Brooke and Braden dancing

Brooke just loves to dance, as you can tell from this video. I took the video sideways by accident, but it was too funny not to share, despite my mistake.

Now here is a video of Braden dancing, and again it is sideways, but it also was too good not to share!

Please ignore the laundry in the background; it is merely a figment of your imagination.

I am "SEW" crazy!

Okay, I have officially gone over the edge; I am "sew" crazy! We had an enrichment activity last week, and I have not been the same ever since. The goal of the activity was for each woman to leave having made a pair of pajama pants. I have to admit that I was excited about the possibility of learning to sew but also filled with much trepidation. It's not that I hadn't tried to learn in the past. I signed up for home economics at school, but alas, my teacher was too afraid to let any of us near her precious sewing machines or near the stove for that matter. On another occasion my sweet granny tried to teach my cousins and I. My sister Elizabeth, my cousin Katherine, and I went to spend a week with my granny the summer before my 8th grade year; that week we went to pick blueberries, went to the library, got our hair cut, visited relatives, and we made a dress. Though the dress was quite primitive, it was a dress, and I proudly wore it on the last day of the week as my sister, cousin, and I performed skits and sang songs for our parents. Would I have dared to wear it out in public? Are you kidding?! I wore it in front of the people who have to love me, my family; that experience however did help my fear of sewing, and I am grateful for my granny's sweet patience for me that week. When that sweet precious woman I lovingly called Granny passed away almost 7 years ago, I inherited that sewing machine that so many years ago had helped create that primitive dress. I would love to say that I took that machine and put it to good use, but no, I hid it away; there were many times I would open the closet, look at the machine, think how I needed to order the instructional manual to it, think how it would be nice to learn to sew, think about all of the things I could make if I only knew how, and then I would sigh and again close the closet door for the sewing machine to continue to collect dust. Well, last Wednesday I said, "No more!" I dusted the machine off and hauled it to church. Did I even know how to thread the thing? No way, but I knew that somebody would. I swallowed my pride, walked into the cultural hall, and declared for all the world to hear, "I have no idea what I am doing, please help me!" Those dear and patient sisters came to my aid, threaded my machine, and stood near to answer questions, luckily the bobbin was already ready. I don't know what happened that night, but a fire was set aflame. I can't seem to stop sewing! Since that night, I have made Emma a pair of matching pajama pants, made myself another pair of pajama pants, made Braden a pair of Car pajama pants, and have orders from Brooke to make her some Dora ones and some pretty girl ones; Braden also wants some Diego ones next. I am no seamstress by any stretch of the imagination, but I am learning. I now own the instructional manual, and there is no stopping me! I can't explain it; it just feels so good to take fabric and create something that someone can actually wear, and it feels even better when your 4 year old can't stop thanking you for the pajama pants you made for him.

On a nostalgic note: When I was halfway through finishing my first pair of pajama bottoms Wednesday, I looked down and it hit me, Granny was the one who had gotten the bobbin ready all those years ago. The thread I was using to sew my pajama pants was used on one of her many projects; I guess it is only fitting that she help in some way to continue to conquer my fear of sewing, as she had tried to do so many years ago. Now when I wear my pajama pants, I will not only think about how I conquered my fear, I will also think about how my granny's thread is a part of them, just like she will always be a part of me!

Pictures of Braden, Emma, and I modeling our new pj bottoms.

