The Brown Family

Birthday Girl!

2012-02-14T21:43:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Birthday to Adaline! Adaline turned 3 years old today! Too bad she has an ear infection and has had about a 102 degree temperature for the last two days. Poor girl. It is the 2nd year in a row that she has missed her Valentine's Day party at school. Lucky for her, she won't remember the day and will still get to enjoy a birthday treat I send with her tomorrow.

We also celebrated her birthday this past weekend, so all was not lost. First, we got up early on Saturday to take Adaline to her first gymnastics class. It was a trial class, and perhaps she is not yet ready. We think she had a good time, but she did have to take a few time outs. She wanted to try everything, but not in the order the teachers would have liked. When we were doing floor activities, she wanted to try the bars, when we were on the bars, she wanted to move to the trampoline, and of course when on the trampoline, she didn't want to get off. We haven't decided if we will go back yet, or try soccer instead (as she constantly wants to kick balls around the house, the playground, and at school). Whatever we choose, we just want for her to be ready and have fun.

We came back home for lunch and nap, and then had Nana, uncle Ryan, aunt Jennifer, and a few friends over for cake and ice cream. Adaline took out a whole cupcake in only a few minutes, and then enjoyed opening some gifts. It was a really nice day, and we are glad Adaline was feeling good throughout the whole birthday weekend.

Baby Carolina had fun helping with the presents, too.

Benton doesn't look too happy about sharing his toys...but just wait a few years, buddy! ;)

2012-02-14T12:56:00.006-05:00

At the end of January, Adaline had an appointment with an eye doctor about her wandering eyes. Sometimes, both of her eyes do not focus in the same direction at the same time. It is not consistent and it happens in both eyes at different times, so the doctor recommended we try an eye patch. She will wear a patch for a few hours each evening for a month or so, with the goal of strengthening her weaker eye. Then we will call with our observations after that time for further instruction. :) So far, Adaline has done surprisingly well with wearing a patch. She hasn't tried to pull it off once (it is like a band-aid), and rarely complains when I put it on or pull it off. She did run into the dresser and fall down because her vision was blocked, but only once.

Adaline also enjoys wearing big sunglasses in the car. She calls them "eyes" and wants them in any weather. Sometimes I look back at her in her glasses and catch her holding hands with Benton between their car seats. I have tried to catch a photo of this because it is so cute, but have yet to get it. One day.

Because Adaline turns three in February, the speech therapy that she receives through the Child Developmental Services ends, and she will transfer to the Guilford County School System. We spent several hours one day in Greensboro doing all kinds of evaluations of her speech and skills with many different new people. She did a super job hanging with it all, and although she got grumpy a few times, made it through, and now has an IEP (for all you teachers out there). She will be classified as delayed in speech and language for now, but my hope is that with this added support, she can be caught up by the time she enters Kindergarten.

We treated ourselves to some frozen yogurt after getting through the long morning of evals.

We still have some trouble getting Adaline to stay in her bed at nap time and bed time. She enjoys dumping out toys, pulling all the clothes out of her dresser (which makes me cRaZy!), trying on her shoes, calling out for "Shane" (We have been working on just "daddy," but think it may be my fault she chooses to use his name.), and getting naked (Hopefully we can catch this one before it leads to extra clean up, but not always.). She takes after us and fights sleep so much, but luckily, also like us, will sleep in.

Potty training is also not catching on. When we can get her to sit on the potty, we must sing a song to keep her sitting for more than a few seconds. Mostly this is "Jesus loves me," as this is the only song she ever wants to sing, and the only one she tries to sing on her own (She sings "Jesus...me"). We have had a few successes, but I think it is mostly luck. She will get there in her own time, I suppose.

Here is Adaline working with daddy on a Saturday morning. She pulled her chair right up with him at the table along with her own computer.

Later that morning, after a strenuous work load, it was time for a rest on the couch to watch some Sesame Street (or as Adaline calls it, "Ig Bird" or "Melmo" :) ).

Adaline still loves her trampoline and loves to "bounce." She likes to look at herself in the mirror while jumping, kick balls while jumping, twirl in circles while jumping, and is trying out new tricks all the time.

Benton is also learning new tricks all the time. He has pretty much stopped the army crawl, and has gotten his tummy off the ground. He can take a few steps while holding my hands or even a push toy. He can clap and wave, too! Benton has 6 teeth now, and is still gaining on Adaline in weight, at 22 pounds.

2012-01-08T21:54:00.004-05:00

Benton has been on the move! He is pulling himself up to stand on everything, and over the weekend began stepping along side of things as well (like along the edge of the coffee table). His favorite thing to get on is Adaline's trampoline. All of this has led to more falls, but nothing more than a little ego bust, luckily.

He is also getting better with the sippy cup, but still cannot get much more than about an ounce of water a day from it. Oh well, he will get there.

Adaline thought Benton would look good in her sunglasses...just thought this was funny.

This is a video we made this weekend. Adaline likes to see herself on the phone. It shows how her speech is improving, and you can see a bit of Benton as well. (I think she says "please", not "peace" after watching it.)

Big Girl Bed

2012-01-08T20:43:00.005-05:00

Over the holiday break, we decided to go ahead with the big move to a toddler bed for Adaline. Shane and I had a full week at home with the kids with daycare closed, so it was a good opportunity to sleep in after possible rough nights.

