Mary and Joseph on FB...Merry Christmas

Thankful...

On the eve of Thanksgiving, I look around the house and reminisce of Thanksgivings past. Our first Thanksgiving with Big Brownie in 2007. It was COLD that day and we still had healthy Bubba and Sissy our boxers with us. It seemed so long ago, but also, it just seemed like yesterday. We hadn't yet had Little Brownie or Andy our newest 4 legged son. Big Brownies was dressed in a brown sweater suit with a matching hat. So adorable!

Then the following Thanksgiving...we had Little Brownie. Freshly born the month before, he was truly a blessing to our family. On the following Thanksgiving with 2 Brownies, I remember feeling thankful that we still had our Bubba and Sissy, although in a few short months, we would lose him to a brain tumor. And within a few months after, we lost our Sissy and added Andy to our family. We have so much to be thankful. We have health, we have a roof over our head and food in our bellies. We have hugs and smiles.

It is so fun to hear the Brownies talk about the things they love. Big Brownies favorite supper is a hamburger and queso cheese dip with chips. We call it Special Supper. The boys always ask, are we gonna put it in the green bowl and sit in the floor? We indeed use the same green bowl that was my Grandma for the "special supper", sit in the living room floor and gather around to eat. We usually watch something special or cool on t.v. and giggle most of the dinner away. Daddy Brown and I look at each other and smile knowing that this is our little family unit that we are so blessed to have. We giggle on a DAILY basis at the sayings and actions that seem so unbelievable and inconceivable that they have grown enough to comprehend such complex subjects. So thankful for the kindness the Brownies have in loving on each other and their friends. Big Brownie still asks on a weekly basis if there is a special seed in my belly...he really wants a sister!

So today as I look forward to yet another thankful Thanksgiving, I feel my life is a never ending flood of blessings. My heart is full today of joy and happiness. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Little Brownie is 3...

Well...As of 3:07a this morning, our Little Brownie is officially 3 years old. Daddy Brown and I are so incredibly blessed to have our babies in our lives and to have a story to tell...well, makes it that much more fun to watch him play and sing. I posted our story on his first birthday here on our family blog and on that very day, I decided to share our audio of the 911 call of his birth. I only share it annually on his birthday, and if you are interested in our story, I've linked the post below. I still cry to this day when I remember the details and continue to listen to his birth often, especially on particularly trying days. I hope it is as much of a blessing to you, as he is to us.

On his 3rd birthday, Little Brownie is 100% potty trained. He enjoys "Bible School" a.k.a. Mother's Day Out 2 days a week. He speaks to you as if he himself is an adult. His favorite catch phrase at the moment is "Do you understand me?" He LOVES dinosaurs, especially T-Rex. He loves Thomas the Train, tractors, trucks and LOVES to ride his gator in the yard. He likes to play Super Hero with Big Brownie. He is the one that our dog Andy enjoys playing with the most, because Little Brownie is not afraid to get in the floor and wrestle with him. He sleeps in his own full-size bed and typically likes for Big Brownie to bunk up with him. Big Brownie almost every night prefers to bunk with him as well. He loves for his Daddy to play with him in the afternoon for "6 more minutes". He gives REAL kisses and hugs to most everyone and pretty much does not know a stranger. He enjoys the ladies for sure. He will team up with a girlfriend at the park he has never met and say, "Come on, let's go find bugs". And strangely enough, they follow him...because who wouldn't? He has a way of melting my heart at night after books have been read, songs have concluded and lights go out, by the way he whispers, "I love you Mama." And to wake up to, "Come on Mom, it's a beautiful day outside" come rain or shine. And the way he pronounces Mom sounds more like "MAAAWWWM"! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR LITTLE BROWNIE! We love you more than the air we breathe.

Our Miracle Here on Earth...

Catching Up...

So, obviously I haven't been blogging much. Not because I haven't had a couple million favorite moments to share, but because our lives have been in fast forward for a while now. Some really fun and funny moments that I giggle about when no one is around or a kind word that is said between Brownies that make me tear up. So here are a few catching up moments from the last couple of months.

Big Brownie (BB), "Mom, did you know that God made aliens?" Me, "Really? Where are they and what do they do?" BB, "Well, they live in outerspace...AND, did you know that they eat in their left ear and poop out their right ear?"

Little Brownie (LB), "Can I please go ride outside on my gator? It's a beautiful sunny day, the grass is green and the sky is blue." As I looked down at him over my glasses contemplating whether or not we wanted to go outside in the windy gray of the day, LB looks up at me and says, "...and I prayed last night to God that you would say yes."

Big Brownie, "Wow mom, thank you for washing my Yoda underwear! Now I can be a true Jedi with Yoda fever!"

Little Brownie as he woke up one morning, "Mom, where is my dad?" I replied, "He is at work." LB says, "Oh, I need to go to work too so I can buy me a hundred dinosaurs to eat Andy up!"

I posted this one on facebook so I apologize for the duplication but this is one I want to remember FOREVER...

Big Brownie came downstairs and asked for a bedtime snack a few days ago. Previously at supper time a few hours earlier, he only ate 2 or 3 bites of his meal. I had explained that there would be no other food options that night if he didn't eat a little more of his supper. He agreed and declared his meal complete. So when he came and asked me for a bedtime snack, I reminded him that he couldn't have any food, just some water if he like. I turned and went into the other room. A few minutes pass and I hear Daddy Brown declare official bedtime. As they are going upstairs, I hear BB start to cough. I then hear Daddy Brown ask BB if he is ok and why is he coughing? BB says, "The dog food is yucky." You heard me correct, the child took dog food from the dog food bowl that had been half eaten from Andy and tried a handful of dog food. Indeed, the dog food is yucky!

