A Snapshot of Life

The other day I found myself scrolling through the blog archive in the year 2012. So many adorable pictures and wonderful memories were brought back to me. I adored our old little white, two bedroom home on the tree lined streets of Edmonton. I loved being a mamma to two littles who said the cutest things every day. There was a lot about Hyrum when he was around Fin's age. I was suddenly so grateful that I took the time to record all of those memories. I had forgotten almost everything in most of those posts, the way the kids talked, the funny things they used to say. It was so fun reading back and remembering that stage of life again. 

We've come a long way since then and life keeps chugging along. The children are growing before my eyes and there are days when they just wake up and seem more mature than the day before. It's been a while since I've done a little "snapshot" of life, so I started jotting things down last week about each of the children and where they're at right now. 

Camilla is loving school and reading so well! She keeps complaining that her books are too easy and begging her teacher to move her up a level. I'm glad she's comfortable with her books and doing well in school. She has such a great sense of humor and loves telling jokes at the dinner table! Her optimism is still a huge part of her life and I am grateful for the ray of sunshine that she is when I'm having a tough day. The other day she melted my heart while I watched them play at the park. Joe had fallen down and she immediately ran to his rescue and wrapped him in a big bear hug to console him. She truly is a little mamma at heart. As the boys raced to the swing Camilla waited to be last. She lifted Joe onto the swing after a couple of tries and pushed both her brothers in turn. She is such a petite little girl with such a big heart. She has always been so full of love for those around her, so thoughtful. She is a great problem solver and has a quick mind. Lately I've enjoyed her wit and humor and the way she makes me laugh. She's often the one that rescues Finley from his crib in the morning. It's pretty funny watching such a petite little girl lift such a big boy, but she loves it!

Hyrum still adores drawing, crafting, and art. He will spend all day constructing things out of the recycling (and then I spend all night picking up pieces of cardboard and paper). He has an awesome imagination and is full of creativity. He loves to build and plan things. One thing I've learned about Hyrum recently is how much he is motivated by love (I suppose we all are in one way or another). When I am more loving in my approach he responds so much better! He is learning to help his brothers without being asked. The other day he zipped Joe's coat up when they were headed to the park. At bed time Joe told me that it was the best part of his day. They were feelin' the love that day. I shared with Hyrum what Joe told me and he tried to hide his smile under his covers. Humility is another awesome characteristic that Hyrum has. Whenever I notice the good things he does and mention them at bed time, I find he is more aware of his actions and excited to be good again the next day. He is learning more about being a big brother. He has started being more accommodating and gentle with his little brothers. We still have lots of moments where they can't seem to sit by each other during scripture study without elbowing, poking, or teasing, but we have had a few blissful mornings of play where things just click and they get along great! His newest accomplishment is learning to ride his two wheeler! It was such a confidence builder for him. This week he's been practicing on the little hill in our backyard. It's a nice small stretch that helps him work on starting, stopping, and balancing on his own. 

Joseph is all boy. The other day he drew me a picture and said, "Look, Mom! A Happy face. I drew it all myself. There's a nose....and boogers..." Sigh. He also always aims his toots at me and exclaims, "I tooted in your face, Mom!" while he giggles uncontrollably. We are in trouble. Some days we will make it through without any potty talk and he will proudly tell me, "I didn't say yucky words today! Like poop...or bum..." Sheesh. Aside from his boyish tendencies I have really noticed how grown up he's becoming. He is more thoughtful, gentle, kind and service minded. He loves to help. He is my one kid that tells me at least 100 times a day how much he loves me. It's usually in those moments where he feels my love like when we're sitting on the couch together, or he's helping me bake cookies. He loves unloading the dishwasher and putting the soap in after I've re-loaded it. I am no longer his teacher in primary and it's been funny asking him what he learned in his class. One Sunday he came home and said, "We learned about water, and Jacob, and the Lamanites were THIRRR-STY!" He cracks me up every day. He refuses to graduate into Hyrum's old bike with training wheels. He loves the thrill of his little trike and has worn out a couple pairs of shoes using his toes to stop. The other day on the biking trail he found a grassy hill and asked if he could try it out. The first time he did great and the second time he thought it might be fun to go down backwards. Daddy witness the end of his epic crash and burn. All I saw was him picking himself up off the ground while spitting grass. He didn't cry a bit!

