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Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Fall 2012
I realize I am delayed in my blog posting, Rob has been the first to point out! It’s been a busy fall! Brett played soccer and now is going to wrestling practice with Daddy. Bailey goes to dance class and still loves it! I’ve had physical therapy for my foot 2-3x a week and would admit had a rough first couple of months being pregnant! Harman baby #3 is coming this spring! I’m finally feeling a little better and walking more on my foot, just in time for winter. Hooray. Brett goes to Pre-K 5 days a week and I usually pick him up with 4 other kids in the stroller. I would say, we are known for our big quad stroller and the kids have become quite the welcoming crowd for the other parents at pick up:) They are such the talkative crew!
We are constantly working on ‘using our words’ and ‘talking nicely’. I was giving Brett some options of how he could ask for something. He responded ‘I could…I could say that.’
One day in the car, Brett told me he wanted to ‘break through God’s place and go to outer space in a rocket’ I said that sounded pretty cool and asked what he would say to God on the way. He said ‘I would say sorry for breaking a big hole, I’ll fix it when I come back up but I don’t have the tools right now.’ I told him God would probably appreciate that.
Brett and Bailey have been into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We were coming downstairs in the morning, Bailey leading the way. She said it was dark so I told her I would turn the light on when I got in there. She said, ‘Ninja Turtles don’t need light!’ Ok then. She also said at the doctor’s office, that ‘Ninja Turtles don’t need check-ups!’. I have learned that if I need help persuading her to do something, I just need to phrase it that ‘Sensei says’.
Brett was trying to get the kids to play TMNT with him and made reference to ‘Just me and my crew…ok mom, you’re in my crew. If the new baby’s a boy he can be a Ninja Turtle, but not if it’s a girl’.
After Brett’s first solo day of Pre-K, I asked him if he made any friends. He said, ‘yeah there was a kid wearing a Spiderman shirt, so I figure we’ll be friends’.
Brett was up early one morning. I told him I was going to take a shower, he said ‘Great wash off the stinkys and I’ll watch a show’. I said ‘no, but you can read a book on the Ipad’. He agreed and I went to the bathroom. When I came out, I could hear music and talking. I soon realized Brett discovered how to watch cartoon episodes on an Ipad app. I asked him how he did that. He replied simply without looking up, ‘PBS kids mom’.
Brett has been enjoying Pre-K, although it has been difficult to get him ready and out the door! One morning, I was rushing to get him dressed and I said he needed some socks…he said ‘I think you want to get them.’
Right before school started, we were in the car and Brett yelled, ‘MOM we need to go to Walgreens!’. I asked why? He said, ‘They just said come to Walgreens to get all your school supplies! Hurry!’ Marketing at its finest. He also loves Subway and every time he sees it, he yells ‘Subway…EAT FRESH!!’.
After watching the Olympics, Bailey put a necklace around my neck and said ‘Here’s your medal for being the Best Mommy!’
Was tucking Brett in for nap one day, and he said ‘I’m really glad I have a mommy who’s home all the time’.
The boys were at wrestling one night and Bailey and I were relaxing in the livingroom. She said, ‘I’m going to come sit with you, I need some love’.
Brett was playing with the other kids and I hear ‘Oh no, I don’t have THAT insurance!’ I have no idea where that came from.
When I was still on crutches I had to have some help with the kids. Our very tall friend Todd helped out. 2 months later Brett asked if Todd was coming over, because he was the best sandboxer.
Brett is hit or miss on naps these days. I should really feel lucky that he naps at all. I thought he was down one day but came down 90 min later and had a ton of questions about ‘boobs!’ I struggled to keep a straight face as I answered questions like…’can you swim with them?’ ‘do you take them off to shower?’, etc. Oh the curiosity of boys.
Heard Bailey in her room at 6am one morning. She was busting out with ‘I like to move it, move it!’ Then went to singing ‘We are young’. Girl is hilarious.
Another morning I asked Brett if he was ‘pooping’ because he was taking so long in the bathroom getting ready for school. He said ‘no I’m just showing off my body’ and I go in to see him flexing in the mirror.
The kids were a little hyper one day and I was not faring well with the whole morning sickness situation. I asked Brett to do something, I can’t remember what. He said ‘sure and maybe you could go get yourself some coffee’. Bless his little heart.
Before you think he’s all sunshine and rainbows (in the immortal words of the great Rocky Balboa)…when we were coming back from Bailey’s dance class, we had to stop because there was a family of geese trying to cross the road. Brett said ‘If I was driving, I would drive right over them!’ I thought that sounded bad, but then he clarified…’well if I was in a firetruck and going to an emergency, I wouldn’t have time to stop!’
We flew to Texas for Thanksgiving to visit Grandpa Tom and Mia Karen. Our first time to Houston! The kids were so excited to fly and actually did a great job traveling. They had a blast playing with their cousins and loved seeing the NASA Space Center. But their highlight really may have been the ‘Eggs and I’ diner that had chocolate pancakes and chocolate waffles! They have already asked when we can fly again.
Kids have discovered they can hear each other from their beds if they talk loud enough. So they have had nightly discussions before going to sleep. We heard one night Brett saying ‘Bailey! Why are you still awake?!’ She said ‘I like to be awake…all the time!’. To which Brett replied, ‘Be quiet!’
Bailey was playing a little rough with a stack of books, I asked her to play gently. She said ‘Thank you for reminding me to be nice to my books, I love it when you say that…and I LOVE it when you give me 3 treats!’ I had just let her have a snack, apparently she wanted more.
We were eating zucchini one night. Kids liked it and kept asking me to how to say it. After about 10x, Brett said ‘Oh I got it, Zoo-bikini!’
Brett – ‘I need to buy my own house so I can see my wife. Cause if I don’t see her I’ll miss her. I can’t stay at the fire station all the time’
Brett was preparing for Halloween and told me he needed to lift some weights so he had muscles so his Ironman costume would be hard like the real one.