To Adaline, this new bed set up only meant more playtime. She is able to get out of bed and move freely around the room (but not out of it, as we put up a gate at her door). She didn't nap the whole week out of school and hasn't on a weekend since. At night, Adaline will play for several hours in the dark, emptying her dresser drawers, taking all her books from the shelf to her bed, putting on her shoes (over footy pj's), making meals in the play kitchen, and whatever else her heart desires.

Adaline caught with her swimsuit on her head at nap time...notice the cups on the handles of the rocking horse.

We make a big deal of cleaning up before bed, but this is what we usually get in the morning or at the end of nap.

and...

2012-01-08T20:23:00.002-05:00

Here are a few missed pictures from our Christmas holiday. I took these from Betty (Thanks).

Four Christmases

2012-01-05T22:22:00.008-05:00

We were fortunate enough to have several Christmas visitors and events this year. The first was when Shane's dad came up from Fayetteville, NC the Saturday before Christmas. The kids had a good time celebrating with Granddad, as did we. Ryan and Jennifer joined us as well, and we finished the evening with a Mexican dinner out.

Our second Christmas was at our own home on Christmas morning. Santa filled our stockings and left a baby doll and stroller for Adaline and found some of Adaline's old walking toys for Benton. :)

Next we packed up the unwrapped presents and headed to Greensboro to continue Christmas morning at Ryan and Jennifer's house. Betty and Jerry were in from Texas, and it was so great to spend several days and another Christmas with them.

Adaline got a trampoline from Grandma and Grandpa, and she has been loving it every day.
Benton was worn out from all the excitement of the morning and decided to nap through much of the present time.

Finally, after our afternoon nap time back at home, the whole family gathered at Nana and Pop's house for more presents and a fabulous dinner.

We were so blessed to be able to spend time with many of our loved ones over the holiday. We wish we could have seen and visited with more of you, but we send out our love and hope that God has blessed you all as well!

Constant Change

2011-12-11T10:43:00.003-05:00

Benton has really been growing and changing a lot. He has his 9 month check-up next week already! He has four teeth and more may be close behind. He is gaining on Adaline quickly, and only follows her by about 10 pounds. He is constantly on the move and into everything. I was writing in the baby books the other night and noticed that Benton's 6 month numbers on the growth charts were the same as Adaline's 1 year numbers. Crazy!

Adaline continues to improve daily with her speech. She is trying out more and more words and will make an effort to put a few together (sit down, lay down, get up). The sounds are still a bit twisted and out of order at times, but we are impressed with the effort she is putting forth.

Baby boy memo

2011-12-11T10:40:00.002-05:00

Several weeks ago Shane sent me this photo while I was at work. He dropped off the kids at school, and some of Benton's classmates were dressed just like him. So cute, just had to share.

Thanksgiving in Michigan

2011-12-10T13:35:00.003-05:00

I had three days away from work for Thanksgiving this year, so we decided to take the family to Michigan. After taking both kids to CO this summer on a plane, there was no desire to fly with them again until they can handle their own baggage/car seats/stroller/etc. Therefore, we fed everyone dinner, got Adaline and Benton into pajamas, stuffed the car with all the necessities, and hit the road for an overnight drive. Despite rain for most of the way, it was decidedly a much less stressful form of travel with little ones. Shane and I shared the driving responsibilities so we both could catch a few hours sleep, and arrived in Grand Haven around 9:00 Wednesday morning. Shane's parents had already arrived from Texas, and we got settled into their condo pretty quickly, ready to start a new day.

Over the next few days we spent most of the time hanging out with family at the condo, playing games and catching up. It was fairly cold and windy outside, but we were able to try out a few of the local parks for a short time, too.

Grandma and Great Grandma enjoying the kids.

Benton was worn out from all the excitement with Grandpa.

We had a really nice time with family, ate a lot of food, took over the condo with all of our toys and baby gates, and then had to pack it all up and head home again. We look forward to many more visits in the future as the kids grow up.

Adaline's First Haircut

2011-12-10T13:19:00.004-05:00

It only took 2 years and 9 months for Adaline to grow enough hair to have a haircut. I took her to see our friend, Jessica, and she got to get big girl treatment. Adaline did such a great job sitting in the chair and was able to stay fairly still the whole time without any complaining. I was a bit surprised at how well she did. She even got a sucker to munch on for her behavior. Her hair looks cute now, and much less like a mullet.

Quick catch up

2011-11-11T15:20:00.003-05:00

So, again, I have gotten so far behind in my blogging updates. These two children just keep me so busy that when I finally get them off to bed and finish up daily tasks, the last thing I want to do is sit at the computer and try to get creative. Therefore, I am using a little of my day off of work to play catch up. I know in the future I will want to look back and remember these moments.

Benton is growing so fast! Well, they both are, but Benton seems to be catching up to Adaline quickly. I took them both to the doctor a week or so ago (cases of hand, foot, mouth, which they handled in good spirits) and Benton weighed in only about 10 pounds less than Adaline. Wow! He is sitting up now and loving to roll around on the floor. He is making efforts to get his tummy off the ground, but hasn't figured out crawling yet. He also has his two lower front teeth in and is continuing to be a good eater. We are lucky that neither of the kids are very picky with food yet.

