Sick

Dear Bryson,
Last night you were not feeling well, you kept waking up several times crying. Dad & I took turns coming in there to calm you down and then go back to sleep. There was a time that I stayed with you for an hour. You wanted to go watch a show on the TV so I took you out and really I think you just wanted the distraction since you weren't really watching. Then you started crying when you did start watching cause you wanted something different. I took you back to your room and you just wanted me to sing to you. I sat and sang all your favorite songs: 5 little monkies jumping on the bed, 5 monkies swinging in a tree, 5 little ducks, 5 little speckled frogs, popcorn popping, the itsy bitsy spider, patty cake & head shoulder knees and toes. You dosed off and finally fell back to sleep. I liked sitting with you, even though I was suppose to be sleeping. I love you.

Love,
Mom
xoxo

Great Helper

Dear Megan,
Yesterday we left you at the babysitter with your cousins, Loraya & Isaac, and Bryson. When we came to pick you up the babysitter informed us what a great helper you were in helping everyone else have a good time. Also today at church I was talking to Sister Ellsworth and she was saying what a sweet sweet girl you are. She loves when you go into the library to help her sharpen pencils. You really are a great helper when you want to be and it makes Dad & I really proud of you. I love you!

Love,
Mom
xoxo

A Whole Two

Dear Bryson,
I can't believe that you are already 2 years old. Some funny things that you like to do that I have noticed is with the tissue box you don't like the tissues sticking up so you will push them back into the box. You also have to do everything yourself. Lately you want to pull the pickle out of the pickle jar by yourself. If I do it you scream, yell, whine, but still end up eating the pickle. Also on your birthday you received your new "big boy" bed, you slept in it that night and have not wanted to go to your crib since. I was very shocked on how well you transitioned. You still have to have your passy when you go to bed, which we will have to get rid of soon. You also love to do anything with your sister. You really don't like to sit and watch movies but always ask to put one on. The only time you will watch the movie is if someone is sitting with you, usually Megan, and you have to sit right next to them; you will even watch Megan's Barbie movies. You are also my best helper. Whenever I'm cooking you push a chair up next to the counter to watch. You also will obey most of the time right away. Usually quicker then your sister. I feel like I can count on you to get something done when I ask you to do it, hopefully this will stick. I've loved our time that we have been able to spend together lately with Dad working. Oh, something else that is funny that you do is when we put you into your pajamas at night (the ones with the feet) when we zip it up you have to have your arms "hiding" inside. Then we tickle you till you pull your arms out. You really are a joy to have in our family. I love you!

Love,
Mom
xoxo

No whiny, No friend

On Megan's last day of school she wanted to stay at her friends house that she gets dropped off at. Her friend's Mom and I agreed that it would be okay and so Megan stayed to play. About 30 minutes later I got a phone call from Megan and she said "Emma is whiny so I am going to come home. I will start walking once I get my stuff on so watch for me." Okay I said. As I was waiting by the window watching for Megan I got another phone call, this time it was her friend's Mom calling to ask if Megan was at home. I told her that she is walking home. She informed me that Megan didn't tell her that she was leaving and that she just left. I thought that it was funny that Megan called me on her own to tell me that she didn't want to play with her friend anymore. We did talk about leaving the house without telling the Mom. But I guess Megan wasn't in the mood to play with a whiny friend.

Wrist Band = Treat

Bryson had to get his blood drawn for his egg allergy, they needed to do an immunio cap (I think that it is what it's called) I am so proud at how well Bryson did when they drew his blood. We had to go to the hospital to get it drawn and he didn't like getting his wrist band on, so I told him that it was so that he could get a treat. He then was proud to wear the wrist band. Once we went in to get his blood drawn we gave him a sucker, by then he just held it as he watched the lady put the rubber tie around his arm, and once she poked him he started crying. I tried humming to him, but we had to restrain him so that he wouldn't grab the needle and he didn't like that. He did stop crying for a little bit while they were drawing the blood and was just watching the blood come out, then he started to cry again. He really didn't like getting a band-aid put on it either. We had him wear it home but then took it off once we got home. He also didn't really care for his sucker anymore. I don't know if he will like getting a wrist band on again to get a treat. Hopefully he won't need to get his blood drawn again for awhile, poor guy!

