Skyler!

Although I try not to do too many time outs with the kids, when I do, I usually give them a warning first. Then, if the behavior continues, I pick them up and say "that's so sad" and then I take them up to their rooms.

Well, Skyler has picked up on this and last night I told her "if you scream at me again, you are going to have a time out." She took a deep breath and let out a huge scream...followed up by "soooo sad....time out". I couldn't help laughing as I carried her up the stairs.

by Brie Jensen

Our favorite nannies!







Ted and Stephanie came into town this last week to get their "kid fix" on and to help us out as we, once again, transition nannies. Of course, the kids absolutely loved it. I know that they would take manny grandpa and nanny stephie over anyone! It was a rainy week but we all got out when we could. Leif and I took advantage with a date night and I even had some time to get my hair done and get a massage! We feel so blessed that it is so easy to have the grandparents in the house! Thank you Grandpa and Stephie!

by Brie Jensen

Bath Time ABC's - Baby #2!

If you look back on the blog to October 23, 2009, you will see a video of Liam doing the exact same thing - laying on his back in the tub singing the abc's! Now it's Skyler's turn...

by Brie Jensen

Liam's New Haircut


We have been scrambling quite a bit lately because our nanny is pregnant (yes, this is the third nanny to have gotten pregnant while working for us!) and has not been feeling up to working all of the time. While we look for someone we can trust with the most precious things in the world, Leif and I have been trading off mornings and afternoons. It has been rough, I'm not going to lie.

Although we are desperately trying to stay present with the kiddos, there has been a few times when work and kids have overlapped. Like today, when I had a meeting (at the house), Leif was on a conference call, Skyler was, thankfully, napping, and Liam was watching a movie in our room. Assuming all was well and even having dreams that he may have fallen asleep while watching the movie, I did not think twice when he came downstairs and told me to "look at my cool hair." He has been putting water on it lately to make it look like he has gel in it, so I assumed that was what he was talking about. "Oh, it looks SO cool" I told him.
"Do you want to see where I put all my hair?" (Record screeches to a halt) "Huh?"
Then I noticed the bald spot on top of his head. He took me up to the bathroom where he had very carefully placed the stool in the bathtub (like his dad does when daddy cuts Liam's hair), sat on the chair, and cut the top of his hair with his kiddy scissors.
I laughed because he kept telling Leif he did it because it looked "cool." I figure it could have been a lot worse had Skyler been awake!

by Brie Jensen

10 minutes...


Skyler is getting TOO smart. She hears her brother and picks up on the little stuff. Tonight she would not go to sleep (which is rare for the little sleep bug). We sang about 10 songs and I must have tried 4 times to get her down. This last time, she was calling "mommy, mommy" from her crib. I went into the room and told her "it's time to go night night Skyler." She bats her eyes at me and says "noooo.....10 minutes."

Does she even know what "10 minutes" means or is she just saying that because Liam always says it???

by Brie Jensen

Papa's VIsit



"Papa's coming," Skyler kept repeating over and over this morning. We all picked my dad up from the airport today and the kids could not stop giggling in the back seat on our way home. Liam immediately asked why papa sounds like a duck (papa makes duck sounds every time he sees them). I love that he remembered this.

Skyler wanted nothing to do with me when we got out of the car and said "NO! Papa hold her...papa hold her." She loved to touch his mustache and laugh....
We spent the weekend relaxing and watching football. It was a rainy weekend so the fact that the Seahawks and Greenbay played was perfect. Even more perfect was that they both won their games so Leif and dad were happy!

by Brie Jensen

You are my Sunshine


I was putting Skyler to sleep tonight and, like we always do, we sat down in the rocking chair to drink her milk while I sing her some songs. I started to sing "You are my Sunshine" when all of the sudden, she began to sing it with me. My heart just about hit the floor. She is the sweetest little thing!

by Brie Jensen

Little Conversations

This is a side story to our trip to Crystal Mountain. We stayed at Alta Crystal where the kids slept out in the living room and Leif and I slept in the bedroom. In the morning, I heard Skyler stirring in her crib. I knew she was up but I was too sleepy to go get her. Then I hear her call for Liam. This is their conversation:

Skyler: "Yieyum" (Liam)
Liam: "Yeah. Good mooorning."
Skyler: "Moorning"
Liam: "see I am right here Skyler. Do you want your milk?"
Skyler: "Milk"
Liam: "You can't have milk because your sick. Do you want some juice? Some apple juice?"
Skyler: "Juice"
Liam: "Here you go. Don't drink too much. Skyler. Skyler. Skyler. Give it to me. Don't drink too much. Give it to me. SKYLER." (Giving up, I hear him walk away to go get his own juice)
Skyler: "mommy"
Liam: "mommy is sleeping. I will go get her."

by Brie Jensen

Liam shows off his crazy skills!


After fighting the stomach bug for 4 days and putting off our trip to Crystal for 3 (sold it on Craigslist - phew!), we finally were able to head up to Crystal mountain last Sunday. We were up to the mountain by 10 and met Jen and Jesse at their absolutely perfect ski in ski out apartment. They had a babysitter who offered to watch Skyler along with Noah so Liam, Leif and I could ski together. We thought about putting Liam in a lesson however that did not work out the greatest since you have to be 4 years old and when Leif told the front desk woman that Liam was 4, Liam threw a huge fit screaming at Leif that he was only 3! So instead, we plopped Liam in between us on the chair lift and rode up the bunny hill. Leif started out by putting Liam between his legs but it only took a half of run for Liam to be off by himself! He absolutely LOVED it! He would giggle the whole way down and when he fell, he would laugh hysterically. Leif and I were beaming - silly smiles from ear to ear the whole time!
That afternoon, Leif watched the kids and I got to ski for a couple hours with Jesse. That night, Jen, Jesse and Noah came over to our little cabin at Alta Crystal where we ate enchiladas and mostly talked about the kids - funny how life has changed for us all!
The next morning, Leif headed out to ski a couple hours in the morning and then he took Liam up the gondola to ski Liam's first "Top to Bottom." He said Liam had a blast! Skyler and I hung out in the lodge - a hot cocoa for Skyler, a glass of wine for mom! So fun.

by Brie Jensen

Christmas Day


Liam came racing down the stairs this morning asking "Is Santa here??" We looked at the cookies in front of the fireplace and they had been all eaten up! He opened his present from Santa - a piano! Just what he had asked for! Skyler spent her morning putting her new toys in and then pulling them out of her stocking. She too was asking about "Fanta." She got a princess crown, earings and a necklace that she has been wearing ever since. She puts them on each morning and walks around like "so what - I'm a princess." Ted and Stephanie were there with us enjoying the action and helping us to get out the door!
Off to the airport in plenty of time (too much time actually, as I had gotten the flight time wrong by a whole hour!). Once there, our flight was delayed time and time again and we finally left for Santa Rosa 4.5 hours late! I was starting to get so stressed out because I kept thinking "Leif is never going to travel with me again!" when I received a text message from Leif (he was giving Liam suitcase rides around the airport - they must have walked over 4 miles!) The text message said "remember that Christmas we were in the airport all day and it was a great Christmas anyway because we were together?" I couldn't have asked for anything more. All my stress melted away and we just focused on playing with the kids. They were in heaven and could have cared less that we were stuck in the airport! They had mom and dad and a HUGE playground.
We finally got to Santa Rosa around 6 and everyone (Uncle Alan, Auntie Anita, Kayla, Jada, Chani, Aunt Chris and mom) had waited for us for dinner. So many smiles when we walked in the door and so much attention and excitement towards the kids made it all worth it. We had seafood soup and the kids went absolutely nuts on the clams. Uncle Alan (who I am convinced Liam thinks is one of the Wiggles) pulled out his guitar and both my kids stripped down to undies and diapers for a Christmas dance and singing party (what is it with our kids getting naked??). Since then, Uncle Alan has written a song for the kids titled "I want to get naked!"
We got to the hotel around 10 and Skyler fell right asleep. Liam was geeked out that he got to sleep in his own hotel bed right next to mom and dad. He kept popping his head up to look over at us.
Merry Christmas! It was a memorable one!

by Brie Jensen