Kids have both been really excited about a new sibling on the way. They were first divided, Bailey wanted a girl and Brett insisted it was a boy. After our last appointment, Bailey said she’s pretty sure it’s a boy now. Brett asks each week how big the baby is. Brett is set on us doing a gender reveal, like Uncle Phil and Auntie Kylie because, ‘we have to know what color the cake is! That’s how you find out what the baby is!’
We are constantly working on ‘using our words’ and ‘talking nicely’. I was giving Brett some options of how he could ask for something. He responded ‘I could…I could say that.’
One day in the car, Brett told me he wanted to ‘break through God’s place and go to outer space in a rocket’ I said that sounded pretty cool and asked what he would say to God on the way. He said ‘I would say sorry for breaking a big hole, I’ll fix it when I come back up but I don’t have the tools right now.’ I told him God would probably appreciate that.
Brett and Bailey have been into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We were coming downstairs in the morning, Bailey leading the way. She said it was dark so I told her I would turn the light on when I got in there. She said, ‘Ninja Turtles don’t need light!’ Ok then. She also said at the doctor’s office, that ‘Ninja Turtles don’t need check-ups!’. I have learned that if I need help persuading her to do something, I just need to phrase it that ‘Sensei says’.
Brett was trying to get the kids to play TMNT with him and made reference to ‘Just me and my crew…ok mom, you’re in my crew. If the new baby’s a boy he can be a Ninja Turtle, but not if it’s a girl’.
After Brett’s first solo day of Pre-K, I asked him if he made any friends. He said, ‘yeah there was a kid wearing a Spiderman shirt, so I figure we’ll be friends’.
Brett was up early one morning. I told him I was going to take a shower, he said ‘Great wash off the stinkys and I’ll watch a show’. I said ‘no, but you can read a book on the Ipad’. He agreed and I went to the bathroom. When I came out, I could hear music and talking. I soon realized Brett discovered how to watch cartoon episodes on an Ipad app. I asked him how he did that. He replied simply without looking up, ‘PBS kids mom’.
Brett has been enjoying Pre-K, although it has been difficult to get him ready and out the door! One morning, I was rushing to get him dressed and I said he needed some socks…he said ‘I think you want to get them.’
Right before school started, we were in the car and Brett yelled, ‘MOM we need to go to Walgreens!’. I asked why? He said, ‘They just said come to Walgreens to get all your school supplies! Hurry!’ Marketing at its finest. He also loves Subway and every time he sees it, he yells ‘Subway…EAT FRESH!!’.
After watching the Olympics, Bailey put a necklace around my neck and said ‘Here’s your medal for being the Best Mommy!’
Was tucking Brett in for nap one day, and he said ‘I’m really glad I have a mommy who’s home all the time’.
The boys were at wrestling one night and Bailey and I were relaxing in the livingroom. She said, ‘I’m going to come sit with you, I need some love’.
Brett was playing with the other kids and I hear ‘Oh no, I don’t have THAT insurance!’ I have no idea where that came from.
When I was still on crutches I had to have some help with the kids. Our very tall friend Todd helped out. 2 months later Brett asked if Todd was coming over, because he was the best sandboxer.
Brett is hit or miss on naps these days. I should really feel lucky that he naps at all. I thought he was down one day but came down 90 min later and had a ton of questions about ‘boobs!’ I struggled to keep a straight face as I answered questions like…’can you swim with them?’ ‘do you take them off to shower?’, etc. Oh the curiosity of boys.
Heard Bailey in her room at 6am one morning. She was busting out with ‘I like to move it, move it!’ Then went to singing ‘We are young’. Girl is hilarious.
Another morning I asked Brett if he was ‘pooping’ because he was taking so long in the bathroom getting ready for school. He said ‘no I’m just showing off my body’ and I go in to see him flexing in the mirror.
The kids were a little hyper one day and I was not faring well with the whole morning sickness situation. I asked Brett to do something, I can’t remember what. He said ‘sure and maybe you could go get yourself some coffee’. Bless his little heart.
Before you think he’s all sunshine and rainbows (in the immortal words of the great Rocky Balboa)…when we were coming back from Bailey’s dance class, we had to stop because there was a family of geese trying to cross the road. Brett said ‘If I was driving, I would drive right over them!’ I thought that sounded bad, but then he clarified…’well if I was in a firetruck and going to an emergency, I wouldn’t have time to stop!’
We flew to Texas for Thanksgiving to visit Grandpa Tom and Mia Karen. Our first time to Houston! The kids were so excited to fly and actually did a great job traveling. They had a blast playing with their cousins and loved seeing the NASA Space Center. But their highlight really may have been the ‘Eggs and I’ diner that had chocolate pancakes and chocolate waffles! They have already asked when we can fly again.
Kids have discovered they can hear each other from their beds if they talk loud enough. So they have had nightly discussions before going to sleep. We heard one night Brett saying ‘Bailey! Why are you still awake?!’ She said ‘I like to be awake…all the time!’. To which Brett replied, ‘Be quiet!’
Bailey was playing a little rough with a stack of books, I asked her to play gently. She said ‘Thank you for reminding me to be nice to my books, I love it when you say that…and I LOVE it when you give me 3 treats!’ I had just let her have a snack, apparently she wanted more.
We were eating zucchini one night. Kids liked it and kept asking me to how to say it. After about 10x, Brett said ‘Oh I got it, Zoo-bikini!’
Brett – ‘I need to buy my own house so I can see my wife. Cause if I don’t see her I’ll miss her. I can’t stay at the fire station all the time’
Brett was preparing for Halloween and told me he needed to lift some weights so he had muscles so his Ironman costume would be hard like the real one.
Kids have both been really excited about a new sibling on the way. They were first divided, Bailey wanted a girl and Brett insisted it was a boy. After our last appointment, Bailey said she’s pretty sure it’s a boy now. Brett asks each week how big the baby is. Brett is set on us doing a gender reveal, like Uncle Phil and Auntie Kylie because, ‘we have to know what color the cake is! That’s how you find out what the baby is!’
Friday, August 31, 2012
Summer!!
