Ben's Baptism!!

Ben was baptized this yesterday at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church by Father Paul Schott. Father Paul married Jen and I, and performed the baptism ceremony for each of the boys. P and J were co-baptized in BR with another Priest at St. George Catholic Church (and also with their cousin Kevin).

What I like about HNJ, is that the ceremony is after mass, where it is just your family and the priest. This is nice because you get to focus on it being a ceremony and not the fact that they are squeezing it in the middle of mass with everyone looking at their watches (oh, am I the only one who does that?). I know there is good reason to bring your child into the Catholic community during mass and all and I like that concept, but we have 4 kids, and corralling them all for the ceremony is no small feat.

Owen and Parker were in attendance while Jack proceeded to have a fit and was ushered to the church nursery by Pops (though we are pretty sure that it was probably his full diaper that was causing his fussiness). Park decided it was time to smack my bald head like a drum and spittle all over me as he chirped out some words into the echoing empty. Thankfully Owen and Ben were angels as Father Paul went on with the ceremony.

We all went back to GaGa and Pop’s house for a little party where we dogged out those delicious BLT finger sandwiches and awesome cake from Whole Foods. Vincent and Antoinette were excellent Godparents performing their duties for Ben, but I am still unsure why they left with Ben’s most awesome baptism present ever…a 2010 Chevy Avalanche. Vincent, I’m gonna need you to bring that back, I plan on teaching Ben how to drive soon!!

Here are some pics of the blessed event.

Halloweenies

I think we need to give some credit to Sissy for coming up with this idea, but much credit goes to Jen for designing and making these costumes a reality - One Dat (Parker), Two Dat (Jack), Who Dat (Owen), and New Dat (Ben).

We were all in NOLA for Ben’s baptism and thought it would be easier to have some help hitting the streets so we stayed until it was time to go Trick or Treating. We all took the dudes walking down Octavia ready to get some treats. Jen had been practicing Owen’s routine over the past couple of days and when the pressure was on, he shined. He went right up to the first house and said “Trick or Treat” with his little pumpkin out ready for some candy. He needed to be reminded (as he does with so many other things) about his “Thank You’s”, but he did great. We went to a few houses, and ended up at a block party on S. Rocheblave where they had the street blocked off and everything.

Owen cleaned up, which means I cleaned up. You see, I’m five years old and I love candy. Since Owen only likes DumDum lollipops (and of course M&Ms for pottying), we don’t need to give him any more sugar so I pretty much get to take the rest of the candy to work. WAHOO!! I guess Sour Patch Kids and Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups are an acquired taste.

He really loved the whole event, he was so excited to show us his candy. After we put him to bed last night, a few minutes later, he came out because he “had to check on his treats.” The same thing happened in the morning; he just carried around his basket of treats and didn’t even care to eat them. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure if he is even related to me…

More Halloween Pics!

Two Are Better Than One

Here is a quote that I found on a twin mom blog and I really love it, not only for Parker and Jack, but all of our boys.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down,his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."
--Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Doing Life

Jen and I are running the Crescent City Classic. There, I said it, now we have to do it. I feel better about it already. More importantly, we are "Doing Life", like this guy. He is awesome and inspiring. Reading his blog, watching his video, and seeing him all over TV and on active.com. has been super motivating. He just decided to do something and did it. I have been starting to run more and more and quite possibly, I am catching the fever. It is addictive when you start running and you get better and better at it because you want to run more and farther and faster and you can’t wait until your next run. I want to get back to that point. I was there right after Jen and I got married, running the lakes after work, entering 5K races...I was addicted.

It certainly isn't easy with a newborn, but now that Ben is sleeping longer, I want to get back to a good running routine and working out consistently. Jen and I have been making the time to let each other get out to run or go to they gym or whatever. It isn't always easy or convenient, but we are making it happen. Today was day #1 of getting back to the gym in the morning (I have only been one other morning since Ben was born). Needless to say, 5am was pretty early...but I know it gets easier.

