Brady's BFF

Meet Brooks.

He is Brady's BFF. Or at least that's what I have decided. Brooks is one month older than Brady and lives right next door, so I have a feeling that these two will be two peas in a pod.. once they get a little older. Riding bikes, going to the neighborhood pool, fishing in our p0nd. Getting into boy trouble....

Brooks came over to play last night while his daddy mowed the yard. His mom was at work, so we had a quick play date. Brooks take a few minutes to decide if he liked being left at our house, but it turned out okay... just as soon as we brought out the goldfish crackers!

Wordless Wednesday

A Mother's Guilt

Am I the only mommy out there who feels guilty all the time? With constant help, support, and encouragement from Chris, you'd think I wouldn't feel so guilty all the time. But I do.

I feel guilty because I work. I should be staying home with my kids during their most precious time, right?

If I did stay at home, I'd feel guilty because I wouldn't be contributing to the family financially.

I feel guilty for going back to graduate school.... EVEN THOUGH I'm in school so I can teach at the collegiate level and ... yes ... have more time with my family. But in the meantime, while studying, researching, going to class... yup, guilt.

I feel guilty when I have girls night. Even though I know that EVERY mommy needs some girl time. But I feel guilty for leaving Chris with the kids. He doesn't have a guys night, so I guess I feel like it should be equal-playing-opportunity for all!

And even at night, when I want to go for a run - I wait until Brady goes to bed and Kennedy is watching TV or reading because I feel guilty for using daylight/family hours to work out.

Seriously. WHAT is wrong with me? Will it ever go away? Will I ever feel like it's okay to be away from my children for a few hours? Because I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that I am a better mommy for having that time away. I remember being at home for maternity leave.. and after I was finally able to drive, I packed up the baby and went E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E. I couldn't stand to be at home for days at a time. Having time to decompress gives me a renewed sense of energy for my kids. That energy gives me patience when they are a little cranky... it gives me the ability to be calm when they are not.... it gives me motivation to make story time THE BEST story time ever (with sound effects and everything!)..

So then why, I ask, should I feel guilty?

More, please!

Brady is saying two words at a time now. It is SO sweet to hear him learn how to talk. For example, when he wants more food (which is ALWAYS)... he starts by saying, "Mooooh?" (translation = more)

So now I say to him, "Say 'more please!'" And he does! "Moooh peees."

His blanket, which our friend Laura Weego gave him (and swore it was the best blankie ever... she was right!), he calls "bluh-blee."

He's always been able to say "mommy," "daddy," and "sissy," - but anything other than that has been kind of hard.

He knows his afternoon teacher's name (Adrienne) = "Ay-yin."

His favorite food = apple (which is VERY easy to understand cause he actually uses all the correct letters!)

And my favorite.... with THREE syllables... "I duh doo." No - not poop. He's saying "I love you." That, we can thank Barney for. The big purple dinosaur is my LEAST favorite character (that's putting it mildly), but if his annoying songs teach my sweet son how to tell me he loves me, then he's allowed on my TV anytime.

Hair DO-NOT!

My friend Gina used to say in college... "hair doooooo-NOT!"

Well, I have had a FEW (okay, several) of those in my day. I used to have VERY short hair. I have also had very BROWN hair. At one point in my life, I wasn't making enough money to get highlights. Never .... again ..... will I go without highlights.

I have become a hair snob. It's actually a running joke by a few of my friends! Susie asked me once, "If you got a bad haircut/color, would you go and have it redone?" Uh... YEAH!

Some people are car snobs. Some people only carry designer handbags. Me? I must have good hair!

Let's review.

Never again will I go without highlights. Never again will I have boy-short hair.

Never... never.. again.

Brady = No Fear

There is a big difference between my daughter and my son. Earlier this week, I blogged about Kennedy losing a bit of her fear. Brady was born without any! Kennedy refused to go in a bounce house until she was three. And even then, she wouldn't jump much. At four years old, she started enjoying them a bit more.

Last weekend at Cole's birthday party, Brady experienced his first bounce house. He literally jumped in head first, climbed the squishy ladder, slid down the slide, bounced his little not-yet-two-year-old heart out.

"Helping" Daddy...

I've mentioned this before, but I'll write it again. Brady LOVES to be outside. He points to the door or window and used to say "side"..... now it comes out more like "uh-side." So last weekend when Chris mowed the yard for the first time this season, we all went out to help... more like watch. Brady decided he would like to help daddy sweep off the sidewalk. Well I couldn't help but snap a few photos of daddy's little helper.

Okay, so he didn't actually help clean up the grass at all. He spread it around a little bit, but had a great time wielding the broom.

And how on earth could you not smile when you see this face? What a sweet boy. (Oh - and his daddy put him in that Cowboys shirt. I'm thinking it was laundry day.....)