TWO!

**This was created on 10/21 but not published until the next month!

Our little guy will be TWO tomorrow!  The laughs and smiles you have brought to our entire family are unmeasurable!  At two Brody you love to high five and give an occasional fist punch when you can.  While you like school and are mostly described as "cheerful & happy" most days, drop off is not easy.  You fight the good fight and try not to cry but once we leave the room we can look back and see your little head down, lip out fighting tears. 

You love clothes..you love to wear your shoes or boots around the house.  You just outgrew your favorite Blue crocs but we have a pair lined up for the winter for you.  You love boots, shoes, mommy's shoes, daddy's shoes and Jake's shoes.  Your jacket doesn't come off right when you enter daycare or home..you like to wear it for a while and decided when YOU want it to come off. 

You love the ipad and laptop and watch "Mickey House" when you do watch.  You love to sing "Tinkle Tinkle little star", Happy Birthday a Itsy Bitsy Spider.  You will be playing in your playroom and just bust out in song.  You also love Elmo, Wheels on the Bus, Elmo's Wheels on the Bus and Minions (like your bro).  When you pick up a phone it's always answered with "Hello, YAYA"! 

You give hugs and kisses freely and also like to cuddle.  Bed time is still a bit tough as you fight the good fight and still need to be rocked.  You have battled Croup this past September and made your way to Hasbro for the first time - charming the nurses and doctors the entire time.  You took your latest flu shot like a champ and howled, but did not shed a tear.  You are a little toughy!  Although you are the baby of the family you sure do hold your own ground!

You have started to climb out of your crib in the past two months.. but Mommy and Daddy have put you in a sleep sack so that you cannot lift your leg over that rail.  We are winning..but we are sure that this will not last long.  We do see a big boy bed in your room very soon. 

Your second birthday "party" was a trip to Lowell for a night in a hotel (swimig twice!) and a Wild Kratts live show. 

Brody:  Guess what, Jake!
Jake: What, Brody?
Brody:  I love you too, Jake!

You get him every time!

I may be lax on the bog - but its not for lack of love.. from your dirty blonde surfer do to your stinky feet - we love you more and more every day!!

 

BroBro

Dear Brody,

I'm sorry.  If the internet is still "cool" or "around" when you are older and have time to read this.. you will realize I have dropped the ball on the documentation of your life.  We love you, we really do.  It's just going from a family of three to four is pretty demanding and well..you're sleeping habits don't allow for much down time.  Don't get me wrong, at 19 months you are a good sleeper.  Asleep by 8 each night at the latest and you do sleep through the night.  For that, I am extremely greatful.  It's just your morning routine that is less than desired.  You wake up at 6:15 AM each morning, sometimes a tad earlier and you are ready to go!  "Mama, dadda, mammmmmmaa, daddddaa, mama, dadda, mama, dadda, mammmmmaaaa'.  You are super cute when we stumble in and never fail to say 'HI Mama or HI Dadda" when we enter.  We quickly scoop you up and pray that your big brother doesn't wake.  He, unlike you, loves to sleep in.  He has even complained once or twice about it recently.  You are a cuddle bug and can usually stay still for about 10-15 minutes and cuddle in our bed.  After that, you are eager to wake your brother..running up the hall and busting in the room to wake him. 


Is this so bad?  No!! Could you sleep a little later?  YES!  So forgive me if my lack of sleep has prevented me from documenting your life as much as I did for your brother.  (excuses, i know)

At 19 months, you are a spitfire!  Your blond hair and blue eyes make you a little charmer.  You greet everyone with a "HIIII" or leave with a "BYYYYEEE".  When you blow kisses, you melt my heart. While you do like to scope a scene out for a few minutes, I wouldn't call you shy.  You love to run, and have a bounce in your step when you do.  You love your trycycle right now, but also love to try to ride Jake's scooter.  You love being pulled around the block in your wagon, playing at the YMCA and running up and down your grandparents backyard. 

Your big brother is in love with you, just as you are with him.  You love to mimic him, play with him, pull his hair and shout his name at the top of your lungs.  You, my little friend, are the best gift we could give him.  Once we had Jake and moved up here to West Warwick, or #1 goal was to make him a big brother.  While it took far longer than we ever expected or wanted, it happened. You are the gift that we waited for to complete our family.  Your hugs, your kisses (mmmmmmmm with your bottom lip over your top lip) your personality, even your sleeping habits..we wanted it all and we got it.  So, if your upset that we aren't blogging...it's just because we are tired AND hanging out with our two favorite boys. 


Now...time for a nap.  ;)

2013 in review

Why not sum up 2013 in one post?