Well, summer is coming to an end. It does not feel like we should be back into school and daycare days but sure enough, they have arrived. We did take advantage and did a lot over the summer; we had road trips to Ohio and Michigan, we were blessed to have caught Hand, Foot and Mouth disease (and consequently infecting our cousins, Sorry!), we LOVED swimming at the pool, we had our Annual Camp Grantie weekend, we went to the museum, the zoo and Navy Pier, Sox Game, fireworks and a wedding! I found out I had to have surgery on my foot and did so the beginning of August, I’m still on crutches which makes it interesting taking care of 5 children again. Within a week of my surgery, Bailey broke her baby toe. It has not stopped her from running and jumping and being all around crazy but when she hits it, she definitely lets you know because it hurts! We were told to keep it wrapped and follow up in 3 weeks.
Just a FEW of the MANY silly things they said…
We tell the kids to ‘freeze’ if they are running too far ahead or getting into something they shouldn’t be. While in Michigan, Bailey’s reply was ‘I’m FROZEN mom!’
Bailey loves singing and making up songs. After our family vacation with the Woods, Bailey came up with a ‘Grandpa Song – I love Grandpa, he’s so handsome!’
We discovered Bailey had Hand Foot and Mouth Disease while we were on vacation; she got the worst of it and passed it on to her brother and 2 of her cousins. We were in the Urgent Care in Traverse City and Bailey decided to paint her fingernails with a pink highlighter they gave her.
During our stay in Ohio with Grandma and Grandpa Wood, the kids must have had something that upset their stomachs because they both (within 30 min) had huge blowouts…and not in a good way. After Brett was finished and he was discussing (loudly and in public) that ‘wow that sure was a lot! That was a good one!’ I replied, ‘yeah you and Bailey both’. Not to be undone, Brett says ‘I bet I had more than Bailey’. He refuses to be 2nd with anything.
To expand on that, we were out to lunch the other day and Brett was FULL of energy. We kept asking him to tone it down a touch. Then he went on a rant about ‘I want to be the best at everything I do! Whatever I do, I want to do it better than anyone!’ This went on for a while…when finished we noticed that Daddy was literally tearing up with pride!
Brett loves wrestling and loves having more wrestling partners when we visit family (grandpa, uncles, AND daddy?!). I come outside to hear Brett say ‘Grandpa BA-TACKED me!’
Brett said one day his tummy hurt. I responded generically apparently. So he said, ‘If I was a Daddy and a kid said that to me, I would say ok, here’s a pill, hope you feel better, and then I would get one down for them.’
Every summer Grandma Nancy, Great Auntie Bobbie and Great Auntie Barbie kick Rob and I out of the house for the weekend so they can have full access to the kids. Win-Win. During a walk, Brett saw a Hummer and got really excited. Bailey said, ‘Ok, calm down…calm down.’
While playing at the park, Brett looked like he was getting pretty hot. Aunt Barbie suggested maybe they could play in the pool when they got home to cool off. Brett said, ‘Great idea, you go ahead and start it, come back and tell me when it’s finished’.
Brett was walking swiftly and said ‘I’m rushing because I have to pee!’
On Mommy’s birthday, Brett decided during breakfast ‘I want to buy you a present.’ I said that was sweet and asked if he had any money. He replied, ‘I have change in my piggy bank…but I’ll have to wear shorts with big pockets to carry it all to the store.’
Kids love going to movies! We saw Brave this summer. Bailey got a book that came with an Audio CD. She asks to listen to it every time we are in the car. We quickly discovered that she had the entire book memorized, word for word. She often says she is Merida and really hopes that I don't turn into a bear.
Was reading our Lego City book, we were on a page about the police station and there was someone in handcuffs. Bailey points and says ‘And here’s the guy who made bad choices….’
During bath one night, Brett starts singing Row Row Row your boat. Which I thought was so cute. Then I heard, ‘Then we all DIED!’ smashing the boat in the water. ‘WHAT?!’ Brett turned to me matter of the fact, ‘Mom it was the Titanic’. Oh of course it was…
Brett was tired as we were eating out. He laid his head on my lap and kept trying to touch under the table (which completely grosses me out), I kept redirecting his hand and said don’t touch. After the 4th time, I asked calmly ‘What part of you is not listening?’ Without skipping a beat, he said ‘my arm’.
Was trying to get kids dressed so we could go do something, I asked Brett if he wanted to get his clothes or if he wanted me to pick out. He said ‘You can…but red shirt and blue shorts.’
We’ve been working on potty training with Bailey, traveling, being sick and broken feet have put a bit of a wrench in it…but one day she said she had to go. I said ‘great we’re going in a min can you hold it?’ I realized I should have explained that better when Bailey literally grabbed her shorts and yelled ‘NO I can’t, that doesn’t work!’
With mommy not able to walk or carry anything, both grandmas have had to pitch in quite a bit! Grandma Nancy continued to take a kid a day while Grandma from Ohio basically moved in for the month of Aug. I’m not sure what I’m going to do when I have to put Bailey to bed and I don’t do ALL the things Grandma does. One day when Brett was off on one of his Grandma Nancy days, Bailey told the other kids ‘No one is faster than my brother, NO ONE!’ This was repeated many times.
August brings back our daycare friends. It has been sweet to see how much the kids really missed each other and have jumped right back into things. Bailey came downstairs from nap just after everyone left for home. She was sooo upset that she did not say goodbye to Colin that Mommy had to text his mommy. Bailey approved what I wrote and had to push ‘Send’.
Brett starts pre-k after Labor Day. He’s really excited and tells everyone “I’m going to go 5 days a week, every day that Daddy goes to work, I go to preschool!”
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Alllllmost Summer!
Spring has flown by and we’re getting excited for summer. Brett just had his last T-ball game. He said he really liked it. The first couple of times, he only wanted to bat. But then he got the ‘swing’ of it and liked fielding as well. Bailey LOVES dance class. She is always asking to practice her positions. She also has become quite the singer…she is singing all the time (loudly and very dramatically!). A new member has joined us during the week; Colin has a little brother Logan! It’s been really neat to see the ‘older’ four take interest in him and help take care of him. We’ve just recovered from Brett’s 4th birthday!! He got to take a treat to his preschool class, went to lunch at the Choo Choo with grandma Nancy, went to Chuck E Cheese with his sister and was surprised with a new big sand box in the back yard from his grandpa and grandma from Ohio. I would say he had a wonderful time.
