Always growing, always changing

Yep, another kid post. If kid posts take over my blog, it's probably because my kids have pretty much taken over my life. :) And I wouldn't have it any other way, of course.

Brynn:

Brynn turned four at the end of December, and she has grown up so much in the last couple of months. We've been reading together a lot. I still can't hand her a book and let her go at it, but this is something she read yesterday completely on her own!

"A man sat in the sand. A little ant can see the man. The ant is mad."

Oh, actually she needed help with the word "little." But you get the idea. She's also been trying to write words out, which sort of surprised me. She said she wrote me a letter yesterday, and I assumed she had rolled a paper into a scroll, which is what that usually means, but I was shocked when she handed me a paper with "mom" written all over it. There is nothing in the world like seeing a concept "click" for your child, and being there to see that satisfied face and celebrate with them.

For a kid, I think Brynn has a pretty amazing attention span. She'll stick with something all morning or afternoon, and lately it has been puzzles. If I need to get something done, I can hand her the bag of puzzles and come back to this:

Yesterday, we spent the day in Chandler where my students were able to get judged (as part of the National Federation of Music Clubs Festival). It was a wonderful day and a really good experience, but I think we are all glad to have it behind us! Brynn competed as well, and sang two songs for the judge. She remembered all of her lyrics, her louds and softs, and even remembered to bow! We let her wear her poofiest dress, and told her it was her special "festival gown." The entire day it was like she was walking on a cloud. She got a superior! And afterward we took her to go get ice cream. It was a surreal experience for me. It seems like only a year or two ago my parents were taking me out for ice cream after being judged (it's the same system I did for years in Utah). And here I was, already taking my daughter out for the same thing! How did that happen so fast???



Brynn has also matured a lot in the last few months. She pesters her brother less, and has been trying to help me out more. Bryce gets really offended when I won't carry him down the stairs, so often I just let him sit at the top step a whine a little bit until he finally decides to come down on his own. Brynn says that makes her sad, and she has started going up the stairs and then holding his hand all the way down. She'll lead him to me and say, "Here you go, Mommy, I got Brycer-Boo for you." I am constantly counting my blessings that this girl was allowed to come to our family. We get along so well.

One other way she's gotten really good at being 4: "Why?" As soon as the "why" questions started pouring in, it was like I was back baby-sitting and trying as hard as I could to be patient for my LEAST favorite "game" in the world. "Why are doing the dishes?" "Well, WHY are they dirty?" "Well, WHY did we put our dinner on them? "Well, WHY were we hungry?" I really don't know why this is so grating on my nerves, maybe it's just about how CONSTANT it is...I don't know. Just a fun new phase.

She has also finally realized she won't get eaten by the monsters under her bed if she leaves her room in the middle of the night. That means we've been getting 2:00 a.m. visits from her for the following reasons:

1. (while crying) "Dad" (sniff, sniff) "I just wish I could be a mermaid!"

2. "I can speak whale! MMMMWHAAAAA!"

3. (with her arms outstretched in front of her) "Look guys, I'm playing the sleep walking game!"

4. Etc.

Brycer:

This little guy steals a little bit more of my heart every day. Yesterday Daddy and Brynn went outside to pull weeds. I stayed inside with Bryce so we wouldn't be chasing him out of the street every five seconds. The front yard really is not a fun place to be with him. Anyway, I had the best afternoon with him. We played with toys in the loft, and he is just as enjoyable as can be. He rotates between playing on his own, teasing me, running away (you know, his way of saying "chase me") and snuggling (in his words, "nuggle....mooooom!"). Then we went outside and I planted myself in a soft patch of grass with a good book and pushed him in the swing. Right now, I think that's about the best place in the world to be. Before long, it will be too hot. :(

He attempts to say anything and everything. I think I get more comments from people about his voice than anything. He'll definitely take after Daddy as a tenor! One of my favorite things, while cruel, is to watch Bryce outrun his older sister. I know I'm a horrible parent, but there are few things as entertaining as this process:

1. Bryce gets a devious grin on his face

2. Bryce swipes a toy out of Brynn's hands

3. Bryce takes a few steps, then turns around to make sure Brynn is upset and will chase him

4. Brynn runs after him, yelling and screaming the whole way

5. Bryce runs as fast as his little legs will take him, down the hall, in our bedroom, all the way to the back of the closet

6. Brynn, after not being able to catch up with him, falls completely to pieces and cries her eyes out on the floor

7. Bryce gives the toy back and leaves Brynn a crumpled, crying mess on the floor, and toddles back into the loft with the most satisfied smile I've ever seen.

I don't know, maybe I suppose she's...earned that after all we went through when Bryce was a baby and Brynn used to steamroll over the top of him and scratch his eyeballs and what-not. We warned her that soon he'd be bigger and stronger than her. I guess we just didn't how how soon.

Well, there you have it, the update on my kids. I've written this blog on a good day. Our days aren't perfect. A lot of them are filled frustration and with tears from both of the kids as well as myself. Sometimes I think I was born to be a mom, other times I think I'm the worst mom in the world. One of my favorite places to be is on a roller coaster, so at least I'm used to ups and downs! Today I've recorded the ups. Stay tuned some disastrous day for the downs... :)