It's been quiet on here.....
:) Took some pics of the kids this week. It took 2 trys to get Caden to cooperate...
Riley LOVEs posing for the camera, silly girl.
Matt's still trying to figure out how to "smile" the right way (he likes to hold his teeth funny- with the top and bottom teeth touching like you're biting something)..
Ashley- well, wow, what can I say, she has grown up!! !
Hope all is well with all the "not so baby" babies here!!
xoxoxo sarah

silence isn't always golden

well ladies, it looks like we are all busy with the typical back-to-school stuff. on my end, carys cut her first tooth and started crawling at 6mo. reily is a rambunctious 1st grader - i think she is officially a kid now. she also survived her first sleep over. her friend, Gia, is Jewish so reily went to a service with them and then out to dinner. reily comes up to me later stating that she LOVES jewish food (ie turkey and gravy). ahh kids, always finding new ways to embaress you. avery is still a stinker. didn't take reily's sleepover with much grace. now all she wants to do is have a sleepover. work is a beast. they have me as a back-up charge nurse and, at times, i feel like a prison bitch. monday was especially trying. had two codes (one died), found out one of my nurses' son has cancer (she got the call while at work that day), etc etc. to put it mildly, it was a god awful day. but today was a beautiful day - warm 80's with a breeze, construction crew tearing down a blighted property, we refinanced for 3.8%. ooohhh yeah, we started cocktail hour a wee bit earlier than usual today.
hope all is well, as i'm sure it is. gotta get the girls to bed so mommy can relax before work tomorrow

much love
xoxo
kri

yay!!!! First day of school was a success.....
Ashley is a Freshman, Matt in Middle School, Riley in 1st grade, and Caden, well, he's just hanging with momma at home...

:)
Riley had her 6th Birthday August 16th. We took Cupcakes to school. At home, we had a party afew days beforehand, but then also had a cookie cake on the actual day...
my baby is growing up!
Will post pics...when I can get the computer to cooperate!!!
xoxoxoxoxox

School's Here

Marystarr, Sorry to hear about Matt's father. I hope that everyone is healing from the loss.

Maigan, It sucks that you were laid off, but I hope that you enjoy your time as a stay-at-home parent. It really is a rewarding career.

School has officially started for my kids. Samuel was picked up by bus this morning and was eager to go show his teachers his Star Wars Lego shirt and backpack. I can't believe how big all of our kids are getting.

Theodore is enjoying one last day of mommy time before he starts school (just half days everyday but Wednesday). We are going to grab some sandwiches and have lunch at a park soon.

Take Care,
Amy

multiple email accounts

just a quickie
marystarr-
how can i change my email for this blog to my gmail account ? is it possible ? i don't use my excite account but i still need it to sign in here. it's crazy frustrating

xoxo
kri

beautiful

you are you are Maigan...

funny, I immediately felt like saying congratulations when I read that you had been laid off. I know it has been sort of sad and hard for you to be a working mom and I am so glad you will have this chance to be a stay at home lady. You look really happy and beautiful there with your girls.

Kri! Mercy that reily is a handful, eh? Glad she got her cast off. Send more pictures. Happy birthday Avery, you sweet thing.

Matt's dad passed away this evening, so we are sad here. But ultimately it is a blessing, he was very old and lived a good life. He has been sick for a long time and sent the last two years on dialysis. I am so glad to have just been in chicago to see him, we had a big 50th wedding anniversary party for he and matt's mom, all his kids and grandkids were there, his nieces and nephews came from Ireland and it was a wonderful thing. We were there for his 86th birthday too, so I feel like Matt is at more peace with it than he would be otherwise.

I will try to be better about being on here. I miss you all so much. I think we should have an in person get together... a vacation somewhere or something.

xoxo

MaryStarr

Hi

Hello Ladies,

Well summer had been good to us in Spo-ka-vegas. Lots of sun once it decided to grace us with its presence. We bought a season pass to Silverwood so we've spent a ton of time there this summer and at the lake in Coeur d'Alene.

