New Limits

The snow has been slowly disappearing and Finley has a newfound love for the outdoors. It amazes me how far those little legs carry him each day. This afternoon I loved watching him explore the backyard with his big brothers.

Hard Workin' Baby

 I get such a kick out of Finley lately. He has a huge obsession with my broom. If he had his way he would play with that thing from sun up to sun down. The broom closet is often the first thing he goes to when he wakes in the morning. As he toddles around the house I find myself ducking and dodging the tip of the broom as he likes to carry it near the bottom. And when it's time to put it away at night he throws a full on tantrum to protest. He is at such a fun stage right now. I always think I love the newborn stage the best, but this stage is definitely a close tie. 

Messy Mornings

 These kids get up crazy early most mornings. Today was no exception. Joseph was dressed and ready to go by 6:15am. He had already woken Camilla (who was also dressed) so I poured them both a bowl of cheerios to eat while I got myself up and ready. I was kneeling at the end of my bed saying a much needed morning prayer when miss Camilla came tip-toeing in and tapped me on the shoulder. I had already finished, but kept my eyes closed for just a few minutes more. I wasn't quite ready to face what the day had in store after being up all night with a croupy baby and a boy who's afraid of the dark. I'm not even sure my body remembers how to sleep through the night anymore. Turns out Joe had knocked his bowl of cheerios off the table and there was milk everywhere. I was glad I wasn't in the kitchen when it happened or I might not have been able to remain as calm as I did. I mopped it up as I breathed a heavy sigh. Tears of frustration definitely stung my eyes this morning. This dear, sweet little boy has knocked off more bowls of cheerios then I care to count in his short life time. I am considering banning cereal from our home all together!

Things started to turn around at lunch time though! The boys were happy and cooperative and even loved each other! 

 

It's these sweet moments that I live for. I was glad I had my phone nearby to snap a picture! I love the way Finley pulled Joseph in close, with his chubby little hand on his face. Hyrum hovered over to join in and makes the perfect "protective" big brother. Life sure is messy sometimes, but I wouldn't have it any other way with these three!!

Farewell January

 We have been waking up each morning to a fresh skiff of snow on the sidewalks. The weather has been so warm though that it mostly melts by the time the afternoon rolls around. January is always a tough month for me, so I was happy to wake to a new month today. After I sent Camilla out the door to the bus I put up my little heart wreath that I made a few years ago. It serves as a reminder that we can do hard things with the help of a loving Heavenly Father. 

The rest of the day was slow and easy. I spent the morning playing with the boys and finishing up a little crochet project. Whenever Finley wanted my attention he would come over and bite my pants. He found it quite amusing to make his Mamma jump and squirm. It drives me nuts-o. 

 By the late afternoon I figured we'd better do something, so the boys and I mixed up some dough for our traditional sugar cookies. (First year here) I let it chill in the fridge while I cleaned up the kitchen. 

Camilla got home just as the first pan came out and was so excited to decorate and eat them!

 Joe licked his knife probably a hundred times, so he has a special plate of all the cookies he decorated to munch this week.

I love celebrating Valentine's day all month long. The kids always put a little extra effort into showing love and giving service and our home always feels just a bit happier because of it.

Patience

The big kids went for a sleepover at Auntie Emma's this weekend and Joseph suddenly became the oldest child at home. I was crossing my fingers for a bit of extra sleep this morning but he came to my bedside at 5:00am and proudly proclaimed that he stayed in his bed "all night!" Then he promptly asked for breakfast. I pulled him in for a snuggle in hopes that he would drift back to sleep for another hour, but I had no luck.

We have been working on patience for quite a while. Joseph is a go-getter. When he wants something, he wants it now. If everyone is calling me for something, he makes sure he's the loudest so that I will hear him first. There are also up-sides to this though, like when he really wants to help you with something, he works pretty hard at it until it's done. He's a good kid.

At lunch time today he kept asking me for something over and over. "Joseph, honey, could you please be patient?" I asked. His reply, "Patience, like when I want my breakfast and I have to wait a long time?" A smirk formed on my face. "Exactly buddy, patience means waiting". 

Even if it's for your tired mamma at 5:00am.

