Brennar is potty trained!!!

Excuse the slightly nude photos to come, but I am just so excited to see this little butt, with UNDERWARE!!!! I have been saying for about 3 months, that as soon as we got home from all of our trips this summer that I would start potty training Brennar. So, we got home on Thursday and I decided I would start Sunday, so Clint would be home to help. 

Well, we put him in underware in the morning and took him about every 30 minutes to the potty, sometimes he would go, sometimes not.  But, then I wanted to leave the house, so I put a diaper back on him, which is a big no-no, mission aborted! Monday, the exact same thing happened - he did great until I had errands to run and we put a diaper on again.  I told myself we would start the next day:)  So, Tuesday we did it.  He stayed in underware all day, except for naptime when we put a pull-up on him and told him it was his night time underware.  We had one accident that day, but he caught himself in the middle of going, told me, and then finished on the potty.  I also figured out that I was taking him too many times. He would get frustrated if he couldn't go.  So, we go to the potty every 60-90 minutes.  Tuesday and Wednesday we didn't leave the house.  But on Thursday we did.  We were gone for about 3 hours and he kept his underware dry the entire time.  I did bring the potty chair with us and he went a few times in the back of the car:) - only because I had also read that sometimes kids get a little freaked out in public bathrooms and I didn't want that to happen. I can not believe how easy it was!!! As of today it has been a week in underware with one, seriously, only one accident!!! And now, I get to see this cute little behind without a diaper on it!!!

 He is pretty proud of himself, too!!!

 Brennar asked for a picture of him and ko-ko

 My little princess

 She is contemplating the best way to go about giving her brother a shot!!

And how to take his temperature:)

 She is so darn cute!!

How lucky am I to have these 2 cuties with me every day!!

4th of July at the cabin

For our final trip of the summer we went to MN.  I wasn't really looking forward to it because we had been gone so much, but at the same time, was so excited for it, to see all my family and let the kids experience what I did every summer when I grew up.  And the entire week didn't disappoint. It was a blast.  I am not sure which of the 4 of us had the best time!! 6 of us, and the kiddos ran a 5K in town on the 4th, it was a lot of fun, but it was SO hot and humid out. 

 Here is my cousin Jenna, with Brennar and Brilee - Brilee just woke up:) 

 Brennar being very patriotic and riding a donkey

 This was Brennar's pirate ship (he is obsessed with pirates right now) - if the door of the cabin wasn't always locked, Brennar would just walk out and go play on this by himself. 

 Brilee loved the water - it was so cute to see her just hanging out in the lake

 Brennar was in heaven in the water.  I couldn't even believe him - if he could, he would have been in the lake the entire day!

 Brilee and Uncle Alex

Brennar talked quite a few people into swimming in the water with him, here he is with my cousin, Maren

 My pretty, pretty princess:)

 Clint tried skiing again, and got up his first time

 Brennar loved the jetski, they even let him steer it

He liked tubing with me and Aunt Margo, too

 We stopped the boat in the middle of the lake and Maren jumped out, so Brennar wanted to also, which he did with NO fear, then we all jumped in:) 

 Daddy and Brilee

 Brennar has his first "cousin" on this side of the family, Tristan.  But he didn't really like him, can't you tell:)

Brilee wasn't much of a fan either!!  Both the kids LOVED him!  They went home the day before we did and Brennar was so upset when we said that they left that he told me, "no, mommy, baby Tristan is sleeping, he not go home!!!"

 Brennar also got a little fishing done - he was so cute.  Those of you who are around Brennar much know that he doesn't sit still, EVER!! But, he sat on the dock with Grampa for abot 45 minutes catching fish - he must have liked it

 Case in point - this is how he usually looks!!

 Brilee with Great Grama and Grampa

 Brennar with Great Grama and Grampa

 Isn't this a great picture, got all 4 to smile and only 1 isn't looking the right direction - doesn't happen too often:)

It was such a fun week.  Brennar had a great time with all my cousins - he talked in a sweet little voice and got ALL of them to do whatever he wanted at the time.  We can not wait to go back next year!!