Found out two or three weeks ago that I am getting laid off along with about 13,000 others at the end of September. I was shocked at first, but it's turning out to be the best thing ever. I have been here 7 years now so I get a decent severance package and I'm going to just take advantage of this to spend some time with the kiddos. I've never been a stay at home mom, so I'm going to give it a whirl for a while.

Lizzy starts school on August 17th so that's just around the corner...time flies! I went school supply shopping today though so I think I'm all set. Allie turned 3 on the 26th and she's the biggest little kid I've ever know. She's much more self reliant than Lizzy ever was. I love it.

Eli started a new job with the county two weeks ago and it's going well so far. No more part time, so I am super excited. It's funny because he started his new job the same week I lost mine...nutty.

That's pretty much our life in a nutshell...good times my friends...good times.

naughty girls

ya'll are being unusually quiet.

reily got her cast off (thank you jesus). avery turned 4. carys can get all 10 fingers in her mouth. work is spaking my ass on a daily basis. it's hotter than Hades.

hmmm.... yup, that pretty much sums up my end. how about ya'l ?

xoxo
kri

ahh hell

just thought that i would post a quick update on the Brown clan. reily broke her arm yesterday while at her first sleepover ! apparently, she fell climbing out of a bunkbed. poor little trooper-she was a champ while putting her arm in a cast. she kept begging me to allow her to return to her friend's house. i think that she was more upset that she was missing out on the fun than the actual pain. of course, that also means that we didn't get home until after 4am, in bed after 5am, and woken up by the other two at 6:30am. so if any of ya'll got some extra ritalin or adderall, please send it my way. mama's gonna need some pick-me-ups before going back to work tomorrow !

xoxo
kri

Dress Rehearsal

Just a few pictures from the dress rehearsal for dance recital. Vivian did great. Not to brag to much, but there were a few times where she was the only one who wasn't a few beats behind the music. The first picture is jazz, the second is ballet, and the third is tap.
Amy

Summer Vacation At Last

Everyone has such beautiful families! I can't believe how big all of the kids are getting.

Samuel will have extended school year starting the 14th and going through mid July. He did great at his preschool graduation. He had to wait for a few other names to be called before getting his certificate and he didn't fuss once (last year they had to call him first to keep him calm). He also stayed in his spot during their music presentation. He did wave at me a lot during it, but it was an improvement over him running up to the front of the stage multiple times last year.

Vivian was excited for the end of the school year. She says she'll miss her friends but she knows she will get to see them over the summer. I am very impressed with her academically (she is reading a grade level ahead) and am very proud of her dedication to dance (she insists on practicing everyday for about an hour).

Theodore is not sure about having everyone home right now, he is so used to having undivided attention in the afternoons that it is just not as much fun for him.

I just got a new job. I am an in-home caregiver. I do light housekeeping, cooking, and assist with other non-medical needs to help elderly people stay in their homes. It is perfect for what we needed (flexible hours, good pay, rewarding work).

ok ok i am a picture slacker

hi loves

these are from hawaii in february... gotta get some others offa my camera. xoxo

marystarr

howdy

sarah - i can't believe how big all of the kids are getting ! ashley is starting HIGHSCHOOL !! it is creepy to think that she was about riley/reily's age when we all met. damn, we are getting old.
marystarr - where are the pictures of your babies ? wilder is growing up too fast. it makes me want to appreciate carys that much more so since it is a reminder of how fast they grow up. how is matt doing ? have ya'll given much thought to moving to n'awlins ? we could really use a great chef down here....
everyone else - que pasa ? avery is chasing reily with a tomahawk and carys is somehow sleeping through it. so is daddy, as a matter of fact. i return to work around june 14th. not looking forward to it. there have been a lot of changes in management and quite a few people have jumped ship. all in all, there's a shit storm brewing that i'm about to get into.
ah hell, carys woke up. lots of kisses ladies
kri

All is well here!!!!! Riley finished Kindergarten last week. Matthew finished 6th grade (special ed), then spent a week at Camp. Ashley finished 8th grade (I am SO old!)....
Caden is 5 1/2 months old now and just the most precious thing!!!!

