Jace Loves Emma

B-R-O-O-K-L-Y-N

My little genius.

Jacka** (like the show) - Toddler style

She does her own stunts.

The Night Crawler - 2nd Generation

For years I have had issues sleeping and gained the nickname the Night Crawler due to getting up at all hours of the night. This sleep issue has only gotten increasingly worse as I have gotten older, most likely attributed to all of the new "worries" I have gained over the years.

However, this story is not about me. It is about the 2nd generation night crawler that Brooklyn has become. Earlier this year I made the commitment to both of us that she would be sleeping in her own room. This new change was challenged by my little counterpart but we worked through it. She would start in her room and then climb into my bed in the middle of the night. I would promptly walk her back to her room each and every time. This did not make Brooklyn happy...at all.

Brooklyn is a very creative little girl, especially when trying to find ways to make a situation work to her advantage. She realized that I would wake up the second she touched my bed so she resorted to sleeping on the stand in front of my bed or the floor. I wanted to capture these moments. Sometimes I let her get away with it and sleep there, just to boost her confidence.

I would like to report that Brooklyn is now sleeping in her bed without any troubles.

Happy Halloween - 2011

Halloween was awesome this year! Brooklyn was so excited to get dressed up. It was a fun day for the kids, each of their classes had Halloween parties so they got to wear their costumes to school and have snacks. We made homemade sugar cookies and they were excited to give them out to their little buddies at school. Trick or treating was so cute. Jace got into it this year and ran with his Martinez cousins door to door and said "Trick or Treat" - it was the cutest sound.

Some Halloween highlights:

• Jace saying "Yee haw" over and over when I was wearing my cowboy hat. Brooklyn specifically asked me to be a cowgirl for trick or treating.
  



• Brooklyn asking me to do her make-up for Halloween and telling me the next morning she got up a little early so she could do make-up before school. (that was a no).




• Trick or treating with Addysin and Bailey and seeing Uncle Steven dressed as a Panda and Auntie Tori dressed as a cheetah.




• Going to Irene's house for candy. It is our tradition to go see our friends the Perez's and the Alba's first every year.




• Jace trying to open people's doors if they didn't answer. Oh no.




• Final highlight, and the most hilarious...Brooklyn asking someone for a bottled water instead of candy. And the lady actually did it. Oh, Brookie. She is such a little character.

Sweetheart Spidey

Beautiful Rapunzel (Tangled)

"And, at last I see the light" - Jace puts on Brooklyn costumes and sings the theme song to "Tangled" - very funny.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Matt!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Matt! I can't believe you are already so big. We love this little guy so much!

Picture of all of the cousins...ok kids let's take a picture. These pictures always crack me up.

Happy 5th Birthday, Adelle!

My beautiful neice, and the kids' beloved cousin turned 5. It is hard to believe it has been 5 years since this little sweetheart came into our lives. I love her, my kids love her, even the dog loves her :) Happy Birthday, sweet niece Adelle!

Rules are meant to be broken....right?

Oh Jace....you make me laugh. The part of this video I didn't capture was Brooklyn trying to use the fishing poles to catch the fish (the rules of the game), she gets upset because she "can't do it" so baby brother steps in to show her how it is done. Perfection.

Beach Memories - 2011

There is nothing overly exciting about these videos but to me they are so special. These are just a few videos of the kids at the beach this past summer. They are just being themselves, and that makes them so significant to me. I love seeing Jace run from the sand to the water with his little bucket as fast as his little legs would go. I love seeing his tiny little hands pick up and throw rocks into the ocean. There is a park on the beach in Newport, otherwise known as heaven to a 3 and 4 year old. It was so sweet to see Brooklyn push Jace on the swings. Precious memories of these two little people.

Happy Birthday Mommy

Every day is better with these two little angels...especially mommy's birthday!

Here are a few videos of them singing Happy Birthday & blowing out my candles. I love them.

Hula Hoop Champions

Brooklyn's back to school

Brooklyn started back to Grace Lutheran on September 9th. What a difference a year makes? Brooklyn was so happy to go to school and excited to see all of her friends and teachers. She is in Mrs. Rasso's class which is the "big" classroom so she feels very important :)

Big cheese before we go

Brooklyn w/her supportive baby brother :)

Brooklyn and her daddy
Brooklyn and Mommy

Have a great school year Brookie Boo! You are such a little grown up now, so confident with yourself and attending school. You make me very proud smart girl!

Love you, B!

XOXO

I'm Sorry

Whatever it is honey.....you are forgiven!

Shrek The Musical

Girls Night Out! I took Brooklyn to Hollywood to see "Shrek the Musical" at the Pantages Theatre. We invited Auntie Tree along to make it an official Girls Night Out. Brooklyn was so cute this day. She loved spending time by herself with the girls. She loved the show and sat and watched the entire show. I did not say sat quietly :) She asked so many questions, but that just shows how excited she was about it. This was a fun, fun day...definitely a great mommy/daughter/best friend day. Great memory.

Brooklyn at TGI Fridays before the show

Three Besties in front of the Pantages Theatre

Walking down the street checking out the stars

Brooklyn & Shrek

Jace is back to school

So long lazy (lazier) weekday mornings and hello before school morning rush :) I feel like a kid sad that summer is over and not because I have to go back to school or rush to get my kids to school on time but because this just means that more time has passed and my sweet little guy is getting that much older. I need to figure out how to stop time! Jace started back to fall preschool on August 11th. He is going to the same school and has the same teacher as last year. I find great comfort in that, she is a remarkable teacher and I see the growth in him just in the short time he attended last year. Jace had a few tears the first two days but I am sure he will get back into the swing of things. Here is to a great year little buddy!

Let's do this!

Sissy giving him a supportive hug

Just got my hair done!

I'm ready

Me with my baby boy!

Good luck little guy! I know you will have a great year filled with many fun experiences! I am so proud of you and am very excited to see your growth through learning.

Love you, Jace!

XOXO!

High Dive

Just a little entertainment on a Sunday afternoon :)

Emma's first trip to Pinewood

Emma made her first appearance at the Martinez house a few weeks ago. Here are some attempts to capture all of the kids together and then get a picture of the Emma with her fam.

Brooklyn climbed in this one :)

Three sweet girls
This picture is great!

Life's a Beach

Am I going to be able to get out?

Yes? Ok, then this IS fun!
Beach babe

Splash!

It is freezing....but we love it!

Beach boy

waiting at Auntie Tree's

The girls!

Happy Easter 2011

Easter was a fun one this year. Although, we didn't get to color eggs or go see the Easter Bunny due to Jace catching a cold but that's okay, we can do it next year and we can color eggs anytime :)

The Easter Bunny came - yay!

Brooklyn & Adelle with Nana

New goggles for Easter
The kids ready to go hunt some eggs

Sweet Jace playing with Judy

Jace was totally into hunting the eggs, I loved it.

Cousins

Queen Bs doing crafts

My little loves