Brisa is literally the funniest kid that I know.  I mean all toddlers say and do funny things, but this girl takes it to a whole other level.  I'm so grateful that I get to be around to hear and see it all, I just wish that I was the older sister and not the mom, because she is strait up nuts.  Any way here are a few "funny" things Brisa has said and done.

Most of you have heard this one, but I'm going to expand it to include more of the details.  One morning while I was in the bathroom peeing/ hiding in the quiet bathroom Brisa went upstairs and grabbed three rolls of toilet paper and TP'd the hallway upstairs and my room and the living room.  I have no idea she could make that big of a mess that quick, but she did.  I didn't have the energy to clean it up and she was so proud that I decided to leave it and clean up when Carson went down for his nap.  The next time I had to go to the bathroom I had to run in and lock the door behind me because I was being chased by two little monsters. I heard Brisa come try to open the door then turn and say to Carson "She locked the door Carson!  I'll make a mess, I think I have a plan!"  I rushed out and found her squirting toothpaste on the toilet paper she had laid out earlier.  After that I thought she could use some time outside since she was obviously too "energized" to play inside.  After a few minutes outside she got bored and went back inside and I ran upstairs to put Carson down for a nap.  I was hiding in my room when I heard a sound that I know all two well.  It was crayons on a wall.  I ran downstairs and couldn't find Brisa anywhere, but found a mural on the wall.  I watched her like a hawk the rest of the day.

Lately Brisa has been asking for a new baby.  Apparently Carson just isn't cutting it anymore.  One night before bed she was negotiating with Chad how many more babies I need to have.  why no one felt that I should be included in the conversation I don't know. 

Chad: How more babies do you think mommy should have?

Brisa: Um.  Three babies.

Chad: how about one more?

Brisa: no, 5 babies

Chad: OK 2 more *goes for the handshake*

Brisa: OK, 3 more babies *shakes*

The next morning Brisa walks in while I'm still sleeping and stares at me.  I wake up, jump out of my skin and she giggles and waves.  After snuggling for a few minutes she asks "Mommy, do you have a little baby in your belly?"  "Nope.  No baby."

Brisa loves her baby brother and is often over come by his cuteness and has to give him hugs and kisses.  Carson is not big on hugs and kisses and only snuggles when he is trying to hint that he wants a nap. Now that he is big enough to get away from her he is always trying to run away when she is in one of her loving moods.  A couple days ago she caught him and was hugging and kissing him and he was screaming and wiggling away.  He got out of her arms and she ran after him yelling "Carson!  just let me love you!!"  I was cracking up.  eventually I pried her off of him, but it was hard because she was being so sweet which is a switch from the fighting that usually happens.  

A week or so ago I gave Brisa a dry erase maker and  laminated piece of paper and let her go to town.  She was having so much fun and being so good and quiet and I was laying on the couch with my eyes closed thinking about how easy parenting is and how I can't believe I have ever complained, this is a piece of cake.  I heard Brisa in her most excited voice yelling "Look Mommy!  I decorated!!"  It would have been totally normal if her voice had been coming from the kitchen table where I left her, but it wasn't.  I opened my eyes and saw that she had colored all over Carson's walker.  I dont have any poker face what so ever and I'm sure she could see the horror on my face because before I even said a word her little eyes started to fill with tears.  I knew it would wipe right off so I just asked "What happened Peanut?  You know you are only supposed to draw in paper, right?"  She burst into tears and was wailing crying saying "I just got excited!"  I didn't have the heart to punish her (mostly because I was a "decorator" at that age too so I know she comes by it naturally, and plain wall still make me sad to this day) I handed her a baby wipe and we cleaned it up together.  

For the past two week Brisa has been requesting that I braid her hair every night before bed.  While I braid her hair we talk about all the things that she did that day and she tells me everything.  Its probably my favorite part of the day.  Last night I could tell she wasn't quite as bubbly as usual so I asked her what was wrong.  She shrugged her shoulders and sighed and said "Its just hard being little sometimes"  Shes was so upset, but cheered right up when I told her only little people like her can climb on the shelves in the pantry and jump on her bed.

A couple weeks ago I was helping Brisa put on her running shoes and I asked her if they felt okay, or if they were too tight (shes had them for a few months) She laughed and said "They're not tight, Mama.  I not big and tall like the sun!!  Silly Mama."

One day Chad and I bought a pie and planned to eat it after dinner, but we forgot about it.  After we put the kids to bed we remembered and I said "ya lets eat that pie!"  seconds later Brisa's door opened and she was walking down the stairs
Brisa: What you eating?
Chad:  Nothing.
Brisa: Mommy What did you said?
Me:  Brisa,don't worry about it, go to bed.

Since we moved to Utah Brisa has become a booger picker.  I think it started out because it was so dry all of our noses were getting dry and bloody, and now it is just a habit.  Anyways now she will picker her nose in the middle of the night and then cry until Chad goes in there and she makes him take her booger so that she can go back to bed.  yuck.

We are trying to turn Brisa into a more obedient and well behaved child so after much online searching I decided that the best course of action for our stubborn as a mule "strong willed" daughter was to take away privileges when she throws a fit.  After a week of power struggles and fights she was finally starting to catch on so when she was about to throw a fit all I had to say was "stop now or you'll lose a privilege" and she would stop.  It was magical.  One particular time She was being difficult and I said "Brisa, do you want to lose a privilege?" and she calmly replied "no, I don't like that Mama"  It was so funny because the way she said it was so sincere it made me smile.  I guess she just doesn't understand what punishments are.  Haha.