Other stories
Brett is hit or miss on naps these days. He’s always finding something to come down stairs to tell me or say he has to go the bathroom. One day, as I’m trying to get him out of the bathroom and back into bed, he starts explaining to me where the water goes when you flush. I (a little annoyed at this point), told him that was great but he needed to still go to bed. He said ‘Ok, I got it. But when I get up, I want to talk all about toilet water!’
Brett loves using new words…but I’ve noticed every once in a while he mixes them up. He told me (another day when it was naptime), ‘I will recognize you after nap to get more toothpaste’. Oh you will REMIND me.
We thought it was finally time to transition Bailey into a toddler bed since she fell twice trying to climb into her crib. Come to find out, her crib did not come with a guardrail. You are just supposed to take the front end off. We thought we would try it. After the 3rd or maybe 4th time she rolled out of her new 'big kid' bed into the middle of her room, yelling out in terror and confusion, I think we realized this will be a different experience than when Brett. We had to take a part both beds and switch them so Bailey could have Brett’s guardrail. Brett sleeps in the corner and does not move. Bailey is a roller. Point taken.
‘I’m not Bailey, I’m Cinderella’.
Brett said ‘Pirates don’t hug their mommies’. Oh right, my bad.
Wondering if Brett’s future profession will be a lawyer; he argued with me for about 5 minutes the other day on how much more effective picking his nose was than using a tissue.
The kids are funny to watch as they get more and more into make believe play. They came up to me, holding a little basket and asked what kind of candy would I like. I said ‘How about chocolate peanuts? I love those’. They all looked at each other and said ‘Oh sorry, we just ran out!’.
Brett pretended to get Bailey something and said ‘Bailey, hold on…here’s your ice cream but I need to pay for it’
Getting to the first music class with 3 toddlers and an infant (Bailey, Grace, Colin and Logan), proved to be interesting. I pushed a stroller with one hand, had Logan strapped to me in the Bjorn carrier, then pulled the wagon with the other 3. You know I looked ridiculous when an older lady yelled out of her car driving by, 'God bless you! You have your hands full!' Then laughed hysterically.
Leading up to his birthday, Brett told me things he would like to get. One day he said he wanted a phone…and then to clarify, he didn’t want a toy one, he wanted a real one. He’s 4!
Brett is an observational and opinionated little boy. He told me as we were rushing out the door for Bailey’s class that my hair tie did not match my clothes and that bothered him.
Brett and Bailey were playing outside. Bailey asked if he would marry her. He responded that he couldn’t because he was too sandy from the sandbox.
Kids were finally in bed and Rob and I were attempting to relax. Down comes Brett smiling…’I have to tell you something cool! Captain America was the first Avenger before all the other ones!!’ Ok Brett, now go to bed!!!
Other stories
Brett is hit or miss on naps these days. He’s always finding something to come down stairs to tell me or say he has to go the bathroom. One day, as I’m trying to get him out of the bathroom and back into bed, he starts explaining to me where the water goes when you flush. I (a little annoyed at this point), told him that was great but he needed to still go to bed. He said ‘Ok, I got it. But when I get up, I want to talk all about toilet water!’
Brett loves using new words…but I’ve noticed every once in a while he mixes them up. He told me (another day when it was naptime), ‘I will recognize you after nap to get more toothpaste’. Oh you will REMIND me.
We thought it was finally time to transition Bailey into a toddler bed since she fell twice trying to climb into her crib. Come to find out, her crib did not come with a guardrail. You are just supposed to take the front end off. We thought we would try it. After the 3rd or maybe 4th time she rolled out of her new 'big kid' bed into the middle of her room, yelling out in terror and confusion, I think we realized this will be a different experience than when Brett. We had to take a part both beds and switch them so Bailey could have Brett’s guardrail. Brett sleeps in the corner and does not move. Bailey is a roller. Point taken.
‘I’m not Bailey, I’m Cinderella’.
Brett said ‘Pirates don’t hug their mommies’. Oh right, my bad.
Wondering if Brett’s future profession will be a lawyer; he argued with me for about 5 minutes the other day on how much more effective picking his nose was than using a tissue.
The kids are funny to watch as they get more and more into make believe play. They came up to me, holding a little basket and asked what kind of candy would I like. I said ‘How about chocolate peanuts? I love those’. They all looked at each other and said ‘Oh sorry, we just ran out!’.
Brett pretended to get Bailey something and said ‘Bailey, hold on…here’s your ice cream but I need to pay for it’
Getting to the first music class with 3 toddlers and an infant (Bailey, Grace, Colin and Logan), proved to be interesting. I pushed a stroller with one hand, had Logan strapped to me in the Bjorn carrier, then pulled the wagon with the other 3. You know I looked ridiculous when an older lady yelled out of her car driving by, 'God bless you! You have your hands full!' Then laughed hysterically.
Leading up to his birthday, Brett told me things he would like to get. One day he said he wanted a phone…and then to clarify, he didn’t want a toy one, he wanted a real one. He’s 4!
Brett is an observational and opinionated little boy. He told me as we were rushing out the door for Bailey’s class that my hair tie did not match my clothes and that bothered him.
Brett and Bailey were playing outside. Bailey asked if he would marry her. He responded that he couldn’t because he was too sandy from the sandbox.
Kids were finally in bed and Rob and I were attempting to relax. Down comes Brett smiling…’I have to tell you something cool! Captain America was the first Avenger before all the other ones!!’ Ok Brett, now go to bed!!!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Springtime!
I can not believe we’re ½ way through April. Kids are loving their new classes; preschool, t-ball, dance and music! We had a nice little spring break with Grandma (from of Ohio) visiting even though Daddy was traveling for work. We tried to pack in as much stuff as we could in our days; 5 classes, 2 museums and a trip to the zoo. We had a lot of fun! You would think with all the excitement and running around, they would allow their mama to sleep in a little…but that was not really the case.
