12 Months of Brynn

It's hard to believe that an entire year has passed (and that I never published this post until 6 months later...oops) since you came into our lives. You have everyone wrapped around your little finger and bring so much joy. You became a Floridian a few days shy of your first birthday and you've been loving it so far. You are still crazy about Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, puffs, and drinking out of big girl cups with straws. You want to eat whatever we're eating and love to give hugs.

You had so much fun at the pool the day before your birthday we decided to scrap the original character breakfast we had planned and rented a cabana at the pool...but then it stormed all day. We made the best of it and ended up having just enough sunshine for you to smash your cake!

After a day at the pool we all went to Disney Springs for dinner and you rode the carousel and train a few times. Overall it was a great day filled with all the things and people you love most.

We have loved watching you grow this year and can't wait to see how much you grow in the next year. 

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Eleven Months of Brynn

This month we felt like you went from baby to big girl and here's why...

You now can identify and call us by "Mama" and "Dada".

You now understand how to be gentle while petting your dogs.

Vanilla and blueberry puffs are your favorite snack.

You can play a mean game of "Where's Brynn?" also known as peek-a-boo and...

YOU STARTED WALKING ON YOUR OWN!

With that being said things are definitely more eventful around the house especially for your Mim who watches you. While your walking steadily is still a work in progress you are a super fast crawler and can make it to your favorite toy, the dog's water bowl, before any of us can jump up and grab you.

This month also brings a very big change for our family because we are moving from Atlanta, GA to Orlando, FL. I, Momma, make the move down first and at the end of July right before your first birthday you and Mim will move down. At the time being Daddy is staying in GA for the fall semester and he will be very missed but hopefully he will be able to make visits often and we will all be together before we know it.

We honestly can't believe that almost a year has gone by since you came into our lives. We love seeing you grow and are so proud to be your parents. We love you Mouse!

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Ten Months of Brynn

So many fun things this month so let's jump right in!

You are using anything and everything as a "walker" and on the move! You are so quick and brave. When you fall down you get right back up and keep going...which all of us could learn from. We finally ditched our big coffee table and traded it in for a tuffed storage ottoman for your safety and our sanity.

You and I went to Missouri to see your Aunt Riss graduate from college and had a great time. A few days later you and Daddy went up to Cleveland to visit Grandma Lo, Poppa B, and Uncle Jay for a few days. You were a huge fan of their new golf cart and Poppa B took you out on it quite a few times. When you were in Ohio you said "Dada" and "Papa" for the first time and melted the hearts of Brian Sr. and Jr.

You have learned to clap and I have to say i think it's the cutest thing you do. All of Mim's hard {patty cake} work paid off and we love to see you clap. the only thing that may be cuter is you shaking your head when we say, "no no no." You're squatting and standing back up which the doctor said is very good and advanced for your age. You can stand by yourself for a long time and I just know that someday soon you're going to take off running. You are so over baby food and want the real thing and we are doing our best to ease you into real food as safely as possible.

We traveled down to Orlando for the long Memorial Day weekend to see our friends and to have an early birthday celebration with your bestie, Stella. We took you girls to Epcot and you met your first character which was Daisy Duck! The weekend could not have gone better and we had so much fun!

No time to slow down...we're on to the next month! We love you so much Mouse!

This month's favorites: zebra walker // stacking rings // old navy bubble rompers

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Eight Months of Brynn

I know I say it every time but I can't believe how fast time is flying! This month feels like the most you've grown and here's why...

You've gone from kind of crawling to full blown crawling like a champ
You are far too active for your swing and it has officially been retired
You are pulling yourself up to stand every chance you get
You love jumping in your JOEY JUMPER and now ever know what the word jump means
Your teeth are finally popping through your little gums
You love eating baby food and can hold your spoon (and bottle) all by yourself
You recognize the "Hot Dog Song" from MMCH and start dancing when it comes on

and my favorite...

