Celebrating Independence

Happy Belated 4th of July! I hope that like us, you spent the past weekend celebrating the birth of our nation amongst food, family and friends. Thankfully, the weather was unusually cool and breezy for July in PA (which was good because the two parties we attended last weekend in the sauna horrendous heat and humidity had us all "partied out" for the summer), so a blast was had by all. We started out the day cleaning getting stuff done around the house, then went for a quick swim at Gigi's (because Jason and I had not been in the pool all summer so far, a travesty for two former competitive swimmers), followed by a picnic at Gaga and Pop's. It was great to see a bunch of my mom's family that we hadn't seen in awhile (we're totally not afraid to leave our house with The Tods, I swear). I managed to get some pictures with the good camera this time, so brace yourselves, here they come...

The Happiest Toddler On the Block

Daddy's Day

It's Tuesday and I'm back to the blog already! Score! However, the high dresser I mentioned on Friday that was supposed to be making it's grand entrance into our newly made-over master bedroom that evening did not actually make it, as predicted. Brynne had what turned out to be roseola (for the second time, yet again we win the viral lottery, which is nice but we feel like it's ok to let other people win sometimes too, ok God?), so her miserable mood combined with my inability to decide whether the dresser was done or not prevented any progress in that arena. As usual, my perfectionism won the day, and the dresser drawers and inside received a coat of paint last night. I am currently debating whether to re-poly the outside of the dresser or not. Since I'm reading that it is probably a good, it is probably going to happen, which means no dresser for Jason or for this blog for several more days (at least).
Womp Womp.

But anyway, Sunday was Father's Day (duh as we all remember by now). The Wheelers celebrated our dads with as much fanfare as we could handle amongst our grumpy toddlers limitations. We visited Pappy on Sunday morning, spent Sunday afternoon with Daddy, and Sunday evening with Pawpaw. I was busy running out for paint supplies and gifts in between, so there aren't many pictures. However, in the afternoon lull I did manage to catch some snaps of one of the most involved dads I know making sure his babies were ready for some fun in the sun. See for yourself...

This appears to just be a regular dad putting sunscreen on his child.
Props to Bradley for another photobomb.

Easter Sunday

Happy Friday, and congratulations! We've both made it to the end of Massive Easter Blog Week. Today is the last entry, and like the days previous, it will be a big one. So, buckle your seatbelt! Here we go...

Easter Morning

Easter morning was quite a thrill this year. It was the first year Brady semi-understood the deal, which meant when he saw that Easter basket, he made an excited beeline straight for it. The Easter Bunny was very generous this year, and he must know Brady and Brynne pretty well, because their baskets were Disney-themed! They were OH-so-excited to rip into them. Little did they know, this early morning (the Tods woke around 6am that day) would be unlike any other in their little lives so far...

Holy Saturday at Veranda

Every year right before Easter, we take Brady to Lancaster for the Annual Veranda Egg Hunt in my dad's neighborhood. In past years it has been bitterly cold, but this year it was held on the Saturday before Easter and we finally got some good weather. It came at the perfect time too, because Brady had been practicing his egg hunting skills in our backyard the day before, so he was primed and ready to go when the hunt took off! Baby Sister was determined not to miss out as well, and she was loving picking up eggs. We love it every year, but this was the best Veranda Egg Hunt yet!

Baby Sis was ready to go when we go there, but Brady was not quite sure what was going on yet.

The Tods (Finally) Meet the Easter Bunny

This was Brady's 3rd Easter and Brynne's 2nd, and I suddenly realized in the wee hours of the morning on Good Friday (when Miss B awoke us in the night) that neither of them had ever seen the Easter Bunny. What a tragedy! So, when morning arrived, I resolved to pack them up after egg painting and take them to see the "Boo Bunny", as they called him ("Blue Bunny" is a favorite character on a Disney show they both love). Daddy had to work, so I called Gaga F. to plead for assistance, and she was happy to tag along. Thus we headed for Bass Pro shops, where the visit and photo are as they should be--FREE! Luckily we got there right before the Big Man himself arrived, so we only had to wait in a short line for about 10 minutes. Brynne did well, but Brady started to get very hungry ("hangry" is more like it, he is his mother's son!) right at the end of the line before we got to the Bunny (they really shouldn't place a display of cheese curls next to the Easter Bunny--I blame them!), and what ensued, well, I'll let you see for yourself....

All well and good at this point sitting down. Brynne went first and she was fine...