I love that boy and his insightfulness.

Little Tid-bits

Daddy and I both hit the snooze button on our alarms and stay in bed until the last possible minute. The children soon begin trickling into our bedroom. Joe hops up for a cuddle, followed by Hyrum who is carrying his egg carton boat. He is anxious to float it, remembering the promise I had made him the night before. Joe flicks my light on and wanders over to his room to get dressed while I make my way to the kitchen. Between waking up three times to find someones lost nickel, changing bedding in the middle of the night, and a teething baby I didn't get a whole lot of sleep.

Finley plays quietly in his crib while I mix up a batch of pancakes to fill hungry tummies. I put the first one on to cook and retrieve Fin from his crib. He bounces with excitement when I walk into his room. As I near the edge of the crib he scans around for a "peace offering" and quickly passes me his sippy with a sleepy smile.  I scoop him up and nuzzle his cheeks. He kicks his legs happily so I set him down to run. He quickly finds his way to the table and everyone enjoys pancakes and homemade syrup. While they chow down we do a quick morning scripture study and send our school girl off with a family prayer.

I spend the morning listening to Joe and Finley giggle with glee as they chase each other around the main floor and I do dishes. I fall in love with Finley and his bo-legged walk, teetering side to side, laughter sneaking out with each step. 

While I clean the kitchen the boys float their boats in the tub. They are over the moon with excitement as they blow the sails and watch their boats swirl around. Hyrum makes plans for a crows nest on top of the sail and spends the day planning and scheming. 

After lunch we head out for a walk. We check the mail and make our way to the park for a swing. Finley's giggles rise up from deep inside his tummy and fill the air with pure joy. After a while we begin our short walk home. The boys find giant puddles and can't help but sprawl out in them, snow gear and all. They came home drenched, smiling from ear to ear. I am so looking forward to Summer.

Before long it's nap time. Joseph begs to stay up and since bed time's have been a little tricky I oblige. We have quiet time while Finley snoozes. Inevitably as soon as Joseph stops moving, he falls asleep (far too late in the afternoon). I let out a sigh and lay a blanket on him, knowing that this will destroy bed time, he looks so cute though!

When Camilla gets home from school they all take to the back deck for a picnic and fresh air. It almost feels like spring. Finley runs around the deck smiling his toothy grin, feeling free. I am excited for him to experience the outdoors in the warmer weather!

I put dinner in to cook and then head down stairs with the littles. I relax on the couch with my crochet project in hand releasing the craziness of the day out my finger tips. Finley brings me toy after toy, pleased with my gratitude, and before long I have a lap full of farm animals. 

Camilla takes an interest in her baby brother and pulls him up on her knee for a snuggle. She kisses his head and smells him. Even at one year old, he still carries that lovely baby/toddler scent. Something in between baby shampoo and arrowroot cookies. He smiles as she bounces him up and down on her lap, and I can't help but grin as they show love to one another. The play on the floor together and he tackles her to the ground with glee. It is noisy, but the kind of noise that fills me to the brim with joy. I love seeing my children interact with each other and show love. 

Joseph clutches a handful of papers, his new bed time story, written and illustrated by his big sister earlier that afternoon all about a happy family with a mom, a dad, three children, and a baby. He can hardly wait for me to read the three pages to him at bed time. 

Hyrum gets up from his drawing and joins Camilla and Finley on the floor, playing and laughing. They talk about how much they love their baby brother and how much fun he is to play with. Then Hyrum comes over to observe my work. He tells me how much he wishes the blanket I'm making was for him. Joseph comes over and compliments my color choices and tells me how much he wishes I would make him a blanket for Christmas. I wrap them in the small bit that I have completed and they smile.

Soon Daddy is home and we gather at the table for a late family dinner. I am pleased as they eat their plates all gone for once. Then the bedtime rush ensues. The littles wiggle into their jammies with many reminders, and then they brush their teeth. Night prayers are said and Daddy and I divide and conquer. I take the younger two up while Daddy reads with the older ones. 

I finish off my night with my hands in a hot, sudsy sink of water. I leave the kitchen clean with a candle flickering on a freshly wiped counter. The time after bedtime is so important. Spending time with Mr. Stannix, or working on my crochet projects soothes me after a long day. We relish in it until we can hardly keep our eyelids open and then we turn out the lights and head up to bed.

