Brenna Love

I was due with Brenna on February 15th. I told Dave if she was born on Valentine's Day, we would have to name her Brenna Love, it would just have to happen. He was not buying it. Well, she didn't wait to the holiday and arrived days earlier, and due to her father's adamant feelings against it, the middle name never stuck. However, she has filled our home with lots and lots of love. Now, some of you may be shaking your heads and saying, "is this the girl that Kara has constantly used not so flattering and kind descriptions of?" Yes, yes it is. I may, a time or two, used some adjectives to relay her mischievous side, but most of the time, while she is a little imp, we can't get enough of her. Brenna is our latest talker and part of it is most likely due to the fact that she constructed her own language. For instance, she-she means she wants to color. Clear as a bell, right? Exactly. She has recently become more coherent in her speech, but we find ourselves nodding and humoring her, which mostly results in frustration on both sides. Brenna adores all the Disney princesses and carries the little polly pocket dolls around all day. Her very favorite thing to do is turn on "A Pa-Pa song" (Rapunzel song from Tangled) and grab a "preeby" (pretty dress) and "dass" (dance). She runs and twirls in circles non stop. Dave may or may not want to hit his head against the wall when the Tangled soundtrack comes on for the 45th time that day ;). Brenna had a puppy cake, got a princess hideout tent, Ariel and Tiana dolls for her birthday, and it was the greatest day of her life. She was the happiest little 2 year old in town. My dad said now that she's two, she has license to enter the 'terrible twos.' Not surprisingly, Brenna made a fake id a good year ago and has been attempting to pass as a terror for quite some time, but we wouldn't have it any other way!

Lucky 7

Grant just turned 7! Katelee tells me everyday that she just can't believe he is seven and she forgets he is that old, and I am with her on that! Grant decided to have a Harry Potter themed birthday party with friends and this mom almost shed a tear of joy over that. Even Brenna was excited to wear her Harry Potter glasses! We had games all planned, wands to paint, spells to cast, and then the day arrived. The kids painted wands, they tasted Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean, cracking up and raising their fists in triumph as one of their friends ate a nasty one (booger, vomit, soap, sausage, dirt, earthworm...just to name a few). Each boy was sorted to their house. I had a phone on speaker under a hat announcing to each child their rhyme. We did the mummy wrap game. Any mother with some foresight would know it would end up like this: Potions were made, brownies eaten, kids ran wild, left and then I popped some Tylenol, collapsed on the couch while Dave exclaimed we wouldn't be doing that again! Grant, on the other hand, loved it. So, I guess you could classify that as a success?! The next day we had presents, cake and ice cream, (he is big into legos right now) and relaxed. Grant is seriously a great kid. I may be biased, but I have had that fact confirmed by people not even in our family as they have said he will be one of the few allowed to date their daughters. As a parent, I am all about arranged marriages for my kids, so that works for me. Grant is incredibly imaginative, creating worlds and games that last for hours. He is very opportunistic, striking deals and negotiations with us and everyone he knows. (Hello, he is obviously his father's child!) He even tried to make a trade with the tooth fairy last week. I found a note with a tiny battery on it. The note said: Dear Tooth Fere (fairy): Ples (Please) trade this batre (battery) for gold. Love, Grant

Some of his propositions are not very fair. I frequently find Katelee doing his chores he has tricked her into, or playing games she gets trapped or hurt in; secretly she loves it, though. I feel lucky to have had Grant in my life the last 7 years and we all adore him!