Braden's Tender Heart

Braden has such a sweet and tender heart. Today after church he and I were talking about how he will be going to school again tomorrow, and he wanted to know what Brooke, Emma, and I would be doing while he was at school. I told him we were going to go to the store. He of course then wanted to know why, and I told him we were going to buy some food for someone in our ward who had surgery. Braden of course again asked why, so we talked about how the woman was a mommy with a little girl and a daddy to take care of; I told him that she had to rest and get better, so she needed help with meals for a few days. He looked at me thoughtfully and then informed me that he wanted to buy them fruit snacks. Braden loves fruit snacks, so he thought if they make him happy, they will make them happy; tomorrow I will make sure to write fruit snacks at the top of my list! I love that Braden is so naturally loving and compassionate towards others, and I hope he will always be able to hold onto that wonderful Christlike trait! I think tomorrow I am going to have he and Brooke also help me prepare the meals, so they can learn firsthand what Jesus meant when he taught us to love one another. I want them to learn that it means action not just empty words, but I really think Braden already knows that; it is evident when he shares with his sister, lovingly talks to Emma, or sacrifices something of his own for someone he loves. Friday in fact is a perfect example of his sacrifices; he and Rich went to a family fun park, played putt-putt, rode go carts, and played arcade games. After winning several tickets at the arcade games, he and Rich went up to pick out some loot. Once up at the counter, Braden informed Rich he wanted to get something for Brooke and I also; he carefully picked out a bracelet for Brooke and a Chinese imprinted fan for me before selecting a simple tattoo for himself. Braden was so excited when he got home, and he passed out our "surprises." Oh, how I love Braden's sweet spirit; he teaches our whole family what it truly means to try to be like Jesus!

Why, Why, Why, Why

I love that my children are so inquisitive, but I wonder sometimes if it is at the risk of my sanity?! "Come on Braden and Brooke, it is time to eat." "Why?" "Because it is lunch time." "Why?" How do you answer that? It's the middle of the day. I said so. The MAN decided that we must all eat in the middle of the day and call it lunch. I am often at a loss as to how to answer some of their questions. "I'm going to eat, because I'm hungry." "Mama, why are you hungry?" "Because I haven't eaten in a few hours." "Why haven't you eaten in a few hours?" "I have been busy." "Why have you been busy?" "I needed to clean the house." "Why did you need to clean the house?" "Because there were toys everywhere and dishes to wash." "Why were there dishes to wash?" (Notice they skipped asking why the toys were everywhere; I suspect they knew the answer to that question) "We just ate our breakfast on them." "Why did we eat on them?" "We were hungry." "Why were we hungry?" It is a vicious cycle that continues to repeat itself in the Maseda household everyday. Brooke and Braden even recently asked me why they had to wear clothes. "Brooke please go put on some clothes." "Why do I have to put clothes on?" "Because we don't go around naked." "Why don't we go around naked?" "Not everyone wants to see your naked butt." "Why doesn't everyone want to see my naked butt?" Oh, my head hurts just thinking about all of the whys I have heard this week! I guess I should just count my blessings that they haven't asked the question all parents dread to hear, "Where do babies come from?"

Ya'll versus Y'all

I being a proud Southern belle, born and raised, would never dare spell ya'll any other way. I recently saw it spelled y'all, and I was shocked. I didn't even know there was any other way you could spell it! Rich, my dear misinformed California boy, said that he could see why it would be spelled y'all, because of it being a contraction. I looked on my Paula Deen apron, y'all, I looked in my GRITS guide to life, y'all; did I miss something?! So, I did some research; I read many forums on the topic: it is a contraction, it is you and all, it is ya and all, ya'll is correct, y'all is correct, blah, blah, blah, blah, and more blah. This is a slang Southern word! I couldn't believe I even read someone quote their credentials as an English teacher to support their belief that it was spelled y'all. Is she nuts?! Southern dialect has nothing to do with proper English, that is what makes it so much fun! I am sure that same English teacher would also inform us that due to her credentials she determined that the phrase, "Ain't ya'll fixin' to go to the store?" was also improper English. What do the dictionaries say? Who cares?! Ya'll is slang, what business do the dictionaries have deciding the proper way to spell a phrase that for years most people tried to inform us wasn't a word, much like ain't, which has also creeped its way into the dictionary; I however due to my mother's gentle training have not nor will I ever add ain't to my vocabulary, but I digress. In the south we take pride in who we are, in which side of the Mason Dixon line we were born and raised on, in our family lineage, in our manners, in our accents, and in our country! So, I say, it is a free country, spell it y'all or ya'll, but when you leave my house you will hear me shout,

"YA'LL come back, ya here!!!"

That Cookie is MINE, ALL MINE!

She wants that cookie so bad, she is drooling in anticipation! Do you want to tell her she can't have it or should I? Oh, let's let her daddy do it.

