Dear Brennan,

Today you are four years old. I am simply amazed that four years have already gone by.

I'll start off by giving your answers to some questions I asked you yesterday.

 1. What's your favorite color? Pink

 2. What's your favorite song? Jesus Loves Me

 3. What's your favorite book? Who Will Be My Valentine This 

     Year? (a current library book)

 4. What's your favorite tv show? Team Umizoomi and Caillou

 5. What's your favorite movie? Frozen 

 6. What do you like to drink? Chocolate milk

 7. What do you like to eat for lunch? Macaroni and cheese

 8. What's your favorite snack? Goldfish

 9. Who's your best friend? Anna and Marie 

     (we saw Marie yesterday at Target, so she was on his mind)

10. Who's your girlfriend? Mommy. Wait, I love you Mommy

      but I love GaGa too. 

11. What's your favorite thing to do with Mommy? Play games

12. What's your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Wrestle

13. What's your favorite game? Uno Attack

14. What's your favorite restaurant? Chilis

15. What's your favorite iPad game? My new ping pong game

16. What's your favorite place to go on vacation? Golfing

17. What's your favorite thing to do outside? Go sledding

18. What do you want to be when you grow up? Doctor

You were so funny and kept asking me to ask even more questions, but I was running out of things to ask. Here are some other things I want to remember about you at this age...

You currently wear mostly 4T shirts, but still mainly 3T pants. Your shoe size is still a tiny 8. We've made big progress during this past week and you are now wearing underpants at nighttime and that's going great. It's funny because you used to be so picky about not wanting a single thing in bed with you. Now you sleep with nine stuffed animals every night. They all have a specific spot that have to be too. You just recently started complaining about it being too dark in your room (after almost four years of wanting it pitch black) so now you have a small nightlight. Our bedtime routine really hasn't changed much at all in four years. I still read you two stories every night, read from your Bible and pray with you, sing you two songs, then kiss you goodnight. You currently want 10 kisses and 100 hugs each night. Most days you still take a 2-hour nap and then go to bed between 7:30-8 each night. You've always been such a good sleeper!

You go to school three days each week for 2.5 hours and love it. We also see some of your favorite friends from school at the library on Thursdays for story time. You go to AWANA on Sunday nights and love being a part of the Cubbies. You easily learn your scripture each week and enjoy playing games there. You are also a part of the Cherub Choir at church and tend to steal the show during the monthly performances. In March, you will move to a new 4-year-old Sunday school class. You are looking forward to the change, but it also means you'll have to sit through some of the church service with us now until you're dismissed for children's church. I'm so glad you love church so much!

I've always said you're a smart boy and that certainly still applies. You can read entire books completely on your own. You've picked up books you've never even seen before and read them. You simply love learning and are always asking questions. The things you know never cease to amaze me. Like how you know the exit number of every place we go to off the highway. Or how you are so good at reading a clock and even know a new hour starts after :59. You can count by 10s easily and can count backwards from 20 quick as a flash. 

I love seeing all the things you can do independently now. You go pee in the bathroom alone. You can reach the bathroom faucet to turn the water on and off by yourself. You can reach your bedroom light switch which is really high up. You use the trackpad on the laptop by yourself now. You put your shoes on alone and take your coat and snow clothes off by yourself. But then I also love that there are still some things you're baby about; like how you want to be carried from the car if it's dark outside or if there's snow on the ground. I don't love the babyish whining that still happens a lot. We are constantly working on that and on obeying Mommy and Daddy the first time without grumbling or arguing. 

One of my absolute favorite things right now is our morning time together. You still stay in your bed and wait for 7:00 before you say, "Mommy I'm ready to get up now". Then most mornings I come in there and crawl in bed with you. We get to snuggle for a little bit and you just keep telling me over and over again that you love me. It is the best! 

You are still obsessed with the iPad and play it way too much. You are constantly asking for new games on it. You also love golfing right now. You like playing mini-golf and love watching golf on TV. You've gotten in a bunch of sledding time with Mommy and Daddy this winter because it snows once or twice every single week it seems. Wrestling is still probably your number one choice of activities though; especially with Daddy! 