January and February..were pretty great.  Jake, Brody and I were enjoying my maternity leave and got to do some fun things while I was home with them.  A winter blizzard came in early February and we survived!
Alex was extended in his long term sub position until the end of the school year.  What a blessing that was!
The end of February came the broken leg for Jake...traumatizing for us all.  Phone into the toilet just minutes before, lost on the way to the hospital, carrying a crying 4 year old and a 5 month old to the car was impossible but done.  Jake was one brave boy and even had me convinced when we got to the hospital that maybe his leg wasn't broken.  It was.  A cast..wheelchair..lots of love from family and friends.  Toys..lot's of "feel better toys".
The following week, I went back to work and Kaylin jumped in as their nanny.  The transition was a tad rough for Jake.  He was very used to me being home and wanted me to stay home forever.  We all did.  It wasn't happening.. A broken leg, his mom going back to work, no more daycare and his brother moving into his bedroom.  Woah. It was a lot but we all survived!
The spring went well and Jake was back outside running as if his leg was never broken.  Yes, he favored it a bit..but he healed amazingly well and quickly.  Daddy coached lacrosse and his team did very well.. just one win from the finals.  Coach had a great season!
Summer brought trips to the spray park at the Y, lots of parks, Jake's outdoor birthday party (Octonaut themed), a trip to Ogunquit Maine with the Ronan family for Christian's run.  Jake lost his two bottom teeth at Papa's house in early July.  The tooth fairy came and he was excited to get money under his pillow.  Alex had his neck surgery late July and he also healed like a champ.  A couple of weeks later we went to Lake George and had a great time with family.  The Mini ha ha, Great Escape, the beach, arcade games, campfires, grilling out and Saratago were highlights.  Jake won many races with his #5 horse!
Alex and Jake headed back to school at the end of August.  A HUGE highlight was that Alex stopped smoking cigarettes on Jake's first day of school.  We are SO very proud of him for accomplishing this.  I know it's not always easy for him but he has not bought a pack since August and I couldn't be more proud.
School is school.. Jake is doing great and his handwriting is getting great and his writing is so cute!!  He amazes us with his sentences and his reading.
Brody's first borthday party (pumpkins) was great and we were again blessed to be surrounded by family and friends.  He had a great time and all the kids who came dressed in costume!  He was a pumpkin, Corey was Elmo, Jake was Yoda, we had fairies and princes and lots of fun!!

Halloween was great as well.. Yoda and Clark Kent had a great time walking Mimi And Grampy's neighborhood.  We even did a few houses on our street...very cute and very fun.

Thanksgiving was spent in RI with our family here and it was a lot of fun..and a lot less stressful with a short ride rather than a long one to MA.. although we missed our out of state fam!  Alex started coaching girls basketball soon after and is liking it.
Christmas season was magical.  Jake is still obsessed with the 12 Days of Christmas and loves to sing Christmas carrolls!  We met Santa just days before Christmas at Bass Pro Shop and both boys smiled happily on his lap!  Christmas eve was spent at the Rainvilles..Christmas morning at our house..a few hours of opening presents and enjoying the moments.  We trucked it to Papa's house and then the Stabach home that day.  We had LOTS of fun with grandparents, cousins and aunts and uncles.  Christmas night at the Stabach home has been a tradition I look forward to all year.  It reminds me of Christmas Eve at my grandmothers house.. family family and more family.  We then had RI Christmas a few days later at Mimi & Grampy's and enjoyed breakfast and presents there this year without having to rush off.  The kids were spoiled and we had a a great time with ALL of our family.

2014 is here and we hope its a fabulous year for the Gregson family!  We have lots of goals this year and are hoping to accomplish them. This WILL be year Alex gets his permanent teaching job!  #believe.


Second child Brody has not been as documented as his older brother..the guilt continues!  He was walking at 10 months, is talking up a storm lately (gibberish) and got his first haircut on Jan. 4th!  He cried the entire time!  At the end he was happy to get his prize and was pulling at where his hair had been for 14 months.  While I did NOT want to cut it.. he looks much better and his beautiful blue eyes can seen clearly now.  He loves his big brother and always wants to do what he is doing.  "What does the Fox say?" is their favorite song and they both sing and dance when it comes on.  Brody can say "Jah" for Jake, Dada for Daddy, Mama, ya ya, mimi.. and his newest is BYE! He giggles and loves to be tickled like his big brother..loves jumping on our bed, waking up at about 6:30-7 each morning and running the house.  Jake and him could run the house for hours if we let them.  They love chasing each other.  It's really awesome to see their relationship grow. Big Bro & Little Bro..the love of our lives.

Speaking of love.. Tuesday marks the 17 year mark for Alex and I.  It's so crazy to us that 17 years has passed so quickly.  Seems like just yesterday we were Juniors at the Mack and living life as single kid free college students.  We have been blessed with some amazing things over the past 17 years but by far J & B top the list.  We are exhausted daily, do heaps of laundry weekly, go through more bread, peanut butter, jelly and milk than I could ever imagine..but i couldn't imagine life without them.