Mama said,"KNOCK YOU OUT!"

Okay, okay I didn't really tell Braden to knock someone out, but boy was I tempted. Braden had a great day at school today, except when another little boy pushed him. The protective mother in me wanted to track that child down and take care of business, country southern style, but then I remembered that the boy was only four; I also remembered it wasn't my battle to fight, but maybe I can get Braden fitted for a good pair of boxing gloves! Don't be appalled, I didn't tell Braden to hit him back, well, not right away anyway. He and I talked about what he did when the boy pushed him, did he tell him to not push him again? Braden being the tenderhearted sweet spirit that he is, did not in fact tell him not to push him; oh to be so sweet! As a child, I would have tried to take that child OUT! I however do not want Braden to be like me; I want him to be the amazing child he is, and I want to teach him to take up for himself without ruining all the things that make him special. He and I, along with the peanut gallery we refer to as Brooke, practiced shouting, "Dont' Push Me Again!!!!!!!!" "STOP Pushing Me!!!!!!!!!!!" We then discussed that if the boy pushed him again after that, he was to go tell his teacher; then if the boy still pushes him after that, he gets to bring out the big guns and lay that sucker out! Okay, I didn't word it that way to him, but BOY it was what I was thinking! I told him that it would be okay to hit him or push him after trying to get him to stop. I still don't know if was the perfect advice, but it was better than what I wanted to tell him; luckily the Christlike side of me won out, that, and I didn't want Braden going up to the child tomorrow at school and say,

"Mama said, KNOCK YOU OUT!"

Our Day of Adventure

Today was definitely one of adventure; I am not even sure where to start. I guess I will just start from the beginning, Braden's first day of preschool. Braden woke all of us up at 6:30 this morning exclaiming it was "school day". Within an hour, he had eaten breakfast, gotten dressed, brushed his teeth, put on his backpack, and was ready to walk out of the door. Of course, not all of the family was ready, so he then went around the house telling all of us to hurry up (he also told me what he thought I should wear). Rich had arranged to go in late to work, so he could be there to take Braden on his first day; he didn't tell the rest of the family until this morning though, so it was a nice surprise! We of course also had to take pictures on the first day; Braden made sure that Emma was included in the action. We then all loaded up into the van and headed to his school. Braden did a great job this morning; I wondered if he would be clingy or not, but I guess all the preparation work we had done worked. After getting him settled and helping him go through the morning routine: find your spot with your name, put it on the dog, give your folder to the teacher, hang up your backpack, and pick a center, we each hugged and kissed him and left as he played in the center of his choice, home living (they called it housekeeping when I grew up).

It was really strange coming home to a house without Braden; I don't think Brooke really knew what to do without her partner in crime by her side. Once I got Emma happily playing in her exersaucer, Brooke and I cleaned the bathrooms, took some pictures of the princess posing during the cleaning process, and then I had to try to get Emma down for a morning nap. After Emma was down Brooke and I popped in the DVD, Elmo's Potty, and cuddled on the couch; you could tell she enjoyed not having to share me. After about 2 hours without Braden though, she was asking when it was time to go pick him up.

Finally a little before 12 we left to pick up Braden. As I was waiting in the car line, I got to watch Braden on the playground go from slide to swing, to some bouncing toy, back to swing, and then to an area where you can pretend to drive. Finally I had my Braden back, and we headed to McDonald's to pick up some happy meals for our planned celebration. I just wasn't feeling insane enough today to brave the play area, so we took the meals back to the house, where Braden got to pick out a movie for us to watch. After the movie was over was when the real adventures of the day began.

