A Little Bit Crazy

Our lives are so hectic right now and I fear it will only get worse as the kids get older.  We drop off at school 5 mornings a week.  A goes to school three mornings and L goes five full days, so three days a week I have two pick up times.  On the mornings A is not in school, she has either Kindermusik or gymnastics.  One other morning C has Kindermusik.  Next semester, E will also have Kindermusik.  One afternoon after school, L has Kindermusik.  Two evenings a week he has karate.  One evening he has soccer.  And soccer games are on Saturday morning.  In the midst of all of that, we fit in nursing sessions, meals, art projects, play time, learning activities, reading, laundry, cleaning, errands and family life in general.  It is exhausting.

I have been thinking a lot about simplifying.  A few days ago my youngest three and I were walking away from A's preschool after pick up.  A and C spotted a fountain and began to play in it.  As I watched them delight in their exploration I realized how little of this they get.  C and baby E especially are always getting hauled from one place to the next.  I realized that it is time for a priorities check.  Last weekend, my husband and I went out to dinner and had a talk about this.  We discussed what things are important to us as a family, what attributes and values we want our children to have, what priorities we have, etc.  It is an ongoing discussion.  We are developing a mission statement of sorts for our family to help guide our daily decisions and actions.  I hope that going about this parenting gig a bit more thoughtfully will remind us to carve out more time to play and explore at a slower pace.

Baby Makes Six

Here she is.  Our latest installation, now two months old.  Isn't she lovely?  She is.  She looks just like her brother did as a baby.  The difference is that she is SO easy.  She rarely cries, soothes very easily and smiles all the time.  I already cannot believe how much she has changed since birth.  I know I should be used to it by now, but I'm not.  She was a big surprise.  I mean BIG.  But I cannot imagine us without her.

The other kids are transitioning well.  Her big brother loves her and is very sweet and loving toward her.  He doesn't have a lot of patience for her crying, however (kind of like his mom).  Her oldest sister is a little mommy.  She calls her "my baby" and takes very good care of her.  She has been a great helper in fetching diapers, replacing pacifiers and other baby maintenance tasks.  Her younger big sister is still just a baby herself.  They are 16 months apart.  C loves the baby and is as gentle as any 18-month-old would be, however she has also been going through a clingy and fussy period.  I think her little world has tipped on it's side and she is feeling unsure.  This has been the most difficult part about bringing baby E home.  I want to be able to be there for both little ones when they need me and sometimes it simply isn't possible.

Still.  Sometimes, like last night as Cory carved our Halloween pumpkin with the kids, I sit back, holding E, watching the three older ones galavant around and I just smile.  I'm not sure I will ever fully understand how this once-infertile mom got here.  But I thank God every night as my weary head hits the pillow for the blessing of motherhood.  I hope that I am doing it well, doing right by them, and pray for the wisdom and stamina to make each day a good one for all of us.  Welcome to this crazy family, baby E.  You are so loved.

Well, hi there

It's been awhile. A bit has happened. We've all grown up a little (and for at least one of us, sadly, also out a little). We've learned new things, done new things, and oh yes, become a family of five. A year ago. That precious little one to the left with those incredible baby blues is our fifth member. She will turn one in two weeks. She is a tiny little thing, only 30th percentile. This is notable for me because my eldest was always around 90th and my middle was somewhere around 150th. She is active, oh so so active. She's walking and wishing she could run. She climbs. She opens. She closes. She explores. She exhausts. She has... in her objective mother's opinion... a very advanced sense of humor, so she must be a genius. She giggles all the time and finds humor everywhere. She also gives the world's best snuggles. She is not talking, except to mimic the dogs when they bark or say "uh ooooooooh." She is wonderful. I am so grateful she's in our family.

While baby blues keeps us all giggling, her big sister over here to the right is busy providing a running commentary on anything and everything from the moment she wakes up until the moment she goes to bed, stopping only to let us know that she is mad, mad, MAD and that she will not, not, NOT do whatever it is she's been asked to do. This particular photo demonstrates "mad" mode, not "talking" mode. It involves defiantly crossed arms, closed eyes, pursed lips and tossed-back head. She turns three in three days and she is taking the task to heart. She loves ballet and music. She is sweet and nurturing and loves to cuddle and have her back rubbed. She talks, seriously, all the time. ALL. THE. TIME. She is independent. She chooses her own fascinating clothing ensembles, wants to make her own meals and is very good at entertaining herself. And oh my lord she loves to talk.

And then there's big boy over here to the left. He's 5 1/2, and oh so much fun. He loves to build and draw and create. He builds towns with blocks and train tracks, planes and ships with legos, and robots with cardboard tubes and boxes and tape. He draws everything he sees. He plays soccer and is not the most physical player, but he's smart and understands the game and so he's good. He loves the Magic Treehouse books and the Star Wars movies and riding his bike. He is a perfectionist and gets frustrated easily. If he can't do it well immediately, he doesn't want to try. He is learning to read and has lost a tooth. He will start Kindergarten next year. It's so fun, this boy at this age. He is interesting to talk to and he's funny and he's curious.

So that's them, almost 2 years later. And, well. There will be a fourth. Coming in August. I'm still kind of in shock about that. After all of the heartache and time it took to get to parenthood, I can honestly say I never imagined being so blessed. But I am grateful, if also a little terrified. Be back soon?