Love from Skylar

15 years!

This May will bring about my 15 year high school reunion. I doubt we are actually having a reunion because I don't think we've had one yet...hmmm maybe I wasn't invited... Anyway, this picture was taken in 1992, which was obviously the Time of Big Hair. The best best best part of this picture is without a doubt my hair, and the best best best part of my hair is that THIS IS NO PERM. That's right people, my hair will do this RIGHT NOW! This is the exact reason no one will ever see me at a swimming pool getting my hair wet. Thank God for my Chi flat iron I got on Ebay or I would look like this every single day.
Here we have some pictures of me playing basketball my senior year. I know it is my senior year because of my big hair. Please note the obscene level of skinniness. In the second picture it seems impossible for my tee-tiny arms to be able to hold a basketball at all, much less lift it over my head and thrust it toward the basket. Yes, I will admit my arms are a bit small...but gosh I'd kill to have those legs back! HA! (in high school I was voted best legs...not most likely to succeed or most talented or smartest or any of that crap...nope, I got best legs...somewhere my parents are absolutely bursting with pride. Oh, and Brian got best dressed, so he can't give me any crap even though he did eventually graduate from law school.)

Hard at work

These are a couple pictures of Scott working on some field training at the state park here. Thanks for the pictures DJ!!

Let's all take a minute

and listen to the wonderful sound of quiet. Well, it's not completely quiet, as Cars is on it's normal continuous loop on the t.v., but it's very close to being quiet. Today after her bath (where she turned burgundy she screamed so badly) Skylar ate and then I put her on the bed with a new orthodontic pacifier and lo and behold she sang a little sleepy song and fell asleep. I do not expect this to ever happen again so I am documenting it here so I can forever remember back to the "good times" we had when she was a baby.
And yes, she's sleeping with her head and shoulders on a pillow but if anyone out there has a problem with that--that would be anyone out there who is not dealing/living with her--well, I have two words for you....but you'll have to use your imagination because this is a family website.

Highlights

These are some of the wonderful things I've lived through in the last 24 hours or so:
1. Last night at basketball practice one of the parents had a Dr. Pepper (in the gym where you are only supposed to have water) and she spilled it and then inadvertently taught Owen how to use the word "dammit" in the correct context.
2. Today while I was in the shower I heard Skylar start screaming her head off and I jumped out to find Owen sucking her nose with the bulb sucker.
3. As Owen was "helping" me vacuum he emptied the canister from the vacuum in the middle of the den floor.
4. It was proposed to me that I should put the baby in the snuggli so I can get things done around the house. Well, turns out Screams-A-Lot does NOT like the snuggli.
There are more, but Skylar has just woken up from her extra-long 10 minute nap so I have to go for now...

House bound

Everyone wants to know how I'm doing and I'm just letting everyone know that as of yet I'm not really sure, because I have not ventured out of the house without Scott since Screams-A-Lot was born except for the time I went to the commissary by myself and left everyone else at home. But soon we will need more milk so I will have to make a choice between a) going to the commissary with lots of children and without adult back-up and b) just letting everyone drink kool-aid for breakfast.

Not crying, for once

Hey lady, that's a cute baby on your bow.

Nana goes home

Nana actually left on Saturday, but I am just now posting about it. Everyone had a major pity party in the car on the way home from the airport, but luckily they got through it. Nana and Pops are coming back on April 1st and possibly bringing Brian and Jenny and Mary Kate with them, with plans to go to a photo studio and get a big family picture made. That means that I have got some serious weight to lose (see last picture for my fat face) which means that at some point I've got to stop stuffing spice drops into my mouth.

The Wide Eyed Stare Into Space Look

This is Skylar's new look. Usually it is followed by her making a small "o" with her mouth which is then followed by massive amounts of poop. It is also a quiet look, which is better than her other look, which is red-faced and accompanied by lots of screaming with the screaming coming from the screaming baby's screaming mouth.

The Owen and Skylar Show

This is supposed to be a slideshow so if you are only seeing one picture try refreshing your screen and hopefully it will come up.


Create Your Own

Skylar loves Haley

The Homework Answer

Okay, I don't know for sure if it's right or not, but there were two votes for the word "lot"--as in a "lot" of ice cream and an empty "lot". Thanks to Joe and April for possibly getting it right and making me look stupid.
Apparently the picture for April is asking for a log in because she has a password protected website because she is a very very important person, so everyone can just guess what she might look like...

Sizing up the competition

Any takers?

This is Haley's kindergarden homework. I have a college degree and am sooo smart that my mind only works in complex ways and I can't make it focus on something so simple, so I have no idea what the answer is. Nana, who has one regular degree in math and two advanced degrees in math, is also too smart for this.
If anyone out there knows the answer, please email me. The homework is due on Friday.