Brooke used the bathroom on the floor in her room (waited too long again to try to go), Braden pooped in his underwear (didn't want to stop playing), and we also made the discovery that Braden had urinated in Brooke's Hello Kitty trash can. What is the deal with my children and relieving themselves wherever they wish?! When we went to the pool earlier this week, Braden went over to the side near the bushes and just let loose. Was there a bathroom a mere hundred yards away from him? Yes, but, hey, where is the fun in that? I personally prefer the privacy of a bathroom, but these are Rich Maseda's children also. These are the children of the man who as a child urinated in a water gun to spray on his siblings, would cross his urine streams with his brother to make an airplane, and pooped on his brother's bike, so he would unlock the door and let him in; yes, I know, some of you are shocked that the seemingly reserved Rich would have dared such. How would you feel if I told you that is just the tip of the iceberg of stories of Rich, his siblings (namely his brother Tom), and bodily functions?! I guess Braden gets it honestly; in fact Rich retold the story with great pride in his voice of Braden's first time using the bathroom in a bottle while we were stuck in traffic. Well, I wish Rich could have been home today to deal with Braden and the trash can; I did call Rich at work to inform him of the situation, which he found quite humorous (not a big surprise).

I also need to point out though that Braden later pooped in the potty, Braden and Brooke both cleaned their rooms today, helped clean their plates off the table after supper, played beautifully together this afternoon, well, until Brooke bit Emma.

Yes, you read correctly, another adventure; I left the room for 2 minutes to put something in my room, when I heard Emma scream in pain. I ran back into the room and immediately noticed that she had bite marks on her face. Knowing what she had done, I asked Brooke what had happened. Instead of answering she demonstrated in the air what she had done, to which I asked, "You bit your sister?!" Without skipping a beat she looked at me and said, "No, I bite her." To which I said, "Yeah, that would be the same thing!" Needless to say, I popped her on the butt and informed her that she was to sit on her bed for 2 minutes, after which we discussed her actions. When I told Rich about it tonight, he said that he thought he had noticed bite marks on Emma on Sunday as well; I wish he would have told me then. Brooke is now not allowed alone with Emma even for a second, let alone 2 minutes for me to put something else away, unless the ever vigilant bodyguard Braden is right beside her, and then only in emergencies; he would take Brooke out in a second if he thought she was going to bite his precious Emma.

Oh, what a day it has been. I guess I should also add that it ended on a higher note with a fun and spiritual Family Home Evening. Braden and Brooke have had a little problem telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth lately, so Rich and I are focusing on honesty all month for FHE. Last week we played a simple True Not True Game with the children and talked about how telling the truth makes Heavenly Father and Jesus happy, and this week we talked about the importance of honesty. I read The Boy Who Cried Wolf to them, and we discussed the book as we read: that the boy had lied, how it was always important to be honest, and why no one would listen to him when a wolf finally did come. After reading the book we acted out the book taking turns playing the boy, the wolf, the sheep, and the townspeople; the kids absolutely loved it! We were all laughing by the end! After the role play Rich taught the children the first two lines of the song I Believe in Being Honest, I bore my testimony of the blessings that come from being honest, and Rich said our family prayer; we are going to learn the rest next week.

It's amazing that my day has had so many ups and downs and ups and downs and ups today; I feel like I have been on a roller coaster! Life with children is like a roller coaster, and at the end of the day you are exhausted, ready to get off the ride, and rest until the next day when you once again strap yourself in, brace yourself, and shout, "Full speed ahead!"

Temper, Temper, Temper

A good word to describe Brooke would be fireball; she has enough spunk, sass, spirit, and attitude for two children. Brooke can also be a little hothead at times. This afternoon I was attempting, notice I said attempting, to take a nap while Rich was playing a Bingo game with Braden and Brooke. I must also point out that this game is for 3 years olds and older. Well, in the middle of playing the game, Brooke flips her bingo card over sending her board and all of the bingo markers everywhere, and exclaims loudly, "Stupid Game!" "I hate this stupid game!" She then stomps quite dramatically into my room, where I am 'attempting' to take a nap, slams the door behind her, and proclaims, "I am soooooooo mad." "I need to cool down for a sec." I ask her why she is mad and she explains that the bingo game is too hard. After discussing it, we decide that the matching cookie game is not too hard for her, and she leaves the room (I thought) to ask Rich if she and he could play that game instead. A second later though I hear, "Daddy, I am mad at you." Rich asks why, and she responds, "The game is too hard!" Rich also offers the cookie game as an alternative to which she responds, "Okay, but I need to cool off first." At this point she waltzes back into my room, throws herself on my bed, and explains that she needs to cool off. After about 5 minutes, with the same dramatics she entered the room, she gets up from the bed exclaims, "I have cooled off", and she returns to the living room to tell her daddy and I assume to play the game. Within seconds though, she is back in my room again singing the woes of the hard Bingo game. Is she hilarious or what?! It was so funny, that I decided to tape her as I asked her questions about the event. By the time I thought to get my camera out, she had cooled off considerably, but it is still quite entertaining to watch. If she is this way at 2 1/2, what in the world is she going to be like at 14? I don't dare to imagine!

