Does Everyone Know What Time It Is?

And no, Binford Tools isn't presenting Tim, the tool-man Taylor! It's May...not only is the end of the school year on countdown, it means, its the month of Erin! Hey, if Mark gets "Month of Mark" during October, just because his birthday falls on the 7th then that means I get May...Mother's Day and my birthday! Whoopwhoop =)!

So yes, first things first, Mother's Day! I didn't get any extravagant gifts like diamonds, but we did spend some time at Lowe's in the Garden Center buying a few more perrenials and quite a few annuals! (Not to mention, another trip to another Garden Center that I love, because I didn't realize just how many flowers I need!) Hopefully, my thumb turns a little more green this year and I don't underwater anything! (Although, considering how much rain we've had, I'm not sure that's possible!) I honestly don't even remember how we spent Mother's Day, other than I wanted to sleep in and didn't ;-)

Learning to golf at Lolly & Poppy's!

And, my birthday was a delight! The girls at work decorated the evening before, since Dr. Frey sent me home early! And, not only did they buy a delicious cake, but picked up a Killer Brownie from Dorothy Lane! SO DELICIOUS =) Unfortunately Mark and I didn't have a hot date (babysitters are expensive), but we did get carry-out from Carraba's and I did stop by the Coach outlet for a new purse! And, on Friday night, I had an evening away from the boys and out with the girls!

Well, enough about me! Jack is...well...turning into a moody teenage girl ;-)! Clearly that's the only thing I have to compare his behavior too...moody! Whew! I think the Terrible Two's have struck! One minute he's playing and laughing,the next he's screaming, hitting, and crying. But, aside from the tantrums, he's a little boy that makes us laugh =) He gets ridiculously excited when we let him watch Mickey Mouse Club House, has developed a love of CapriSun (just fabulous),

and thinks everything in the sky is a "pane"! He's also learned to climb on his gym to go down the slide (cheers from this lady) and would rather sit at the table than in his high chair.

Sitting at the table post Saturday and Sunday face-plants!

He's also quite quirky...he FLIPS out if we take his shoes off without asking permission first and he no longer likes to be nakie-baby. Well, pre-bath that is. There have been a few occasions that I'm too slow to hang his towel and put his toothbrush in its holder before reaching his room...to find him with a shocked "uhoh" look on his face, sitting in a puddle in his rocking chair. Jack also has quite a bit of Kensinger in him. The clutzy part, that is. This past weekend was a tad rough for him...on Saturday he stopped a fall with his face. And on Sunday he took off on his car and ran into the neighbors retaining wall and bounced off with his face. Of course, these battle wounds don't include the normal scrapes he gets on his knees and elbows! I think the kid runs like his Lolly (not picking up his feet) and he obviously hasn't learned to drop whatever items are in his hands to help ease his fall. Then again, he is my child...he did attempt to lean on an open sliding glass door at Mom & Dad's and fell onto the concrete porch! (Without a whimper! Even when his Poppy laughed at him!) Maybe he is a bit tougher than his Mom and Aunt Elizabeth who cried harder when we were laughed at!

I love to "bow"!

And, in other Brunsy Bunch news...we traded in the Mustang today for a better family car!

It was a sad day for Mark, especially since he didn't get the F150 he's dreaming of!

Last drive in the 'Stang

But, we need a car that fits 2 car seats in the back because this bunch is growing! Around Thanksgiving, #2 will make his/her appearance!

14 weeks

Uhoh!

Uhoh! Its been awhile! I do suppose, the majority of the Brunsy Bunch readers know how busy we've been the past few months! And, life has been, well, just that! Nothing incredibly exciting, same thing, different days! Although, we have had some great fun! Elizabeth and Mark's spring breaks actually coordinated this year so we made a trip to Denver to visit the Garza's and celebrate Ben's 1st birthday! It was a great trip! We were "those parents" in the airport but thankfully Jack is still a snuggle-bear and he slept on my lap the majority of both legs of the flight! (I guess the temper tantrums took a lot out of him!) And, the boys played together...well, sort of, considering sharing isn't a concept either of them understand (mostly Jack) and with the time difference one of the boys was always sleeping so they saw each other for about 2 hours every day!