The basketball game

Today we took Skylar to watch Ashlyn play basketball for the first time. She slept through the entire game so she didn't see anything. Ashlyn played well. She's still a little confused about certain aspects of the game, but no more so than any of the other girls. She took about 4 shots and came close to making them, but didn't. So she still hasn't scored since the first game when she exploded offensively and scored 4 points.
Here she is bringing the ball up the court. She will dribble to around the 3 point line and then promptly pick up her dribble and look to pass. We are still working on the whole 'driving to the basket' thing.
Here she is playing some killer defense. Each girl gets a different color arm band and you guard the girl on the other team whose arm band matches yours. Some of the girls have not yet grasped this concept. Ashlyn gets it loud and clear...so much so that even when she is on offense she runs down, finds her girl, gets in front of her, and then looks for the ball. Again, this is something we are working on.

Ashlyn dribbling after making a steal.

We have not yet gone over 'boxing out', so whenever the ball is shot everyone just stands there and watches it so the rebounder is just the person who happens to be standing in the right spot at the right time.

Today one of the girls on the other team got to shoot two free throws. This is the first time this has happened this year so no one knew what to do. I would like to proudly say that the free throw shots were a result of a borderline flagrant foul by none other than Ashlyn, who ran down the court, caught the girl who was dribbling ahead of her, grabbed onto her arm and nearly took her down as she tried to shoot a lay-up. It was the hardest foul I've seen so far in this league and I was oh-so-proud!

Nana's visit

Nana got here today for a week long visit. Skylar seems to like her, but everything with Skylar and what she likes and dislikes is pretty much a toss up at this point. Nana's plane landed at 11:30 and Nana was on it, but unfortunately her luggage wasn't, so we had to go back to the airport after Ashlyn's basketball game and pick it up (it came on a later flight). Everyone is having a good time so far except for Owen, who does not like it when Nana shows Skylar any attention.

The babysitter

Thankful

I would like to take this opportunity to thank God for Lansinoh brand Lanolin, the person who invented Lansinoh brand Lanolin, all the ingredients in Lansinoh brand Lanolin, the people who continue to make Lansinoh brand Lanolin, and the building they make it in. Also for FedEx or UPS or whoever it is that brings Lansinoh brand Lanolin to San Angelo, and for Target, for making Lansinoh brand Lanolin readily available for me.

Jealousy

If this post had sound, it would be "PUT HER DOWN AND PICK ME UP!!--THAT'S MOMMY'S BABY!!--I'M YOUR BABY!!--PUT THAT BABY DOWN!!!"

Vertical Skylar

This afternoon we propped Skylar up on the couch so she could spend a little time watching Spongebob Squarepants, because as you all know it's never too early to start introducing some culture into a baby's life.
And just so you know, she does actually have two hands...

Work it

If there's one thing Skylar does well, it's the "double chin"

Fat Head Baby

Sleeping Beauty

Skylar in her co-sleeper. This was taken before she realized what time it was. When she realized it was nighttime, she immediately woke up and cried/fussed for the next 8 hours straight, until she finally settled down around 6a.
This shows that even a chubby, 8 lb 15 oz baby can look small.

All four of them

Wow, that's a lot of kids...

A Starr is Born

Skylar Hope Starr

January 22, 2007

1:45 pm

8 lb 15 oz, 21 in

Ashlyn's eye

This is what happens when you get in a fight with an end table...
and lose.

Baby Update

First, I would like to share that exactly one hour after the delayed start time of school yesterday all the elementary schools were closed. Pretty much someone made a bad decision and then made a worse one, and mass chaos ensued. Luckily for us, Scott dealt with it while Owen and I sat in the warm car and watched some unsupervised kids have a huge snowball fight.

The baby will be born on Monday. We have to be at the hospital at 7:30a, which is nice, because that is the EXACT SAME TIME the girls have to be at school. Now that we have a specific date I am able to make plans and get everything in order, so look for my water to break at some inoportune time this weekend.

Also, today all the snow is just about gone but supposedly tomorrow we are going to get the mother of all snowstorms here. The worst one in like, 20 years. This is supposed to last all weekend. It should be loads and loads of fun. I'll keep you posted.

Let it snow

Yesterday it began to snow. And snow. And snow. It was coming down impressively when I picked Ashlyn and Haley up from school, and throughout the evening it started to accumulate. Everyone was very excited at the prospect of missing school, but it was not to be. All the school did was delay the starting time two hours, which is odd because the roads were covered with snow and there is supposed to be another two inches in accumulation by 3 this afternoon.

I have a doctor's appointment at 11:15 today but I don't expect anything exciting to happen. I have decided I don't like my doctor much as he is the holder of drugs that for some reason he refuses to part with.

Well, I will post more later. Right now I have to start the car so it can warm up enough to keep Owen from griping about being cold (which he gets from Ashlyn), and I have to find his "boggin", as he will not go outside without it if anything is falling from the sky because God forbid some snow get into the gel in his hair.

The Upcoming Holiday

This is a conversation with Haley:

Mama, we don't have to go to school on Monday.

Why not?

It's Martin Lucas's day.

Who is Martin Lucas?

He was the blackest American king, and he wore all black, and he was nice, but some people didn't like him and they shot him.

Oh.

