He just wants to do "big" things....

You are so big now all of a sudden. You have gotten totally in to potty training and while you still have accidents, you are doing 100% better than you were this time last month as you weren't even remotely interested. And now you have a big boy bed with all new bedding, an actual comforter with a real pillow and sheets! I set it all up for you guys so you would see it when you came home the other day and you ran in there all excited about it. You came running out of your room and said, "mom...did you see my new bedding?!" Of course your sister could have cared less about hers but I think she secretly likes it. You are just my more passionate one about details. You love saying prayers and it's the cutest thing to hear you say. You say all the things you are thankful for and you pray for everything including doors, sheets, trains, you name it, you pray for it. Then you do the sign of the cross alternating hands at the end and every pray ends with an exited "PRAISE THE LORD, THANK YOU JESUS!" I think you're going to be a preacher of some sort. You ask 100 questions a day at least. You guys are the language police also. If someone says Oh my God, stupid, or anything else you think is inappropriate, you are sure to say, "We don't say "Oh my god..." Papa Greg gets corrected a lot...he loves it! :) You call Gatorade alligator juice, I guess that sort of makes sense. You love being outside doing anything. Riding your bike, washing the car, you got a fishing pole for your birthday and are really excited to try it out. You still love trains but are recently obsessed with dinosaurs. Mama Julie bought you some dinosaurs for your birthday and they're pretty big and they sleep and eat with you. It's pretty hilarious to see T-Rex in bed with you at night b/c he's almost as big as you are! Whenever I say something like, "you need to use your fork to eat yourself b/c you're 3 and you're a big boy now" your response is always the same. "You don't want me to get big right? But you want me to do big things right?" So yes, I do want you to do big things but you can stop growing up so fast anytime....

Finley Paige: the mastermind behind the plan

Rewind to your last weekend as two year olds....it's 9:30pm on sat night and we had just put you to bed in your cribs about 30 minutes prior to this. Dad and I are cleaning up the house doing various things and hear you two come running down the hallway yelling, "we got out of our beds..." Perfect. I mean yes, we were definitely lucky to have gotten you almost to 3 in your cribs but still, a little longer is always nice. So here's how I know you are the mastermind behind the plan. 1) your brother is very cautious, 2) I overheard you explaining step by step the process by which he could get out also (and it was very detailed), 3) you boss him around all day long and he does whatever you tell him to. It goes a little something like this, "So Brode, just put your foot up here, climb up like this, then put your leg like this, and slide down on your belly!" Needless to say bedtime is now very very fun (sarcasm implied) and a very long routine. It starts around 8:30 and you guys usually aren't sleeping until 10pm. You are pretty much completely potty trained now, which is awesome. You rarely have an accident, but that is your cue to get out of bed at all hrs and proclaim that you have to pee. That among other excuses: my belly isn't full enough, I need a drink, I have to pee/poop, my lips are chapped. It's perfectly convenient that I can be jolted from sleep in the middle of the night to a little person staring at me on my side of the bed proclaiming that she NEEDS chapstick! What's hilarious about potty training with you is that you love to look at your poop and call it something...I thought that was a boy thing but apparently not. I do think it all started with Daddy saying in his best mexican accent that your poop looked like a "big burrrrrito..." carrying out the r's as they do, so now you say, "it looks like a bit turrito," in your best mexican accent. Hilarious! You love your new crib turned toddler bed now, you tell everyone that you have half of a bed since Daddy took the side rail off. You are something else!

3rd baby does what she wants!

