One Day 2014

Laura over at the Hollywood Housewife has encouraged us all to document a day in the life.  These days are busy, but oh so worth the effort of documenting.

The morning began with pre-dawn toddler cries that required a visit from mommy.  The picture that goes here is a black square so you will just have to use your imagination. She settled back down, but momma didn't. Instead I enjoyed the quite time of feeling baby Julia kick around during what is often our only calm hour of the day.

This, however, was my daylight wake up call.


Not so bad, especially with his partner.

Who hopped right into daddy's empty spot since he is out of town.

Next up:  coffee.  I stink at making half a carafe of french press, but lack of self control means I really can only make what I should drink.


Then a bit of Bible, geography and sociology.  Explaining the drug trade as it relates to Columbia, umm, was a bit out of my comfort zone.


Then onto the equator and Brazil.


Learning and working among distractions is a skill little sister is trying hard to help her brothers with, and more so now as she has given up her morning nap.


A break to play trains. This game always ends with a,  "No Wydia!" from Colin.


And lest you think she always looks like a doll, girlfriend has had a seriously gross nose today and required several wipe-down tackles.


The kids ate lunch but I "forgot" so momma had some cereal while the boys handled the lunch dishes.


LJ now ask for "rock, rock, book" before nap time and bed time and over and over through the day.  She is rarely refused.


2pm shower, because late is better than not at all.


Afternoon double duty: checking math work and conducting a reading lesson.


And when daddy is out of town my number one nighttime routine survival rule is to wear them out so they just fall into bed. To the park we went. We happen upon a whole group of friends, perfect.


Perhaps there was a Sonic stop on the way. It just seems wrong to drive by without stopping during happy hour.  I mean they are practically giving slushies away.


Jason does not care for frozen pasta dinners, but I quite like them. So when he is out of town we often have some simple pasta out of a bag with plain pasta and cheese for the pickiest among us.


10 minutes and dinner is ready. Winning.


Our hardest working appliance.  The dust buster. So many crumbs, all day, everyday.


Four clean kids, and two of them of their own ability.  As long as they are reminded to use soap, and shampoo and a wash rag.


And the pull back shot of the bathtub.  Everyone just drops their clothes, kind of as a border.

When I grow tired of kicking them aside, I will scoop them up and throw them in a basket. Maybe.

Before bed warm milk and "mimi" which means Mickey or Minnie, but is pretty darn cute.


We are in between chapter books, but the boys always approve of this bedtime story.

Probably, mostly because it says stupid.

And now Julia and I shall have dessert and watch Pride and Prejudice for the hundredth time while planning the library trip for tomorrow.

Pumpkin Patch 2014

Adventures are more fun when Daddy gets to come along.

Like visiting the pumpkin patch farm for a field trip.  It's just better with Daddy.


(We've decided the pumpkin is Julia's stand in since he can't hold her yet. So look at that daddy with his adorable crew.)

How these two adore each other...


It was quite a bit of fun, but it was also 150 degrees.  Okay, maybe it was more like 85, but was super muggy and really did not feel like an autumn day.  We soldiered on and did fall-ish things in the summer weather.







Between the heat and the hay and the animals poor Colin was miserable. I felt so bad. I can't believe I didn't have any Benadryl to help him out.  We've never had this kind of trouble at the pumpkin patch, but we haven't done a real working farm or had it be so stinkin' hot.  He recovered quickly as soon has he got home and had a bath, but oh how hard it is for him when the itching starts.



But hey, cotton picking


Boys with baby sister...heart eyes for days.





She really adores them all in their own way.



Lydia became very focused on the task of rearranging all of the small pumpkins in the display area.





She eventually included her brothers in her plan and forcing them to do her bidding,



which they did, of course.



Then she was satisfied.



Another year blessed to pick pumpkins with these folks.



Pumpkin Patch 2013
Pumpkin Patch 2012
Pumpkin Patch 2011
Pumpkin Patch 2009
Pumpkin Patch 2008
Pumpkin Patch 2007

Better Now Than December

Naming folks is hard. It is an amazing honor, but it is hard. And it gets harder each time. I mean, they have to carry this for all of their time earth side. The pressure is real.

I feel like we have done a pretty good job four times over now.



But oh have we struggled with this baby girl.  I hate not being able to call her by name.  We've had a few finalist for a while but just not the perfect fit.  Until now.



We like the classic, pretty sound of Julia and Kathryn is my middle name.