Snuggler

Dear Bryson,
I loved that you jumped in bed with me yesterday morning. You did strip your pajamas off for the first time and then jumped in, but I loved cuddling up with you. You would take my bear and snuggle it and then pretended that the bear was saying "hello" to me and you, and then you would laugh. You were so happy and silly. You didn't want to get dressed for a little while yesterday, which is a first, since you usually will sit and say "cold" whenever don't have your shirt or pants on. But yesterday you wanted to be free I guess. I love you!
Love,
Mom
xoxo

Cheer

While Bryson was downstairs playing with his favorite friend, I was upstairs updating all of my primary files while listening to them play. All of a sudden I started to smell laundry detergent. Why would I be smelling laundry detergent? So I headed down stairs to find about 7 full loads worth of laundry detergent ALL OVER the floor. I quickly put Bryson in time out and started shaking off toys to remove laundry detergent. After clearing all the toys I took Bryson out of the corner, went and got the vacuum and started to vacuum, while the boys headed upstairs. I vacuumed up the detergent leaving the fresh smell of Cheer all over the floor. I came upstairs to check on the 2 little boys to find Bryson typing away at the computer with different warning signs all over the screen. After removing them from that situation I went downstairs to get the vacuum and I just happened to look into the play tent house they have to find another load of laundry detergent all over the tent. Once I finally finished cleaning all the Cheer up and brought the vacuum upstairs to my surprise the little kiddos were in my bedroom. I was just imagining my chap stick to be all over the place or my wedding ring to be down the heating vent. Instead I found each boy with a colorful pixi stix in their hand with them broken and pixi candy dropping all over the floor. How they got to it, I don't know. I have learned a lesson though. Don't EVER leave 2 boys alone unless everything is boy proofed. Brysons hasn't gotten into this much trouble in a long time, or maybe ever. But I do have to say the look on Bryson's face when I put him into the corner was the cutest little sad puppy dog face I have ever seen, but I didn't let that face win me over, he would have to do cute puppy dog faces all day to get out of this mess.

Car Games

Playing I spy in the car...
Megan: I spy something that is green.
Me: Is it in the car or outside the car?
Megan: In the car (holding up a piece of paper)
Me: Is it that piece of paper that you are holding.
Megan: Yes, Mom you are good.

Surprise

Dear Megan,
I loved your surprises today! I loved that you went the extra mile and cleaned up the entire basement even though I only asked you to clean up the books, and then you went upstairs while I was vacuuming downstairs and cleaned up your room to surprise me. I wish that you would surprise me more often, but I will take it when I get it!

I love you,
Love,
Mom
xoxo

A Chef

This afternoon Megan watched Ratatouille and so during dinner Megan was closing her eyes as she chewed her food saying "a little spicy, kinda sweet" and a bunch of other words to describe what she was eating. We had Lasagna and cheese bread. I asked her what her bread tasted like and she said that "it tasted like ice cream with a little spice." Yum, sounds really good. Maybe her dream of being a waitress at Applebees may turn into a chef at Applebees.

Your #1 Fan

Dear Megan,

I am so proud of you for finishing your first season of soccer. You did so good playing and keeping up with the ball. Dad and I loved watching you play and Bryson loved being your water boy. You are always so good at everything that you do. I hope that you continue to try new things and try your best at everything that you do. I love you!

Love,

Mom

xoxo

Cheesecake

Dear Megan,
I am sorry that Dad & I spent a lot of time away last night and that we didn't make it back in time to have cheesecake together. I'm sorry that you forced yourself to stay awake because you wanted to eat cheesecake. But I am glad that you were able to get some cheesecake so that you could brush your teeth and go to sleep.
I love you!

Love,
Mom
xoxo

They Do Love Eachother

For my birthday yesterday we had a friend watch the kids so that Josh and I could go out to eat. When we returned home our babysitter was telling us how after they ate dinner they sat down to watch a movie and Bryson cuddled up next to Megan and they sat and cuddled and Bryson even fell asleep. I wish that I could have seen it. Megan is usually pushing Bryson away from her or poking at him tell he gets mad, so I am glad that they actually do love each other and that they were able to cuddle.

No Eggs!

Megan is always telling everyone that Bryson is allergic to eggs whenever they are passing out treats, even if Bryson isn't there she is telling them that Bryson is allergic to eggs. So this particular situation, we were at Wal-Mart yesterday picking up a birthday cake for myself and Josh and I had stopped and were looking at the cheesecakes while Megan walked down to the cake mixes and was pulling them off the shelves, she pulled 3 off the shelf and asked me what one I wanted, I told her that I would come down there and look at them in a minute cause we were looking at the cheesecakes. Megan then continues to pull cakes off the shelf and put them back looking at each of them. I decided on a cheesecake to buy and Josh walks down to get Megan and she announces very frustrated "Mom, they ALL of eggs in them!" Too cute, she really loves her brother!