WIlder is 1

wowza! my baby boy is one year old today. He is fabulously cute and a total nut, tearing around my house trying to bust into every cabinet and drawer and open and shut every door. He is running, climbing stairs, kicking balls and throwing them overhand. He is a little wonder man.

Carys is beautiful, just like her mama and all the ladies in her family. I miss you all and am sorry to be so quiet this year. I am crossing my fingers that we can get the ball rolling again and be more communicative. big hugs to you Amy about your great grandma. I am sorry for your loss, but so amazed at the incredible opportunity you had to know her and for her to meet your children. Wow. thanks for sharing that picture. its really something to see that many generations of a family together... you come from strong stuff!

xoxoxoxoxo

MaryStarr

Kri, She is absolutely beautiful! Not surprised at all, your girls are all beautiful.

Everyone is very quiet

We took Samuel to his new school last week. He got to walk around the building, eat lunch, meet his special education teacher, and have lunch in the cafeteria. He loved it and one of us will take him at least once a week to familiarize him with the school. We really want him to be able to eat lunch with the other kids (and so does the teacher, we are on the same page with her for everything so far).

Carys Delaney

hello ?????

Happy Mother's Day

just a quickie-
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ! gotta run to the store so i can cook lunch for my mother and sister. we're going to see a play this afternoon while dan takes the girls on a picnic. hope everyone has a fun and relaxing day. (my girls let me sleep in until 7:15 - amazing)
much love
kri

rainy day

hello girls-
amy, i'm sorry to hear about your greatgrandmother. unfortunately, my family was always on the older side of breeding so i didn't really know my grandparents. they were all born between 1897 and 1905 ! my greatgrandmother was born around 1870's. so they were pretty old once i was born but it did make for some cool stories. it's great that you were able to get a photo of all the generations together.
as for our homefront, all is good. carys is getting chubby, reily has picked up whining, and avery's tantrums have increased. overall the girls are adjusting to the baby very well but they definitely are acting up more than they were a few months ago.
how is everyone else ? any new babies on the way ?
xoxo
kri

So Busy

Hi all,

It has been super busy around here. Wish it was something new and exciting, but it is just more of the same (but I guess that is a good thing since it means that everything is going at a steady pace).

I am a little sad right now. My great-grandmother passed away on Tuesday morning. She was 102-years-old so it wasn't a surprise (she was fond of saying that she could go to sleep and not wake up and no one would be shocked). She left behind 4 living children (2 passed away as adults, both lived past 70), more than 30 grandchildren, almost 100 great-grandchildren, and I'm not sure about great-great-grandchildren. She loved to quilt and crochet. I have one of the last quilts that she made, we have a blanket that she made us for a wedding gift, and Vivian has a blanket that she made as well (she had to quit right after Vivian was born due to failing eyesight). I am posting a 5-generation picture from after Theodore was born. Front row Vivian, Great Grandma holding Theodore. Back row me holding Samuel, my grandma, my mom.

Amy

photo

is this one bigger ?

Holiday Season

good lord it has been busy lately. new orleans is crazy after mardi gras with festivals, holidays, and parades practically every weekend. carys (and her sisters) are all good. carys got a wicked fungal diaper rash that was resistant to most of my efforts but i won in the end :) right now she is pooping so loudly that i'm afraid she's going to wake herself up with the noise !! thought that i would post a picture of her sleeping on "aunt" jamie. how is everyone else ??

xoxo

kri

Happy Easter

Just posting an early message since I am not sure if I will get logged on again before the actual day.