June: Weeks 1 and 2

So, as I told you before, we had a lot of traveling to do this summer.  The first week of June, we were heading back to MT for my friend, Gena's wedding reception.   Well, the weekend didn't really go as planned.  We got there about 10 pm on Thursday night, and Clint wasn't feeling well so he slept in the basement bedroom so he didn't bother Brilee who was going to be sleeping in our room. Friday morning, about 9 I go down to get him and he tells me he got sick in the night, bummer, right?? Well, he comes upstairs and shows me his side, he has this horrible rash on it. So, being the internet savvy person I am, I google it, and I find what I think it is, shingles.  Double bummer.  We decide he should go in to find out.  And the diagnosis is: shingles. Aside from the pain, burning and itching, there is nothing we can do about it, BUT if that isn't bad enough, he can't be around Brilee because she hasn't had her chicken pox vaccine:(   So, we went on with our day and about 9pm Brennar tells me his teeth hurt, which he had been saying all day. I finally look in his mouth and his throat is on fire, with spots.  Mother of the year award right here!! I didn't even think that it could be anything but teeth coming in.  So, we make a trip to the ER.  That night, Brilee woke up twice and Brennar woke up about 7 times, and the last time, at about 6 am, he woke me up by throwing up all over the floor.  I tell Clint, and he says he was sick all night again.  So, I have a sick kid, a sick husband who can't be around either kid and Brennar only wants me.  Not fun at all.  I even had to call my friend and tell her I couldn't make it to her reception. We went home Sunday, early and by Monday morning, Brennar was better, Clint was feeling better and I was a little more rested.  Needless to say, no pictures from that trip:)

But, have no fear, I took some at home that week and then a few on our next trip!!

Brilee thinks anything on the floor is fair game, but I guess I can't really blame her.  I think she is going to be a GREAT shopper like her mama, she is already in my purse trying to get the credit cards out!!

 When my mom got here (she flew back to fly with me and the kids to WA) we took the kids to the zoo, and met one of my besties, Jaime, there.  We had a great time, it was a little hot, though:) 

 When we told Brennar we were going to the zoo, he wanted to see the hippos and rhinos, I have no idea where the obsession came from, but he loves them.  So, he rode on one:)

 Brilee still enjoyed her crawling and decided it is much better to "play" with Koda when he is on the otherside of a glass door:)

 Look at that food-covered smile!!

 Brennar, taking a break from swimming in the backyard

 Brilee, also discovered she can climb into end tables:)  I have no clue what she wanted in there to make her do it, but...

 she obviously was happy to be in there!!

And, on to the trip to WA. SO MUCH FUN! It was so nice to be able to see a lot of my dads family.  We all seem to be in the same place (in our lives) right now.  There are 5 great grandkids, 2.5 to 6 months old, and maybe 3 more on the way sometime in the next year or so!! I am so glad my kids will have "cousins" to play with!! They adore Maddi and Drew, so the more the merrier!!

Miss Princess was wiped out from all the traveling and festivities!! She NEVER does this!

And the reason we went, to see this fabulous lady get married!! It was perfect and the best part, is my kids love her husband.  I think they may like him almost as much as they like Clint and I.  He is great!!! Welcome to the family, Brian, Jacob and Rian!!

We have a crawler!!

So, while we were in Hawaii, Brilee decided she wanted to crawl, literally the day she turned 9 months.  It took her a few days to get the hang of it, but the day we got home, she took off!! Maybe it was the 8 hours on an airplane that got her going:)

It is the most adorable thing I have ever seen (besides when Brennar started crawling, too) See the happy, "I can now follow you WHEREVER you go" smile:)

I love, loving on Brennar.  He is the sweetest kid ever, seriously, he really is!! He has now started saying, "I love you, too", as in he says it first, I dont think he realizes he doesn't need to say "too" unless we say it first, but it is pretty stinkin cute!

Have you ever seen a happier little thing????

Here they both are crawling.  Brennar thinks it's fun to follow Brilee or have Brilee follow him around (wonder if he will still think that in a few years??)

She also discovered that she can pull herself up on things once she gets to them:)

She is pretty proud of herself!!

I just LOVE my kiddos!!!