So Long Zen Swing

We had to say goodbye to our very luxurious zen swing! Baby Certain was born 5/13/10 so it was in the deal to give it up when she was born. We hope the very gorgeous Margaret Virginia will enjoy it as much as Ben has.
How funny here he was at 6 months.

I cannot believe how much he has grown in the past two months! He is now almost fully mobile. Watch out!

We will miss you dear zen.

Mother's Day

We spent mother's day with the Certains in Atlanta. Libby is an absolute doll and Lillee loved playing with her. We hung out in the backyard and watched the kids play and enjoyed a very yummy meal! I think Scott wants a green egg now. Can't wait to update again with pics of new baby Certain. She'll be here very soon.
What an awesome camera Matt has. If only we had this camera and not the IPAD!!!

It's so funny how we ended up living so close to each other. She's so much fun to talk to each morning from 8:45 to 9:05. Then we get cut off when she steps on the elevator at work. She is so sweet to think of me as her own sister as I do her. She and her brother and two other sisters are my extended family and I enjoy keeping up with their new babies and goings on as well. What a blessing baby girl Certain will add to their awesome family.

Sugarcube

Here's our little Sugarcube. She was in Griffin Ballet's production Alice in Wonderland. Such a cutie!

8 months

How time flies! We are at the eight month mark! Some sweet things the little rover is doing...

• army crawling on his belly
• eating table food, not so much baby food!
• still getting up at 2 a.m. What can I say, I'm irresistable!
• rolling from one side of the room to the other
• taking approximately 2 naps a day.... notice the word approximate!
• loving that brother and sister
• having major stomach issues a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully for us and the neighbors who are close to our big green trashcan the pooping has stopped!
• waving bye bye, clapping, trying to blow kisses
• looking at your with his little "turtle head" over his bumper in the crib!
• very attached to mama. I must be within reach for him.

Uh, mom, really? Nana made this outfit for Baxter. He wore it at 6 months. I'll have to find stats but I think you may be a little smaller than the other two? I'm not sure how that can be? I can't stand being in the same place as a sheet of paper I could eat....I'm going for it!

Got it! So happy baby!

Not so happy baby! I want out!

Example of the belly crawl!

Trying to get to what I want...

Got it!

Passport

I'm not sure if I can relay how comical this morning actually was. Baxter is in need of a passport for our cruise this summer. We realized BOTH parents have to be present WITH THE MINOR. Scott's calendar is full so we had to really work to schedule this. We got Lillee off to school (without a lunchbox), picked Brooks up and headed to the courthouse. I had Ben in my car following Scott with Bax and Brooks. We arrived at the courthouse and out we all pile.
I had in hand:
1. a 25 lb. carseat
2. Baxter's birth certificate
3. passport photos from CVS in a little envelope
4. passport application which I filled out a week ago

Trying to let the boys help me I gave Baxter the birth certificate to carry and Brooks the envelope of passport photos.

We all come through the doors laughing and making jokes with the guards at the metal detectors when you walk in. I was thinking that there was no telling what may be in these 4 year old little boy's pockets! They ushered us right on through without a blink. I'm assuming Scott was thinking this was a "perk" of being with him! Ha.
The five of us take the elevator to the 2nd floor and into the quiet little probate court office.
DING DONG - this is the noise the door makes to let them know someone has opened the door.
We give Chuck our paperwork.
Chuck: we will need two separate checks
Jenn: oops. Scotty, I left my wallet in the car. Do you mind getting it?
Scott: sure
DING DONG
I tell Chuck so sorry I left that. Let's proceed to the application process. He says he can't until the father comes back.
DING DONG
Scott: Geez Jenn, now we've got it together.
Chuck: I need both parent's license please.
check
Chuck: I see you did not fill in his social security number. Does he have one?
Jenn: yes. I'm so sorry Chuck. It's at home. Is there anyway I can call you as soon as I get home in 10 mins with the number?
Chuck: No
Jenn: I'm so sorry - it's really tough to get everyone together and to get both of our schedules to allow us to be here.
Chuck: looks around..... OK.
Chuck: and do you have the photo passports pictures?
Jenn: right here -
I open the envelope and NO PICTURES
Jenn: Um Scott....I know I had them. They've been in my car for three weeks now.
Scott: I"ll go retrace our steps.
DING DONG
Chuck: I really cannot process application until you get me the pictures and the social security number.
Jenn: Sorry Chuck. This is our life!
DING DONG
Scott: I found 2 Jenn. Were there more?
Jenn: Yes, there were like 8 but Chuck only needs 2.
BIG SIGH OF RELIEF AS CHUCK PROMISES TO HOLD APPLICATION UNTIL I GET HOME TO CALL WITH SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!
Scott: I need to grab a transcript from the 3rd floor. I'll be right back.
DING DONG

A lady appears from behind the wall and asks Chuck if there was a reason the bell kept going off? She looks at me, checks out the baby on the floor in the infant seat, looks at both boys sitting nicely and asks again if there was something she needed to do/help with. She continued on by telling me that they have to listen out for bell to see if it was another customer and it was appearing that there were lots of people coming in and out when in reality it was just our group. Chuck looks at me to explain.
Jenn: Ma'am, my husband had to go out to get my wallet to pay you. Next, he had to go on a hunt for lost passport pictures. Now he has gone up to the 3rd floor to get a transcript. This is our life.
Lady huffs off clearly irritated with the DING DONG....