Benton has been mumbling and making many more sounds, even "ma" sounds, which excite me. It is very different than when Adaline was this age because she has always been so quiet. She didn't really even make these sounds until after her first birthday. However, she continues working with her speech therapist and with us, and is making some big improvements. She is imitating our words much more often and is trying new words all the time. We are still unable to have any conversations with her, but I do not think it will be terribly long. It is a lot of fun watching them "play" together and we look forward to more of that!

Adaline loves trying on everyone's shoes.

Nugget is home!

2011-11-11T15:18:00.001-05:00

Nugget and Tallulah were made strictly outside cats over the summer at camp, mostly due to our lack of space up there and a new family member. They had lots of land to roam and would come up in the evenings to visit and eat. About a month before we left camp we stopped seeing Nugget around. We went out looking and calling for him in the woods around camp several times, but never saw him again. We were hopeful that he had just stumbled along one of the homes in the golfing communities near by. Anyway, camp ended and we had to head back to High Point without our second cat. However, a few weeks ago, Shane got a call from a vet near camp who claimed to have Nugget in hand. We had him chipped when we got him, and I guess those things work! Shane went to pick him up a few days later. He was pretty skinny and beat up looking, but I suppose after 4 months out in the wild, you would be too. Tallulah was semi-welcoming of his homecoming, and Nugget is happy to be home again, where there is always food.

Last weekend was Shane's last weekend at Cheerio this year. They closed up camp for the winter and he will mostly just be in the High Point office until spring. This is good news for me, as I will have helping hands for more of my weekends!

Halloween

2011-11-11T15:16:00.001-05:00

This year was the first time we took Adaline out on Halloween to go trick-or-treating. We didn't go all out or anything; just dressed her in a tutu that a friend, Heidi, made for her and a pair of wings from the drug store. Wah-la...fairy! We hit about 10 houses or so and got enough candy to last her for awhile. Adaline wasn't sure at first about going up to strange homes, but I think she got the idea after a few. Mostly she was interested in people's dogs and cats. She could say "trick-or-treat" in parts, after prompting at home, but in front of strangers, not even in parts. We worked on saying "thank you" also, but only got a few barely audible ones.

Fall walks and playing outside

2011-11-11T15:07:00.002-05:00

The Brown household has been trying to take in as much fall weather as possible. It is harder these days to spend much time outside, just due to two young children. We have been able to get in some walks around the neighborhood and some trips to the parks near our house. Adaline loves going to the park, sliding down the slides, and trying every swing at least once. Benton mostly just sits in the stroller and watches her play or sleeps. Even Shane was able to take a weekend away and get up to do some canoeing in West Virginia. He had been wanting to get on some white water for awhile now, especially with the new canoe, so I was happy he could get to the Gauley River with some friends this year.

Birthday Parties and Play-dates!

2011-11-11T10:46:00.007-05:00

Over the last few months we have been able to visit a few friends for birthdays and play-dates. First, we made a family trip to Clayton to visit friends of ours from college, Anna and AW, and their little girl. Laurel turned one and had a nice party with lots of yummy cake and good times. It was nice for the kids to play together a bit, and I look forward to them growing up together. It was also the last time we had the chance to visit with some other college friends, Craig, Emily, and their daughter, Kay, before their big move to Hong Kong for a while. Although we are excited about this opportunity, we will miss them greatly!

Laurel enjoying her cake / Adaline and Kay look on

We have also been able to attend another birthday party of a high school friend's daughter recently, complete with pony rides. This was the best part of Kaylyn's party to Adaline; even better than cake. It was her first time on a pony, and maybe it will get her ready for the camp horses in the future.

Hopefully we can have many fun play dates in the future, for both Adaline and Benton, like this one with baby Lena!

2011-09-08T16:13:00.004-04:00

For Labor Day weekend we were able to take a trip to Atlantic Beach. It was Benton's first time at the ocean, and the first time Adaline could really enjoy it.

We stayed at Atlantis Lodge, an extended family business, where there were plenty of kids and dogs to share in the fun! This was the first time I have seen Adaline sit and play for longer than a few minutes. She had so much fun in the sand, and the tidal pools were perfect for the kids to splash around in. Nana, Pops, and Trixie were there, too, and we all had a great time.

We were all worn out in the end, but cannot wait for a return trip.

Benton has been continuing to work on cereal and has gotten more and more in his tummy. We will start some veggies soon. He has also been able to roll over, and I have included a video below. Adaline can't wait until he can play with her, as you can see from all the kitchen supplies she loaded him down with.

Along our rollercoaster...

2011-09-07T20:48:00.004-04:00

Some other ups and downs that we have experienced lately:

Good news: Shane decided in church the other weekend to get baptized. He was baptized as a baby, but did not feel it was very meaningful for him then, as he doesn’t remember it. Therefore, he wanted to go through it as an adult where he would really understand and remember the purpose.

Bad news: Our beautiful niece, Tallison Anamier, was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic. Now we really know there is a family link – Me, Josh (my brother and Talli’s dad), and Tallison. Wow! Josh and I were diagnosed later in life (our 20s) while Talli is not yet 2. It will be difficult for their family while they work to help Talli understand what is happening. Please keep them in your prayers. Hopefully, we can help discover a cure soon!

