The Man in the Red Suit

Well, fans, I imagine you're all wondering about my first, much anticipated meeting with Santa Claus.  I don't know if I even need to go into detail, because I think the picture pretty nearly says it all.  Take a look.

That's right.  Brennan on one side and the other knee free.  I just couldn't do it.  I was truly excited to see this man.  I had been practicing my, "Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!" (A silly thing to say, really, but I didn't want the big man to be sounding foolish all alone).  I also knew exactly what I would ask him to bring me for Christmas.  I flung off my coat and jumped into line.  Perhaps if it hadn't been for the little girl in front of me screaming bloody murder as her parents haphazardly handed her over to this stranger, I wouldn't have thought twice.  But the truth is, I cowered.  I clung.  I wailed.  Can you really trust a man whose face you can barely see?  I think not.  Thankfully, Mom and Dad recognized that this was not a battle they should try to fight, and Brennie visited with Santa solo.  

That Brennan, that show-off.  When he reaches the mature age of 2 and 3/4, like me, I doubt he'll be so careless.  He went right to Santa and gave a good pull on his beard to make sure he wasn't an impostor.  Twinkling eyes - check.  Merry dimples - check.  Cheeks like roses - check.  Cherry nose - check.  I guess this guy was the real deal, because Brennan started grinning and laughing.

So, I suppose I'll be writing a letter to Santa this year instead.  Perhaps he'll forgive my behavior when he sees the treats I'm going to leave out for him and his reindeer.  Merry Christmas to all, and catch ya in the new year!

Videos

Fall Updates

 B-man thinks that everything is potentially edible. 

 It was so much fun when Grandma and Grandpa Mac came into town last time, because Miller and his family got to come, too.  We were able to spend parts of two weekends together, and Miller slept with me in my room!  The second weekend we also got to see Aunt Kate, Uncle Karl and Uncle Paul.

 We read together, we ran around the house with our monkeys, we jumped on the trampoline, we stayed up way past our bedtimes, and we laughed a lot.    

 Brennan did some laughing, too.  Papa helped him ride on Brody.

 He and Rhys did a whole bunch of wiggling together.  

 It wasn't quite Halloween yet, but we put on our costumes anyway.

 I was pretty good at sharing all of my toys, but I did not want to share this pumpkin.

 Trick or treat!

 According to Aunt Kate, Brennan and Rhys were "the angry thug shark and goldfish."  Don't mess with them.

 This is smiley Brennan!

 This is sad Brennan.  I know, Buddy.  We were all disappointed that the Tigers didn't show up to the World Series.  

 Today really is Halloween!  

 So here's the question:  Is Brennie the shark, or has he just been eaten by the shark?

 Either way, he's pretty cute.

 I can swim on the floor with B, too!

 Can we go now!?

 Mom and Dad let me go to six or seven houses before deciding it was too cold and time to go home.  I thought it was pretty fun, but I did not like the scary witch on a porch down the street.  Also, I had about two bites from a box of Nerds, and that was enough to make me a little crazy.  I'm not sure what happened to the rest of my treats...

 Playing beauty shop with Lexi.  I sat very still

 Lex is an excellent beautician.  

 B-man is getting bigger and bigger.

 He just started sitting up on his own, but he still falls over sometimes. 

 B is already beginning to enjoy reading, like me.  He did not enjoy reading a menu of things he is not allowed to eat yet.  

Mommy gave me my very first mani pedi this weekend.  I picked light pink.  I was very very careful not to smudge the polish.  

Later in the afternoon we had to stop at the mall.  Santa Claus was there!!  Dad says that he flew to the mall today in a helicopter.  I thought he used reindeer, but whatever.  Mom and I talked all about who Santa is and why kids sit on his lap.  I decided that I want to do that.  Mom thought I might want to write him a letter instead, but I told her that I want to see the guy in person.  I heard that he will ask me what I want, and then he will bring it to me for Christmas.  So I am going to think hard about it, and we're going to go back to talk to him another day.  Hooray!

Deep thoughts, by Ella Grace

One day in the car...

Me:  Mommy, look.  See that really really tall building?  See it, Mommy?

Mommy:  Yes, Ella, I see that building.  It is very tall.

Me:  It's probally really really slippery.

Mommy:  Yes, Ella, I think you're right.  That building would be slippery.

Me:  We would need gloves, Mommy.  Right, Mommy?  We would need gloves to climb that building.  Ok, Mommy?  We would need gloves.

Mommy:  Yes, Ella, we would probably need gloves to climb the building.

