We went to our first school Open House last night. Owen is going to Jefferson Baptist for a Mother’s Day Out program 2 or 3 days a week. It is a nice school and Owen’s teacher, Mrs. Marilyn, seems really great. I think he is going to get adjusted quickly and it is going to be a good change of pace for him. He needs the time away from the house, where he can do things related to his age. He loves to play Candyland, Play-Doh and color; sometimes P and J unintentionally wreck the situation by trying to take all the game pieces. With Ben’s arrival, there is even less time for one on one "Owen time" in the house and getting him out and adjusted to the world is going to be good for all of us. It was strange being at an Open House ready to send our 3 year old off to preschool. It feels like only a short time has passed since Owen was born. I have a feeling this is what all of parenting is going to feel like and the time we have with P/J/B will seem to quickly pass and then y will be going off to school...
*tear*
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Baby Presents
After returning home from the hospital with baby Ben, we were blessed with….a new Sony TV and Blu-Ray player!!!! Gaga and Pops were very gracious with this “baby gift” for Ben’s arrival (turns out that Pops didn’t like PaPa’s old TV and was tired of looking at it when they were at our house). They figured that we wouldn’t be getting out of the house too much with our new addition and what better way to celebrate being indoors than to have an awesome TV to look at!!! It is a great picture and we are super excited. The Blu-Ray is WiFi, can stream Netflix and YouTube and connects to our home network. We are already enjoying it and I can’t wait to watch the LSU games on it!!!
Thanks Gaga and Pops!!!!!! We are super excited for our new gifts!
Thanks Gaga and Pops!!!!!! We are super excited for our new gifts!
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Connisons
I had to write everyone's name down in order to add Ben to my insurance. I love seeing all of our names written down. I think our family is complete.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Vacationing in BR
Having our family in town has been such a blessing. Jen and I have been able to "relax" at Woman's Hospital with our only focus on Baby Ben. The room is much quieter than our house and we don't have to worry about our dudes, we know they are in terrific hands. It's like a mini vacation...
The minute we get released tomorrow and we are all back at home, I'm sure it will be a rude awakening. With 4 boys 3 and under, I doubt there will be many dull moments so we are taking advantage of the quiet time while we can!
Like Jon and Kate said, it's a crazy life, but its our life.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Benjamin Daniel Connison
It's a BOY!
Baby Ben was born on Friday, August 20th at 12:51pm. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 14 oz. and was 20 inches long.
The section went perfectly and Jen was such a trooper through the whole thing. Momma is an excellent baby maker!
Welcome to the world big guy. We love you so much already.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sick Again (2)…
Parker got sick too... crapnapper.
He was negative for strep, but had a fever and generally wasn’t a happy camper. Why my kids get sick on the weekend is beyond me, but it actually works out a little bit better since it is easier to get to the doctor/urgent care on a weekend than it is during the week! Fianlly, he is back to normal after a round of antibiotics.
Just when I was hoping this was the last of the illness in our house, Owen hasn’t been acting his usual self. He was a little warm and a little fussy, but it didn't seem like anything major, and then…RALPH.
I heard him crying in his room last night and I went in to see what was wrong as that is really out of the ordinary. I went to give him a hug (still in the dark) and he smelled like putrid hotdogs. Lovely. I turned on the light and saw his bed covered in tonight’s dinner. A few more hurls and he was done, but a full change of clothes, sheets, and pillows were in order. Thankfully MM was helping with the laundry and Jen took care of cleaning up O while I got his bed back together. He was happy as a clam after that episode, we brushed teeth again, read books and he was back in his clean bed.
Not sure what that was about, but we are definitely glad he was feeling better after that mess and went back to bed without a fuss.
He was negative for strep, but had a fever and generally wasn’t a happy camper. Why my kids get sick on the weekend is beyond me, but it actually works out a little bit better since it is easier to get to the doctor/urgent care on a weekend than it is during the week! Fianlly, he is back to normal after a round of antibiotics.