Finally Home

2011-09-07T20:09:00.003-04:00

So, yes, it has been two months since an update on the Brown family. We have been on quite a roller coaster lately. July and August were still mostly spent at camp and staying busy there, but we also ended up traveling to both Colorado and New York. My grandmother (Dot Anamier, “Nanny”), a fabulous woman, passed away, and the trips were both for her. The first, to Colorado, was a trip to take Adaline and Benton out to visit, as we knew Nanny’s health was fading from cancer. It was a great visit, full of family, and I am so happy that we made it out there. The airplane rides were no fun, but all was worth it to spend a little more time with such a wonderful lady. Only a few short weeks later, we would be traveling up to New York for her funeral. Shane unfortunately was only able to make the trip to New York due to camp duties, but we all have great memories of Nanny to hold in our hearts.

A family shot with Nanny

Adaline with uncle Brandon / Chase and Rachel

Nana and Adaline at the aquarium / Adaline and Talli reading books together

When we got back from Colorado, it was time to move back home with the kids. Shane stayed in the mountains for an extra few weeks of camp, but I was back to work, Adaline was back to school, and Benton was beginning school for the first time. The transition was tough on me, but the kids seemed pretty happy. I am working with Kindergarten now, which is a huge change from 3^rd grade, but I am getting used to the craziness, chaos, and potty issues. I guess it is good practice for what is to come.

Adaline enjoying the mirror in her room at camp(she loves a mirror) / first ice pop

Shane did his second annual "Hurt, Pain, and Agony" ride in July and finished with a better time than last year, with added miles! Way to go Shane!

Happy Birthday America

2011-07-08T22:28:00.008-04:00

Another fourth of July celebration at Cheerio this year! It was a bit rainy at dinner time, so we had to have a "cook-in," but things cleared up and turned out absolutely beautiful for our festivities. Below are some pictures from the evening.

Gearing up for the rain (glad Benton can finally ride in the double stroller) / our view after the rain cleared

Adaline biting into her watermelon, and adding some flair to her outfit.

Adaline and Benton had a late night. After dinner, we usually head up to our place for Adaline's bath and bedtime, but on the 4th, our night was just beginning. First we watched the cabins parade in and put on a show, with each performing a song or dance. Then, onto the hill for the staff performance and fireworks. This was really Adaline's first experience with fireworks, as the past two summers she slept through them. She sat on my lap, had a slightly worried face, and said "no" a lot, but still kept watching and made it through to the end. Benton slept through all the bangs and booms. We completed the evening with ice cream in the dining hall before our guests had to head home. We were joined by several friends and family and had a wonderful day.

The Sunday before the fourth, my parents and Trixie came for a visit and brought along a new swim suit for Benton. We were able to take the kids to the pool for a bit, and I think Benton enjoyed his first experience there.

all tuckered out!

Summer continues on.

2011-06-29T21:30:00.003-04:00

As usual things have been very busy, but very fun at Cheerio. We have made it through our first two sessions and are now in our two week all girls session. It is hard to believe that the time is going so quickly and that our coed staff will be arriving next week for training.

Adaline continues to have a great time, spending most of her days playing outside. Favorite activities include throwing and chasing balls, playing with dogs, chasing bubbles, and swimming at the pool. She loves the food and we love not having to cook three times a day. She had her first Oreo here, and we realized you don't have to teach a kid how to eat an Oreo. She immediately opened it and began licking the cream filling. Adaline is still working on new words every day, and she has started working with a local speech therapist for the time we will be at camp. She gave us some exercises to do to help strengthen Adaline's muscles (i.e. using a straw, moving her tongue around).

While Adaline is busy running around camp, Benton is spending all of his time just riding around in his seat and taking in all of the sights. When Adaline was his age, she slept all of the time, but Benton really seems to be trying to get a look at everything. He is still eating like a champ and is becoming quite a big guy. We did a pretty rough weigh in and he is already over 15 pounds! The first two pictures below are a comparison of Adaline and Benton at about the same age...in the same outfit. He still is smiling lots, but he is also pretty good at letting us know when he is not happy too. One of these days Cheri will be able to sleep again at night and it will be glorious.

Jim, Pete and I will be riding again in this year's Hurt, Pain, and Agony ride again and Michaux will be joining the team too. The course will be slightly different this year and should give us about 72 miles this year instead of the usual 66. We have been riding most mornings and our training is off to a pretty good start. I did have a pretty good crash about a week and a half ago, but was able to keep up my riding schedule. I was on a pretty fast descent and got into a little gravel and ran off the road. I did about two flips down an embankment and somehow managed to only come away with a big bruise across the back of my right leg. I got pretty luck and I have slowed down a little on my descents since the crash.

School's Out for Summer!

2011-06-09T21:25:00.002-04:00

The Brown's have made it to camp and are settling into the routine pretty well. So far it has just been staff training, but Shane is busy with camp things, and I have been busy carting around a baby while chasing after a two year old. Yet, we are all figuring it out, and there are lots of hands to help when needed. Our first week of campers starts on Sunday, so we will be in full effect then. At least I don't have to cook our meals, and Adaline is loving the food.

Benton has been happy at camp also. We have been getting lots and lots of smiles lately.