Baby's First Egg Paint

Since I was off on Good Friday, I thought it would be the perfect time to introduce "the tods" (as I call them) to the good old fashioned art of Easter egg painting. I had especially been looking forward to it this year, as Brady is finally old enough to understand it (to an extent), and he LOVES art projects. As I was boiling the eggs and preparing the paint cups, the anticipation was growing! I squared him away in a makeshift smock (a garbage bag with arm and head holes), and so it began...


"Ok Mom, what's the deal here?"

#TBT - Brady's 1st Easter, 2012

Happy #TBT! Today we are remembering the Easter of 2 years ago, right before I got preggo with Brynniedoll and around the time Brady was 6 or 7 months old. It was only 24 months ago, but I can barely remember it at all (prolonged loss of REM sleep will do that to you), so I am glad I have these pics to prove it happened! What a little goober he was, right?! Enjoy!

Spring Weekend Fun

This past weekend was a nice little family weekend. We did some stuff and nobody was too stressed, so that's a WIN for us! Saturday was pretty relaxing (as "relaxing" goes around our house), actually. There was a box, some stickers, some crayons, and some bunny ears. I'll let you see the rest for yourself...

My little artist LOVED this project!

Merry-ment

I don't have a lot of time to do a big long Christmas post, but suffice to say it was an amazing first holiday for us with two babies! They both had so much fun with all their family and presents between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. My Baby Brynne had the most perfect First Christmas she could've asked for. Here's a few pics to wet the palate before I get done editing the rest (hopefully that will happen soon). Enjoy!

Starting "Christmas Week" off with Mommy's 30th Bday celebration on 12/21

Tis the Season

My favorite time of year has arrived: DECEMBER! I'm a Christmas baby, so this month has always been my favorite. I've always felt so honored to have a birthday so close to Jesus, so it's a special time. Once I had my own family, it got even better! Right now life is all Christmas cookies, Christmas shopping, Christmas music, Christmas decorating, and let's not forget Christmas stress (I'm about to turn 30, after all)!

In and around all the Christmas fun are two young tots going about their normal routines wondering why everything is suddenly so frantic. This past Sunday as we were racing about our house trying to get "Sunday stuff" (like cleaning and laundry) done between Church and a family Christmas party, Brady was missing his afternoon nap. Not wanting to go to sleep on his own, he decided to bring his stuffed animals downstairs to the kitchen one by one and make a nice soft place for himself to sleep. We realized what was happening about 4 stuffed animals into it. Miss Brynne was hanging around the whole time emulating her big bro, and hilarity ensued! See for yourself...



Building his pile between runs up and down the stairs...

Like I said, one by one....

"Look how comfy I am!"

"Mom, what's he doing?"

"I guess I'll join him."

 

Needless to say, this little episode gave Jason and I a reason to stop the madness for a quick second and have a chuckle and remember how lucky we are to be parents to these two adorable, amazing, perfect babies. We complain a lot in our sleepless, stressed-out states, but ultimately we couldn't be happier with the family we've created. I look forward to every moment with these two crazies, I'm sure there are many more like this to come.

Merry (Almost) Christmas!

Tricks and Treats

Last night was Halloween, and for the first time I can remember we actually had trick-or-treat on the 31st. It rained most of the day so we were nervous, but the weather ended up clearing up pretty well for Brady's first real trick-or-treating experience in our neighborhood. Once he got the hang of putting the candy in his bucket, he had a great time! Grandma and Pop Fischer were able to stop by to help since they don't get too many trick-or-treaters out where they live, and we made it to Aunt Courtney's house a couple blocks over before it got too late and the meltdowns began. We intended to go see Uncle Garrett and Aunt Jamie too, but Miss Brynne had decided she'd had enough being awake by that time and it was time to take her home to bed. It was a fun experience for Brady, and for Brady's parents! Next year will be a much bigger deal, I'm sure.

Lightning McQueen and my little Cabbage Patch Doll were the cutest trick-or-treaters ever! See for yourself...

I can't get enough of this picture! The outfit is the same one my first CPK doll wore when I was little.

Daddy forgot to mention Miss Brynne's hair was falling off when he took this picture.

On the way to the first house!

Lightning McQueen was VERY happy about the candy.

"Gaga" made it just in time for the second house.

Having fun!

There were several shots taken here, and this was the best one. What does that tell you? Lol.

Having a lollipop with Pop.

"Trick-or-treat, Aunt Courtney!"

Brynnie loves her Aunt Courtney but was super tired and ready to go to bed by this point.

The last pic. This is why we didn't make it to Uncle G's.



It was a fun "first" for us. I know there are only so many "firsts" left, so I try to capture each one. This time, unfortunately, I had the wrong lens on the camera and the shots weren't great. I won't make that mistake again!!

