5 year appointment

What is it with my kids and shots?  Yikes!  Yesterday was Christian’s 5 year well check.  It had been rescheduled from a few weeks ago because he had some nasty stomach bug.  I actually think Christian was glad to be vomiting instead of going to his doctor appointment.  Well yesterday it finally caught up with him.  And for anyone that’s had 5 year olds, this is the well check that has tons of shots --  5 to be exact.  You get all your remaining vaccinations before school starts.  And its a big, looming deal.  So big, that our clinic has a special “5 year old only” drawer for surprises afterwards (a measly sticker just doesn’t cut it when your talking multiple shots).

A few days before he had already started his weeping about the thought of shots.  The whole flu shot ordeal was still too fresh in his memory.   So at the time we talked about different ways to handle it.  We told him he could pretend to be Luke Skywalker and have the force with him.  We told him he could laugh and giggle about it and get the nurse all confused.  We told him any ridiculous story to get his mind off this appointment so he could relax for a few more days.

Shot Day came and after a few tears, he was ready to face up to it.  After the first one, this strange little noise came from him… a slight cry, or maybe a little laugh.   My sweet little guy was trying to giggle about it through his tears.  Shot #1 got an “ouch ouch ouch.”  Between shot #2 and #3 – he asked the nurse, “could I please have another one?”  Shot #4 brought a whimper and a “that didn’t hurt at all”  Shot #5 got a laugh/cry and a “this is sooo funny to me.”  But through it all he really was crying – kind of -  but I knew he was trying so hard  to be brave. 

To hear him tell the story now is even funnier.  He omits the whimpering/crying part and only tells us how he laughed in the face of these shots!  How he was this tough dude asking for another. 

His retelling sure has left Campbelle in awe.

Seriously, you wouldn’t want to mess with this big 5 year old brute would you??

Santa was good, yet again….

 

    

 

The piano came a few days early – and it’s for the whole family.  I think we’ll start Campbelle with lessons pretty soon… and Christian in a few years.  Yeah!  I’m so thrilled about it – but it’s amazing how I’ve quickly forgotten all my skills in playing.  Hopefully they’ll come back with some practice.

With love from all of us….

Happy Holidays

Gingerbread 09

We do it every year.  And to be honest, as much I like having it done – I so wish it would just magically happen.  Here’s our Gingerbread house for 2009.  And a look back at all our other ones over the years.  (You’d think we’d be getting better at it by now).

2001:

2002:

2003:

2005:

2006:

2008:

who’s your maid??

My kids make me laugh every day.  Every single day.  Sometimes they mean to make me laugh and other times they don’t – yet I still laugh.

Today, Christian got a huge, belly, laugh until I nearly cried, laugh.  A laugh that had tears running down my face.  It was however, not the reaction he was looking for.     After being asked to clean up this huge mess he made (he made it alone mind you) about 5 times, he got all sad and weepy looking.  He nearly was crying when he began to tell me that I’ve hurt his feelings.  And it made him feel really bad when I asked him to clean up his mess. 

What?!?!  Why did that hurt your feelings? I probed.

“Because when you ask me to clean, it makes me feel like I’m your maid.  And it hurts my feelings to feel like your maid.”

 

Seriously.  I think the unit in his preschool about expressing their feelings should be over about now.

 

He’s my maid.  Yeah right.

Christmas Program

The kids had their Christmas program at church last night.  It was so sweet and they did a great job.  Each of them were baby animals…. wondering what the new baby was going to be.  Too cute.

Adorable little goat and duck.

Dear Santa,

Please don’t take it personally and never mind the fact that he always LOVES everyone he meets…. perhaps our dear Beckett was just having an ‘off’ kind of day.  I’m sure next year he’ll leap willing into your lap and talk your ear off.  And besides…. it really won’t be like the Brenne family to NOT have a photo where a child this age isn’t screaming and trying to escape your grasp.  At least I don’t think we’ve caused any permanent damage.  :-)

Remember:

St. Lucia Day

December 13th is St Lucia Day.  It is a holiday in Scandinavia that celebrates light during dark, winter days.  Girls are dressed in white gowns with red sashes and crown wreaths with candles on their head.  Boys are ‘star boy’s with cone hats.  They typically form a procession and walk the hallways of schools singing carols and handing out sweets.

Last week Leif and his parents went to Campbelle’s classroom and took part in her Holidays Around the World unit.  They taught the kids about St. Lucia and helped them with their crown crafts. 

Liv made the traditional Lussekatt buns (saffron buns) for the kids to enjoy.  Later on the kids passed out sweets to their fellow first graders.

 

 

They all had a wonderful time and in return each of the 1st graders wrote the most adorable thank you notes to Liv and August.  Such a special treat for everyone!

Campbelle’s class:

Photo booths are back

Not that they really ‘went’ any where…. but what are the chances that in the past week, Leif and I have been to two celebrations:  1. a MS Christmas party, and 2.  a wedding (probably the most beautiful, amazing, romantic wedding I’ve ever been to – aside from Leif and mine of course); and at both of these events was a photo booth.  What a great way to capture all your guests.  At each party we got two photo strips,  One went into an album where you could write a little note to the recipients and the other our keepsake.  So sweet.

(The wedding one went with a wish for ‘magnetic lips’ forever.) 

Our big guy is 5!

On Friday we celebrated Christian’s birthday.  He first woke to the customary streamers from his doorway, but also found a new surprise on the front lawn.  Thanks to the idea from Family Circle and some sneaking around late at night during election season…shhhhh)

Then later that afternoon, he got to play Legos with 15 of his favorite buddies.  They all seemed to have a blast.  Even the girls.  Even the one little girl who told me she didn’t like Legos and was just coming for the cake.  :-)

  <-- This smile doesn’t just look like it’s all about the cake, does it?? 

;-)

We played relay games and had building contests.  I love Legos and I love these kids’ awesome imaginations!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The birthday boy had a blast and has enough Lego kits to last him quite some time.  We all feel so fortunate to have such a great friends to help celebrate these big moments.

Need a good laugh?