Water fun

The temperature has been in the three digits lately. So, naturally the kids wanted to play in the water, and with our backyard all torn up it was not going to happen. Unless we headed to the park? We packed the double stroller with many things we would need... like, cooler with tons of water, treats, towels, camera, sunblock, hats, diapers and so on! Until we were overloaded and moving at a slow crawl. Wish I would have taken a picture of 3 kids in the double stroller a cooler, Brynlyn's scooter and me huffing and puffing behind.

With lots of effort on my part and Brynlyn trying to keep up on her scooter, we made it to the nearest water park feature a few blocks away.

Brynlyn and Trystan were drenched seconds after we got there. They enjoyed every minute.

Peyton was not sure about the water spraying all over us, so I let her play at the bottom of a slide. She was very content.

We had so much fun and I'm the only one who got sun burnt. I applied sunblock to the kids at least three times, but forgot about myself!

The walk back to our house was torture for me. The kids enjoyed it under the shade of the stroller. I must say it was worth it!!! So much fun we just might do it again.

Projects

I'm having sooo much fun learning to sew! There are hundreds of projects I want to make, and the list keeps growing. Currently working on at least 4 of said projects.

I finished these cute striped baby legs a few weeks ago. Ms. Peyton has very bruised knees from our rough tile floors. I came across baby legs when searching for a remedy online. They were a bit pricey for something she would wear out fast. About $12 a pair. So I went through my sock drawer and made her some 80's style leg warmers to keep her knees protected when she wears cute little summer outfits! My oldest brother thinks it's sad that I actually wore these socks. ;) What can I say, they were styling!

A fun ruffled summer tee for me. I got two shirts from the clearance rack at Target. Cut one up to make ruffles and walla!

For Ms. Brynlyn's birthday we gave her an older camera that was sitting in the box. I wanted her to love it and recognize it without mistaking our new fancier camera.
Problem solved with a new camera strap in pretty colors!

The Birthday girl

Brynlyn wanted to make her own cake this year. I agreed even though I had a surprise cake in the making. She did just about everything except putting it in the oven.
Even taste tested before and after baking.
Plenty of sparkly toppings and frosting. She taught me how to decorate her way. From the way you hold the sprinkle's bottle to how much goes in each corner.

Brynlyn, Peyton, Lydia

the morning of the Birthday! Brynlyn had her first sleepover... very exciting. The girls had so much fun together.

Damen and Lydia were able to celebrate with us for dinner, cake, ice cream and presents.

Waaa hoooo to Brynlyn's princess cake! I planned on making my own version of this cake and became to busy the week before her birthday to make it happen. Over the past month Brynlyn has told me she would have an Ariel cake, Belle cake, Princess cake, Big girl cake and Pony cake. So I mixed as many as possible and ordered this Princess castle cake a couple days before.

Grandpa Carl helped Brynlyn open her presents. She received a My little Pony house, a Polly Pocket water roller coaster, bike helmet and accessories, cute pj's & shoes, a new big girl camera, cowgirl Jesse doll, rollerskates and more. So spoiled!!

The girls loved the family birthday party! There are so many birthdays in June. We ate, sang happy birthday, opened presents, then took the kids swimming.

Peyton hated every minute of the pool. I think it was a bit to loud for her with 20 or so kids splashing and screaming. I have claw marks on my arms to show for it.

Angela, Emma, Peyton, Wyndee, Riley and Brynlyn

Opening presents from Riley and family. The girls love the new dresses and wore them the next day. Peyton loved the tags!

Riley helped Brynlyn with her new skates from Grammy! Super happy kid!

Grammy, Brynlyn & Riley

What a fun celebration, and there is still more to come. Many of the family members are out of town, so we have 2 more celebrations coming!

I can't believe my oldest is 4. Where has the time gone.

Cute Girl's

Loves her MP3 player... looking so grown up!
Funny Face

Sucking Face = tired and hungry

Happiness

Update

Peyton loves this slide, she repeatedly climbs up and drops on her belly sliding down. Then starts over again, giggling the entire time!
While Brynlyn sits in her spot, on top sucking on her yucky blanket! We have told her when she turns 4 that she will be to big to suck on a blanket. I don't think she realizes just how close her 4th birthday is.
Any suggestions on how to wean her from this gross habit! She also bites her finger and toenails, sucks on her skin till its raw and twists her hair in knots. A little high-strung possibly? ;) I did get her a Tween Bling necklace! It's a new line of jewelry for girls who twirl their hair, chew their pencils or like to fidget. I think it has helped a little, and she loves that it is pink Camo. If she wants to wear her necklace she surrenders her blanket to me.


