Milestones and Memories: Summer fun all in one blog

We had such an amazing summer! Here's a few things we did in the Summer of 2012!
*Michael played in his first (I'm sure of many) Memorial Day golf tournament and did really well. He won the first two days and then lost on the third day in a playoff hole. Not too bad for his first big tournament.
*Lots of pool time! Brooks loves the water and even went under a few times. A friend told us to blow in his face and it would make him hold his breath and then take him under. Typing it out it sounds cruel, but he actually enjoyed it!
*DESTIN! I was so looking forward to vacation and it surpassed all my expectations. Brooks was SO easy...he slept, played in the pool, sat in the sand, let the waves hit his feet (cried the first time, but got over it quick). Everyone just seemed to have such a good time and of course we ate lots of good food. We went to the Broken Egg three times...by far my favorite breakfast place ever! Michael's dad (grandaddy) even got to come and visit since we were somewhat close.
*We landscaped the front yard and oh my it looks so much better. I think we even launched a landscaping frenzy in the neighborhood as it seems our neighbors soon redid theirs as well. :)
*Michael started his rotations and has completed 2/12; 10 more to go and it's graduation time kids, which means paycheck...woohoo. Can't wait to be a dual income family!
*Speaking of jobs, I recently accepted a job at an orthopedic office. It has great benefits and on paper I just couldn't pass it up. Unfortunately it means I have to say goodbye to my kiddos (I kept two kids, who I will continue to see after work) and the best coworkers ever. I can only be so lucky that my future coworkers are half as fun and kind as the one's I've spent the last five years with. Hard decision and I hope it works out! I start in one week. :/

Milestones
*Brooks began sitting up around five months and had it mastered (meaning I would leave him alone without fear of him toppling over) by 5 1/2 months.
*He started crawling at 7 1/2 months and at 7 1/2 months and one day pulled to stand and is cruising furniture. Unfortunately we hear lots of thumps followed by crying these days...even got his first pop knot on his forehead the other day. :( He absolutely loves standing up and pretty consistently can stand for 3 seconds on his own before he falls.
*Dadadada was his first word and continues to be his only word. He sometimes makes mama sounds when he's upset though...I"ll take it anyway I can get it!
*Brooks eats anything! When we got the okay from the doctor to start food she asked if I was going to make his food or buy it and I said I was going to try to make it. This was followed by Michael snickering in the corner...I showed him though and I have made 95% of what he eats and I love doing it! He eats squash (least fav), plums, peaches (papaw always brings us peaches from the farmer's market), sweet potatoes, pears, bananas, etc...pretty much anything I can blend up, he eats. We are still breasfeeding...shew one good thing about him turning one is there will be no more pump. So over the pump! Four more months!

Likes
*tickling his tummy, standing up (he's so proud of himself), fish one and fish two (his pets from one of my baby showers), looking in the mirror, baths, outside, people watching, walks with momma, playing with his friend Landon at daycare (today however he bulldozed Landon to get to me when I came to get him after work), sitting in his big boy seat at restaurants (we eat and he people watches...stays in it the whole time!)
Dislikes
*getting into his carseat, diaper changes (hates), that's it really.

He is still so easy and I'm just waiting on the hard stage to hit; it's just a matter of time I'm sure. Here's a few pics of our summer...we were so blessed to have a great first summer as a family of three!