Lucky 7

Dear Brooklyn,

7 years ago today, you were born.  You had tiny little finger nails, and perfect little ears, and a surprisingly inquisitive nature for one so very brand new. 

I held your teeny hand and watched you dream.

We were smitten, and bewildered, and enchanted.  

You have made being a parent such a pleasure.  You are happy and wise and obedient and thoughtful.  You are brimming with integrity and you have such simple, unwavering faith.  You are contemplative and inquisitive.  You are helpful and hilarious and your expansive library of animal facts constantly astounds me.

You sometimes laugh at inappropriate moments and you have a recent habit of talking at a "volume 10" at all times.  You love rocking out to "Party in the USA" and all things Taylor.  Your soccer team has yet to score a goal this season (9 weeks in), and you could almost not care less.  Which makes me simultaneously frustrated and also so, so proud.  

You have a recent interest in shopping with me (woohoo!), and you ask me once a week how many more years until you are old enough to go to BYU and open your Dinosaur Cafe.  You are annoyed when the answer is always the same and you declare without fail that "you shouldn't have to be 17 to go to college."

You are something special. 

And I still live to hold your hand and watch you dream.

Happy Birthday, Brooklyn Nicole.

We love you.

Comin' Round...

Confession: Fall used to not be my favorite.  (GASP!!!) 

I know.  I know.  

For me growing up, the fall meant: 

1.) the end of summer

2.) the coming of winter

3.) things dying.  (i hate things dying.)

4.) orange and black.  (sick.)

5.) things that taste like pumpkins.  (ewwww.) (minus your pumpkin cookies, Chelsea Bauer! :)

6.) the sun going down at 5:30.

I don't like.

But guys... I've come around.

Fall is climbing the charts.

Now it means: 

1.) HALLOWEEN.  I love me some Halloween.  

(I planned our costumes for this year in May.  Kid you not.)

2.) Football.

3.) Parties.

4.) Boots and scarves.

5.) The Pumpkin Patch.

We go every year.  (2012, 2011, 2010, 2009.)  Some years are better than others (I'm looking at you, 2010.), but no matter what, we always seem to have a good time. 

This year, we managed to drag along the whole crew.  Husbands and all.  

(It was a small and mighty miracle.)

The day included: paying $10 to get in, climbing a giant tower of hay bales (FOR FREE!), sticking our heads in some cutouts, getting pushed by dad in a giant wheelbarrow, getting photo-bombed by Ben at every turn, paying $12 more to feed the goats, then $8 more to go down one bouncy slide. (and this was after illegally slipping Cameron under the ropes.  sorry, dad.)

And then we had no money left to buy a pumpkin.

 

Dear Fall,

Thanks.

Called to Serve

 

 2 brothers.  2 missions.  2 years.  2 weeks apart.

Brother #1 (Brendan) is one of the funniest people I know.  He has one of those contagious laughs that will have you rolling before he says a single word.  He's a master surfer, a political philosopher, a future pilot, a spiritual genius, and a fun and delightful person.

Brother #2 (Braden) is the nicest, sweetest, most caring and darling kid ever.  He has a hilarious sense of humor and he's the kids' favorite jungle gym.  He also has perfect teeth (which is completely unfair because my parents started being able to afford braces about half way through their children.  I was not the lucky half.). If there is anyone who I would trust with everything that I have, it's him.  

 

Naturally, we threw an enormous party for the openings.  Cameron came down with an awful fever and barely moved a muscle.  The rest of us shoved our faces full of food, made our call predictions, and cheered our heads off when they opened their calls.

 Brendan got called to Boise, Idaho

&

 Braden got called to Bahia Blanca, Argentina

They both are going to be  a m a z i n g.

The Teriffic Two's

Ladies and gentlemen.  Let's all just pause for one short second and take a quiet moment to realize the alarming fact that my newborn son is now 2. 

Guys.

This is not my first rodeo.  I have other children that I have reared and raised to the best of my rearing and raising abilities and let me tell you something.

2 is when it all goes bad.

Like......BAAAAAAADDDDD.

2 was the age that Brooklyn and Aubrey discovered fascinating new facts.  Like.... teeth are a handy little defense tool, super-market hide-and-go-seek is a thrilling sport, and screeching like a howler monkey = mom will give in.

But.  We're breaking the mold.  3rd time's a charm, right?  (RIGHT?!?!!?)

And now in celebration of Cameron's Second Birthday, here's 

CAMERON'S TOP TWO @ TWO

*Cameron's Top Two Phrases:

1.) "I non't like it!"  

Used in situations like driving to church, being kissed, being smothered, being cuddled, being touched of any kind, talking about/thinking about/joking about nursery.

2.) "WATCH DIS MOMMY!!!!" 

 Exclaimed on Volume 10.  Every time.  And usually followed by some variety of jumping off furniture, swinging sporting equipment, throwing breakable objects down the stairs, or an incredibly intricate gymnastics skill immediately followed by crying.

*Cameron's Top Two Movies:

1.) Rango.

2.) Rango.

4 times a day, people.  Obsessed doesn't even begin.

*Cameron's Top Two Pet Peeves:

 1.) Not being on my phone.

He knows how to use it better than I do.  Not kidding.

2.) Not wearing a diaper.

He cries when we take his diaper off.  Potty training is going to be  d e l i g h t f u l.

*Cameron's Future Careers:

1.) A trash man

I actually plan my days around the trash man's schedule sometimes because Cameron LIVES for the trash truck.  Seriously, I'm about to "friend" our trash man on Facebook.  Some weeks I see more of him than Luke.

2.) A motorcycle repair man

 Again.  Obsessed.

*Cameron's Top Two Foods:

1.) Spaghetti

2.) Fettuccine Alfredo

(He should really be fatter than he is.)

*Cameron's Top Two Toys:

1.) His remote-control Mater from Grandma Kari

2.) His ride-on motorcycle from Grandma Lori

(Obviously I struggle in the gift-giving department.)

*Cameron's Top Two Fears:

1.) Old Women

He doesn't mind the men.  Just the women.  (In Sacrament Meeting we always try to sit on a row that has an old woman on each end of the bench.  That way Cameron won't run away.  True story.)

2.) Being Left Out

*Cameron's Top Two Hidden Talents:

1.) Handstands

He is shockingly buff for a toddler and he'll have a solid handstand within a year.  Guarantee it.

2.) Finding Bugs

He's constantly dragging me around the house to see his latest find.  Not my favorite thing.

*Cameron's Top Two Undeniable Facts:

1.) He is the sweetest, spunkiest, sassiest, most splendid little boy on the planet.

2.) And we love him to pieces.