Ted Doesn't Know it Either...

More and more Brykn is saying the funniest things. Today, as we were watching the Red Skins playing football and they were about to execute a stupid play, Brandon said, "Man, the Red Skins are idiots." Brykn popped up and quickly said, "No, Dad! The Red Skins are Indians." Then, after a really brief pause, continued, "It's okay Dad, Ted doesn't know it either." I laughed myself sick and Brandon stood 100% corrected. The fact that he corrected the Indian for the Idiot was funny, but even funnier is the fact that Ted is Brykn's stuffed bear. Brykn was trying to make Brandon feel better by telling him that Ted didn't know the difference either, but considering that Ted has safety pins holding his ragged little body together and is brainless (literally), it really wasn't a compliment. Too funny!

Christmas Lights

I've heard it said that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles Christmas lights...I really hate to guess what that says about Brandon. Now Brykn, on the other hand, is easy to pinpoint: so excited!

Brykn was ecstatic when we decided to hang the Christmas lights outside. Brandon muttered under his breath, but after he saw Brykn's excitement, he came around and not a single curse word was said while he climbed the latter (after that I couldn't hear...). Brykn handled the lights on the bushes, helped us with the lights on our pillars, and was more than enough help managing the lighted candy canes. And, when it was all said and done, Brykn was SO proud of our house. He asked me why people hang Christmas lights and the best answer I could come up with was "So Santa will know where they live." From there forward, we don't pass a lighted house without Brykn saying, "Santa's gonna know where they live, huh mom?!"

1 Dog + 1 Boy = True Friendship

After lots and lots of begging, we got Bandit the dog just a few months ago...but, he's now a part of the family. Bandit and Brykn play like brothers and Bandit is getting more and more protective of Brykn. They race each other, jump on the trampoline (and I do mean the dog jumps), and they even play baseball (Brykn hits the ball and Bandit retrieves it). I'll admit there have been times I have swore and cussed the dog, but all in all I am so glad he's ours--and, so is Brykn!

More Halloween Photos

So Fun it was Scary!

This Halloween was filled with party after party! And, since Brykn absolutely LOVES a good party, we celebrated at all of them! Brykn knew exactly what he wanted to be for Halloween from the first time we talked about it--a skunk. He did not waiver! So, after looking at all the costume shops from here to Timbucktoo, I finally found a really cute one on the Internet (good thing because he was convinced that I could sew him one).

Our first party was at a house just up the street. We didn't actually know the people hosting it, but some friends of our did, so we tagged along. It was a lot of fun! They had a huge shed/shop that they set up a bunch of food, made a haunted house inside a duck blind, and made tables for pumpkin painting. Then, they had hay rides on a wagon with a horse team, ponies for the kids to ride, and even a bunny to hold. Brykn thought the bunny was the best--they were fuzzy friends!

Our second party was Grandma Sally's party and Brykn had a great time "carting" the pumpkins. He even made one for the baby! Grandma Sally even made a cake--because every good party has cake!

Finally, our third party was the offical Halloween day trick-or-treating and party at Jeannie's house. Complete in our costumes (I was an angel...but, since my belly is sticking out, I hung a sign around my neck that said, "The DEVIL made me DO IT!") Brykn and I made it to a grand total of 4 houses in our neighborhood before he had had 100% enough of trick-or-treating. Geez!

Jeannie's house was a lot of fun, as always. Decorated to the 9's and food galore, there were 2 real highlights of the night. First, was Grandma. Dressed in her "Oldest Survivor of Woodstock...Peace Baby!" costume, she made us all laugh and laugh! Second, was when my mom knocked on the door dressed as Frankenstein with mask and all. The kids really didn't know what to think. Brykn just kept looking at her and holding on around my neck as tight as he could!

News to Share...

Well, it's official! We are having a new baby!!!!!!! We decided to wait awhile before sharing our exciting news and I am now about 20 weeks pregnant. I'm feeling pretty good (although I'm just past the hurling my guts out stage) other than a really bad headache now and then. I seem to be growing by the day and my expanding middle is now at a point that it's impossible to hide.

We decided to share our fun and exciting news with Brykn first. He was so cute! We told him about a month ago and I think he's just now catching on to the idea of being a brother and having a sibiling. The video here is when we told him that a brother or a sister was in his VERY near future.

We then told my parents at a trip to Lagoon the next day. I had to wait until Brandon was there because he had a horse show that morning. Waiting until 1:00 was sure difficult! Not only because I wanted to tell everybody, but mostly because everybody wanted me to ride the rides and I kept having to come up with excuses why I didn't want to. Eeeek!!! Finally, when Brandon got there, I gave the ultrasound pictures to Brykn and told him to show Grandma and Grandpa his new pictures. Considering that he and I had been there for 4 hours and not said a word (I'm still stunned that he didn't spill the beans), they were shocked to say the least! My mom started jumping up and down and my dad sort of just stood there until he realized what the pictures were. That jumping was followed by a whole lot more jumping by Jeannie and Kelli and many congratulatory and "way to go's" to Brandon!

The next day I was sick as could be! Brykn and I were still in our jammies at 1:00 in the afternoon and Brandon was back at the horse show. I had finally convinced myself that I would feel better if I atualy got up and did something. Just as I grabbed the broom, Sally knocked on the door. Embarassed at the way we looked and green with nausea, we invited her in. She visited for a few minutes when Brykn said, "Grandma, did you know my mom has a baby in her belly?" I laughed for a minute because I was really hoping he wouldn't say anything until Brandon could be there, but once those words were out, they were out! She looked surprised, but really excited. Then, we showed her the pictures too. Fortunately, Brandon got home before she left and there were hugs all around!

Finally, it's important for everybody to know that we found out today that this kid is a GIRL! That's right, a frilly, cute little GIRL! We are really excited--but, then again, we would have been excited with a boy too--doesn't matter to me. A healthy baby is all I am really praying for! I guess so much for Brykn's "Not a sister!"

Lagoon!

Just like old times, we went to Lagoon as an extended family this year. It was a ton of fun! Watching Tate and Brykn get so excited to ride the rides brought back so many memories. I remember when Puff the Dragon was the most thrilling ride in the entire park. It's funny to see that Puff has lasted the generation!