Aubsie-Bobsie with her Daddy

 Is there anything in the world cuter than a man with a baby?

Yes.  Actually there is.

A man talking all googly to a baby when he thinks no one is looking.

I love him.

It says so.  Right on the picture.

And pictures never lie.

I'd say that I am quite fortunate to have married such a handsome stallion so I could have beautiful

(and hairy) babies.  ha ha

Just kidding Dave - you're arms aren't really that hairy.

Actually, he never reads this blog so he'll never know that I busted on his hairy arms -

and then pretended to apologize.

Dear CPS

I just realized that my previous Bradley post may prompt some of you to want to call Child Protective Services for intentionally tying up my toddler.  But before you do, let me expose the guilty party and go on record saying that I did not pay them for their services.  ha ha


{I'm totally laughing imagining how that picture must have looked to some}


Brooklyn and Jack are very creative creatures and do lots of funny things that I can't explain the motive.  This particular day I had a headache so I decided to lay down for a few minutes during nap time.  When I emerged I noticed a note on Brooklyn's door.

Apparently Brooklyn had grown weary of Bradley sneaking into her room and fiddling with her stuff when she is gone.  So her and Jack devised a plan to protect her precious motorized animals and random pieces of crud.  And can you blame her after seeing the other mischief Bradley is capable of??  That little sheep could get his ears snipped off!

I must admit that I was less than excited to have a whole load of yarn strewn about, but managed to find the humor in it.

Especially when I saw Bradley all tangled in it. 
Like a helpless little bug.

I laughed through the entire un-tying process and then told Brooklyn that she could not booby trap her bedroom.

Her little barnyard has been hidden ever since.

Under Construction

Someday I'll get this blog looking just how I want it, but for now you'll have to be patient with the changes.  :)

Operation "No More Mischief"

I think I've figured out how to keep Bradley out of trouble. 

I hired 2 special agents to help keep this boy under control.

You've gotta do what you've gotta do.

She is hot, hot, hot

Anyone reading this who isn't from the Fresno area (or has never visited) needs to be informed of one fact. 

It's. Hot. Here.

No biggie.  (I secretly like the heat - waaay better than the cold).  But, I also secretly - or not so secretly - like air conditioning.

In the summer, we keep our thermostat set at 78 degrees. 

Toasty, right? 

Actually it's really not that toasty when you imagine a zillion dollar electric bill just for 6 extra degrees of chilliness. 

No thank you, Ma'm.

Well, last Saturday I was doing my regular Saturday cleaning, but for some reason, I was roasting.
I guess I was really getting a serious workout.  Working up a sweat and all.

Oh wait, no I wasn't.

My darling daughter had messed with the thermostat and had switched the heat on.

I can't even tell you how excited I am to pay for heat on a 95 degree day.

Kids...they are something, aren't they?

Quickly turn it upside down

I am happy to report that things have gotten better since my last post about my little friend Jack.  I changed a few things at home and he kind of just worked out his behavior at school.  I am sure we will still have incidents, but he isn't giving the "grumpy face" much anymore.  Yay for my sanity!

Around this house, my kids get a full pep talk everyday before school.
It goes something like this:
"Ok Jack, what face are you going to make at school?"  [cue happy face]
"And you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.  Right, Jack?"
"And you will listen to your teacher."
Well, trust me, I have plenty to say to them in the morning.  Just wait until they are teenagers.  ha ha

And when they come home after school I start blabbing again. 
I want all the deets from school.
Usually I get the goods over cookies and milk or we snuggle up on the couch.
Can I just say that I love this part of the day?!

The other day I had just finished my daily after school run down with Jack and had jumped on the computer to send a quick email.  As I was logging in, Jack came back over and sat behind me.  The next thing I heard was a sweet little voice saying,
"So how was your day, Mother?"
How cute is he?  I'm pretty sure I basically just gobbled him up after that.

You know, this boy can make me CrAzY sometimes, but man I adore him.

P.S.  Thanks for the tips and advice!

