Rolling Over

Monday and Tuesday, I found Brynn on her back when I went in to get her. She sleeps on her tummy, so that means...she can roll!

WooHoo for Brynn!

This Outfit...

...caused an awful lot of drama at our house yesterday. Chloe saw it in her drawer when we were getting out clothes for the day, and said, "I want to wear my pretty outfit from Grandma Colleen". (sidenote: her birthday was in late March and we haven't talked about the outfit since, since it has been too cold. Apparently, there is nothing wrong with her memory!) Since it was finally warm...I dressed her in it, but it was a bit on the small side even though it was the size she normally wears. I told her it was too small and we would go get the right size at Costco, as I took it off of her.

Then it started: kicking, screaming, crying, "I want to wear my pretty outfit from Grandma Colleen," in between sobs, arched back, and the whole bit...for more than 30 minutes! I tried distraction, I tried bribery, I tried reasoning (all things that normally work) but she would have none of it! So, I managed to pry a dress onto her body and load her in the car so we could go exchange the outfit for the right size...praying all the way that they would have it! We had to make a couple of other stops along the way since it wasn't even 10:00 yet, and at every one, she said. "No! Costco!" Luckily, Costco had the same outfit in her size, whew! When we got home we changed her into her pretty outfit from Grandma Colleen and she wore it the rest of the day and to bed. She looked super cute in it and she definitely liked her present from Grandma...maybe a little more than I would have liked! Oh little attitude...I don't know if I will survive you through Chloe's teenage years...in fact, I don't know if I will survive you during her toddler years!

A Very Unusual Really Normal Morning

This morning at 6:38, two young kids came bounding into my bedroom and onto my bed. After wondering why in the flip they were up so dang early (and yes those were the exact words of my thoughts) I turned on the rest of Peter Pan so I didn't have to be coherent quite yet. We said family prayer and Seth was off to work. Both kids asked if I would go get Brynnie so they could see her and I told both of them they would have to wait until she woke up on her own - which was closer to 8:00.

By 8:15 I had all of the kids fed, bathed, dressed, and ready to get out the door to the gym by 8:45 - and nobody had dumped - I mean spilled - their cereal bowl all over the table and floor. Yep, it was pretty much a miracle!

When we got home from the gym, the kids played nicely together while I took a shower, got ready for the day, and fed Brynn again and then we were off to the backyard to enjoy the beautiful weather. I added a few coats of paint to a few of my refinishing projects while the kids rode around in their cozy coupes - filling up with gas and delivering mail - and despite a few way too close calls, nobody ended up covered in paint!

It got less unusual and more chaotic from there when I couldn't find my keys or phone, Brynn spit up all over her car seat, and Chloe went downstairs - all right as we were heading out the door to meet my mom for lunch, but all in all it has been a very unusual really normal morning around here!

Happy Birthday Morgan!

Today was Morgan's 4th Birthday! We had such a fun day celebrating our sweet and special little boy who is getting so grown up every day! In fact, we had so much fun that I am too tired to post all of the pictures and happenings, but we have lots of pictures and stories to share!

Happy Birthday little man - you are a ray of sunshine in our lives and we are so glad we get to watch you grow and develop every day! We couldn't ask for a better son, brother, and buddy! We love your sweet little self and hope your birthday truly was the "best day ever"!

Love,
Mom, Dad, Chloe, Brynn and Callie

So Pretty

This morning after I loaded Brynn in her carseat to head out the door, Chloe got down right close to her and smiled as she said, "You look so pretty Brynnie!" in the sweetest, softest, most caring voice. Aaaahhhh, I love my little girls!

Once upon a time

Once upon a time there was a very cute little girl who saw a Disney Princess sing-a-long DVD that her mom borrowed from the library. The little girl was instantly in love with all of the Disney Princesses. She learned their names and the songs they sang and started to notice them on toys, clothes and accessories at the stores her mommy took her to. The little girl started watching Sleeping Beauty and got The Little Mermaid for her birthday and her mommy started borrowing more princess movies from the library. The little girl got a Sleeping Beauty doll and a Cinderella purse with matching accessories and, of course, she loved them. She took her princess stuff everywhere she went and thought she was a princess herself. She dressed up every day just like a princess would and often from this little girl's lips you can her her sing..."I know you, I walked with you once upon a time...I know you I walked with you once upon a time..." Her Mommy and Daddy think this is very cute, even if they are the wrong words, and so does the rest of her family...and they all lived happily ever after!

Princess Chloe on her way to run errands with Grandma Becky and Grandpa John.

Project Mayhem

I am a little crazy...okay maybe more like a lot crazy. In the midst of adjusting to 3 kids, dealing with all of the doctor's visits for Brynn, getting the backyard ready for grass (yay!!!), a month of birthdays and events that I am in charge of, and the approach of finals for Seth, I have been in project mode for the last month and a half. Maybe it is my itch to be productive, maybe it is from reading too many craft blogs, and maybe it is out of sheer desperation to create a house of order amid the choas of kids, dogs and stuff in a too small house, but whatever the reason I have been motivated to take on projects.

Because I get into this mode all too frequently, I am considering creating a separate blog to keep track of all of my projects, but until I do...here is a rundown of what I have been working onare some of the completed projects.

Laundry Room Organization: I made hanging bags for each family member - one for clothes, one for socks, and I store clothes in there. I fold a different person's clothes each day of the week so it isn't so overwhelming...I hate folding clothes!

