keeping it real

In an effort to remember real life, I need to document some of it how it really is. I have a good memory but I always seem to manage to forget things...like when my kids ask who was the hardest baby and why, or who the best sleeper was, or who the most clingy was (ALL except Emma). I want to remember those details.

Sadie was pretty easy her first 6 weeks. She would sleep in the car seat, she was a decent sleeper at night, she ate well, etc. But man! She is now showing her feistiness, which I can SO appreciate - I love feisty girls with attitude. I just wish she wouldn't show it with me.

This girl HATES her car seat. Absolutely detests the thing. Which is sad because it is so stinkin cute. When we need to go somewhere, I always have to weigh just how important it is that we go. If she is in the car more than 5 minutes she will scream bloody murder. She has two moods right now -- happy and TICKED. Her scream makes me absolutely batty; I can't take it.

Sadie only likes to be held upright (over your shoulder). She will only sleep on her belly (I know!!). She won't take a binky. I try every single day. But...man, she is cute. Right? Her tongue-y smile melts my heart. That is her survival mechanism.

Tanner is adorable. Seriously. But he is not patient. At the end of the day if I have managed to cycle the laundry through (forget about sorting and folding) or cleaned one bathroom it is a success. Which just makes me laugh. It is amazing how times can change so quickly. The big kids are easy easy. I love when they are home because they are great helpers. But they are busy too, which means we are all busy. Homework, activity days, sports, piano... I love all the activities that don't involve us going anywhere (avoiding putting a certain baby in a car seat). It's just busy, and that is ok. At least we aren't bored.

Spencer works a lot. Shocker, right? Every night at 7:30 I have about had it, and that is when I call and as nicely as possible beg him to find a way to come home. Saturdays are manageable with him at work because I have Emma and Tyler. Bless them. Sundays are heaven, at least the ones when Spencer doesn't have lots of church responsibilities. And this is our season of life. In a year I know I'll be sad this stage is over. Right now it's all about survival.

january blah

January is cold and bleak, and I am doing all I can to keep myself from feeling the same. Having a baby really is hard stuff. I spend almost every minute feeding Sadie, trying to keep her happy, or trying to get her to sleep...just to have her only sleep for 15 minutes. She hates the car seat, so driving more than a few minutes is unbearable for all of us. Figuring out a baby is a fluid thing; once I "get" her, everything is different.

BUT. Honestly, what is sweeter than a baby's big toothless grin? Sadie is a good smiler during those precious few minutes when she is happy. She now loves to look at herself in the mirror. As much as I don't want her to grow up, I can't wait until she is happy and awake for longer periods of time so I can maybe get a few things done again. Knowing that this is my last chance to mother a newborn gets me through.

This incredible lady I know asked to photograph Sadie for a photography class. I put her in this dress for one reason...Emma wore it for her first portraits. The pictures are sweet, and while it is clear I was not planning on taking part, I still had to let Judy include me in a few. Tanner was a good subject as well. I am so glad I have this documented (9 weeks old).

More than halfway through the month!

christmas vacation part 2

Spencer had been talking about taking the kids sledding for several weeks. With the recent rainstorms we had, we knew that there would be tons of snow if we got high enough. He wisely (?) decided that if we took the motorhome he could convince me to go, and I wouldn't really have an excuse to say no.

We went with another family of 6 in the motorhome, and 3 other families we're friends with drove up and met us. It was gorgeous! The trees were so heavy with snow...

but the sun was out and it was "warm." I took Sadie out for a while, and walked around and took some pictures. Then we made lunch and had hot chocolate in the motorhome and several people went sledding again.

Spencer is notorious for having his tongue out when doing anything remotely exhilarating. Seriously. A couple kids (Sadie mostly) take after him.

Poor Tanner would get sprayed right in the face with snow when he sledded. After he had enough of this

he started doing this. He is in there somewhere.

 

And then he was DONE. Just like that.

Rochelle had him in the very beginning before it slowly went downhill (ha ha)...

The other two were little animals and went again and again with their friends.

The drive home was brutal with 8 semi-grumpy, hungry, exhausted children. But worth the memories! I got my fill of the cold; I'm ready for 80 degrees again.

christmas vacation part 1

Since we were away for Thanksgiving and had nowhere to go for Christmas, we knew we had to do more than just stay home the whole 2 weeks.

Back when we went on our cruise in April/May, we booked through priceline and still had a free hotel night to use before the end of the year. We chose to go to Monterey on Christmas night, stay over, and go to the aquarium the next day. We knew that leaving the afternoon of Christmas would be wise, as we would all have cabin fever by then.

Christmas morning was just how I like it. I secretly want to still get up at 5 - I have that little kid excitement inside of me. We heard the kids whispering in the hallway outside our room at 6:15 so we got up since Sadie was still asleep. Our little Christmas miracle was that Sadie slept in until 7:45! So we got to enjoy presents with the 3 older ones. There is nothing quite like Christmas morning. I want to keep an image of Tyler's excited face in my mind forever...

By noon we all needed to get out. We surprised the kids with our plans and headed out. Instead of stopping in Monterey, we decided to drive for a bit on Hwy 1. Not many little people in the car were thrilled with that decision, but it was gorgeous. Someday we will drive more of it, perhaps when the littles are no longer little.

The hotel wasn't super great, THREE of our kids snored loudly, and I think 6 people just doesn't work for 1 hotel room anymore. We needed to get dinner that night (Christmas) and seeing that most places were closed we headed to Denny's. It was strange and s-l-o-w, not so yummy, we felt a little out of place, and we finally just had to laugh. We didn't sleep much that night. The next day we got to the aquarium early and after 3 hours we had seen absolutely everything. Spencer said the kids are like me - we keep moving constantly through museums and the like. :) That being said, this aquarium is amazing.

Fun/crazy little getaway.