What are everyone's plans? We are grilling lamb chops and staying home.

milk

good luck with pumping. i could never maintain the same amount of breast milk pumping as when i was nursing. just drink plenty of water and pump constantly-not just when you are full. hopefully the ol' supply and demand thing will kick in.
as for life on our end...
carys is an angel. she's only 8days old but so far an easy baby. it's funny how you can jump right back into life with a newborn. it probably helps that i haven't really slept through the night in 6yrs ! i have also decided to start trying to lose this baby weight. started running a few days ago (the first time in 20yrs-no exageration) and it still sucks. but then i pinch my belly and find enough motivation to run a wee bit more. i'm definitely running over a mile but most likely less than 2. since i haven't been able to exercise in 5yrs, i don't think it's a bad start.
unfortunately, i need to go bathe the monsters. they did something with syrup at school and now their hair is sticking together in thick strands ! oh what fun...
xoxo
kri

Beautiful Baby

Kri, She is so beautiful, just like her big sisters and mama. Congratulations!

Sarah, All I can suggest is to nurse or pump more frequently and drink a lot of fluids. And I cannot believe that Caden is already 3 months old.

Marystarr, We are done having kids. Ron had a vasectomy last summer. The only problem was Samuel coming into our room the next morning and launching himself onto Ron. He missed the important parts but the jostling was enough. Other than that Ron said the pain was minimal.

Awwww

Kri...she's georgeous...you and Dan do a great job making beautiful children!

MaryStarr...tell Matt it's nothing big...Eli got his snip right after Al was born and he said the worst part was when the nurse taped up his weener...I guess they have to get it out of the way...LOL.

Sarah...my only advice is lots of water and lots of nursing...you have to nurse/pump more to get more so make sure you are doing it frequently, eating, and drinking a ton. I used More Milk Plus supplements with Al, and that helped, but it's expensive...about $40 a bottle.

Things here are crazy as ever. We're also gearing up for school. Lizzy is going to attend a public continuous curriculum school in August. I'm super excited. They describe it as a public school with a private school feel. I can hardly wait. Her teacher is fantastic and the school is in our district so she can take the bus if necessary. I actually bought flash cards to day so we can start on her sight words. Looking forward to spring and spending time outside.

Hugs to all my friends...Maig

Carys Delaney Brown

just enough time for a quickie. here is Carys Delaney Brown. Born 3/10/10 @ 1024am and only 7lbs 4oz

Kri's baby is ADORABLE!!! There are some pics on her facebook page...:) :)
MaryStar- Chris had a vasectomy in January. He is the BIGGEST whiniest hypochondriac man that I've EVER< EVER met!!! BUT....he did amazing. He said it didn't hurt at all, and took Advil once.....so tell Matt it's OK!!!

Caden is 3 months old...and such a dear. I'm a bit upset because my milk seems to be drying up....and suggestions to get it back????? HELP!!!!

He's a great eater....nurses OK...but I have pumped everything for him up until this point...and had a fantastic store of it inthe freezer...but now we're having to thaw some every day.....

Any advice from my mammas would be sooo great...
Love you all...
sarah

me too!

i am surely excited to see pictures of le cajun bebe...

happy birthday theodore! what a big boy... hard to believe they are all getting so big, isn't it. Are you going to have any more kids Amy? I can't remember what you guys were thinking on that tip. Matt and I are done, feeling very satisfied with two and happy to get to have a son and a daughter... theoretically Matt is having a vasectomy soon, but we'll see when he actually makes it to the doctor ;p I shouldn't tease him though. He is being cooler about it than many men are. I told him when I was pregnant that I wanted him to have one, he just took a few months to think about it and one day he told me he was going to get one. Which is cool, because he was nervous (is nevrous I think).

love to all

MaryStarr

Getting Ready for Kindergarten

I cannot wait to see pictures of the newest addition to Kri's beautiful family. Hope that all is going well for you right now.

Marystarr, Wow, walking already! How cool is that? I would hope that kids are nicer about braces now than they used to be. I have noticed that, in general, most kids are much more open and accepting than I remember them being growing up.

