Family Time....is it Worth It?

Derek has resumed traveling.

Uggh.

I miss him so much while he's away.  He is definitely my right-hand man, and the support he provides for me emotionally and physically is __________.  I can't even describe it.  I just feel so much better and the household runs smoother with Daddy around.  Too bad I'm already aware of 3 more trips where he is requested before May.  Oh well....life goes on.

Here's a picture of part of one of the dinners I made while he was away.  I texted "see what you are missing?"  His response:  "Dinner at 4 p.m.?"  Well, you do what you have to do....and cooking at 

4 p.m. was my best option that day.

Since Daddy was gone for almost a week, I felt that a day off was due!  He took today off and the plan was to go to the Durham L&S Museum.  I went back and forth over whether or not Jamison and I should join them or stay home for a morning nap.  It stinks, because this is supposed to be a family day, and I hate to miss it....so we decided to all go.  

We had a good time.  Unfortunately, Jamison fell asleep for the last 10 minutes in the car and decided that was his nap.  For the ENTIRE DAY!  Not good.  Not good at all.  

Here is Jamison during his afternoon nap after I gave up after 45 min - 1 hour of crying and got him up.  He seems happy here to be sprung.  Thank goodness I was able to put him down for a power nap about 3:30.  I needed a break.  Even though Derek was off he had to waste spend time taking the van to the dealership to figure out what was making the brakes make a thudding sound.  Add to that getting ready for the crazy consignment sale drop off and getting groceries and it was one crazy Monday.  

As for Family time, I'd like more please.  Just gimme a nap too.  

Small Group Time!

I've been wanting to be a part of a "Small Group" for some time now.

For many reasons, it just hasn't worked out.

I finally decided to recruit my own group and give it a go.  Tonight was our "kick-off" with a chili pot luck.  It was a success!  I'm still hoping to find one more family (for a total of 6) but so far, so good.  

The group is made up of 5 families in our church all with "preschool-age" kids.  There are a few (3) siblings that are in school, but the majority is the under 5 set.  I was looking for a group like this so we would have this in common and keep nap schedules (see this post) in mind.  My ship runs best on a schedule, and therefore I have more fun when my children can keep to their schedules and aren't cranky.  I wanted a picture of all the kids and I predicted there would be a problem with at least one of the four.  Who knew it would be Maverick:

Here's the rest of the agreeable children.  

We had a great night and can't wait to get together again in February!

Singing at Church!

We like to dress up for church. 

We have "church clothes."

I like to make the effort for the boys to wear nicer things to church, and they look so stinkin cute, that I usually want to take pictures!  This time, my two middles obliged me.

Brighton and Maverick sang in the Cherub Choir this morning.  I think I saw Maverick sing some of the words this time (he knows all the songs, but get shy up on stage).  He definitely did the hand motions.  Chandler & Brighton are similar in most regards, but Maverick is definitely his own person.  During the children's sermon he actually answered one of the pastor's questions, and although I wasn't  close enough to hear everything he was saying and understand it, he certainly had something to say.  Chandler was probably in Kindergarten before he would speak up, and I don't think Brighton has yet. Our pastor just smiled and told Maverick that he'd take his word for it.

The children's choir also sang this morning, and Chandler did well as usual.  It just warms my heart to see how my children are growing in their faith and learning more and more about Jesus each day.

Getting the Wiggles Out!

These boys had energy to burn, and I really needed them to get some wiggles out.

The weather outside was horrible, tornado-ish even, and rain, rain, rain....

Even though I'm with the boys by myself today, I thought a trip to Monkey Joes was in order.  We've never been there, but I had a coupon, and also won a birthday party certificate, so I thought we should check it out beforehand.

Chandler & Brighton were so good about watching/helping Maverick for me while I filled out all the forms to reserve a party.  I'm not sure if Maverick actually went inside any of the inflatables, but he eventually just hung out with me at the counter while I finished.  Finally that was all done, but I had to nurse Jamison, so then when that was done, I told Maverick I'd play with him.    Maverick wanted no part of going inside any of the inflatables, which is frustrating when you have:

1. Paid for all this "Fun" he is supposed to be having
2. Taken him here to burn off some energy and he just wants to sit and watch

So I did what any other good parent would do and I went inside one of the inflatables (while holding Jamison, nonetheless) and waited patiently for Maverick to join me.  My trick worked and he was having fun in no time.  Poor Jamison was clinging to me for dear life and wanted no part of the "bouncy house" experience.  I probably sat inside the bouncy house while Maverick played for about 45 minutes.  He made friends with a little boy (black shirt) who along with his sister, kept photo-bombing all my pictures.

The big boys were good and sweaty by the time we called it quits.  It was worth it to not have my house destroyed and not listening to the noise that would come along with that.

Bathtime Cuties

Tonight, the big boys were at Mimi & Grandaddy Bob's.  I had the two little ones, solo, and it was so much easier than I thought it would be.  Reduce my load by 1/2 and everything seems easy, breezy.

I was so on top of my game that I gave the little guys a bath.  Jamison has graduated to not using any bath supports/seats.  We just have to keep the water level a little lower and keep an eye on him :)

They had a good time, and like normal I put lotion on them after baths.  Jamison has had a rash that is constantly there, just not always as red, since the start of the year.  I'm not sure what is causing it, and the doctor didn't think much of it when he looked at it on the 3rd.  Anyways, I thought it was looking particularly bad now, so I snapped a picture to track it's progress.