We have lots of outdoor space at camp, so Adaline has been able to run everywhere. We got her a slide to play with outside and she has been enjoying that, as well as the swing we used last year. She isn't timid to try new things, like going down head first. This sense of adventure has made it difficult to get around camp when it is just me with the stroller and her walking, as she always wants to venture away to new places, though I have gotten my first flowers out of the deal. Adaline likes to pick the flowers (and the grass) in the fields, and she gave some to me.

The slide box turned into a tunnel for a bit also.

It has already been super hot, even up here on the mountain. So, I am happy to say that Adaline's hair has gotten to be long enough, finally, for her first ponytail. It is still a bit of a stretch, and the hairs on the top of her head don't quite all make it, but it is fun none the less.

We are excited about campers arriving and look forward to the time we will share as a family at camp this summer. We hope everyone out there has a wonderful summer!

Shane turns 33!

2011-06-08T21:41:00.001-04:00

Shane's birthday was on the 28th of May, and we were lucky to have Betty and Jerry here to help us celebrate. They came in for the long weekend, met new grandson Benton, and we all enjoyed some fun times together, including Ryan and Jennifer. There was even a bike race in High Point that we were able to walk to and watch a bit of. Adaline starting saying "bike" and now uses the word to point out anything with wheels.

Shane blowing out his three candles for the big "33."

Extras

2011-06-08T21:24:00.000-04:00

A few leftover (stolen from Emily) photos from the shower a few weekends ago...

roommate reunion and the kids (me w/Benton, Lindsay w/Adaline, Melanie w/belly William, Anna w/Laurel, and Emily w/Kay)

What Happened to Spring?

2011-05-23T14:34:00.009-04:00

We have a lot of catching up to do! It has been awhile since an update, and we have been pretty busy at the Brown household. Mother's Day was several weekends ago, and it was a very nice day. I got pictures of the kids along with my cards as I woke up. This was the first time that Adaline had the opportunity to hold Benton on her own. She loves her brother so much, and I am glad have photos to capture that. We had a nice morning at church, and then I got to have an afternoon away to enjoy a late lunch with my mom.

Group hugs!

The weekend after Mother's Day, my brother, Josh, his wife, Michelle, and their daughter, Tallison, came home to NC from Colorado for a visit. It was nice to spend some time together after so much time away. The cousins had the chance to play and we got to catch up a great deal.

Talli / Josh playing ball with Talli

Uncle Ryan holding Benton / Adaline and Talli sharing a seat

This past weekend Shane worked at camp and I took the kids for our first trip on our own. We traveled to Apex for a baby shower for Melanie, a college friend of mine. My first experience on a weekend away with two little ones was tough, but made so, so, so much better and doable with the help of my great friends. I am thankful.

Laurel / Adaline and Kay playing "house"

Benton's baby butt

We all got back home on Sunday and now have one week left to prepare to go to camp for the summer. It is so hard to believe it is already that time again. It sneaks up on us every year. Before we go, however, we will have one more weekend of visitors. Shane's mom and Jerry will come in on Friday to spend the long weekend with us and meet Benton. We are very excited for the visit.

With all that is going on, we have to fit in rest when we can. Shane's favorite time is resting with Benton, but he does so much to help me as well. Shane has been a great dad and I am so blessed to have him and all of our wonderful family and friends!

Happy Earth Day and Easter

2011-04-25T12:31:00.005-04:00

For Earth Day weekend, Shane removed the almost dead dogwood tree beside our house and replaced it with a new cherry tree. He was glad to get the stump out and the new tree in place. Now we can just watch it grow.

We celebrated Easter at home. We went to church in the morning and Benton made it all the way through the service just fine in his first trip to the nursery. After church and Adaline's nap time, mom came over and we had a egg hunt in the back yard before dinner. It was more of us pointing at eggs and Adaline running to pick them up. She was excited to fill her basket and even more excited when she had a taste of the candy eggs inside after dinner.

In other news...Adaline got her first bike! It is a starter bike with no pedals that is supposed to help get young kids ready and used to the balance part of riding a bike. She will start off just scooting along with her feet, and eventually will begin to glide and steer. Right now she is still just slightly short but loves to have Shane push her around. She runs to and points at the bike whenever she sees it to initiate a ride.

Benton had his 5 week check up last week and all is well. He has been struggling with a bit of cradle cap and congestion, and his sneezing has us wondering if he has allergies, but overall it was a good visit and everything checked out fine. He weighed in at 9 pounds, 12 ounces and 21 inches long. He really hates getting undressed (diaper changes and bath time) so it was a pretty loud time with his crying. Wonder how the shot visit will go in another month???

Camp is also just around the corner. Shane is busy at work getting prepared, and we are excited for a summer together there. It will be an adventure!

Treasures

2011-04-12T11:29:00.003-04:00

Our little man is growing so fast. It is hard to believe a month has almost gone by.

We have enjoyed having Benton around so much. Learning to be parents of two little ones has been challenging at times, but certainly entertaining. Adaline has been wonderful at her role as big sister, and she seems bigger than ever. She always seemed so small until we brought Benton home. Now she is impressing us more and more each day.

Napping arms crossed on the couch / Adaline giving one of her many many kisses to Benton

Here are some videos we have taken recently... The first is just Benton, mostly for family at a distance that hasn't gotten the chance to meet him yet. He is just hanging out, but very alert when awake. He is much more vocal than Adaline was, so we are still getting used to the loud cries (not in video). The second is some tummy time with Benton, and Adaline is showing how much she loves being near by. Every day when Adaline gets home with Shane, she runs to Benton and gives him lots of kisses (not sure if it is pure love or just the praise from us).

