After we exercise we like to drink shakes to make our muscles nice and strong.

Brooks drinks his as only Brooks can do, with pure gusto.

Because remember that nothing Brooks does is like a normal little boy.

"Look Mom! I'm getting strong! Do you wanna see my muscles?"

How can you not love a face like this? What a special boy.

Chloe is really good at using the I-Phone. It's not like she's able to play anything on it really, but she is able to grunt enough to get us to open up our photos and videos on the phone. Once they are opened for her she is able to navigate them pretty well. She scrolls through them with a swish of her finger and is able to press the triangle to get the videos to play.

I'm not sure if this is good or bad, as it may seem that we are using the I-Phone to raise our kids. We're not. We are just being real and doing what we've got to do to get through the days.

The days are long lately. Chloe and Brooks are sweet, so sweet...things are just hard lately. It must be the ages or at least that's what we are hoping. It could be the weather, too. We are pretty sick of being stuck inside. We are READY for summer!

So, until we have figured out how to achieve peace and quiet without the I-Phone involved, we'll keep using it. Oh, and to that (651) number that Chloe called the other night...so sorry!

We like Angry Birds, too. Brooks much prefers the real life version of it, though. If you don't know what Angry Birds is (game on I-Phone) these pics will mean nothing to you. If you do know what Angry Birds is, these will be rather amusing.

Brooks had a great birthday. It's hard to believe he is four.

Our hope is that year four is just as fun as year 3 and maybe just a tiny bit easier, too.

Brooks is such a blessing. We love you, Buddy.

We continue to be in awe of the differences between Brooks and Chloe. Each child is precious in their own way, but having a girl is so very different than a boy. It's cool how at 18 months we can already tell that Chloe is a true girl.

Although Chloe struggle to talk (Brooks was saying Bible verses at this age), she knows what she wants and won't stop grunting until she gets it. She is very difficult to get a smile out of and is not interested in anyone talking to her, holding her or looking at her.

Chloe is, however, MUCH more easy going than Brooks ever was as long as she is with her Mommy or Daddy. She is content to waddle around behind us while we complete our daily routines and would be even more content to sit on our laps or be held most of the day. Chloe also enjoys sitting still and being rubbed. Brooks was never a kid who sat still for more than a few seconds.

Chloe can't stand to have her hands messy and loves to put her coat on and wear it around the house. She also loves to wear bracelets and necklaces whenever possible.

It's going to be fun to watch Chloe grow up. We wonder if she'll be sugar and spice and everything nice OR if she'll take after her brother and enjoy frogs and snails and puppy-dogs' tails?

What an adventure.

As the day draws near that my precious Brooks will turn 4 I find myself in a roller coaster of emotions. It shouldn't be such a big deal. He will continue to age each year and that is part of being a mom. BUT, it is a huge deal to me. I remember his birth like it was yesterday and really it would be almost impossible to forget a full day of labor only to have a C-Section 36 hours later.

It was no wonder my dear sweet Brooks had to be extracted from me rather than enter the world in a "normal" fashion. From the first minute Brooks welcomed himself into this world there was little to nothing "normal" about him. My 10 pounds lover, with a full head of black hair, and a cone shaped skull won my heart from the second I laid eyes on him.

Brooks was referred to as the "beautiful baby" in the nursery, as he was twice the size of many of the babies and looked much like a man rather than an infant with his comb-over hairstyle. Brooks had a little bit of jaundice as well, which although not healthy, made him a little bit more beautiful than those babies who were the color they were supposed to be. A tan looks a little better babies too, I guess!

My dear sweet BOY! What? A BOY? Although is was shocking to welcome a BOY into the Doty family (we only "do" girls around here), this BOY would turn out to be a blessing bigger and better than anyone would have ever expected.

This BOY has challenged us like only a BOY can do. He has energy that far exceeds any girl that I've ever met. He has passion and everything he does he does with gusto. My BOY is also tender beyond what a 4 year old BOY typically is. He has feelings for others that run deep and is easily hurt by others as well. My BOY keeps me on my toes, frustrates me to no end and also blesses me more than I deserve.

It's hard to be happy that my precious boy is turning 4 and will soon "need" his Mommy less. Brooks is nearing the 60 pound (no, that is not a typo) mark and is getting harder for me to hold and snuggle. This morning my "little" guy sat on my lap and got his back rubbed. As I ran my fingers through his thick hair and kissed his rather large head, it became so real to me that my baby is no longer a baby and never will be again.

I get so fed up with my kids at times (lots of days, actually) but it became so real to me that I really should be embracing this time because it is going away all too quickly.

My goal (and I will fail only to start again):

Embrace the enthusiasm. Embrace the passion. Embrace the gusto. Embrace the need for Mommy. Embrace the sleepless nights. Embrace the throwing up. Embrace the temper tantrums. Realize this is a season and most likely a season I'll wish I could have back in the future.

