Baby Aaron!

Here in the land of slow internet service it's really hard to find time to blog and upload pictures!! These pictures of Baby Aaron's Big Day literally took 24 hours to upload! And this isn't even half of what I wanted to show but for now it will have to do! City dwellers this is one area of living where you have us country folks beat hands down.

So Thursday, April 19, I had one day of things to do and make ready before Aaron's scheduled arrival on Friday, April 20.  However . . . around 2 a.m. on Thursday morning I woke up with this weird feeling . . . and then around 4 a.m. I got this painful feeling and it came every 30 minutes.  Although Aaron was my third child I have NEVER experienced any sort of contractions with any of my other pregnancies - false or otherwise - so I was a little clueless as to what was going on.  My alarm went off around 6 and I just assumed that when I got up and moving around I would feel better.  The boys and I got ready for school and I was still having those pains . . . and I was still having them on the way to school . . . and on the way home from school . . . and while I made me a big breakfast of pancakes and a Coke (you know because on Friday I was having a baby and wouldn't get breakfast!).  I talked to a few friends who confirmed for me that yes I was having contractions!

I needed to hurry through the morning because Conner had an appointment in Shreveport at 10:00 but I called my mom and jokingly said to get ready because we may be having a baby.  She began to worry about me and sent my dad to take Conner to his appointment.

On Wednesday night I had emailed my sister and sister-in-law the "plan of action" for Mason & Conner starting with Friday morning Field Day and going through Monday morning.  By Thursday morning they had responded that everything was set and ready for Friday . . . apparently I should have sent Aaron the email!

The contractions continued throughout the remainder of the day so I got my bags packed just in case but was still pretty certain I was experiencing false labor however to appease my mom & sister I went to the doctor just to be safe.

The doctor hooked me up to a machine and then unhooked me and told me she would see me at the hospital and I said "Ok, see you tomorrow!" She looked at me like I was crazy and told me that she meant immediately! My contractions were 3 minutes apart and that I was having a baby today whether I was ready or not! I kept telling her about my Thursday "to do" list and that I had to be at Field Day Friday morning before coming into the hospital at 10 for my noon C-Section.

Finally convinced, my mom and I got on the elevator and headed to the hospital.  Funny thing was neither of us pressed a floor on the elevator because we were busy making phone calls so we sat in the elevator not moving until someone else got in and then we had to take a ride up and then back down!

Ryan freaked out a little and kept telling me all the things he had to do at work and asking me what exactly I meant by "having a baby NOW!"  Thankfully he settled down and made it in plenty of time.

Baby Aaron Ryan Brown was born on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. and weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces at was 19 inches long and was perfect in every way!  WELCOME TO THE WORLD AARON!

Daddy & Aaron

I was still being operated on here and was not feeling good!

Proud Big brothers getting their first glimpse of Aaron

Family waiting to meet our little guy!

(Thanks Erica for taking the picture!)

Most Awesome Big Brothers

Easter in Pictures

Conner & Daddy

Mason & sweet friend

(I don't like putting names on here if I  haven't asked their parents but I do know who she is!)

Checking out their stash -

I'm sure Conner was saying something loud and important

Cute lil' stinker - Faith!!

Making our eggs for the Easter Bunny



Easter Sunday! I still don't know where Conner's shirt is . . .

Thanks Mimee & Papa for the new swingset!

Precious one

Of course, Conner was sick all of Easter Break

but we were so glad that Sunday was a fever free day!

I'll search high & low to find the most eggs!

Look Mom - a real egg!!

My sweetie - re-hiding eggs for Conner & Faith when he realized how many he had!

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT EASTER!

Baby Boy comes next Friday!

Not Forgotten!!

So I have not forgotten that in exactly five weeks (hopefully not before) I'll be in the OR about to meet my third son!! Like in 35 days . . . OMG!! Things are just crazy busy around here and there really is not a great time to slow down and take pictures and reflect because there is just too much to do!

Last Wednesday on my birthday (3/7) I had an ultrasound and I had planned on putting his cute lil pictures on the blog but alas he had other plans.

Plans like refusing to move - he moves ALL DAY long and I was beginning to get a little concerned that morning because he was not moving at all but I think he just knew I was going to take his picture. 

Plans like keeping his hands in front of his face for the entire ultrasound.

Plans like being in a crazy position to where it made it virtually impossible to get a good picture of any part of him.