Other stories
Brett picks out his own clothes most days…one morning he came down with a bright orange Paris shirt, red and grey OSU shorts with blue and yellow dump truck socks…it was awesome.
Bailey said at breakfast that her ‘banana wants to go see his friends’. I said, ‘Oh where is that?’ She proceeded to open her mouth and toss the rest of the fruit in her mouth.
It was storming another morning with some pretty loud thunder. Bailey trembled and said ‘Oh the rain makes me SO NERVOUS!’
I told Bailey to have her daddy check her diaper…she backed up to him, turned her head to look at him and said ‘smell it’.
Brett said ‘Oh yeah! Rock On!’ I asked, where did that come from. He said, ‘you taught me that’. Wow, what a cool mom you have!
One of Bailey’s favorite phrases now seems to be ‘um…probably not’.
After the storm Brett asked why it was so quiet. I told him the storm was over, it moved somewhere else. Brett got very concerned where it went and then decided we needed to call Grandma and Grandpa in Ohio because it was ‘probably going to go there next’.
I was lucky enough to take Brett to preschool his first week. When I picked him up I asked him how it went. He said, ‘well I got sad for a little bit and cried for you but then I put myself together after I fell to pieces.’ He then picked Superdawg for his special 1st day of preschool lunch.
Brett asked why I was sitting on the couch one evening…I told him I was tired, I was taking a break. He said ‘Oh, did I take all your power again?’
Bailey was playing with her Princess Belle doll, trying to change her diaper. She kept saying ‘Relax, Relax, ReLAX, so I can change you!’. Ironically her father said the same thing to her the night before...
We were taking Bailey for her first dance class and we hear someone yell for Brett. Brett’s little wrestling friend, Max, was there waiting for his sister. Without discussion, or prompting, the two shook hands and started wrestling. Daddy was so proud.
Brett was telling a story about bad guys getting caught by the police and said ‘and then they put the hand traps on them’…’Oh, you mean handcuffs?’. ‘Yeah mom, hand traps.’
Bailey said she was going to ‘brush daddy’s no-hair’
During lunch Brett exclaimed, ‘Arugula is so yummy!’ The kid loves salad.
In the same meal, he told me ‘When I grow up I’m going to live right beside you so when you come visit, it’s a short cartrip!’ I will remind him of this when he wants to move away for college…maybe I should have him put it in writing.
Bailey asked Colin to hold hands with her and told me they were married. Then they posed for pictures…oh boy.
Brett procrastinated taking a nap yesterday and of course by the time he was really sleeping, it was time to get up. I tried to wake him, talked to him for a while and resorted to tickling, which always works. Picked him up and told him we were going to get in the car. His head on my shoulder, eyes closed, he said ‘My mom….’ Turned his head. ‘My mother….’ Eyes still closed. I said, ‘yes, your mother?’. Turned his head again, grinned and said ‘My mother is crazy’
Other stories
Brett picks out his own clothes most days…one morning he came down with a bright orange Paris shirt, red and grey OSU shorts with blue and yellow dump truck socks…it was awesome.
Bailey said at breakfast that her ‘banana wants to go see his friends’. I said, ‘Oh where is that?’ She proceeded to open her mouth and toss the rest of the fruit in her mouth.
It was storming another morning with some pretty loud thunder. Bailey trembled and said ‘Oh the rain makes me SO NERVOUS!’
I told Bailey to have her daddy check her diaper…she backed up to him, turned her head to look at him and said ‘smell it’.
Brett said ‘Oh yeah! Rock On!’ I asked, where did that come from. He said, ‘you taught me that’. Wow, what a cool mom you have!
One of Bailey’s favorite phrases now seems to be ‘um…probably not’.
After the storm Brett asked why it was so quiet. I told him the storm was over, it moved somewhere else. Brett got very concerned where it went and then decided we needed to call Grandma and Grandpa in Ohio because it was ‘probably going to go there next’.
I was lucky enough to take Brett to preschool his first week. When I picked him up I asked him how it went. He said, ‘well I got sad for a little bit and cried for you but then I put myself together after I fell to pieces.’ He then picked Superdawg for his special 1st day of preschool lunch.
Brett asked why I was sitting on the couch one evening…I told him I was tired, I was taking a break. He said ‘Oh, did I take all your power again?’
Bailey was playing with her Princess Belle doll, trying to change her diaper. She kept saying ‘Relax, Relax, ReLAX, so I can change you!’. Ironically her father said the same thing to her the night before...
We were taking Bailey for her first dance class and we hear someone yell for Brett. Brett’s little wrestling friend, Max, was there waiting for his sister. Without discussion, or prompting, the two shook hands and started wrestling. Daddy was so proud.
Brett was telling a story about bad guys getting caught by the police and said ‘and then they put the hand traps on them’…’Oh, you mean handcuffs?’. ‘Yeah mom, hand traps.’
Bailey said she was going to ‘brush daddy’s no-hair’
During lunch Brett exclaimed, ‘Arugula is so yummy!’ The kid loves salad.
In the same meal, he told me ‘When I grow up I’m going to live right beside you so when you come visit, it’s a short cartrip!’ I will remind him of this when he wants to move away for college…maybe I should have him put it in writing.
Bailey asked Colin to hold hands with her and told me they were married. Then they posed for pictures…oh boy.
Brett procrastinated taking a nap yesterday and of course by the time he was really sleeping, it was time to get up. I tried to wake him, talked to him for a while and resorted to tickling, which always works. Picked him up and told him we were going to get in the car. His head on my shoulder, eyes closed, he said ‘My mom….’ Turned his head. ‘My mother….’ Eyes still closed. I said, ‘yes, your mother?’. Turned his head again, grinned and said ‘My mother is crazy’
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Goodbye Winter!!
Thank goodness February is over! The Harmans were sick for almost the whole month: Bailey had 2 rounds of antibiotics for ear infections, high fevers for a week at a time, Brett had strep and acute bronchitis, Rob and I were both sick at one point…and oh yeah, I fell down the stairs carrying Brett, ‘busting up his face’ (as he says) and sending me to the immediate care for xrays. Thankfully just a cut on the lip for him and only bruising/sore back for me…But PHEW, now onto March!