Heave a nice day

Sunday's are always a little wild.  (Do I even have to say that?)  And this Sunday was again, no different.  After sacrament meeting Dave and I were juggling kids trying to decide who would do what.  Well, let's just say that I got the mega short end of the stick and ended up having to change Bradley's rotten sewer pants.  (Something about there not being a changing station in the men's bathroom...Is that really true??)  Anyway, after we got the two bigger kids to class, I handed Aubrey off and took Sir stinky pants to the bathroom.  I took care of that, got Bradley to nursery and went looking for Dave.  After a couple of laps through the halls I finally found him.  And then things proceeded in slow motion.  He handed Aubrey to me, and just as I grab her and he moves back she begins spewing.  Like serious fire hydrant barf-o-rama all over the front of me. 
Seriously?
Ya.  Seriously.
She rarely spits up, but this day she propelled out at least 3 days worth of food.
At this point a mother has 2 choices:
A)  Go home
B)  Walk around church smelling like baby puke.
I chose option B. 
I tried kind of wiping it off, but I'm pretty sure I just rubbed it in.
And then I tried covering it up with her blanket which worked except that it looked awfully unnatural to have a blanket across the entire front of me, and I started to feel kind of musty.
And do I have to remind anyone what partially digested, regurgitated milk smells like?
I walked into RS playing it cool, but ended up just letting it all out to the person next to me.
"If it smells like baby barf, it's totally me."
At least she wouldn't have to wonder.

The Perpetrator

Look at that cute little profile. 

She was cracking herself up in the mirror while I was getting ready.

Oh, and I still adore her - even if she did decorate me with bodily juices.

And look at the bright side, it could have been the other end...

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

Bradley is a quiet little guy.  He doesn't say much and he really doesn't make a whole lot of noise most of the time.  In fact, the most common noise I hear associated with Bradley is the screeching of the kitchen stool across the tile floor.  Seriously, I think I need to put those stools away for awhile.  He gets into EVERYTHING with those things.
But don't let his silence fool you. 
He has discovered that a nursing baby creates a lot of unsupervised time for him.  And he likes it. 

Alot. 

I have compiled pictures from 2 days worth of Bradley's mischief.

I should have backed this one up a bit - he's standing on the kitchen stool!

sprinkles - I'm still vacuuming those babies up...

He removed all the blind slats and slid them into the desk drawer.

Good grief!

It's no wonder he is exhausted by naptime!

Do you see it? 

Do you see his batteries recharging?

I love this boy to bits, but he sure keeps me busy. 

I really feel like I finish cleaning up a mess just to turn around to see another one.

sigh.

Spelling Test

When I picked Brooklyn up after school today she told me that the kids in her class were laughing at her. 

What?  My child being laughed at?

She said that Mrs. M called her up to spell a word on the board.

Which she spelled correctly.

Why would they laugh?

The word Mrs. M asked her to spell was:

but

kids... (head shaking)

"They thought it was like our, you know....bum" Brooklyn said.

And then she laughed.

I guess they're all the same.

Advice Needed

So, I have this child.

And this child is particularly stubborn and a teeny weenie bit difficult to deal with.

And this child's poor mother is feeling a little stressed now that this child isn't only her problem -

because he now goes to school.

His poor teacher has been seeing a lot of this

classic shot by Stephanie Ryan

Bless that poor teachers heart.

She's being a good sport.

But he has a little problem with not wanting to do something if it isn't his idea

And when pushed to do so, quickly reverts to his favorite pose (see figure A)

So O wise mothers of the blogosphere -

I'm looking for lots of ideas and advice.

I've been referred to a few great books (thanks Erynn),

but I'd like all the ideas I can get!

Oh, and does anyone else out there have a child like this?

Please say I'm not the only one.

The *Aubrey* Doll

I have decided that since wee little babies change so much and grow so fast that I want to post a picture of the week of Aubrey.
And anyone who enjoys feasting on baby deliciousness as much as I do will certainly appreciate.

This is her giving the A'Okay

And anyone who is drawn to look at her left hand

(you are now, aren't you?)

No, her hand isn't deformed...it just looks really funky in this picture

Everywhere I go, people tell me that she looks like a little doll.  Like a magazine porcelain doll.  She has this wee little body and massive amounts of hair.  And supposedly only porcelain dolls have features like that.  So I think I'll make a mold and sell it for millions.  And keep one around because I'm pretty sure I could look at that little face everyday for the rest of my life.

