Tucker Goes to Preschool

Once upon a time, there was a sweet little angel boy named Tucker. While his sister was at school, he would angelically play with is toys or watch a cartoon while I did my housework or took a shower. I could drink tea, read a magazine, etc. because he was happy to entertain himself.

Tucker was technically old enough to start a 3 year old Preschool, but Mommy loved having him at home, and he was a little immature and babyish. He still had a few accidents and he was hard to understand. And while his sister was more than ready to go to school at this age, Tucker was just not. And that was a-okay with Mommy.

Fast forward a month to the middle of October...
After Baby Brody had made his appearance, Tucker realized that he was not the baby anymore. All of a sudden, entertaining himself and following Mommy around all morning was not fun anymore. In fact, he all of a sudden started talking more...as in never stopping talking. Trying to get Mommy's attention. All day long. And basically being a royal pain in the butt while Mom nursed the baby. As soon as she would get settled in, Tucker would need something. As soon as Brody was latched on and nursing well, Tucker would need to go to the bathroom, and all of a sudden he wasn't able to go on his own. It was as if he had lost his place and was desperately trying to find a new one.


("Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy.....Hey, Mommy, watch this! Look at me, not Brody. Mommy, Mommy, Mommy." "What, Tucker?" "Hi Mommy.")
For the love of God.

Luckily Mommy talked to another Mommy friend who talked about her own three year old going to Preschool and there was one spot open in the afternoon. All of a sudden, Tucker was not so babyish after all. He actually talked pretty darn well, and so what if the teacher couldn't understand him. She called the school at 10:30 and they said, YES! Tucker was scheduled to start that very day at 12:30. And he was excited. And so was Mommy. Maybe this would give him a reason to stop the incessant baby talk and start being able to go to the bathroom on his own again. So we loaded up in the car and headed to Kings. The only store in Emmett that might possibly have a backpack this late in the year. Low and behold, one small backpack hung on the wall. There was no drama. Tucker was very excited for this backpack. So we bought it and off we went to eat lunch and go to school.



There are eight 3-year olds in his class, the rest are four. There are a bunch of immature boys that he loves to play with. He loves loves LOVES school. He is so excited to have something to do and has even decided to go to the bathroom on his own again. Most of the time.

And here is the big preschool boy on his first day. When I picked him up he was knee deep in pea gravel and shovels and dump trucks, so his pants are filthy. He comes home every day dirty and covered in snacks. And it's fabulous. Thank God for preschool!

Ten Years

A quick post of another layout I finished up this summer. This one is a photo of me and my bestie from high school on the weekend of our ten year reunion. I used all scraps of paper from a My Minds Eye packet I had picked up a while ago, the tickets were left over from some raffle that Cameron was involved in. Quick and easy, love how it turned out. Trying harder to include myself in some of our scrapbooks instead of just simply the kiddos. If only I looked this good right now...

My life is officially classified as "Chaotic".

I took this picture because I thought for one fleeting second that this was cute. I had no idea that Brody would never experience any sort of relaxing bathtime that didn't look like this. Ever. Unless I wait until late at night. After the other two have gone to sleep. And even then, I am usually multi-tasking. I actually had Brody in the bathtub last night, and I was shaving my legs with a razor and lotion while standing in front of him. I felt bad because when Cameron was a baby, I would spend hours loving pouring water over her belly, singing, talking, wasting the day. When Tucker was little, I would still take the time because I could put Cameron in the big tub beside us, and she was content to play with her toys in the bubble bath while I lovingly wasted the time on Tucker. With Brody, he's an every other day bath baby, and even then I smell him to see if he even really needs one. He has bathtime helpers (Cameron and Tucker)who scare the hell out of me, so his baths either a) last 35 seconds, just long enough to wash the puke off of his body but not long enough for anyone to accidentally drowned him or b) last longer, but only because he is quiet and I can stand and shave my legs or clean the sink while he is soaking. I feel guilty, but my legs are completely shaved for the first time in a month, and that has to count for something. And I figure in the long run, if I hide the scrapbooks, he'll never know what he's missing by being the third baby.

Scrapbook Layout

Just a quick post to show one of my layouts that I have been working on while up with Brody. Gotta love middle of the night scrapbooking!

This was actually Cameron around her fourth birthday, all in pink and tan as can be from lots of hours in the swimming pool.

We are slowly adjusting to life around here with three. Although I feel like I just run and run and run and time life around nursing. It's funny how fast you forget that all you do is nurse and nurse and nurse at the beginning. But, Brody is gaining an ounce a week and cute as can be, so I am pretty excited. Loving him, can't imagine our family without him. The perfect caboose to our train of kids. Pictures of him to come.

Halloween Project

Just a quick October craft post. These are the Halloween cards I created for our monthly swap. This is a Jillibean Soup line that I couldn't resist working with. I am also using these for some of Tucker's pages that are not necessarily Halloween related. Loving the Monster theme that is so popular right now.

Sharin' the Love

So my friend Bonnie (some of you locals know her), is venturing into the awesome field of photography and photo editing. She has been asking me for atleast a month to photograph Cameron, mainly because Cameron was born with a camera in her face and loves loves LOVES to pose. Unlike most kids her age, she thrives off of being in front of the spotlight, so here are some of her shots. And if you like what you see, then by all means, contact Bonnie. She's doing some awesome work lately!

Bonnie's Website

Fishin' in the Dark

Two weeks ago, I was having contractions and my Mom and Dad took the kiddos for the night, I think hoping that I would just focus and get this kid out. Needless to say, it didn't happen. So, when we went to pick them up, they were out at my Uncle's pond fishing for bass. In their church shoes. So we got to do some fishing, and the bass were a biting. And the kids were loving it.