We are finishing up this session for classes. In April, Bailey will be starting a dance class (she is SO excited!), they will continue their music class, Brett will be starting T-Ball AND pre-school. Mommy is not quite ready for all these changes. Brett’s actually been asking to go to school so apparently he is more ready than I.
Quotes/Stories
Bailey says ‘Thee End!...of my yogurt, By ME!’
Brett was taking a little time out for being rambunctious…I see him throw his arm (anger punch?! Mad gesture?!) ‘What was that?’ I asked. He said, ‘I took off my helmet’. He got in trouble for jumping off of furniture pretending to play football. So I guess I appreciate him metaphorically taking off his equipment to fully prepare for his consequences.
During another ‘football practice’, I told Brett to stop throwing in the house. He said, ‘I’m not Mom, I’m TOSSING!’
The evening news was on while we were getting ready for dinner. They were covering the latest Blackhawks game and what players got into a fight. Bailey says, ‘They have to be nice! Kids! Be Nice!!’
Once Brett finished his medicine for strep, he was SO hyperactive. I sent him to wrestling practice with Rob. Brett ran the entire practice and even had a little wrestling partner. Daddy beamed with pride for hours after.
The next day, Brett said the boys had the same wrestling bag as he did. “I was so, so impressed!’
Bailey told me, ‘Mom, I’m a RockStar!’.
Bailey said ‘Mommy?’ I responded ‘Yes, dear?’ She looked at me and said, ‘you can’t call me dear, you must call me Bailey!’
‘Oh you Stinker Binker!’
Bailey had a high fever, coughing and tears rolling down her face…she still insisted she needed to wear her pink tutu to the doctor.
Brett was feeling better and his cough was subsiding…but when he was getting into trouble and I knelt down to talk to him, his cough suddenly reappeared, making it impossible to have a conversation.
Shortly after this, I said ‘Brett you are making yourself cough’.
‘Ummmm, I’m not really sure what you are talking about?’
Bailey and I were at the mall, in Victoria’s Secret. Bailey, in her pink skirt and purse on her arm, was walking around the store yelling that she needed a pink bra! She also kept grabbing a hand full of ‘colorful’ thongs saying ‘OHHH these look nice!’
Bailey adores her Colin...she called herself Bailey Lynn Rubel (I don't even know how she figured out that's what you do), she also sings 'I love you Colin Rubel!'
After nap one day, Brett says ‘L-U-V Madonna!’ I asked him where he heard that before…he said, ‘you know, when the Patriots were taking a break’ (i.e. Madonna’s Superbowl Halftime show).
Both kids, when they think they are getting in trouble, say 'but Mommy you're SO BEAUTIFUL!'
Brett and Daddy have been wrestling quite a bit…one time Rob yelled out ‘Help me Mama!’ Brett looks at him and said, ‘You don’t need help, fight out of it!’
Bailey so causally walked by me and said ‘everyday I’m shuffling’
3 phrases are used quite frequently by the kids right now…’That’s a good idea’, ‘I’ve never seen that before’ and ‘(enter whatever they are doing or looking at) is the best in the whole wide world!’.
When I was putting Brett to bed after his wrestling practice, he said ‘Mom I was AMAZING at wrestling’
We are finishing up this session for classes. In April, Bailey will be starting a dance class (she is SO excited!), they will continue their music class, Brett will be starting T-Ball AND pre-school. Mommy is not quite ready for all these changes. Brett’s actually been asking to go to school so apparently he is more ready than I.
Quotes/Stories
Bailey says ‘Thee End!...of my yogurt, By ME!’
Brett was taking a little time out for being rambunctious…I see him throw his arm (anger punch?! Mad gesture?!) ‘What was that?’ I asked. He said, ‘I took off my helmet’. He got in trouble for jumping off of furniture pretending to play football. So I guess I appreciate him metaphorically taking off his equipment to fully prepare for his consequences.
During another ‘football practice’, I told Brett to stop throwing in the house. He said, ‘I’m not Mom, I’m TOSSING!’
The evening news was on while we were getting ready for dinner. They were covering the latest Blackhawks game and what players got into a fight. Bailey says, ‘They have to be nice! Kids! Be Nice!!’
Once Brett finished his medicine for strep, he was SO hyperactive. I sent him to wrestling practice with Rob. Brett ran the entire practice and even had a little wrestling partner. Daddy beamed with pride for hours after.
The next day, Brett said the boys had the same wrestling bag as he did. “I was so, so impressed!’
Bailey told me, ‘Mom, I’m a RockStar!’.
Bailey said ‘Mommy?’ I responded ‘Yes, dear?’ She looked at me and said, ‘you can’t call me dear, you must call me Bailey!’
‘Oh you Stinker Binker!’
Bailey had a high fever, coughing and tears rolling down her face…she still insisted she needed to wear her pink tutu to the doctor.
Brett was feeling better and his cough was subsiding…but when he was getting into trouble and I knelt down to talk to him, his cough suddenly reappeared, making it impossible to have a conversation.
Shortly after this, I said ‘Brett you are making yourself cough’.
‘Ummmm, I’m not really sure what you are talking about?’
Bailey and I were at the mall, in Victoria’s Secret. Bailey, in her pink skirt and purse on her arm, was walking around the store yelling that she needed a pink bra! She also kept grabbing a hand full of ‘colorful’ thongs saying ‘OHHH these look nice!’
Bailey adores her Colin...she called herself Bailey Lynn Rubel (I don't even know how she figured out that's what you do), she also sings 'I love you Colin Rubel!'
After nap one day, Brett says ‘L-U-V Madonna!’ I asked him where he heard that before…he said, ‘you know, when the Patriots were taking a break’ (i.e. Madonna’s Superbowl Halftime show).
Both kids, when they think they are getting in trouble, say 'but Mommy you're SO BEAUTIFUL!'
Brett and Daddy have been wrestling quite a bit…one time Rob yelled out ‘Help me Mama!’ Brett looks at him and said, ‘You don’t need help, fight out of it!’
