the shoe fettish

So yesterday, as we were calming down for the evening, my son got into my closet. One of his first words were flip-flops. It was pretty cute. Apparently my son is going to have a very LARGE shoe collection. (I hope he realizes that his mother has the WORST time picking out shoes. I am not good at deciding what shoes go with what outfit.) Anytime he sees shoes around the house he stops what he is doing and puts them on. Mine, Brooklyns, or even his, he will put them on and walk around saying "lip-lops". When he was putting Brooklyns "lip-lops" on, and they were on the wrong foot, he realized that they weren't fitting the way they should and put them on the correct feet. I was so proud! Even when he is in the midst of throwing a HUGE fit, if he kicks his shoes off, he will stop screaming and say "shoe". That's kinda cute, if I can get past the fit. When I had the camera and was snapping pictures, after I would take the first one, he would stop and say "cheese". The kid is just too cute for his own good!

Last day of preschool

So, today was the last day of preschool for Brooklyn. I can't believe it has been 9 months already. To think, I could have had another baby in that time. Do not panic, it will not be happening again. However, I am impressed at the improvements that she has made. She knows a lot of her alphabet and can trace dotted lines pretty good...compared to the first homework assignment she brought home, it is QUITE an improvement! And, she has grown up a TON! Her teacher is Miss Callee..I have been very impressed with her. I would be very impressed by anyone who has the patience to have 9 3 year olds at one time and actually teach them something. Her programs were cute and Brooklyn seemed to like her. It kinda freaks me out a little to think that this time NEXT year I will be registering her for kindergarten. NOOOOOOO!

Memorial Day...or just the bike trailer.

So, our memorial day was non-eventful. We did some random things around the house...worked on the basement bathroom, and had a bbq with the family. On the plus side...we did manage to throw the kids in the new bike trailer and give them a little ride. Yes, they are naked. We were coming back from a bbq at mom's house and the kids got chocolate ice cream bars and were banished outside to eat them. Now you understand the need for nakedness. But hey, check out the new bike! The kids have been enjoying it...however, my butt has not!

Code Yellow! We have a Code Yellow!

So, do you see this cute little guy? He's adorable right? RIGHT! He's also a little stinker. He has the boy complex that is one of 'don't tell me what to do, as in, don't hold me if I want to get down'. He's cute, and I love him.

So, yesterday, we went to Target on our search for bike trailers. I had already bought one at Toys R Us, but wanted to check Target because they had one on sale. I didn't grab a cart, because I was just going to go and look at the model, type, etc. I called for a service rep because they were all out. Brison was doing good up until that point, then he started to struggle to get

down. So, I put him down and he was just running around the bikes. It was cute. He would leave for a second and then come right back. He decided to get brave and go a little bit further away. The service rep came to me to give me a rain check and that's when it happened.

He was gone!

I started looking down the aisles, and calling his name, loudly. Nothing.

I went to a different department, calling his name, louder. Nothing.

The service rep was helping me look for him also.

A lady in the store said, "I just saw a kid right here a minute ago."

Panic is starting to set in, and I am pushing it away.

Still looking, and yelling, and possibly sweating. Nothing.

I tell another service rep that I can't find my son.

What is he wearing? Crap! What did I dress him in this morning? Would somebody here in Target really kidnap a toddler? Is he gone? Where is he? Why?

They call the Code Yellow over the walkie-talkies.

They give the description.

1 minute later, the service rep that was helping me earlier came, lugging my cute little toddler in her arms...while he is not happy with being held.

I said to him, "Gus, where did you go?" To which he replies...

"I fast!"

LOVELY!

Preschool program

Brookyn had her preschool program on Tuesday night. She did such a good job. She danced, and sang, and almost lifted her skirt above her head! It was great. Who knew she had such good moves! She learned them all from me! I didn't get any video that I know how to put on my computer, so the video is one I shot a few days before while she was practicing. I think this song is so cute. Brooklyn has sang it enough that Brison even can mimic it pretty well!

Ode to the blankie

So, this blanket was a gift from my dear friend Nancy after I had Brooklyn. She was one of the very few people that I had told what I was having...(remember, we "didn't find out" what sex we were having)

My daughter has lived and died by this blankie! It has gone through my cyles of the wash, being thrown up on, bled on faught over, and several, several nose rubs. The girl rubs her nose with the crochet end. There was even one part of the crochet that wasn't tied off well, and it was a little longer string and she would stick that part up her nose. (realize that she is only 3..and you probably did the same type of stuff when you were that age!) She knows exactally where it is, which end she holds on to, etc. The girl is ADDICTED.

Last sunday, after our visit to Brian's parents, when we got home, Brooklyn was searching the house for her "blankie" and she comes to me in TEARS! "Mom, I can't find my blankie!!" After looking for a minute, I remember she had it with her when we went, but didn't bring it home. I informed her that it was still and grandma & grandpa's house, and she instantly said..."We have to go and get it!" Try explaining that to a desperate child. "But I can't sleep without my purple blankie!"

Well, because of all the rubbing, washing, pulling, tugging, etc, we have come to this!

How do you repair holes in a flannel blankie that are on EVERY corner? Why don't these things last longer? So, I took to it the best I could...

I hope this will last a little bit longer...at least until she grows up and doesn't need her blanket. So, is that going to be HIGH SCHOOL?

Gus vs. the bathtub faucet

Gus lost!

Poor little guy.

I left the house to go and get a pedicure with my mom, and when I came back, I discovered it had been a pretty BUSY evening!

Brian decided to mow the lawn, and left the kids in the house watching t.v. He came in the back yard on one of his 'rounds' and discovered his watch on the back porch. He asked Brooklyn where his WEDDING RING was, because he always places it in the watch case. She said she lost it in the bed. NICE!