As I mentioned, Adaline has been growing so much. She is really improving on her skills with a fork and spoon (videos below), she is showing a great deal of understanding when we speak to her, and she is trying a lot more vocally. She says several words now with consistency and comprehension, including yeah, no, uh oh, ball, shoes, knock knock, and even hello. We are so proud of her accomplishments and love hearing her new found voice. The speech therapy is finally showing progress, and we are excited to get more and more.

We celebrated my 31st birthday this past weekend, and I had a marvelous day. Shane did a project of mine (that I wanted to do years ago) for my gift, and I am so pleased that now I can hang some pictures in our hallway. I will post a picture as soon as we get them up. We were also able to have a night out thanks to Nana coming to stay with the kids. Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone, and we wish you all well!

It's a BOY!

2011-03-22T10:50:00.006-04:00

Yeah! He's here! Benton Parks Brown was born on Wednesday, March 16th, at 5:30 PM. It was the first day of my 36th week (5 weeks longer than Adaline!), and I was getting ready for work. Around 7 I finished up my cereal, and on the way to the sink with my bowl, my water broke. I called to Shane, and after mom arrived to help with Adaline, we were on the way to the hospital. I spent the day trying regular labor (with only a one sided epidural), but after getting to 8 cm, the doctor decided I would not get any further and this baby would have to come another way. I went in for a c-section a little after 5:00 and soon after, Benton was with us in the world. He arrived at 8 pounds, 15 ounces (just a few ounces short of his estimated weight) and was 20 and 1/2 inches long.

We spent the next three nights in the hospital. Many people helped us out so much with Adaline back at home to allow for Shane to be at the hospital as much as possible. Thanks! It was difficult for both her and us to be apart, and we were excited to get to come home on Saturday.

The first night home was tough and a new challenge began with two children so young. Adaline has been a bit confused as to who this new little creature is in our house. She wants to touch, poke, and grab at Benton a lot, and we can't let her. She also is showing us that she may be a bit jealous and needs some extra loving. It is hard to tell her I cannot pick her up and play with her as I normally would because I am still healing. She doesn't understand, and I look forward to feeling normal again soon so that we can play as usual.

On Sunday, some family came to visit, including my grandmother and aunt from Colorado. It was a fast, but wonderful visit, and we were happy that we got the opportunity to get together.

Adaline watching Benton / Great Nanny with the great grand-kids

Since we have been home we have been getting settled and enjoying life as a family or four. It will still take some adjustment, but we are so blessed and happy!

Still Cookin', Still Waiting...

2011-03-14T20:59:00.002-04:00

Two more weeks have gone by and we are still waiting for our new arrival. Cheri is just over 35 weeks pregnant now and is still doing relatively well. We had another ultrasound appointment last week and the doctors estimate that the baby is just over nine pounds already! It is hard to believe the new baby could easily be over twice Adaline's birth size by the time it is born. This of course is all pretty nerve wracking, and Cheri continues to have contractions at various intervals all of the time. The doctor wants us to keep hanging on as long as possible to give the new baby as much time to develop as possible and said that by the time the baby is born it could weigh in the high 10's. None of this helps Cheri feel any more comfortable trying to sleep at night or get around during the day. It is hard sometimes to stay patient and just wait for the baby to let us know when it is ready.

Adaline is pretty much oblivious to our stress level and continues to grow mentally and physically every day. She is saying "uh-oh" pretty regularly and seems to be trying to work on other words too.

Adaline really likes it when we sing to her and has been working on the motions for Itsy Bitsy Spider, If You're Happy and You Know It, and Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

Adaline seems to finally be feeling better after a double ear infection diagnosis and a quick round of antibiotics. We were able to get out and enjoy the great weather last weekend at Adaline's favorite place - the park.

Life for the Brown's rolls on and we will just keep waiting, watching, and praying. Who know what the next update will bring...

33 weeks and still counting...

2011-02-27T20:53:00.004-05:00

Week 33 with baby still on the inside! I had one slight scare last week after my first monitoring appointment. I was put on the monitor late in the work day, and because the baby wasn't moving as much as the doctor would like, she sent me to the hospital "for about an hour" to continue because they were closing up the office. When I got hooked up at the hospital, I was showing more consistent contractions, so ended up being monitored over night. Blah! I did get a test out of it that said I was 99 percent not likely to go into labor in the next two weeks. When I went back into the doctors office on Monday, I was continuing to show contractions averaging every 6 minutes...and the same on Thursday. So, I suppose that will continue to be the case and so far so good. I do not feel them much...just in the evenings, really. I do feel a lot of discomfort, however...I mean, look how big I am getting!

