OBSESSED

This is the object of affection - and it is driving me crazy! Brielle cries for her "BB" all day long. She knows where I hide them and stands right in front of that spot all day long reaching up for her BB. Her teeth are already getting buck from this darn thing, so she is only allowed BB's at night or naps. So when I explain to her that it's not nigh-night time so she can't have one - she immediately slumps onto the floor and fake snores with her eyes scrunched closed. It almost breaks my heart and half the time I give in...is it really worth the fight? I should've taken the beloved BB away at about 10 months old when she started chucking it halfway across the room because she didn't want that thing to be shoved in her mouth because that meant it was time for bed. So, the rookie mom that has never had a child take a pacifier before (me) thought that I would leave them in her crib for her "just in case" she changed her mind. BIG MISTAKE. Over the next few months she would pop it into her mouth every once in a while for the heck of it and now she's hooked. AAGHHH!

FHE last night...

Last night as we were finishing up our family home evening lesson, we were talking about Jesus and temples and the widow's mite and Brooklyn says "well, I used to sit on Jesus' lap and we look-ed at flowers and I go-ed on walks with him but you weren't there with me because you were here. But, later you will be with me because we will all be together and we'll go on walks ALL together". Melt my little heart! The fact that she said she used to look at flowers with Jesus and went on a walks with him made me a little teary-eyed. I love that kid!

What A Weekend!

This first picture is the entrance to my "salon" - I failed to post last month that my wonderful husband put these new floors in. I LOVE them. Way easier than trying to clean hair off the carpet. It feels much cooler too, and more salon-like. I bet he's glad that's over with...he can relax for a few more weeks until I have another project for him :)

So.....speaking of salon's. uh-hum. This little one decided to take matters into her own hands. I mean, I probably knew that this day would come considering what I do. I guess I was a little too hopeful that all the conversations with her that "only mommy is EVER allowed to cut your, or anybody else's hair" would really sink in. I didn't (obviously). I just don't know if she knew what she was doing or not. Last week she kept telling me that she wanted short hair and I kept telling her that I love her long hair, and she looks like such a Princess - we can braid it and put ponytails in it. She seemed to be satisfied for the time being. So I'm still trying to decide if she was trying to cut her hair short, or if she was just playing around with the scissors. I can't get a straight answer. I think she thinks she's going to be put back in time out. So I guess I will be satisfied for the time being. Whatever - there's nothing I can so about it now. After I did damage control she said Mommy - I look so cute with short hair (sigh).



Friday night we went to a football game. My alma mater vs. Mike's. Mike's sister is the mascot for his High School and my brothers play for mine. David (the senior QB) is still on medical leave from his baseball injury/shoulder surgery and Daniel (the ex-back-up now starting sophomore QB) was playing. Just before half time Daniel gets sacked (sp?) by a kid he knows on the other team and doesn't get up. He's down for a while and he can't move his shoulder. It turns out he broke his humorous and finds out Monday if he will need surgery or not. My parents are bummed to say the least. Everyone in my family has had major sporting injuries year after year and Daniel is also the starting center for the Varsity Basketball team so not only does it ruin his football year but probably his basketball as well.
Brooklyn LOVES Grandpa Donaldson - look who has crashed and who is still up partying!
Mike had work to do this past week out of town and so we went with him and I took the girls to do some fun things without him. Oh how I miss this girls cute hair! Brooklyn was of course in love with these dogs at the pet shop. The picture of her was right before she fell into the dog pin - yep. Brielle's favorite activities included riding the merry-go-round, eating and running through the fountain.

Okay, so I probably have made a WAY bigger deal about Brooklyn's hair being short. I have never once been sad that I cut my hair. I have no attachments whatsoever. But I think she just got to a length where it was fun to do. I could just mess around and do different things with it. My favorite thing to do it up-do's - so while she does look oh so very cute with it short, I think I just wanted some one's hair to play with. It grows. No big deal. She still is adorable - I'm not biased or anything.

What a difference a day makes...

More accurately, what a difference a YEAR makes...but sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday. This picture was taken a year ago - I forget how fast they grow! Brooklyn looks way older now (has her hair really grown that much in just a year?) and Brielle was still this little chunky sleepy baby. Pretty soon my life is going to be flashing in front of my eyes and they are gonna be all grown up :( I know I'm being the stereotypical "Mom" but I can't help it. I need to be very careful about really enjoying these ages instead of remembering how hard everything can be. I mean aren't little girls the best anyway?

My Little Cheetah Girl

For the record...I don't know how Brooklyn even knows about the Cheetah Girls, I mean I have heard of them - but I don't even know if they sing, or dance, or what they actually do. So needless to say I was crackin up when she was singing the "Cheetah Girls" all over the house today. The second video is way funnier, she even throws a few dance moves in there with a "let's rock" in the middle of it. She loved seeing herself dancing on the camera the first time so she wanted me to record her again so she could watch herself. She said... Wow Mom, I look good!

Another year...

Brooklyn went to her first day of Preschool for the year. She of course loved it and wouldn't let me take a normal picture of her without trying to copy my every move. I really enjoy when Brooklyn goes to preschool because I feel like I am able to have more one on one time with my kids. I get 3 hours with Brielle and then she goes down for her nap right before Brooklyn gets home and then I get a little bit of time for just Brooklyn and I. They are so different when they aren't around each other. I think they feel special when it's just you and them. When they are both around I tend to tell them to go play with one another and I don't get as much quality time with them as I do when they are separate. So, preschool is great. Brooklyn socializes, learns, and doesn't ask me 40 times a day "Mom, what are we doing today, Mom, can we go somewhere, Mom, I want to go swimming with someone, Mom, Mom, Mom" she gets her "outing" for the day and I get to spend some time with both of my girls ALONE.

Disneyland and Reunion

I've heard in order to make it easy for the blurb book transformation - make sure not to write in between the pictures otherwise you have to reorganize things and it's a pain...so I'm taking that advice and running. No more writing in between...I'll do all the explaining in the beginning and then you can see pictures. Seems kind of boring to me, but we'll see. It might save me a lot of time a frustration later on! So onto the reason for the post - Brooklyn has been BEGGING us to go to Disneyland lately and we figured since Mike had his 10 year High School reunion this past weekend, we would be close and so we took the girls. They LOVED it (of course) I think this is the first time that Brielle was really able to enjoy it. We went to several shows, and tons of kids rides (no big rides for us :( ) watched a parade and a firework show. By 10:30 we were ready to hit the road and Brooklyn being the party animal that she is couldn't understand why we wanted to leave SO early. Needless to say they were both asleep by the time we got to the car and thankfully stayed asleep for the car ride and for the night. I'm not sure what it is about going out of town, but my kids sleep HORRIBLE! Brooklyn is up at the crack of dawn following my Mom around the house "helping" her. Brielle wakes up um... usually on average of about 12 times a night. She then usually ends up in between us scrunched in our queen size bed (not nearly large enough for the 3 of us mind you) so therefore we get no sleep and wish that we were at home in our own beds. But, we stayed another night and went to Mike's High School reunion, super exciting if you ask me. At least one of Mike's best friends and his fiancee were their to make it bearable. Thanks Eddie and Sandy :)