Isn't she just adorable?!!

Emma is just adorable; there is no other way to put it. She is absolutely, undeniably, adorable! I love her big blue eyes and her smile! Emma is changing so much everyday now; she is rolling over and trying to push off with her feet already. She wants to do things her body isn't strong enough to do yet. She watches Braden and Brooke with such longing; you know she is thinking about how she wants to be running around with them. I have to admit though that my favorite thing is watching Emma's face light up when she sees me coming. As a mama, it feels good to be adored (I have to enjoy this stage while I can). Her little eyes shine, she smiles, and she starts to kick those adorable little legs of hers. Oh, how I love my little Emma!

Meet the Teacher

Well, today we went to meet Braden's teacher, and he did much better than I anticipated. I thought he would cling to my leg the whole time we were there, but as soon as we pulled up to First Baptist, he undid his booster seat, jumped out of the van, and closed the door before Brooke even had a chance to get out. I think it would be safe to say he is a little excited. Braden did hold back a little once we entered the classroom, preferring to stay by me. He and I walked around his classroom: looking at the centers, finding his name on his spot and putting it on the big dog, finding where his seat is, showing him where to hang his backpack every day, and introducing him to his teacher. Braden finally ventured away from me and explored the classroom; I tried to get him interested in the coloring activity his teacher had laid out for them, but he wanted no part of it. Braden wanted to check out everything, but Brooke however was more than happy to sit down in his seat and color. I must also point out though, that Braden never likes to color on coloring pages; he prefers to be given a white sheet of paper and do his own thing. Brooke was more excited about being there than Braden; she even was making friends with the little girl, Madison, who will be sitting across from Braden. She and Madison were busily sharing crayons and coloring, while Braden continued to explore. Before we left, Braden agreed to pose for a picture with his teacher, and then he gave her a big hug! For Braden to have hugged her already is a VERY good sign! This afternoon we went to the neighborhood pool with a bunch of friends as a little celebration, and another side of Braden came out. He was jumping off the side of the pool into LaNae's hands, running around, and splashing everywhere. Braden usually stays by my side when we go to the pool, but today he wanted me to put sunscreen on him and then stand back and let him go. I guess my little boy is growing up!

I'm so excited

I'm so excited, I just can't hide it... Braden is starting preschool on Monday, and I am beside myself with excitement! Rich and I went to the meeting they had tonight for parents; they went over the curriculum, schedule, and other important information. Braden will be going Monday through Friday from 8:50 to 12:00. It was fun looking around the classroom thinking that Braden will be there learning, socializing, and growing up before my eyes. This weekend we are going to go get him a backpack for the little folder and extra set of clothes he has to take to school every day. I love thinking about him wearing a little backpack, bringing home sheets he has done at school, listening to him tell me about the other children in his class, and watching the progress he makes throughout the year. Rich is a little apprehensive about how he will do, but I think it's going to be fantastic! I signed up to help with the parties and the field trips; I want to be as involved as they will let me, because I think it will make all the difference to Braden (they also will let me bring the 2 prisses if I can't find someone to watch them). It will also help me get to know his friends and get an idea of what his day is like. I always wandered what I would be like when my kids started school, being a teacher myself; I wandered if I would be judgemental or supportive of their teachers. I guess now I know; I love his teacher, and I want to do all I can to make her a success and therefore Braden a success! When she was talking about the curriculum, I was going through things in my head that I can do at home to enhance what he will be learning at school. Tomorrow Braden, the other cuties, and I will go back to First Baptist (that's where the preschool is); he still hasn't met Miss Christy. I hope she will see those baby blues of his and those melt your heart dimples and fall in love and pledge to protect him. As you can tell, I do wonder how he will deal with conflict or those that have less than stellar social skills, but I know it is better to learn those lessons now than when he gets older. I also know that overprotecting him will cause more harm than good, so this will be good for both of us. Even now, I only try to step in when he has tried to tell another child what he feels or dislikes, and they don't seem to get it or care. To Rich's chagrin, I have taught Braden that he first tries to tell a child that he doesn't like: the pushing, hitting, etc., and if they don't stop after a couple attempts, he can hit them. I know, not very Christlike; I want Braden to feel secure with taking up for himself though. Of course, I am the child that got sent home from a friend's house when I was 3, because I followed my daddy's advice and punched my friend Curtis in the nose after he hit me; my daddy still likes to tell everyone about the whole sordid affair complete with details of the bloody nose. I guess I am just passing on the tradition and teaching to hit back. Okay, maybe I am doing a little justifying. I just want Braden to be successful this year in all areas and really start his school career off on the right foot. Braden was telling Brooke all about the blue slide at "his school." Brooke was green with envy, but she will just have to wait until next year; I think they can only handle one Maseda at a time, especially when one of the Masedas is a 2 1/2 year old fireball.

