Our Tiny Tot

This week Brennen started a class at the rec center called Tiny Tots. He does not call it preschool, he calls it Tiny Tots because that is the real official title of it and Brennen likes to be precise. I have no idea where he gets that. It cracks us up that he insists on this title because he doesn't really get that this makes him sound small and well... tiny. Anytime I say that he is littler than someone or something, he barks, "I am NOT little! I'm big!" So this is why we laugh. With him, not at him, of course.

Bren has been loving his class and his teacher's name is Miss Cathy. He only goes twice a week and it is only for 1 1/2 hours, but it's an experience, right? (And guess what? Mommy gets to go to Target for one whole hour to browse by herself! It's bliss! ) It is a three year old class, so there are mostly kids in it who just turned 3. Brennen will be 4 in October, so the maturity level is vast, but he doesn't seem to notice and just thinks everyone talks out loud a lot and constantly tells him they are "Free!" holding up three tiny fingers.

Here is Brennen in action in his first classroom experience:

At the rec center

playing with jungle animals (the two in the background are twins!)

carpet time with Miss Cathy

tiny tables and tiny chairs

"I see the B for Brennen!"

First Things First

This week Olivia started the first grade...

Can this possibly be the same child who wore preemie-sized clothes?

We love you, Liv.

Going to the Chapel of Love

My little brother is getting married today. He is 9 years younger than me and he has always seemed like the baby.
I remember how we shared my room while he was still in his crib and I would wake up to the squeaky sound of the springs because he was jumping up and down, eager for me to wake up and look at him.
I remember how one time when he was a newborn he was so fussy, which was rare, and I was the only one who could calm him and rock him to sleep.
I remember how when we would drive in the car, I would reach over his carseat and run my fingers over his soft face so that he would fall asleep faster. He loved that and always requested it, even as he got older.
I remember that I taught him the sign for "apple" and he would always come to me as a one year old and twist his fist in his cheek and say "app-a joo!" for apple juice.
I remember volunteering in his kindergarten class once a week, as if I were the mom, and knowing all of his little friends and his teacher so well.
I remember that he had the fullest head of hair of any little boy you have ever met and when my future husband hung out with him he gave him the name "Hairs."
I remember that after that name stuck, he would randomly come up with silly jokes and the answer to the joke was always "HAIR!!!" and he would laugh hysterically at himself, which in turn made us all laugh hysterically.

There are so many memories of Johnny Wonny and on this day I am thinking of them all. How could he be a man now, ready to begin a family of his own? How is he old enough to love a woman and dedicate his entire life to her? In many ways, Johnny was my first experience at mothering, even when I was still a child, so I am feeling the pain of one who helped raise the little guy. I can't imagine how my mom will feel today watching her youngest born walk down that aisle. All I know is that he is loved immensely and I am so thankful for all of the memories I have of our times together. I am excited to make new ones with his new wife, Courtney, and I am reminded once again to embrace my time with my own kiddos right now...

One day I will be blogging about their wedding day.