BE MINE, VALENTINE

"TIS HEALTHY TO BE SICK SOMETIMES"

Dear Kurt,

You got me sick.

It's just a cold but it's the 5th one I've had since Brooklyn was born.

Henry David Thoreau said "Tis healthy to be sick sometimes." It can't be healthy to be sick this many times in six months.

My immune system is probably shot. I need to google "how to boost my immune system." Any ideas?

I wish you were home today to take care of me, a.k.a watch Brooklyn while I take an extremely long and hot bath. That sounds so nice right now.

The good news is that I don't think it will last long. I feel like it is already draining from me. Let's hope tomorrow I will be all better so we can enjoy your day off.

Sincerely, Lori

OUR LITTLE GIRL

Dear Kurt

I love this little girl of ours.

This picture is how I will always think of her when I think of her first six months of life.

All cheeks and eyes. Mostly bald. One goopy eye. Calm and sweet.

We are lucky.

Sincerely, Lori

BAD MOMMY

3 WEEKS OLD

FIVE WEEKS OLD - PHOTO BY DANIELLE

TWO MONTHS OLD

SIX MONTHS OLD

Dear Brooklyn,

Today I am a bad mommy.

First - You woke up at 4:30. Usually I would feed you, you would quickly fall back to sleep and then I would put back in your crib. This time was different. After I fed you I looked down and there were two huge eyes staring back up at me. With four hours of sleep and only six the night before I decided (even though I swore I wouldn't try this again) that now was the time to let you "cry-it-out". I thought it would take 20 minutes at most. Two hours of almost pure crying and about 15 trips to your room to give you your binky later, I picked you up and rocked you to sleep within five minutes.

Second - I always put you in your bobby while I get ready for the day. Today I got all ready then I ran downstairs to get your clothes out of the dryer. As I was coming through my bedroom to go into the bathroom where you were, I heard a loud bang and then you screaming. I ran into the bathroom and found you facedown on the tile. You had somehow wiggled yourself out of the seat and fell face firs into the ground.

I felt like the worst mom in the whole world.

I'm sorry. Tomorrow I will be better.

I love you.

Sincerely, Lori

CRUSHIN' ON CASHE

Dear Brooklyn,

Your friend Cashe came over yesterday.

I think you have a baby-crush on him.

He is so adorable.

I approve.

Sincerely, Lori

PARTY HARDY

Dear Kurt,

It's Friday night.

Let's go party.

Sincerely, Lori

NEVER NEVER LAND

Dear Brooklyn,

Today you are six months old.

I am not an overly emotional person most of the time but today I felt like crying. My baby is growing way too quickly.

You are half way to one year!! At which point you will be halfway to two and then you will be halfway to four and then halfway to getting baptized and then halfway to being a boy crazy teenager and then you will be halfway to having a family of your own!!

That is it. I am taking you away to Never Never Land so that you can stay like this forever. You can be your six month old self forever and I will be your 23 year old mommy forever.

This way I will always be able to rock you to sleep. Forever.

I will be able to cuddle you whenever I want and you won't squirm away from me. Forever.

You will be content just sitting on my lap. Forever.

I will always be your favorite and you will cry whenever I leave the room even if there are five other people around. Forever.

You will lay on the ground and grab your feet and talk to them. Forever.

I will be able to keep you safe from the world. Forever.

I can't wait till I will be 23 forever and you will be 6 months old forever.

So off to Never Never Land. How do we get there? I'm not sure.

I will google it as soon as I am done writing you this letter.

I love you.

Forever.

Sincerely, Lori

GET OUTTA MY FACE MOMMA

GROUNDHOG DAY

Dear Punxsutawney Phil,

I am not mad at you for seeing your shadow because even if you didn't then Idaho would still have four more months of winter.

Sincerely, Lori

ALL FISH AND NO SLEEP

Dear Brooklyn,

You were rubbing your eyes and crying and sucking on your binky and taking really long blinks so I wrapped you up, rocked you to sleep and put you in your swing in the office.

I shut the door cause the neighbor kids were here and I didn't want you to wake up.

A couple times I thought I heard you but when I listened it was silent.

An hour later I put my ear to the door. You were talking. I opened the door and your back was arched so that you could look straight up at the fishies on top of the swing. Whatever you were telling them must have been funny cause you started laughing.

It was the cutest thing I ever did saw.

You are precious. At least you will be until you start screaming at me cause the fishies kept you awake and you are tired.

Maybe this will be you on the way to the library.

Sincerely, Lori