Bless you baby boy.

I love you.

The last week or so has been a pretty disappointing week for me. It's been really hard to find "good" and I've fallen into the trap of feeling "bad" more than "good".

Most of what is spoiling my ability to be happy has to do with our church and I am weary from all of the chaos.

There have been plenty of times this week when I've been tempted to say, "I'm out of here!" or "I've had it." But then I just look at these two precious children of mine and I can't believe I am so selfish.

My kids are high maintenance and full of energy, which wears me out. But, the wonderful-ness of my two beautiful children far outweighs the struggles.

I'm glad I have Brooks and Chloe because they keep me going and remind me that life is full.

We've been sick around this place lately. It all started on Christmas Eve and it hasn't given us much of a break since. Things could be a million times worse, but in the midst of cleaning up vomit or not being able to take a deep breath, we start to think we have a miserable existence on this Earth. We may (I shouldn't even say that) be done (cross our fingers) for a while. Both illnesses, respiratory and stomach have gone through everyone in our household.

Well, not Brooks (he didn't get the stomach bug--yet) but we are praying he will escape the awfulness of it.

So, since Mommy, Daddy and Chloe have all been puking our guts out Brooks has had LOTS of TV and I-Pod time. We weren't winning any official awards this weekend with our parenting, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do. Brooks was fine just chilling, sans shirt like the big boys, on the couch.

Don't you think he looks like a "real" hockey player? We do.

Before the illness struck, Greg was getting "Dad of the Year" award by building the kiddos a super cool Igloo in our front yard. Yes, as a panicked mother I asked Greg to please make one without a roof, just in case it fell in. So, Greg made one with a roof, but PROMISED me they'd never be in it without us right by their sides. I have to admit that the inside of the Igloo is super cool and I can totally understand why a roof would be necessary in order to keep the cool factor of it all. Brooks was in Heaven as his most favorite thing these days is small spaces to "hide" in.

I get a chuckle out of our Valentine's Day photo shoot. It's funny how as the years go by, it's become less important to us to have the perfect photo on the actual Holiday. Two years ago, I would have had the white and pink blankets out ready to serve as the background while I took photos of my two children dressed in perfectly matching Valentine's outfits. If the pictures didn't turn out I would have been beside myself.

Well, time has passed and there is a "new" me. Here's to our 2011 Valentine's Day Photo Shoot.

(See the two pictures below...just in case you were wondering where the Valentine's Day Photos were!)

And for a sweet laugh before you are done reading tonight.

We wondered if Brooks may be getting sick. We were predicting he might get the stomach bug just like the rest of us. He laid our worries to rest when he requested a snack this afternoon (after lunch) while he watched Bubble Guppies.

Our conversation went something like this:

B: "MOOOOMMMMMMM! *Yelling from the bedroom*

M: "Yes, Brooks."

B: "Would you get me a snack, please?"

M: "Sure, Bud. What would you like?"

B: "A bean burrito."

At that moment, I knew his tummy wasn't upset and I also knew I had a very unique three year old.

*note: bean burrito on plate*

I write this blog not only to share my kids with others who love them, but also so we can remember things they do and say.

Here are some Brook-ism's as of late:

After telling Brooks to clean up the workout room that he'd destroyed, he says to me in all seriousness: "Mom, I'm not quite done with my workout. I have about a half-hour left."

Brooks announces to his daddy that he has "taste buddies" on his tongue that help him taste food.

When Brooks doesn't want to do something, like go to school, go to Sunday School, take a nap in his own bed, he says to us: "My head is just feeling a little sick" to get out of having to do anything. (BTW: It doesn't work.)

Brooks was telling his Oma about the hat-trick that a hockey player got last night. He continued to say to his Oma, "Yep. Then we throw our hats on the rink. Then they give the hats to the "bored" people." (Poor people, as we told him that the hats were given to those in need.)

And last but not least:

Brooks LOVES the movie "Despicable Me". In his language he enjoys watching the movie "Speckled Meat" while he eats popcorn and snuggles in his Mommy's bed.

We went to a sledding party (and it wasn't only a sledding party, but I can't remember what it was called) to celebrate my Dad's birthday this weekend. We drove up to a small town called Palo, MN to enjoy some outdoor time. The weather was beautiful, the sledding hill was fast and the kids enjoyed being together.

The adults enjoyed it as well, as ALL 4 grandkids were very well behaved and made it simple to have an adult conversation (that never happens). It was a great present for Chloe and Brooks to give their Opa on his birthday.

We only went down the sledding hill twice as the lines were long. Two hours in the car for only two slides down the hill is TOTALLY WORTH IT when you are with the people you love the MOST.

That evening, we went to the UMD hockey game to finish off a great day.

It was an honor to spend the whole day with my dad on his birthday.

My dad is an amazing man.