Today we had a FUN day at the zoo!! Well, not so much. We arrived and everything was going great. The girls were happy, it was a nice, nice time...

Until the "Predator Encounter" show. The host trainer that was doing the talking, was explaining how they use positive reinforcement. She asked for a volunteer and picked a little boy sitting right next to Mariska. She asked him to stand up and said that because he did, he gets a reward, a little lion figurine. So the show went on and ended and Mariska stuck around. Brent went to get her and she was under the impression that because that one boy got a toy, they were handing out toys to everyone. He tried explaining that it was just that one boy as an example, but she didn't like what he was saying, so not only did she not believe him, but she stopped listening and chose to run away screaming at the top of her lungs. As Brent went to get her she decided the best choice would be to start hitting Brent as much and as hard as she possibly could. So, we said that the fit was not okay and since she's hitting we are now going home. After several public spankings and being restrained on a bench to try and get her to calm down, Brent just slung her over his shoulder and she was carried out of the area kicking, hitting and screaming as though she were being kidnapped. Halfway to the car I had Brynley walk and we strapped Mariska into the stroller.

After we fed her lunch Brent sat in her room with her and forced her to take a nap. She actually fell asleep, which is shocking and napped for about an hour and a half.

This video wasn't taken until about 10 minutes after the huge fit, by this point she's worn herself out. I wish I'd thought to break out the camera sooner.

Now they are our in the garage with Dad riding their bikes. Brynley doesn't understand the pedals and just pushes with her feet, but she loves it!

I'm ready for bedtime.

Merry Christmas 2010!!

This was a great Christmas! We woke up and made scrambled eggs and waffles with whipped cream for breakfast. Then we read a little from Luke 2 and had our family prayer... and dove into the presents!! The girls gave me an awesome homemade frame with a picture of the two of them. It's now on my bedroom mirror... one day when I have an office of sorts, it will be proudly displayed there, even if it's not for another 25 years, so be it. Brent got me the entire Hunger Games series!! I love those books! He knows me too well, and to make him doubly awesome he got them with his teacher bonus points from Scholastic, so they didn't cost any actual money!! I love it. The girls and I gave Brent a football game for the wii and a family "pirate" game we can all play.

Each Christmas Eve we open new tree ornaments. This year Brent and I got a family photo ornament. We got Mariska a Curious George one, she loves George, not only the books and cartoon, but her own George stuffed animal she can't sleep without. Brynley hasn't really had any phases or interests yet, so she got a teddy bear with a giant cookie in the shape of a 2. Once it was out of the box she actually tried to eat the cookie! It was cute. At the rate she's going so far, it's looking like next year will be a Barney ornament, she watches the same 2 Barney videos over and over again through the day.

The big hit with both of the girls this year is the ZhuZhu pet hamsters we got them. They are just little hamsters that go around in different directions. The girls just turn them on and follow them around the kitchen for a long time.

It was really hard to get good pictures of the girls opening their gifts, they kept moving around! But here is what we did end up with... this decoration is supposed to say "Christmas", but not so much with kids in the house!

This picture cracks us up. As Brent walked by Brynley's room he thought she was laying there dead... This was how Brynley's pj's landed on the floor and it totally looks like some kid is passed out under the shelf. A little 'one too many"!

Longest Week EVER!

Around 1:00 AM Monday morning I woke up to Brynley's crying on the baby monitor. My first thoughts were, "Oh crap she's lost her binky again." So I go into her room and lean over the crib to search for it, only to see, smell and feel vomit all over the place. I scream for Brent to come help me clean her up, at this point she's screaming and fighting my undressing her. (The idea of ever being a single parent STINKS, I'm so thankful I'm not one!)

