Lunch for the Big Dude

During week 2 of Pool School, I had to meet Jen for lunch in the parking lot at the pool so she could escort Owen in while I stayed with the little dudes in the car (otherwise how would Jen have been able to walk all 4 dudes into class to drop Owen off).  Jen packed a lunch for all of us and we had a Swagger Wagon picnic.  We had the following:

PB&J sandwich

Grapes

Goldfish

Nilla Wafers

Bubble gum snowball

Yes, I'm 30 years old and had the lunch of a toddler, including a blue snowball. I then proceeded to go back to work with a bright blue tongue.  I didn't have any meetings,  but really that wouldn't have stopped me anyway.

It may sound strange that I had to go eat lunch in the car in the parking lot but I consider this one of the many advantages of our crazy life...I got to have lunch with my fam and see my dudes during an otherwise boring workday.

Hey Mommy, Hey Mommy

Thia is by far, Owen's new favorite phrase.  It is sometimes followed by a question, remark, or observation, while other times it is just said out of habit and he doesn't know what to say after it.  In the latter case, he spends an enormous amount of energy trying to get Jen's attention only to have nothing to say!

This is really cute for a curious little boy who likes to have his voice heard, until that voice is heard 5,000 times a day... 

Parker's circle

Parker loves holding something at all times.  ALL TIMES. 

Eating, sleeping, running, playing, and even swimming, Parker will be holding his circle.  He has a few specific ones he likes, they are little wooden blocks and he never wants to be without them.  I guess it is like Linus and his blanket, just a little security for him. 

It is cute but can be downright frustrating if he is yelling and fussing because he dropped it in the car or he left it in his crib and can't reach it or if big bro O takes it to mess with him.

He will even switch hands with it if he needs to eat or hold hands to cross the street but he certainly won't let that circle go.  This has become a defining trait for those who can't tell P and J apart.   You can bet money that it is Parker and not Jack if one of them has a circle in his hand!

I'm not sure how long this phase will last but it is a funny little quirk that Parker has picked up along the way.

Pool School

Owen has started taking swimming lessons at Crawfishu Aquatics here in Baton Rouge.  We have had mixed emotions from Owen...day one he had so much fun, day two we had a bit of a crying fit, and day three he was the best swimmer in his class!

How do I know all this?  The teachers keep the parents well informed and my crazy wife was watching through a construction fence.  She took the picture below while laying on the ground in the parking lot.

Momma bear also sent me this text:

"They're making him put his head under and swim back and forth between two people like two feet apart. We're approaching sobbing hysterics. Him. Not me.

He using goggles. Sobbing sobbing sobbing.

I'm about to go smack these people."

Obviously, momma is a bit protective of her #1.  So far he is doing great with no floaties and I'm sure by next week he will be competing with Michael Phelps.

Mother's Day 2011

This is an uber special day in the Connison household.  These 5 dudes would be lost without our momma.  Everyday should be Mother's Day where Jen gets any and everything she wants.  She deserves that treatment WAY more than just once a year. 

For a special dinner, GaGa, Pops, Sissy and Uncle Doose came over and we had steak, shrimp, and chicken kabobs, bacon wrapped asparagus, and onion potatoes. Jen and I prepped everything while the dudes were napping. Jen topped it off with awesome fruit pizza.  It was delicious!

It was a really nice day to celebrate my wife, best friend, and best momma we could ever ask for. Thanks for all that you do for us.  We love you!

B, O, P, J, and B

The FUNK

After running the Crescent City Classic, Jen and I got "the funk."  When I anayzed it, I am actually happy about this considering how bad I felt after running 6 miles.  It is good to know that I might have just been sick.  We both thought it was just allergies as we were all congested and just didn't seem to recover like we should have.  A few days later, Jack got it, then two days after that, Parker went down.  Another day or so later, and Ben was congested and filled with boogers and this funk turned into his first ear infection.  Only Owen has been safe so far, and he started coughing the other day...

Thankfully, Parker and Jack's tubes have been lifesavers.  I think they have easily saved us for a number of ear infections.  They saved us this time too, but we couldn't avoid passing around germs in our own household.  Something tells me it is going to be that way for a long time to come.

Ben's Tooth Update

Ben has progressed into 3.5 teeth.  Yes, three and a half.  His first two bottom teeth have been out for a little while now and his top right tooth is pretty far along as well.  The left front tooth has broken the skin but it isn't really out like the other one so it looks like he has one Chicklet. 

You can kinda see that top tooth poking out.  

Doing a little light reading.

We went through a rough patch with his sleep patterns due to this new tooth, but I think we are past the tough part and only have to deal with ALL the others coming in...  Ben was waking up frequently during the night, and the only thing that would sooth him was Momma.  Thankfully we are over that now, but Ben has been starting to enjoy to early morning hours and has been waking up in the 5s.  This especially isn't great since I am usually at the gym by this time and Jen is on her own and forced to get up. 

Having gone through this a few times before, we know this little routine change will be shortlived, but until then...it is quite annoying until little Ben gets on the same schedule as his big bros!!

Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

As you are well aware, Jack loves letters.  A LOT.  We have letters all over our house, all of which he likes to point out, randomly shouting the alphabet or spelling his name.  We have these foam letters that connect with each other to make an alphabet mat that all the boys like playing with.  Frequently, Jack likes to hold two of these letters in his hands, he puts one behind his back and says the letter in his hand, and then alternates them.  Yesterday, he decided to pick up the U and the F. 

F - U !!!
F - U !!! 
F - U !!!

He kept shouting it and shouting it and shouting it.  I was cracking up laughing as he is cursing at me.  Instead of scolding him for his potty mouth, I reacted like any parent should, I scrambled to try and record a video from my phone.  Of course it didn't work fast enough and the picture came out fuzzy.  Thankfully, this morning he did it again so at least Jen was able to hear him swear at his dad.

Jack, in a few years when you know what these words are and what they mean.  You are grounded mister.