18-20 MONTHS (Jan-Mar 2013)

Wow, I missed quite a few months documenting Brynn's changes and milestones.  Everything kinda starts to blur together between 18months and 2 years old (2 years old now that is a milestone I am most certainly not ready to write about!).  Brynn is growing up faster than I believed was possible.  I often look at her and go "Where has my baby gone?" It's like I blinked and BAM! she grew up.

Brynnie is still our "perrma-bedhead", "curly-headed tornado", and "too much naughty for one little body" child.  We don't even try to comb her hair because it just wouldn't suit her, but it really isn't just about her hair.  The hair, yes, completely defines her.  If she had straight hair it wouldn't be Brynnie.  We love the wild, untamed hair...I mean personality. 

 

Brynn is quickly catching up to "big" sis Piper.  I packed up the 18month clothes and dug around in Piper's drawers pulling out all the 2T outfits.  At Brynn's most recent appointment she weighed about 24lbs, is 32in tall, and she wears a size 5-6 shoe.  Piper is 30lbs, 36 inches tall, and wears a size 7-8 shoe (and is a full 2 1/2 years older).  Before I know it, Piper won't have anything to wear because Brynn will be wearing it. 

Brynn LOVES spaghetti.  Brynn pretty much loves everything.  She has a great appetite.  One day, she ate an entire bunch of bananas.  She'd finish one and then 5 minutes later, "nanna, more, more".  She's a monkey apparently.  Oftentimes, I'll find her in my pantry pulling out snacks and eating them straight out of the container or in the case of a Hershey's chocolate, she'll eat it wrapper and all because unwrapping it would've taken too much time :).  She knows how to get her own cup of water from the fridge dispenser- most of the time the water spills on the floor, but she's trying and succeeds about 50% of the time.   

 

 

Brynn's vocabulary is continuing to grow.  Sometimes I worry that she's not talking enough or that her vocabulary is too limited.  I read that most kids her age should have a vocabulary of 10-50 words.  After counting up all her words (that I could remember), I think Brynn is doing just fine. Her current words are:

 "banana"

"Dumbo"

"Nemo"

"playdough"

"shoes"

"minivan"

"lion"

"ephant"- refers to elephant

"giraffe"

"neigh"

"roar"

"tiger"

"dog"

"woof"

"dolphin"

"moon"

"Piper"

"meow"

"Elmo"

"pyano"-refers to piano

"moo"

"Rella"- refers to Cinderella

"baby"

"up above..."-refers to her version of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

"Ring, Rosie"- refers to Ring Around the Rosie (which is her new favorite game to play)

"Ava!"- refers to Piper's friend Ava

"apple"

"mine, mine"- refers to blanket

"Roo-Roo"-refers to Roo from Winnie the Pooh

"Boo Boo"

"here mommy"

"hello", "hi"

"bye,bye"

"cheese"

"belly"

"bottle"

"dog"

"ball"

"all done"

"ate or eight"

"nose"

"no"

"right"

"yeah"

"book"

"ouch","ow"

"oh"

"whoosh"- refers to sound when pouring tea

"good night", "night, night"

"off"

"eat"
"a-a-a-choo"- usually done to fake sneeze

Brynn loves to do whatever it is that sister is doing.  She loves playing with Piper (even if Piper sometimes yells or slams the door in her face).  When Piper is away at school, Brynn sneaks into Piper's room and plays with her toys.  I guess she finds Pip's room more interesting than her own.  At the park, Brynn is all over the place.  She goes up and down the slide, climbs the rockwall, tries to go across the monkey bars.  She is so adventurous.  The only thing she isn't fond of is swinging too fast.  She likes the swing, but if you start going too fast she signs, "all done, all done!"  Brynn is also a jokester.  She'll do just about anything for a laugh and she has a 100% success rate.  She also loves to play with Boo.  She and Boo have a special bond- they're kindred spirits. 

