In other news

Brady is ready to begin potty training! He keeps asking to go potty on the "big boy potty" and he has been doing this with some regularity. So after Christmas we are going to buckle down and get this kid into some "big boy underwears" for once and for all!

Funny Things Kids Say

One of Brady's favorite sayings: "That's a good i-quesadilla."

Overheard

Natalie: "Oh snap!"

Anyone know which movie the kids are into watching right now?

Oh Brother

"Dad if you let me take my clothes off I'll be happy. If you don't I'm going to go to bed forever and ever and ever and not get up."

Um, can I pick option number two?

P.S. Taking her clothes off means getting to run around in her undies to be like Brady who prefers to be in just a diaper when it is hot.

Oh really?

"Mom, I am working in a restaurant with my diarrhea."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I am taking what people want to eat in my diarrhea."

"Ahhh...your Diary?"

"Um, my diarrhea?"

"No, honey, diarrhea is a tummy ache and you have to go potty. That is your princess DIARY."

"Oh, OK, thanks Mom!"

Holy Cow!

While I was trying to get that last post done, and I was on a break from work Brady just gave me a super surprise! He counted! "One, two, four, five!" I have to say I am one proud Mama!

I was just talking to Kelli about how I underestimate Brady because he is the baby and we forget the level that he is at, so it is so surprising when he does something like this! I have to remember that he is 2 now, and he is learning so much every day!

ABC's and a potty chair!

These last 3 weeks or so we have noticed that someone turned on Brady's words. He will try to say anything that we say, and we notice that new words come everyday. He loves to sing along to Cows! (if you click on "cows", and then scroll down half way under the picture of the book, you should be able to listen to the song, if you want to) from the Philadelphia Chickens CD. It has been so fun to hear his voice, to finally hear his take on things. He is also proving to be very smart, he notices when we make mistakes, and will readily point them out! We love our big boy and are so excited to see him growing everyday!

Here he is saying his ABC's with promptings of course!



P.S. the potty chair is more for looks at this point! But at least we can start to get him used to the idea!

P.P.S. Yes, we have another wonderful child too, but she has been refusing to let us take any videos/pictures of her, so there you have it, none to share!

On sick kids

It is that time of year when the colds are flying around from one kid to another. I knew eventually mine would get it, and boy did they ever. The past week has been interesting to say the least. Brady had it first, and his main thing was the snottiest nose you ever did see...YUCK! When the sickness first began Keith and I were relatively well rested and had all the energy in the world to chase after Brady making sure he was OK and drugged as needed. By the time poor Natalie got sick (she of the hacking cough and perpetual nose drip) Keith and I were exhausted ourselves and found it a bit harder to keep up with their antics. So as it goes the kids pretty much got to play as they wanted, within reason. As long as they weren't crying or whining (2 more side effects of the sickness) then we were golden. The other night when left to their own devices in their bedroom (this was the only completely child proofed room I could let them play in unattended until Brady learned how to get INTO his crib if we leave the side down) they found the stash of Natalie's old (unused) pull-ups. When we first peeked in there Brady was laying down and Natalie was trying to "diaper" him. Later they both eventually came out clad in their new garb. You could tell they were pretty pleased with themselves for actually getting the things on.One of the best parts about your kids being sick (maybe the only good part) is that they become sweeter than sweet (when they aren't crying or whining-see above). Natalie would say sweet things to me like, "Mommy lets ask Jesus to make me better" (Um, OK lets get on our knees right NOW, seriously whatever you want! I can't believe some of my parenting has actually worked!) or "I am trying to get away from it Mommy" "Away from what, Natalie?" "My sickness". Both of these said in the most tiny, pathetic, voice you can imagine. Brady can't talk much but he still says sweet things. Mostly whispers of "Mama! I wuv you." I am pretty sure you don't get much better than that! They also lay around a lot. If I spread a blanket on the ground my children will come lay on it, %100 of the time, guaranteed. That is a fact. Or they do something like this:And your heart melts a little bit. Actually this is a pretty normal thing. I am so glad my kids love each other! Brady sometimes first thing in the morning will ask for "shi-she" so he can give her a "huck". That is exactly what his first words will be in the morning, "shi-she. huck." These kids they kill me! All I wanted was to have children that love each other, hopefully this will last!