Goodness, I'm sure there are so many things I am leaving out. You always tell me you're not a baby, but you'll always be my baby. I love you so much, my sweet boy. 

Love, 

Mommy

Enjoy some pictures from yesterday and today!

I love his face in this next one when he realizes he's opening the game "Sorry". It was the only thing he asked for for his birthday.

Downtown Disney

I will finish these Disney posts! Sorry they are so scattered among other posts, but here comes another one.

Sunday we headed to Downtown Disney. Kyle and I have always liked going there and we were able to spend a little time there in October during our family vacation. Unfortunately that day it was super hot and no one enjoyed it, so I wanted to take my parents back during this trip. Parking was a little crazy, but once we found a spot, we had a nice relaxing time there. We really just stayed in the Pleasure Island part of it since it's the most kid-friendly.

I won't go into a ton of details since we didn't do a lot. Brennan rode the train and the carousel like he does each time we go there. This time he also got his face painted. Both boys had Disney gift cards from GaGa, so they each got to pick out presents. Brennan picked Disney Candyland and rock candy. And Bryce "picked" a Donald Duck stuffed animal. I also bought a Sully stuffed animal for Brennan and he has since said that Sully is Bryce's and Donald is his. I keep telling him he won't be able to pull trades like that with Bryce much longer.

I honestly can't remember what we did the rest of the day. I think Sunday night we played mini-golf on the resort's course. We knew we had a big day the next day though!

I wanted to do comparison pictures with these Mickey and Minnie statues! You know your three-year-old is a Downtown Disney expert when he is waiting in line for the train and says, "the green Mickey and Minnie are right in there!" without even being able to see them. We have been so fortunate to take multiple trips!

January 2014

December 2012

January 2012

Tot School - 13 months / Almost 4 years

I didn't do as much with Tot School this week. Brennan had two snow days this week and it just got me all off schedule. Bryce started the week off with a bad diaper rash (due to teething I think) and today he hasn't been feeling very good and is running a high fever. But I did want to share with you the few activities I did manage to get pictures of. I just mixed the Brennan and Bryce pictures together this week.

I tried to give him a bath at the peak of his diaper rash and it was so painful for him. I quickly got him out and let him snuggle with me on the couch just in his towel. I love these pictures that Kyle took. You wouldn't know he was miserable looking at these.

Both boys had fun playing our Red Rover game. It's too complicated for Bryce, but he had fun watching. I've mentioned this game before on the blog and I highly recommend it. We bought it for Brennan as his gift after Bryce was born. The dog calls out a color, shape, or letter and you have to feed him that matching bone. It's super cute.

Bryce practiced with his stacking rings this week. This is another Melissa and Doug toy. We have a store at our local mall called Education Works. It's a teacher store and has toys in it too. I think most the toys are overpriced, but I go in each time we are there and search for things that are marked 50% off. That's how I got these rings for Bryce for Christmas. I like that they are soft and each ring either rattles or makes a crinkly noise. I also like that the middle stick shows what color comes next.

Brennan had fun finger painting. It had been awhile since painted. We also made a special gift for Auntie Lala so Bryce even got in on the painting action this week. No picture of that though since I was too busy trying to keep paint from getting everywhere.

Brennan has been giving me a hard time lately about practicing writing his name. He was doing really well at it several months ago, but lately not so much. I let him use chalk in the basement this week and he busted out his name with no help from me. Even making it into a pattern. He's such a smart boy!

I pulled out a box full cars for Bryce to play with. He's cute because he'll say "Vrooom vrooom" while he pushes them around. He didn't play with them long though. He was more interested in cleaning them up. He's a little OCD like that! :)

Bryce didn't sit still long enough for me to even get a good picture of him being a one-man-band.

Back to the stacking rings again, but this time he was putting golf balls into the holes.

