Mingo Party

As in Flamingo Party!

Claire Bear turned 3 today.  My baby girl isn't a baby anymore (tear).

On Sunday we had a flamingo style birthday for Claire.

Awhile back, Claire came to like flamingos a lot. The beginnings of that infatuation is a little gray, but I think it really started with this:

  Her "mingo purse" or flamingo purse.

Let me back the story up just a little.

My father-in-law loves palm trees and plants some in his yard each summer. Mysteriously one morning there were 2 plastic pink flamingo yard decorations positioned by one of the palm trees in their yard. Claire recognized them as flamingos from a book about colors that had a picture of a flamingo on the page of "pink" things. Then one day while on a trip to the craft store she found and begged for a insulated lunch bag that had flamingos on it. She kept saying "I want my own purse." Ava had one and Claire desperately wanted one. Her beautiful blue eyes talked me into getting it for her and from that moment on the "mingo purse" went everywhere with us...and I mean everywhere!

My mother-in-law purchased a cute Gymboree jumper with flamingos on it to have at her house in case Claire needed a change of clothes.  Claire soon began insisting on wearing it the minute she got there.  I think she loves them because they are pink and she REALLY loves pink. When I presented her with a few options for a birthday theme she excitedly asked for a "mingo party".  I even offed a "pink princess party" which is what Claire calls Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), but she was insistent on Flamingos. So Flamingos it was!!

Here is her little invitations which I made.
One of my goals this year is to get some software and learn to make cute invitations.

Sorry my camera takes terrible pictures.  I need a new one real bad!!

We borrowed my in-law's flamingo yard decor to welcome our guests who braved one of the worst snowstorms this winter to attend our festivities.


I struggled finding flamingo things in the middle of winter but here is the set up compliments of Oriental Trading Company.

I used Flamingo straws that I cut off the excess straw part and made them into cupcake toppers. I also was excited to find these flamingo suckers to use as part of our party favors! (Thanks again to OTC!)

Here is the Birthday Girl some of the family sporting her "mingo glasses" which were available for all to enjoy!

 

My Girlies

Claire is wearing her "Mingo Dress" that Grandma Julie had given her around Halloween. 

She asks to wear it

 E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y! 

 

Uncle Kim Flamingo Style! 

Saving this picture for black mail in the future ;) 

 Talmage even joined in on the fun.
Claire loves her cousin Kaisin! He is so cute with her and even taught her to catch a ball.

She loved opening presents and loved everything she got. A few favorites included her pink Princess and the Popstar Barbie dress, her pink ladybug dream light her new "mingo dress".

 

 

 Ava made these cute flamingo from Bendaroos almost a month before Claire's Party when we decided on a Flamingo theme.  She was so excited to give it to Claire. She even wrapped by herself in in a paper she drew a flamingo on (wish I had a picture).

Claire insisted on putting on her new flamingo p.j.'s that she got...

...which only lasted about 20 minutes until she completely wet her pants (which hasn't happened since she potty trained last spring) because she refused to go to the bathroom for almost the whole party. She was devastated when she peed her pants which made it impossible to scold her.

Happy Birthday My Beautiful 3 Year Old!

Oh and here are a few cute pics from a little Shin Dig my mother-in-law did on Claire's actual birthday which is today.  My mother-in-law was nice enough to invite her cousin (second cousin or 1st cousin once removed or something like that) to the party. Claire adores Ellie Jo and wanted to have a friends party and invite Ellie Jo.  Tyson was out of town and I had a work conference so I kind of dropped the ball on the friend's party. 

Thanks to my in-laws Claire got her friend party.

Grammy's Girl

 Ellie Jo loved her flamingo glasses

A chocolate cake from Cakes de la Fluer

 Breanna came too so Ava could have a friend

We worked on holding up 3 fingers instead of 2 all week.  She has it down!

She was so excited for more presents. She loved her new "ballet clothes"!

Isn't she just scrumptious?
 

The Thumbsucker Gene

It has to be genetic.

We are 3 for 3 people and I keep thinking "what are the chances?"
I will admit that I was a thumb sucker until an embarrassing and undisclosed age.
I wasn't the kid who sucked her thumb in class or any other public place. I was a closet thumb sucker. I was always worried that I would be the last one to wake up at a sleep over and people would find me with my thumb in my mouth.  Thanks heavens that was before Facebook, Instagram and even the internet.  The public humiliation could have been devastating.

