as the brain grows. Over time, the sutures harden and close the skull bones together.
When a baby has craniosynostosis, one or more of the sutures close too soon. The head does not form a normal shape.
Craniosynostosis occurs in about 1 in 2000 births. Most likely, Kaleb's is caused because he was breech.
In rare cases, the disease causes pressure build up on the baby's brain and cause brain damage. Surgery to form new sutures is usually performed in the first year of life which prevents pressure, and corrects baby's head shape.

Kaleb Jackson........

2010-02-13T21:42:00.000-08:00

Our sweet little guy is finally here, and we couldn't be happier! He was born on February 10, 2010 (2 days before scheduled c-section). Wednesday, the 10th, started out great. I woke up after getting a good nights sleep, and felt really good. I went to my doctors appointment at 1:30 pm. I had only maybe a couple contractions all day. My mom and I grabbed something to eat around 3 pm, and in the middle of eating, I got a killer pain in my upper left side. It would go away for a minute but came back. My mom decided she was going to take me to the hospital around 4:15. I was supposed to pick Mike up from work at 5 pm, but he was in the middle of a sale, so he said to find out what was going on first. I got to the hospital, and had to hobble across the parking lot, because mom parked in the very last row, in the very last spot (hehe). My contractions ended up being 2-5 minutes apart, so they said I would be staying for a c-section, which would be a little after 6 pm. I started freaking out, because it was 5:40 pm and no one could get a hold of Mike. Mom called his work, they were paging and looking for him, I was texting and calling him non-stop. He finally called me at 5:50, but didn't have a way. Luckily, Jan had just gotten into town from work, so we sent him to get Mike. Jan got lost, finally got Mike and they got stuck in traffic. He finally got there, and had to get into his c-section gear (white zip up scrubs and hair mask).

We walked back into the operating room, and I got so nervous for the spinal block. While they were giving me the spinal block, I nearly chocked Mike, and after it was over I started laughing because it was not nearly as bad as I thought. I told mike to let me know when they start cutting. He looked at me and was like they are already half way through. He watched the ENTIRE thing, and the whole time (45 minutes), Mike and the Anesthesiologist were talking sports. When they finally pulled Kaleb out, he was frank breech (feet first) and the cord was wrapped around his neck 3 times. He didn't cry at first, and for a few seconds I couldn't breathe. He finally started screaming, and I was so happy. Kaleb was born at 7:14 pm on February 10th and weighed 8 lbs 5 ounces (Mike had closest guess) and was 21 1/2 inches ( I had closest guess). I truly believe that if I didn't go into the doctor that day because of the pain in my side, Kaleb may have been strangled. The doctor said he was really glad we did it that day.

After they stitched me up, I got to hold Kaleb while we were taken to the recovery room. I was so happy that I got to hold him right away, because my c-section with Kater I didn't get to hold her until about 3 hours after. After an hour in the recovery room, we went to our room and Kater got to come in and see her brother. She was soooooo excited. She says "Oh I lubs my brudder sooo much mom and dad Tank you." She is the sweetest little girl. She got to watch him get a bath, then got to go stay the next 2 nights

with Gram.

Kaleb has had a few things that have needed special attention. First, since I had diabetes, his blood sugars were really low, but they supplemented formula, and the levels came up on there own. Then, his head is shaped funny, and they think it is because the sutures on his skull that go front to back have already fused together, and they are creating a ridge. He will need an x-ray, and if that is the case, a neurosurgeon will have to separate it, so his brain will grow normal. He also was tongue tied, which is where the little piece of skin that is under your tongue is too far forward. He wasn't able to nurse because of that, but they clipped it (sounds horrible, but isn't) and now we are hoping he will be able to nurse, as for now I am pumping and supplementing formula.

We are now at home and doing great. He is the best baby. We are truly blessed, and Mike is the best dad ever.

Dancing Queen......

2010-01-23T22:56:00.000-08:00

Kater started dance classes this last week, and she loved them. She did so well, I was surprised. She listened to her teachers and looked sooooo cute. Her dance classes are every tuesday, and she will have a spring concert in June. I can't wait to see how she will progress over the next few months.

Our Katerbug............

