Girls, Girls, Girls!

My life revolves around my girls, girls, girls!! And I have been horrible at writing all the cute/funny/crazy things they are up to! So this has been weighing down on me and I'm going to try to redeems myself!

Brooklyn -- Almost 3 (holy cow..where has the time gone?!)
Words can't describe this girl! I already regret not writing down/recording the many awesome things she says everyday. She is a riot!

• She is COMPLETELY obsessed with Disney Princesses. She knows every Princess, the story and their song. Santa totally spoiled her with Princess stuff, including a set of Princess books with a thing that tells the story when you push the button for each page (which she calls "my reader fing." Last night Curt was reading her Snow White and she told him the story, almost word for word. She is a smart one that little girl. She loves dressing up in her Princess costumes, and loves her castle with all the Princesses/Princes. I just hope she isn't going to be high maintenance..
• She loved Christmas, especially singing Christmas songs. Her favorites to sing were Angels We Have Heard on High, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Rudolph, Jingle Bells, Frosty, Away in a Manger and When Joseph Went to Bethlehem. And if you try to sing along with her she says, "No, no, I sing it." She started putting stuff on her 'Christmas List' in October..I never actually wrote stuff down which is a good thing because the list would have been a mile long. Anytime there were ads around, she said, "Let me see it. I need to put something on my 'Tristmas' List." She asked for a Minnie kitchen after seeing it once in the ad, and she asked Santa for it each of the 4 times she sat on his lap, but luckily she was content with her Princess stuff. 
• Anytime mom or dad gives her an answer she doesn't like she whine/cries "I want grammy," or "I want grampy." Although she adjusted amazingly well to moving out of their house, she still will let us know when she isn't happy with us by saying she wants them. 
• She says funny things All. The. Time! A few of them:
• Brooke says, "Sadie was mean to me." I told her that maybe Sadie didn't want her pulling on her and that maybe Sadie thought she was the one being mean. Brooke responded "Maybe that was it."
• Curt was helping Brooke count to 20 a few weeks ago. After they finished Brooke asked, "Is this important?"
• When Grandma and Grandpa were in Disneyworld, I told Brooke "Someday I'll take you to Disneyland." She said "I'm gonna go to Disneyworld without you." I asked who was going to pay for it and she replied, "Me!" She thinks she is Miss Independent, and she is, but that might just be a little out of her reach...
• I was giving her goodnight kisses a couple months ago and she asked, "Mommy, did you brush your teeth?" I said, "No, does my breath stink?" She said "I fink so. I fink so mommy. You need to brush your teeth." Nothing quite like the bluntness of children :) And might I also add that I looove that she can't say her "th" sound..quite adorable!
• After going to our new house for the first time, we were getting back to Grandma and Grandpa's house and grandma asked, "How was your new house?"  Brooke said, "It's too far away!" I suppose a mile is quite far for a 2 year old...
• She is the BEST big sister! She loves Brynlee and is such a good helper getting me stuff when I ask her to. She can't wait for Brynlee to get bigger so she can play with her. She loves when we put Bryn in her bed to snuggle her for a few minutes before bed. She is always getting her toys to play with. Brynlee laughs anytime Brooke talks to her and it's the cutest thing ever! Oh how I love these sweet girls!

Brynlee (8 1/2 months)

I have been so terrible at journaling about her! Oh I must get better! She is so sweet and determined and loving, but also has a good little temper!! She can go from 0-60 in no time when she decides she is hungry or tired.

• Got her ears pierced at 8 months old..Not a pleasant experience but they do look super cute! She screamed so hard that is took several minutes before she could breathe normally. And she hates every time I clean them. Lucky for her, I'm not very good at doing it as often as I should..
• Slept through the night for the 1st time at like 7 months old. Yeah, wish I was kidding! She is definitely not a great night sleeper. She is a pretty good napper (usually a decent morning nap and a good afternoon nap), but night time..well it's a struggle! And even though we had a good week where she slept through the night a couple times, it didn't seem to turn into a habit and she hasn't done it since. I am still somewhat sane, despite being awoken usually at least 3 times a night (Brooke has regressed and no longer sleeps through the night either..she usually needs help going to the bathroom and then ends up on our floor). I hope by age 1, I can re-learn what it feels like to get a night of uninterrupted sleep..but not holding my breath :) Bryn was eating only once a night for a while, but now, after being sick, is back to twice a night..this cannot last
• Busy busy body! She has always been busy, reaching for things, rolling around, and now, crawling!! She has been army crawling for several weeks, but last week, she started crawling for real. She gets wherever the heck she wants and is so completely determined! (I hope this quality is channeled in the right direction!!) 
• Loves solids! I started them right at 6 months and after a few days, she was pretty good at swallowing everything. The only thing she has showed a major dislike to so far (aside from the nasty meats that smell like dog food that I can hardly give her in good conscious) is peas. Not a fan. And green beans aren't her fav, but she eats them. She loves to bang on the table when people are eating to get their attention, and it usually pays off as she gets some bites. She is a little gaggy with new textures, but actually tolerates them pretty well and hopefully we can start feeding her table foods more consistently soon. She is not the best nurser (way too distractable!!) and turns her head to any voice. She can't stand not knowing what she is missing out on. Which has led to this momma worrying if she is getting enough. And although she is pretty small on the charts, I remind myself that part of that is because she is constantly on the move! 
• Happy baby! She has a wicked shrill scream at times, but mostly she loves attention and will share smiles and laughs with just about anyone who gives her the time of day. She is starting to become a momma's girl and will cry for me if I walk out of the room and wants me if she sees me, but she still loves to be held by anyone (as long as she knows I'm around) and is content to be bouncing up and down. 
• Started making more sounds, including "gaga," "dada" and "mama" about a month ago. She certainly loves her voice! She also has an awesome growl that she uses if we are eating and not sharing with her. I love hearing her learn to use her voice and seeing how happy it makes her! She has lots of happy noises and when she gets excited, she breaths in and out of her nose really loud! It's pretty funny!
• Pulled herself up for the first time this week (of course the day we got to Utah..Curt is always sad that the girl's milestones happen when we're away from him). She hasn't done it since, but I was running the bath water and had set her down sitting, and when I turned around, she was standing, banging on the bath tub. Which brings me to our next point..
• Loooves bath time!! She pretty much starts hyperventilating with excitement when she hears the bath water and I start undressing her. Brooke and her have bathed together since Bryn was probably like 3 months old, but now it's fun that we can use more water since Bryn can sit in the bath (with very close supervision as it is slippery). She loves splashing and playing and no matter how tired or grumpy she is, bath time will make her so happy! We took her swimming for the first time last month (a little worried since Brooke hated swimming for a long time) but our little water girl loved it! She splashed and had fun the whole time. If only I could take both the girls swimming without Curt's help..
• So much fun!! We are so blessed to have this pretty little thing in our family!! Can't believe how much she is growing up..slow down!!