A Very Hungry Caterpillar 1st Birthday

Part 1:

I started planning Brooklyn's first birthday many months ago! I decided on The Very Hungry Caterpillar theme! I love that book, and Brooklyn does too! I know Brooklyn will always want some sort of pink, princess, girly themed birthday in all the years to come, so I went with a gender neutral party theme! Having the party theme come from a book made planning super easy and fun!

With Brooklyn's birthday being so close to Thanksgiving it was hard trying to figure out when to have the party.  We went with November 17, which is 9 days before her actual birthday but it worked best! Another struggle was trying to decide what time to have the party.  I know a lot of kids take naps in the afternoon, so I didn't want to do a late afternoon party.  But, Brooklyn also still takes a morning nap so I was torn on what time to have the party.  We ended up having the party from 10am-12pm.  I wasn't serving enough food to consider it lunch so that is why we had it right before lunch.  I ended up waking Brooklyn up at 5:30am the day of her party so she would go down for a nap around 8am.  It worked out great!!

We rented a room at the Liberty Community Center, which was so nice to not have to worry about hosting a party at my house!  We had food from the book and caterpillar and butterfly crafts for the kids! It was a great party!

This is the invitation I ordered from Etsy.  I love it!

 Here are the craft tables that were set up! I saved egg cartons for months and had family members do the same.  I spray painted them green for body and one red for the head.  Kids could add eyes, pipe cleaners and pom poms! I also had clothespin butterflies. Color a coffee filter and stick it in a clothespin.  Add a pipe cleaner for antennae! Also, I found a Very Hungry Caterpillar printable and just made a lot of copies and set them out for kids to color!

 Kids working hard on their crafts!!

 Decorations!! My mom found the high chair at a Consignment sale and she spray painted it green for me!! It turned out exactly how I imagined it! Perfect! 

 I paid a pretty penny for Brooklyn's outfit but I love it! I found it on Etsy!

 Here is a picture of the room before we started decorating and after! We just added all colors of table cloths, all colors of balloons and sprinkled some colorful dots on the center of the tables and it was perfect! Not too much decoration but enough to make it fun and festive!

The caterpillar cupcake cake!! Turned out amazing! The red caterpillar head was Brooklyn's smash cake and the body was cupcakes for the party guests!

 

 The first picture is the only picture taken of the Watch Me Grow Caterpillar.  It had all of Brooklyn's monthly chair pictures-it turned out so cute! I love it! My mom also made a picture board of favorite pictures of Brooklyn from her first year! It turned out great! I also had a Very Hungry Caterpillar book for everyone to write a birthday wish for Brooklyn in. 

Food Table! We had everything the caterpillar ate in the book! Apples, oranges, plums (we used grapes), strawberries, watermelon, cupcakes, cherry pie, chocolate cake, salami, sausage, pickles, ice cream cone (we just had ice cream cone stickers-less mess!) and lollipops!

My balloon wreath that I worked very hard on! I thought it would be fun to make one, but it was time consuming and a bit expensive-didn't realize how many balloons I would actually use!

 

Part 2 coming soon....

Build-A-Bear

We started a tradition for Brooklyn's birthday! We decided every year we are going to take her to Build-A-Bear and then out to lunch! So, we started that the weekend before her first birthday!

She loved Build-A-Bear! Ben picked up several different bears for her to choose from, she chose a soft, white bear!


It was a little overwhelming for Ben and me! We were the ones making the decisions and what outfit to buy and what to name the bear! Maybe next year Brooklyn will have more of an opinion and will be able to tell us what she wants! Ha!

Her new white bear-with no fluff yet!

stepping on the pedal to add fluff to the bear! She was confused!

giving her bear a hug after filling it!

bathing the bear!

on the search for an outfit for the new bear

daddy filling out the bears birth certificate

So, we named the bear Baxter and bought a pink outfit for the bear.  Oops! So, some days we call the bear a he and other days the bear is a she.  Right now, Baxter is currently undressed.  For some reason Brooklyn likes the bear without clothes! Silly girl!

After Build-A-Bear we headed to lunch at 54th street.  Brooklyn is really good at restaurants! She loves looking around and people watching.  As long as she has food to eat and people to look at she is content!

It was a great birthday celebration for Brooklyn with just mommy and daddy! We can't wait to do this every year!!

Thanksgiving 2012

The first year Ben and I were together we went to Alabama for Thanksgiving to see my mom's side of the family.  We had a lot of fun and wish we could go every year, but flying and/or driving is just not budget friendly.  So, for the past several years we have joined my dad on Thanksgiving. 

On Thanksgiving my dad joins The Lile Family's Thanksgiving.  My dad and Don Lile were best friends in high school.  The Lile's live in Plattsburg! It is a great time! We call it Lile Land!

