Mollie Jane at the Ballet

Mollie Jane picked out the donut with the most sprinkles of course!




Mollie Jane and I spent a fun night at the ballet. Jason has been gone a couple of weeks at army duty so my awesome Mom flew up to help us out. She sent Mollie Jane and I on a "girls night" to see Alley II a cool modern ballet. So it was Mollie Jane and I (and of course her American Girl doll-Jess had to go as well). We got Jess all dressed up that day so she could go to the ballet. I guess during body rest time Mollie Jane changed her clothes because as we got out of the car to go to the ballet, I looked down and Jess is wearing a belly shirt that is too short and a bathrobe with her "biscuits" hanging out. I took the opportunity to teach Mollie Jane how you dress if you go to the theater or ballet. We opted to leave Jess in the car due to her funky outfit. Oh Dear! It was a little sad. However, we got over it and instead of the three of us seeing the ballet it was just the two of us. Mollie Jane did awesome and was wide eyed during the performance. It was fun and Mollie Jane kept saying all night "Mommy, it's just the girls." When it was over we headed to Krispy Kreme for a donut. Here were Mollie Janes hilarious comments during the ballet
-"What is going to happen here?" as the lights went out and the curtain was about to open
-"Why are the boys dressed up? They're crazy"
-"Where are those M&M things?" talking about the skittles I brought
-"Why do boys do ballet up on stage? Why are they dressed up in those suits?"
-"Everyone has to be very quiet, you have to whisper" she leans over and whispers this to me in the middle of the ballet
-"This is great"
-"I like these ballets. Daddy would like the boy ballets. Daddy is a boy."
-"I think Miss Stacy (her ballet teacher)is going to come out on the stage in a minute"
-"Mommy, we have to be very quiet when she is doing her ballet" about a woman doing a solo on stage
-"I do ballet in my class. I don't do go on a stage"
-"I curtsy with my ballet teacher"
It was priceless and so was her face.

Mollie Jane in her ballet class. She loves it and calls her ballet clothes her "ballets."

Mollie Jane with her famous ballet teacher Miss Stacy

My Valentines

Baby Jackson on Valentines Day 2003

Baby Mollie Jane at Valentines Day 2007

Baby Smith on Valentines Day this year 2010

The Valentines Day Celebration at Chick Fill A

We had a fun Valentines Day. My Valentine is out of town doing army training for a couple of weeks so we celebrated without Daddy this year. Although, Dad left some fun gifts with a friend who delivered them to us that morning on our doorstep. We went to Chick Fill A the night before for a fun dinner they put on. They had table cloths on the table, they waited on us and we were seated. It was fun although my kids kept spilling things on the tablecloths, pulling the tablecloth off accidently and then Jackson asked if they were still going to be able to play in the play place because it was awfully dark in the restaurant. I guess we don't eat at nice restraunts often enough. So thanks to Chick Fill A for that attempted exposure to what a nice restraunt is like but I think my kids will just stick to your normal fast food restaurant. We had fun though. We then went to church on the actual Valentines Day and came home and had mac n cheese, played Wii and the celebrated with a little Planet Earth and donuts in bed. What more could you ask for besides our favorite Valentine.

Donuts before bed. The best Valentine treat in the Brawner house

Jackson's Valentine's Day Party

Mollie Jane thinks she is in Jackson's class. She always assumes her positon in a desk with Lauren. Lauren is such a sweet girl and so nuturing to her.
Jackson thought he was cool stuff with his Valentines Box.

Smith was the most popular attraction at the party.

Since Daddy is in the army, Jackson thought he would like it if we made a tank.

Jackson was so excited for his Valentines Party. His assignment was to make a box for his Valentine cards. He wanted to make an army tank. We used remote control monster truck and turned it into a tank. We worked on and off on it for about two weeks. We walked it into his class today with it and beamed. The whole class "ohhed" and "ahhhed" when he brought it in.
Mollie Jane, Smith and I got to his class at two for the party. They decorated cookies, ate the cookies, and then opened their Valentines. The sweetest girl in Jackson's class always shares her desk with Mollie Jane and is so kind to her. She let Mollie Jane help her open her Valentines and gave her stickers and half of all her candy. What a doll. Smith ate his lunch in the bumbo seat on Mr Beckman's filing cabinet and then played in the front of the class on the floor with a chew toy. I looked over and there were about eight first graders circled around Smith just playing with him. Smith was like his own activity at the party. He was in heaven with all the attention.
There was lot of yelling as each first grader was told to say "thank you" to everyone that gave them a valentine. There was also plenty of sugar!

Mollie Jane's Valentines Day Party

Mollie Jane was very proud of her picture frame that she made at her party.

Mollie Jane had a Valentines Party at School. She loves school and everyone in the class is her best friend (literally). I had several Moms of the little girls in her class tell me we need to set up a play date with Mollie Jane and their child. Mollie Jane usually asks really only for the boys in her class to come and play (mainly Caden).
She made a frame with a picture of herself.
We played Valentines Bingo (although Mollie Jane ate more of the M&M's than she put on her card)
We passed out our Valentines
We had a yummy snack and juice box
She showed Smith the toys she plays with in her class. Poor Smith was just sitting on a rug in the corner of the room chewing on a chew toy and Mollie Jane would drag out a toy from the shelf and show it to him and say "look Baby." He loved all the activity and is always happy if Mollie Jane is around.

A teachable moment on being bossy but for who I'm not sure

So we have been working on Mollie Jane and helping her not to "mother" everyone all the time or as Jackson puts it so nicely "bossing people around."
So we had a funny car ride today.

Jackson- "Sissy is bossing me around"
Me- "Sissy remember talk to your Bubby but don't tell him what to do. Mommy and Daddy are his bosses and we will tell him what he needs to do, Okay?
But you are the boss of Jess (her American Girl Doll) Jess probably needs lots of help so you can help her."
Jackson- "Mom, I have five bosses"
Me- "Really, five? Who are your five bosses?
Jackson- You, Daddy, Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit (he is all about the Trinity these days as they are studying it at school)
Mollie Jane- In her most serious voice "I think I am going to boss Jess around today and tomorrow"
Me- I attempt to explain bossing a little more saying things like "Jesus is our boss and is like a shepherd" etc.... and "Mommy is your boss and guides you too but I try to do it very lovingly" I then proceed to tell the kids that "Daddy is the boss of our whole family and he is in charge of our family."
Jackson-"Well Mommy,I think really you are kind of the boss of the family and Daddy is the boss of the family like two days a year"
Me- "Really, Pal, which two days are those?"
Jackson- "Father's Day and Daddy's birthday"
Me- "Oh right"