Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...

Brook and Emma are starting to play together... it's SO cute! I mean they are sisters and a year apart so they still have their moments don't get me wrong! The drama still remains! But I think I might see a light at the end of the tunnel...

They have been playing house! Brook will say I'm going to be Seeping Booty (The long lost princess) (AKA Aurora Sleeping Beauty) and you be Booty and the Beeps (The second long lost sister to the first princess!) (AKA Belle in Beauty and the Beast). The REALLY interesting thing in the whole house playing time is that they mimic ME and Jimmy. They are always telling their babies "look at me when I'm talking to you" or "you need to eat all your dinner or there's NO dessert" Sooo... obviously they are listening, so why does it seem like brand new information everytime I tell them those things?! Hmmm....

The cutest thing ever is when they read bedtime stories to their babies and give them Xx's and Oo's and tuck them in and then pray for them! They'll shut the light out and close the door and tip toe around the house, if I'm too loud the tell me to "sshhh... our baby's are sleeping!"

The love to play restaurant, grocery store and DR too! When they play grocery store they get their carts full of stuff around the house then I have to be the cashier. They tell me when stuff is on sale and also tell me when I'm being too slow! YIKES! They always swipe their credit cards! SCARY!!!

They are getting so concerned about each other and worry about each other and it's just an aaaawwwwwweeee moment for me everytime! If Brook's crying and I don't get there quick enough Emma comes running to find me and says "MMOOMMM, BROOK'S CRYING... SHE NEEDS YOU, HURRY!!!" Brook always gets in the car after school and says "I missed you Emma" and then Emma asks Brook "did you have a good day at school" for real... maybe all your kids do this and it's nothing special, but seriously... makes my heart melt.

I want them to be close friends, I want them to be able to count on each other and go to each other and want to be with each other and need each other! I hope they will be close and the best of friends someday! This is one reason I'm SO glad we had our kids so close and they are both girls. The have a live-in-friend.

However, when they are bugging each other sometimes it's SO funny! Brook will ask me "Mom, can you come play with Emma, she's driving me NUTS!" Or Brook will give Emma ideas... "Emma... go find your baby and go put her night night..." just to get her to leave her alone! Sometimes I feel bad for Emmabug, but I'm a little sister so I know just how we can be!!! :o)

I'm just a happy and lucky mommy today and wanted to share!!! Sometimes when they are playing I pretend I'm busy but I really just listen and watch because it's SO darn cute and funny!!!

I wonder if this will fit up my nose???

I wonder if this will fit up my nose???

Sooo... that's probably not a question you ask yourself everyday right?! Atleast I hope not... but apparently my daughter does! Last week it was Jelly Bellies and last night it was beads from her hair bow!

I walk in to her room and she's (for lack of a better description) farmer blowing! I asked her "what the heck are you doing" and she said "it's not in my nose anymore!" and i then said "WHAT isn't up your nose anymore!!!???" then she started to cry! I went to get Jimmy and told him it was all him to figure it out because I just didn't have the patience to try and pry it out of her!

So Jimmy (calmly) comes in the kitchen and says "come here... i need you to hold the flashlight" that's never a good thing! They were shoved so far up her nose that you could barely see it... we tried with tweezers and a bobby pin to get it out but she was just screaming and squirming and we didn't feel it was going to come out on it's own!

So you guessed it.... the 3rd trip to the ER in a MONTH. I'm surprised we don't have VIP seating in the waiting room... even though we did get a "thank you card" from the ER DR for his new convertible Corvette! (Exaggeration!) ARGH!!!

The DR tried to have a stern talkin to with Emma about sticking things up her nose and not to do it again... and then dad did the same when we got home! Now we're praying it works! It took 4 people to hold her down and dig it out of her nose! Thank GOD it came out without surgery! Sheesh that would have been horrible! But she said it's pretty common because the kids just push it so far up and then they scream and squirm too much to get it out... I was PRAYING out loud begging God to let them get it out and they did... There was a BIG cheer from everyone when it was all over with... whew! I asked them if they had this alot and she said atleast once a day! WOW!!! I asked her how old the last one was that she did and she said earlier that day there was a NINE year old girl who put beads in her ears!!! Are you kidding me!? NINE!!! I thought maybe I had another year of worrying about all this, but not 7 more years!!! sigh....

Well, today (KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK) all is well. I went to the Dr's today and my blood pressure is back to normal, I'm down 4 more pounds and the antibiotic is working!!! Last night my appendix pain was pretty bad, but I woke up this morning and it's just faint. WOooOooo HooOooo!!!

We're going out to eat tonight with my family for my sisters birthday! That's always an adventure! maybe something to blog about later... we'll see!!! HahAHa!!!

PS the reason for the goggles: we're going on a family trip to Hawaii in May and we want to make sure the girls aren't afraid to go snorkeling!!! we don't just make them wear goggles in the bath. I'm NOT that paranoid... :o)

Brook's 4th Birthday Parties!!!