Baby Boy does have a name now . . . introducing - Aaron Ryan Brown and as of his ultrasound he was weighing in at around 5 pounds, 3 ounces (32 weeks gestation).  Currently, he is a cross between breech and transverse - almost like he is bending down touching his toes, which btw, makes walking super fun for this mama (yeah, that was sarcasm).

This week I finally started making some progress toward getting his room and gear in order and I felt great about that.  This rest of my house looks like, as Mason said this morning, "like the closet exploded over the floor," but I've got to let that slide so I can rest easy knowing everything is done and clean and in order.  Trying to get myself prepared for the chaos that will ensure while recovering from a C-Section and taking care of a newborn and two other boys! I'm tired just thinking about it!

Here is the only bump shot I have for the whole pregnancy . . . yikes! My friend Lauren and I - we are due 6 days apart.

Aaron - we are so excited to meet you and hold you and love you! Your brothers are beyond excited and ask everyday when you will be here!

Oh and P. S. Conner would like his big brother gift to include Ninjago stickers

 because he gave Mason stickers when he was born!

P.P.S. Your mama is a rock star and has already bought said Ninjago stickers so don't sweat it!

P.P.P.S. Your Mimee and aunts are rock stars too because they are stocking you up with diapers and cool new clothes and if not for them you'd only get hand-me-downs!

MASON DAY!

Mason's grade/class FINALLY got to take a field trip today! I was excited for a day filled with Mason - okay and like 100 other kids but nobody that belonged to me other than Mason!

We started the day off by seeing The Lorax and he allowed me to sit by him - HOORAY!! It was a cute movie.  All the kids got snack packs with popcorn, soft drink, and Teddy Grahams so that kept them occupied.

After the movie, 5 classes went to one park and the other 4 to another as not to completely overwhelm the park system.  I think that worked out great!  And at 80 degrees it wasn't too unbearable outside.

Mason & a friend

play time

granted this is just the underneath support system of the playground equipment

but apparently all the kids thought it was monkey bars or something!

leaving the park - beautiful tulips and handsome boy

we had about 30 minutes to kill before picking up Conner from school

so I suggested we put our feet in Mimee & Papa's pool which somehow

became Mason skinny dipping in the freezing water!

He was having the best time so I couldn't say no! It was a great day with my oldest sweetie.  Loved getting some quality Mom time with him and loved seeing him interact with his classmates and friends! 

Friends

Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

I am so blessed to have such awesome friends. Many of whom I have had since I was a little girl. The 6 girls you see in these pictures have been through a lot together!!

Two of them just this past week suffered the devastating loss of their father.  He went to high school with my parents, his parents went to church with my grandparents, he coached all of us in basketball, two of his three daughters were and are my best friends, he owned the local convenience store that will probably always be known around town by his name and not the name of the store.  I do not remember a time in my life when I haven't known him.  When his girls/my friends moved out of town, I had a standing invitation to his home to swim or visit and to bring my rowdy kids.  That's just how it is with friends.

Yet on Monday I walked up their driveway very slowly so I could take a few deep breaths and put a smile on my face knowing that when I walked over the threshold it would be different from the other one million times I had been welcomed into their home. And my friends needed me (or maybe I just needed to think I could offer a little comfort) and I needed to hold it together.

And that's how it is with friends.  We are all still friends but we don't see each other as often or talk as much as we did in that first picture.  But Sunday night for visitation we were all there - a coordinated effort for all of us to be in one place at one time and us six "Gloster Girls" rallied around our friends and hugged and smiled and recalled memories and in the days to come we will pray and we will call and we will be there for our sweet friends - well because that's just how it is with friends.  And I'm one very lucky girl to have friendships that have stood the test of time.

Praying for my sweet friends in their time of sorrow.

Conner-palooza!

My baby boy is FOUR!! How in the world did that happen? He is so proud to be 4 and has been holding up his "four" fingers to everyone - like the cashier at Best Buy, random kids in the chick-fil-a playground, etc. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating his Shapes & Colors when he turned 2 and his love for all things John Deere when he turned 3! And now it's Super Mario Bros!

We were very worried about the weather this weekend so we moved his party to my parents pool  house where it would be okay if things got muddy and wet.  Luckily the rain held off except for a few sprinkles toward the end.  The kids then declared the bounce house slide a water slide and all the parents declared they would end up with the flu!

