Bryce's First Haircut!

Before 

After!

Let's Talk About Food, Mommy

Tonight, as we were in the final event of the Bedtime Decathalon*, Gillian looked up at me and said dreamily:

"Mommy, let's talk about food."

This sounded like a topic I could really get into, so I indulged.

Me: "Okay, sure.  What do you want to talk about?"
Gillian: "I love cereal. Do you love cereal, mom?"
Me: "I don't, but daddy does."
Gillian: "Mmmmm, Daddy DOES love cereal. I had butternut squash soup today!!!! It's SOOOOOO yummy, right mom?"
Me: Yes, Gilly!  It's delicious.  I think it's time for night night.

Food has been a new hot topic, as Gillian has realized that there is a very different and delicious world outside of the ground turkey derivatives and quinoa that she has been subsisting on over the past few years.  Grilled cheese?  Sure, I'll take a side of fries with that?  Ice cream?  Don't forget the sprinkles.  Basically, she is living life, loving her food choices, and wants to talk about them all the time.

It's not shocking that Gillian has her own thoughts on food that she'd like to share, likely due to a) genetics (apple does fall from the unsolicited opinion tree) and b) she is definitely pushing the boundaries of independence.

This video is incredibly tedious, but showcases Gillian's ability to diaper herself... in 2.5 minutes.

If these trips to the potty were slightly more productive, we might not need to nightly diaper showcase.

This is video 1 of 3 of Gillian getting dressed.  Only chad would have the patience to tape this operation:

Video 2/3:

Video 3/3

To my continued amazement, Gillian is truly an independent, optimistic little person who loves new things, places and challenges.

more on b-man coming up next!

xo,
morgan

Bedtime Decathalon

THE BEDTIME DECATHALON

EVENT 1: PRE-BATH
It's probably unusual that we kick off the nighttime ritual with a bath before dinner, but that's how we do it. It usually begins with a verbal warm up, where we talk about bathtime being up next on the agenda. Then we decide what dolls we're going to bring upstairs, what tub we're going to take a bath in, and what we're going to do after our bath.  The lead up to this can involve gillian being dragged by her ankles up the stairs (exaggeration) while screaming, "I DON'T WANT TO TAKE A BATH I WANT TO PLAY.

EVENT 2: BATH
The bath itself is not the soothing and adorable bath experience that parents of one child can appreciate.  This bath is any Whole Foods in Manhattan between 6-7pm.  It's the mall on the Saturday before Christmas.  It's sometimes one bath, sometimes two, with an occasional shower for the non-faint at heart (Paula gets Gillian to shower; I can't do it. Where is Bryce while this shower is happening?  I can't ask.) It's screaming from Gillian: "I DON'T WANT YOU TO WASH MY HAIR". It's standing and sitting and swimming and standing again from Bryce. "Bryce, I'm going to have a heart attack please sit down".

EVENT 3: POST BATH- IT'S STILL NOT OVER
This event begins with me officially announcing"BATHTIME IS OVER" and Gillian saying "NO" and then me fishing bryce out of the tub because he is nicer and easier to manhandle.  My next step is to pin him on the floor of the bathroom while applying 475 creams, lotions and potions to his special sensitive skin while he writhes in the agony of being removed from the bath when all he wants to do is play in there. Usually, I forget a diaper and have to run to his room, giving him a few moments of freedom where he thinks the torture is over. Gillian usually flops around in the bath until she feels like it, and then hops out and refuses to get dressed, or gets dressed backwards, and almost always refuses to let anyone brush her hair for more than 10 seconds. This is also where Gillian features the 2.5 minute diaper application 1-2x/week.



EVENT 4: DINNERTIME
Dinnertime is typically something that goes not horribly because I believe in starving my children and not providing snacks for them unless they are basically crying (Bryce) or explicitly ask (Gillian). Typically, Gillian refuses the concept of her first dinner, and then has to be bribed to eat something that isn't on her short list of "delicious dinners."  This list of approved, non-argumentative foods includes:
-chicken cutlet
-quesadilla
-pasta
-sweet potato fries
-grilled cheese

Therefore, we spend most nights negotiating and often place a proverbial "carrot" (ie you can eat this gross mini muffin filled with gross kale that you think is tasty if you eat dinner) in front of Gillian as a reminder that treats are only for people who finish dinner.