Baylee and Brynlyn did great in dance class this last month. They performed Beauty and the Beast. They do well most of the time, but have a love hate relationship! I am sad that dance class is taking a break for the summer. But it does give us some free time for swim lessons.

Torsten and Peyton in awe with Brynlyn's tool bench! We had so much fun with our house guests this month, I loved hanging out with Kurt, Farah and the little Man. The kids tormented each other but also played well together.

Both the girls loved Ronin and Shelby. Brynlyn wants a dog so badly! We are thankful that Farah will share hers with us. Brynlyn rolled around with them, bounced on Ronin, fed them to much and enjoyed every minute of it.

We are working on our yard... Chad has been so busy lately that the yard was put on hold. It is currently a lot of dirt. Pictures to come as it progresses.

Peyton is 11 months now and has such an amazing personality! She is extremely happy and loves to play by herself. There is so much to write about this sweet little girl. Her smile melts my heart. I love that I can put her hair in a little pixie ponytail now. She dislikes it and swats my hand away. She loves to shake her head no, climb the stairs, and rattle the baby gates! She hates diaper changes and squeezes her chubby legs together pointing her toes, making it very hard to remove or replace a diaper. Her vocabulary grows every day. Her current words are "Hi Dad" "Uh oh" "Wow" "Mamamama". The cutest thing she does right now is a sucky face when she is tired and rests her head on your shoulder for a few seconds. Popping right back up refusing to sleep anywhere but her crib.

Surgery Day

The 3+ hour wait at the Hospital was hard for Brynlyn. We did many different things to keep her mind off her hungry stomach and dry mouth.

She wanted to dress herself in the pretty hospital robe and cute grippy socks. Very excited that she got to keep them! During the wait we watched cartoons, played doctor, Dad taught her the art of blowing bubbles with gum, read books, colored and anything else we could think of.

Many people have asked what her surgery was for. She was born with a fused labia or labial adhesion. Which means the outer vaginal lips are almost completely sealed shut. Like peeing out of a pin hole. It is pretty common in little girls. Some bath bubbles can also cause this to happen. It can cause infections and kidney problems if not fixed. We started noticing problems after she had been potty trained for over a year. Having accidents, refusing to go, being frustrated that she just went... but pee keeps dripping out, back aches and more. Brynlyn's nurses were great, they played doctor for real... She absolutely loved it! They even took the time to play doctor on Brynlyn's dog scruff.

At 11:50 am I walked Brynlyn back to surgery... On the way the nurse gave her a new Pink turtle stuffed animal that she named Pinky and a hair net to wear just like the nurses. She was such a big girl and very excited to watch cartoons while breathing in her watermelon scented oxygen mask as she became sleepy. She took the nurses hand and didn't look back.
12:30 Dr. Close came out of surgery and said "all went well but, she had some concerns." Brynlyn's bladder wall is unusually thicker than it should be, possibly from pushing hard her entire life to use the bathroom. At her next check up they will look further into it.

When she woke up, she was sad and wanted Dad and Mom right away! The nurses where very sweet to her. I heard them tell her "we were looking for her" and would be there as we turned the corner. She was sitting up in bed checking out her IV and wanted to use the bathroom.

During recovery she was sad one second, then grouchy the next.

She was asking for ice cream with sprinkles and a fruit roll up.

But settled for what the nurses gave her; water, apple juice and many popsicles(poor girl was starving). She tried to help the nurse take out her IV and would not look away. She was amazed by the needle.

2:00pm we were able to head home after Grammy came by the hospital to give her some great surprises. It was a very long day but Brynlyn did very well at the hospital. As Chad said "I think she had more fun at the hospital than a day at the park".

That evening she spiked a fever of 101, so we put a call into the doctor. They said to get it down with cool treats, cold rags and some motrin. We had a hard night and she cried a lot when it was time to us the bathroom saying "it stings bad I'm never going to the bathroom again!"

We are very grateful this is over and so thankful for our family, friends and all the prayers!

"I'm a pill"

I asked Brynlyn to strike a pose for the camera! Such a cute little model.
Why is she flipping me off you ask? Well, she was really picking her nose, with the middle finger. She said "I'm a pill, Uncle Kurt said so"

I captured a few cute pictures with plenty of attitude in the newest dress I made. This one is a gift for my sweet little niece. A late birthday prize. Hope she likes it, Brynlyn did not want to take it off after modeling for the camera!

Our busy little girl is very strong willed.

She told me this morning, she is ready for surgery tommorow and asked if she gets a hospital bracelet with her name on it. Also she wants to pack a bag like I did when we had baby sister at the hospital. Funny, the things she is concerned about.

Wish us luck for tommorow's minor surgery.

I hope we have prepared her enough. I think I am nervous for us both.