Ava was definitely my earliest thumb sucker. It took her awhile to get proficient but she managed to find her thumb often at even just a few weeks old. She was also stellar at taking a pacifier from the get go. We always put her to bed with the pacifier but in the night when she would stir, she would find her thumb and suck herself back to sleep. It was heavenly because she slept through the night very quickly.  She was ambidextrous when it came to thumb sucking and she never showed a preference for one over the other. We could actually here the slurping and sucking during the night and we would lay in bed and giggle. Then just after moving into our new house a few weeks before her 1st birthday, she suddenly stopped. One day we noticed we hadn't seen her do it for awhile. As she got closer to 1 years old, she really only did it at night or when she was asleep in car seat. I think she just started finding her pacifier in the middle of the night and putting that back in her mouth instead of sucking her thumb.  Either way, we were spared the job of trying to get her to quit. PHEW!

AC "Angry Claire" never would take a pacifier.  Well, she briefly did for about a month and a half. As a newborn, she would scream and we would try to give her a pacifier but she acted like we stuck a cold fish in her mouth. She couldn't seem to figure out how to initiate sucking the pacifier and then she would get so mad trying that it would back fire. Sometimes she was so mad she almost seemed possessed (hence the name AC). All the while she always seemed to be trying to get her hand to her mouth. I persevered with the pacifier and she seemed to "slightly" get the hang of a it until she got a cold and stuffy nose. She couldn't breath through her mouth and suck the darn thing at the same time so she stopped taking it.  She never would take it again. We struggled with how to soothe her until one day she finally got the thumb into her mouth. And there it has stayed ever since! Some things are great about thumb suckers.  So far I believe it has made my babies better sleepers. But on the flip side, I think Claire is sick A-L-O-T more. We have been preparing her and telling her that when she turns 3 years old she has to quit. Wish us luck!

Now, numero 3.  Uhhhh Ohhhh!  I think we are headed down the thumb sucking path. So far he is taking more after Ava in the pacifier department.  It wasn't completely natural to him but he got the hang of it quick and seemed to like it.  But around a month old, he could get his fist to his mouth and we noticed him chewing on his hands. He always seemed to be trying to unearth his thumb from under all the other fingers. Then we started finding his thumb in his mouth when we checked on him at night. In a few instances, I actually observed him spitting his pacifier out to get to his thumb.  YIKES! It is cute, adorable and heart melting.  I just die when I they seem to wrap or hang their index finger over their noses while they suck.  But in all honesty, I don't mind it for now but I hope he does like Ava and just magically quits on his own before he turns a year.  Here's to hoping!

I just thought of something.
Maybe there is a correlation between thumb sucking and having the umbilical cord wrapped around their neck at birth.  All 3 of my children had to be freed from the cord around their neck before they could be fully delivered and all 3 suck their thumbs.
I bet there is something to it (okay maybe not)!

Giggles and Fairies

"When the first baby laughed for the first time,

 the laugh broke into a thousand pieces, 

 and they all went skipping about.

 And that was the beginning of fairies. "-Peter Pan

Talmage has started giggling and it melts my heart.

His cute little laughter along with his to die for smile just turns me to mush.

Ava has been loving her Tinker Bell movies lately and she was so excited when Talmage first giggled. She jumped up and down and kept exclaiming over and over,

"A new fairy was born, a new fairy is born." 

It was cute and now she keeps talking about it and occasionally tries to name her the new faries.

He first laughed a few weeks ago but we haven't been able to get a consistent giggle out of him until just the last few days.  He is always happy and squealing but we love when he does that 

"belly roll" kind of laughter.  Ava just loves that she is the one that he responds to the most.

He just loves his big sister!

Here is a clip of Ava and Talmage. She was hiding behind me and then jumping out and startling him, which apparently he found hysterical that day.

I could listen to that sound all day!  

(Aren't his cheeks so kissable looking?)

Seasons Greeting

Traditionally I write a little letter of our happenings to send with our Christmas cards.  

We mostly send them to out of state family or to mission friends and people we don't have regular contact with throughout the year.

 I don't like these letters to be to serious, or to sound like bragging or nagging. 

I usually keep it light and fun.

This year I decided to be a little corny and make our happenings into a poem. 

Here it is: (don't laugh too hard because I am no Walt Whitman)

 A few weeks before Christmas

We thought we would write,

All our family and friends

Too far from our sight.

Tyson is still working 

At England Logistics you see.

He goes to work so early,

But comes home earlier to be with family.

He also helps out 

At Levelnine Sports that's true.

If you are in need of new skis and gear,

Stop by, he'll find the pair perfect for you.

He is a great husband and dad,

And we love him so much.