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Me:  Look!  A "B!"  Look, Mommy, I see a "B!"  Right there, see it?

Mommy:  I do see that "B."  You're right.

Me:  "B" is for Brennan.  Look, Bren, that's for you!  And "E" is for me. 

 

 Brennan likes to swing with me.  I make sure to pick out just the right swing for him, and I order Mommy and Daddy to place him there.

 I can go really high.  Brennan can only go a little little bit.  "Give me another underdog, Grandpa!"

 Grandma Mac convinced me that a princess would be an excellent choice for Halloween this year.  I was going to be a shark... but who can resist a tiara and a wand?

 "Poof!  You're a frog."  And now Brennan can be a shark instead.

It's tough work taking care of two kids - I'm referring to Brennan and myself, of course. 

 Look how big B is getting!

 We went back to Long's farm this year for some fun.

 Olivia is on the armrest of the giant rocking chair.  Then there's Brennan, Nadia, Lexi, me and Lyla.

 Brennan and I got some snuggles from Grandma C.

 Come here, goats.  Come see me please.

I am even more confident feeding the goats than I am feeding Brody.  They are funny.

 

Brennan just gets bigger and bigger.  He likes to grab anything he can reach, and pulls it all toward his mouth.  Speaking of mouths, it seems his is always full.  On top of all the times Mommy feeds him throughout the day, he's also decided he likes mashed food a lot.  So far he has had sweet potatoes, peas, kale, carrots, apples, bananas, pears, and rice cereal.  A+ on all of them.  It's like he's determined to outgrow me before he makes it to kindergarten.

 

I am sweetening Mommy and Daddy up while I can, just in case I need something big from them soon.  I squeeze them tightly around the neck and say, "I luff you veally veally much!"  They seem to really enjoy it, so I do it a lot.  Yesterday, I woke up and said, "There's a bug in my ear and it's tickling me."  That made Mommy pretty concerned, so I whined and milked it while I could.  Sure enough, I got to go see the doctor!  Then he said I get to have pink medicine!  Hooray!  My new thing is pretending that the "muddisin" (magician) is chasing us.  (My budding imagination is sometimes hard for boring grown-ups to understand.)  The muddisin flies fast.  Sometimes I am the muddisin and sometimes Mommy is.  We chase all over the house and then I laugh and laugh when I get caught.  Mommy is a tickly muddisin, but I love it.



I'm 2 1/2 now!!!

Greetings!  Not too many pictures to share, but I keep getting older and wiser.  Brennan and I have settled into our new daycare.  I've already pretty much taken over my group and become the official ringleader.  I tell my teacher who I like, what I like, and who I will or will not sit by.  I think I'm the boss and I sometimes need to be reminded that I'm not.  Mom and Dad have learned that it's generally a good idea to give me two choices - not none, not seven - just two.  I wear undies every day now.  I still have some accidents (just to make sure everybody knows that I am determined to march to the beat of my own drum), but I'm doing pretty well with the potty.  I am very polite and I speak in clear complete sentences.  I still whine sometimes for what I want, but unfortunately that does not work very well.  When I'm speaking, I expect an answer every time (even just an "I heard you").  Otherwise, I will repeat myself over and over again.  I have a pretty unbelievable memory.  Mommy says I get it from Daddy, not her.  I can hear something once and I will be able to pull it out later.  I'm still being a very good big sister.  Sometimes I get jealous and want my own sacred Mommy time, but for the most part I try to be helpful.  Brennan gets more excited to see me than anyone else, so I have to watch out for him. 

 Brennan's first try at eating rice cereal.

 His tongue was working against him a bit, but he did a pretty good job.  He especially likes the cereal mixed with bananas.

 Funny, the old pictures of me after bathtime looked a lot like this.

 Hooray for me!!!  Grandma C. sent me a new backpack and coins for my piggybank!

 Brennan is becoming a very big boy.  He's quite strong now.

 B Man and I like to get into bed with Mommy and Daddy on the weekends.  They try to sleep, but B and I love to watch shows.

 Labor Day at the lake with my cousins.

 Liv took a break from swimming to play with B.

 Loving the pontoon.

 I'm not sure that B loved his life jacket.  Is that supposed to save him or smother him?  Well, either way, he managed to fall asleep for the whole ride.

 Mommy tried to find the smallest bathing suit she could, but B's tush is just too little.

 B's first time in the lake.

 Yay, Brennan!

 Not a great picture, but Daddy was excited to see B Man's interest in my tennis racquet.  B also really enjoys watching golf and football on TV with Dad.

Go Blue.