And then there's Mr. Finley. He is in a climbing phase and likes to climb EVERYTHING. He loves climbing on our little kindergarten table in the basement to look out the window. He climbs onto the couch by crawling under one cushion and up to the other side. He babbles and points non-stop. When he gets really chatty the kids start giggling and telling me how cute he is. No one knows what he's saying, but it's pretty cute. The other day when Camilla came home he was the only one inside and he ran up to her excitedly and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. It was a heart melter for sure. He loves when Daddy comes home! Another one of his favorite things to do is suck the juice out of the kids markers. They are constantly on marker duty and I am always reminding them to put the lids on and put them away. His favorite thing to say is, "Ohhh YEAH!" and he has also learned how to say "Yes". He has a pretty great audience and loves being the "class clown". He gets us all laughing pretty hard and I know he loves every second of it. If he wants something he shows you. The other day he wanted to join his brothers at the park. I was doing dishes so he grabbed my hand and led me downstairs to the door, grabbed his boots, and pointed outside. The dishes waited until we got home, and he was the happiest one year old on the block. I think his biggest change is the fact that he sleeps 11-12 hours EVERY night now. I have been spoiled with 8-10 hours of sleep each night and it has been amazing!

In January we were pleasantly surprised to learn that we were expecting baby #5. We have always wanted five and I couldn't be happier with the gap between this baby and Finley. It's been a crazy three months and I've been holding my breath hoping things would work out. After experiencing the loss of a baby it's sometimes hard not to worry! But today I heard the heartbeat at the doctors office and it was the most comforting thing ever! We are looking forward to meeting this baby mid-September. Camilla keeps calling the baby "she" in hopes that it will be a girl. They are all excited to have another baby in the house and I'm glad that I have so many little helpers!

So there's a little bit of life right now. We are in a busy season with all these littles, but we love it. We feel blessed to have such great kids. Mike's still enjoying his job, he's good at what he does and provides well for all of us. I am grateful that I get to be home and witness all of these cute moments while the children are growing! Life is good, crazy sometimes, but good.

In the Late Afternoon

I know I take a lot of pictures of this guy sleeping, but when he falls asleep in his chair I just can't resist. As I did up the dishes late this afternoon I watched him rub his eyes and eventually nod off. He had screamed and protested his afternoon nap just a few hours earlier, so I knew he needed a little snooze. I reclined his chair and listened to him snore while I finished up the last few pots, wishing I could join him.

It Gets Better, I Promise

Daddy woke up sick today, and it was daylight savings. Anyone with kids knows that's a bad combination of events. So I picked out a dress that makes me feel happy and put on a smile as I mentally prepared myself for church with four littles.

As we went out the door the kids were already complaining of hunger (even though we JUST had breakfast). I gave them each a snack for the drive, which only made them thirsty, resulting in a trip to the water fountain shortly after arriving. We made it to our seats with ten minutes to spare, which is pretty good for a one mamma show. Joseph proved to be the most difficult as he began sprawling out on the bench and squishing the older two. Then he lost something under the bench and when he hopped off to retrieve it Camilla accidentally kicked him in the head. I hauled Finley and Joe out while he screamed, one on each hip, and sat in the foyer until Joe calmed down enough to go back in. We made it through the sacrament hymn and then Joseph wiggled and squirmed through the prayer. He was being loud, and giggly, and frustrating, so I took both of them out again crossing my fingers that the older two would behave themselves. I dropped Joseph on the couch and sat down beside him as tears welled in my eyes and ran down my face. It is so hard to enjoy Sundays with littles. As I sat there red faced, and teary eyed a few people trickled in late. One dear sister sat across from me, looked over with an endearing smile and said, "It gets better, I promise." I smiled as I blinked away tears.

When the sacrament ended we went back to our seat and I found the older two fighting. "She kicked me!" "Hyrum threw my tiger into another bench!" Camilla was in tears and both of them were trying to justify their actions. I about started to cry again and sent them to different ends of the bench while another sister came and walked Joe to her bench to sit for a while. I envisioned the terrible scene they must of caused as they kicked and fought during what was supposed to be the most reverent part of the whole meeting and I felt totally embarrassed! 

After the meeting I threw Finners in the carrier on my back and bounced him to sleep while I taught my class of seven year olds. It went surprisingly well, and I was grateful to teach such good kids! He slept through the last two blocks of church which gave me just the breather I needed. 

Once I had everyone belted in the car I gave them all a nice little pep talk I had been working on during the last hour of church. I explained to them the importance of the meeting and how they didn't just ruin it for them, but for everyone else around them. I told them Daddy would definitely be hearing about it and we would talk more when we got home. As we drove the older two whispered in the back seat. They were quick to jump out of the van, and tried to be on their best behavior. 