You are so close to saying your first word which sounds a whole lot like "Momma"

Even though you have some amazing toys you prefer playing with the baby wipe box, tv remote, and "petting" your dogs. We got you your own BABY PHONE but you would rather play with the real phones. You celebrated your first St. Patrick's Day and I think you're going to be the life of the party because we tried to put you down for bed at your normal bedtime and you wanted to stay up and play.

Your "8" is made from bows made by momma. This month we opened our shop TheBraveBow Company and if it wasn't for you there would be no shop! You are becoming such a big girl and I can't believe we're already starting to make celebration plans for your first birthday! I can't wait to see what new things you learn to do next month. We love you so much Mouse!

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Seven Months of Brynn

How in the world are you seven months old already?! I feel like we just came home from the hospital yesterday and now I have to start thinking about planning your first birthday party.

 This month you haven't stopped moving. You're rolling, crawling, and taking steps when you hold our hands. You have a new trick that shows how smart you are but is super scary for me. You, with the encouragement from your daddy, have learned how to roll and slide off of the couch to stand on the floor. It's hilarious and terrifying all at the same time.

 Your new favorite toy is THIS JUMPER. I think we all have as much fun watching you as you do jumping in it. It's made you want to jump all the time. Sometimes we pull it up and swing you in it which you LOVE! I think you like to feel the wind in your hair.

 As far as foods go...your parents finally busted out the BABY BULLET and made you some fresh, homemade foods. Your favorite by far are sweet potatoes and you're a fan of pears, banana, and prunes.

This month brought a visit from your Aunt Kac and your first Valentine's Day. Thank you for being so funny and sweet. We love you so much Mouse!

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Walt Disney World...with a Baby

The title of this post is enough to scare any sane person but I'm here to tell you that YOU CAN GO TO DISNEY WITH A BABY and have a damn good time! My family is WDW spoiled. They have never had to plan an itinerary, book a dining reservation, look at a park map, or question where the closest ice cream cart is and it's 100% my fault and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Working at The Most Magical Place on Earth (not the Happiest...that's DisneyLAND people!) for five years made me a professional Disney tourist. I mean how cool is it that I get to tell Brynn that her bae, Mickey Mouse, was my boss?! So let me share with you some of my tips for conquering Walt Disney World with a baby.

The pace of the park is going to be much different for you now

The sooner you come to grips with the fact that you're not going to be sprinting from attraction to attraction the better. Getting through the crowds in the parks is hard enough so when you add a stroller it becomes a bit more challenging. Enjoy the things that other wise you might blaze past like street performances, parades, and the general beauty that the parks offer. My brother-in-law, Jay, noticed so many more details on our most recent trip because we were taking our time getting around and he loved it.

Plan out what attractions are most important to you

Obviously babies can't go on all the attractions but they can go on more than you think. You can see what they can and can't go on in your park map or My Disney Experience app. If there is a height requirement it's a no go for your little prince or princess. The great thing is Disney offers something called a rider switch pass that you can get the details on HERE. Pretty much one person waits with the baby while the other goes on the ride and when they are finished the other person gets to go through the Fastpass line and experience the attraction too. We did this with a couple rides and it worked out wonderfully, instead of just waiting on a bench I used my time waiting to feed Brynn.

Speaking of feeding...

It's so easy to feed your baby at Disney. There are a ton of tucked away and quiet spaces for feeding that are great for both nursing and bottle feeding. In the state of Florida you can nurse anywhere you please but I'm not one that likes to do that out in the open. Each park has a Baby Care Center that offers a wonderful spot for you and your baby. I used the centers for pumping (when I was on a girls trip without Brynn) and for nursing when I had her. They are insanely clean and have rooms for feeding, changing, and relaxing equipped with Disney movies! Are you terrified that you are going to forget a baby essential?! Don't worry! The Baby Care Centers have everything you need for sale (at VERY reasonable prices) from pacifiers to bottles, diapers to formula, bibs to baby food. I can't say enough good things about the Baby Care Centers....use them!

