Celebrating Easter

We pretty much celebrated Easter every weekend EXCEPT Easter weekend....

Easter Egg Hunt week prior to Easter at Papa & Mama's....

This picture is actually from Easter morning....but Brecken had the flu, so we stayed put.This picture is from this weekend. Since we couldn't dress up in our Easter outfits on Easter Sunday, we saved them for the next week.

'Eggs-perimenting'

Brecken started out using spoons & one color per egg. He wanted to continue coloring eggs, but we were out...so he decided to 'recolor' them. At first I thought he was being Mr Particular (anal) like his mom because he put each egg back into the color that it was. However, then the boy (and daddy) tendencies came out. He began intermixing colors & trying out different methods ....using the spoon to pour color over the egg rather than dipping....forget the spoons, hands are better...the egg drop method to see how far the color splashes. End result: a few cracked, but colorful eggs and easter egg colored hands. They'll fade by church on Sunday, right?

My New Obsession

I have been a traditional scrapbooker since Aaron & I started dating in '98 & did really well keeping up until Brecken turned 1. I have yet to update his scrapbook since then (he is almost 2 1/2) and have less than 5 pages done in Leighton's. The thought of dragging out all of my supplies during naptime (only to be interrupted shortly after) keeps me from even considering the task. I become overwhelmed thinking about how much cutting, measuring, taping, sorting through pictures....not to mention all the time involved, which brings me to my point.

I have a new obsession....digital scrapbooking. I happened across a friend of a friend's blog & saw her wonderfully creative pages & I thought, Bingo! I can catch up that way without dragging everything out! I won't have to order pictures....they're all on my pc! I have a great program to work with & I won't have to cut/paste/sort/etc, etc, etc. Yahoo!

So, after doing some research, getting some info from the friend of a friend, spending a couple weeks going through this book & getting to work, I am knocking some pages out! I've decided to start with the present & work backwards. In the past couple weeks, in just a few short hours, I've knocked out 2 months worth of scrapping for both boys. I'm so excited.
Here are a couple of my creations :)

NOT a hairdresser

For the record, haircutting will NOT be my next occupation. Yesterday, Brecken said to me, “Meh-me, cut Brecken’s hair?” Since he is not one who enjoys such a task, I jumped on it. I oiled up my dog-hair cutting clippers (maybe this was my first mistake), sat him in the chair & used the ¼” guard on the back of his hair – ok….looking pretty decent. Based on my professional experience, I thought I should go with the ½” guard for the front part of his hair….do a little fade, ya know, make it look real nice. I snapped on the guard & went to work. I saw something flicker to the floor out of the corner of my eye. Thinking it was hair, I continued to bzzzz along, which leads us to picture one….. It wasn't hair that flickered to the floor, it was the guard. I nearly scalped the poor kid.

This was also the point at which Brecken decided he was done with the haircut. I thought I could wait until this weekend for my sister-in-law (the REAL professional hairdresser) to do it, but NO, anal me, couldn’t stand it any longer. So, I bribed him with M&M’s & the prospect of a playdate today & buzzed it all. It’s still not a knock-your-socks off type of cut….but it’s a step in the right direction. I think he looks pretty cute with the buzz AND he didn’t throw a fit when I washed it in the tub. I think we’ll keep it short.

Celebrating Differences

Who knew how different 2 kids from the same 2 parents could be! While of course, there are similarities - for instance, they are both adorable & my favorite boys, their differences are greater! I am thankful for these differences. I think life would be quite boring if they were exactly the same!

Brecken (@ 9mo)
*Blue eyes
*Light brown hair
*Fair complexion
*Slept through the night....every night
*Very laid back & easygoing
*Mommy or daddy will do
*Didn't like snuggling
*18lbs 2oz & 30.25inches

Leighton (@ 9mo)
*Dark hazel eyes
*Dark brown hair
*Darker skin tones
*Sleeps through the night occasionally
*Laid back but throws tantrums & is VERY ornery
*Prefers mommy at night
*Enjoys snuggling
*17lbs 12oz & 29.25inches

I'm not asleep....but that doesn't mean I'm awake.

We have been battling (or avoiding, depending on how you look at it) sleep issues with Brecken since last June. He was the best sleeper prior to our move & the birth of his baby brother. He has progressed (or digressed) as follows:

*put baby in crib awake....he falls asleep on his own AND soothes himself back to sleep
*put toddler in toddler bed.....he falls asleep on his own & stays in bed
*put toddler in bed & he screams at the gate, but eventually gets in bed & goes to sleep
*put toddler in bed....screams at gate & discovers he can climb OVER the gate
*lock toddler in room at bedtime....he screams & beats on door, but eventually goes to bed
*lock toddler in room....screams/beats on door & refuses to go to bed
*toddler falls asleep on couch & we leave him there b/c he's actually sleeping
*toddler falls asleep on couch, but upon waking comes into mom & dad's bed & we let him....
*move toddler bed into the living room & he decides he likes it again & sleeps/naps there

Which brings us to present :) This weekend I asked Brecken if he would like to move his bed back into the room with Leighton. He said, um...sure. So together we moved it in - I pulled, he pushed. He slept in it - was excited. You say - VICTORY - yes, except for NOW Leighton is waking up screaming & won't go back to sleep. So, you fix one problem, and up pops another one. Last night Brecken was back on the couch while Leighton cried it out.....

