It all began on May 26th at around 5:30, when our dear Adam was born. It was Memorial Day, and our family had just finished putting in a new, big sandbox. Mike was cleaning out the neighbor's truck he had hauled the sand in when I told him I thought it was about time to go to the hospital. Adam's labor was awesome. I felt like the pregnant mom from the movie Big Business (for any of you as old as me and remember the film), when she tells her husband, "It's time again," in her country accent with somewhere around 10 other children swarming at her feet. She then goes to the hospital and simply and quietly has her baby. That clip had a familiar ring to it as I was in the hospital during labor, all until it came to the delivery at least. So, Adam was born weighing 7 lbs. 9 oz and 19 inches long. He was born with lots of hair and a set of good lungs.
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| Daddy giving him his first bath |
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| Elsie did her own hair. |
A few days later, I was home alone with the kids and Kimball decided we should make a cake for Adam's birthday. It sounded like a fun thing to do with my younger kids at the time, so we had a bit of a birthday party that evening with the family.
These past 7 weeks Adam has proven to be a bundle of contentment and sweetness. He loves to be held and snuggled really tight and close. It's absolutely wonderful until I need to set him down to do something, which happens often with 4 other children buzzing around me. However, Adam seems to have found a good niche in our family and we are all settling in quite nicely. I've enjoyed a post entiteled "The Baby is the Lesson" which has inspired me with an extra dose of patience. It's always chaos around our home, but the chaos is filled with love and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Birthday #2
Anna's birthday was on June 20th, and she turned two. For her birthday, she got to move into Elsie's bedroom and sleep in a toddler bed. Elsie was really excited to share her room. Partly so she could play the role of "big sister" more fully, and also because that meant she got to sleep on the top of a bunk bed Mike built for the girls. Elsie really has been a great older sister and has watched out for and helped Anna as she has adjusted to a new bed.
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| Elsie is reading her bedtime stories |
Anna also got other fun gifts, like new sippy cups and sheets for her bed. She was so excited just to open a present, it didn't quite matter what was in it. She also had a bunch of fun playing "duck, duck goose" with the family. It was so funny watching her go around the circle saying, "guck, guck, GUCK" and run off, ready to be chased.
Anna has really grown-up a lot since Adam was born, and I feel kind of bad for all the changes that have been inflicted upon her. Within a 3 weeks time, she got a new brother, kicked out of her room and crib, got her tongue clipped by the dentist (that was not fun!), and got her binki taken away from her. The poor little girl has done remarkable with everything, besides the little clepto she's become with her baby brother's binki, and has been the sweetest big sister to Adam. She gives him kisses and loves and watches out for him all the time, and then she takes his binki and runs off before she gets caught. It's pretty cute. Since she got her tongue clipped, she's started to talk more and more. It's fun to listen to her express herself.
Anna is lots of fun. She loves music and dancing. Whenever there is any form of singing or music playing, she is dancing in circles, begging me to watch her performance. She also loves candy. When she's not asking for candy, she's asking for more and more spoonfuls of peanut butter. She loves the stuff, straight from the jar! Anna is very playful, independent, and loves to be helpful. When it's time to go, she runs around the house, handing everyone their shoes. She loves to take Adam's diapers to the garbage, and to help clean up. She has been a joy these past 2 years, and I can't wait to continue watching her grow up and develop into the person she is meant to be.
Birthday #3
Peter turned 9 on July 3rd. Someone told me he was half-way to "adulthood", and it kind of scared me. How is it that little boys and girls grow up despite our mistakes and desires for second chances so we can slow down, enjoy the moments, yell less, and teach more. As a mother, I sure try hard to do everything right, but it's impossible to do it all perfectly. I never know if I'm expecting too much, or too little.
Peter had a great birthday - watching our city's firework show with extended family and cousins. He loves fireworks and was ready to forfeit his cake and ice cream in order to insure a good spot for the fireworks. Mike and I told him there was plenty of time and to enjoy his day. For his birthday I was inspired by this article that explains what is going on in an 9-year-old's life, and so we decided to celebrate his individuality. We got him some gloves and a hand-trowel for him to connect with his surroundings more. I painted (yes, I....painted) a Calvin and Hobbes mural on his wall, since he has really shown a great interest in the comics. I'm still not sure what Mike thought about the whole thing, but Peter has loved it.
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| The kids loved watching Peter's worm "fireworks" |
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| This is a picture of the kids playing with their glow sticks with a 3 or 5 second shutter speed |
Peter sure is a joy in our family. He is a great older brother, and has a keen sense of his responsibilities. He is very honest and intuitive to people's feelings. He is a good friend and a friend to all. I am proud of how hard he tries to make good choices. Currently he is loving reading the Guardians of Ga'hoole series and bargain shopping (like his dad!). He just started learning tennis, and has a real knack for trying out a wide variety of things. I love being his mom!
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