Bring your own stroller

Disney does offer rental strollers but they are suited more for toddlers than babies. You want your little one to be comfy so having the stroller they are used to will help more than you know. Keep in mind that you can't take your stroller into every building and you'll have to park it in a designated area so I highly suggest investing in a stroller cover just in case of rain because those areas are not covered, we have one like THIS. Another thing I did was order an outdoor decal with our last name to put on our stroller. You won't believe how many times as a tour guide I struggled to find my guests strollers because they do get moved around in the stroller parking area sometimes...so relax no one stole your stroller. Balloons don't help because everyone puts balloons on their stroller so if the decal isn't your style try my tour guide trick and tie a distinctive ribbon on your stroller handle to make it easy to spot.                            

                                                 
Stock the bag

I'm not telling you to over pack your diaper bag but make sure you're prepared. I made sure to pack a couple more diapers than I thought I'd need, same with with pacifiers, and had an extra outfit just in case of a disaster. When the sun goes down it might feel great for you but chilly for the baby so make sure to bring a blanket just in case so you don't have to buy one.

Capture all the memories

People will say you are crazy for going to Disney with a baby but it's pure magic in my opinion. Your baby won't remember a thing but guess what...you will! We were lucky enough to have our friend Kathleen on Brynn's first trip to snap a bunch of wonderful pictures but you don't have to have a pro to get good pics. Disney's Photo Pass has you covered with high quality pictures throughout the entire Walt Disney World Resort. We also brought along our GoPro and it's our favorite video to date. You can watch it HERE {Brynn's First Trip to WDW}.

Have another question or have another tip? Comment below!

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Six Months of Brynn

How in the world have we been your parents for half a year already?! Time is flying! You are becoming more and more active and you have the greatest little personality.

This month you have truly found your voice. When you're happy for squeal at an octave only Mariah Carey can hit and your laugh is contagious. You "talk" to us in the mornings and tell me about your day when I get home from work. On the other side of the spectrum your new cry is rough. It's incredibly loud, high pitched, and heartbreaking. We do everything we can to keep you in a good mood so we don't have to hear it.

You still love your "office",dogs, frozen pacifiers, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Your new loves include your feet, your Belle doll we got at Walt Disney World, and eating solid foods, which is what your "6" is made of! Sweet potatoes are your favorite followed by apples, mangoes, and prunes. You like baby cereal as long as it's mixed with something else. you like drinking your two ounces of apple juice every day and even hold the bottle by yourself.

You're rolling over, pulling yourself up, and sitting on your own. You're starting to crawl and I feel like this time next month you will be on the move!

You are growing so well and we are excited that we get to be apart of it every day! We love you mouse! 

And a fun little bonus...this is a picture of momma at six months old and a picture of you at the same age in the same dress!!! You look so big!

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Five Months of Brynn

This has been a month of moving and shaking! You are growing so much and looking like such a big girl. You have mastered rolling over and do it any chance you get. You are starting to not love your swing anymore, except for your morning swing time during Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Your new seating preferences are your high chair and exersaucer, which daddy calls your "office." You have a whole new love for your Baby Einstein Play Gym now that you have figured out how to play with all the toys on it and I even added some of these links to give you more things to be able to grab on to.

Teething has hit you pretty hard this month. We feel so bad that you're hurting and holding out hope for the end of this stage. In the meantime we are giving you frozen pacifiers and poor Sophie the Giraffe is earning her keep.

You are all about your pup brother and sister nowadays! Mulligan is your buddy and he gives you kisses on your cheeks and feet anytime he can. Caddie has finally warmed up to you and will give you little nudges when mommy is holding you. They both love to watch you play and we can tell they're eager for you to get bigger so they can play with you.

This month our home became a bit fuller with your Mim making the move down to Georgia to take care of you while mommy and daddy work. We are so grateful to have her taking care of you because we were so scared of putting you in daycare as a little baby. You two have bonded quickly and you've made sure to let her know that you are running the show. Your Uncle Jay is living down here too for a few months while he is playing in his first professional golf tour here in Georgia and Florida. We are so excited to go watch him play and watch daddy be his caddy when he can.