Don always fry's 2 turkeys and everyone else brings a side dish, or two! We sit around and eat, drink and play cards! Perfect day!

Last year at Lile Land Thanksgiving I was one day past my due date and going to be induced the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  I was so excited to take Brooklyn to Lile Land! She had a great time! The only bad part of the day was trying to get her to nap.  She would not nap in my lap so I put her in the car and drove around the farm for 2 seconds and she was out.  I parked the car by the front door of the Lile's house and let her sleep!

Lile Land Thanksgiving picture recap!!

We went outside for the annual kids scavenger hunt! It was such great weather! Brooklyn loved being outside and loved the cows and the dogs!

Family picture! 

 I put Brooklyn in her Christmas pajamas on Thanksgiving night! She was sound asleep once we got in the car to head home! Sweet baby!

It was a great Thanksgiving, and as always, we can't wait to go back! We love Lile Land!!!

Pumpkin Patch 2012

It is catch up week for the Brunker blog.  I am really hoping to get all caught up this week and going to try to stay caught up in 2013. 

On a chilly fall day we took Brooklyn to the Pumpkin Patch.  Ben's mom joined us! We went to Carolyn's Country Cousins just outside of Liberty.  Brooklyn and I actually went one day together with MOMS club in the afternoon when they have free admission, but it was fun to go as a family!

Attempted to get a picture of our family in the cut out's but Brooklyn did not want to cooperate! Ha!

 Brooklyn loved the animals and petting zoo!

 We took a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch.  Brooklyn did not like waiting for it to start moving, but once the tractor started moving she was content and loved looking around!

 My pumpkin with her big pumpkin! We found several pumpkins in the field that we wanted, but we decided not to haul them back on the hay ride with us.  We ended up just buying some on our way out!

 Family photo in the pumpkin patch!

 Happy girl! We enjoyed some snacks at the pumpkin patch as well.  Ben and I had a piece of pecan pie and Lisa had pumpkin donuts, which Brooklyn loved!

 Trying to find the perfect pumpkins to take home! The pumpkin patch was a successful trip! We can't wait to go back next year! I am sure Brooklyn will be able to do a lot more things!!

I am excited to get to take a picture in this same spot every year and watch to see how much Brooklyn grows each fall! Such fun memories!

Brooklyn-12 Months

Brooklyn-12 Months (10/26-11/26)

Official Stats from 12 month well child exam:

Weight:23.5 pounds (85 percentile)

Height: 30.25 inches (88 percentile)

Head Circumference:  18.5 inches (94 percentile)

Clothes: 12-18 month (starting to get small) 18-24 month

Pajamas: 12-18 month

Shoe size: some 3's and starting wearing size 4 too!

Diaper size: 4 Pampers Cruisers 

(These monthly pictures were taken a few days before her actual birthday.  I had to take a monthly picture for her birthday party-which I will do a post on someday!)

So, what has Brooklyn been up to this month....

• She went to the Pumpkin Patch with mommy, daddy and Grams (which I will do a post on during this catch-up time)
• She knows where her hair is when asked.  We are learning other body parts too!
• Brooklyn loves putting toys in cups, baskets and bags and shaking them then pulling them out! She gets very excited when doing this!

• Brooklyn went to vote with mommy and daddy! She thought it was fun! (sorry the picture is blurry, it is from my phone and they were walking!)

• Brooklyn stood up and clapped for the first time without holding onto anything! It was a night Ben was at a work dinner and he missed it.  But, luckily I had my phone on me and recorded it for him!
• She loves pushing her walker!

• She says "nana" for a banana!! When we are in the grocery store and she sees bananas, she says "nana nana nana" loudly! She also says "nana" for her big book that has a banana in it. And, she also says "nana" for my mom, who is Nana! So, nana has a lot of uses and meanings!
• We started whole milk, mixing it with formula.  4 oz of each.  It didn't phase her! About a week before her first birthday we ran out of formula and I decided I was not going to buy anymore so we just switched to all whole milk.  All went well.  She gets 3-8oz bottles a day of whole milk, warmed up for 1 minute in the microwave.  I don't know what is going to be more difficult, getting rid of the bottle or transitioning to cold milk.  She loves her milk warm/hot!
• She loves taking pictures with mommy's phone!

• Loves bath time! But, she loves bath time even more when I let the water out and just let her play! I don't know how she doesn't get too cold!

• Brooklyn had her first fever. It was 102.6 when we took it.  Poor baby! She had been acting funny all day and would not let me put her down.  Around 6pm she fell asleep on me on the couch, this hasn't happened since she was a tiny baby! I took her to the doctor two days later and they think she just had a 24 hour fever virus.  I think she was teething, but doctor said that high of a fever is something else besides teething! That night she slept in bed with Ben and I from 3am-7am.  She was not fun to sleep with! Moves all night long!