You are a little on the extreme side lately. When you do something, you go all the way. When you sleep, you sleep really well. When you eat, you eat everything usually. And when you throw a temper tantrum, you throw it good! You are at the pt in your little life when you can say more words and communicate in other ways, but that doesn't seem to be good enough for you. And you are certainly tired of those other two little people that live in this house stealing all your attention, toys, thunder, bathtub space, just stuff in general! You feel completely left out and we can tell...at least that's what we have attributed the temper tantrums too and we hope that's all it is! You have gotten a lot of new teeth lately so that could be party of it and you also had a sinus infection that you are recovering from, oh and let's throw stomach flu in as of this past weekend. So with all of those things combined, we're hoping there's a reason for your craziness. You are still cute as can be though and a complete untamed wild child. You take no stuff off either sibling or anyone else for that matter. You have no problem staking claim to your toys in the house. You will gladly take your toys and run with them if necessary. You are back to two naps and are loving it. You still love bedtime better than any other time in the day and gladly love your bedtime routine. You love bathtime and are crazy in there. You can say a lot more words lately. You still love your binky and should only be using it during naptimes and bedtime but like the title of this post....third baby does what she wants! If you get over all of your issues as of late, we will be reinstating that rule for sure! You love accessorizing. You hate getting dressed but love to put on hairbows and shoes. You run everywhere, actually it's more of a hop. And nobody can believe how fast you can fly around a house. You're like a streak going by most days! Tough to keep up with! You've been waking up earlier in the am....mommy and daddy are not fans of this new change. You love to play peek a boo and if you ask, "Where's Quinn?" you immediately slap your hands on your face and act like we can't see you. You love dogs, you like your own but mostly you like the little dog, Ellie, next door. I think b/c he's little but who knows. You love your cousin Lennon but I don't think you're always that nice to him. We can already see who's boss in that relationship but it looks like you guys will grow up to be fast friends. You are growing up way too fast!

A Dino-mite 3rd Birthday Bash!

I really can't believe you turned 3 this past weekend! I don't know where the years have gone but it has been an awesome 3 years with the two of you. Definitely never a dull moment! No day is ever the same and I laugh everyday. Of course there are days we all cry also...but those are few and far between :) We planned a dinosaur party for you two, and I know it seems weird for a girl, but you both agreed that is what you wanted. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is still one of your favorite movies and that's what you both wanted. We borrowed two bounce houses from the neighbors, decorated with dinosaurs, had dinosaur cookies and dinosaur egg cupcakes. It was a great party and the weather was sunny and hot despite having so much rain lately. Most of our friends came and you guys have gifts coming out of your ears! Puzzles, luggage, clothes, pajamas, games, swimsuits, jewelry...you name it, you guys got it! Brody said his most favorite gift was a Thomas the Train floor puzzle from Jenny...how did we know it would be something Thomas??? Finley wore white capris as you can see above, a poor choice by her mother b/c they were no longer even remotely white when the party was over. After Doritos, cupcakes with green icing, lemonade, sand, bounce house dirt, grass stains and fruit, they just didn't look like the same white skinny capri's mommy had bought you to wear for the party. Lucky for you, Mawmaw Vicki and mommy are really good at stain treating and managed to get them white again after only two days! Brody wore a dino tshirt and couldn't have been more thrilled. You finally fell fast asleep after a no nap celebration and slept well that night after your big party. We got up on your actual birthday, yesterday, and as requested, got donuts for your birthday breakfast! Actually Brody wanted cinnamon rolls but after Finley dramatically cried that she never gets to pick anything, he gave in and they settled on chocolate long johns. Then we went outside and played with your new water table and then came inside for a much needed naptime...we had a very fun night planned. We had already requested a babysitter for Quinn so we could go to Red Robin for dinner and take you guys to see Shrek at the movie theater. But shortly after you went down for a nap and mommy left to go to a baby shower, I got a call from Daddy requesting that I come home "sooner rather than later" b/c you guys were both throwing up in your new beds! I came home to find you guys both pathetic, pale, feverish and throwing up in tupperware bowls! Daddy was just trying to manage with Quinn running around. So your birthday ended with your mattresses pulled into our bedroom on the floor puking all night. Daddy and Quinney also got the flu, Quinn may have been the one who started it all! Grandpa and Grandma Phillips got it the next day also as well as several party guests! So it was a great birthday celebration followed by a not so great actual birthday....we need a birthday redo! They want a raincheck on their birthday dinner and a movie!