Life is made up of lessons...

Lesson: Be a good friend.

 

 

Brooklyn's learned what it feels like to have a best friend! This means that she's also learned what jealousy feels like when her friends have other friends and don't want to devote all of their attention to her.

(This is heart-breaking, and I just imagine what's to come as she grows up!) This lesson of friendship leads to the next lesson: kindness and acceptance of others...

 

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Lesson: JUMP

Thanks for this lesson, big sister!

 Lesson: Take a break to enjoy the giggles.

This is just a random one I chose to share. It's an example of the lengths that kids go to in order to generate laughter from friends and siblings!  It also displays the lengths that parents go to in order to pacify their kids on errand day...

Lesson: Be considerate.

Bryson has loved babies for a while already. He covers them up with blankets, pushes them in buggies, pats their backs, and now...he's learned how to shush a room!  He came across Brooklyn quietly rocking a baby in a chair.  He ran into the living room, snagged up a blanket and a doll of some sort, drug a chair next to hers, and the "shhhhhh"-ing began! 

 

Lesson: Be a helper and a leader.

Cousins. Such special relationships. My childhood is filled with memories spent with my cousins, and I hope my kids are able to say the same. The fact that their cousins are exemplary children makes the relationship even more rewarding for this mom!  After watching his cousin be the helper, Bryson decided to take a stab at it himself, and haul the girls home.

 

Lesson: Take turns and play nice. 

Brooklyn & Canon jumping on the trampoline at Mimi & Grandpa's.  I walk out to holler 'five more minutes' and I hear her directing him to "sit down. Sit still. I'll bounce you."  We're still working on this, but her cousins are always setting the example to take turns, even when they don't want to!

A Cousin Coloring Frenzy

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Enough with the lessons. Here are some smile-provoking pics of my liking.

This is just one of many examples I could share of the picture texts I receive from the hubbs. Two kids in a laundry hamper. Comfy? Not so much. Sure looks like fun, though!

 

This is what happens when the vacuum comes out of the closet. Kids scream and run around like chickens, scrambling to grab stuffed friends and scurry to higher ground for safety.  "Hurry, Bryson, hurry! C'mon!!"

 

Winter break

The kids' school closes for two weeks over the holidays. TWO weeks!  It's the best time to completely check out from reality and zone into holiday activities.  So what did we do?  More like what didn't we do...

Rhema Lights

 

I think they read the sign:

 

And it made them:

 

touch every single light! 

 

We visited the most insane Griswold house in town, if not the state...this was the most bizarre exprience of the break. Located downtown (and hated by their neighbors, I'm sure) this homeowner opened up their decorated yard to the public for free tours. I'm not sure if it left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling, or a sense of fear. It was definitely a memory, nonetheless:

 

 We had a few play dates

 

Bouncy Barn

Played with cousins







We visited Chik-Fil-A too, where Bryson wouldn't stop waving at Santa Cow, but the second he came near, Bryson clung to me like white on rice. His sister, on the other hand, surprised the heck out of me as she climbed into his lap without hesitation!



And we had our first mommy-n-me movie date with my girl! Can't wait until Bryson can join us!

 



And this one just makes me smile.

She loves her daddy!

Winterfest 2012

So I can be honest here, right? After all, I am the author of this blog!  I can express how tired I've been?  Because. I. Have. Been. Very tired. Tired of working long hours. Tired of teaching the kids how to play nicely. Tired of teaching them not to tattle on each other and 'use big kid words' instead of whining and hoping we can interpret their request. Just tired, when all I want to do is curl up in bed until 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning...a silent bed without being kicked in the ribs.  I know I preach to the choir of all other mothers with my complaints, but sometimes it just feels good to be honest. Motherhood is tiresome at times!  But this is the time of year that memories are MADE.  And regardless of my lack of energy, my enthusiasm still exists. As does the stubborn bone that I inherited from my father.  I'm not going to allow my exhaustion to win!

So we packed up and hit the road, as planned. Downtown Tulsa Winterfest, here we come!  And let me tell you that I couldn't be happier that we went!  I didn't want the night to end.  Everything was better than I had ever imagined!  The kids LOVED the parade. 

We had front row seats, but were blocked by others, so nobody could see what was coming.  As soon as something would pass by, Brooklyn would start jumping up and down saying, "I wonder what's next!  Who's coming next?!" 

We loved every minute of the parade.  The kids were full of genuine excitement - the anticipation of what was to come.  I felt their energy and excitement that night more than ever before in this life as Mom. It was awesome! 

The fireworks came, startling Brooklyn, and making Bryson run towards them as if to guard his sister. 

Brooklyn actually asked if she could go into the bushes to "be in a safe place" as they exploded, while he waved his sword in their direction. 

She was concerned that they were going to catch a building on fire. Her level of concern just reiterated her compassionate personality.  Always worried about others. And he was fighting off her fears - doing anything he could to make her laugh and keep her happy. 