Let's hope this doesn't jinx it.

Ben is awesome, really awesome. We have always had good babies; Owen, Parker and Jack have all been great, but I think Ben takes the cake. For each kid, the dynamic obviously changes; we had to only care for one baby, and then needed to worry about two babies and one toddler, and now we have a baby, two toddlers, and a legit big boy. First, we were new parents who didn’t know anything, then it was a learning experience with P/J at the same time, and now that we are professionals having such an easy baby is a blessing from the Big Guy. It isn’t all peaches, he has his moments, but it is usually related more to what else has to be done when he is getting fussy (all the meals – kiddo and parent, bath time, nighttime, potty breaks, injury timeouts, whatever). If Ben is tired of hanging out and wants to be held, by all means, he deserves some quality time by himself (but he doesn’t always get it).

Even at nighttime, he doesn’t wake up fussy and screaming FEED ME MOMMA!!! It is more of muffled grunts that are just enough to wake us up. The point is he eats and goes right back to sleep. He is two months old and sleeps from about 9:30pm-5:00am. We couldn’t be happier with that because we know that the key to our sanity is definitely getting enough sleep. That gives us enough sleep to be able to deal with anything that our days bring us. Again, he is awesome.

Thanks Ben, Mom and Dad really appreciate how accommodating you have been in this crazy house filled with dudes.

The Card Queen

Dats a lot of Dats

It takes a half hour just to write down all the Masters in the house!

Sissy is ridiculously good at giving cards. We got one for Halloween…a week early. Now that is impressive. What is even more impressive is that she inserts her awesome artistic ability into all her cards for a personalized touch. She has the uncanny ability to draw stick figure representations of all the Connisons. She even dressed us up in Halloween costumes! Somehow in the past 3 years, it became hard for us to find the time to get to Walgreens to get cards for holidays, birthdays, etc. let alone have enough luck to find a stamp in the house and send it on time. Yet, Sissy gets them, draws all over them and sends them early! Needless to say, we are thoroughly impressed by her card giving/drawing skills.

If I were to have a conversation with Drew Brees

Me: Hey buddy, congrats on your new addition Bowen! Glad everyone is doing well.

Drew: Thanks man. We are really excited about the newbie.

Me: I bet, but now we need to talk about his name...I understand your hesitation to use Brett Owen, but I would have been honored if you named your second child after me.

Drew: Yeah, we wanted to, but thought it would be a little weird with you and Owen and us always hanging out and stuff. We didn't want anyone to get confused or think we were trying to copy off of you.

Me: Now worries, but if it’s cool with you, Jen and I are just going to call him "Bo" for short.

Drew: Sure thing, we are probably going to call him that anyway.

Me: Well, congrats again! We are really happy for y'all. Jen and Brittany can set up a play date with our dudes when we come see you at the Dome on Sunday.

Drew: Definitely. We will see you then.

The High School Years

In my obsession with planning things I plotted out when all the boys would be in school together. I worked the numbers and different scenarios that could take place depending on our decision when to send Owen and Ben to kindergarten. With their August birthdays, if Owen and Ben are to start kindergarten after just turning 6, we will have all 4 boys in high school at the same time for one year (unless they go to a high school with an 8th grade, then it will be two years).

There are 4 different scenarios that can happen. Parker and Jack are smack dab in the middle of the school year, so they are going when then are 5:

1. Owen and Ben start school at 6. (grades = 12, 11, 11, 9)
2. Owen starts school at 5 and Ben at 6 (grades = 12, 10, 10, 8)
3. Owen starts school at 6 and Ben at 5 (grades = 12, 11, 11, 10)
4. Owen and Ben start school at 5 (grades = 12, 10, 10, 9)

This discovery prompted me to cruise the interwebs and look up Catholic school tuition…I want to throw up now.