 

Brynn doesn't really let me "play teach" her. I usually just watch her and I feel bad because I never really taught her how to match up her shapes, do puzzles, stack blocks, or anything else you see all these super moms doing with their kids.  But one day, she surprised me and started doing all those things.  In fact, the only thing she "lets" me do is read to her.  She LOVES books. Sometimes, I'll find her sitting in the gameroom with a stack of books all around her. Now that I think about it, Pippy was the exact same way. So now, I'm convinced that the only thing moms need to do with their children is read to them (and talk (normally) nonstop to them) and everything else will fall into place.

 

 That's Brynn at 18, 19, and 20 months and the only thing I would change about her is her diaper...within reason because lately they've been making me gag.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

I have a very,very good excuse why I missed almost 2 months of blogging.  Here goes:

For starters our computers, yes both of them, are preparing to meet their demise. It pains me to spend an eternity waiting for them to boot up and then spend what seems like hours to load a page only to freeze while uploading pictures and then randomly shut off with the blue screen of death.

My second excuse is that nothing of much interest has been going on- I mean seriously it was January for 31 days and that's about it. I could muse about grocery trips, temper tantrums thrown by all, and the occasional " all I did today was stay in my pajamas and I may or may not have showered today" post,  but then there might be jealousy and that's not good.  February followed about the same, so really what is there to blog about? 

BUT

My third excuse is probably my best excuse and is the excuse that I think will pardon my lack of   blogposts:

I've been busy, super busy growing arms, legs, lungs, and a brain. Who has time to blog when you're growing a human?

McRae Baby #3 aka "Bean" will be here in September and we are thrilled, nervous, and excited!

Year End Wrap-Up

Hard to believe another year has come and gone.  Years go by like flashes now.  I remember as a kid always getting excited for a new year and all it's promises. We're on the eve of New Year's Eve.  2012 has only 1 more day left.  I'm trying to frantically get all the year's posts up before I turn this blog into a book.  I figured a befitting post would be some type of year-end wrap up.  I won't assign a number because then I'll get nervous to add more things.  Our life is simple.  So here goes:

TOP 2012 McRae MOMENTS

*The most obvious top moment for us was the purchase of our home

*Bobby got a big promotion at work in November

*Piper started preschool and learned how to write her name

*Celebrating 8 years of marriage with a trip to Augusta to see the Masters Practice rounds

*Brynn walked, talked, and turned 1

*We had our health and fair share of happiness this 2012



17 MONTHS

 

There's one phrase that perfectly sums up Brynnsters at 17 months:  "Too much naughty for one little body"  She is a curly-headed tornado. 

17 MONTHS:
*Brynn is talking more and more.  She's still not as talkative as her big sister, but her vocabulary increases by at least 2 words a week whether it's speaking or understanding.  Her words now:

"apple"

"mine, mine"- refers to blanket

"Roo-Roo"-refers to Roo from Winnie the Pooh

"Boo Boo"

"here mommy"

"hello", "hi"

"bye,bye"

"cheese"

"belly"

"bottle"

"dog"

"ball"

"all done"

"ate or eight"

"nose"

"no"

"right"

"yeah"

"book"

"ouch","ow"

"oh"

"whoosh"- refers to sound when pouring tea

"good night", "night, night"

"off"

"eat"
"a-a-a-choo"- usually done to fake sneeze

 

UNDERSTANDS:

"Let's brush our teeth"

"Stay close"

"No, no"

"Come here"

"Bring that to mommy, daddy"

"Where's your belly?"

"Give me a high five"

"Say hello, bye, goodnight"

 



A Very, Merry and Busy Christmas Season (Part 2)

I decided to host Christmas with my family this year. Piper and Brynn loved all the extra attention. 

Grandma, grandpa, Uncle Mark, and Auntie Kim

Piper loves her Auntie Kim and Brynnie found a new friend in Uncle Mark.

  On Christmas Eve, we baked cookies for Santa.  We were covered in flour, but had fun rolling out cookies and then decorating them with frosting and sprinkles.  After cookie making, we ate breakfast casserole for Christmas Eve dinner and then went to check out some lights in the neighborhood.  