Just when I was hoping this was the last of the illness in our house, Owen hasn’t been acting his usual self. He was a little warm and a little fussy, but it didn't seem like anything major, and then…RALPH.
I heard him crying in his room last night and I went in to see what was wrong as that is really out of the ordinary. I went to give him a hug (still in the dark) and he smelled like putrid hotdogs. Lovely. I turned on the light and saw his bed covered in tonight’s dinner. A few more hurls and he was done, but a full change of clothes, sheets, and pillows were in order. Thankfully MM was helping with the laundry and Jen took care of cleaning up O while I got his bed back together. He was happy as a clam after that episode, we brushed teeth again, read books and he was back in his clean bed.
Not sure what that was about, but we are definitely glad he was feeling better after that mess and went back to bed without a fuss.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Things Owen Says
I walked into the house, home for lunch after just spitting out a piece of gum; I gave Owen a hug and kiss, and he said “You just finished brushing your teeth?” Jen has obviously been pushing the oral hygiene while I have been at work.
In an effort to be funny and get a laugh out of Owen, I like to put on my super deep, trying to be ghetto fabulous voice and say ““What up O-Duuuubs!!??!?!??” He quickly responds with No, No, You don’t call me O Dubs. I’m Owen, then he spells it, O-W-E-N.
In an effort to curb any inappropriate talking back, Jen and I have had to explain to Owen that he can’t say certain things ever again. He is apparently listening because the other day he told me “and you don’t say that to me…ever again.” Great. He is 3 and I'm already catching lip from him.
My two favorite words Owen is saying right now:
Clothwash
Mushtash
In an effort to be funny and get a laugh out of Owen, I like to put on my super deep, trying to be ghetto fabulous voice and say ““What up O-Duuuubs!!??!?!??” He quickly responds with No, No, You don’t call me O Dubs. I’m Owen, then he spells it, O-W-E-N.
In an effort to curb any inappropriate talking back, Jen and I have had to explain to Owen that he can’t say certain things ever again. He is apparently listening because the other day he told me “and you don’t say that to me…ever again.” Great. He is 3 and I'm already catching lip from him.
My two favorite words Owen is saying right now:
Clothwash
Mushtash
Party Time!!
For Owen’s 3rd birthday party, we went to The Little Gym. Jen took him there for a free class one day to see how it would go. Needless to say, he LOVED it, so that is where his birthday party ended up. They take care of everything and we didn’t have to deal with entertaining a bunch of people at our house. I love to have people over, but it is such an ordeal that it is worth it to be able to walk away and be done with an entire party.
Basically, I want that place to be my living room. Padded everything. Park and Jack fell down numerous times and they didn’t even care. Owen had a blast with the two girls who were helping with the party and all the activities they kept doing. BLow up this, padded that, balls, hoops, bubbles, it was great. We were all running around yelling and having a good time, he had a smile on his face just about the entire time. After all that running around, the kids dogged out some ice cream and cookie cake…ok, ok, so did I.
O’s b-day presents from Gaga and Pops were classes at the Little Gym so we can have some one on one quality time with him. Classes are all during the week, but we will probably make it a Saturday thing so we each get a chance to take him. It will be his very own special thing. Jen and I are really looking forward to that. He is such fun to be around.
3 years old. Ridiculous. Happy Birthday Buddy, We love you!!
Basically, I want that place to be my living room. Padded everything. Park and Jack fell down numerous times and they didn’t even care. Owen had a blast with the two girls who were helping with the party and all the activities they kept doing. BLow up this, padded that, balls, hoops, bubbles, it was great. We were all running around yelling and having a good time, he had a smile on his face just about the entire time. After all that running around, the kids dogged out some ice cream and cookie cake…ok, ok, so did I.
O’s b-day presents from Gaga and Pops were classes at the Little Gym so we can have some one on one quality time with him. Classes are all during the week, but we will probably make it a Saturday thing so we each get a chance to take him. It will be his very own special thing. Jen and I are really looking forward to that. He is such fun to be around.
