Highs and Lows of Mommyhood

Today I woke up to the cuddles and giggles of two of my darling children smashing me into a Mommy sandwich. What a wonderful way to start the day!

Fast forward about an hour and half...one husband and two children had been deposited and I was just preparing to catch a quick run on the treadmill before the preschool carpool arrived when I came downstairs to behold one of the darling children from the aforementioned Mommy sandwich blowing chocolate milk chunks all over the carpet in the family room. And did I mention that my body seems to compensate for my blindness with an overly developed sense of smell? Ah, the joys of mommyhood!

What were your highs and lows this morning? or today? or this week? Please share.

PS Preschool just called...you guessed it...the vomiting spreads....
PPS The other darling child from the Mommy sandwich happens to be the preschooler.

Happy (Belated) Fourth of July

This was our NINTH year to have matching Old Navy shirts as a family. Amazing, no?


We usually don't wear our shirts before the 4th, but this year, we broke tradition to wear them to a minor league baseball game on the 3rd.


Nothing makes this boy happier than hanging out at a baseball game with Dad.


For Little Mommy, the game isn't really about the bases and balls so much as it is about the treats.


The big girls seem to really enjoy the whole experience.


Princess put on her own sideshow, complete with rapid arm flapping and plenty of squeals. She had a pretty large audience at some points of the game.


There were plenty of pre-4th festivities going on. Though I appreciated the various performers, I'm always a sucker for a great set of fireworks, so that definitely topped my list.


The fireworks were even amazing enough to keep the littlest ones still!

The game wore us out (as did the LONG trek to and from our Suburban in the distant parking spot we snagged).






By the time we got home, we were all asleep.

Happy Happy Birthday Princess Dear

My baby is one.


Why is it that the last trimester of pregnancy is fully twelve years long, and then the next week after delivery it's time to celebrate the first birthday?


I can't believe this year is over. In so many ways I am sad it has flown by. Tonight after Princess was asleep, I couldn't help but gently scoop her from her crib into my arms for an extra dose of baby loves, recognizing that her babyhood is soon ending.


Princess is a sparkler. She cried the first three months of her life, and then finally got the memo: You are the fifth child. Since then she has been pretty easy-going, for which I am grateful.


At six months old Princess weighed twelve pounds even and had to go on the fatten-her-up diet. Fortuneately, the girl loves to eat so sticking to the diet was not a problem. Two and three times a day I would feed her a jar of baby food mixed with a generous serving of baby cereal, two scoops of formula, and some juice.


Apparently, the poor girl was just craving solid food. She is a rockin' eater now. Her favorite food to date seems to be bananas, the sight of which causes her to squeal with excitement.


Princess holds her own well with her siblings, and can manage to scare them off when they smother her with too much love.


She is big enough to make messes, and curious about everything around her. Toys are more interesting and hold her attention for longer.



Princess is starting to cruise the furniture now. She is a rather independent soul, and prefers her own mobility to being carried around.


Princess loves the Grand Old Duke of York and Five Little Monkeys. She loves music and singing and has a strong voice.


When Dave comes home, she always calls to him, and shows a genuine excitement about his presence.


She says Dad, Mom, and Emma, waves, and claps at the cue of "Yeah!"



On our recent staycation Princess discovered a love of sand: squishing it in her fingers and toes, crawling in it, and just immersing herself in its texture. She is a very physical child.


She also has a great love of water. Not just sitting in it, but splashing and floating around and kicking in it.


As expected, she had no hesitation towards diving right into her first birthday cake.


She squished and rubbed and reveled in it, even before discovering that she could actually eat some.


My favorite thing about the darling girl is her love of kisses. When I give her a helping of smooches on the cheek and then pull away, she pauses only briefly before tipping her cheek back in for more. I could just eat her up.


Princess, you are deeply loved and adored by all of us. Happy first birthday!

Prayers for my Dear Aunt Kathy

Aunt Kathy is my Mom's wonderful younger sister.

Yesterday I received the following letter in an email from my cousin Lisa, who is Kathy's daughter. I would ask for the thoughts, prayers, and/or fasting in Kathy's behalf (and on behalf of her husband, four children, grandchildren, my Mom, my uncle and my Grandpa too) of any of you who would be willing to join us.

Hello Family & Friends:

As you know, my mother Kathy is now in the advanced stages of cancer. She finished radiation last Thursday, but is experiencing a whole host of awful symptoms and and has been very weak and mostly bedridden since. She gets scans on Friday, September 4th to see if the radiation was effective at shrinking her cancer, and will meet with the specialist on the 11th to discuss the results and her prognosis, as well as if she is a candidate for any further treatment. It is absolutely critical that she begins to get her health and strength back over the next two and a half weeks before that appointment, so that she can have the option of further treatment.

In our religion, we believe strongly in the power of prayer and fasting. Once a month we fast, by abstaining from food or drink for 2 meals, while praying for someone in need. We then make an offering of the equivalent cost of those two meals to give to the needy. This upcoming “fast” Sunday, September 6th, we will be holding a large family (and friends) day of prayer and fasting for my mother. We believe strongly that God can work miracles if we act in prayer and faith. We are asking that you join us in this effort. Even if you can just keep her in your prayers and thoughts that day, we’d greatly appreciate it.

I do not have everyone’s emails, so please pass on to those in our family or circle of friends that I have left out. We love you all and are so grateful for your presence in our lives!

Thank you!
Lisa

My New Ride

No, I did not get a limo, but I bought the cutest wheels EVER today! Mine isn't all cleaned up like this one yet, but after a little love I am sure she will be shining again.

I am so thrilled just knowing she is sitting in my garage. Seriously.

PS Mine has a basket.

Upcoming Topics

So I am behind on the blogging. (And the laundry, and the paperwork, and cleaning the basement, and car maintenance...)

All is well here. We are living very full lives and feel blessed, though sometimes also stretched and stressed. Our kids are amazing, and teach me more about charity, relationships, priorities, and patience every single day.

Look forward to future posts on:


Fourth (and 3rd) of July fun


A new home for the kids (or The Artist graduates from Safety Town)


A successful letterboxing adventure


A visit with...KELSIE!


Our family staycation


The Artist's big 7th birthday


Princess's FIRST birthday (Can you believe she has ten teeth now?)


First day of school photos


My whole body makeover

And in a couple of weeks: photos from my first Half Marathon. I found a different non-Sunday option within easy driving distance. (At least, as easy as it may be to make it with five little kids for a 7 AM start time 30 minutes away.)

My Next Ride...

So I was searching the Flylady.net website for some back to school tips. Cause I need them right now. And there it was, the most helpful idea EVER!

"As a mother of 5, here are my two best "back to school" tips:

[I omitted the first tip cause it just wasn't that wonderful.]

This year for carpool, drive a limousine. That's what I do, they call me the Limo Mom. Used limos are cheap -- I bought mine for $3,000 -- and it's not near as hard to drive as you would imagine. There are no "secondary markets" for limos, once they are a bit worn out, they're a real bargain. Mine only had 60,000 miles. Try your local Auto Trader magazine and see what I mean. With 5 kids, I need lots of seatbelts and I tell you what, I'll never drive without a roll-up partition window again!"

I can TOTALLY see myself as the rockin' Limo Mom. And a partition? Though most of the time I like to hear what is going on with the kids, there are definitely times when a little isolation would be a welcome blessing. Why didn't I think of a limo when I was last in the market for a big car? (Read about that adventure here.)

So how much would YOU bid for this beaut? What would you think of a Limo Mom in your neighborhood? Would you want to be the Limo Mom?

(And Dave, really, how much would you bid?)