Showing Ben the joys of Mickey Mouse Club House!

Playing Peekaboo with Lolly!

Actually sharing =)!

We also went to Coldwater for Madison's 3rd birthday!

And, both sets of grandparent's came down for various visits!

Jack has been such a joy!

Sometimes and exhausting joy! He goes non-stop...especially when we go outside! He helps pick up sticks and rocks and is loving driveway chalk and of course bubbles are cause for stomping with excitement! He's learned to drive his "car" and has started taking off full speed down the driveway until he crashes in the grass and tips over. He nearly gives me a heart attack most days playing outside by doing something boyish but his giggles calm me down and makes my "no" have lots of impact ;-)! Oh, and, he's started climbing out of his crib! Uhoh! Again, I told him "no" and it did stop for awhile...but apparently some mornings I'm taking a tad too long to get to him because he'll still wind up on the floor. Big boy bedding has been purchased and we "oooooo" over the trucks and cars but I'm still not convinced he's 100% ready to be out of his crib. (Or maybe I'm just not quite ready for my baby to grow up yet!) He's starting to have more words and is babbling in his own language a lot too. And, I'm definitely his favorite person in the entire world...everyone else is also known as "ma"!

You'd better put that camera away...you're going to have to sprint after me =)

1st visit to the zoo for the summer! The animals were so active =)! That bear, brushed up against the glass and scared me!

Hoppy Easter! You can have this peanut butter egg, I'll eat your jelly beans!

Splash!

(We no longer want to stay in the stroller for the entire walk!)

Cabin Fever

January has been a fairly boring month without a lot of updates! Jack cut 3 more teeth! In Jack standards, has gotten much better at using a spoon! Is trying to communicate with words and gestures more! And is generally a happy little boy! We have our tantrums and about once a week I'm finding myself "sleeping" in the guest bedroom because he refuses to sleep in his crib. Thank goodness for the Starbucks 3 doors down from work! We've found ourselves running the halls of AHS on Friday/Saturday nights during basketball games! (I think I'm more worn out when its time to leave!) And, we're definitely thrilled when its warm enough to run around outside!

Happy New Year!

Wierdos! (Trying on Mark's new jacket!)

No help necessary!

Where we play when we can't go outside! (I really need to organize!)

"Helping"

"Crack" (aka Ranch sour cream and chips!)

It's 60 degrees on 12/31! I love outside =)!

No bud, that's not a ball, it's an ornament...

The halls have been un-decked! The Prince is sleeping, the King is otherwise occupied with Xbox, and the servant/maid/cook has retired for the evening, thus leaving the queen, with a glass of wine and drying nail-polish to update her 3 readers of the past months events! I tell ya, December was yet another whirlwind!

Checking out the tree!

It all started with the Queen traveling to the far away land of Effingham, IL for 3 days for New Employee Orientation. Yes folks, Effingham is indeed a place on the map. Don't blink though, or you might miss it! While I was gone, Nana came down to help the King for a few days and spend time with the Prince. Not one of my boys was spoiled while I was away ;-)!

Aside from NEO, our weeks were filled with work...LCFD, AHS, and basketball! And, our weekends consumed with family, holiday events! There was even a snow day to help break up the hustle and bustle!

Christmas Eve morning we woke up bright and early! Nothing a little Mickey Mouse Club House can't cure!

We all got to open 1 gift...the house was dirty so the boys gave me the steam mop I'd asked for! How appropriate...the 2 people who make the biggest mess gift it to the person who is const

antly cleaning up after them! I did test it out when Jack took his nap =)!

We attempted Christmas Eve Mass. Mark and I both had a hunch we'd gotten dressed up for no reason whatsoever but I love Christmas Eve service and we both knew we needed to give it a go. We arrived 15 minutes early...and made it through the opening hymn before heading out the door. Atleast I got to sing 3 versus of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful"!

Santa did miraculously visit while we were at church! After calming a tantruming toddler, we uncorked a bottle of wine and tore into the gifts! Santa was good to all of us!