What do you think? 

Give Aubrey a month or so and her hair should be long enough...

Just call me...

I'm all for shortening names, you know, like we call

Brooklyn, Brookie -

we call Jack, Big J -

we call Aubrey, Aubs -

but it seems that Bradley has a preference for his shortened name...

Um...I don't think so.

Dollars and Sense

I am getting concerned that I may be causing Brooklyn to have an unhealthy relationship with money.  I mean, it started out beautifully - she knew not to ask for things at the store, she would shake her head and tell me all about how those claw machines at the grocery store are a waste of money, and she understood that if activities required money, her chances weren't good.  Now, being the frugal person that I am, I was so pleased when she happily turned over the contents of her piggy bank so I could put it in her savings account.  It brought pure joy to my heart watching her be wise with her money and desire to save.  However, my concern started when she received a birthday card in the mail.  10 big ones just for her.
She handed the money to me and very matter-of-factly said,
"Mom, can you please put this in the bank for me?  I'm saving for a house."

Blankets and pillows and sheets, Oh My!

Dave is back in Greeley, CO right now.  Fixing up the old homestead.  Which turned out to be a very big project - thanks to our super cool ex-renters.

Ahem...perhaps we shouldn't talk about that...

Instead, let's focus on how naughty the kids have been while their father has been away.  Well, they haven't exactly been at their naughtiest, but they have been "busy."

How about this:
Aubrey and Bradley were both napping (hello! opportunity to get something done) so I was busy doing this and that - happy that the other two kids were playing nicely. 
Well, at some point, I remember that most anytime they are playing happily and fairly quietly, that they are likely doing something that I won't really like.

Why does it have to be like that?

Well, I decided to look in on my little cherubs - and in the process I passed the linen closet.

Deep breath Momma.

Behold!  The entire contents of my linen closet.
Ugh.
They were leaping off the bed onto the pile of poof.  And apparently having an apple snack.
Sounds fun, right?
For everyone except the person who got to re-fold a million blankets, sheets, towels and pillowcases.
Which may not have been the funnest thing I've done all day.
But, on a positive note, I now have a nicely organized linen closet.
For now.

I Smell Wax

As would be expected, I spend a fair amount of time in the foyer at church.  Today was certainly no different.  Brooklyn and Jack were doing well, but Aubrey was getting fussy and Bradley was insisting on sitting on MY lap.  I kept trying to hand Aubrey off to Dave, but he's just not as soft and squishy as me,

so she wouldn't have it.

So, I took her out.

And a few minutes later, Dave brought Bradley out to me.  Thankfully, he was traumatized (was I just thankful that my child was traumatized?) thinking that I was going to take him to nursery so he stuck very close to my side which made it easy to keep track of him.

Well, he was being so good that I was actually able to listen and enjoy the meeting.  

(Mark that one off as a first since having kids)

A couple of minutes before the meeting was over, I looked down at my charming son.  He was smartly dressed, looking completely serious and reverent...

except for the crayons dangling from both nostrils.

Seriously?!  How long had those been hanging there?! 

He was totally acting like everything was perfectly normal - you know, like crayons belong in your nose.

I was really wishing for a camera.  But, because he is cool like that, Bradley reenacted a portion of it for me.

(Although this does no justice to the real thing)

Next Post:  Kira's Trip to the ENT to have unidentifiable objects removed from Bradley's nose.

Can anyone even pretend

that this picture doesn't bring pure joy to your soul?

When I filled out my baby order form, I requested all the best qualities.

And I think I can officially say that I got Heavens best student.

This little girl is the sweetest little smidge.

She is pure sunshine - and a whole lot of it.

Really, if she could talk, I think she would be hilarious.

I love how she sits in her Bumbo chair bobbing her little head

never missing a thing, and acting like she is far more mature than just 3 months.

But I guess she can since she has more hair than most 2 year olds.

I love, love, love when she smiles and squeals and kicks those scrawny little legs when she sees me.

We're buddies, you know.

And sometimes I want to eat her up because she's so irresistibly lovable.