Bryce covers his formerly clean body and clothing from head to to with his dinner (which must always involve an avocado) and then ices the cake by smearing the rest of his meal all over his high chair and the floor.

The conclusion of this event is signaled by bryce trying to swan dive out of his high chair, and gillian announcing she's done and wants to play.

EVENT 5: STINKY TIME
Paula, being the genius that she is, figured out that if Gillian sits on the potty without interruption or distraction for 40 minutes, only then will the poor child go #2 in the potty.

At first, this was my favorite event of the bedtime decathalon, because she would declare that she wanted "privacy" and I would be forced to do something other than sit in the bathroom with her for forty minutes.  Then we figured out she doesn't real poop without coaching so that dream ended pretty quickly.

At this point, I am pretty sure that she has no intention of pooping at all, with or without company, and that she just goes because she knows we are weak and will probably let her watch YouTube for 40 minutes if she says she has to go.

EVENT 6: BRYCE'S BEDTIME
Bryce's bedtime ritual is a dream compared to the 7 part series that is putting Gillian to bed.  One unfortunate downside of his ritual is that there is always something that's medically/hygienically necessary and unpleasant to do before bedtime including:

• teeth brushing
• face and hand washing
• cream reapplication
• taking of tylenol (for teeth) or benadryl (for cold) - both are hated
• sucking of snot, which includes the torture of saline being shot up the nose and then boogies being sucked out with syringe.  terrible for everyone.

Once these things are completed and bryce is feeling TOTALLY RELAXED, we set out to finish what's left of Bryce's bottle and read a book.  Within 5 minutes, he is in his crib (with his lovie)!!! and rocking back and forth while crying just enough for me to feel bad for him. He usually falls asleep pretty quickly and then reawakens when Gillian starts yelling or crying during one of her other events.

EVENT 7: BRUSHING GILLIAN'S TEETH

This event is a short but painful power struggle between the adult who wants to actually brush her teeth, and Gillian who just wants to eat the toothpaste like it's ice cream.  No one wins.

EVENT 8: BOOK READING

This event is only short when Chad is at the helm, specifically because he skips every other page in whatever book he reads. I usually end up reading between 1-4 books, and on a good night, Gillian insists that i read "BUENOS NOCHES LUNA" which is, as you may have guessed, in Spanish. A language that I chose not to pursue learning.  Would have come in handy for this. 

EVENT 9: SHUTTING IT DOWN

At this point, we get the Hail Mary efforts to avoid bedtime: 

• I have to go stinky!
• I have to go pee pee!
• I forgot my baby downstairs!

Once these requests are honored or ignored, we:

• Turn on the white noise
• Turn on the music for the mobile
• Turn off the lights

Then we cuddle

• in the chair
• standing by the crib
• Chad throws a sing-a-long in there

EVENT 10: THE TUCK IN

At this point, you can taste the dinner you've been dying to eat for the last two hours of these bedtime charades. You can possibly make the last ten minutes of Access Hollywood. You are a few quick seconds away from laying down on your bed just to feel what it's like.

Patience is worn thin, but Gillian is an able competitor and this is her time to shine. 

"I want to put my hat on.  NO! I WILL DO IT! NOT YOU!"  (Pause for eternity while she selects which of the two identical hats she will wear on her head and then applies them in actual slow motion).

Usually, if she isn't laying down, we'll ask her to lay down so we can cover her.  Some nights, a game of chicken ensues, where she kneels in bed, refusing to lay down.  We threaten to leave if she doesn't lay down, and walk slowly towards the door.  At the last minute, Gillian typically dives down onto the pillow so that we'll come back and cover her.

Sometimes, she'll strike up a conversation:

"Mommy, do you love bagels?"

And sometimes, she'll really surprise you when you say, "Goodnight, gillian" and she says "goodnight mommy, I love you too!"

Then you turn around and just run for it.