Our entire household could use a nap. Pray for sleep......

Jumping Hurdles

I'm happy to report that we have been 'binkless' since last Thursday! If I had known he would respond so well to the broken bink, I would have done it months ago. Since we have jumped this hurdle, I figure we'll start on the next one....potty training. I have decided to try the method of Toilet Training in Less than One Day. I am just now reading the book and waiting on our Scotty Potty doll to arrive. I'm hoping it will arrive by this weekend. I'll probably wait to start the actual training until after the last weekend in February.....Brecken will be staying with my brother & his wife, so I don't think I'll make them mess with a newly potty-trained child toddler :) I can't wait to start this & update you on this process :) It should be an interesting one!!! Here's the Scotty Potty Doll.

It's Bwoke

The bink thing was going well for awhile...but we have regressed. So, mommy did a 'mean' thing today & snipped off the end. Now when he whines for it, he can have it - but he doesn't like it.

And so our conversation goes.....

Brecken: Bink's bwoke.... Throw away.

Mommy: I know! I'm sorry it's broke buddy.

Brecken: Orange? (his bink is blue...but he knows he has orange ones too)

Mommy: We don't have anymore, honey. We only have that blue one!

Brecken: Wewoh? Geen?

Mommy: Nope, we only have blue! Sorry bud.

Needless to say, he has yet to take a nap today, but he's in good spirits. Tonight may be a different story......

Mobility --> Sibling Rivalry

Let the games begin! Leighton is officially mobile. I have a feeling the sibling rivalry may begin....Leighton wants to be in & on top of whatever big brother is doing.

Chip Chocolate Cookies

Most of you know that we are living in my great-grandparent's home. I was going through a drawer in the kitchen, where Grandma kept her recipes & came across her recipe for 'Chip Chocolate' cookies that she had written on a little piece of paper. I scanned it & created the image above. Maybe this will be an afternoon adventure for Brecken & I. We'll make Grandma Mil's cookies & see how they turn out.

Making the Cut

I finally broke out the electric clippers & cut Brecken's hair. The scissors just weren't 'cutting' it. Here are his before and after pics.

Leighton also did some cutting over the weekend. His bottom 2 teeth broke through, Praise the Lord! He was being a bear during the night while cutting them. I would include a picture, but he
won't let me see them.

Words I love to hear

I've been thinking about the words I love to hear come out of my 2 year old's mouth....

• I did it!
• Too (in response to I love you)
• Coming baby or It’s okay baby (when Leighton is crying)
• Pease (please)
• Tank you meh-me (mommy) or tank you daddy
• Sahwy oof-woof (when he runs into the dog)
• Help meh-me (when he wants to help me)
• I cooks (he loves to cook)
• sugni (word he uses to refer to his snuggly - a.k.a. burp rag)....you have to hear it to fully appreciate it
• em-eh-neh-mee (M&M's)
• I also love to hear how he says other people's names & his own.

I'm happy to say at this point there aren't too many that come out that I don't like, but I'm sure that will come. For right now, I'm enjoying his sweetness. It definitely makes me think about my own word choices, knowing that he is listening and repeating what he hears!

Binky wars

We have finally decided to do something we should have done a LONG time ago......wean Brecken from his bink (pacifier). Little did we know how hard it would be. With the cold, dry air, etc, his poor little face is breaking out around his mouth, so we decided the bink has to go. We are limiting to naptime & bedtime. Unfortunately (for me), we decided to start this last night....so today is the first day of no bink during the day. Smart thinking on my husband's part - start when he's at work, hahaha. Let's just say, it hasn't been pleasant at times! Brecken is VERY attached. On the upside - his mouth is looking much better AND it has to continue to get easier! I dread the day when we throw it out for good. I'm thinking that would be a great extended weekend trip to the grandparents (for Brecken....not us).

Boots....or pants....or both

Brecken has an aversion to clothes (as I'm sure most 2yr olds do). He fought getting his pants back on after a diaper change. Did he think the boots would fit better? Or maybe he figured what's the point of pants if your boots will do the trick. If only you could have seen him walking through the kitchen in them.....cheap entertainment.

Such a novice

So, this is my very first blog ever. I am really a novice & have no idea what I'm going to ramble about, but a good friend (thanks Kristin...) encouraged me to start one, so here we go!

First, let me warn you & apologize that my posts will more than likely include things such as dirty diapers, spit up, boogers or other dirty little baby things. But what more can you expect from a stay at home mom of two boys? One day, I will again have a life outside of the walls of my house, but for now, I'm enjoying all the precious, mischevious & memorable experiences that occur every day with my boys! I wouldn't trade it for anything....well, maybe occasionally I'd trade a couple hours for a pedicure, a Starbucks coffee or a night out, but after that there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

Welcome to Wertville :)