Catching Up...

Hey yall!! I have been so stressed out lately as my computer was not letting me download pics and my external drive with all of our pictures on it is not working (trying to not to stress out that there is a chance I lost ALL of my pictures). So on top of a very busy week, I could not blog =). Somehow tonight I got my newest pictures to load so we are back to normal....

This weekend was my step-brother Jace's eleventh birthday party. It was at Fast Lanes, Claire and Owen's most favorite place "ever". They had bowling (go karts too, but we took off before that as Owen would have had an absolute meltdown once he realized he was too little to ride) and of course pizza and cake! Happy Birthday Jace!! Claire and Owen think you are the coolest uncle ever!!

Before we left - did not even realize that I caught a L'Oreal ad in the background on the TV!!! =)

Getting our shoes on...

Waiting our turn...Me and Claire bearClaire showing off her ruffle socks with bowling shoes =) O-man...I love his big boy shorts...Eating pizzaJace blowing out the candlesThe rare family picture!!The car on the way home...LOL

If you look real close in the pictures of Claire, you can see the botched bangs she gave herself =) - harder to hide them now at this stage of growth...=)

Tara was so kind to post a picture of the two of us when we were little that is absolutely hilarious, not my finest hair moment!! You can go here to check it out...I didn't even realize how much Claire looked like me when I was little!!

This week is crazy busy but stay tuned for more posts with all kinds of Easter fun!! Now I am off to eat my weight in Peeps and put together "Rabbit Food" snacks for Claire and O's classes tomorrow....

Lost Dress, Fat Lip and Passing Out...PICTURE DAY!!

So today has been one of those days!! This evening we had Easter pictures made. I take my kiddos every year, but this year we decided to have all the Brown cousins get together for the first time!! The pictures turned out great...but it took a really long day and a lot to get through it...

The day started off with a hitch as I realized I forgot to roll Claire's hair the night before so we were with out "Easter Dress Curls" =(. As of 3pm, Claire's Easter Dress was not here. It was in NWA, just on a random UPS truck since 8am!! It was supposed to be delivered this morning, but UPS took their time to get here!!! I was panicked as I had no back up dress and I was really looking forward to her custom made smocked bishop dress (that matched O's outfit and our theme with all the boys!!!). So, Claire and I loaded up and went to buy a filler dress in the case the new one did not make it in time for pictures at 5:40. We found a dress at Dillards, liked it okay, but just went with it in the case of there was nothing else!!! I waited as long as I could at home with the hopes that it would get here in time, but I finally at the last minute had to get the kids ready and just go with the filler dress. I was soooooooooo pissed!! Not at the awesome lady that made Claire's dress, but at UPS for taking their sweet time!! Shane was to meet us at the studio to help me corral Owen, but I called him after we left and asked him to swing by the house just before he came to make sure the dress did not arrive...

So we get there, Owen is a maniac, Claire's curling iron induced curls that she bawled through, were now waves, and I was a pregnant mess. I wanted to put off doing any pictures of Claire until Shane called to confirm dress or not, so the photog took individual pictures of Owen. Can I tell you that my little boy was a model!!?? He did so well, just cheesing away!! Then Shane calls me, flying over to the mall (where the studio was) with Claire's dress!!! This was great news until I realize, I forgot a bow for the new dress!! So I run to Gymboree, buy anything that could remotely match it and $20 later I am in back in business!! Shane gets there with a wrinkled dress, but it was just perfect and I was soooooo happy!!! I strip Claire down, get her hair fixed and we are now taking pictures.

Owen is running around like crazy while Claire is getting her individual shots made (Claire is a pro, she was totally working it), when Shane stops him and sees that he has BUSTED HIS LIP!! Yes, my son, all dressed in his Easter outfit, still not done with pics, has blood all over his mouth!!!! We frantically are cleaning him, when I say we , I mean Shane and Becky are doing it as I am about to lose my mind!!!! Finally we get all the pictures taken, wiping Owen's mouth in between shots and all is well!!!!!! The pictures turn out even better than we hoped and we are all thrilled!! Shane had taken the kids and Sterling home with him so Lane and I could wait on the pictures with Jennifer and Becky, so Lane and I were free pregnant women! =)

We waited for awhile to go through all the proofs and place our orders when I realize that I am getting really hungry (I think Lane was too). Then I realize not only am I hungry, I am getting sick and need to eat NOW!! So Lane and I leave to go to the food court and I am feeling worse and worse as we walk. We get in line at Subway and I am getting really dizzy and hot. Lane tells me to sit down as we were still in line. I get back up as it is time for us to order. I walk over and realize I am REALLY bad at this point and I am about to pass out! I tell Lane my sandwich order really fast (as that is what is most important =)) and go to sit back down. As I reach the chair, I black out and catch myself on the chair. I come back really fast, but I am covered in sweat and miserable!! I have never done that before and it was crazy!! Lane had no idea that I blacked out, and all there was around me was a bunch of annoying teenagers at the mall on a Friday night!! It was quite a trip!! I will never go without eating that long AGAIN!! Lane and I laughed later over our yummy sandwiches about what an insane day it has been!!

