I have to geaux…

(Due to the graphic nature of this post, viewer discretion is advised)

As a proud parent, you know your kids are pretty amazing and you love everything they do. Anytime they do something new, you are so proud that they are learning, figuring out life, and you can see them growing up. Yesterday, we were in for a big milestone. Owen used the potty. Not just used it…he USED it. He showed the potty who was boss. The potty was no competition for him. Owen – 1, Potty – 0. You get the drift.

**Background Story – Prior to this win, we had basically given up on the potty training situation. My parents came to town shortly after Parker and Jack were born. My mom, in her retired state, tends to focus on one thing and go full force with it (I wonder where I get that from). So this time, it happened to be trying to potty train our 18 month old son. I knew this would be a bit of an undertaking, but not an impossible feat. There are many out there that swear by training their children as soon as possible and that is great to be out of the diaper phase. MawMaw had Potty Scotty (which I would highly recommend when your child is ready), pull-ups, big boy underwear, and all the books to make this happen. Long story short, Owen was just not ready to take this on full time. It is a serious undertaking when you decide it is time (or your child decides it is their time) to be potty trained. With two newborn twins, this was not a job that Jen would be able to keep up full time with him. Regardless, it was not a loss in my mind, but more than likely set the stage for our future potty training experience and I am hoping it will be a smooth transition out of diapers.**

Ok, back to the details…Owen gave us ample warning that he had to go, ran around the house (I think he was a little excited/scared), and wouldn’t sit down unless Daddy sat down with him (I told you to use your discretion). I felt like we bonded a little, shared some quality bathroom talk and we each finished a magazine article (ok, maybe not the last one). After we went through the routine, flushed, washed, etc. we went back to tell Mommy that we “pooped on the potty” and we got to run around doing the Potty Dance – Wahoo!!! Owen was so proud of himself and we couldn’t have been more proud of him. This is what parenthood is all about.

I will spare everyone by not posting the picture, so here is one of Owen’s cute face.

SuperWoman

july 27, 2009.
hadn't had all 3 boys by myself for a full day in awhile.

so it went...

6:30 am. daddy up. babyboys up. diapers. clothes on. in the bouncers. thank GOD for daddy.
owen up. diaper changed. clothes on. breakfast made. owen eating. thank GOD for daddy.
mommy up. coffee now. breakfast later.

7:45 am daddy gone.
nooooo please noooooooooooooooooo when will we win the lottery so he can stay?

7:46am baby einstein on.
boys happy.
mommy dressed. more coffee please.

7:47 am playtime with all boys.
please owen don't scratch. please owen don't bite. please owen don't lay on their heads. please owen don't take their pacifiers out their mouths. good boy owen.

owen helps mommy put dishes away. owen helps mommy put load of laundry in machine. baby boys happy. note to self: owen never watched one second of tv. second note to self: standards lowered with multiple children. third note: thank you tv.

owen placed in baby jumperoo while mommy puts babies down for nap.
9:00 am... babies asleep - HOORAH.

mommy and owen play arts & crafts and have a snack.
finger painting... forth note to self: owen is too young for this. keep paint hidden for months.
playdoh - score!
coloring and stickers - score!
owen happy.

10:45am... hear the brothers.
brothers up!
owen in mommy's tub while brothers nurse.

einstein happy time.

11:30... daddy home for lunch. CHA CHING.
food fest. babies happy. owen happy.
play with daddy.

almost 1pm. owen whiny.. time for nap!
1:10pm. all children sleeping.
thank you Jesus lord.
daddy back to work. thank you state of LA for daddy's boss never paying attention to long lunches.

1:11pm. mommy lays on ground staring at ceiling for 3 minutes for mindless activity.

1:14pm. text brother to beg for help this afternoon. brother says yes. LOVE HIM.

1:15pm. mommy up. cook shrimp scampi for dinner minus shrimp plus chicken. rename to chicken scampi. make banana cream pie for dessert. chat with daddy online thanking him for being awesome.

2:47pm. all 3 awake simultaneously. PERFECT.
one baby up. diapered. in bouncy.
second baby up. diapered. in bouncy.
owen wailing.
owen up. diapered. snack administered.

einstein time again? crap. mommy already so tired of einstein.
babies nursed. owen einsteined.

3:15pm. uncle doose arrives. thank you jesus lord.
owen playtime with doose in backyard.
jack in jumperoo in mommy's bathroom.
parker staring at jack from bumbo.
happy babies.
mommy jumps in shower keeping eyes on babies.

babies watch mommy dry hair. put on make up.
check on owen and doose. suggest bikeride to playground. suggestion taken.
helmet on owen. water in sippy, emergency diaper and wipe pocketed on doose. off they go.

4:00pm. babies back down for catnap in order to last until nighttime.
4:30pm. owen back. in tub for early bath.
5:00pm. daddy home early. thank you jesus lord.
babies up.