Brynnie couldn't participate this year, but it didn't stop her from trying to climb onto the island

 

there's no rule in our house that says you can't eat cookie dough- one day I might pay for this, but cookie dough is so good!

Is Santa really going to eat all those cookies?

 Christmas Day was very exciting!  I awoke to the smell of delicious Cinnamon rolls.  Piper would hardly wait to go downstairs and Brynn was fast asleep.  We waited until 9ish to open stockings and check out Santa's loot.  Piper and Brynn both got bean bag chairs.  Piper got a new bike that she says she won't ride until she's 6, art supplies, and books.  Brynn got a sand box, sandbox toys, and books.  We took a break from Santa's loot and ate breakfast before we opened the rest of the presents from the family.

The biggest hits for this year were:  Piper's veterinary kit and the toothbrush I put in Brynn's stocking.  Everyone was super appreciative of all the gifts and just about everything has already been used or worn. We're lucky to have family pseudo close-by that can celebrate with us.  We're also very blessed to be able to to provide a joyous memory-filled holiday season.

Merry Christmas!



A Very, Merry and Busy Christmas Season (Part 1)

Once Thanksgiving dinner was over, I started decorating the house and yard for Christmas.  Opa helped me put the lights up on the trees and the bushes in the front yard.  We opted to NOT hang lights on the house this year due to budget constraints and fear of heights.  Next year, we'll light up the house Griswold family style. 

 

Then I had Bobby take down the 5 boxes of Christmas decorations and began decorating the house.  I didn't realize how well-behaved Piper had been the past Christmases with all the decorations within kid reach.  Brynn had some sort of vendetta against this penguin family I had on the coffee table and would knock them over every chance she got. 

The sweet little penguin family.  They don't look so menacing, do they?
 

Piper managed to follow my only rule (and in retrospect, Brynn followed it too...sort of): "You can only play with (not manhandle) the soft Christmas decorations not the hard ones." However, Piper couldn't resist the village scene and decided to add her little touches here and there. 

TRICERATOPS!  Aghh!!

 That weekend, we went shopping for our Christmas tree and hoped to have it delivered, but in the suburbs everyone ties their tree to the roof of their car and drives it home- this is crazy talk to me, I miss the delivery service offered in the city!  Anyway, Bob braved driving home with a perfectly shaped, 7 foot fir strapped to the roof of his car.  Piper was tickled pink that we had a tree on our roof.  I was tickled that we had picked out a beautiful real-live tree...2 years in a row!  We spent the night decorating the tree as a family.  I was going to do my traditional red, green, ivory ornaments with white lights.  However, I used all the white lights outside and Brynn managed to break about 5 of my red, green, and ivory ornaments.  I decided that it would behoove me to not use my breakable ornaments on this tree and to save them for my "special mom only fancy" tree. 

We used the plastic, homemade, and sentimental ornaments we've collected over the last decade (those would be placed very high obviously), candy canes, Christmas cards, mini stockings, and multi-colored lights.  The result was quite possibly the most beautiful rag tag Christmas tree full of memories and the best part: nothing was broken- taken off the tree a few times by little hands, yes, but nothing broken. 

I love my tree! 

Earlier in November, I bought tickets for the local dance company's production of the Nutcracker.  My intention was that it would be a fun Daddy-Daughter date night.  Piper got all dressed up and went with her daddy to see her first ballet.  She was super excited to spend time with her favorite guy and super excited to see some dancing.  Beforehand, I showed her the commercials for the Houston Ballet's Nutcracker and talked about the story line with her so she could understand a little bit of what was going on.  After the ballet, Bobby and Piper came home with McDonald's (P's favorite). They had a nice time and we plan on making it a tradition for years to come.

 

All dressed up for her big date with daddy!

 

Our community is fabulous and just about every weekend there was something going on.  We met up with a few friends and went to hear the Houston Symphony's Holly Jolly Christmas spectacular for FREE!  Despite it being about 80 degrees, I definitely got into the Christmas spirit.  This event doesn't happen every year, so I'm glad that we got to go.