Thanks for our sweet friend, Taylor, for making Conner's Mario cake!

Mason & Conner aka the Super Brown Brothers

enjoying some jumpy time before the party starts!

This has to be one of my favorite party pictures!!

Needing a lil help from Mom and Mason with the candles!

Conner was facing me with his back to everyone while they sang

Happy Birthday and I'm glad his HUGE smile was reserved for me,

but I wish everyone could have seen how happy their presence and their

singing JUST TO HIM made him feel! I was like the moon radiating the sun -

the smile on my face was nothing compared to the smile on his!

And we interrupt Conner to bring you FAITH and her ReRe!

ReRe was carrying her around last year at Conner's party where she

made her first party appearance! She has gotten so big and has such a

spunkly lil personality!

Conner declaring his undying love to his Mimee and Papa for his

"very own DS!" He and Mason have been sharing Mason's and he

was beyond thrilled to get one for his birthday!

Conner's actual birthday was yesterday and he went to school with cupcakes to celebrate with his friends! He got a big hug from his teacher - I love that his school loves him! I wasn't able to celebrate with him at school but he said it was a great day!

Since my birthday was last week we celebrated ourselves at Shogun last night.  The boys had never been and we had a great experience.  We went early and had our own private room and chef and table and he did a FANTASTIC job interacting with the boys and making sure they had fun! Conner, who never eats when we go out to eat, was devouring his steak and chicken like nobody's business! He even managed to eat his rice with chopsticks!

He got a booster seat for the car for his birthday and he was very excited about reaching that milestone! No more car seat - sniff, sniff!

Conner you are a lively little boy who never runs out of steam.  You think you are Leonardo the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and we have all been chopped and hit enough that we almost believe you.  You jump all over our furniture and when you get hurt you are beyond puzzled as to why you can't do what ninja's do. 

You love being outside and getting dirty and doing boy things with Daddy or Papa.  It rained on Sunday and we were thanking God for the rain and rainbows and you thanked him for mud instead! You (and Mason) are both collectors of rocks.  People often wonder why I have rocks and sticks in my car and it's because you take rocks from anywhere and everywhere and make me hold them.

Besides being rambuctious you are also amazingly sweet and caring.  You are fiercely devoted to your family and do not let anything happen to us. You give great hugs and kisses and occasionaly you just lick us to keep us guessing!

Your favorite saying at the moment is "My do what my want to do," which usually follows being told not to do something - play with knives, jumping off bunk beds, etc.

But your little grin is quite infectious and you do not get in trouble near enough I'm sure!

WE LOVE OUR 4 YEAR OLD!

Winter Break Wrap-up

The boys had a great Winter Break! I'm trying to make the most of my "free time" (as in baby free not as in I don't have anything to do!) with the boys. 

Wednesday of last week after swim lessons (gotta get Conner swimming before baby gets here!) we went to Chick-fil-a and then to see Journey 2 the Mysterious Island.  I thought it was super cute that Conner had his 3D glasses on upside down and he never noticed!

The first picture I took without him knowing . . . see what happens when I ask him to smile????

Thursday we had another great barefoot outdoor day and Friday we ran a million errands to get ready for our big trip to Great Wolf Lodge!!

Saturday we left for GWL.  When we got there our room wasn't ready yet so we checked our bags with the bellman and headed for the water! A couple of hours later Conner was ready to find our room so we went to get our bags and they had lost one of our bags!! Thankfully after about 3 hours and lots of phone calls back and forth our little lost bag was found and we even got a free supper out of the deal!

Last time we went I complained about only having Pepsi products to drink and I was so excited to see that now GWL is a Coca-Cola lovers heaven! I still think it's too cold in the waterpark and from the looks of all the kiddos with blue, quivering lips I am not the only one, but other than that it was a ton of fun!

Sunday night we took a break from the water to go to Medieval Times.  It was a total let down . . . when the "fighting" FINALLY took place the boys perked up but it was not worth the time and money, in my opinion.

Waiting in line outside by the moat!

A picture of a picture . . . Mason & I both have food on our face

but overall a great picture of me and my big boy!

The noble Brown family . . .

notice the frowny boys . . .

we had just been assigned the yellow knight to cheer for

which did not sit well with my boys who wanted to cheer for the green knight!

Overall it was a great weekend with my beloved ones! Ready for Spring Break now!