Back to School

In September, Gillian started the 2.5 Year Old Program at West Side Nursery School.

Our girl approached the big day with only excitement for what lay ahead.  On the night before school, Gilly was so excited that she woke up much earlier than usual, knowing what a big day it was!

I have received a lot of "feedback" that Gillian's bag is very large for a person barely 3ft tall.  If she would have turned it around like I asked (for the PERFECT PICTURE)! it would be apparent to all that this is the school issued bag.  Much like prison (just a guess) students are issued the same bag as everyone else, and that is the one they take to school every day :)

Despite the smile mustered for this photo, I was not handling this day with the same grace that Gillian was.  By the time Chad and I pulled into the parking lot, I had tears running down my face, and when she gave us a hug outside of her classroom, I started sobbing in the hallway.

Unfortunately, I was physically unable to move in my state of distress, and began to attract the attention of passerbyers, including Gillian's teacher ("aaaw, you poor thing!  Go home and have a nice cocktail!" I loved this lady; it was 9am), as well as my friend of 20+ years, Elizabeth, who told me to "pull yourself together" before ushering me out of the hallway. (Chad, at this point, was off to the side, pretending not to know me in addition to be paralyzed by the shock that our little nugget angel had just marched into the classroom like the big girl that she is, without looking back).

Needless to say, this was such a proud day for us, and we now join the many parents who drop their children off with joy, knowing that they'll have a good day at school, and that we might finally get something- just one thing- done at home.

Getting silicon valley straight

Over the river and through the woods...

Hi everyone!

We just returned from a great weekend at Grandma's house.  It was so fun!  I'll take it from the top.

First, we departed Friday night at 730pm. Apparently, this was a great idea because Bryce and i were supposed to sleep in the car.

I didn't get the memo, and let's just say Bryce must not have read the whole thing.  While he dozed on and off, I stayed up til 10!  During that time, I reported on things like "Dada, is that like MY car? Is that like Grandma's car?" And requested to pull over and pee in my Minnie potty several times.

930PM Friday night, Walgreens parking lot. "Is this the pee pee place?"

When we arrived at Grandma's house, both Bryce and I were wide awake!  And who wouldn't be at 1130pm.  I requested several books be read to me before passing out, and Bryce moaned and cried in his pack and play until about 1am.

The next day was a ton of fun!  I took a four hour nap, and my brother also made up for lost time by sleeping the day away. In our few waking hours, look at all the fun stuff we did:

Did you see Buddy boy mistaking Wilson for a horse?  Needless to say, Wilson was not sad to see us leave. 

Bring in the baby grand!  I'm ready.

The next day we had Aunt Shannon's shower!  I spent the morning trying to play with spike, I think he was loving our time together.

We had an uneventful trip home. I ate everything I could find in the car and Bryce eventually gave up on life after crying for a while and realizing that no one was coming to his aid. Oh, and we stopped to go pee a few times, one of which was not particularly safe or scenic:

When we got back to our house, we walked inside and I told mommy that I wanted to go pee pee.. outside.

Going back in time- our mini shore vacay at "Bailey's" house!

Hi gang!

We're a little backed up on event reporting, so forgive me (specifically, forgive my mom)!

About a month and a half ago (as I said, we're behind), we headed down the shore to Mom's friend's shore house.  He goes by Bill but all i could hear was "Bailey" (my best friend)!  So all week I talked about Bailey's house.

Anyway, we had a great time!  Bryce and I loved the beach, though on the last day, after everyone was done unpacking the tent, chairs, umbrellas, food, sunscreen, etc, I announced that I was ready to go back to Bailey's house.

My favorite part was the amusement park!  I LOVEd all the rides.  I went on as many as possible, but I had to skip the roller coaster because that was for the big kids.

What a fun trip!

Happy Birthday, Bryce!

Happy, happy birthday to our little doll-baby-sweetheart-yum-yum-angel, Bryce.

When we arrived at the hospital one year ago today, I wondered how it would be possible to love another baby the way that I loved your sister.   When you arrived, our hearts grew 10 sizes to accomodate the love that we have for our sweet little boy.