 

After we attended the symphony, Bobby jetted off to New York City.  He saw some tourist-y things, but mostly he was held up with conferences and business meetings. 

 



Rockefeller Plaza

  While Bobby was gone, I was busy doing more Christmas-y things. Ms. Latsamy invited everyone over for a Christmas party and to make gingerbread houses.   We used graham crackers and regular frosting plus lots of sugary candies.  I couldn't resist eating the candies while Piper decorated. 

And later in the week, I helped with Piper's preschool class Christmas party/program.  Piper's class sang "Roo Roo the Red-Nosed Kanga" a play on the traditional "Rudolph" and then we ate pizza, played some games, and decorated sugar cones to look like Christmas trees.  The kids had  blast!

My little Roo Roo

 

Green frosting galore

 The piece de resistance this December would have to be the Christmas party at the church.  I was asked to be in charge of it and it took over my entire December.  Not only did I do this, but I also did a baby a shower for Ms. Molly earlier in the month.  I stretched myself a little too thin this year in regards to parties, but both were amazing successes so I can't complain!  (next year...not doing any parties except maybe one, but that's it, seriously that's all I'm doing.)

Magnolia 1st Ward Winter Wonderland

Miss Molly's Baby Shower

A week before Christmas, I was actually able to relax a bit before my family joined us for Christmas.  NO rest for the weary.

Love Like No Other

I love my girls.  I love them so much it feels as if my heart could burst.  I love them fiercely.

Almost a week ago, a tragedy struck a small community and I've had a difficult time reconciling the event and my emotions.  For one, it involved children not much older than Piper. Secondly, it took place at an elementary school and I'm a former school teacher.  I think about it, I think about my kids, and I feel like I suddenly can't breathe anymore. 

I drop Piper off at school every Tuesday and Thursday.  I watch her skipping along the sidewalk into the school with her gigantic backpack and napmat, she barely glances behind her because she's super brave and not a baby, she's 4 (as she's been pointing out lately).  And what am I doing?  I'm frantically waving from the car, blowing kisses, saying "I love you, have a great day!" until she disappears into the building. Then I drive off and count the hours until I can pick her up. 

And then there's Brynnsters: my wild, perma-bedhead little boss who has too much naughty for her little body.  She's my little car companion.  At every red light, I look behind me just to see her.  She grins her Cheshire Cat grin almost immediately.  It's a game we play at every stop.  She can't quite say, "I love you", but I know that she lives to see my smile.

When I heard the devastating news, I made a decision that I shouldn't, couldn't, wouldn't get so mad at the little things they do. I would make sure I gave them kisses all. the. time.  I would strap them extra tight into the carseat with an "I love you".  Smiles would be unconditional, yelling would be nonexistent.  I'm trying, everyday I try to cherish my sweet girls because this event touched a very soft spot near my heart. While I've always known that life is short, this reminded me that there are some who won't get to hold their little babies and that, for now, I am very lucky.

I love my girls.  I love them so much it feels as if my heart could burst.  I love them fiercely.

Market Street Christmas Lights

I need to apologize to Oma and Opa for taking only taking them out on the town ONCE.  Bob and I had every intention of cramming your 6 day stay with all kinds of activities, but (let's face it) Bob and I are indecisive and the act of putting on real clothes and getting the girls ready amid protests doesn't make us too fond of going out.  For our one and only outing (that didn't include eating or shopping which we did both), we took Oma and Opa to Market Street to see the Christmas lights and then walk along the waterway. The lights were lovely and many people were out taking pictures and shopping in our pseudo-downtown. 

I love big Christmas trees

 



 I love, love, love Christmas lights- it's magical the way everything looks all lit up.  It's times like this that make me really miss Calloway Gardens in GA.  Early in our relationship, Bob and I made it our annual Christmas tradition to visit the gardens and see their wonderful display of lights.  I wish there was something like that around here.