Happy Belated Halloween, can't wait until Thanksgiving!

Streets of Treats

This post is a little late coming, but last weekend we went to Mechanicsburg's "Streets of Treats" festival with the kids. It was an event on Main Street where the children could trick-or-treat at the local businesses. Brady had never gone trick-or-treating before since he's only 2, so this was his first experience. It took him awhile to figure it out, and at first he wanted to hold all his candy instead of putting it in his bucket, but eventually he got the hang of it and started having fun. My little "Lightning McQueen" (he wouldn't wear the hat) was adorable, and everyone was complimenting him!

Ready to trick-or-treat!

"Wait, I get candy for no reason???"

"Come on, Daddy, hurry up!"

Scouting the scene.

"What is that big lion?"

"There he is!"

A little uncertain once we got close...

but he warmed up when the candy came out!

Miss B was along for the fun in the baby carrier with Mommy.

True to form, he ate nearly every single piece of candy as soon as we got home. He loved going through that bucket! I guess we will have to prepare to get him to pace himself on the real Halloween, I can hear the sugar-induced tantrums now!

Have a great weekend.

Make You Smile

It started like this...

Turned into bliss...

Followed by Paris...



Then baby #1, our beautiful son...

and next so soon, baby #2...



And last but not least, two crazy puppies.

The last time I saw you, you turned away
I couldn't see you with the sun shining in my eyes
I said "Hello" but you kept on walking
I'm going deaf from the sound of the freeway

The last time I saw you, you turned away
I couldn't hear with your voice ringing in my ears
Do you remember where we used to sleep at night?
I couldn't feel you, you're always so far away

The first time I saw you, you turned away
I couldn't see you with the smoke getting in my eyes
I said "Hello" but you kept on walking
I'm going deaf from the sound of the DJ

The first time I saw you, you turned away
I couldn't hear with the noise ringing in my ears
Do you remember where we used to sleep at night?
I couldn't feel you, you're always so far away

I don't, don't wanna take you home
Please don't, don't make me sleep alone
If I could, I'd only want to make you smile
If you were to stay with me a while

The next time I see you, you'll turn away
I'll say "Hello" but you'll keep on walking
The next time you see me, I'll turn away
Do you remember where we used to sleep at night?
I couldn't feel you, you're always so far away

I don't, don't wanna take you home
Please don't, don't make me sleep alone
If I could, I'd only want to make you smile
If you were to stay with me a while

I don't, don't wanna take you home
Please don't, don't make me sleep alone
If I could, I'd only want to make you smile
If you were to stay with me a while...

 

 

Thank you for staying with me awhile, 3 years of marriage and 8 years as a couple. I love you more than I will ever be able to say, since I was 13. You are my dream come true.

 

Happy Anniversary, my sweet husband!

The 4th and the 6th

Our Independence Day mini-break went pretty well overall, considering all the picnics we had to truck the whole family back and forth from (and anyone who's raised small children knows that's no mean fete on a holiday). I spent the first half of the week suffering and attempting to recover from a nasty case of mastitis, which I'm pretty sure I picked up trying to calm baby Brynne down with all the nursing at Jason's party on Saturday. I was down and out for about 3 days, but I felt better in time to enjoy the 4th of July. Jason did some yard work in the morning, then we had fun picnicking and swimming at Gigi's house on Thursday. I made a fun red, white and blueberry trifle to take for dessert, and not only was it show-stoppingly-gorgeous, but it turned out DELICIOUS!

Loves to help his dad do yard work. Let's see if this continues into his teenage years...

Always something to smile about outside!

"Please let me in Mom, it's hot out here!"

"Ha! I made it in the door!"

 

Red, white and blueberry trifle, recipe courtesy of Skinnytaste

I NEVER make desserts, so this was a huge accomplishment for me!

 

Learning to swim with Grandma F.

"Lookout Mom and Dad, there's a new swimmer in the family!"

Loving every minute...

Cheering on her bro in her festive dress

"It's a little bright out here, Dad..."



"Ahh, that's what I needed!"

These two are related, can you tell?

With Uncle G. before the inevitable meltdown

Woken from her nap, changed out of sweaty clothes and feeling good enough to party with Grandma F.

No caption needed.

 

On Saturday we attended my cousins's graduation bash at my mom's house. Brady ran around like a wild man for nearly 12 hours straight, and baby Brynne slept almost the whole time! Had I known she was going to sleep like that, I might've been able to relax, but since I kept expecting her to wake up any minute (because that kind of sleep is very unusual for her), I was on edge for most of the party. There's only one picture from that party for that reason. Luckily, it's a good one!

Pre-nap of the century pic with Gigi.