Hopefully some hydrocortisone cream will help!  It doesn't seem to both Jamie though.

I made it to Bethlehem!

I made it to Bethlehem!  I wasn't sure that I would make it there, but I did.  I'm proud of myself for not giving up and getting discouraged, but pressing forward each day and getting there with the Wisemen (January 6th), for a total of 101.3 miles 

Here's a little background as written by my pastor: 

The metaphor of the Christian life as a journey is well attested throughout Christian history.  In fact, one of the earliest names given to Christianity was “the Way,” the road, the path.  Friends, we are on a journey together.  Are you familiar with the story at the end of Luke’s gospel we call “The Walk to Emmaus?”  It is a story about two of Jesus’ disciples walking together on that first Easter Sunday.  The important detail to remember is that these two are disciples.  They are individuals who knew Jesus well.  They are not outsiders.  They are insiders.  Despite their inclusion within the ranks of the disciples they do not recognize the identity of the stranger who joins them in their walk.  They do not recognize Jesus.  It is only as they walk the long road together that the stranger’s identity is slowly revealed to them.  The story functions as a parable about our lives as followers of Jesus.  Discipleship is a walk that takes us from a rudimentary understanding of a God out there somewhere to the realization that God’s presence permeates our life.

Until recently I had never made the connection between the word “travel” and the word “travail,” but it makes sense to me.  Often times to get somewhere new requires some work–strenuous work.  You have to work to move.  The work, the travail, the travel, and the destination are all part of a seamless whole.  It is a process, not a point in time.  In an article on religious pilgrimages it was noted that the original notion of pilgrimage, regardless of religious tradition, was that getting there was more important than the destination.  The Emmaus story is programmatic.  It is our story.  

Our church challenged us to make the walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the same walk that Mary and Joseph made over 2,000 years ago.  The distance is approximately 99 miles.  Now I know that many of you are runners or even walkers, of which I am neither.  You could easily knock out 99 miles in a period of days or perhaps weeks.  Me, well, I'm just glad I made it there by 1/6.  

It's not that I don't want to walk.  I do enjoy a nice walk, in the sunshine, on a warm day.  But walking in December, on many days where it has been rainy and/or cold has not been my idea of a good time.  Keeping in my the fact that when I walk, I am not alone.  I am walking at a toddler's pace, or pushing a stroller, or carrying a child, or both, and it's no wonder it took me so long to arrive.  Most days I did between 2.5-3.5 miles and this was in the confines of my house.  Yes, that's how much walking around I do everyday inside.  I imagine if I had been outside playing and running with my children more, that the total would have been higher.  I did try to actually "walk" on two occasions.  

One day it was raining and I took the littlest two to the mall and pushed them around for 30 minutes before the crying to get out was more than I wanted to endure.  The other day was New Year's Eve, where the family went to a park and walked maybe 1.5 miles.  Once again, the "walk" ended due to the little guy being tired of just sitting still.  

All-in-all, I did enjoy the journey once I realized I should not be discouraged that I would't arrive by Christmas.  It was more about being purposeful in my efforts and trying my best.  Hopefully I will get there earlier next time :)

Jamie is 9 months (aka 9 months in, 9 months out)

Wow!  Jamison is 9 months old already.  The time is just flying by.  These past two weeks with all the boys home has been fun, yet exhausting.  I tell you, the energy around here is non-stop!  Luckily, Derek has been home for most of it to help me keep these four occupied.

Jamison has been living in PJs for the most part.  We've been enjoying our non-school days and relaxing, so I figure why not.  Plus he got a few new pairs for Christmas and if he doesn't wear them now, he'll outgrow them in no time flat.  

Jamison now has 4 teeth (2 upper, 2 lower)  I think he was enjoying feeling them with his tongue or something this day.  The tongue was out a lot!

It's hard for him to sit still for a picture.  What do you mean I have to sit, Mom?  I'm outta here!

Caught getting ready to go!

Okay, I'll sit, but make this quick.

Chandler offered to hold him still.  I love how these guys share a birthday.  I hope they will always be close like they are now.  Chandler is so caring towards Jamie.

Jamison can now pull up to a stand (if he has the right object in front of him).  His crawling is still his own brand, but he is doing more of the military style, and less of the head/shoveling/twisting/scrunching.  He is also getting up on all fours occasionally, but that is not his preferred style.  Just after Christmas he started "sleeping through the night."  To me this means not nursing from the time I lay him down (7:30 p.m.) till the time he gets up for good (7:30 a.m.)  It's been a blessing and a slight problem as well.  He still occasionally wakes up and has to be settled, and a few times this has meant feeding him, but the main problem has been with breastfeeding.

This guy has always had a strong side-preference.  So with sleeping through the night (dropping a feeding), teething, and a slight cold he has totally given up on the one side!  So annoying.  Iv'e been pumping once a day, but this doesn't maintain my supply (on the one side) so my choices are pump 4x a day (so annoying) or just let him be a one-sided baby.  It would be nice if he would take both sides, so I will try pumping 4x a day for a week, to see if the supply will go back up, and he won't keep rejecting it....oh the things we do for our babies!

9 month stats:

Weight: 19 lbs (~40%)

Length: 27.5" (14%)

Head: 47.15 cm (96%)