Bax and Brooks which are seated in chairs next to the window looking out into the hallway begin knocking on window hey Mr. Scott, hey Daddy.
DING DONG
Scott: Ok, all set?
At this point we've been there for almost 45 mins. It's time to pull the card.
Jenn: Chuck, is Judge Simonton here?
Chuck: Um, I'm not sure if he's in yet?
Jenn: He is very aware of our crazy life and crazy children. They run underneath him all the time at church.
Chuck: I see you're from Brunswick. Which church did you go to there? I used to work at Epworth By the Sea. Let me get this finished up for you Ms. Key.

Big sigh of relief from Brooks and Baxter! They were really good. They sat in the waiting area trading Silly Bands.

I tell Chuck I'll call him within 1/2 hour as our six year old left her lunchbox and I have deliver it to her school after dropping two boys off at their school!
Chuck internally thinks we are NUTS!
DING DONG
we're outta there........


Five minutes later I'm cruising to CVS to grab a birthday card my phone rings.
"Hello Mrs. Key. This is Dewitt Simonton. Someone found some pictures of your handsome son in the courthouse. Would you like for me to hold these for you? How is Scott? I enjoy him so much on our committee."
I tell him thank you so much and apologize for any chaos in the office and how helpful Chuck was. I ask him to please deposit extra pictures into the trash for us. I really had in my head to tell him about this very unpleasant lady that wanted the DING DONG to stop. However, I did not. What a nice man.

Ben and I get home and call Chuck with the SSN.

I guess we're going on the cruise after all!!!

spring break

What do all of these pics have in common??? Here's a potpourri of things we did over the past week.


I'll let my mom do a guest blog about this one below! Let's just say Lillee really wanted to go see Hanna Montana at the theater. More on that later!

Here's where we spent four days. The weather overall was nice. The kids overall were creatures from below. Wait, except Ben. He was perfect. A swarm of bees overcame Bax on one playground so much so that he had to dump an entire playground of sand in his hair in order for them to slowly return to the hive. If you've heard me talk about Baxter and the "bees" coming out, you know what I mean. If you don't, trust me, you're better for not knowing.

Not sure why this picture came out with hotel rates on it. I'm assuming since our current president has rates of EVERYTHING going up, this is the only kind of clipart you can get. I looked for a picture of the real world house from MTV. I should've used that!

Three sweet girls at The American Girl Store in Alpharetta at North Point Mall. Who goes to malls anymore? It was a bit much. Kind of like being on a crowded subway. Only it wasn't crowded but the people very interesting to watch. Seriously, I could have just plopped down and observed the people that were there. A nice lunch we had. We were joined by three sweet girls named Ruthie, Lilly and Julie. Their lunch - a muffin. They did have their own menu. Wow.

A rundown of the details...

Went to Hilton Head Island with 5 children. What? No pictures? Well....there was a camera but no memory card. I had my hands full people. LOTS of memories. Very sweet friend to share her parent's home with us.
Returning home I called in the troops to keep these kids. Needed at least a 3 hour break as I had been clocked in 24-7 for the past four days! I knew it was a much needed break when I tried to pour Garnier Fructis shampoo in Ben's bath instead of Johnson's vapor.
Scott, my dad and Bax went on their "man trip" early Friday a.m. There are pictures of that. Imagine that - maybe if I had four days ALONE and took ONE child out of state I could get myself together too!
Lillee and I went to the American Girl store in northa Atlanta. What an experience. Can we say OVERLOAD!!! That was lots of fun with a great friend and her two daughters. Once again....no pics. I do have one on my cell but am unsure how to upload from Verizon. Do they charge for that?

Everyone's back home. Lillee is in school and Bax has his Constance back. There is currently a drag race by the trampoline. Yes, we're back! Have been to the doctor, have an antibiotic for Ben for ear infection. It's official - we're home!
Pics to come - to be continued....

Easter 2010

This is probably the only pic of the three angels without someone's eyes being closed!

Lillee was so proud of herself for standing up holding Ben! Of course, someone who shall remain nameless was in the background very angry about not being able to hold Ben. I really think he's peeing on my tulips.

Whatever the case, LG and Ben look sweet!

Nana and the only two kids that were awake for this photo op.

Early morning when the Easter Bunny was still fresh in their minds and they were happy. The fear of taking baskets away was fresh and they knew it would sting to be without their loot so they agreed to pose! I need to print this picture out and hang it in each of their rooms as a reminder of who their best friend is. At times they forget.

Wow - this scares me a bit! Is this really my family? All 3 of them? How did this happen? And when did LGK turn into a little girl? As long as our Bax doesn't get any bigger we'll be ok.