So I was thinking that she threw up because she's had a horrible night cough for the last several weeks and I figured she just coughed so hard it made her throw up. That was until she started vomiting all over the living room floor the next morning. Throughout the entire day on Monday she didn't keep ANYTHING down. She would sip 2 teaspoons of apple juice and it would be back up in minutes. Oh and on top of all of this, add 3 diarrhea filled diapers. So she went down for a nap and about 2 hours later woke up crying again. I went to get her and she was burning up. Her fever was 102.7, so I called the doctor and we went in. They gave us some neat pills that take away the nausea and some Tylenol for her fever. Once we got home she couldn't get enough Ritz crackers and water.

Anyway, sorry to ramble. I'm tempted to use the phrase "to make a long story short" but it's obviously too late for that. She seemed fine on Wednesday so we went out on a date, which was fun. Then today she threw up this morning. And has done nothing but lay down with us on the couch and whine.

Her cough is still horrible. And there is so much I wish I could do to help her, but this girl will NOT take medicine. It's so frustrating. She is SO strong. She turns into a gladiator as soon as she sees the little medicine dropper we use. She kicks, screams, bites, hits, grabs and spits. It's horrible, for everyone involved.

So now it's Thursday night. I'm so burned out. I'm putting off both writing my talk for chuch and planning this week's primary music time activity, I'm subbing for the lady that normally does it. Brent is going to bring Brynley home from church as soon as we're done speaking.

Besides the 3 hour date we went on, this has been the longest week ever!! I'm really trying to be happy and enthusiastic about Christmas but that is getting really hard to do. I'm ready for it to be over, Brynley to be better and for time to move on. I love the feeling of the New Year. I'm lucky, because we get to have that feeling twice a year. Once when the year changes and then again when Brent starts a new teaching year.

I'm going to blog on Sunday about our awesome Christmas. In the meantime, please keep Brynley in your prayers, that she can get better. She is so miserable.

Christmas Parties and Misc. stuff

Here are some pictures of our neighborhood Chrismtas "get together". They had really good hot chocolate and Brynley had about 6 cookies.
Mariska had Santa painted on her face, and actually LEFT it on!! It's a Christmas miracle!
We need to get an extension cord for the lights, so they aren't laying on the grass. But I think Brent does a great job on our little house every year.
Mariska cuddling with her George at night. She is so attached to that doll!

We opened her family birthday gifts on her actual birthday. I also spend part of my already busy day making her another cake, which she didn't eat... she wanted to play with her new toys instead. Go figure.

Mariska loved the Build-a-bear Teddy that her Great Grandma Rasmussen sent for her!

She also got some new "petjobs" (Littlest Pet Shop toys)

She was so funny. As she was unwrapping her new Prince Phillip doll she says, "What is it? Oh I hope it's Princessy!" Well, lucky her, it was!

She's so funny. She never looks at the camera! This is now our Ward Christmas party.

I was so proud of Brynley for not freaking out!

I loved to see the look on Mariska's face when she realized Santa was here!

Brynley is talking a bunch now. It's so funny, whenever we ask her a question she says "no" then we ask, "Do mean yes?" and then she squats down and yells "YES!" as she jumps up... in this video she does a slower version...

After I told her to say "Hi Grandpa", she went over to the tv, pointed at the guy on it and said "Grandpa"... I think she was a little confused.

PARTY!!

Mariska and Brynley had a party for their birthdays! It was a great turn out and they both had a lot of fun. This year's theme was TinkerBell.
Mariska has a new poster in her room, it was used to play "pin the star on the fairy wand". Brent made the poster and did a great job!

We also played "hot potato", but instead of a potato we had a dinasour that bites when the music stops, making you "out". There was dancing for those who were out...

Mariska blowing out her candles... she wasn't happy that her friends helped. Brynley wouldn't blow once she was closer then about 2 feet... we all helped her.

Kate "doesn't like chocolate cake". So she just ate the frosting...

We also had a Treasure Hunt to find the lost goodie bags. We followed all the clues around the house and found the treasure hidden in the oven.

Emori and Mariska coloring after the party was over.

It was a really great party. I think everyone had a lot of fun.