Bailey so causally walked by me and said ‘everyday I’m shuffling’
3 phrases are used quite frequently by the kids right now…’That’s a good idea’, ‘I’ve never seen that before’ and ‘(enter whatever they are doing or looking at) is the best in the whole wide world!’.
When I was putting Brett to bed after his wrestling practice, he said ‘Mom I was AMAZING at wrestling’
Thursday, January 26, 2012
"Playing nicely!
I needed 2 minutes to get ready and asked Brett and Bailey to play nicely in their rooms...this is what they came up with!
Jan 2012
Just realized that I haven’t updated since before Thanksgiving…I have a bit to cover!
Thanksgiving weekend took us to Michigan with the whole Wood crew and we celebrated our niece’s 3rd birthday (Princesses and Pirates!). Christmas: we drove to Ohio, the kids and I stayed for a couple more days. We got back just in time to celebrate Bailey’s 2nd Birthday! We are all getting back into routine and are quite busy! This winter I’m taking Brett and Bailey to gymnastics on Monday nights, Tuesday mornings: we have music class for Bailey, Grace and Colin, Wednesdays: Brett goes to story-time and Art & ABC class, Thursdays: Brett goes to music class and Bailey goes to story-time with grandma Nancy…Friday: we do nothing! (although, we usually end up listening to music and dancing)
Quotes/Funny stories
Bailey has started this twirling and singing bit…la la la la! She is adamant as soon as she wakes up that she NEEDS to put a pretty dress on because she can NOT dance in her jammies!
‘This is really really good!’ Bailey said in regards to a peppermint oreo. I agree!!
Rob likes to use Brett as a guinea pig to work out wrestling moves before he goes to practice. The next morning, Brett was trying to teach Bailey.
B&B all of the sudden seem to know every word to any song they have ever heard. We’ll be in the car and both will be singing along to the radio. Their favorites are Moves like Jagger and Party Rock Anthem by the Chipmunks. And of course since their mother is a little bit country, they constantly ask for Sugarland songs (All I want to do AND Stuck like Glue!).
Kids have loved the Llama Llama books by Anna Dewdney. Bailey just told me that ‘to fret’ (which is in one of the books) means to cry a little. You know, just in case mommy didn’t know.
Brett asked me ‘How do the police catch cars?’. Before I could answer, he asked ‘do they have a net?’
Rob took Brett to a wrestling tournament and Brett tells him right before getting in the car that he HAD to go. So…daddy showed him that sometimes boys can pee outside.
We started Elf on the Shelf with the kids this year. They were REALLY into it! We named our friend Macaroni Toni. I heard Bailey say ‘Macaroni Toni, I want a Cinderella….are you making a list?’ She said daily ‘Macaroni Toni is watching me…’ which actually sounded creepy, but somehow worked!
Brett got a little aggressive going up for naptime and I caught him pushing Bailey out of the way to beat her up the stairs. I tried to express how it could hurt her if she fell down. I asked him to say sorry. He did. I asked him to give Bailey a hug. He did. I asked him to say ‘I don’t always have to be first’. His response: ‘I don’t want to say that!’
Brett was starting to be a little lippy. I told him that Macaroni Toni will tell Santa that he was talking back to mommy. He said ‘Then Santa will say BRETT, I’m going to eat you up!...and then I will fight Santa like a bad guy’ WHAT?! We are missing the point somewhere.
For a couple weeks, Brett was coming into our room literally 10 min before my alarm was to go off. So I would let him lay with me until I had to get up. This sparked the funniest conversations. One day he asked if when he was older if he could marry Bailey. I told him that was nice but we can’t marry our sisters. He said, ‘I know, I’ll marry Asha’. I said, ‘well it’s actually frowned upon to marry cousins as well’. Brett said, ‘well that means I can’t marry Aubrey either’. ‘OH how about Auntie Kylie?!’ I said, ‘well Auntie Kylie is married to Uncle Phil and he might be sad if you take her away’. I tried to explain that he should look to marry someone that was his friend, someone who makes him laugh, who’s a good person…he says ‘OH I know I can marry YOU Mommy!’
Bailey wasn’t feeling well but told me that Colin makes her feel better.
Brett yelled, ‘Yay Christmastime! My Santa’s coming!’ I said, ‘yes but who’s birthday is it?’ He said, ‘Bailey’s!’ I said, ‘yes her birthday is soon. But Jesus’s too. Remember, that’s why we celebrate Christmas’. He said, ‘oh yeah, him too’
I was changing a poignant diaper…I said ‘oh that was stinky’. Grace walking by, says ‘Sure is Kelli, sure is’
Kids were a little hyper one morning and I let out a pretty big sigh when I finally got them all down for naps. I stopped outside of Bailey’s door to hear her belting out “Happy Birthday Jesus!’ I thanked God for letting her remind me to just relax and enjoy the little things.
Bailey has a way with saying things…she has turned many single syllable words to multi-syllables! DA-ANCE! MO-ORE! PUH-LEASE! What’s even more humorous…ask Rob what a syllable is:)
When Bailey still had her pacifier, I told her to put her binky up on the counter since naptime was over. She said, ‘be patient Mommy’. I asked ‘Be patient for what?’. She said, ‘Be patient for Wes Welker’. The girl loves the Patriots. To expand, she just fought her nap because she didn’t want to miss Tom Brady playing.
While in Ohio, Grandpa was trying to race Brett down the school hallway. Papa was running backwards ahead of Brett…which prevented Papa from seeing the floor waxing machine which then propelled Papa flying feet over head and crashing him down to the floor. Brett picked up the bottle he dropped and kept running. After we made sure everyone was ok…they raced down the next hallway. Which led to Brett asking ‘Papa, are you going to fall again?!’
Brett and Bailey were tag-teaming in making it IMPOSSIBLE to get out the door last weekend on the way to a birthday party. I found myself a little frazzled. I finally got them in the car after (I’m not exaggerating) a million “MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!”. Brett said ‘Mommy!’ I just about had it. ‘What Brett?’. ‘I just wanted to say I love you and you’re pretty all day’. I mean really…he’s such the little charmer.