Yeah, that's exactly what happened. You know, Grandmama should know a lot about him because it was a long time ago and she's the oldest person I know. But Papaw is pretty old too, so maybe he knows about it. Anyway, Martin Lucas helped the lives of a lot of people so they could eat at the same restaurants and ride the buses and stuff. You know...equal nights.

A bunch of monkeys

My father took this picture before my parents left to go back to Georgia after visiting us at Christmas. I refused to be in it.

My mother: But at Thanksgiving I tried to take a family picture and you said I could take one when we came back at Christmas.

Me: Yeah, well, I lied.

No, not yet...

Yesterday as Owen and I enjoyed lunch and a showing of the movie Cars, (chicken nuggets for him, kung pao chicken for me) I noticed that my contractions were strangely close together. 4 minutes exactly. So then I was in a pickle, because it was 2:15 and the girls get out of school at 2:45 and Scott was unreachable at the range and Oh, What to do? What to do? So I called MAJ Somers' office.

*About two weeks ago Scott and I had this conversation:
I don't like the fact that I call and call and I can't get in touch with you.

Well, if you can't get me, call MAJ Somers' office. There's ALWAYS someone in there that will answer that phone, and they can come find me.*

To make a long story short, and to use as few bad words as possible on the blog, we'll just say that no one answered the phone.

I called Scott's office hoping that the training NCO would pick up and lo and behold Scott answered. Scott, who was supposed to be at the range from 1 to 4 answered the phone in his office at 2:20. I politely explain the situation. Scott begins to fidget and cuss a little.

Bob Ventura (Becca's husband) comes and gets Owen and Scott meets him here with the girls, who he's picked up from school early. Scott and I go to the doctor's office. I am subjected to a pelvic exam (YAY). 3 cm. I am then told to go home and wait for the contractions to "intensify." I was told this by a man doctor, who, being a man has therefore never had a single contraction in his life and has also never pushed a baby out of his body. But I must say he did give me more vicodin and told me to take no more than three a day so I don't dull the contractions too much.

The contractions are intensifying, but not all at the same time. Some are not bad, some take my breath, some sting, and some hurt. It's a good thing that I believe variety is the spice of life.

I am presently hoarding the vicodin pills so I can sell them on the street corner to some of Scott's soldiers.

Drugs

Last night was another uncomfortable night filled with lots and lots of pressure and pain so this morning I called and moved my appointment from tomorrow to today and went to see the doctor. We all agree that it is too early for the baby to be born, but I still needed something for the pain.

After a pelvic exam (YAY!) and some crying I successfully scored some Vicodin. The entire appointment the doctor kept talking about Tylenol so I thought that was what I was getting. When I got in the car and looked at the prescription I was confused because I honestly didn't know what vicodin was. Well, now I know!

Scott went to the pharmacy and got the medicine and I took two pills along with a chocolate milkshake from McDonalds. Vicodin is WAY better than any tylenol! Scott told me that after taking it I couldn't operate any machinery so everyone had cereal for supper tonight as I was afraid to try to work the stove or microwave. Also, at some point during my euphoric state I apparently slept for almost three hours AND talked to my father on the phone, which I don't entirely recollect. The pain has dulled considerably....to the point where I am up and about, happy to clean or whatnot, though the pressure is still there and Scott keeps telling me to sit down. I am still having contractions, and I go back to the doctor next Wednesday.

Almost ready?

Update:
Last Wednesday I noticed that I was having a lot of contractions so I decided to time them and found that they were about 9 minutes apart. I called the hospital and they told me to stay in bed all day. My parents were here so they took care of the kids and Scott only worked a half day so it all worked out. Plus, I got to lay in bed all day.

Friday night there was a small sequence of events that began around 11 that led me to call the hospital again. I was told to come in to be checked out and put on the monitor. Scott stayed with the kids while my friend Midge met me up at Labor and Delivery. It's a good thing she met me there because if you go in between 11p and 5a then you have to go through the ER and I would still be walking around the hospital looking for the Labor part because their signs suck.

So the nurse checked me out and found that I was 2.5 cm dilated (no biggie) and 75% effaced, which the nurse called "impressive, given how far along you are right now." The contractions spread out as soon as they hooked up the monitor, which is what always happens, so I got to come home about 2a with the instructions to "rest as much as possible in the bed." I was also asked if I had my bags packed for the hospital, which I don't. The nurse said to go home and pack them because after my appointment this Wednesday there was a good chance I would be sent down to have the baby. So I came home and Scott and I both freaked out a little bit.

Saturday we went to Dillards and bought the baby an outfit to wear home from the hospital. Walking through Dillards caused intense pressure and pain. Probably not good. We also ate lunch at Applebee's, where I got the Nacho appetizer as my meal, and Owen ate a jalepeno (he calls them pee-nos) and it was very funny; I wish you all could have been there to see that.

Yesterday we went to Denver Mattress and bought a new mattress and boxspring for our bed, to replace the one we've had for almost 11 years, and last night I embroidered some burp rags for the baby.

Other than those few things I am resting uncomfortably in the new bed or on the new couch that was finally delivered last week trying to not do the unthinkable: Go into labor while Tennessee is playing in a bowl game on television.