#proudmom

I think I'm going try out being a hashtagger for a while, I think it might be the key to happiness, we'll see I guess.

I'm going to tell you all a secret, brace yourself.  Brisa is strong willed. I know what you're thinking "what?  Brisa?  But she is always so calm cool and collected, you must be thinking of someone else" But it's true guys, shes difficult.  I like to tell myself that I got this child because she needed a mom with extra patience and God said "I know just the woman" and sent her to me.  It's a compliment!  Either that or its because of all those times my mom said "I hope you get a child just like you!" I can only assume this is because she enjoyed raising me so much that she hoped I would be able to experience it someday!

While I sometimes feel sorry for myself, lately I have been feeling like it is the biggest blessing!  I would like to preface this by saying I am not "Braggy mom"  I hate "Braggy mom" what with her organic produce and her kid that learned to walk a week before yours.  You know the type, I am not the type.  But since She is turning 3 in just 8 short days I wanted to brag in a humble, my kid is better than yours, but I wont say that out loud kind of way.

She loves her baby brother and would do anything for him.  Even if it means lying to Mommy.  I used to get mad when I would be telling Carson to not hit me and he was laughing and Brisa was in the background saying "He said sorry mama, it was an accident!"  Now instead of seeing it as a lie, I see it for what it is, her trying to protect her baby brother.  I still explain that she shouldn't make things up, but in a kinder way.

They like to go through the mail together, she opens the envelopes, he rips up the contents.  The dream team.

She is full of ideas.  She's always getting into something or thinking of her next big idea.  She pulls so many stunts that other parents ask me for my latest Brisa stories because apparently other kids don't climb on counters and dump entire bags of flour and sugar and salt out because they were in the mood for some cookie baking and thought they could do it themselves.  Sometimes you just have to embrace the crazy, yes it was a huge mess, and yes it made me crazy, but she didn't mean any harm and it was adorable.

She does know how to read a recipe.

She is so creative!  She loves coloring and doing crafts.  Of course we can only do that kind of thing while Carson is asleep, but I think she would craft all day if she could.  And I think she is really good!

She runs to the coloring table the second we walk in to Old Navy.  She also knows exactly where the bathroom is.  Do I shop there too much?  Nah! 

We play with playhough everyday.  

She runs away sometimes if we put her in her running shoes because she just gets too excited (I know this is why she does it because I asked).  Of course she gets a lecture because running away could get her kidnapped(she's adorable and her curly hair makes her a huge target), but I understand that she isn't trying to be difficult, she's just practicing for track try outs.  A friend of mine actually helped me embrace this particular personality trait.

She' s a natural born athlete.

She is so smart!  Brisa recently learned how to say a few words more clearly and she is pretty proud of herself.  For example: Yellow used to be "lellow"
"Yellow.  I can say yellow!?  I can say yellow!!!"
Candy cane used to be candy candy
"Where's my candy cane?  Hey I said candy cane!!"
She also thinks she can say restaurant and now home cooking is beneath her
"We need to eat at a restranaut, Mommy.  I can say restranaut."

She talks like a little adult!
Me: "Brisa we have to go, Daddy is already waiting for us with Santa, please come down here and get your shoes on"
Pea: "Daddy and Santa are waiting for us?  Oh Crap!"
I just see it as another word she has learned to use (flawlessy) and I tried not to laugh as I told her she wasn't allowed to say it anymore.

She also likes to critique my home making skills:
"Mommy, when you see the clothes you need to hang them up.  You didn't clean them up, you were just sleeping, but you need to clean up, it's your job Mommy!"

"Aww.  Potatoes again, We just had those the other day!  *sigh* you need to try harder Mom"

"Oh no!!  The counters are a mess Moooom!  you hafta clean them up!  Its your job Mama!"

She might have a touch of OCD.  She organizes everything by colors and has a total melt down if you try to put her to bed without cleaning every inch of her room isn't clean.  While its hard sometimes, like when she's asleep in the car as we drive home late and then wakes up during the transfer and we have to clean her room at midnight.  All we want to do is sleep, but her yelling "I can't sleep, my room is a dirty, mess!  We hafta clean it!!" kinda keeps us up.  At least I don't have one of those kids who refuses to clean their room, that sounds rough.  Maybe that will be Carson, who knows.

She also is very in touch with her emotions and is able to tell me exactly how she feels and why.  I love that I can ask her why she is crying and she will give me a whole back story about how daddy told her no, but she wanted to anyway and he said she would get time out, but she didn't stop and then she got time out and it made her sad.

She's got style!  She dresses herself everyday and while sometimes I get nervous people will think I actually dress her in head to toe purple I love that she knows what she likes.  And now I know that she loves purple and that she would appreciate a new pair of purple pants.

Purple lady.

Runway ready

She is the best daughter ever.  Sometimes Chad and I just sit up at night talking about all the funny things Brisa said and did that day.  Like the time she started a vicious pregnancy rumor about me by telling her nursery teachers that I was going to have a baby girl.  Such a prankster.