We are getting Samuel ready for kindergarten. It involves taking him to school to eat lunch so he can acclimate, getting him placed in a class early so he can meet and get used to a new teacher, reminding him constantly about having a new teacher and being in a new building, etc, etc, etc. He is making a lot of progress right now and we are trying to get him placed in the extended school year program. He is doing really well in school right now. He recognizes all of the letters in his name (and can write it with assistance), he can read some sight words and all of his classmates names, can rote count to 15, and has just started attending school with no diaper on!

And on another note, today is Theodore's 3rd birthday! Still cannot believe that he is already that old, sometimes it still feels like I should be pregnant. We are having his party on Saturday. It is pretty sweet, he wanted to invite Samuels teachers. We have been working with them for the past 2 years and they are more like family friends than teachers.

Take Care,
Amy

Induction Day

so we check into the hospital tomorrow night...
i thought that i would quickly post since i will be MIA for a few days. wish me luck and hope the cytotec is enough-really don't want a pitocin drip :( that shit hurts like a mutha !!! got the girls covered, house cleaned, now i just have to straighten myself up and we're a go.
of course, i'm probably forgetting a ton of things. that's what happens when you spend an hour scrubbing baseboards in the bathroom !
much love ladies
kri

wow!

isn't it amazing how other peoples pregnancies just fly by ? ;p

why are they inducing you before your due date? are you ok? just anxious to deliver or are you having complications?

i am excited for you! hard to believe another southern belle is almost upon us. wilder is looking forward to meeting her. he is pretty certain she's gonna be a stone cold fox, just like her mama.

speaking of Wilder, he is a mad monkey. WALKING! started taking a free standing step or two a week before he turned 9 months. now he does 4 or 5 steps, then squats down to get his balance and STANDS BACK UP with no hands. seriously. like an old school soviet weight lifter squatting in the olympics, back in the good old days of horse steroids ;p

Ava has now lost both lower incisors and her top left incisor. She looks like a jack o lantern. Or, a backwoods new hampshire gal ... hehe. Her bottom adult teeth are coming in, one straight and one at (i kid you not) a 45 degree angle. Matt was like "uh, MaryStarr, can you say ORTHODONTIST?". crap. not just for the few thousand bucks it will cost us but also because I dont WANT her to have braces. they hurt and people tease you. and people teasing Ava would hurt me. i am hoping they are not so bad now. any thoughts?

sorry i have been so irregular around here. Life has been so crazy this year for me, between Matt being so stresed and depressed at work and having Wilder and then having to wage a political campaign to save Ava's school I have barely kept my head above water. but i miss you all and love you and really, really want to keep our group in touch. Maybe we can all find our way back to writing more often soon...

xoxoxoxox

MaryStarr

birthday nearing...

39wks and counting. scheduled an induction for tues night. for some reason we have to check into the hospital at 8:00pm !! then they'll try cytotec and later, if needed, pitocin. why labor all night is beyond me but oh well. hope the cytotec works because pitocin is a gift from the devil. we're really hoping that i go into labor tomorrow since there is more on television to watch ! dan has been on this rollar coaster before and he knows now how long it takes and how little interaction i offer :) in fact, trying to get me to talk or participate in any conversation while in active labor is likely to result in physical harm to him. now all i have to do is shave and shower before the big day and we're all set. if i'm going to look hagard, i want to look hagard with clean hair and hairless armpits...

xoxo
kri

still pregnant

hey ladies-
still here, still pregnant. over 38wks now and number 3 just ain't budging. i haven't been able to post much lately since the Saints won the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras was in full swing, and i'm still working 4 shifts a week. on top of the usual chaos, i find that there is too much to do and i forget to check the computor daily. hell, washing my hair has even dropped down on my priority list :) all i know is that there definitely isn't enough time in the day or money in the account to get everything done !!!
how is everyone else doing ? any new updates ?
xoxo
kri

Wow everyone is quiet. Hope that all is well with everyone.