Thank you for being such a snuggly angel, for never complaining about anything and just going with the flow (unless it's 5pm, at which point the only thing you want to be going wtih is a bath, dinner and a bottle. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND). 

We love you so much!  Happy, happy birthday to our handsome little man.

xoxox

mama and dada

July 2015

Hello everyone!

Hope you guys are all having a great summer. We've been VERY busy!

On July 4th, mommy took me to see a Marching Band, like in Bubble Guppies!  It was great but I was over it pretty fast.  I also inhaled about 10 Dunkin Donuts munchkins (I could be their national spokesperson) so I crashed pretty hard after the 200th old guy (no offense) drove by verrrrrrrry slowly in a car.

We have been playing a lot with friends! Grey and Cam and Alex came over, and we went to our other friend Alex's house and played with all his toys.

Brycie Boy and I love the wagon!  Bryce holds onto the sides and loves going over bumps.

You wouldn't know it, but Bryce was on the nebulizer during the month of July.  He had a cough that took a long time to go away!  It stunk for him but we got to watch a lot of TV (to help distract Brycie from neb).  He didn't let it get him down though!


 We also went swimming in Antarctica alot- I mean, Tuxedo!  Bryce liked the pool more than I did, but no one really enjoyed the cold water. :)

 Here's me in one of my BEAUTIFUL princess dresses!  I love princess dresses.

 Buddy Boy is turning one soon... can you believe it?  We're having a little party for him.  I'll be sure to let you know how it goes!

Here is a link to our pictures.

lots of love,
Gillian

June 2015

Hi everyone!

It's me, Bryce.

I'm finally able to write because for the first time in 6 months, I've stopped itching long enough to type!  Isn't that great news?  I finally found a formula that I'm not allergic to, and at 4x the cost of my old formula, I feel like I'm really getting what my parents are paying for!

I've never been happier (or cuter for that matter, please see Exhibit A, below), but I've got issues, people.  I am allergic to a lot of stuff (eggs, dairy and nuts, to name a few) and it's possible I may be allergic to more.  TBD! I've also been occasionally projectile vomiting(sorry to my readers with sensitive constitutions- but it's messy business being a baby).  The combination (and obvious correlation) between these two issues is something that my mother thinks about 24-7. And yes, we visit our docs on the reg!

EXHIBIT A: Happy 10 Months to me (your calendars are correct, this picture was taken nearly two weeks late). Clearly I am a happy guy!!

Other than those minor details, things around here have been great!  I am no longer tipping the scales at the doctors (hopefully due to the fact that I'm destined for great Tully genes and not because I am malnourished), weighing in at 20 lbs, 9 oz and 29 inches at my 10 month visit, putting me int he 50th-60th percentile for height and weight.  I feel great about it, as it's clearly a result of my new workouts.

 Let it be known that I can "crawl"! I know that this video only showcases one of my moves, but I can also get down on my belly and get from one room to another through a combination of textbook crawling and slithering.  I'll leave you all in suspense for what that looks like (translation: my mother still has somehow not taken a video of this).


 I've also been talking.  NOT MUCH. A lot of babbling with mamamama and a few other sounds that need to be confirmed before they are shared publicly.  I basically never complain about anything, so I don't need to talk about very much.

My sister is a HOOT.  Here is here tackling me while I hold on to my friend Ernie (or is that Bert) for dear life.  You can see us below having fun in our separate chairs; this was nice.

Gillian is getting to be a real character.  Here are some examples of overheard conversations:

MIMI: Gillian, party is over.  Time for be.
GILLY: The party is NOT over, Mimi!  It's still the party.

GILLY: Here you go mommy!!! (She says while picking up mommy's phone and delivering it to her).  Here you go Daddy!!! (While doing the same). Here you go Daddy!! (mouthwash).  Here you go Mommy! (Toothpaste).

GILLY: HEY, TAKE THAT BACK!  (This basically means give that back and she says it 50x/day to everyone about everything.  IPad?  Take that back!  Toothbrush that's not Gillian's, HEY TAKE THAT BACK!  Bryce's toy that Bryce is playing with?  Take that back!

