Rita ~ Hurley: 2012

Monday, December 24, 2012

Trip to Bass Pro Shops...

Last week we took the kids to Santa's village at Bass Pro Shops...Bentley was in heaven...driving the cars...attempting a pic with Santa, a good lunch out, watching the fish and turtles...checking out the tree...

OH CHRISTMAS TREE...

I have some really cute pics of Bentley in front of the tree at his first Christmas, so of course I had to get Gracie...

Bentley at his first Christmas, about 5 months old...

Thursday, December 20, 2012

BYE BYE BINKIES!

So, you've met Clarence ~ who I thought was going to be our MISCHEVIOUS little Elf. But my wonderful, responsible hubby had other ideas. I was all excited, looking up ideas for Clarence every night ~ one night he was going to turn the toilet water green, one night he was going to toilet paper the Christmas tree...I was psyched! So the other night I set up this scenario...

Bentley's toys, and even Gracie's Sophie the Giraffe, had taken Clarence hostage. Well, this didn't go over too well. My responsible husband explained to me that Clarence should be used as a learning tool and doing things like picking up Bentley's toys. WHAT?! NO TP-ing the Christmas tree?!

I caved and deemed myself an irresponsible Mommy.

So, Clarence has "excitedly" hung himself in the snack drawer (Bentley's FAV place to sneak into), and sat with the fish food on top of the fish tank.

My, oh my, how exciting...what will I think of next?! Maybe Clarence can scrub the toilets tonight.

LAST NIGHT though, Clarence was a BIG help. Starting on Sunday I've been explaining to Bentley that in 3 days it would be time for his binkies to go bye-bye since he was such a big boy now. He would be getting a big boy bed and he didn't need his binkies anymore. Every nap and every night until Wed. I explained this to him and was met with no resistance. Yesterday morning we gathered up his binkies and put them in his binky cup that stays in his room. We brought them downstairs and put them on the counter ~ I explained that we were leaving them for Clarence to take to Santa that night. At naptime yesterday, he didn't really protest much but he didn't take a great nap ~ he cried for about 20 minutes, slept for a short time, and was up by 3, which is not like him. Last night he went to bed NO PROBLEM - he was quiet and then after about a half hour I heard him wake up and was crying. I didn't go up because I knew he would just ask for a binky. He quieted down and slept all night until about 8:30 SANS BINKIES!!!! This is what he found this morning...

Thanks, Clarence, for being a responsible Elf and helping us to get rid of binkies. Santa is even going to STERILIZE the binkies for the other kids who need them. Even though you are boring this year....maybe tonight you'll get into Hurley's dog food to look like you are helping to feed him. Wooohooo... ;)

~E