Adaline has started up with "swim" classes again. We went to our first one last Saturday. Shane got in the pool with Adaline, while I stood out and watched and took pictures from the side. At first, I think she was a bit uncomfortable because the water was chilly and it was pretty noisy in the pool with everyone. However, it only took a few minutes for her to remember how much fun she has splashing in the water. The class sang songs, practiced throwing objects out and kicking to them, and practiced getting out on the side of the pool. Still, Adaline's favorite activity was simply splashing with her tongue out. Sadly, we had to miss this weekend's class due to Adaline having a fever and Shane not feeling well, but will be back in action next week, I'm sure. Adaline's fever is down today, and Shane is feeling much better!

entering "terrible twos?"....naaahhhhh

2011-02-15T21:11:00.009-05:00

A few weekends ago, we had some pretty nice weather, and were able to take a family walk to a neighborhood park. Adaline has been loving to climb lately, and she had a blast on the park equipment that was the perfect size for her. She had fun going down the slide on her own and sticking her tongue out to feel the breeze while swinging.

Speaking of climbing...we did purchase a "learning tower" off Craigslist so that Adaline can join us in the kitchen and "help" out. So far, she hasn't really enjoyed just standing at the counter, and instead just wants to climb in and out of it. I look forward to having her (and new baby Brown) help with cooking and baking one day!

So, I have passed the gestational mark of when Adaline came by a full week, and am at 32 weeks tomorrow. I am carrying a big baby and can certainly feel the strain. At our last week's ultrasound, the baby was showing up at 6 pounds already. I will begin twice a week doctor visits next week to continue with shots and monitor the baby through non-stress tests. fun fun

In other big news...Adaline turned 2!!! Valentine's Day was Adaline's second birthday, and we used this past Saturday to celebrate with a trip to the Greensboro Children's Museum. Ryan and Jennifer joined us at the museum and helped us keep up with Adaline. She was excited to run around and play with things, but was still perhaps a bit young for the full experience.

Then we headed home for lunch, birthday cake and ice cream. There we were joined by a few others that helped us celebrate, including Nana, Pops, and Grandpa Brown. Adaline seemed to like her cake a lot, as she ate a whole slice of it.

Before catching her "late" afternoon nap, Adaline had some time to open presents. We think she finally has figured out the concept of opening presents and finding a treasure inside.

When her actual birthday came yesterday, we took in cupcakes for her class party to continue her celebration. Unfortunately, Adaline had a giant accident that involved poop, her shoes, the classroom slide and Shane having to pick her up around 10 in the morning. Luckily, they saved the cupcakes for today and she wasn't actually sick. In fact, she had her 2 year check up today and is doing well.

Also, we have noticed even more growth in her speech. She is really trying to tell us things and say words, even though we cannot yet understand her. We have been able to make out "uh-oh" when she drops things and "ball" when we are actually playing with the ball. Big strides!

growing, growing, growing

2011-01-21T23:26:00.002-05:00

Hello friends and family,

We are getting into the swing of 2011, and are off to a good start. Shane has been feeling much better since the last post, and his headaches are not very frequent. I have been doing well, also. We are in the 28th week of the pregnancy now and just had another ultrasound. The baby is measuring on the higher end of the weight scale, but everything looks good. I think it is mostly related to my crazy blood glucose numbers, as I am adjusting my pump a few times a week to try to keep up with the changes. The doctors don't seem to be concerned, but I am doing as best I can to keep them in control. I have had too ultrasounds for blood clot checks, due to some pain in my leg, but all is good on that front too. We have a fetal heart echo scheduled this coming week, but I am positive that all will be well!

Adaline is continuing to make progress in her speech and learning. She is catching on to more and more every day, and has even tried to repeat some words (diaper, apple, help). Of course, we haven't been able to catch any on video yet, and they are still pretty unclear, but she is making efforts. She signs more and I can tell, even though she is so quiet, that she is understanding a great deal. This is a video of her doing a puzzle with me...you can see her sign "puzzle," "more" (a little different than the real more sign), and "all done."

...and to all a good night.

2010-12-29T19:06:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin? It has been a bit crazy at the Brown's since the last update. We have had lots of fun playing and reading and visiting with friends and family. However, we have also been to the hospital twice (both for Shane), and have had excitement that was not as welcome that way. I am happy to report that things are looking well now, as we close out 2010 and head into a new year.

(Adaline playing in daddy's boots / reading a book)

Shane's first hospital trip was about 3 weeks ago when he was experiencing very bad stomach pain. It started on a Sunday night after he came in late from working on his car. He was unable to sleep at all and threw up all night long. He thought it might be related to the antifreeze somehow, but drove to the emergency room at 5 AM only to discover they needed to take out his appendix. Luckily, it did not burst and he was able to come home after only one night stay in the hospital. He has been resting up pretty well from that and was unable to lift anything over ten pounds for 6 weeks...but we shortened it to 3 because of my high risk pregnancy. My doctors seem to think that was a fine idea. It was probably the best time possible if it were to happen, because we had the holiday to help with the burden of work and rest time. Months from now would have been extremely difficult.

The following weekend, Emily and Craig, Anna and AW, and Lindsay (some friends from college) came to visit us and brought along the kids. Four old roommates, three with little girls, makes for some fun times. Adaline had a wonderful time looking at baby Laurel and playing with Kay. It will be so fun to continue getting them together to play as they grow up...and fun for us parents as well.