 GILLY: Bryce is bothering me!!!!
MOM/DAD: No he's not, Gillian, he's just playing near you.

Overall, we had a great spring.  We got out of the house (well I was on lock down for pollen purposes, but my sister did).

Here is a link to all of our great pics from this month!

xo
Bryce

Memorial Day 2015

Hi everyone!

Hope you had a great Memorial Day Weekend.  I sure did!  Mom kept me really busy, as you can see below.  

What's good for the plants is good enough for me!

I was excellent at washing the car, which should come as no surprise to those of you who have seen me wipe down the kitchen cabinets and clean the toilet.

Bryce is making new friends every day.  This week, he found a dog that talks to him; I have no clue what these two are talking about, though! What an angel that Bryce is!

We are looking forward to summer around here!  Bryce is Bubble Boy, due to some unforseen pollen allergies.  We keep him in the back hallway while Mommy and I play outside sometimes.  I think he's okay with it!  He started saying Mama this week, so we are happy to confirm that all is right with the world.

lots of love,

Gillian

A Little (Belated) Mother's Day Sap

Happy, Happy Mother's Day to all of the inspirational moms in our lives!!

I often can be found rattling off reasons why it's great to be a man. That is until recently, when I suddenly realized that if I came back as a man, it would mean that I wouldn't get to be a mom.

Before my entire male readership of 2 vows never to read this blog again (or at least, to only look at the pictures), please indulge me in a little Mother's Day sap.

Being a mother is the greatest gift that I have ever been given. PM (Pre-Mom), I could not have understood how big my heart would grow to accommodate the love that I have for my children (I thought Chad had taken up all the real estate)! To feel my heart so full with sights and sounds of these precious angels (who I often annoyingly refer to as precious angels in everyday conversation) is a feeling that I can wrap myself in and feel comforted by at any time.

So in my next life, when I'm choosing between a lifetime of shorter bathroom lines and life as a baby baking, emotions driven lush, I know I will beg to be a woman. So that someday, I can be a mom.

Love to my babies and my hubby, and a special big hug to all of the wonderful moms in my life, especially my own.

morgan

March-April 2015 (Shame on Mommy)!

Hi everyone!

It's me, Gillian! What a month! I've been busy being a little nugget chatterbox, showing my brother how it's done each and every day.  Here's me teaching him how to play blocks and wear hats:

Our little Brycie Boy turned 8 months this month!  He is so cute and sometimes we call him a "squirmy worm" because he's always wriggling around.  He likes to jump up and down in his high chair and he can shimmy a few feet when he is laying on his back.  What a great trick!!

I've also been working with the team to teach Bryce a few things.  Sometimes, I get in his face and say HI MAMA, like mama does all the time!  We are trying to get him to talk.  Other times, I try to teach him to crawl, like in the video below.

The Easter Bunny came to visit us this year, and hid eggs all over the yard. I did a great job finding them!

Today was a great day.  I had a very eventful naptime.  Things started off pretty standard: I jumped up and down, moved the video monitor from one side of the crib to another 10x, I shouted for PAULA! PAULLLLLLLLLLLA!  PAULA!  intermittently for the first hour.  Then I dressed and undressed all my friends in the crib.  At this point, I still wasn't feeling sleepy, so I decided to take off my diaper and throw it on the floor (relax! it was just #1).  THEN, because Mommy didn't know that I didn't have a diaper on, when I shouted that I had to go Pee Pees no one came so I pee peed a little in my pants.  No big deal!  I just changed my outfit when I got out. Mommy finally came and got me when I went "off the grid" by disconnecting the video monitor and snuggling with it.  FUN!

Here is a link to our most recent pics, and here is the album from March.

love,
gillian

On Birthdays, Baptisms and Quotable Moments

March 11, 2015

Hi gang!

Breaking news: Gillian turned two last week!  (Notice that this is the headline over my baptism- typical)! It was a VERY special day for mommy and daddy, who cannot believe what a big girl they have on their hands, and truly how fast these baby years are going! (their words, not mine).

Gillian enjoying all of the birthday attention! Anyone surprised?

These cupcakes are delicious!! Why can't I have some?