Steady

 Life has been pretty steady and the weeks keep rushing by. The children have decided to call a sleep strike and Joseph had a few doozie tantrums in the middle of the night. It's easier to just let him sleep in our bed, but I'm afraid it's becoming a bit of a bad habit. Last night I put my foot down, and he wasn't too happy about it. He still woke up bright and early this morning and brought the box of shreddies to my bed side begging for "bepest". As we sat together eating he tugged my arm and said, "Mommy, I love you up to the moon and back." I smiled and let out a sleepy sigh as I struggled to hold my eyelids open. The "I love you's" and watching him sleep for a few minutes at nap time always help get me through my day after a rough night.

I had some chicken pot pie filling in the fridge and some meat waiting to be made into lasagne. I mustered up all my strength and put together some pie crust while Hyrum sat quietly in his own little world and drew picture after picture. I love that budding artist of mine! 

The bread worked it's magic while the pie crust chilled.  My kitchen was sparkly clean this morning, but it never stays that way for long. I made three loaves of bread, a dozen cinnamon buns, two chicken pot pies and a lasagna. It was a busy couple of hours, but it felt good to be productive!

Once everything was finished I was wishing I could curl up for an afternoon nap, just like Finley. Instead, I curled up on the couch with a partly finished blanket on my lap and worked another row. Maneuvering the hook and pulling up yarn is soothing.  The children played happily and jumped up for cuddles every now and again. 

Daddy had a sick day today and we loved having him around. Hyrum drew him lots of pictures and Finley was super excited to see him throughout the day. We had a great Family Home Evening lesson and tucked each child in with a story and a back rub. I am ready to put up my feet and add another row to my blanket before bed!

Fresh Air

 When Camilla got home from school today I threw my afternoon plans out the window and decided to head to the park with the littles. Everything was melting and there were puddles of slush everywhere. They had fun splashing in the slushy puddles and rolling snowballs. The air was fresh and exhilarating. Finley was thrilled to be hanging out with his older siblings! He loves getting outside any chance he can. It was a much needed break from dishes and being cooped up. We all went home feeling less grumpy than when we left! 

 

Multiplying my Love

It's been a long day and I am more than ready to fall into bed and sleep for twelve hours straight (or even three). There's baby drool and snot all over my clothes and a brown spot on my pants which could either be a smear of ginger cookie or something else.  Nights have been long lately with a three year old who somehow always ends up in our bed, and a little one who is currently cutting his twelve month molars. Yikes. Throw in the odd middle of the night sheet change, walking the halls to sooth the baby,  and you have my last two weeks. 

Last night I fell asleep feeling incredibly lonely and unfulfilled. I had spent my day doing dishes, baking treats and bread, tidying over and over again, running errands, picking up dry cleaning, navigating grocery stores with the littles and craving adult conversation. Mr. Stannix is in the heat of busy season and hasn't been getting home until late. I'm still trying to kick this awful cold that has caused me to lose my voice and feel achy all day (which I probably got from being over tired), and I'm exhausted. It doesn't matter how much I clean throughout the day, the dishes still end up in the sink shortly after I've finished and paper clippings magically reappear on the floor under the craft table. 

Being a mother is a non-stop job and I've come to discover one qualification for motherhood is the ability to move from one task to the next without actually completing anything. The laundry never gets completely folded before someone calls for lunch. The dishes are never really finished because you have to pause for a diaper change or homework help. And our basement will never be completely tidy. It's a good thing I'm a just-roll-with-it kinda girl or I'm sure I'd be insane by now.