3 years old. Ridiculous. Happy Birthday Buddy, We love you!!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Potty Training Update
Ok, so we have been at this a while now. Owen knows what to do, he knows when he has to go, he knows that he should be always going in the potty, he knows that dry is better than wet, he knows that we don’t pee pee in our pants, he knows we poop in the potty, he knows mommy and daddy and MM and PP and Gaga and Pops use the potty. He knows it all. HE DOESN’T CARE.
There are many ideas on potty training out there. Here is my new one…having and older kid in diapers is terrible. Pull Ups are terrible. Accidents on the floor, carpet, etc are terrible. It’s all terrible, until the child decides that they don’t want it to be terrible anymore.
Recently, our method has been focused on praising him when he does something good (using the potty) and shrugging it off when he doesn’t (accidents happen). It has been working for us. Jen got new boxer briefs for him (just like daddy) and that was great, for a few hours (we praised and potty danced), then it wasn’t (so we had to shrug it off). He has #2 down but we are still trying to master #1. We are pretty sure if it is a matter of being too busy, not wanting to stop what he is doing. Hopefully with enough time, he will want to stop being wet and just want to go to the bathroom regardless of what he is doing.
It is aggravating to go through pull ups, but we have been pretty good time keeping it to #1 so we have been happy with that. The long and short of it is, that Owen currently doesn’t care that he is wet, but he does care if he is dirty. He says he is dry, probably because he is pretty dry in a pull up (stupid absorbing technology). So we figured that switching him to just underwear would get him to hate being wet…until he ate his entire dinner in wet underwear. So we continue to try, going from the standard pull up to big boy pants, to big boy pants underneath a pull up (to give him the wet feeling, but not having to clean up an accident), to “snakey” around the house…that is actually the most successful. He knows he can’t pee anywhere if he doesn’t have anything on!! We are keeping up the routine, going after we get up in the morning, before and after his nap, before and after we go anywhere, and before his bath and at bedtime. Any other times, he is on his own to tell us he has to go (or just go himself) and we are making progress, but aren’t fully there yet. He has good days and bad ones, but we have figured that he will get it eventually and we can move on to potty training two at a time…which will also be terrible.
There are many ideas on potty training out there. Here is my new one…having and older kid in diapers is terrible. Pull Ups are terrible. Accidents on the floor, carpet, etc are terrible. It’s all terrible, until the child decides that they don’t want it to be terrible anymore.
Recently, our method has been focused on praising him when he does something good (using the potty) and shrugging it off when he doesn’t (accidents happen). It has been working for us. Jen got new boxer briefs for him (just like daddy) and that was great, for a few hours (we praised and potty danced), then it wasn’t (so we had to shrug it off). He has #2 down but we are still trying to master #1. We are pretty sure if it is a matter of being too busy, not wanting to stop what he is doing. Hopefully with enough time, he will want to stop being wet and just want to go to the bathroom regardless of what he is doing.
It is aggravating to go through pull ups, but we have been pretty good time keeping it to #1 so we have been happy with that. The long and short of it is, that Owen currently doesn’t care that he is wet, but he does care if he is dirty. He says he is dry, probably because he is pretty dry in a pull up (stupid absorbing technology). So we figured that switching him to just underwear would get him to hate being wet…until he ate his entire dinner in wet underwear. So we continue to try, going from the standard pull up to big boy pants, to big boy pants underneath a pull up (to give him the wet feeling, but not having to clean up an accident), to “snakey” around the house…that is actually the most successful. He knows he can’t pee anywhere if he doesn’t have anything on!! We are keeping up the routine, going after we get up in the morning, before and after his nap, before and after we go anywhere, and before his bath and at bedtime. Any other times, he is on his own to tell us he has to go (or just go himself) and we are making progress, but aren’t fully there yet. He has good days and bad ones, but we have figured that he will get it eventually and we can move on to potty training two at a time…which will also be terrible.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Nesting
I’m not sure it is called nesting because a super manly garage was involved, but that is what it felt like this weekend. I got out all the stuff we need (single stroller, baby car seat, bouncy seat) for Quatro and rearranged all the other baby stuff that we are never going to use again (baby swing, 2nd bouncy seat, glider thingy). Plus what is manlier than sweating profusely in a Louisiana summer because all of the baby stuff is covered in the garage under other baby stuff.