I Guess You're Listening

Dear Megan,
I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of the decision that you made. You had been invited to go to a birthday party for a friend from school. The birthday party was on a Sunday and after I read the invitation to you, I asked you if you thought you should go and you answered, " No, because it is on Sunday and we go to Church." I do have to say that I was a very proud Mother at that moment. I guess you really were listening when we had our family home evening about Keeping the Sabbath Holy. I love you!

Love,
Mom
xoxo

Family Fun!

Dear Kiddos:
Today was a first for us, we usually only let you eat 1 piece of candy after you eat your lunch or breakfast, but today we decided to let you guys eat all the candy you guys got from the Zoo Halloween Party that we went to last night. So after dinner, we got a movie to watch and we made popcorn and let you guys eat all the candy out of your pumpkins.
Megan you were so excited that you ate everything until you got to your blog pop... you would eat it and then just hold it, I finally told you to just eat it or throw it away, so you decided to throw it away. I think that you did leave another sucker & your dip stick in your pumpkin.
Bryson you just wanted everything opened. You would take a piece of candy to Dad to open. You would try it and then if you didn't like it you would offer it to one of us, until someone would take your half eaten candy from your hand. Surprisingly you didn't like the chocolate bars or tootsie rolls, you did eat the M&M's and sixletts (I think that that is what it is called). you ate or I guess I should say we all ate everything out of your pumpkin except for the dip stick that we said had to be saved to eat in the kitchen. After all the candy was gone you drank Dad and my water and even ate the ice. Then you got a little hyper, jumping around the couch, spinning on the floor, falling off the couch on your head and just laughing, really it was cute.
We had a great movie night even though you guys didn't get into bed until 1 1/2 hours AFTER your bedtime. We were just breaking all the parent rules today, we let you stay up late & eat a lot of candy. Now you can't ever say we never have any fun. I love you!

Love,
Mom
xoxo

Just like You

Dear Bryson,

I love when you follow be around wanting to help me clean. I love when I am listening to my music on my MP3 you say "listen" and pull one of the head phones out so that you can listen. Then you pretend to sing along then you say "all done" and hand back the head phone. I love when I am doing sit ups you will try and do some too, then you give up and just sit on me. I love having you as a little shadow, and I especially love your hugs! I love you.

Love,

Mom

Nursery

Bryson has been in nursery for 4 months now. He didn't do too well going in the first month and I would have to stay with him and try and sneak out. That didn't seem to work too well. So we then tried the stay for a little bit, leave, and then come back 5-10 minutes later. That seemed to work better and then we tried having Josh drop him off and he seemed to do a lot better. So Bryson has been doing great in nursery since we got it down, but then today was another battle. Josh dropped him off like normal, but in the middle of nursery the nursery leader brings him to me since his pants are soaked from his over flowing diaper (now don't think that I neglect changing my child's diaper, since it had only been 5 hours... okay so that sounds kinda long, but he napped in the middle of that. Really he has gone longer. Gotta stretch the $$) so the nursery leader brings him to me to be changed and as we are walking down the hall together she informs me that Bryson really didn't want to leave nursery. So I am thinking that he is going to do great going back into nursery, so I let him walk like a "big boy" back to nursery after changing his very full diaper, but once we got near the door he dropped to the ground and started throwing a crying fit. So I try to act up going back in by peeking in the window and acting like they are doing something really cool (they are sitting around a table doing lesson time, probably not too exciting for a 21 month old kid) he didn't buy it, so I pick him off the floor and bring him into the room where I plop him down on a chair and proceed to leave him as I hear him start to cry and see him following me in the corner of my eye. I tell myself to not look behind and keep walking or I am going to get stuck with him. Plus I know that he always calms down after a minute or two since this is what he does at the gym too. So I leave and then stand outside the door for a few seconds listening to him scream and cry. It really breaks your heart to hear that, but this is for his own good, right? I did end up passing by there later and he was fine, but I think that from now on Josh is going to have to change all of the diapers. Darn!

Your Spot

Dear Megan:
I am deeply saddened that you are always returning to your spot in the corner. I apologize that I have to put you there for 5 minutes at a time, and have to continually restart your time when you choose to leave your spot. I see that you are not happy to be in your spot when you kick, scream and yell mean things, but I do this for your own good to help you learn to obey and be kind to the rest of your family. I truly hate putting you in your spot, and hope that you will learn from the time you spend there to be a better daughter & sister. I love you!

Love,
Mom
xoxo

I'm Not Here

Dear Bryson,

I know that you think that if you can't see me I can't see you... but I do see you when you are sneaking your passy out of your crib and hiding in the corner. And you are still going to get into trouble after you hit your sister, or make a big mess of the newspaper on the floor... Cause I can still see you, even if you pretend to not be there! But I still love you!

Love, Mom

xoxoxo