Little Brownie has the best smile in the world. God gave him a natural cowlick in the front of his forehead that makes the best hair style ever. Because of these god given attributes, it is not uncommon for complete strangers to begin talking to him when we are in public. Last week while at the grocery, a nice old lady tapped him on the shoulder and told him, "You are the cutest little thing I've ever seen!" Normally, he grins and looks to me to see if it's ok to say something back. However on this particular day, he had been in a grumpy mood and without hesitation he grabs his shirt, balls his fists to the air and exclaims, "I'm not little...I'M A BIG LITTLE BOY! AND DON'T TOUCH ME!!!" Catching us both off guard he then looked at me as he knew I was unhappy with his response and said, "Do you forgive me?"

There are so many little stolen moments I'd love to share but then this post would go on and on and on. Hope to get back to blogging on a regular basis going forward.

My dad said...

Every now and again, my sweet Big Brownie has a moment. A moment in which I find much clarity. Now that he is 4 years old, I have to remind myself that he is in fact...4 years old. He is taking on his "big brother" status with honor and valor. He proclaims to Little Brownie no less than 8 times a day that he is older and taller than Little Brownie. He takes joy in teaching him words, letters and numbers that "only big brother know". He takes great pride in caring for our Boxer Andy by feeding him in the morning and letting him outside. Big Brownie certainly understands the dynamics of his place in the family.

Sometimes, as parents our own words come back to bite us in the booty. Tonight for example, we arrived home well into the evening. I explained in the car that once we get home, we only have 15 minutes to play and then it would be bedtime. Both boys ran into the house wielding their Styrofoam swords, Spider-man wrists and wrestling holds. I reminded Big Brownie that in the car he wanted to play his new Wii...(thanks to our Tutu Nani). He said, "Oh mom, I am going to play Spider-Man with my brother instead. After the 15 minutes of play was complete, I told everyone to go upstairs and wash up for bedtime.

Begrudgingly the boys went upstairs. As the mumbled up the steps, Daddy Brown says to them, "You can play in the playroom until Mom comes upstairs." After about 2 minutes, Big Brownie yells down and said, "Hey Dad, I need your help with my Wii...I can't get it to turn on." I then explained, "You are supposed to be getting ready for bed, not playing your Wii". Which he then replied in quite an annoyed little tone, "Mom...MY DAD SAID, I could play until you came upstairs!" And there you have it folks. Like a paralegal checking the footnotes and correcting the judge...indeed, "My Dad said!"

How can he remember?

Ever wonder..."How on earth could he remember that?" My Big Brownie is now 4 years old. Yesterday marked the 1 1/2 year anniversary that we put Bubba to rest to the DAY. I have been missing our Bubba and Sissy but haven't really said much except a few words to Daddy Brown.

Last night, we went to Publix and as we were leaving, the boys asked the counter clerk for a balloon. Big Brownie wanted purple, but settled for blue and Little Brownie, OF COURSE, wanted green. Because I knew our history of accidental release of the balloons in the past, I asked the clerk to tie the balloons to the boys arms so we could make it home. We successfully make it to the car with me, groceries, 2 Brownies and 2 balloons. As we are driving home, Big Brownie starts firing off questions left and right. "Why do balloons float?" "What happens if I let it go? "How high in the sky will it go?" "Could it make it to heaven?"

As we approach home, he says, "Mama, I would really like Bubba and Sissy to play with my balloon in heaven!" Tears filled my eyes and I said, "Oh Buddy, are you sure? You won't have a balloon to play with if you let it go." He said, "I know, I want my Bubba and Sissy to play with it and have lots of fun." I said, "Ok, do you want to say anything before you let it go?" He replied, "Yes, I wanna say (as he bowed his head) God, please let my balloon go into heaven so Bubba and Sissy can play with it. I miss them very much, but now I have Andy to play with." He kissed his balloon and we let it go. In amazement, he watched as it floated up and disappeared before our eyes in the pink, orange and blue sky of dusk.

How is it that he can remember them from a year and a half ago.? That would have made him just barely 2 1/2 years old. I am truly blessed to have 2 Brownies that care and love so generously and kindly. Afterward, as we walked up to the door Big Brownie said, "Mama, Bubba and Sissy were really cool dogs. We will get to see them again won't we?" I said, "Oh yes, because all dogs go to heaven!" He smiled big and gave me a huge hug and said, "I like you a lot Mama!" I said, "I like you a lot too!" He giggled and said, "I really do love you...and your pancakes!"

Will he or won't he...

Well, in anticipation of Mother's Day Out (MDO) a.k.a. "Bible School" approaching in a little over a month, I'm trying to motivate Little Brownie to be potty trained. You see, the Mother's Day Out program we love only takes preschoolers who 1. are 3 years old by October 31st AND 2. completely potty trained.

The first one...in the bag, the second one...not so much. It's not because he doesn't know what to do or when to do it. He just chooses not too. Some days he will be 100% potty trained on number 1 and number 2 potty transactions. And then other days, he wants his diaper or pull-up. I try not to push to much, because I don't want him to have no interest at all. So, the question of the month...will he go to "bible school" or not? We will just have to wait and see.