Your "5" is made from some of your toys that you got on your first Christmas!

Each month as you grow we get busier and busier (which is why this post is late...again) but I promise to try better next month! We love you so much Mouse!

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Brynn's First Trip to Walt Disney World

It's no secret that I LOVE DISNEY! Walt Disney World will always have a special place in my heart because of my five years working there. It's where I made some of my greatest friends and memories. I spent so much time working and playing in the parks that I know them like the back of my hand, which has spoiled my husband and family when we visit. People kept saying to me that they couldn't believe I was going to brave the parks with a four month old but they were forgetting that my job used to be touring families (a lot of the time with babies and toddlers) around the parks so it's second nature to me. With my husband Brian, brother-in-law Jay, and best friend Kathleen in tow we made Brynn's first trip to Walt Disney World at the beginning of December.

You can tell she's my child with that textbook side eye

We opted for a long weekend where we all arrived to Orlando late Thursday night and left Sunday afternoon. We had a bunch of people who wanted to see us and meet Brynn so everything was scheduled around that. Friday we had a lunch date with our friend Leanna at Disney Springs and then headed over to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I had two objectives as soon as we got there...get a Christmas card photo and take her on her first ride while it was still bright outside so we could film it. I was amazed at how well Brynn did being out and about all day in an unfamiliar place. She probably just loved being in constant motion.

Our Saturday was spent at my old stomping grounds, Epcot. Thanks to rider switch we got to experience the new version of Soarin, enjoyed delicious food and drinks, and spent time with some of our favorite people. We started a new tradition at Epcot which was getting Brynn's silhouette crafted, I'll do a full post on that later. Brynn met Santa and Mrs. Claus for the first time and by "met" I really mean she slept but managed to pull off the cutest little yawn you can see in the video below. On our way out we got Brynn her first Disney souvenir, a Belle ragdoll she adores and stopped by the guest relations lobby for old time's sake.

I had thought my best Disney days were behind me but this trip made me realize they are just beginning. I can't wait to share my tips on navigating Disney with a baby soon...until then enjoy the video of our trip below captured with my new obsession our GoPro.

All photos courtesy of my bestie Kathleen Norris at Places I Will Go Blog

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Four Months of Brynn

It seems like each month passes faster and faster as you continue to grow and our family is getting busier and busier which is why this post is late. We're doing our best to savor each moment with you while we fondly remember "how things were" in the beginning and celebrate all the new "how things are" with you. Here are some things that happened this month...

You have started to eat less times each day but eat more during each feeding.You are still waking up one to two times a night to eat but I feel like pretty soon it's only going to be one time a night. Daddy has gotten you on a solid morning routine which consists of you seeing me off to work, swing time while you watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, eating, then morning tummy time and walks in your stroller. You are now big enough to ride in the stroller without the car seat portion which will come in handy next month at Disney! Speaking of Disney, this month you watched your first Disney movie which was Beauty and the Beast. You took to the skies again for your third and fourth flight up to Cleveland where we spent your first Thanksgiving with daddy's family.

You're developing such a cute little personality. You love to smile, laugh, and "talk" to us. You are a huge fan of Queen Elsa and watch the Let It Go video at least once every day. Mulligan and you get along great and he gives you kisses any chance he can, Caddie on the other hand is scared of you but getting more comfortable with you as time goes on. Whenever we want her to get off the couch all we have to do is lay you within 3 feet of her and she's gone!

You're still crazy about your "bunnies" (pacifiers), tummy time, being held, and your swing but now you try to slide out of it so we have to buckle you in which you are not crazy about. You are drooling like crazy because you are starting to teethe, so now we are having to bust out the bibs or you go through multiple outfits a day. Daddy has discovered that you like to have the window cracked in the car because you like the breeze. I'm hoping this means you will really love the open air rides at Disney like Dumbo.

We can't wait to see what new excitement next month brings! We love you so much Mouse!

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