Brylee is 2!

Here is the Birthday girl, first thing in the morning! She was all ready to get dressed, before opening her presents. I think she is my first two-year-old to be dressed when opening presents on their birthday!

She was super excited to open her presents.

Little did I (or anyone for that matter) know that Brylee would be very meticulous in unwrapping her gifts. She took each little strand and put it next to her. It took a little while for her to understand the whole, ripping the wrapping paper to shreds part.

Here is a video of her slow unwrapping, this was her second present so she was getting better.

And her final present. I love how excited Hunter is about Brylee's birthday. You can even hear Tucker wishing her a happy birthday. This is also a good example of Brylee's copycat mode.

Brylee wanting to get a peek at the cake

This is supposed to be a butterfly. The final version did not have the goblin ears. They were meant to be feelers but it made it look like a goblin. And it likely would have been better without a face. We ran out of decorating icing. But Brylee knew exactly what it was and loved it. Thank goodness!

Leave it to everyone I am related to to intentionally sing awful. It helps cover up those that don't really know how to sing I guess, although I'm not sure who fits in that category and who just pretends : P

Brylee opening her presents from Grandma Wendy, Aunt Emilee, and Aunt Natalie

And here she is with a piece of her cake!

 Brylee also received a pink sock monkey from her Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Rex. For whatever reason their gift always becomes her sleeping toy. Last year she slept with the doll they got her and now she requests her monkey every night! 

December

I have four beautiful children and I love when the three oldest are able to get along so well!

I am even super impressed when all three of them are able to share a bathtub to I only have to have one bath time! I am not looking forward to having two bath times when Gunnar is old enough to be in the bath tub too.

Gunnar can still sleep on the couch like a little newborn, but rarely :)

Bryee was having fun "playing" with Gunnar. All three of his older siblings are so good to him to try and help him be happy. I am so grateful for older siblings and all they do to help me stay sane :)

Unlike Brylee and very much like Tucker, Gunnar loves being in this saucer of toys. He loves that it helps him to stand (his favorite position) and permits him to grab at the toys. It is great to have something I can stick him in that permits him to see what is going on around him, entertains him, and does not require him to be held.

Gunnar found his feet. The funny thing is that he usually does not care for them while lying down. If he is sitting up he loves to reach down and play with his feet but as soon as you lay him on his back he stretches out and starts looking around for something else.

All of our children love to play with the oven mitts. I am pretty sure that Hunter started the game of wearing them on his feet, but Brylee is the only one I have a picture of. I love how it makes her look like she has gorilla feet :)

Gingerbread Men!

At the library, we got a recipe for Gingerbread people from story time. So we made gingerbread people for each of us.

Here are the children helping Bryant make the dough!

Gunnar was playing on floor patiently waiting

A Gingerbread Boy for Tucker, Hunter, Gunnar, and Bryant. and a Gingerbread Girl for Brylee and Malisa

Tucker decorating

Hunter decorating

Gunnar not so patiently waiting :)

Malisa's finished cookie

Bryant and Gunnar's finished people, docerated by Bryant

November Tid Bits

While home for Thanksgiving:

Brylee, ever ready for a photo op :)

All three children shared a queen size blow up mattress. Thank goodness to because there is certainly not room for more than that with another bed and port-a-crib in the room

Hunter was super excited about climbing the tree :)

Tucker learned to play Skip-Bo with Grandma and Grandpa Ogden. He was super excited to play a "grown -up" game.

Back Home we decorated the Christmas tree:

Gunnar is getting SO big and he has a great smile when he wants to show it

The children helped decorate the tree. All of the glass balls were put on the top half and random things were put on the bottom. It was a rather lopsided and funny looking tree but everyone got to help!

Tucker and Hunter are great big helpers with Gunnar and Gunnar sure does appreciate their attention!

This is probably the last time Gunnar was in this bouncer because he is strong enough to lean forward and topple out sometimes.