Family pic!  4 People looking at the camera- a miracle. Forget Gillian- don't I look so dapper in my button down?

A note from mama:
Gilly, you are so sweet and so funny and such a mini lunatic and we love you so much!  It is truly a joy to be around you.  Happy birthday, angel!!

Here are some quotable moments from my wacky sister  over the past few weeks:

"Hey Munchkin! [As Gillian pats my belly].  Whatsamatter buddy?"

Gillian and Mommy are talking while Gillian takes a bath:
Mommy: Gillian, who came to visit you today?
Gillian: Shell! And Dev! And Bailey!
Mommy: Well, Dev wasn't here but yes, Shell and Bailey came to visit.
Gillian: Bailey was crying.  She's hungry!  She needs a baba. Bailey's my friend.
Mommy: Who else are your friends?
Gillian: Dada! shell, dev... and bailey!

Mommy puts on Sesame Street because it seems like educational programming that most kids like.  Gillian watches for five minutes and picks up the remote and says:

"Gillian doesn't like Sesame Street.  Here moms!  Turn on Bubble Guppies please!"

I, on the other hand, a far less particular and will take whatever TV I can get! (Which is not much)!!! Here is a video of mama torturing me:

Mom says that I am a big hunk of angelic meat.  I went to the doctor for my six month visit a few weeks ago, and weighed over 18 lbs!!

Here is Gillian reading to me.  I really enjoyed this book!

Finally, I got baptized last week.  It was FINE, i wish my clothes fit a little better (not intended to be knickers) but other than that, I had no complaints.  Overall, the Tully kids were the best behaved kids in the church!

Me with my godparents and the whole gang!

have a great week everyone!

love,

bryce

Potties, Apples, Superbowl 49

What a month the Tullys have had!

First, Brycie boy finally rolled over (while Mommy and Daddy were out of town, see below)!  Since we don't have footage because we're negligent parents, we'll share another video that is pure cuteness:

In the meantime, Mommy and Daddy were busy in Phoenix:

Gilly girl had a milestone of her own  (click to see) and charmed us all with her 'reading' skills.

We're staying warm and waiting patiently for spring!

xo

January 2015

Hi everyone!

It's me, Bryce!  Here I am looking good in stripes for my 5 month pics (have you guys picked up a theme in my wardrobe)?!?

Life is good! Most importantly for me, my mom got a clue and figured out (with the assistance of two pediatricians, three nurses, two allergists and 27 friends and family members) that I am allergic to milk, so now my eczema is much better and I'm a lot less itchy.  Thanks goodness!

My sister is continuing to thrive as a sweet, loving, early rising, egomaniac.  She often grabs my wrist and says "HI GILLIAN"!!! As if that's exactly what I'm thinking when she is towering over me, disregarding my personal space.

Here is me using my look of total discomfort to alert my mother that we are getting close to a problem.

Here is me realizing that anytime Gillian says "Want to hold him!!!!" that there is cause for concern

Here is me demonstrating resilience and just my overall award winning personality.

But the great news is that overall, I'm doing well.  I'm sleeping alot, enjoying my babas, and I've recently been introduced to sweet potatoes which are delicious.  And even though Gillian gets up every day before 6am (we've tried the tell-time clock which might as well be a glowing copy of War and Peace, putting her down later, putting her down earlier, shortening naps, putting her back in her crib in the morning over and over, letting her cry, if you have other ideas please email mom), so despite this egregious sleeping flaw, Gillian is doing great too.  She's talking in full sentences.  Yesterday, she walked into the playroom the other day and said, "what's up guys?" to mom and dad.  She loves talking about the weather ("It's cold out.  It's not warm.  It's snowing.  It's not snowing") and may possibly have a career as a meteorologist.

Just getting her dolls set up

"Gillian I'm going to run upstairs and check on Brycie.  Be right back!"
"Painting my chin mama!"

Finally, mom went back to work for the first time in six months, which was basically a non-issue.  Here are mom and dad commuting together.  After this photograph was taken, daddy stopped talking to mom and did work the entire trip. :)

Here is a link to our latest family pics.

love,

bryce