(Adaline admiring Laurel / Kay and Adaline giggle on the couch)

Then came Christmas! Along with Christmas came family, snow, and another trip to the ER. Shane's parents flew in from Texas to visit for the holiday and we had a great time together. They arrived on Christmas eve and we went to my parents for a nice dinner. All was well! Christmas morning we all woke up, and Shane complained of sleeping funny on his arm. It was numb...ten minutes later, still numb and more of his body was heading that direction (other arm and hands, tongue). Then he started to lose his ability to speak correctly and was disoriented (couldn't sit right, tried to get water without a cup). He was beginning to scare us and we headed back toward the hospital. He was showing signs of stroke, but after much testing and a MRI, the result was a complex migraine. He was given pain meds and sent home to bed. He stayed in bed all Christmas day and that night, but woke up the next day much better. We did our Christmas a day late, but Adaline didn't know the difference...this year.

(Adaline enjoying her new big girl table and some fun activities with Shane and Grandpa)

(Shane all warm in his new down jacket...ready for a trip out in the beautiful snow)

Here are some videos we have taken of some of Adaline's favorite things...eating and bouncing on the furniture.) :)

Fall fun

2010-11-24T22:45:00.003-05:00

This past weekend was a busy one for us. We were able to catch a peek at the football game on Saturday and watch the Wolfpack win over the Tarheels between Adaline's lunch and during nap time. Later that evening we were joined by Ryan and Jennifer and went to Leigh and Stephen's wedding, while Adaline stayed with Nana and Pops. After we brought Adaline home and while we got her ready to get back into bed, she was able to enjoy the festive head-ware from the wedding for a moment.

Sunday was a beautiful fall day, and Shane and I were able to walk down to the neighborhood park with Adaline. She had a blast exploring the playground and leaves, sliding down the slides over and over, and swinging. We got tons of pictures, so here are some of them.

Adaline is getting good at climbing!

Weeeeee!

Adaline not only tries to climb and stand up on everything in the house, like the ottoman, her stand and play toys, and even Shane, but she has also been known to try to get into more tight places. She climbed into the bottom shelf of her changing table and became stuck between a container and a box of wipes. I got her out, but I wouldn't be surprised if she gets stuck again.

The pregnancy continues to go well and I keep getting bigger. I could do without all the extra doctor visits, shots, and mood swings (at least Shane could), but we are making it!

Bumps, Bruises, and Wild Hairs (Not in That Order)

2010-11-18T20:35:00.006-05:00

We woke up on Saturday morning to a crazy hair day. It pretty much took half of the day for this look to fade and fall down. It was pretty funny.

Later Saturday morning, I helped to host a baby shower for my good friend, Tina. It was nice to get together with these ladies, and show Tina how excited we are for her new bundle. Overall, I think there were 5 pregnant gals there, so I suppose there will be much celebrating in the future.

In our pregnant news, I am now on my 19th week. I have been doing the progesterone shots for helping to prevent a preterm labor, so hopefully we can make it to April this time. I have had three weekly shots so far, and so far they haven't been terrible. My belly seems to be much bigger this time also, but I hear that is common, and in our ultrasound yesterday we only saw one baby in there. :) The baby looked great (according to the technician) and he or she is growing well and is a perfect size for 19 weeks. Keep praying for a continued healthy pregnancy!

I feel so weird taking these pictures :)

Adaline has been more and more on the move all the time. She takes off running as much as possible, and we really have to make sure the gates of her play area are closed or she would be into everything. With all of this running around, comes tripping and falling, and she has had a few falls on the hardwood floors of our house. She mostly ends up hitting her chin, and she has had a sad bruise on her chin for the past few days. You can kind of see it in the pictures below. Adaline has been working with her speech therapist, Carla, for a few weeks now as well. We are mostly working on signing and following simple directions over actual speech to begin with; then we can focus more on the actual vocal improvements. Shane and I find that Adaline seems to be more willing to make sounds and babble around us than others, but we still have a long, long way to go. However, I know we will get to hear a word eventually.

Coooookies

2010-11-10T23:20:00.003-05:00

So not a lot is new around here. Shane and I went out the Saturday before Halloween, but Halloween night was pretty uneventful. Adaline was in bed by the time our first Trick-or-Treater showed up. We had a busy night of candy visitors, but no need for costumes yet this year. Our wonderful neighbor from across the street did bring Adaline over some festive cookies that she enjoyed very much the next few days. It was her first experience with sugar cookies, and she got pretty excited. She is her mommy's girl!

It is not just another car this time...

2010-10-26T18:41:00.004-04:00

It has been quite a long time since I have updated everyone on the Brown household. We have had a busy time lately, and are finally getting back into the swing of things as normal around here. Shane has been away for awhile, first at camp for a work weekend, then Senior Adult Camp for a week, then Furniture Market for another weekend and week, and finally, another weekend at camp. Shane is back home now for some time, we hope. Although he was working the furniture market in High Point, Adaline missed her Daddy for the full two weeks because he was getting home after she was in bed and leaving in the morning before she got up. So, needless to say, it was a happy day when Shane was home at a normal time this week!

Around the house, Adaline has been keeping me busy also. She is continuing to grow and learn every day. We are working on lots of new skills, including stacking blocks, and she is always amazing me. She is still learning new sounds, too. Adaline met with a speech therapist for an evaluation recently, and she will be starting services soon to help her with speech development.

In other Brown news...We are excited to say, we will be adding to our family! Adaline will be getting a new brother or sister in mid April (hopefully April for real this time). All is going well thus far, and we look forward to this new experience with a little nerves and a lot of joy.