I kind of lost it one night last week. We had just come to the witching hour after a hairy day where no one seemed to be getting along. I started dinner while Finley opened doors and drawers in the kitchen spilling tupperware all over the floor and unfolding my dish towels. He would open the door to the garbage and slowly reach his hand in for the prized empty yogurt container like it was a rare treasure. I stirred spaghetti sauce and alternated holding the drawer shut with my right foot and the door to the garbage shut with my left as Finley whizzed back and forth giggling hysterically at my frustration. Eventually I put up the baby gate and gave him free range on the bedrooms. I heard him emptying his drawers and imagined the pile of unfolded clothes that was now covering his floor, but I didn't even care because I needed a few minutes of sanity. Camilla asked what's for dinner and I quickly responded. "Guess what's for dinner!?" she shouted to the boys, "Spaghettiiiiii! And the crowd goes WILD!" And wild they were. After about the hundredth complaint I had grown tired of who hit who first and ended up chucking my wooden spoon at the stove (hard enough that I had to wipe sauce off my cupboards, microwave, and the ceiling later). Some days are just plain rough! As we read scriptures that night Camilla plunked down beside me and put her arm around me tenderly, knowing I had a rough day. Her thoughtfulness amazes me!

I always search for special moments throughout my day to keep me going until bedtime. Last week I baked cinnamon buns and timed them so that they would come out of the oven just as our favorite sister got off the bus. The door flew open as she bobbed into the house. "Cinnamon buns!" she exclaimed, "My nose knows!" They all gathered around the kitchen table and enjoyed their warm cinnamon buns as they discussed their days and plans for play. At that moment, my mother heart smiled.

The boys are a lot of fun these days! As I draw things for them or play with them I hear Hyrum say, "Mom, you're a genius!" Joseph echos his older brother, "Yeah, you're a geen-yus!"

Finley has picked up a lot of hilarious things lately and often watching his older siblings and copies them. I picked Camilla up from school today and shouted to the backseat, "Do you guys want a smoothie when we get home?" "YEAHH!" they all shouted in unison. A second later Finley turned his head towards me and echoed, "EAHHH!!!" The kids thought it was so hilarious they made me ask them three more times just to hear him copy them again. When we got home I mixed up a delicious smoothie with an avocado and a huge handful of spinach snuck in for good measure.

One afternoon I heard the two little boys giggling in the bathroom and came in to find Finley splashing around in the toilet while Joseph giggled in the corner. I let out a small sigh and pursed my lips as the corners curled up into a small smile. Little boys and toilets is an all too familiar thing in our house.

When I change Finley's bum Hyrum wraps his arms around my neck from behind and gives me a piggy-back hug. I sure love that tender boy of mine.

Camilla's been really into making bracelets for her friends at school. The other day she gave one to a girl that she's been having a hard time with. After the kids were in bed I opened up her agenda and found a little folded card tucked into the front pocket. It was written by this little girl and I was so proud of Camilla I could have cried! The note read 'To Camilla. You are my best frend. Theincyoo for the braslit' and finished by signing her name. I was so glad that Camilla had decided to be nice to this girl even though she wasn't being nice to her. Things are now much better between them. I think this little girl just needed a friend.

It amazes me how much children can teach us. Whenever I'm feeling lonely I just have to remind myself of the love that surrounds me each day as I go about my motherly duties. These short people are the only one's who can drive me totally crazy and fill me with so much love all in the same breath. My heart aches for them as I fall asleep at night thinking about all of the things they are going to face in this crazy world. They are growing so fast and I am enjoying life as we roll into this next phase. I love that they catch my jokes and laugh at some of the same things I do. I have to constantly remind myself to relax and just enjoy.

I love the Family Circus cartoon by Bil Keane where a mother of four is asked, "How do you divide your love between four children?" and she replies, "I don't divide it. I multiply it." Even on really hard days such as these, I believe this answer entirely. 

Lunchtime

 I woke up with hardly any voice this morning (which I'm sure makes my kids super happy). Finley hugged my legs in the kitchen while I made some blueberry pancakes. The children devoured their breakfast while I packed Camillas lunch and before I knew it she was off to catch the bus. We spent the morning running some errands and ended up having to go to more places than we wanted to because one store was out of eggs, except the organic kind which are like six bucks and there was no way I was paying that much for eggs. One our way to get the eggs at another store I noticed that cases of soup and itchyban were on sale for a steal! I added them to the cart and we all made our way to the checkout just as Finley fell asleep in the carrier on my back. When we got home, he woke up super happy and thoroughly enjoyed his itchyban! This guy is such a goon lately and sometimes he's the biggest reason I make it through my day.

 *sweet and innocent*