• She puts hands up and squeals/screams when she hides something like she is saying "where did it go!?!" too funny and cute!
• She also signs all done! FINALLY!
• Brooklyn celebrated her first Thanksgiving at Lile Land.  (future post!)
• We took Brooklyn to Build-A-Bear for her birthday, a tradition we are going to do every year on her birthday.  She made a white bear we call Baxter!
• She loves stuffed animals or anything soft! 
• Addicted to her lovie-we can't go anywhere without it!
• This 12 month picture was taken on her official birthday AFTER a pink icing cupcake. Her hands are pink and her face is pink, and she was NOT cooperating!
• I can't believe my baby is 1!!!! What a great year it has been!

 

I am making a list of posts I want to write to get caught up.  I am hoping that since I am putting it out here it will hold me accountable and I will actually get them done! Wishing myself good luck! Look for these posts in the near future! Notice I am not giving a date or deadline for them to be done! Ha!

• Pumpkin Patch
• Thanksgiving
• Build-A-Bear
• Brooklyn's 1st Birthday Party (Hungry Caterpillar)
• Brooklyn's 1st Birthday Party (celebrated at home)
• Santa Visit
• House Projects 

Stay tuned...

Brooklyn 11 Months

Brooklyn 11 Months 9/26-10/26

Well, my baby girl is now over a year old and I am just finding time to sit down and write her update.  Good thing I write everything down throughout the month so I don't have to recall everything from memory, because let's face it, that wouldn't be possible! So, what did little miss Brooklyn do in her 11th month of life...? A lot!

 Weight: 23 pounds

Clothes:12-18 month and some 18-24 month

Shoe size: 3

Diaper size: 4 (Pampers Cruisers)

Well, my baby girl is now over a year old and I am just finding time to sit down and write her update.  Good thing I write everything down throughout the month so I don't have to recall everything from memory, because let's face it, that wouldn't be possible! So, what did little miss Brooklyn do in her 11th month of life...? A lot!

• Brooklyn participated in her first Breast Cancer walk.  In memory of my mom's twin sister Karen, and my paternal grandmother! It was cold but she did so good in her stroller!
• She loves playing! She will now put her play telephone up to her hear!

• She has started handing stuff to us when we ask for something!
• Brooklyn loves going for walks in her stroller and loves swinging at the park!
• When she has something she likes (a toy, the remote, her lovie, etc.) she will randomly lay down on the floor with it! Too cute!

• She is very chatty and talks/jibbers all the time! I wish I knew what she was saying! 
• With a lot of talking, she also whines a lot still.  She is a little impatient like her momma, and if she can't figure something out quickly or doesn't get something she wants she will whine! And, it's a loud whine.
• Pulls up and walks along everything.  Has not let go yet, but getting close!

 

• All top 4 of Brooklyn's teeth are coming in at once.  She has had some restless nights, but it really hasn't been too bad! 
• We went up to Level 3 at Gymboree! It is a big class (12-15 kids) and she gets a little overwhelmed at times.  Out of the 12-15 kids there are only a few who aren't walking, including Brooklyn, so hopefully this will help her to get those things moving!
• Speaking of walking, she will walk while holding on to our hands above her head now! We are making progress!
• She loves to walk fast/run around the ottoman (while holding on of course).  We chase her around and she thinks it's too funny!
• She received an early birthday present from The Orths and she squealed with delight when opening it! Too cute and funny!

• She dances with her lion toy and it is the funniest thing! She knows how to turn it on to get the music going and she will stand there holding on and dance!
• She still LOVES books! 
• When you ask her where her tummy is she will pat on her tummy! Smart little girl!
• She started going up the stairs! I stand behind her! She is slow and sometimes it is scary! She doesn't quite understand that the steps aren't very wide and she can't stop and turn around to sit.
• Has figured out how to climb up on the dishwasher! She loves to 'help' me unload the dishwasher!

• She loves to throw her pacis out of her crib when she wakes up.  Sometimes if she doesn't fall asleep quickly she will throw all pacis and her lovie out of crib and then scream so I have to go up there and give her pacis and lovie back! Silly!
• She loves bubbles!
• She is starting to become a picky eater, hopefully this is just a phase! I try to introduce her to a lot of new things and always let her try what I am eating.  She loves, peaches, grapes, bananas, blueberries, yogurt, peas, carrots (only cooked in roast), ravioli, spaghetti, cheese.  Those are the basics she eats!
• Favorite thing in the kitchen is the tupperware drawer!

Brooklyn has grown and changed so much in this past month! I can't believe she is almost 1.  It is so amazing to watch her learn and grow each and every day! I feel very blessed to be able to spend all of my days with her!! We have so much fun together and I know the fun is just beginning!