5:15pm. doose fed. daddy fed. owen fed.
mommy feeds brothers applesauce.
5:30pm. doose gone. owen plays with daddy.

6:00pm. mommy fed. mommy nurses. mommy changes into scrubs.
6:15pm. daddy starts to bathe brothers. owen repeating mommy i miss you, mommy i miss you upon sight of scrubs.
6:30pm. everyone's day is ending.

and mommy is now heading to work for 7pm.

take that june cleaver.
i win.

JC

5 Months – Whaaaaaat?

Parker and Jack turned 5 months old this weekend. This has thrown me for a loop. Just 5 months ago, I was sitting outside the OR with GiGi waiting to meet my two new princes. I couldn’t believe that there were going to be two of them and I waited anxiously to meet them. With my video camera ready and my hairnet on (though I don’t think there was a legitimate need for that), I saw each boy being delivered and recorded as much as I could with my shaky hands. I still tear up every time I watch that video. The moment(s) that Parker and Jack were born are some of the best memories I have. I’m sure Parker and Jack will be 10 years old and I will look at both of them and say “I still can’t believe there are two of them.”

In the past 5 months, we have gone through approximately 10 gajillion diapers and wipes, 8,700 wardrobe changes, and enough coffee to run a jet engine, but we are making it. Our friends Aimee and Michael, who ironically, have a boy named Owen and a set of twins, told us that during the first 5-6 months we would be out of our minds, but at that point, we would realize that we can do it and we will start to feel some sense of normalcy. It has been really tough on both of us, but we have had terrific help from both grandparents and friends. Now that the boys are getting easier to handle, better sleepers, and generally happier campers, we realize that we can make it. It was definitely crazy, but probably not as tough as we envisioned. I think this is a direct correlation to our strong relationship and how close Jen and I have grown in parenthood. We are a team - Team Connison, and we are awesome.

Happy 5 Month Birthday Boys!

No Wakey, Me Need Sleepy

I recently heard that the average person is going to have about 25,000 mornings in their lifetime. I have also heard that you should relish every one of them. Morning time in the Connison household can be pretty crazy sometimes, but it has been my new mission to take a deep breath and enjoy each one.

I haven’t always been a morning person, but have always erred on the side of morning. Since graduating from LSU, I have worked for IBM, LSU (LEO), ICF, and OCD/DRU. Confused yet? You should be. I have been getting up for work for almost 7 years since LSU (man I’m getting old), not to mention the many early mornings I had in college working at the Gap. It is now ingrained in me to get up early. Even before kids, it was tough for me to sleep past 7 and almost a miracle if I made it to the “eights” and usually alcohol played a small role in the night before to make that happen.

I am now a morning person and also a functioning caffeine addict (I will elaborate in a later post). The truth is, mornings are hectic in our house and every second counts when you are trying to get dressed for work, have coffee, eat breakfast, and get the kids up/changed/dressed/fed. All of this is to try and take some of the chaos out of the rest of Jen’s day because she has enough to deal with being my wife/SuperMom that stays home with our wonderful sons while I “get to go to work.” There are some days where I get into my car to go to work (after some series of chaotic events) and I take a deep breath and think, “wow that was insane.”

Sometimes it is tough to relish in the craziness of the morning time, but Jen sent me this shortly after I left for work today and it’s things like this that make it easy to enjoy each morning.

Dawnit, Out-siiiide, and other Owenisms

Owen is a repeater; he has been in the repeating game for well over 2 months now. He is learning new words every day, repeating those words over and over and over again. He will repeat the last word or two that any human says ever. ever. ever. ever. Get my drift? He likes to randomly say words that he knows, just to show you he knows them. Shirt. Shoes. Da-dee. Cof-fee. Elmo. Brut-hers. The list goes on and on.

You just can’t help but love the sound of your kid’s voice, no matter what they are saying.

Here are some of my favorites:

“Dawnit” – when we have ant bites from too much fun out-siiiide.
“Out-siiiide” – where Owen wants to go every second of every day.
“Sipit” – when Owen wants some of YOUR drink, regardless of what it is (he has recently learned how to use a Camelbak while riding in his bike seat, which is where this one originated from).
“Tubby” – our new word for bathtime.
“Ti-ward, ni-nite” – time for bed.
“A-goo” – what Owen says to Parker and Jack to try to make them smile.
“Ma-mee” and “Da-dee” – the sweetest words he as ever spoken.

Ok, here goes nothing

So this is the first post of our new blog, because truthfully, people should really know what happens in our house. With Jen staying at home to take care of 3 kids under 2 years old, it is truly a circus. Don't get me wrong, we love our family and wouldn’t change it for all the money in the world. Our family dynamic is nothing short of a miracle, but it probably isn't something that most rational humans would "try" for. No one ever says "we are trying to have as many kids in diapers as possible”, it just kind of happens.

I hope you enjoy what we like to call: Connisonville.

-B