I can still remember fishing with my old push button reel when I was about Cameron's age. And there are pictures in the family photo album of me in the 80's style summer clothing reeling them in and grinning from ear to ear, so these photos just make me happy. Tucker loves loves loves to get in and kiss the fish before they get thrown back, and Cameron swears she won't be kissing anything ever, so that makes me happy too.

SO here are a few photos of two weeks ago fishing. I stayed well behind the camera for these, as I was big as an ox. But I did get in and catch a few myself, all the while, having contractions the whole time. It was a fun evening.

Introducing Brody

Finally, after being dialated to a four, then apparantly not even dialted to a one, then dialted to a six and completely ready to go, to then dialted to a three or four, three weeks of hard contractions that kept stopping and starting again, an extra trip to labor and delivery and one wild 90 mph ride to the hospital, Brody Steven Brown is here. The little stinker, I thought he'd never come out. But, one look at him was all it took to make it all worth while. I am in love for the third time. Always a little bit shocked at how much love you can have for something so soon. And so happy to have such a beautiful, healthy final addition to the family.



The kids had given up hope that he was ever going to come and I was about to decide that maybe they were right. So I was pretty happy it happened at night while they were sleeping. When the kids got up in the morning, Grandma Kris was there and they already had a new baby brother to come and visit in the hospital. They were pretty excited.



Cameron immediately wanted to help hold him and change his diaper and rock him. She was completely mesmerized. Tucker on the other hand, realized that the bed would go up and down and you could call the nurse for ice water with just the push of a button. He was right on it any time I needed something. But, even with a short attention span, it was obvious that he was the big brother and was darn proud of it.



You can't beat this picture. The closest relationship you'll ever have is that of a sibling. No matter how much you don't get along or what age difference there is between you, this is what matters.



And here is Mr. Handsome. 8 pounds 4 ounces, 20 inches long. Got the infamous "Brown nose", immediately the nurses were commenting on how much he looks like Matt. And I think he looks alot like the kids too, but different complexion.



We almost didn't get any photos because he came so fast we had the camera and the video camera out in the car. They waited to weigh him so Matt could run out and grab the camera. But, I'm still dissappointed not to have any barely out photos like I do with the other kids. I am not dissappointed, however, that he came 17 minutes after we arrived at the hospital.

Matt had gone to the Oregon State/Boise State game that afternoon. I was having contractions, but had about given up on them ever progressing, so I told him to go. He had been hovering around for the past day or so, thinking that it was going to happen any time. Matt doesn't do week with idle time. I was ready to pull my hair out. I had walked the neighborhood a thousand times. I had bounced like mad on the exercise ball. I had done everything I could possibly think of to get things rolling, and I was just plum exhausted. While Matt was at the game, I went out to Chinese food with my Mom and Grandma. I was noticing a difference in the contractions around 8 pm, but still didn't consider that they might be the real deal. Came home, put the kids to bed around 9. Still having contractions. Matt got home at 11, still having them, but getting progressively stronger. Still not realizing that these were it. Matt went to bed, I went to the recliner. I dozed between them until 2 am. Realized they were actually hurting. Kept dozing between them, still 10 minutes apart. Woke Matt up at 3 am. Told him they were still 10 minutes apart, but we needed to go. I was pacing around and they were hurting. As soon as he called his Mom and we got ready to go, they went from 10 minutes to 2 minutes. I was a little nervous at that point we had waited too long. We left at 3:20, Matt got out to Substation/Highway, realized he left his cell phone, went back, took off for real. 2 minutes apart. Then 1 minute, then one on top of the other. I kept watching the spedometer, we were going 90 mph at some points on the road. I was reaching down and checking to make sure he wasn't already out, there was so much pressure.

We pulled into St. Lukes and Matt jokingly asked if I needed a wheelchair. I told him yes, take me to the ER door and get me one. He looked a little shocked. I couldn't have walked in if I tried. It took me two contractions just to get in the chair. Nurse wheeled me up to labor and delivery while Matt parked the car.

Checked in at the front desk. Nurse has the nerve to ask what seems to be the problem. I tell her "I need a room now." She continues to type away at her computer. Has me sign consent forms. I tell her again, "I need a room now". Finally gets on the phone to tell another nurse that I need to be checked. I tell them, "I don't need to be checked, I need a room". Still get to be checked. They check, and immediately call the on call doctor and prepare for delivery. I work my way onto the bed, the on call doctor checks me, breaks my water, and in one gush, I start pushing and he's out. I'm pretty sure I only pushed about four or five times total. Brody was out 17 minutes after I checked in. Matt was just getting comfortable into his chair in the corner to wait it out when the doctor delivered him. Easiest birth ever. No pitocin. No drugs. Not even an IV. Natural as natural could be. If there would have been any traffic on Eagle Rd., whatsoever, I would have had him in the car. If my water would have broken at home, I would have had him on the floor. Now that I'm done having kids, I've got this figured out. And since I wasn't cranked out on Pitocin for 12 hours like Tucker, I wasn't exhausted, I'm not hormonal, I feel fabulous.

I am just so darn thankful that everything went well, and truly blessed beyond measure. God has given Matt and I the most perfect family for us. We are so fortunate and so satisfied with our small "herd" of kids. I'm so glad that we decided to go for number three. It's five more years of me at home, and gobs and gobs of doctor bills, another college education to pay for, but Brody is priceless.