Five Brown Kids

A Saturday in the life of the Browns Tyrone gets home from work at 7:30 am, the same minute Jaxon and I head out the door to drop him off for an Odyssey of the Mind activity.  I stop at the gym for a brief workout on the way home from dropping off Jaxon, then shower and get back in the car to take Taye to a swim meet.  I drop him off and come home to take care of the girls and get Scotia to a birthday party.  Tyrone leaves to pick up Jaxon from OM, squeeze in a quick ball game and then get Taye from the swim meet.  A friend comes home with Taye for the afternoon and they all stop at the favorite pizza place across from NC State for a late lunch on the way home.  In the midst of all that I get these texts from Taye.  Two more sectional cuts (race times that qualify him to attend the regional meet) to add to his growing collection.  This kid is going to a big meet in Atlanta!  It's the next level up from the state championship meet.  G...

Boys to Mom, "Why don't we eat out as often as so and so?" Mom to Boys, "If we didn't pay your swim fees Taye then we could eat out at Moes 12 times a month! If we didn't pay for your basketball fees Jaxon then we could eat out at Moes an additional 16 times in a season! Boys to Mom, "Oh"

Tyrone makes a lot of pancakes - he's got this recipe memorized.  It's a Betty Crocker recipe with some additions to make them more filling.   Easy to double and essential if you have a crowd. 1 large egg 1 cup flour (ww please) 3/4 cup milk 1 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp oil 3 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt we add: 1/2 cup applesauce 1 packet of cinnamon or maple oatmeal cooked, or 1/2 cup rolled oats cooked Beat egg, add other ingredients and mix.  Cook on a hot griddle.  Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Blythe is 1 month old.  She loves to sleep during the day and fuss at night.  She is growing for sure - getting big and chubby and stretching out of the newborn sleepers. The kids are still obsessed - first thing in the morning, first thing after school, get in line for holding the babe.  The laundry is behind, my jeans are too tight and I can only jog 1 mile before I die  - but I'm totally in love.  So glad Tyrone talked me into one more little brown kid.

Whew!  That was a long nine months.  I've had pregnancies where I felt okay but this was not one of them.  By the time I finally stopped with nausea and vomiting I was heading into the high blood pressure and swelling with numb hands and prickly feet. And a nerve under my shoulder blade that was so uncomfortable. Not to mention that I haven't slept through the night since the first month or two.  Not just up to use the bathroom and back to bed, but up and unable to go back to sleep for hours, so that by morning time I was nursing a sleep deprivation headache…. And the last few months of driving with a bowling ball in my stomach. Ugh! But I survived….. and what a prize!

"All I did was clean and drive kids!" Tyrone was home for almost the whole first month. I've been able to keep up with my usual tasks, workout and get out of the house alone.  Tyrone is an equally good baby tender, a better bath giver and a more patient sleep inducer. I've loved his help. 

There is a toolbox on my kitchen counter. A drill on the island, a hammer on the table, wood on the back deck and a hole in the fireplace wall. The coffee table is upside down, a kitchen cupboard door is off, and there are bigs sacks of insulation on the front porch. That can only mean one thing... My parents are here!   They are on their way home from Ecuador where they helped a much loved family from their mission replace the roof on their house.  And Dad is crossing off my fix it list while Mom helps keep order in the house (a new baby, Tyrone back to work and the very end of a long three week winter break for the big kids).