The Cutie Patootie Dancing Duo

I had so much fun sharing Emma's video with everyone, I thought I would share another one. I actually took this video back in July shortly after the dance we had at church. For days after the dance, Braden and Brooke danced everywhere. This video is a perfect example; I had opened my blog to work on it, and they heard the music start to play. It was quite entertaining, I hope all of you enjoy it as much as I did. I love that Braden really lets loose in the video; Rich used to always pick and say Braden had no rhythm, but I think that he does now. Enjoy watching! :)

Emma rolled over

Emma finally rolled all the way over today, but I only filmed her rolling from her back to her stomach; she is getting so big so fast!

My birthday week~trip to South Carolina

I had the best birthday this year! Actually it felt more like a birthday week; Monday Braden, Brooke, Emma, and I went to South Carolina to spend a week with Elizabeth. Of course, there was no way Mama was going to miss an opportunity to see her grandchildren, so she came down to Elizabeth's on Tuesday night. Monday we just spent time at Elizabeth's house relaxing after making the journey, but Tuesday we ventured out. I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to be in Conway again; it was so comforting being in a place that holds so many good memories for me. Almost everywhere I look I have a memory of somebody or something. I also was excited about seeing Myrtle Beach, but Conway means so much more to me. On Tuesday I had the opportunity to meet up with one of my old high school friends and catch up, while our two sons played at the park that I went to as a child; in fact the whole time we were there I kept running through the memories in my head: the birthday parties, the late night talks with the girls as we sipped milkshakes, and especially the party my friends and I had in 8th grade at the building located at the park. Tuesday night we had a small party at Elizabeth's house; it was just the cuties, Elizabeth, Paul, Amanda, and Mama. We ate lasagna, opened presents, and had a delicious cake. The next day we of course went shopping; I couldn't resist all of the good sales at Children's Place! Thursday Elizabeth, the cuties, and I went to Carla's (Elizabeth's best friend) pool. We were going to go to the beach, but we decided with 3 children a pool would be a better and wiser choice. After the pool Braden and Brooke took a tour at Carla's looking at the goats, cows, rabbits, and dogs; they also took a spin on Carla's polaris. Thursday night we headed to Daddy's for another birthday celebration, where we ate hamburgers, chips, and a sinful chocolate cake. I loved being around everyone, and so did Braden and Brooke; they especially enjoyed getting spoiled rotten by everyone! I've had to do some detox since we have been back. Friday afternoon we headed home, where Rich had another celebration planned. He arranged for a babysitter, so he and I were able to go to Savannah and have a celebration for just the two of us (well, Emma was there; she slept most of the time though). I couldn't imagine a better celebration! I was surrouned all week by those that I love and that love me, I ate way too many goodies, and I got to end the week with my sweetie! If turning 32 is this much fun, I can't wait until 33! Bring on the age baby, and the wisdom that comes with each year! I just wish there was a way the gray hair did come along with each passing year!