Moving up to a Big Boy Bed

We bit the bullet and put Owen in his very own big boy bed. He is over 3, but has never tried to get out of his crib so we never pushed the issue. Now that Ben is in our room we knew that we would be making this transition soon, eventually putting all the big guys in the same room (2 cribs and one big boy bed). Gaga and Pops got Owen a new mattress and box spring for the transition (it is currently on the floor because we want to wait to put in on the actual frame since it is pretty tall). So we just decided to try this out, well, there is no going back since I am not moving all the cribs to and from each room in our house again, so we are just doing this and making it work.

After Owen fell asleep on the car ride back from NOLA Sunday (following a lengthy excursion with Gaga to the Aquarium/French Quarter and no nap), we were a little worried about how the nighttime switcheroo would go. Jen read O some books and said their prayers and then he was out like a light. Midway through his prayers though, he asked Jen to "turn the light off cause I want to go to bed now." He sure is something... At 7am, he ventured out of his room when he heard Parker and Jack get up and told me that he LOVED his new big boy bed.

Night #1 = SUCCESS!!!! Let's hope the rest of the week goes just as smoothly!

UPDATE - Owen required to be tucked in twice last night before falling asleep and then he came into our room about 4:45, telling Jen that "he needed a hug." Sure thing, big guy...I carried him back into his room and snuggled him up in the covers and he went right back to bed. I think this is going to work out just fine...

The Next Top Food Toddler

On those occasions where Owen decides that he doesn’t feel like taking a nap, Jen puts his behind to work in the kitchen!!!

Note to Owen: Opt for the nap buddy, you will thank me later.

Ms. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch

They will never all be looking at the same time.

Pumpkin Head

Pumpkins!!

Jen is surrounded by dudes

Saturday, we packed up the troops and went to Hammond to visit the Pumpkin Patch!! Last year, Owen and Josie had a great time, but P & J were under the weather (and a bit small to enjoy it). This year, only Ben was too little, so the big guys played on the hay, in the patch, and on the big inflatable jumper. Jack absolutely loved that thing. He found himself a cougar (ok, she was a 7 year old, but still a much older woman) who wanted to jump with him and he was having a blast, a smile from ear to ear.

We ate lunch out there, though the weather was a bit warmer than it has been lately. The boys got to run around and play, we took home some pumpkins and got some great pictures. It was definitely a win and I think we will be back again next year!

Surprise…you’re 30!

My wife is a liar. Jen told me that she didn’t have anything planned for my birthday. She said “I’m sorry, but when do you think that I would have had time to plan ANYthing?” (with quite a tone in her voice might I add). We had already discussed no surprises and I didn’t really want anything because I just wanted 30 to come and go and it not be that big of a deal.

I got home from work on Friday where I was surprised with my sister, her boyfriend, and MM and PP at the house. She got me, I didn’t expect that. The next day, we grabbed Ben and packed up a few adult beverages to peruse campus and see the sights for the Tennessee game while MM and PP watched the big kiddos. “Let’s go visit Katie and Rob over at the Parade Grounds first” she says…another lie. We walked up to a big tailgate filled with a bunch of my friends and food and the whole works – SURPRISE!!! She got me again. Jen was able to round up as many of my friends as she could and with the help of David and Regina, was able to pull it off. She must have also coordinated with LSU and God to have a home game with spectacular weather on my birthday. She is good, real GOOD.

We were out there tailgating for a while when we closed up shop to head to La Carreta to eat and watch the game (and have cookie cake). 4 quarters later, a ruckus ensued where LSU lost, then…SURPRISE, LSU won the game!! It might have been the most retarded 30 seconds I have ever seen in college football. I told you she was good, Jen wanted to give me that one last surprise on my birthday, an LSU win.

I said it in my last post, but I will say it again. She is amazing. Thanks so much Jen, for all your planning and everything else, and also my family and friends, I had a great 30th birthday!!