Always On Holladays

Bryn

Bryn been saying some strange things in her prayers lately…it takes effort not to laugh after.  She memorized the first Article of Faith in January, and I think it’s a source of confusion for her.  It’s near the end that she gets confused and it ends up going something like this:

“In the name of Jesus Christ, and in his Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost, and the son will be perfect for everyone, and melt the ice, so we don’t slip and fall…and when I do fall, that will be silly and mommy will hold my hand.”  And then she goes to end the prayer, and gets confused again with the article of faith!  Sometimes she does this 2 or 3 times per prayer!  I just wonder if the “sun melting the ice” part will stick once we are into summer.  

Good big sister

We were going to walk up to get the mail yesterdaythe other day and Russell was being “difficult”, and ended up staying home with Justin.  So as we started walking Bryn says to me, “I’m dust happy, Mom.”  I said, “I know you are, that’s so nice.”  She said, “We don’t want whining and fwying (crying)…dat’s not dood.”   What a little goody goody!  

The other day Bryn heard me opening the window and door in the kitchen so that we could get some fresh air in the house (finally a nice day) and came running into the kitchen and said, “What are you cooking Mom?”  I guess she just assumed I was burning something agian!  Actually, our smoke detector in this house is super sensitive…even just the heat from opening the oven door will make it go off…I’m really not THAT bad of a cook!  So it is common to have to open the door and window while cooking.  Sometimes Russell will even grab a towel and start flipping it around trying to get the smoke to dissapate.

She still loves to draw, and even did a masterpiece on the wall beside her bed! I’m going to have to break out the magic eraser one of these days.  

Her new bike

Her favorite color is pink.  Everything has to be pink…the dish she eats off of, the cup she uses, her shoes, her clothes, books, toys, pencils and pens, and even her multi-vitamin.  The other day, some good friends of ours gave Bryn a bike (luckily it was pink) that their daughter had grown out of.   It only took a day for her to catch on how to ride – and she absolutely loves it!  

She’s the “spunky” one of the house – always doing something silly, or teasing her brothers.  I’ve often referred to her as the “comic relief” of the family – she’s a lot of fun!

As a general rule, I try to avoid torture.  Most people I know do the same.  However, as exciting, adventurous, and rewarding as it is to be a mother, there are certain aspects of it that are just that – torture!  Which brings me to today’s topic:  Potty Training.

My mom has told me several times how “easy” I was to potty train.  And not to toot my own horn or anything (no pun intended), but she also said I was super easy to raise…just a “really great kid”!  (Well, I don’t know if that is a direct quote, but I’m sure if I asked her if I was a “really great kid” that she’d say yes.)  That second part has nothing to do with this post – I just wanted to brag…

Potty Training

Anyways, back to potty training…Bryn has come to that age where we figured she could learn to use the potty.  That, and diapers are so stinkin’ expensive!  So far it’s made me so frustrated that I feel like stabbing myself in the eyes with toothpicks.  It’s taking weeks and weeks so far, and she’s only actually told us she needs to go maybe 3 times.  

Someone told me the other day that if you make them help clean up their own messes, they get repulsed and this results in faster training. So, today when Bryn pooped her pants and some of the “nuggets” shall we call them, fell onto the bathroom floor, I figured this would be a great time to try this theory.  She looked pretty disgusted just seeing them on the floor, so I was pretty hopeful.  I gave her some toilet paper and said “Here Bryn, pick up your poop with these and put it in the potty.”  She did it, but not with the result I had hoped…she thought it was absolutely hilarious!  She giggled like she had just been tickled or something!  I’m pretty disappointed my evil plan fell through!

It has been Christmas holidays though and a lot of noise and confusion everywhere and we haven’t been home for weeks, so I’ll let some of the lack of success be blamed on that.  I’m beginning to wonder if this will ever work!  I’ve run out of ideas.  I try using my “fresh supply of patience” that I wake up with every morning (note the sarcasm) but that only lasts until 7 or so…AM!  We’ll keep plugging away though, and maybe one day, even if this “day” is years away, she’ll actually be trained.  Cross my fingers…

Bryn is, as my blog title suggests, “tough as nails”.  I think in the past month she’s had 2 black eyes, and several other bumps and bruises all over her head and body.  No, we don’t beat her.  She just goes a hundred miles an hour!  Then add a little clutziness, and a few pieces of furniture, and this is what you get:

Black Eye

The other day our family went to get the flu shot.  While we were filling out the papers before the shot, Bryn slipped and conked her head on the table.  It sounded like it would hurt, and the ladies at the table kind of held their breath.  Bryn just stood up and continued chattering.  The ladies said, “Woah, she’s a tough kid!” Then it was our turn for the needles.  I went first, then Justin, and Russell (who cried a little), and then it was Bryn’s turn.  She sat up on Justin’s lap, and they rolled up her sleeve.  I waited for her to start crying, wimpering, something at least, because she had just watched them give it to Russell as he cried…but nothing!  She sat there with her tough girl face on (black and blue bruises above each eye) and watched as they gave her the shot.  She didn’t even flinch!  We couldn’t believe it.  Although I remember when she was I think 6 months old or so, and we had gone in to get some immunization shots, and she did the same thing.  Didn’t even phase her.   

Being so haphazzard, she can get a little messy too.  

Whether drawing…

Drawing...on everything!

No matter how much I tell her, “only draw on paper” this inevitably happens. Only crayons from now on!  Every once in a while I find crayon scribbles on my walls or doors.  

In the mud

Or playing.  Right before I took this picture, she had informed me that she had to take her crocs off because they were dirty.  Makes sense to me!?

As messy and dangerous as she is, Bryn is sure fun to have around!  Not a speck of boring in her…

Crazy Girl