2010-01-20T16:53:00.000-08:00

Aimee did Kater's 3 year old pics and they turned out cute. Kater actually posed and smiled, which she never does. I can't believe how big she is getting. The three year old stage has been the hardest, because she is trying to understand everything, but its also been the cutest, cuz she is soooo sweet (most of the time). The smallest things make her happy, and she will tell you out of the blue that she lub's (love's) you soooo much. It makes our day. I am amazed that she can count to 8 in spanish, and 3 in chinese by herself. She is soooo excited to be a big sister, and to meet her little brother Kaleb. I think she will be overly helpful with him lol. She is starting dance class, and is soooo excited. She asked me if she was going to have a teacher like Ruby (off Max and Ruby, a Nickelodeon show). Can't wait to see what the rest of her 3 year old year brings.

Contractions........

2010-01-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

The last few days, I have been having contractions, but didn't know what they were until I went to do my bi-weekly NST, and they showed up on the monitor. The nurse said she didn't like how many I had in the 20 minutes I was there. The doctor checked and said I was not dilated yet, but put me on bed rest and increased my fluid intake. They have slowed down, but am still having a few. It is weird, I don't know what to expect, because I had no contractions with Kaitlyn. My water broke with her, I went to the hospital, they induced me, then the contractions started. The doc said he did not want to deliver me now, still too early. If I keep having them, he said I would need a shot to try and stop them. I have been sitting on my butt all day long, and am bored as heck. Luckily, Mike has been great. He made dinner, cleaned up, and got Kater ready for bed. We will see what happens in the next few days.

Go Broncs ( Our Kitty)........

2010-01-16T22:17:00.000-08:00

We got Bronco about a week before Christmas, when he was 6 weeks old. Kater loves him to death, and hauls him everywhere, even in her doll stroller. He sits back and enjoys the ride though. She gets very jealous if anyone else touches him, just ask Aunt Nee-Nee and Aunt Rodin. He loves his cube house, his toy seal, and jumping out at our feet as we walk by. He is a cute cat. Kater did change his name to Go Broncos, after her uncle Brian :)

New Years Eve.......

2010-01-14T15:11:00.000-08:00

This is a little late lol, but here are some pics of our New Year's Eve night. We just stayed at home and watched the ball drop. Kater loved the fireworks and concert (especially the Black Eyed Peas). She came out of her room with a swim diaper on her head and said it was her New Years Hat. It was pretty funny. She then made me put one on. When she saw the people on the TV kissing when it was midnight, she came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. She is so sweet. Overall, we had a fun night, then slept in the next day :)

Baby Shower..............

2010-01-09T15:35:00.000-08:00

Today was one of my baby showers, no one came, but it was still fun. Hopefully those who couldn't make it will come to the "birth" day shower. I believe it is march 6th. Kater was so sweet to everyone, kept saying I love you and I miss you. She is so much fun. She helped with decorations, opened presents, and made a huge mess with tissue paper. Can't wait til Kaleb comes and everyone comes to his next party. Thanks Mom, Annie, and Robin.

You guys are the best.

Doctors and Crib.....

2010-01-08T16:46:00.000-08:00

Well, I went to the doctor today, and also did my NST (non-stress test). I don't mind doing them though, because I get to see Kaleb and here his heart beat. Today we got a good shot of his head, and his hair was floating in the amniotic fluid and sticking straight out. It looked like he had been electrocuted :) I can't wait to see what color his hair is. Last week, he had been head down, but now he is back to laying sideways. It looks like he is sitting in a lounge chair. The Nurse said he is probably very comfortable. At least someone is :) His head isn't jamming into my pelvis anymore, so that feels a lot better.

We also got Kaleb's crib and I got it all set up. Robin and Annie brought me a bunch of stuff from their friend. Thanks guys :)

5 more weeks

2010-01-07T13:11:00.001-08:00

Only 5 more weeks til we get to meet Kaleb. We are so excited, and Kaitlyn cannot wait to be a big sister. This pregnancy has been tougher than with Kaitlyn. I am anemic, and also have gestational diabetes and have to monitor my glucose 5 times a day, plus diet and take glucofage ( a horrible medicine). I am going to have another c-section, which is scheduled for February 12 at noon. It is going to be hard, because Kater isn't allowed at the hospital, because of the H1N1 virus, so I won't see her for about 5 days. That makes me sad. But it will be worth it when get to bring Kaleb home. I hope it comes quick. We have alot going on this month, so I am sure it will. Aimee took some maternity pics, and I love them.