Anywho, this morning Natalie is much better, after a whole night of coughing up her lungs she is ready for action. And Brady, he never slowed down!

P.S. And I know Natalie has on a "tank top", but they are her little camisoles/under shirts and she just LOVES to wear them around the house and under everything she wears.

two things

First of all, "Mandolin Superstar" is FUN! and I am pretty good at it! When I play on easy...

Secondly, here is a conversation that took place today:

Keith: Brady, come here.
Brady: no.
Keith: Why?
Brady: Isaidso. (words did come out all together like that)

This was cause for much laughter in our house. The best part is that he will do it every time we ask "why?", which I am sure will get old soon, so we will just enjoy it while it is still funny!Erin is at this moment trying to capture it on camera video so I can post it here. Wish us luck!

A first

So, yesterday Natalie was sitting on the floor and she called out to me, "Mom, something is wrong with my foot!" She then proceded to lift her foot and she let go and it thunked to the ground. Her foot was asleep and in that "dead" stage! This was her first time, we though it was SO funny, Natalie wasn't too thrilled when the "tingles" started though. Hey, at least maybe now she will listen to us when we tell her to sit on her bum at dinner instead of her knees.

Here's a cute picture just for grins. Natalie in her first pig tails at 10 months. I see a resemblance with Brady, no?

Update

This morning Natalie officially stated that she will no longer be known as "Shoe Fix". She told us that she isn't Shoe Fix anymore just "Princess", hmmm...I am not sure how I feel about that one.

"Princess"-15 months

Treat

Dinner conversation with Natalie:
"Mommy can Ewan be my treat?"
"What?"
"Can Ewan be my treat after dinner?"
"Huh?"
"Can he come over to play after I am done with my food?" (You could tell she was thinking we were idiots for not getting it)
"Oh, I see, no sweetheart, Ewan can't be your treat, sorry."

Reading

Brady has been being a little booger lately, so this morning he ended up having a time out in his crib. I was in his room cleaning up and unpacking toys to keep him company. He say that I was putting away books and he reached for them (his way of asking for them) so I let him have a couple. I watched him to see what he would do. He took each individual book, opened it up, said "ba ba ba ba ba ba ba", and tossed it to the side to pick up another book and begin again. As soon as he "read" each book once he wanted more. I thought this was so sweet, especially since I haven't been able to find anything to keep him occupied or happy for the last few days. He may not talk yet, but at least he is making the effort!

Mama

That is the sweetest word I have ever heard when it comes out of the mouth of a freshly speaking child! Brady has finally decided to really give this talking thing a try. On Sunday he really began recognizing that "mama" is talking about me. Now maybe this is really slow and he is behind, but i don't care! You should hear how sweet he sounds when he says it. I want to melt. I think if my kids knew the effect of their cuteness on me they would milk it so much more. I want to give him anything he wants when he says that one little word and looks at me with his big blue eyes. Now this is not to say that he does not still get confused. He often points at himself and says "mama", or pokes Keith in the arm and says "mama,", but I still like to think that deep down he knows that I am "mama". This one word has opened the gates of language for Brady. He is trying to say every little word we say. I am very excited, I really thought we were going to have a problem with his speech, but it seems like everything may work out with plenty of practice and prodding from me and Keith.

starting him young

Brady can't talk and this has been very worrisome for us. He can only say small words like mama, dada, and not much else. He kind of says thank you also. Today Brady learned a new word...football. Of course it sounds more like bu ba, but we will take it!

Baby Talk

Keith told me that tonight during story time him and Nat were reading a Curious George book and Natalie made the comment that Curious George, "he gets into stuff, just like Brady!" I thought this was pretty funny because this is so true. We can't keep Brady out of anything. He walks around the apartment going from one forbidden thing to the next (from the DVDs to the fan to the front door to the kitchen to the toilet to the garbage can, etc.)

I guess I was impressed by her observation because this is the first time she has ever made a link like that between the characters she sees and real life. She is growing so fast and her mind is getting sharper every day. Sometimes I forget this, she makes sure I don't forget for long!