Come to find out, a single stroller is WAY more maneuverable than our double stroller. Since it has been almost 2 years since we have used it with Owen, I was reacquainted with the awesomeness that is our Graco. It is smaller, fits through doors, and …wait for it…holds one kid!!!! Sorry, I’m excited that there is only one this last time…I love P and J more than anything, but feeding, changing, holding, lifting, and soothing one child is going to be a cakewalk (I know, that is going to come back to haunt me) compared to the first couple months with those guys.
I can’t wait to meet you Quatro, but I’m gonna need you to keep cooking until 8/20.
Come to find out, a single stroller is WAY more maneuverable than our double stroller. Since it has been almost 2 years since we have used it with Owen, I was reacquainted with the awesomeness that is our Graco. It is smaller, fits through doors, and …wait for it…holds one kid!!!! Sorry, I’m excited that there is only one this last time…I love P and J more than anything, but feeding, changing, holding, lifting, and soothing one child is going to be a cakewalk (I know, that is going to come back to haunt me) compared to the first couple months with those guys.
I can’t wait to meet you Quatro, but I’m gonna need you to keep cooking until 8/20.
Cars, cars, and more cars
Owen has a love for cars and it is serious. It has been like this for a while, but we have reached a new level. He used to be able to spot a mail truck from half a mile away. He would run to the window to see the garbage truck on trash days. We thought this was pretty impressive for a 2 year old but kind of normal since he was learning about all the different types of vehicles. Now that he is close to 3, he knows the following specific cars and he tells you EVERY time he sees them.
· Daddy’s car (black Chevy Trailblazer)
· Mommy’s car (gray Honda Odyssey)
· Mommy’s old car (gray GMC Acadia)
· Our old car (Gaga and Pop’s black Suburban)
· Gaga’s Car (black Volvo stationwagon)
· Pops’ car (white Volvo)
· MawMaw and PawPaw’s car (gold Toyota Prius)
· Sissy’s Car (black Volvo)
· Uncle Lea’s white truck (white F-150)
· Aunt C’s car (silver 4-runner)
The funny thing is that he isn’t easily confused. On occasion, he mixes up similarly colored minivans for mommy’s car, but he nails a Trailblazer and an Acadia every time. If he sees a black Ford Explorer or Tahoe, he doesn’t flinch, he says nothing. I know plenty of adults (my sister included) who couldn’t tell the difference between any number of black SUVs!!
He looked at the race car in his Bless Me book and thought that it looked like MawMaw and PawPaw’s car. Come to find out upon a closer look, it has a flat back like their car…a Ferrari isn’t a Prius, but the drawing in the book made them look similar in shape so I think that is what he was going for.
“That’s Owen’s car”
“I’m gonna drive that car”
“That’s a nice car”
He wants to know whose car I am taking to work. He wants you to know you that our “vini-man” is parked in the garage. We recently passed a big truck going to a dealership and he yelled out in the car…”look at that car transporter!”
The kid is a car genius.
· Daddy’s car (black Chevy Trailblazer)
· Mommy’s car (gray Honda Odyssey)
· Mommy’s old car (gray GMC Acadia)
· Our old car (Gaga and Pop’s black Suburban)
· Gaga’s Car (black Volvo stationwagon)
· Pops’ car (white Volvo)
· MawMaw and PawPaw’s car (gold Toyota Prius)
· Sissy’s Car (black Volvo)
· Uncle Lea’s white truck (white F-150)
· Aunt C’s car (silver 4-runner)
The funny thing is that he isn’t easily confused. On occasion, he mixes up similarly colored minivans for mommy’s car, but he nails a Trailblazer and an Acadia every time. If he sees a black Ford Explorer or Tahoe, he doesn’t flinch, he says nothing. I know plenty of adults (my sister included) who couldn’t tell the difference between any number of black SUVs!!