Brennan turns 4 on Tuesday. He got an early birthday present from some friends at church; Uno Attack. To say he was excited would be an understatement. He just opened this gift this morning and we've already played a bunch of times!

And just one more picture showing the beautiful snow Monday morning. We got more on Tuesday night and are possibly getting more on Sunday. I'm beyond tired of it, but Monday's snow was so pretty.

Thanks for checking out our week. You can see lots more ideas on Carisa's blog!

Dear Bryce,

You are 13 months old today. I can't believe a month has already gone by since your first birthday. I don't feel like a lot has changed over the past month, but there are a few things I'd like to remember. You are still wearing mostly 12-18 month clothes and size 3 diapers. Here's what else you've been up to:

The biggest change is that you are finally sleeping! Glory be! Hallelujah! Now that I've actually typed that on the blog, tonight will probably be a rough night, but for the most part you are consistently sleeping through the night. Some mornings you will wake around 6:30 and fuss a little in your bed until I come and get you at 7, but most days you sleep until a little after 7 and it's such a welcomed improvement! Most days you are still taking two naps, but sometimes just an afternoon one.

You now have seven teeth with the eighth one almost ready to pop through. You are a drooling machine and I think the teething gave you a pretty bad diaper rash earlier this week. Thankfully it cleared up quickly. You also have a little bit of a cold, but thankfully it doesn't seem to be affecting your sleep.

Obviously a big part of this last month was our trip to Disney. I know you were way too young to ever remember it, but you had fun. You became quick buddies with your GeeGee and were so content to ride in the stroller for long periods of time at the parks. You even loved meeting the characters and weren't afraid at all. This was already your 3rd round trip on a plane, so you're going to be a traveling pro just like your brother.

You still aren't walking yet, but have started using your push toy to get around. We are encouraging you a take a step every single day, but so far it's just been more like a little foot forward while falling. I know you'll get there and once you do I'll wish you weren't walking everywhere, but I'm excited for this next step. You can crawl and cruise and climb anywhere you want to go for now. It's pretty funny to watch you crawl if someone is chasing after you or says to you, "I'm gonna get you!" because you take off into this stealth speed.

You still don't really say any words. You can say "dada" and "momma" and a few other things here and there, but nothing super consistent. You understand a lot though. When I tell you it's tubby time, you crawl right to the tub. When we ask Ringo if he wants a treat or a bone, you crawl right to the hall closet where we keep them. If you hear the microwave beep, you beeline for the kitchen assuming I'm heating up water for your bottle.

I've been working hard with you on identifying body parts, but the only one you seem to know is penis. Go figure. We did start Tot School after we got back from Disney, so that's been fun. I haven't really been planning out super original activities for you, but just watching you become more interactive with toys is neat. One of the cutest things you do right now is pick up stuffed animals and give them a big huge. Seriously cute!

You are a Momma's boy for sure. You do get super excited to see Daddy when he first gets home from work, but most the time you want to be with Mommy. You are constantly pulling at my pants legs when I am cooking dinner and often end up in your highchair with a snack during that time. Speaking of eating, you have been a pretty good eater lately. The teething thing set you back for a few days, but most the time you eat your big brother under the table. You can eat more than slice of pizza in a sitting. You devoured lasagna the first time I let you have that. And just the other day you ate six Munchkins from Dunkin Donuts in one sitting. I can't believe you're still so scrawny with all you've been eating!

We have your professional one-year pictures coming up next weekend, so I'm super excited about those. I have a feeling that you'll be a full-time walker by my next update too. I also think it's about time to get you a haircut. I don't think I can look at your mullet too much longer. You are a sweet, sweet boy and I love it when you lay your head on my shoulder and snuggle with me. And I especially love it when you sleep through the night, so keep that up please. :)

Love,
Mommy

Much to the disappointment of the 4-5 people who care, I don't think I'm going to keep doing giraffe pictures for Bryce now that he's over a year old. When Brennan was still immobile at this age, they were easy to still do, but not so much with Bryce. So enjoy his one year picture in case you didn't get to see it before and few other iPhone photos of my silly boy.