After the fireworks came the workout.  I mean ice skating.  So, let me preface by explaining that when Bryson gets tired, his legs turn to jello!  Literally. He'll just be walking along and then he'll release his knees out of nowhere and let his legs dangle, relying completely on the person holding his hand to catch all of weight.  Next comes the twirling. Is it twirling, or dangling? I'm not sure. Either way, he's not in control of his body. His body has gone to sleep. Just his mind is functioning...barely, if that.  So, back to the ice skating. Well, Bryson turned into Gumby an hour before we got the skates on.  So you can imagine gumby legs on an ice skating rink. Well he upped the ante of that challenge with parents that don't ice skate!  Father and son made it a quarter of the way around the rink before we exchanged children to finish the next quarter of the rink. After the next exchange, we finally made it one round and called it a wrap on the ice!  $30 later and only one man down.  We call that a success!

Disclaimer: 'Man down' was brief - daddy just needed both hands so that he could capture his princess on ice.  Next thing he knows, he looks down, and his mini me is on the ground!  Proud memory, he recalls. And the pic didn't even turn out! 

 

 

Christmas Gift assembly

We assumed gender appropriate roles when assembling Christmas gifts:  Brooklyn got a Princess Palace; Bryson a basketball hoop!  I was eager to complete my mission.  Nine steps, 6 screws, and 3 batteries to build a beautiful palace, according to the instructions.  Simple enough!  Halfway through my job, I hear the boys shootin hoops in the room next door. 

Look at that form!

His was easier than mine - besides, it's not a race; it's the end result...and mine will be so much better!  Thirty minutes and 19 steps later, I'm feeling a bit frazzled with a very impatient princess waiting to enter the palace with Snow White.  Almost two hours later, multiple denials of the need for help, and three disassemblings later, the palace was complete!  And it exceeded her...and her brother's...expectations!

Not a day has passed that I haven't found them playing in the palace. All the animals from Noah's Ark (and a few Sesame Street characters) have come to know the palace, too. 

Bryson loves to put the princesses on their pedestals and spin the dancefloor as the music plays while he rocks from side to side. (He can only get away with this when Daddy's not around, of course!) 

Swearing

Brooklyn loves baby Jesus. A. Lot. She's been preparing for her upcoming music program for months, and most songs revolve around Him. So it was no surprise to us when she carried the Little People baby Jesus from the nativity set around at Nona's house. 

Apparently she took a tumble with him in her arms while twirling like a princess in the presence of the boys who were playing pool in Nona's garage.  Uncle Phil hears Brooklyn say "Oh Jesus!" immediately after the tumble.  He turns to her to explain that we don't swear and say Jesus' name in vain.  Then he sees her raise up with baby Jesus in her hands, and she asks, "Jesus, are you okay?"  There was no swearing involved; just concern that she may have landed on him in the fall.  :)

Big kid memory

Both kids are now in big kid beds. I remember transitioning Brooklyn's bed on her 2nd birthday.  The same weekend that she learned how to open doors!  But she wasn't a wanderer, so we never had to worry. She would lie in bed and chew on that blanky until we opened the door to start the day. 

Like everything else, things are different with number two!  Bryson's ready to do everything earlier than Brooklyn (except talk!)  His bed was transitioned to a big kid bed at 18 months.  And the following week, he too, learned how to open doors!  But, like his sister, he's not much of a wanderer...he'll get out of bed, sure.  But he'll play quietly in his room with toys (albeit baby dolls, sometimes) until we greet him with an open door...until this morning.  While getting ready for work, I was startled to find my little man with a big smile hiding behind that paci: the key to his heart.  Not five minutes later, I'm greeted by my girl with an arm full of babies and stuffed animals (the hallway is much too scary without friends).

After convincing Jackson that the day had officially started, I turned on some toons and heard giggles and memories in the making as I finished getting ready for work.  Great start to the day!

Happy Halloween!

Most people are wishing people a very Merry Christmas, but welcome to my world!  Apparently I like to challenge my memory by being more than fashionably late.  So, let's see...the Saturday before Halloween, we attended Boo HaHa for the 3rd year in a row. Arrived just in time for the parade, and got the best spot on the street, with Aunt Kathy & Uncle Tom.  We had a little lion and ladybug in tow:

It's tough enough to capture them together; impossible to get 2 smiles!

The candy was dispensed...

 

...and the chase was on!:

 

Bryson was intrigued with the parade:

 

 

But it was a little noisy for Brooklyn's liking:

We also hosted our fourth annual Halloween gathering at the house the night of Halloween.  Has it really been 4 years?!  Yes, it has. As a mother, I base everything off of pregnancies.  Was that before or after I was pregnant with Brookyn?  Or maybe it was after Brooklyn, but before Bryson?  In this case, I remember our first Halloween gathering because it was just days before I was due with Brooklyn.  I remember hoping that all the decorating and long trick-or-treat walks would induce labor.  No such luck!  But the memories remain!  Ah, the timelines of motherhood...I digress. 

The Kids...and Fred

A candy-happy lion

 And finally...my sister once again going over the top with her homemade costumes!  She raises the bar every year!  Incredible.

 

Ella the Owl

 

   The bar is officially so high that I will never attempt to compete - my kids should learn to appreciate store-bought costumes. Unless Aunt Nessa's up for a new challenge!

Canon the Warewolf