Disclaimer: Jason thinks name meanings are silly and actually mean nothing, but just for the record:
Julia means youthful. Since she will, at the very least, always be the youngest of five it seems appropriate.

Between the name and the carseat I think we are all ready for her arrival.  Prepping for the fifth baby is dramatically different than prepping for the first (ha).

Babywearing Reflections 2014

I've written about babywearing before, but it's been 4 (!wow!) years.  It is international babywearing week and I felt compelled to put a few more thoughts together.

Ultimately babywearing has allowed me to be the parent I have wanted and needed to be as we have nurtured, moved and expanded our family.  We like to go and explore and experience life with our kids and this includes the little ones as they have joined our crew.  It is not the perfect or only answer for every situation but it has allowed me to take care of my older children while meeting my babies' needs.  I cannot imagine doing this gig without it.

Here are a few of my favorite babywearing moments.

With a tiny Lydia in my Sakura Bloom


Babywearing and a bow.  So much momma happiness in one shot.



{Let's pause at the tininess - shall we - because wow I can't believe how the time flies.}

I find going out to eat with a snuggly baby much easier than with a baby who wants in on the dinner action.




And really it doesn't take them long to figure out when dessert is being served.


Our California beach trips were made so much easier with my sling.  Even if she got down and played for a bit, just the logistics of getting to down to the shore is so much easier with free hands.






And if it was freezing cold, it was much easier to handle with her nice and close.


{her first ocean visit}



Visiting the tide pools was a new experience for us all and it was easily had with the baby close.


Sightseeing and travel in general are so much easier for me with my baby close and comforted and me not fighting with a stroller.

Above San Francisco


Above Birmingham

(Please ignore the boys faces. They are not miserable, just tired of pictures.)

And to crowded the train shows.


Pumpkin patch train riding


It really is the only way for me to travel with baby.


We can go places we couldn't with a busy toddler without babywearing, like forest field trips.



And visiting Disney -

Lydia sacked out in the babyhawk at Disneyland


Lydia's first Disney ride - tucked in the sling.


Colin "ready to ride" in Disney World (where it is much hotter to babywear than Disneyland).


Colin was really the first kid to get much babywearing documentation (any guesses when I got my first smart phone? wink).

Kitchen back carries




Grumpy Colin in my first ring sling


At the pumpkin patch while documenting the older boys with the now outdated camera.


The older boys did get a couple of photo booth shots with the computer.

The positioning is off, but this is all of the boys in the hotsling.
Walker

Eli

Colin


And Colin riding a train with his great-grandparents.


It is doubtful that I would ever use this carrier again, but I just can't get rid of my first carrier.

When I don't have a baby to wear, I have been known to borrow a baby.
Wearing my nephew while pregnant with Lydia


And my snuggly nephew-in-law(?) at dinner one night not too long ago.


I've invested in this gorgeous purple sling for our new little girl coming in December.


And Lydia as needed, because toddlers still need a snuggle every now and again.  And of course, momma does too.

Babywearing is not for everyone. It has to work for momma and baby.  But it has been a big part of my parenting of littles. It is a part that is a short window of time in the grand scheme of parenting. This week's babywearing events are a reason for me to write things down for my one-day-memories when everyone is all big and independent.

Thankful in the Busy, too.

Y'all, yesterday was crazy cakes.

There was morning schooling, lunch in the car, afternoon co-op, racing home for a toddler nap (that wasn't to be), traffic and traffic and traffic to dinner, dinner with friends and family, baths and showers all around, late night grocery shopping ($$$) and finally two exhausted parents who fell into bed.

And at the end of the day all I could do was weep with thankfulness for this God-designed family.

My kids are healthy and growing and learning.  I do not deserve these blessings, but the abundance of them was overflowing yesterday.

It is overwhelming the number of friends and acquaintances whose dear little ones are sick or hurting or facing obstacles we will never understand.  Jesus be near.  Jesus come quickly. Let me remember to pray and help and never forget how many walk the-very-hard-road each day.

And Lord, do not let me squander these moments where you reveal a glimpse of your glory in our days.

*This is for me.  I have needed to keep these thoughts fresh on my mind today.  I was awoken with "mommy I don't feel good" from a very grey looking child.  And the day has followed with much tummy problems, fevers and spending the day washing everything on the sanitize cycle.

We have given up on couch schooling and have moved onto movie renting for the afternoon. And still, He is showering me with blessings. Amen.