While I made up grill cheese sandwiches for lunch one of them snuck into the kitchen and left a card on the counter that said "Dear Mom, I love you. Wen you are dun reding this in a fu minits, cum into Hyrums room." I went downstairs to find a "Sorry" sign taped to Hyrums door. When I opened it they shouted, "SURPRISE! WE LOVE YOU!" They gave me some big hugs and said they were sorry. As we walked up stairs together they said, "Does this mean you don't have to tell Daddy anymore?" I couldn't help but chuckle. Then in Hyrum's lunch prayer he blessed that "Camilla, Hyrum and Joe would be gooder next Sunday". 

Thank goodness for the sweet moments that help take away the bitter. We made it through, and that smile is back on my face again.

Two Wheels

 Today Mr. H pretty much mastered his two wheeler! Daddy and I took turns working with him and jogging beside him. It didn't take him long though! Teaching a child to walk, or ride a bike is always interesting. There's lots of moments where you're cringing, or closing your eyes and hoping for the best! He had a few good falls, but walked away without any scrapes. We need to work a little bit more before he can start on his own, but he did so good! Camilla was a good cheerleader. Everyone came home tuckered out and rosy cheeked. They were all excited when bed time rolled around!

Spontaneous Delight

 Today we woke to a mini snuggle session in our bed. The children trickled in from oldest to youngest and when Fin started chatting from his crib his big sister went in and helped him out. Before long they were all cuddled in our bed with happy morning smiles. 

As I made breakfast the sun came up nice and bright, quickly melting the morning frost off the roof tops. We waved Daddy off to work, sent Camilla out the door, and did a morning clean. After a nice visit from some new friends, Finley went for a morning nap. The boys and I made up our favorite chocolate chip cookies and refilled the empty cookie jar. We put aside a plate to bring to a friend who surprised me with chocolate bars the week before to help me through a tough day.

 

 On our way home the sun was begging us to play! I spontaneously pulled over at the first park we spotted and asked the boys if they wanted to play. Even Finley cheered as I let them run from the van. The big boys climbed up and slid down the play structure at least 100 times, happy to be outside. It was meant for older kids, but I hauled Finley up to the twirly slide at least a dozen times just to listen to his belly laugh as he slid down to his brother's waiting arms. This spinning bowl thing was Hyrum's favorite and I loved listening to him laugh and giggle as he spun around and around. When we got home they were all more agreeable and helpful. They hung up their jackets and Hyrum even asked if he could help me by putting the rest of the cookies away in the jar.

 In the afternoon the boys BEGGED me to let them fill the sink with water (again) so they could play with their army men. They had already soaked three pairs of pants with their knees up on the counter and I wasn't keen on the mess, so I let them have a bowl of water on the deck instead. The weather is insanely warm for this time of year and we are going to soak up every ray of sun we can!

Finley loved being outside with his big brothers. It was super cute watching them all together. Camilla joined them when she got home from school and they ate snacks together while they played. The fun soon came to an end when somebody decided to start a water fight and they all started feeling the cold. Then it was cozy blankets and a movie while I made up some dinner.

DIY Saturday

 Oh, it was a busy day at the Stannix home! We woke up feeling ambitious and decided to tackle a few of the things we've been meaning to get to. Everyone woke fairly well rested, and not too early. The children spent the whole morning being bottomless pits and enjoying first, second, and third breakfasts. Toast, porridge, eggs, it never ends! I was so excited when I noticed my tulips had popped on my table!

The littles played away the morning, and when they started fighting we loaded everyone into the van and went for a drive to Wal-Mart for some paint. The customer service was less than enjoyable and after a really long wait my little tin of paint turned out black. We loaded everyone back into the  van and headed to home hardware (why we didn't go there first I don't know).

Three of the four kids fell asleep on the way, so Joe came in with me while Daddy waited in the van. I fell in love with the perfect shade of yellow and was given optimal customer service. Daddy worked hard all afternoon painting, doing up my dishes and playing with the kids. We did a second coat on it late this afternoon and it turned out pretty good!

I'm excited to put it in Finley's room and move his dresser over to Joe who has been in dire need of a dresser since we moved in. At our old place the kids all shared rooms and dressers, so we were short a dresser or two when we moved in. Joe was excited to finally have a dresser and I'm excited for him to be able to get his own clothes out each morning and dress himself.

I'm so grateful for my Mr. Stannix and all his hard work today! It was fun painting the dresser together.

Here Comes the Sun

Today we woke up to blue skies and sunshine! My two very favorite things. It almost made me forget how many times I had to get out of bed for Joseph last night. Just before I opened my eyes I could hear our fridge alarm sounding to let us know the door had been left open for too long. I then heard a chair quietly scoot and the door shut. I came into the kitchen to find a happy little three year old quietly helping himself to some yogurt at the kitchen table. Joseph continued to be quiet and thoughtful all morning and I fell in love with the kid all over again!

