Halloween at School!

Today was the Halloween party/parade/program at Brenna's pre-school. All the kids were super cute in there costumes... and they were all really excited too! First they did the parade... all the kids came out of the house and rather than staying in the line to walk and show off the costumes... Miss Becky, Brenna and very few of the kids walked around as planned... but the rest of them ran around and all the princess' danced. It was actually rather cute! After that they lined up in front of all the parents and recited 2 poems that they have been learning. Poor Brenna was sick one of the days so she didn't know the first poem quite as well as the other kids did... all she knew was the last word... which was screaming BOO! Then the second poem which is one she has been practicing (what she could remember at least) the past few days... she did a really cute job on this one. She was so proud of herself. My step-mom Sunney came to watch too... Brenna was really excited to see her. Then we went and had the party... talk about chaos! I don't know how Miss Beckie does it! I was in charge of helping the kids decorate there cup cakes... it was acutally really fun. Most of the kids are well behaved and such little love bugs. I think got more hugs today than I have all month! There was one little girl that didn't want to eat her cupcake, instead just the frosting. First she started just licking the knifes we were using, and when those got taken away from her she resorted to just sticking her face in the bowl and scooping it up with her tonge. Ewwww... Couldn't help but laugh! Sam was happy as all get up too... he just thought it was the neatest thing to be with all the kids doing what they did. He fit right in!

Pumpkin Carving

I must say that as my kids get bigger these holidays have been getting funner and funner! We spent the evening at my sisters last night carving pumpkins with some neighbor friends as well. Bill had to work so unfortunately he didn't get to participate in the fun, but I was sure to carve a pumpkin just for him too. Being that I forgot my camera I didn't get any pictures of everyone with there pumkins as they carved, so I just took some pics of our family's finished pieces. I have to say my fingers were quite sore by the last and final pumpkin I had to carve. I carved a total of 5 pumpkins. Brenna chose a spider design, she was so excited the whole time and as I cut it out piece by piece she ran back and forth between me and the garbage throwing them away as I went. She also decided sam just wanted a face... so I did a little quick free hand face took me all of about 5 minutes! YES! I had to pick the cute little cat face for myself... it was just too cute! And Bill has been practicing airbrushing flames, so I tried to do a flame face for him. Overall it was a fun night, but FREEZING! I couldn't feel my toes by the time we were done! Brenna is super excited for Halloween, and tomorrow we have a halloween party at her school along with a parade and a program. She has been practicing her poems for me everyday, although she asks me "mom how does it go.." and I have no idea so I can't wait to see what it is she has been so excited about! I'll be sure to get some pictures!

Halloween Party 2008

My sister, her husband, and some friends hosted a halloween party at there house this year. It was sooooo much fun! Got lots of pictures... waiting for more from the others who had camera's as well. Here is a litte slide show of some pics from the night... can't wait till next years!

Binki Free!!!!

A couple nights ago, we all sat down for dinner. Of course Sam had his binki in his mouth as usual. The thing rarely left his mouth, unless he eventually got hungy or thirsty enough to part with it long enough to satisfy his need. Well, as we sat there and I was dishing up the kids, Bill's dad said to Sam... "Gimmie that binki!" Bill's dad is always trying to get him to give it up... of course he
NEVER does. So, I put his plate in front of him, and took the binki... he panics when I do this, constantly looking for it, making sure it is still within his eye contact. As he was busy eating I decided I was done "working" around his binki. So I cut the nipple off, and handed it back to him. He quickly realized something wasn't right... it wouldn't stay in his mouth... It examined it over and over. Made several attempts to put it back in his mouth. When finally he gave up on trying to keep it in his mouth. He decided carrying it would be sufficent for now. In the bath they went, along with "broken binki". Jammie's on, and down for bed. OHHHH BOY! What did I get myself into! Imediately he started crying for the "mimi." I couldn't give in, as much as I wanted to... I knew I couldn't... after the first hour went by of him SCREAMING... he finally fell asleep. For about 15 minutes anyway... then the screaming started again. I got on the computer, and searched for a better way to break the binki habit. Everything was just too age advanced for him, things he wouldn't understand. One statement stood out to me as i read amongst his continuous scream "Whatever you choose to use that suits you and your child best, you have to stick to it, DON'T GIVE IN!" It was then that I knew, I couldn't go give him one as much as I wanted to... it had already been 2 hours of screaming... and by giving in now all I would be doing is hurting him, and myself because eventually we would have to try again. That would be just plain torture for the both of us. At about 10:30 (2 and a half hours later) the crying stopped just long enough for me to get to bed and fall asleep... then 12am... he started again. That one went till about quarter after 1am. Then that was the last peep I heard from him the rest of the night. Next morning, bright and early he started asking for his "mimi" again. So I handed him the broken one and said... "It's broken, remember" He held on to it for a little while, then tossed it on the ground and went about his day. Nap time came a little earlier that day, he was quite tired from his night of screaming. He went down for his nap, yet another tantrum... this one lasted only about a half hour. Then he got a good 2 hour nap in. Woke up, happy and refreshed... went about his day... without a worry of the binki. That night came, believe me I was dreading it. I put him down, and he said "my mimi" I again reminded him it was broken, kissed him and walked away.... guess what... not a peep out of him the WHOLE night and he hasn't asked for it since! Last night was his 3rd night without it... So glad it is GONE! Now we can enjoy his cute smile more often!

