Sunday, December 12, 2010

Winter is here...



I realize I say this each time, but I can't believe another month has past. We've had a busy couple weeks! The Harmans took a trip to Mich to see cousin Aubrey and Uncle Phil/Auntie Kylie. The next weekend we drove to Ohio for the Wood Family Thanksgiving. Traveling has been better than expected with the addition of a new dvd player and multiple showings of the 'Toy Story' (Thank you Gpa/Gma Wood!). We were pulling into our neighborhood from our Michigan trip and Brett wakes up saying that we need to drive back to Uncle Phil's because he didn't get to watch Spongebob Squarepants yet! Apparently he did not mind the 5 hour trek.
The kids have all changed a ton again! Colin is sitting up and is now fighting back for toys:). Grace is climbing and is talking more and more. Brett is showing emerging pretend play and is constantly telling me what his toys are doing. After our Mich trip, his trucks kept 'stopping for gas and getting snacks...'. Bailey took her first step at 10 1/2 months (2 weeks before Brett:) and in Ohio at Thanksgiving she decided one step at a time was for the birds and upped the ante to full blown walking. So if you are keeping track..that's 3 walkers now. Someone is always going in a different direction. Thank God for gates.

Other Brett/Bailey updates
I found Bailey reading Daddy's Wrestling Magazine. A happy daddy did it make.

Brett changed the ABC song to say 'next time won't you wrestle wrestle me'

As I cleaned up dishes, Brett ran by, smacking my behind saying ‘Good dinner mommy, good dinner’

Bailey grabs our toy microphone and sings daily. It's adorable.

Brett requested hotdogs for breakfast about 15 times one morning.

Bailey has learned how to headbutt...Daddy is so proud.

Brett called himself a silly caboose one morning instead of silly goose.

Bailey growls constantly. As we've been Christmas shopping, she makes a point to growl at people passing by. And then she blows them a kiss.

Brett is big into football and frequently practicing…he yelled at me when I was in the kitchen ‘Watch out, you’re on the football field!’

Aubrey and Auntie Kylie visited Chicago for an American Girl weekend. After shopping downtown, Bailey and I had a number of blocks in the cold rain to get back to our car (and may I add way past her naptime). She was annoyed to say the least and Mommy didn’t have a coat…so we ran…down Michigan Ave…in the rain. She was kicking and flailing her arms in delight as I dodged the thousands of shoppers with bags and a baby in the stroller. She laughed pretty heartily and apparently amused dozens of people as they smiled and waved at us passing by.

As Brett becomes more vocal, we are noticing a little bit of push back or opposition if you will. Grandpa Wood thinks it's pretty funny and reminds me to write them down to show Brett later. For example:
Brett was dragging his feet on a walk, standing in the middle of the sidewalk as others were trying to get by. I said, 'Brett watch out please.' He said, 'No YOU watch out'

I was struggling with Brett complying... I said 'you listen to Mommy right?'
He responded, 'not right'

In Ohio, I asked Brett to come to change his clothes. He responded 'No thank you, Brett's busy.'

There was a chip in the paint that Brett was hammering his screwdriver into. I
said, 'Brett did you put that hole in the wall?'. He said, 'No, you did that'

Brett climbs all the time. He was attempting to scale the couch armrest, to get to the table, to reach the top of the bookshelf...not a good move from a mom standpoint. I was just saying Brett get down and he flips off landing square on his head and is quickly screaming in pain. I picked him up and said I'm sorry you got hurt but that's why mommy didn't want you to climb on the table. I return to the kitchen to catch him right back on the table and very carefully maneuvering his leg down to the ABC train making it back to the floor. He yells, 'Brett did it! Brett did it! Did not fall and hit head!' I guess you gotta appreciate his perseverance.

We are noticing more affection between the siblings. If Bailey is upset or sad, I can tell Brett to dance or jump around and it will make her laugh. Brett is Bailey's biggest fan as she's mastering walking. He's always clapping and saying, 'Mommy look! Her's walking! Yay Bailey!' In the kitchen, she was stumbling around, Brett told her 'Bailey you MUST be careful!'.

And my favorite, today during an early morning family snuggle time, Brett says 'Bailey's the best Bailey ever! I love her!'

Winter is here!

Halloween

Wow, has it really been almost 2 years since I’ve updated the Harman blog?! Rob has been not so subtly dropping hints that I have neglected ...