He looked at the race car in his Bless Me book and thought that it looked like MawMaw and PawPaw’s car. Come to find out upon a closer look, it has a flat back like their car…a Ferrari isn’t a Prius, but the drawing in the book made them look similar in shape so I think that is what he was going for.
“That’s Owen’s car”
“I’m gonna drive that car”
“That’s a nice car”
He wants to know whose car I am taking to work. He wants you to know you that our “vini-man” is parked in the garage. We recently passed a big truck going to a dealership and he yelled out in the car…”look at that car transporter!”
The kid is a car genius.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Paging Dr. Connison
Owen came with us to Jen’s OB visit before Quatro was born. This was the last ultrasound that we would have and we got our favorite ultrasound tech, Kristy. She scanned Owen and was the one who informed us of our double blessings. She changed our lives and will live forever as a memory in my mind. Since Owen was with us (as he was when we found out about P and J), we politely asked her to not surprise us again with any more news!
All was well with Quatro’s scan and we moved on to see Dr. Cheree. Owen had some fun playing in her exam room. I can definitely see the medical profession in his future.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Sick Again...
Crapnapper, Jack got strep. At least it wasn't an ear infection...?
After a quick trip to Urgent Care this past Sunday, we got him some meds. With two other little guys and Quatro still cooking, we had to make a valiant effort to keep everyone healthy. Owen was already in NOLA hanging out with Gaga and Pops and I was headed there so Jen could help her cousin Katie with a party at our house. I left Parker down there and came back with the Jack-ster so he could get better without infecting anyone. Jack was fine after a day or so of antibiotics, he really only had some fussiness and wasn't the best eater, but no need to tempt fate and get all the guys (and Momma sick).
It was strange to go back to only one kid. It was quiet in our house. REALLY quiet. We were able to spend some quality one on one time with Jack and it was pretty nice. We definitely missed the other guys and were wondering if Jack would act any different without Parker around and vice versa. Here is what we concluded...we don’t think they even noticed!! I’m sure they did, but neither Jack nor Park had any separation issues without their bro. They have always been more laid back and independent little guys than Owen ever was, I am not sure if that boils down to a second/third child issue or a twin thing. Either way, it is nice to know they aren't dependent on each other.
After all the boys were back together, Owen was hilarious, he was making Jack and Parker laugh histerically. You can tell he really enjoys having his brothers around and he misses them when they aren't there. Now that everyone is back together, the noise in our house has returned to its previous "little boy screaching" levels. Ahh, welcome back guys.
After a quick trip to Urgent Care this past Sunday, we got him some meds. With two other little guys and Quatro still cooking, we had to make a valiant effort to keep everyone healthy. Owen was already in NOLA hanging out with Gaga and Pops and I was headed there so Jen could help her cousin Katie with a party at our house. I left Parker down there and came back with the Jack-ster so he could get better without infecting anyone. Jack was fine after a day or so of antibiotics, he really only had some fussiness and wasn't the best eater, but no need to tempt fate and get all the guys (and Momma sick).
It was strange to go back to only one kid. It was quiet in our house. REALLY quiet. We were able to spend some quality one on one time with Jack and it was pretty nice. We definitely missed the other guys and were wondering if Jack would act any different without Parker around and vice versa. Here is what we concluded...we don’t think they even noticed!! I’m sure they did, but neither Jack nor Park had any separation issues without their bro. They have always been more laid back and independent little guys than Owen ever was, I am not sure if that boils down to a second/third child issue or a twin thing. Either way, it is nice to know they aren't dependent on each other.
After all the boys were back together, Owen was hilarious, he was making Jack and Parker laugh histerically. You can tell he really enjoys having his brothers around and he misses them when they aren't there. Now that everyone is back together, the noise in our house has returned to its previous "little boy screaching" levels. Ahh, welcome back guys.
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