Brenna's Bike Riding....

Brenna has been out riding her bike everyday since her birthday. She absolutely LOVES it! Everyday she gets better and better at it. She has fallen quite a few times, the first fall was a little startling.... she didn't get hurt, just scared her a little. She didn't hesitate to get back on though after I told her that was part of learning how to ride. You have to fall, and get back up. Then she will get so
good at it that she won't fall very much anymore. Well, there have been MANY falls since then. Just as she starts getting daring enough to up her speed, she has another tumble. Still hasn't stopped her though. Yesterday she had her worst fall yet. She tipped over and tried to catch herself with her hands, but unfortunately she was right next to the curb, and her poor little teeth and lip bounced off it.
Happy to say her teeth are still in tact (thank god) no chips in them either. One was knocked a little loose, but I am hoping it will tighten back up. Her poor lip is all mangled too... I don't think that she would have been quite as freaked out if I hadn't paniced. I knew your mouth blead alot, I just didn't know it would be that much for a little split lip. I am soooo super proud of her though... although this
was quite the tramatic event, it only took her about an hour and she wanted to go back out and ride her bike again. So glad she's not a quiter!

Brenna's 3rd Birthday

Well, my baby girl is growing up! She is now 3 years old! She has been practicing how to hold up 3 fingers all week, man that is a hard one to get the hang of... but low and behold today she got it! She can hold up all three fingers with out having to hold that stinkin' pinky down with her other hand! Anyway, 7am she was in my room... "mom... wake up, its my birthday. I'm not 2 anymore... I am
3!!!!" Such an exciting day for Brenna... The second she was able to drag my tired butt (I was up till midnight baking cupcakes) out of bed she was ready to head out the door to her party. Man was it hard to keep her entertained ALL day... I was just as eager as she was for 6:30 to roll around. So aroung noon, I broke down and let her open one gift from Mommy and Daddy... A pretty little

birthday outfit, and man was it adorable on her! Fortunately her cousin Kielee showed up not long after that, so she did a GREAT job at keeping Brenna's mind off the long awaited PARTY! I decided that about 3 I had better get my butt kicked into major gear and get myself ready, and the kids... Oh, and I had to frost the cupcakes and decorate her "cupcake" cake. (Her cake was so much fun to
make... had no idea what I was doing, but I have to say it didn't turn out all that bad!) Ten after five we were off to decorate at my sisters house, being that mine just isn't big enough... Once everyone arived we were quick to get the party started... Brenna waited anxiously to open her gifts... And she was really good about taking a good look at every one, and saying thank you before moving on to the next! She
is such a polite little girl! One by one they all came and went... she made out really well, clothes, the movie she has been dying to get (sleeping beauty), a couple cabbage patch dolls (another she has been wanting really badly), and lots more... She got one gift, she was a little confused about... a helmet. I said to her, "Brenna what is that for?" She says... "Riding a bike." She totally didn't catch on to what else was to come... I think she was thinking she could use it with her little bikes at home you push with your feet. Anyway, all the presents were opened up, and then Daddy came in the door with something else... She quickly jumped
When I told her... "Brenna, I think Daddy has something else." She couldn't really see through the croud of people, so she stood up and started walking toward her dad... and when she saw her pretty new pink "big girl" bike... she just belted out with a HUGE gasp..."Haaaaa THANK YOU DADDY!!!!" with a couple little jumps up and down. Gave daddy a BIG hug and jumped right on. She wasn't able
to get it to go very good on the carpet, but with a little help from Shania she rode it all around the living room... making sure she went to every person there and said... "Look at my new bike" then continued as she sat in one place for about another 10 minutes... finding anyone in her path... and yelling "Hey, look at me... I have a new bike!" I think it is safe to say the bike was a BIG hit, and I don't think she could be any happier with her birthday! Love you my "Lou" and Happy Birthday Princess!

Sweetest words!

I just wanted to share a little sweet something about Sam Man! He is growing soooo fast and of course new words are coming out everyday... and now he is starting to put two words together... like "I sit". Anyway, he has started the sweetest little thing... of course he has been saying mama and dada for awhile now.... hear it everyday! However, just recently he started with Mommy! and even sweeter... he calls Bill "gaggy". I just love it. I don't know what it is, but it makes him calling for me 10 times sweeter! I love to here him call me in the morning.... "mommy... my mimi" (in translation... "mommy... my binki") Also, in case you are wondering about the hair do in this little picture... a couple weeks ago I caught Bill in the bathroom with Sam, just fresh out of the bath... and Bill was getting a big kick out of doing his hair to look like Alfalfa off little rascals. Really this isn't the norm for poor Sam... I swear!