Brynn's blessing dress:
Here are the long awaited pictures...for someone who considers themself a beginning sewer with NO training whatsoever, I think I did a pretty darn good job. When I finished it, I decided I should start answering the question, "Do you sew?" with a simple "yes" instead of "I dabble, but I wouldn't say I sew."

Hooded Towells:
I made one for each of the kids and one for Morgan and Chloe to take to the pool. We are officially ready for summer swimming season! Funny story: I told the kids I was going to make these while they took their afternoon naps, so when Morgan came up from his rest time and saw that I had finished him he said, "Mom, you did a really good job making those towells! I am so proud of you!"

Bow Holder and Bows for the girls:
This turned out so so cute! Once I finished taking pictures of it after I hung it up, I put all of the bows on it and realized that the girls have a LOT of bows and I have no intention to stop or slow down making them. Gotta have matching bows for all of our outfits! :) I also made the girls a bunch of headbands, and I am working on a cute little decor/display/storage item for them, so you will have to wait on pictures of those.

Nursing Cover:
This was so easy to make it is almost rediculous! I love it!

Sling:
I didn't win that giveaway a while back and I was too cheap to spend the money on one, so I made this reversible one to fit me exactly for under $10. I also made one for Chloe, one for Morgan and one for Seth...just for fun!

Diaper and Wipes Holder:
I wanted to make one that matched the sling and nursing cover...I am still trying to perfect the design.

Blankets and burp cloths:

Just because I was feeling crazy! :)

In the works/half finished/all the materials ready to go and out in plain sight all over my house right now are:
rearranging the basement family room
refinishing/painting 2 shelves, a bookshelf, a wood filing cabinet, a time-out chair and 3 kid stools for that room
refinishing a stool for my bedroom
recovering and refinishing a glider for the Nursery
Sewing a duvet cover for Chloe's bunk downstairs
Sewing bibbies for the kids for eating, arts and crafts, etc.
A couple of baby gifts I am working on
Making headbands and bows for the girls - the project that will never end, but that's ok
Making a "dolly dresser" for the exponentially growing collection of doll stuff around here.
finishing/tweaking the scrapbook/craft corner organization project I started a while back. I thought it was finished, but apparently the open and visible organization style that works for me just isn't a good fit for a room where the kids play unattended - let your immagination run wild here...visible craft supplies (glitter, scissors, paint, ribbon, stickers, paper, etc.) + kids=very mad mommy!
Plus the usual scrapbooking...coming along ever so slowly...I am finally working on Morgan's first Christmas!

Sadly, that list looks like much less work than it actually represents! These are all in the works right now, there is a much longer list of projects that I haven't started yet. Wish me luck!

Easter Cuteness

This was SUCH a fun and wonderful Easter. Dressing the girls all matchy-matchy just makes me giddy! There were the usual pre-Easter festivities - egg hunt with Playgroup (thanks for having us over Mandy), coloring eggs with all the cousins at Grandma Colleen's, and attempting to make cute Easter decor with the kids, but this post is all about Easter day. For all of you who are waiting to see the hundreds of pictures of your kids at these events, I am working on getting them uploaded to my smugmug page right now and will let you know when they are up.

Our morning started with a search for Easter baskets. The Easter Bunny has never hid our baskets before, but the kids loved searching for them.

Then it was a mad dash to get everyone ready for church while Seth was at his morning meeting. I had to meet with a member of the bishopric before church to get a new calling (primary teacher...more on that later) but I waited until the last possible second to actually get the kids in their Easter outfits and told Seth he had to keep them clean until I got home to get them and head back to church! He did a great job and took some pictures of the little cuties! Chloe carried her basket around with her all morning.

This is the best picture we got of the 3 of them together - sad but true! Their arms are in the air because I said "Everyone look up here" and put my arms up - which they of course did and copied me! I do love that Brynn is looking right at the camera though.

After church, we came home and changed the kids out of their Easter clothes and put them down for naps. I also enjoyed a much needed Sunday nap and then it was off to Grandma Colleen's for our annual Easter Egg Hunt! All of the kids were so excited to head out there and start searching that the Moms didn't even know they had started - but Grandma sent them in according to age and Seth was there with the camera, so all was well! Chloe enjoyed looking for loot, but wanted to eat it as she went. Morgan was all about the hunt and ended up filling his elmo basket and a grocery sack and Grandma Becky's arms!This picture melts my heart - Chloe has her Great Grandpa TM wrapped around her finger - just like every other man in her life!Could this boy be any cuter? I really doubt it!After stuffing ourselves with candy and delicious food, we headed off to Grandma Tate's where the kids immediately found our basket,Brynn was able to meet Grandma for the first time and we got to spend time with Seth's family! Then, we headed home to meet Grandpa Mark and enjoy some Easter surprises from him before a very late bedtime. Thanks to all of our family for making it such a beautiful Easter and for spoiling us! We love you!

P.S. Brynn's x-rays were normal so we have determined that she just has a really bad case of Reflux. She is still on Prevacid, but we have switched her from Reglin to another medication (the Reglin was making her very fussy and irritable) and have added Afrin nose spray to her daily medication regimen for the next couple of days. I am feeling a little like a pill dispenser! Our pediatrician is still strongly recommending tubes, so we go back to the ENT on Monday and will proceed from there. She is still stuffy and miserable, but the combination of all the medications are starting to show signs of helping, so we are hopeful. Thanks for all your well-wishes and prayers!