Bailey was playing, I heard her say ‘I had a good day at work. I had toys, and tools, and pink pants and my daddy and my Brett Brett and my mommy. I love today’. I love today too honey.
Thanksgiving weekend took us to Michigan with the whole Wood crew and we celebrated our niece’s 3rd birthday (Princesses and Pirates!). Christmas: we drove to Ohio, the kids and I stayed for a couple more days. We got back just in time to celebrate Bailey’s 2nd Birthday! We are all getting back into routine and are quite busy! This winter I’m taking Brett and Bailey to gymnastics on Monday nights, Tuesday mornings: we have music class for Bailey, Grace and Colin, Wednesdays: Brett goes to story-time and Art & ABC class, Thursdays: Brett goes to music class and Bailey goes to story-time with grandma Nancy…Friday: we do nothing! (although, we usually end up listening to music and dancing)
Quotes/Funny stories
Bailey has started this twirling and singing bit…la la la la! She is adamant as soon as she wakes up that she NEEDS to put a pretty dress on because she can NOT dance in her jammies!
‘This is really really good!’ Bailey said in regards to a peppermint oreo. I agree!!
Rob likes to use Brett as a guinea pig to work out wrestling moves before he goes to practice. The next morning, Brett was trying to teach Bailey.
B&B all of the sudden seem to know every word to any song they have ever heard. We’ll be in the car and both will be singing along to the radio. Their favorites are Moves like Jagger and Party Rock Anthem by the Chipmunks. And of course since their mother is a little bit country, they constantly ask for Sugarland songs (All I want to do AND Stuck like Glue!).
Kids have loved the Llama Llama books by Anna Dewdney. Bailey just told me that ‘to fret’ (which is in one of the books) means to cry a little. You know, just in case mommy didn’t know.
Brett asked me ‘How do the police catch cars?’. Before I could answer, he asked ‘do they have a net?’
Rob took Brett to a wrestling tournament and Brett tells him right before getting in the car that he HAD to go. So…daddy showed him that sometimes boys can pee outside.
We started Elf on the Shelf with the kids this year. They were REALLY into it! We named our friend Macaroni Toni. I heard Bailey say ‘Macaroni Toni, I want a Cinderella….are you making a list?’ She said daily ‘Macaroni Toni is watching me…’ which actually sounded creepy, but somehow worked!
Brett got a little aggressive going up for naptime and I caught him pushing Bailey out of the way to beat her up the stairs. I tried to express how it could hurt her if she fell down. I asked him to say sorry. He did. I asked him to give Bailey a hug. He did. I asked him to say ‘I don’t always have to be first’. His response: ‘I don’t want to say that!’
Brett was starting to be a little lippy. I told him that Macaroni Toni will tell Santa that he was talking back to mommy. He said ‘Then Santa will say BRETT, I’m going to eat you up!...and then I will fight Santa like a bad guy’ WHAT?! We are missing the point somewhere.
For a couple weeks, Brett was coming into our room literally 10 min before my alarm was to go off. So I would let him lay with me until I had to get up. This sparked the funniest conversations. One day he asked if when he was older if he could marry Bailey. I told him that was nice but we can’t marry our sisters. He said, ‘I know, I’ll marry Asha’. I said, ‘well it’s actually frowned upon to marry cousins as well’. Brett said, ‘well that means I can’t marry Aubrey either’. ‘OH how about Auntie Kylie?!’ I said, ‘well Auntie Kylie is married to Uncle Phil and he might be sad if you take her away’. I tried to explain that he should look to marry someone that was his friend, someone who makes him laugh, who’s a good person…he says ‘OH I know I can marry YOU Mommy!’
Bailey wasn’t feeling well but told me that Colin makes her feel better.
Brett yelled, ‘Yay Christmastime! My Santa’s coming!’ I said, ‘yes but who’s birthday is it?’ He said, ‘Bailey’s!’ I said, ‘yes her birthday is soon. But Jesus’s too. Remember, that’s why we celebrate Christmas’. He said, ‘oh yeah, him too’
I was changing a poignant diaper…I said ‘oh that was stinky’. Grace walking by, says ‘Sure is Kelli, sure is’
Kids were a little hyper one morning and I let out a pretty big sigh when I finally got them all down for naps. I stopped outside of Bailey’s door to hear her belting out “Happy Birthday Jesus!’ I thanked God for letting her remind me to just relax and enjoy the little things.
Bailey has a way with saying things…she has turned many single syllable words to multi-syllables! DA-ANCE! MO-ORE! PUH-LEASE! What’s even more humorous…ask Rob what a syllable is:)
When Bailey still had her pacifier, I told her to put her binky up on the counter since naptime was over. She said, ‘be patient Mommy’. I asked ‘Be patient for what?’. She said, ‘Be patient for Wes Welker’. The girl loves the Patriots. To expand, she just fought her nap because she didn’t want to miss Tom Brady playing.
While in Ohio, Grandpa was trying to race Brett down the school hallway. Papa was running backwards ahead of Brett…which prevented Papa from seeing the floor waxing machine which then propelled Papa flying feet over head and crashing him down to the floor. Brett picked up the bottle he dropped and kept running. After we made sure everyone was ok…they raced down the next hallway. Which led to Brett asking ‘Papa, are you going to fall again?!’
Brett and Bailey were tag-teaming in making it IMPOSSIBLE to get out the door last weekend on the way to a birthday party. I found myself a little frazzled. I finally got them in the car after (I’m not exaggerating) a million “MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!”. Brett said ‘Mommy!’ I just about had it. ‘What Brett?’. ‘I just wanted to say I love you and you’re pretty all day’. I mean really…he’s such the little charmer.
Bailey was playing, I heard her say ‘I had a good day at work. I had toys, and tools, and pink pants and my daddy and my Brett Brett and my mommy. I love today’. I love today too honey.
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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 ...
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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 ... -
I have lacked on my posting. My husband is the first to point out. It’s just so hard to keep up with everything the kids are doing! We ha... -
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