Ice Fishing

Tis the season for winter activities (I guess...). Last weekend Stephen took Dylan and our nephew Ryan to the Lake for a day with the guys ice fishing. I don't know a lot about this activity but it's something Dylan gets very excited about. Dylan has lots of uncles who are very outdoorsy (he comes from a long line of hunters. The kids got to spend the entire afternoon out on the ice with the Poley guys which had to be so much fun. I know the boys had a ball! His favorite part was when someone had a brilliant idea to tie his sled to the dogs collar. The dog has a lot of energy and was running around on the ice with Dyl on the sled. He thought it was hysterical. Not a lot of fish were caught that afternoon but Dylan has lots of fun stories that he has been telling me and his friends all week long.

Big Brother

I hope my girls know one day how fortunate they are to have a big brother. I prayed every day when I was growing up for a brother but got four sisters. Being the oldest I always had to be the responsible child and make sure that I set an example for my sisters. When I was pregnant with Brynn, Dylan was too little to understand the concept of having a baby brother or baby sister. He was thrilled, however, when Brynnie arrived because he was the only boy. Then when we told him that he was getting another sibling, he said for 9 long months he wanted a baby brother named Thomas that he could play trains with (of course). We opted not to find out the sex of our 3rd baby and keep it a surprise. When Emily arrived Stephen and I pretty much flipped a coin to decide which one of us was going to break the news to Dylan that the baby brother that he wanted to badly was actually another sister.

My son was thrilled, to say the least, that he had another baby and has not once in 7 weeks mentioned not having a baby brother. He adores Emily. He draws her pictures at school (again of trains since Emily is one of the characters from Thomas the Train). He put his little wooden Emily train on her dresser in her bedroom because he wants his sister to have it. He's a wonderful big brother. He heads the kids off at school from touching his sister because they have germs. He'll actually put himself between the carseat and the kids and will inform them "YOU HAVE TO WASH YOUR HANDS TO TOUCH HER!!!" He'll sing to her, lay by her and just hold her hand, feed her bottles (for about 20 seconds until his interest goes elsewhere).

When it comes to Brynnie, Dylan has no patience but he does love to play with her. They'll spend the mornings playing hide and seek, trains, house, tea party and dress up. Of course Dylan is Spiderman or a Pirate. He's been caught snuggling on the couch with Brynn to watch tv, they'll hide in our living room and eat candy (which they both know they're not supposed to be doing). They'll chase eachother around the island in our kitchen or pretend they are dinosaurs. They will sit for hours and color, do puzzles together or read. There are days when they are fighting, taddling on eachother or just plain mean to eachother but I do know that there's a lot of love.

Dylan is an overprotective big brother. He's very sweet (for the most part) when it comes to his sisters.

sisters

The first two weeks when Emme came home from the hospital was very hard for little Brynnie. She was the baby and little princess for so long and then we bring this baby home and her world was turned upside down. It took a little while but one morning Brynn woke up and she must have realized Emily is here to stay. She loves her baby sister so much (and that's what she calls Em--her "baby sister" or lately "honey bunny"). I love having two girls. I dress them alike (which I know they will hate one day). I'm looking forward to tea parties, playing dress up and taking them to NYC to the American Girl store. Here are some pics of the sisters. I hope they grow up to love each other, respect each other and be the best of friends....

pig tails

This pic of Brynn cracks me up...

Trains, trains and more trains...

Dylan has trains on his mind 24/7 and I know he even dreams about trains. Daddy was on a mission at Christmas to find Dylan a Lionel train and bought the Polar Express electric train.

Dyl has been a little cranky the last week so I have been bribing him (bad mommy). I told him if he woke up in a good mood, didn't fight with his sister and cry or whine I would take him to the local furniture store that had a Lionel train display. So this morning he woke up happy, ate breakfast without whining, was overall a pleasant little boy I know he can be. I dropped him off at school and told him that if he behaved all day, I definitely would take him to see the model trains. So 2:15 rolled around and as soon as I walked into his classroom he announced "i've been such a good boy all day mommy, time to go to the furniture store!" I followed through on my end and now Dylan is on a train-high now and cannot wait to get home and put the tunnel up on his Lionel train...boy of boy he LOVES his trains...

Brynn's first snowmobile ride

We were blessed with some 'nice' weather on Sunday. Stephen had to go out plowing again which seems to be a daily occurance this winter, but was home early enough to play outside with the kids. Dylan woke up Sunday morning and was literally jumping up and down when he looked outside his bedroom window and saw the snowmobile in the backyard. Brynn was way too little last year to even attempt to ride but she started chiming in right behind her brother "I wanna ride that too". I didn't get a chance to get a pic of Dylan and Stephen riding, but I did get a pic of Brynn. She was so top heavy with her helmet on but didn't want to get off of her "ride".

Watching tv

I had another opportunity to take a picture of the 3 kids together last night. I never get all three together since someone seems to always be whining or crying when I get the camera out. It amazes me how different the girls look but how much Emily is starting to resemble her big brother these days. My goddaughter was over on Saturday and was looking at the pictures I have in my foyer and she said "I don't remember Brynnie being that dark!" My little princess was born with olive skin (like daddy) and tons of dark black hair. I think Jess was assuming that all babies look alike when they are brothers and sisters and was expecting to see Emily with dark hair and olive skin. I love my kids to pieces and it makes me sad watching them grow up. It's going by way to fast!