Temper forming.

Brooklyn has been having a problem stopping playing while outside to take potty breaks. Apparently it happened while I was gone.

Temper rising.

So, she was then banished to the house and the tub and then to bed. So, Brian decided to give Brison a bath while he was there. Brison decided he didn't want to take a bath. Brian tried to get Brison to stand up and the little stinker lifted up his legs, which in turn caused him to slip and fall and hit his head on the faucet in the tub, which in turn caused a 'mighty' gash in his forehead.

Temper peaked!

Brian, wanting to control the bleeding, applied the appropriate 'princess' bandaid. SWEET!

Then I came home.

He did a run down of the evening's events and I suggested I take a look at the gash, because Brian said it might be bad enough for stitches. Now mind you, it really wasn't that big of a gash. Hind sight is ALWAYS 20/20. But, when it is your son's FIRST gash, you get a little nervous and your common sense kinda goes away after a while and you start to question what to do. I tried calling a few nurses in the ward, just to get their opinion.

No one was home.

I called my friend "Dr. Jared" and they didn't answer their phone.

I am starting to loose it, because the more I think about it, I can remember something about if too much time has gone by, you can't do stitches anymore.

Then my OCD/Panic kicks in.

I called my mom, because mom's always know. She came up. I called the neighbor of a nurse in the ward and they went to her house and got her and brought her over. She said no to stitches, that the glue would be a good idea, but she didn't have any. She mentioned something about a 'first aid kit' which sounded VAGUELY familiar... because we actually happen to have one of those. They come in handy when you REMEMBER them! Low and behold there were butterfly bandaids in there and the steri strips. She applied the strips and all was well.

I decided that everything was under control and I was needed at church for Young Womens, so I left.

Well, when I came back, there was a whole new senario that had played out.

My friend "Dr. Jared" called and offered assistance, and Allison told him that, right at that moment, Brison was peeling the strips off his wound, so "Dr. Jared" decided to offer some "free" service. He came over and applied the "durabond" superglue to Brison's head and then left. All before I got back from the church.

Little Gus was very tramatized by being held down, and STILL, while people worked on his head.

I know this is not the LAST time something dramatic like this will happen...but when it is the FIRST time, it was a little stressful. He is my baby, and I hate to have anything happen to him. He also is MY BOY, so I know we have many more experiences like this to come. I just hope that I can handle the next ones better!

P.S. We found the wedding ring! Phew!

Brooklyn's talk..

This was her very first primary talk EVER! She did such a good job. She wasn't shy...she didn't scream into the microphone. You could almost understand every word. AND I was only shaking a little bit. I was nervous, and surprised I didn't break down. I felt the tears coming for just a second, but then somebody said something to me and they went away.

MY LITTLE GIRL IS GROWING UP!

Happy Mothers Day to me!

All day long, I think Brooklyn told me "Happy Mother's Day" about 25 times. She is so cute! She made this for me at preschool. I LOVE it! I really do love being a Mom and couldn't ask for better kids! I just hope that I will be able to do a good job at raising them!

Race for the Cure

What a privledge I had attending this! My friend, neighbor, and young women's leader, pretty much all 6 years, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Almost all of my family was able to go and support her with this race. It was such a touching experience. I was standing at the start line and just FIGHTING back the tears as I looked around and on the backs of peoples shirts were pictures of people that they were there in memory of, or in support of. What a wonderful, eye opening experience. I hope to be able to go every year...because it was just such a good atmosphere. I felt so good, and didn't even struggle with the race part of it. AND, I had my best time to date. Just fun and neat to be at!

DISNEYLAND!

So, here is a run down of the pictures. We had over 1,000....so, I just picked a few. Not really!

Brooklyn was able to go on more rides this year. I think she liked them...maybe too LOUD?

The Gus meister...He was tall enough for Matterhorn! They checked his height every time! He LOVED being able to go on rides.

I tried to recreate a few pictures from the last time we went to maybe show the growth or difference in the kids...Brooklyn was not wanting to smile! Stinker. Grizzly Rapids...does not do ANY justice as to how WET we were!

California Screamin'...Brian's FAVORITE. The princess picture, it's after we got home, she put her dress on and went and showed Brian. He said "oh, look at the pretty princess" and she said "Do you want your picture taken with me?" I think she's going to work there?

The only character Brison was o.k. with...he even gave him "BONES"... too cool! We stood in line so the girls could see the princesses...they we being cute...for just a second though.

Proof that Ashley really was there. Brison "stretching his legs"..people thought he was so cute they would ask to take his picture. That's my boy! Waiting for splash mountain to open, per Brooklyn's request.

Heimleich's Chew Chew train....I LOVE that ride! Cute Gus! Brooklyn & Gavin...best buds!

She was just so excited to go on rides, it was fun watching her enthusiasm.

We were at the park WAY past closing due to some techincal difficulties (somebody puked in line) at Peter Pan...so we were one of the last ones out of the park...we took the photo op. Then the whole group (- Ashley because she left Wednesday night)

Proof Brooklyn did the TOWER OF TERROR...more than once..I think 5 times total!

Thunder Mountain Railroad...LOVED IT....and my favorite...Splash Mountain. Brooklyn got SOAKED!

It really was an enjoyable time. We have had so much fun each time we have gone, and when we get home, we can't wait to plan the next trip. However, it is so much more fun when the kids are big enough to go on more rides... does that mean we will wait and go when Brison is 40"...? Don't count on it! I want to go back now!

Just so you can see how hard Brian has been working...at not eating...

The first one was taken May 2008...the second one was April 2009. WOW!

Good Job!