So with all that drama, the day had a wonderful ending!!! Check out these amazing pictures we got of the kids, busted lip, fallen curls and all!! I keep tearing up every time I look at them as they are all so beautiful and have grown up so much!!!

Claire's dress was made by the ever so talented and sweet as pie Danna!! Wait until you see the second one she made us!!! The pictures were made by The Picture People - they always pleasantly surprise me and if you are in the NWA area, request JD. If he was able to get this crew to smile all toghether, he is UNBELIEVABLE!! They have a new offer where you can buy all your photos on CD!!

Toothpaste Woes and Easter Throwback!

This post is for my new bud Amanda, she is one of my newest friends I met through this wonderful world of blogging!! She and I have become friends as we both work at home with kids (she is a new Mom to sweet, handsome Cyler!)

Amanda called me earlier this week as she was throwing around the idea of putting Cyler in a MDO program and wanted to know my thoughts as I have been living this crazy life for almost 6 years now. I am still trying to figure it out most days, but I am always willing to help a sister out =)!

So we were talking on the phone and I was telling her something close to how with Owen, I realized he was getting to be a lot to handle and that he needed some interaction with other kiddos and something more fun than just Mom. In other words, I could not work with Owen running around all the time (Claire was not as bad), I did have Mom, but she was not hear ALL the time. While we were talking, Owen came downstairs (he was supposed to be laying down and falling asleep in his room) and I told him to get back upstairs. I got really involved in our conversation and thought Owen had done as I said. Amanda and I talk for at least 10 minutes more. I get off the phone and smell toothpaste. I immediately realize that I am not in the bathroom, but in the living room, WHY AM I SMELLING TOOTHPASTE???

I turn around and Owen is underneath the breakfast nook table with a tube of toothpaste from the bag of groceries that I had not put away yet, and had proceeded to cover himself, Cooper and Oscar with toothpaste!! I had to laugh, but it was quite a mess!! I called Amanda right back and told her "this is why you want to put your son in some kind of school, every time you turn around, they are into something!!". We laughed and I had to go attempt to clean up the boys!!

Unfortunately, toothpaste does not come out of dog hair as well as I hoped =). Later that night, Shane went upstairs to get the kids in the tub. He walked in on Claire trying to clean the last of the dried toothpaste off Oscar...with Owen's toothbrush =)....it made sense to her =).

We are so excited for Easter here!! The Easter Bunny finished his shopping today and I hope Claire and O are good over the next several days as I KNOW they will love their basket of goodies!! I went back and looked at Easter pictures over the last couple years and I thought these pictures from 2007 were absolutely hilarious!! Owen was 8 months old and Claire was 3...as you will see they have always been quite the characters....here are pictures from our Annual Egg Dying Party and Easter Sunday 2007!!

Update

Today I had a Dr's appt. It seems Miss Bree likes to keep us on our toes - as you would know, my toes already hurt due to the other little stinkers running around here, BUT ANYWAYS...we saw the Dr today (last week was just the US tech) and we once again discussed our chances of preterm labor. Since I had my bleed early on and I now have what looks like a large fibroid tumor growing just outside the sac and placenta, we are looking at a 50% chance of seeing Miss Bree earlier than planned. It is safe to say that we will definitely be holding our beauty no later than August 17th, maybe even close to the 10th, but she will not go full term. Neither Claire or Owen went full term, Claire at 39 weeks and Owen was barely 37wks, so he wants to be safe and take her before she comes on her own as that could cause some issues. Once I am in active labor, I go really fast ( I go from 6cm to 10cm in less than 10 minutes). This also means that I will probably be on bed rest as late as July to ensure she cooks as long as needed =). We are not on "pelvic rest" anymore, but I still have to take it easy and no stress. We are focused to 28 weeks (June 15th) as that is the golden moment of when she will have a 90% chance of survival if she delivers then or after. Once we get there, I am sure we will start evaluating my situation and decide how much "rest" I will be told to take =). Please continue to pray for Bree in that she stays in as long as possible!! I really want a full head of hair to put bows in =) - I kid, I have many headbands already =)! We are in much better spirits now that we know she is okay and growing just on schedule. We know God has His hand on her and taking very good care of her. This is just a precaution and we have to be prepared.

In Owen news - I picked him up from school today and am told that he has taken up the hobby of sticking his hand in his dirty diapers. GREAT!

Also I got this picture yesterday...I went upstairs to check on him as he was really quiet and suspected he finally gave it up and was asleep. Well I could not find him, but I heard him snoring. His room was a disaster as well (not really sure where he found the styrofoam he proceeded to crumble all over the floor). Finally I see him here -He must have passed out while holding his stick horse and playing etch a sketch, in the floor =)

I guess I have not had any Claire pictures in awhile - but she is having the time of her life telling everyone she knows that she is getting a little sister. Although she cannot remember her name and calls her "that girl" =). I will have to get some pics of her soon! We are getting excited for Easter around here too!! Claire lives her life by whatever the next holiday is, so she is totally pumped! I hit our new Target yesterday and the Easter Bunny made a haul!!

Have a good night - Mama is craving a hamburger so we are off to Red Robin for dinner tonight!