1 Year Ago Today...

Changed my life forever!

The moment we found out we were having a girl my life was forever changed!!

I feel this obligation to be the best example of what a Godly women looks like. I want you to grow up to know the Lord not only because you go to church but because I modeled his love & grace to you. The world is going to show you many ways a women should be, but I want to show you how Christ wants you to live. Proverbs 22:6 reminds me, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." This is my prayer for you, I pray that what you learn would penetrate your heart & give you a desire for a close relationship with God.

I am learning to put aside all of my own insecurities about my weight & beauty to show you that you are beautiful. Remind you that even though the world might put out this "perfect" image, that is not the reality. We are created in God's image & because of that we are his perfect creation. This is not an easy task because we live in a reality of you are never perfect there is always something that can be fixed. Not that we should not take care of our self, but the features, body type & gifts God gave us are for a reason. There is only one Hallee Jane Brook & I want you to love her just how you are.

I want to show you how you should be treated by others & how you should treat them. How your boyfriends & future husband should treat you like a princess. He should love, cherish & respect you as Christ does his bride. I want to show you that you are to honor & love your husband. I want you to see what a great friend looks like, you should be honest, trustworthy, loving, gracious & accepting.

I want you to learn to have a true servants heart. I yearn for you to love others the way Christ did. I want you to see how serving brings joy not only to the ones you serve but to you. I have learned more by serving then I could have ever imagined. I also long for you to have a heart for the lost & enjoy sharing Christ with others.

I know that you will not fully understand who you are until you understand who God is. I pray that God would give me the wisdom of how to best encourage & develop you to be all God made you to be. I want you to appreciate your strengths & not dwell on your weaknesses. I can already see many amazing Christ like characteristics in you Hallee. You care for others, you love tremulously, you are extremely friendly & joyful. I am excited beyond belief to see you continue to mature into the women God destined for you long ago. May you find your identity in Christ & know that you are complete in Him.

Hallee please help me to remember that you look up to me. Remind me that I am one of your remodels. Please forgive me when I am not perfect at this but know that I love you more then you know. I am honored to be your mother thank you for sharing your life with me.

Lots and lots of love,

Mommy

We LOVE Disney!

We really enjoy Disneyland & California Adventure so it is a blessing that we live so close. We had fun the last few times we went just hanging out in the beautiful summer weather. You just love all of the people, you are going to be a people watcher like you mom! You also really love the rides, it is really fun to see you take it all in. This last trip you got your very first pair of Minnie Mouse Ears!! You look so cute wearing them, even though they are still a little too big for you, you are going to grow into them before we know it.

Hallee "Minnie" Mouse

You really like Monster's Inc, Boo is your favorite!

This is sometimes how I feel...your dad said, that's how I look sometimes!

Bugs Land is so fun

Carousel rides are so classic

Always interested in something shinny!

Caleb is so cute!

I think you were more interested in the water than

anything else on the Jungle Cruise!

You adore your daddy, so sweet!

Exercauser!

Your little fee finally reach the floor on your exercauser! Well they actually have for a few

weeks not but you have started trucking around it. I can often put you in there to get

stuff done around the house & you will just walk around in circles & clap. I am not sure

what you are thinking but it is really funny to watch you entertain yourself.

Date Day Monday!

Exciting news...we have been blessed that officially mommy can stay home with you during the week!! I will only be working 6 hours on Saturdays, this is a total blessing. The great thing is that since daddy has Monday's off we can officially have a family date day. This week was our first one & we all had SO much fun! This is what our day looked like...

We took a short drive down the coast to the beautiful Encinitas

Headed to the oh so delicious Potato Shack! If you have not been here you MUST!

Man hole blueberry pancakes...delicious!!

Then we drove by the "house boats" these are literally boats on a house lot...seriously!

Parked at Swami's beach & took a walk thru downtown

Plum tuckered out

Then we headed over to a friends pool where we took you in the pool for the first time.

You did not like the water at first, I think it was too cold for you.

It took you a few minutes to get used to the water. After that it was like a bath,

you were just splashing around enjoying the water.

Enjoying the pool

Splashing around

SO much fun!

We ended our day hanging up your Easter present from Papi & Grandma, you love your swing!

I can't wait until next Monday!!

6 Months

My Love Bug!

I think this has been your most developmental month! I feel like you have hit so many little milestones it has been so much fun. This month you took your first steps, that was crazy, now that is all you want to do. You learned to sit up from a crawl/laying down position. You have gotten better at eating food, you don't make quite the mess anymore. You are also a huge chatter box, you just love to hear your own voice. You can also reach the floor in your exercauser so you love to cruise around in circles from station to station.

You love to clap & it is so cute to watch. Your dad had taught you that whenever you do something like give kisses, stand up, eat your dinner that you clap in excitement. You have also learned to say YAY!! when you clap. You are such a funny little girl. You truly love to mimic whatever we do. My favorite is that you have learned to give kisses & I can't get enough of them!

You had your 6 month doctor visit & you now weigh 16lbs 5oz. That is in the 75% for your age, I thought you would be even higher since you are so chubby...which I love. You are 21" also in the 75% & are in the 90% for your head. To me your head seems small but maybe that is because your body is bigger. The doctor says you have big head because you have a big brain :) She said you are extremely healthy & developing fast for your age, about 2 months ahead. Please slow down!! You also had 2 more shots & you did not even cry, you are such a tough cookie!

It was Papi's 50th Birthday this month so we had fun celebrating him. The entire family went to dinner at a yummy Italian restaurant & of course you got lots of attention. You got to sit in a high chair for the first time & you thought you were such a big girl. It was fun to watch you stare at all of the people in the restaurant & smile at them.

We found out that my great friend Brittany is prego!! I am beyond excited for her & Rashad, they are going to be fantastic parents!! It is going to be so much fun to see her where I was a year ago. I am blessed to be able to share this journey with her & her family. I go back & forth on if I want her to have a girl so you can be best friends like her & I or if I want her to have a little boy so you can have another future husband to choose from. :) No matter what I know that she is going to be a beautiful pregnant mommy & celebrate this new journey they are embarking on!

Your favorite words right now are Yay, Gaga (Dada) it is so sweet to hear you call for him, baba, momma & hi. I love that you are starting to understand what those words mean & who mom & dad are. Its funny when Daddy walks out of the room you just start yelling Gag...gaga...gag!! Then when you are sad or hungry you cry momma. Such a sweet little girl!

You and your uncle Joe have a funny relationship. There are days when you are totally fine around him & then other times you are scared to death of him. The other day we were at Papi & Grandma's house & you were playing the drums with Uncle Joey & were having so much fun...

...then you realized who was sitting there and...

Uncle Joe leaves for Alaska in a few weeks & we will miss him greatly. We look forward to his return when you can spend more time with him, he loves you greatly!

This was our attempt at getting a picture of all of the grand kids, funny!

Bubbles your new BFF...

You love your peas, especially when Grandpa feeds you

Little drummer girl

Big girl drinking out of her sippy cup

Always smiles!

Hallee know that your daddy & I are so proud of the little girl you are becoming. We say often how much joy you bring us & how there is very little you do that upsets up. I have to say the only thing I wish is that you would sleep through the night. That is going to be what we work on this next month because I know that you can do it. We love you so much sweetie!

Mommy