Crazy/Busy/Fun

We have 5 birthdays (actually now 6 with baby Kyle) in the month of July (just on my side of the family), so this time of the year always gets a little hairy. This year, however, has nearly left my head spinning!

My new nephew, Kyle, was born on July 2nd, which also happens to be my nephew Josh's birthday. My sister, Lisa, turned 21 on July 3rd (Yeah Lisa!). In the course of these few days we all tried to celebrate Kyle's birth, Josh's birthday, Lisa's birthday, and Kyle's homecoming (and the 4th of July of course!). Unfortunately, the homecoming celebration was short lived because the day after Kyle came home, he had to be readmitted into the hospital to treat his jaundice. After a few days in the hospital and a few more days of treatment at home, his bilirubin levels are now normal. Now we can REALLY love on him!

Aunt Delta, Brinn and baby Kyle.
Proud Daddy Joe.
Going home!

Birthday boy Josh and his friend. Happy 11th, Josh!

Birthday girl Lisa with her cake.

Back in the hospital......
And back home again!

Introducing Kyle Josef, 7/2/2009

My new newphew......Kyle Josef, born on July 2nd, 2009.

Congratulations Joe and Kris!!! He's gorgeous.....look at all the hair!!!

June Catch-Up

Where does the time go? Almost a month has come and gone without a post. Shame on me!

Brinn went to summer school during June. Although I believe she DID like it, it was every day of the week and much longer than preschool (7:30 - 2:30). She told me she didn't like it because it "TAKES TOO LONG TO SEE MY MOMMY". Awwww.......yep, you can be sure I will remind her of that when she is 16!!!

In an effort to make our mornings run smoothly, I let her choose her outfits for school the night before. She enjoyed doing this and made sure every outfit was chosen carefully. She had her own system and everything had to be laid out just so. I just let her go at it. Here's an example of the fun and interesting outfits she concocted!

My sisters and I all threw a baby shower for our sister Kristin. This is her first baby (a boy!) and she is due at the end of July. We had lots of fun shopping for goodies for our new nephew, baby Kyle!

My sister Dawn had the most fun though, making Kyle's cake for the shower. She did an AMAZING job. I will be begging her to make all my cakes from this day forward!

The last couple of weeks we have been doing a lot of swimming. We have gone several times to our local community center which has a WONDERFUL pool and of course getting our fill of Table Rock Lake while were still here! (NO, no takers on the house yet......boo hoo.....)

Brinn LOVES her goggles. She'll wear them for days on end!

Brinn and her Mimi.

Brinn in her 'I LOVE MOMMY' hat and her too-cool Tinkerbell shades. Awwww.......

My two water bugs....Brinn and Daddy.

Little Driver.

Just got a call that Kristin is in labor!!!!

Baby update soon!

Pretty Pretty Puppy Face

Fun with our face painting kit...........

Let The Summer Fun Begin!

It's been a bit quiet on the home front lately. We are just waiting for something to happen with the house.......and waiting........and waiting.........and waiting. We are about to go crazy! We would love to get moved and settled before Brinn starts school in the fall and are praying that it does indeed happen. Brinn will be taking summer school for 3 1/2 weeks to give her something fun to do other than hang out with mom all day.

But, in the meantime, now that the hot weather is here we are starting to have lots of water fun. Brinn had a play date with her friend Carley the other day and they spent forever playing with a blow up beach ball sprinkler. We love this time of year and can't wait for lots of time at the pool, on the lake, and hopefully a water park or two!

Happy Mother's Day To Me

Yesterday morning Brinn let me know that, despite it being Mother's Day and all, I was, after all, still the same old mother that got up with her the day before.

After I fixed her braids....yes, you remember....those ones she hated until she went to school and everyone liked them.......she had a complete meltdown and told me I need "hair fixin' lessons" because she "hates my hair fixin". Now, don't get me wrong, I would love to do Brinn's hair just exactly the way she would like it, but herein lies the problem: Brinn wanted her braids to be longer. They needed to go down to the middle of her back, not to the top of her shoulders! Quite a problem now, isn't it?

I love the magical world of a 4 year old. I love how, according to kids this age, the sun comes up and sets all due to their parents' will. I love how Brinn looks up at us with her big blue eyes and thinks we have all the answers, regardless of the subject at hand. So, I guess Brinn must have learned yesterday that there are limits to Mommy's abilities. Our baby is growing up. Boo-hoo!

Now, in Brinn's defense, she did make up for her meltdown with a boat load of hugs and kisses and 'I love yous' throughout the day.

This morning we continued celebrating when she pushed on my pimples to see if they "really did hurt". She asked me, "Why do you have owies on your face? Because your old?" I assured her that I indeed had these when I was young too. Then I braided her hair for school...............

Hope all you mothers out there had a wonderful day yesterday.........and every day!

Brinn Hearts Infomercials

Infomercials work........especially on my daughter!

When the Pancake Puffs were heavily advertised, Brinn wanted one so bad she even asked for one for her 4th birthday!

Everytime a Bendaroos commerical comes on, she really wants to get those.

And now, the latest is the Touch-N-Brush. She even had me rewind the commercial so she could watch it again. This morning when she was trying to squeeze her Hanna Montana toothpaste onto her toothbrush she casually told me again, "I really need the Touch-N-Brush, Mom."

Now, I have to admit, she might come by it naturally. The first tooth whitener I ever used was from the Vana White Tooth Whitening System infomercial - but that was almost 20 years ago so I wouldn't say it's a learned behavior.

It must be in the genes!