I have some exciting news. Samuel is almost potty trained! We are very excited. I know it may seem odd that he isn't potty-trained yet, but according to a few books I have read, autistic children are among the hardest to potty train. The key with him is to remind him every hour.

Just real quick, Go Saints!

Kri- Congrats!!!!
Michelle- Congrats!!! (saw the pic on facebook...)

Caden is doing great. A big chunky thing- as you can see. :) All the kids just love him, too....

He developed some breastmilk sensitivities (go figure) so now he's getting half breastmilk, half Alimentum. Whatever it is, the combo is fantastic. I couldn't identify what it was, in my diet that was giving him colic. But the "half and half", as we call it, is working good for the colic. He does have some reflux, but thats managable too. Obviously, he's not lacking any calories!!!

I started back to work this past Sunday. It was bittersweet. I love my job, but I think I could totally be a stay at home mom now. Maybe it's because I know Caden is our last. (DH got "fixed" 3 weeks ago, to ensure that...)
But I'm only working 2 days a week (Kri- you're insane for working like 5 12's...xoxoxox!!!!). We've arranged our schedules so that childcare is not necessary. :)

ooohhhh...I hear him waking up....right now he's sleeping on daddys chest, his favorite spot!!!

The picture is his 7 week picture......but he's 8 weeks old today. Where did the time go????

Kri- keep us posted!!!!


Love to all!!
sarah

34 weeks and counting

ok - so i haven't posted in a while but we have been on cloud 9 since the Saints won the NFC championship and they don't have wifi up there :)
i've hit the 34wk mark and baby 3 is still nameless. i'm shooting for Marlowe, dan likes Greyson or Greer. found out that i failed my 3hr glucose tolerance test (actually, passed 1st hr, failed 2nd hr, indeterminate at 3rd hr)...so they have labeled me a gestational diabetic. wonderful. got to go to a 2hr diabetic teaching session (god help me) and monitor my sugar for a bit. OB also thinks #3 is about 5lbs now so it looks like she will be on the bigger size. thank the good lord and medical science for episiotomies :) reily and avery are excited. they like to rub my belly and talk to their little sister. i'm hoping to go into labor at work just so i can see the looks on everyones faces. doctors they may be but they don't know nothing about birthing no babies (direct quote-heard it from about 5 MD's so far !).
besides of that, there isn't much to report. work is crazy, house is a mess, laundry seems to multiply on its own, and shaving is starting to become an Olympic feat.
miss all the ladies and hope to hear updates....
xoxo
kri

Congratulations!

Sarah, he is precious! Many congratulations on a beautiful boy.

We had a great holiday season. Sorry I have been so absent.

We are getting Samuel ready for kindergarten. We meet with his preschool teacher and future kindergarten teacher tomorrow to review his IEP (individual education plan). He will attend a different school than Vivian. Both are great schools in the same district but one has a program tailored to autistic children.

Theodore will start preschool this fall. He will attend the same one Samuel goes to and even has the same teacher. We are thrilled because he loves her (and so do we).

Caden is 4 wks old!!!!!

post more later.....typing with 1 hand!!!

merry new year

wow- wilder is getting so big ! it's crazy how much he and ava look like
sarah- caden is precious. been following on facebook too and it looks like he is already starting to chunk up. i love it. if only jelly rolls were sexy after the age of 3.

merry new year, happy christmahanakwanzica everybody. survived the holidays, my family didn't go crazy or self-destruct. overall, a success i think. the girls are getting excited for number 3 (who still remains nameless). i'm about 31weeks along and feel huge ! why my ass feels the need to grow in proportion with my belly i will never understand. will try to get a few pictures of me to post (i've been hiding from the camera so this will not be an easy task).

lots of love to everyone. gotta get ready for my hair appnt.
xoxo
kri

happy new year loves

sorry to be so absent. Sarah, your son is amazing and I could not be happier for anyone than i am for you.

much love and hugs and sparkles

MaryStarr