He hopes these qualities will

Be rewarded with chances to ski a bunch.

Alyson has been busy

Trying to keep up her home.

With two girls and a new baby boy,

There is no time to feel alone.

She is on maternity leave

Until January of next year.

She'll have to go back to work,

Not without a few tears

(Not too many because she works from home though)

Ava is growing up 

And started kindergarten, hurray!

She is adjusting to school

And having homework most days.

She's a wonderful sister,

And loves to hold her brother.

She is a master binky finder

And will someday be a natural mother.

She has grown up and 

Become a good artist, dancer and swimmer.

She loves to imagine, perform and dress up

In anything fancy that shimmers.

Claire is now almost 3,

My how the time does fly.

She keeps us on our toes with antics,

That make us laugh til we cry.

She is quite the girly girl,

And loves to wear only dresses.

She loves jewelry, pink dress up shoes,

And make up that creates messes.

She has adjusted quite well

To her new baby brother.

She loves to kiss and "pet" him

to the point of almost a smother.

Talmage was born

A little over two months ago.

He has a wonderful smile

That makes your heart glow.

He has stolen our hearts

And is a good little guy.

We love his horseshoe hairline

And his big blue alert eyes.

We were excited to

Grow to a family of five.

We thank god everyday

For our blessings and lives.

We hope you are all happy

And doing very well.

If you're ever passing by

Come ring our door bell.

Now you know how we're doing,

Don't be strangers, you hear.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas,

And the happiest New Year!

Love, The Bringhurst Family

-December 2012 

And here is a copy of our Christmas Card.  

I hope to be writing a 2012 Highlight post real soon.  I have a hard time starting something new without feeling like I have to catch up the past.  I am trying to let go of that thought this year.  

Yes, I can start watching a series even if I missed the first season and

 yes I can start a blog from this point on. 

So, I decided to do a highlight of the last year and then occasionally due a throwback post about a memory, event, experience, a thought or even just a picture that I love from the past.

Sibling Love/Obsession

Some one has not experienced one ounce of jealousy

and someone else has not had one ounce of
personal space.

It is amazing how much he is loved and how positive this whole experience has been.
My girls are going to grow up to be dang good mamas!

Three Months Old

My Little Man is Three Months Old!!

You'll probably hear me say this at each milestone, but I want to shed a tear when I think about how fast time is going by. Mostly I feel this way because we are not sure if he is going to be our last. I don't feel like I get enough time to savor every moment with him.
I often stare at him, trying frantically to memorize every little moment with him so I won't forget this wonderful experience.

When the subject of a fourth child comes up, Tyson and I are at odds.  He seems perfectly content with 3 children and I on the other hand feel like a fourth would complete the family.  Like it would make a perfect square instead of a triangle.  I must be dull because I like the nice equality of a square, instead of the unfinished look of a triangle.  I always feel like someone would be left out or like something is missing.  I have a hard time thinking of being an odd numbered family.  I feel like everyone should have a partner to sit by at an amusement park. (When I say this to Tyson he immediately volunteers to sit alone).

So for the time being, we have agreed to disagree.

Back to the original reason for the post, Talmage.  We are loving his 3 month old personality right now.  He is such a happy little guy and loves to just be where the action is. He loves his big sisters and they love him almost to the point of a smother. He has been super alert since day #1 and he is so fun to interact with.
Here are just a few things he is doing right now:

he is smiling (all the time)
cooing, squealing and talking up a storm
he just laughed for the first time last week and has been doing it more and more
he loves to lay on his activity mat and bat at the toys dangling above him
he tries to grab at toys
has achieved getting his thumb to his mouth and sucked it
(oh no, not another thumbs sucker = constantly being sick)
he has rolled from his tummy to his back twice
is constantly kicking his legs wildly while squealing
is such a good snuggler (he would prefer to sleep being nestled in someones arms

We love our Honey Honey (as Claire calls him)!

Because I started this blog recently I am going to add a few pictures from Birth, 1 month and 2 months old to show how much he has grown (tear)!!

Two Months Old
Weight 10lbs 5 oz -18% percentile
Height 22 1/2 inches- 31% percentile

One Month Old

Two week check up Stats
Weight 6 lbs 2 oz- 3% percentile
Height 20.28 inches- 34% percentile

Birth
 Talmage Scott Bringhurst
6 lbs 4 oz
19.5 inches

2-3 Day Check up stats
Weight- 5 lbs 9 oz- 5% percentile

Love their faces in this bottom one.  Not sure what to think and no idea what to expect!