Brook turned 4 last weekend... we had SO many parties! It was SO much fun!!! Brook got her first scooter from mommy and daddy! We also took her to the PlayHouse Disney Concert... the girls LOVED it. They were SO good, they were on the edge of their seats and danced and sang with Mickey, Little Einsteins, Pooh and Friends and the list goes on! It was REALLY fun.

We let her invite 4 friends to go bowling for her "kid party"... it was So fun! It was crowd control for sure, I think there were 8 adults and 4 kids and we still felt out numbered. :o) But the kids had a blast and it was a BIG success!

2 birthday cakes, 24 cupcakes, 12 candles, 50 presents, 25 balloons and 100 thank yous later we were ALL done! It was a lot of work, but it was ALL worth it. Cute little peanut... can't believe she's 4 years old. WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH BROOKY!!! HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY!!!

Is she really going to be 4 years old....

My little Brooklyn, she's going to be 4 on Sunday. I know everyone says it, but where has the time gone? I was watching HOOK (The Peter Pan movie with Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman) with them before nap time and the mom says something to the dad (Peter) "we only have a few crucial years left where they are begging for us to be around, after that we'll be begging for their attention and you're missing it." Wow! did that hit me! Every day is precious, every moment and memory counts! It's not about just getting up, getting dressed, eating and running to the next event, coming home and eating and getting them in bed again. Life is in the little things, the details, everyday stuff... i swear i was just wrapping Christmas presents and now I'm wrapping Birthday presents. I've been really trying to keep my house cleaned this year and keeping up on the dishes and chores and having dinner ready when Jimmy gets home but I'm also missing stuff... I don't know how my mom and grandma did it. How did they juggle it all? How were they dressed and beautiful and dinner was on the table when dad and grandpa got home and we were dressed and rested and the laundry was done and the ironing... i mean really... ironing... i haven't ironed in a year! I guess I just want to be apart of their lives, I don't want them to remember all the events and times in the car and the hurry hurry's and the come on we're going to be late's! I want them to remember the board games and the coloring and painting and stories! I can't believe Brook is going to be 4. I know that may be little for some of you, but I just had her yesterday didn't I? Gosh I miss those baby noises and milestones... I miss the little baby, she's a big girl now! Long hair, sweet smile, gorgeous blue eyes, I love you's that melt your heart through your feet and full of spice!!! I don't want to miss a thing!!! Happy Birthday Brooklyn!!! You are my Joy, my light, my smile, my laugh, my happy place, my gift, my hope, my dreams, my memories, my life!!!! I love you more than you'll ever understand.

Brooklyn got her ABC's Crown last week....

A week ago today Brook was wearing a crown and being paraded out to the car by her teachers! I was SO surprised and excited to see what was happening! I got out and they all cheered... Brooklyn got her ABC Crown today!!!

Brooklyn (3 years old) is able to say and recognize ALL her letters (out of order) and knows all the sounds each letter makes (long and short). She was able to say a word for each letter. (Like Z for Zebra!) We are SO proud of her!!! She is doing SO well in school...

Emma will get to start April 1st (and that's NO joke! ha!) They will be in separate classes since Emma is just 2. But Brook is SO excited for Emma to go to her school too! My little sweet peas are growing SO fast... it's so wonderful (sniff sniff) I love them SO much!!!

Brooklyn's First School Christmas Program!!!

Brook had her first school program before Christmas! It was hard not to cry the whole time! I was so happy and excited for her... but I couldn't believe she was in school and we were going to a program. It was kind of surreal... Where has the time gone, where's my baby? I'm so proud of her and so excited to see what a big girl she is becoming! So polite and smart, funny and sweet... but sometimes I just want to grab her and squeeze her and beg her not to grow anymore! She'll be 4 next month... 4 years old. Wow... Her favorite songs to sing were Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Jingle Bells! She knew those the best. All the words and dance moves... we video taped the performance! It's a keeper!!!

ALL ABOARD... The Polar Express...

We took the kids on the Polar Express! It was really fun... we all loved it and I think we will be making it a Christmas tradition. We arrived and boarded the train. Welcomed by Elves named Figgy and Winky which the girls just loved. They had bright costumes and make-up! We were given Big Fat Warm Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies and soon followed Hot Chocolate... As we watched out the window and spotted DEER with Daddy the Elves sang Christmas Carols and told jokes! Soon we were visted by Mrs Clause... Then the Conductor came by to make sure we had our tickets punched. THEN THE BIG SURPRISE... SANTA CLAUSE!!! He was a very cute Santa... Emma would have nothing to do with him but Brook was ready to tell him what she wanted for Christmas. She said I WANT A PINK BARBIE JEEP and he said a Barbie Jeep huh, and she said a PINK one Santa!!! Oh soooooo cute!!! He gave her a bell (like in the book and movie) then a candy cane! She grinned from ear to ear!!! It was a magical night to remember... Grampa and Grama took us to eat after at the Train Cafe'. It's moments like those that make life sparkle when you feel you're in the dark.... Can't wait for Christmas!!! It's going to be soon... and I think Santa heard the wish for the Barbie Jeeps, but somehow we got stuck with the bill... hhhmmm.... ha ha ha! or ho ho ho is it...