Brady Turns 4!!!!

We can't believe you are 4 already big guy! We hope you had a super fun 4th birthday (he had preschool in morning, a friend over to play in the afternoon and we went to the mall of america to ride rides in the evening!)

Watch out world- I will be driving before you know it!!!!

Happy 1st Birthday Little Will!!!

Happy Birthday to Will~

I am so proud to share such a special day with such a sweet boy

~ Love, Mom :-)

Happy Spring from the Brookins Clan!!!

You never know who you might run into the day before Easter
at the Walmart in Detroit Lakes, MN!!
We were lucky this year as both the kids loved it! Brady was so proud of himself!

Brady on Easter! Practicing for Uncle Craig's wedding in June!

Will is ready for spring!

He even has his fishing hat for the summer picked out!

(it kind of matches Grandpa Chuck's but not quite as faded!)

Too bad this child doesn't have any toys to play with- a plastic cup?!?!

Happy New Year- January 2009!!

GUESS WHO TURNED 5 MONTHS TODAY?!
Big smiles for our little Will:)

CHECK THIS OUT MOM AND DAD I AM READY TO SIT!

Will continues to surprise us everyday with

all the things he wants (and can) do!!

OPEN UP AND SAY AAAAH!!!!

Will has two front teeth coming in on the top and we

think we see a bump in the front on the bottom too-OUCH!!!

Both boys love pictures- especially self-portraits:)

Big brother Brady helping out yesterday-

he "babysat" Will while I got the bath ready!

(across the hall:)

What a wonderful helper he is!!! (and so proud!)

Brady showing us how he really feels about going out in the cold weather!!!

(I think we all feel that way!!) I wish someone would carry me

through the snow so I could wear Mickey slippers!

It has been below 0 here almost every day this week! UGH!

Happy January!!!

Stay warm and see you next month!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL FROM THE BROOKINS CLAN!

WE HOPE THAT THIS CHRISTMAS FINDS EACH ONE

OF YOU HAPPY AND HEALTHY!

AND SURROUNDED BY LOVED ONES AT THIS JOYOUS TIME OF THE YEAR!!

AND AS BRADY WOULD SAY

"MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"

Happy Halloween!!

Bret and Brady did their yearly pumpkin carving tonight!! Brady's pumpkin wishes this year included one that had a "surprise face" and one that was "scary"! Bret was wonderful and able to accomplish both!

Brady and Bret showing off their "surprise" pumpkin in 2008!

Brady proudly posing with his "surprise" and "scary" pumpkins in 2008!

Updated Pictures- Hopefully worth the wait!

Hello from the Brookins clan! We are still among the living- even though we have been neglectful of our blog over the past couple of months! Early New Years resolution is to keep it up!!! I will try to recap our past two months over the next couple of weeks, but figured you were all dying to see updated pics of the kids- here they are- taken today (10/27/08).

As you can tell Brady LOVES his baby brother!!! He can't love, hug, kiss and touch him enough every day! I hear, "Mama I just want to touch him" about 50 times a day!!!!


Here is our little Will!!! He is growing like a weed! At his two month appointment last week he weighed in at 11lb. 9oz (in the 71st percentile- much to our surprise after recalling that Brady was never above the 25th percentile until he was over two years old!!!)
Will is a great baby!!!! He is layed back and loves to watch his big brother Brady! He is smiling and trying to "talk" already. He continues to have the most beautiful big blue eyes (I ordered brown hair and blue eyes before he was born so he is keeping up his end of the deal so far!)

And here is the proud Big Brother Brady! Over the past two months, while we were away from blogging he worked on growing a mustache (ok- just hot cocoa- for now anyway!). He is doing great with little Will! He started preschool this fall two mornings a week and loves it! Dad cut his hair last week and gave him his first "big boy haircut" (mom still misses the curls!!!) He continues to be our little ball of energy!

We will update you on life again soon! Happy (early) Halloween!!!!

Introducing...WILLIAM STANLEY BROOKINS

Born on August 16, 2008 at 8:27am

(Happy Birthday to us both!!!)

Lucky boy- he gets to share his birthday with his Mom!!!

Weighing in at 8lb.2oz. and 21 inches long

Will update with more pictures soon!!!

While we wait for Baby...the Boys will play!

Bret has labeled his most recent catch as "the one that didn't get away"!!
Nice walleye (22 inches and about 5 lbs)!!



Brady tuning his guitar- just like his Grandpa Chuck!
You should hear him sing (you don't even need to know the words to sing along!!!)

Brady is getting ready for Baby Brothers arrival

Don't I look so small in my Big Boy bed?! I am all moved in and sleeping well through the night! I am also willing to let "baby broder" sleep in my "little boy room" when he comes....

Here I am practicing being a "big broder" with "baby bean" (mommy's baby when she was my age).

No Baby Yet!!!

Thought we might try blogging as it seems like a great way to keep lots of people in the loop! Especially family and friends that live far away!

No baby yet...we are anxiously awaiting Baby Boys arrival! Bret and I continue to think he will come early (wishful thinking). His due date is August 27th so keep thinking good thoughts about us!

We will keep you all posted!