Daddy went in to work a little later, which is always a treat! We waved to Camilla as her bus drove by the house (it's tradition) and then enjoyed a slow breakfast at the big table while the sun warmed our faces. 

I waited as long as I could for it to warm up enough to head out and explore with the boys. Hyrum took some convincing, but Joseph was eager. We walked down the block a ways and then through a little path that leads to a pond. We walked all the way around, until the wind became too much and the boys started to complain. 

Once we made it back to the garage I left Finley's stroller in the sun and began sorting the recycling while he watched. Joseph, being the hard worker that he is, pitched right in, quickly learning what goes where and piling things in the right places to make our life easier at the recycle depot. As Hyrum brought me cardboard and plastics he would pause and hold certain things up like they were treasures to behold, "Can I use this one to make something, Mom?" If that boy could have his way we would've kept it all! Once we were all loaded we hit up Timmies for some donuts (to reward the hungry, hard working boys). I then fought hard with the wind while I unloaded and tried to put everything into the correct bins.

When Camilla got home from school we all got our coats on and went to the park for a while. I pushed Joseph on the swings forever and listening to him giggle warmed my heart so much. I loved seeing his toothy grin and watching his nose scrunch as he swung higher and higher. 

Finley eventually wandered over to the playground and found his favorite spot. If that grin on his face is any indication of how happy we all were to finally spend some time outdoors, we were pretty darn happy! Fresh air really does cure almost anything!

My house was neglected big time today, but I feel far more fulfilled then I ever would have if I had actually unloaded the dishwasher or finished vacuuming the basement. We had a lot of fun together today, and I enjoyed soaking up the children and their cheery dispositions.

Fresh Start

All is calm in the Stannix home (for now). I just got downstairs from tucking in Joe to discover the older two cozied up in their own little corners on the couch. They are both sound asleep while the fire glows and flickers close by. They look so comfortable nestled up there that I can't bring myself to move them. Everyone is still recuperating from being sick over the weekend and there was a lot of napping on the couch today. The littles hardly picked at their dinner while they coughed and stared at the table with sleep hanging under their eyes. Knowing they are still under the weather, I didn't push the issue. I'll get their vitamins into them in the morning with a fresh green smoothie.

Camilla was the first to get sick at the end of last week and missed a couple days of school. Hyrum and I got it the next day and we all tried to sleep it off over the weekend. It started with a fever, aches, chills and a headache and ended with an awful chest cold. Although we are physically feeling better, a lot of us are still up coughing half the night and not getting much rest. Joe came down with it Saturday afternoon and slept the day away. I could hardly move my body hurt so much and my headache stayed for three days. Just as I was starting to feel better, Finley got the pukes. It ended up all over the kitchen (including the walls), and myself. After I finished scrubbing the floor through tears of frustration, I went and took a shower to get the rest of the chunks from between my toes. Mr. Stannix was the last man standing and did a good job of holding down the fort and making sure we all got enough food and water. 

Despite our coughs and fatigue I made sure we got outside for a little bit this afternoon to soak up some sun and breath some fresh air. It helped loosen the children's coughs and I'm hoping for an easier night tonight. I loved watching the boys play together so nicely after a morning of fighting. Finley crawled under the trampoline and plunked down on his bum right in the center. He watched as his brothers rode their bikes down the little hill in the yard over and over. My very favorite part was when Hyrum came to the side of the trampoline and peeked under, "Hi Finnnnnnley". Fin grinned ear to ear and clapped excitedly as Hyrum crawled under and joined him.

With a fresh month and the days getting longer I have been filled with a sense of hope and peace today. I looked over Camilla's school calendar, noted all of her days off, and realized just how quickly this month is going to fly by! I am looking forward to more outings with the children and opportunities to explore the awesome trail system here. They've been itching to get out on their bikes and everyone is happier when we get out of the house for a few hours each day. February seemed to be a blurr! We're going to make March count!

Immunizations

 Finley got his one year immunizations today. He is a whopping 22lbs and 29.8" tall. He's in the 75% for weight but only the 10% for height. What can I say, our kids are shorties. When we got home I whipped up a rhubarb crumble cake while Finley finished his snack. When I turned around from putting it in the oven, I found Finners like this...

 Immunizations stink...

Open for Jumping

 The trampoline is open for jumping! It only took us a week to get it set up, but the littles are over the moon about it. Many hours of play occur on this little trampoline. It's pretty much the highlight of the backyard right now. The weather has been pretty great (considering it's still February), and we've spent many afternoons outside. Finley will bring me his coat many times a day and beg me to go outside with those big blue eyes of his. He adores being outdoors! It's fun watching the boys play together all afternoon, and capturing little sweet moments shared between them. When Camilla got home from school they jumped until the sun went down. We are pretty excited for the Summer time!