Christmas Day we headed to Coldwater! We hoped Jack would nap in the car and he had other plans. Hube and Avery came to Mike and Donna's before Katie and Madison came over...and thus began Christmas. We were spoiled!

And the month ended with a Kraman Family wedding on New Years Eve and both our guest bedrooms being utilized by grandparents! Thank goodness for Lolly & Poppy babysitting! (And waking up in the morning with Jack! Momma was tired =)! NYE pics coming soon!)

Jack's December Fun-Facts:

He's turning into Mr. Independent...feeding himself with a spoon...oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce...all things I was still attempting to have control over...gone! Not to mention brushing his teeth. He wants to do it too! His need for independence has also caused a month of tantrums! (Sometimes I really wonder why we want another one! We can hardly handle the one we have!) He's figured out how to climb onto the toilet while waiting for a bath, is a great helper when it comes to cleaning, and is attempting to talk more! He's begun to say "chooch" when referring to a train and "watch" means he wants to watch Mickey Mouse Club House (or, one of the many DVDs that is constantly out of the cabinet..."Cars" and "Toy Story" have become favorites). He cut one more tooth and I'm anxiously awaiting 3 more (the canines are causing great problems (and yes, I should know the letters for his baby teeth but lets face it, I'm still learning the adult teeth numbers!)) And, I suppose this really counts for January since its just begun happening but...he's able to point to his eyes, nose, and mouth when we ask where they are on his body, and he knows a doggy says "fff, fff" and a froggie says "rah, rah", says "horse" and bread is "bre"!

I'm Thankful For...

This big Cheese

Haha! Typical! Atleast Mark looks good!

Once again November came and went with a blink of an eye! I know I say this every month but this month, I really mean it. I started full time at Liberty Commons Family Dental and the days are flying by I don't even realize I'm hungry until I'm on my way home! We have made the adjustment to our new schedule. Well, the boys seem to be doing better than I am, but, we're surviving. And Mark has been doing lots of extra Daddy duty by picking Jack up most days and I'm swinging by school to get him during basketball practice.

On top of our busy work-weeks our weekends have been pretty busy too! Lolly & Poppy came down early in the month so we could go to a wedding. We made a trip to Columbus so Mark and Dad could go to the Penn State/OSU game, and then there was the first ever "Thanksmas" (def: Thursday = Thanksgiving; Friday = Christmas). Mom and Dad arrived just after I broke the cooking bag for the turkey (thank goodness I had another) and Mom happily took over my kitchen while I corked a bottle of wine!

And Christmas was a success! Jack "oooed" over his blocks, Legos, and broom. Mom and Dad salivated over their wine, and who would've thought a new coffee maker and Home Depot gift cards would cause so much glee!

The boys and their new brooms!

So with this new work schedule, the pictures are lacking. But Jack has certainly been developing, in mostly good ways =)!

My Jack updates for October completely escaped me (I didn't make notes ;-)!) so, the unforgotten October tidbits are:

• Acting like items are a phone. He'll hold all sorts of objects up to his ear and say "hello", but as soon as you try to have him talk on the phone, he just smiles.
• His cars now make noises! "Vrrrroooom, errr"
• He wants to climb the steps like a big person. No more hands and knees.
• When we come in from outside and I say "lets wash our hands", he goes into the bathroom.
• He also goes to his high chair when I tell him its time to eat.

As for November:

• We are running!
• And climbing on the couch!
• And "jumping"!
• And dancing!
• Jack has recently become obsessed with Mickey Mouse Club House and he'll walk into the family room, stand between the couch and ottoman, and start dancing.
• The not-so-fun development: Temper Tantrums
• He's starting "throwing trash away". Since he can't get into the cabinet where the trashcan actually is, he'll open the cabinet where my baking dishes are and put his trash in a dish!
• He is saying real words: ball, truck, bowl, shoes, uh-oh, more, & block (truck = any motor vehicle)
• He will "roar" at his lion, Ryan

I walked into the family room one evening to find this...

I have to say, I like his organizational skills =)

Jackosarus

Happy Halloween!

Goodies from Nana!

Books from Lolly!

Jackasarus!

Candysarus!

Dadasarus!