Spring break has begun! There is so much going on around here and never a dull moment. I had to laugh the other day as I thought about my desire for a slow and simple life because life with NINE people is neither slow nor simple. Those quiet moments don't come around very often with a house as full as ours is, but for now I'm okay with it! I am trying to relish this season of go-go-go and the chaos that comes with each new day. Unfortunately, something always has to be saved for another day, and lately that something has been blogging. I have drafts sitting unpublished from over a year ago and have fallen so far behind that I fear I'll never catch up! The kids pulled out the blog books the other day to look at them and show me things. They love remembering all of the fun times we've had and the funny ways they used to pronounce things. I am over three years behind in publishing our books, mainly because it's so time consuming! I miss recording those things, but life has been moving at warp speed ever since Sawyer joined our family and I haven't had time to sit down.
Over the last month or so there has been a slight shift in our bed time routine. I used to love when all of our littles were smaller and they would be tucked in and asleep well before 8pm. It has slowly shifted and now it's 9:30pm before the last child is finally tucked into bed for the night. I've been missing my alone time in the evening and have had a hard time adjusting to the new naturally occurring routine around here. We are moving into the phase of having both older and younger children which means that someone is always awake and my quiet time in the evenings looks different now. The children all have such varying needs and I struggle to keep up with what that means for each of them. A few of them in particular like to stay up late to chat and that time is so important! Camilla will often snuggle up to me on the couch and rest her chin on my shoulder and read whatever I'm reading.
I've been wanting to do a "little things" post for a while now. I used to do them every few months, just to paint a picture of what life was like and how much the children had grown. As I've paused throughout my day to notice things about each child, I wanted to document those thoughts and remember what life is like in our home right now.
Camilla has grown so much this year! She is learning some awesome cooking skills and is a pro baker. She can follow most recipes and loves to try new cookie recipes. She can prop Lily on her hip now and loves to wander around the house with her. Lily always grabs the front of her shirt and holds on tight. I love her imagination and ability to play with her younger siblings. She loves theme days at school and doesn't understand why no one else in her grade participates. One night she lamented to me how she just wants to stay a kid forever and hates that middle school is forcing her to grow up. She is a born leader and always sets the example and goes all in! She doesn't care what people think of her. I love that about her! She has a huge desire to be good and do good to others. I love her zest for life and desire to find joy.
Hyrum is so mature these days! He has his own style and is very conscious about his looks. He has a certain length of hair that he loves and I always have to do a double take when I look at him because he honestly looks fourteen. Those long eye lashes and huge blue eyes of his are a few of my favorite things. He's next on the list for dental work and is rocking a new retainer in hopes to avoid braces down the road. He is constantly planning and scheming. He knows what he wants, researches it, presents us with pros and cons and a well thought out debate and plan of action. For a while Hyrum and Joe were obsessed with mandalorian Lego sets and were constantly browsing Amazon for the best deal. He spent his sick days last month constructing a mandalorian helmet out of cardboard, duct tape, a blue tinted pop bottle, and finger lights. It was pretty sweet! A few rolls of tape later and he had made one for him and one for Joe. They played outside with them for days! His most recent obsession is BMX biking. He's been building a table top jump with his Dad and is trying to get his hands on a good used bike with his own spending money. The thing that I adore most about this boy of mine though is his thoughtfulness and his tender heart. He is always the kid to hug me. He often wanders into the kitchen or wherever I am and quietly stands there and waits for me to turn around for a hug. It's also fun to see him being such a great big brother! I looked out the window the other day to see him giving his littlest brother a ride back in the wheel barrow after carrying a big load up to the garden.
Joe is full of passion and independence! He always tells me how it's his choice. He loves his agency and is learning how to use it correctly. He often obsesses over things and presently it's dirt biking thanks to the snow melting. He asks me 102938x per day if he can go out dirt biking. He is a boy of many questions and his mind is always working. He loves figuring out how things work and can do crazy math in his head. He is a hard worker and doesn't like to be idle. His freckles are starting to pop thanks to the many hours he's already spent outside in the sunshine and they make me so happy! He has a kind heart and a charismatic smile. He loves to be everyone's friend and feels deeply. He likes to make others happy and often befriends those at school who need it.
Fin is loving grade one! He is making friends and often tells me all about them at bed time. He loves to build Lego with his big brothers, and would be a video game addict if I'd let him. He finally learned to gear up on the dirt bike and is so proud of himself and excited for this riding season! Joseph has been going out riding with him every day and gives him lots of pointers. Fin loves to draw and create and brings home fun art from school. His teacher adores him despite the fact that he's a bit rough and tumble in class. Fin and Ollie can often be found wrestling on the floor, laughing their heads off. He is such a goofy kid and has a quirky, fun-loving personality. Our life would be dull without him!
Oliver is the kindest kid ever. He loves to please. He is currently struggling with some teeth issues and the wait to get into the dentist is for-ev-er. We've had some rough nights around here, but for the most part he is pleasant. Some of my favorite phrases are "Thank- you kind mommy" "I love this breakfast! You're the best!" He loves to lie with Lily before bed. During the day he is always right in her face loving on her with eskimo kisses, cheek smooshes, and tough big brother hugs. When I remind him to e gentle he says, "What? I'm just huggin' her!" He is always the first to wake up and always has a hungry tummy right away. Breakfast is never made soon enough for this growing boy and I often have to hustle in the morning. Every morning, shortly after the kids leave for school he asks, "When is Grampa going to be awake? I'm hungry!" It's become a tradition to have brunch at Grampa's house (usually an egg on toast) and is something he looks forward to every day. He loves to be outside playing, no matter the weather. Even during the Winter months, he prefers to wear shorts instead of pants. He's at a fun age right now and I love the things he comes up with!
Sawyer has just learned how to open doors. When I tuck him in he says, "Leave door open Mommy?" So I leave it cracked and he yells, "Faaaaanks! Wub you!!" Then he tinkers around in his room and plays musical beds until dark... Once the sun goes down, he hops into his bed, pulls his covers to his chin and falls alseep while twisting his hair with his fingers. The other day I asked him if he was ready for his nap and he said, "No. Not ready for my N-A-P yet mommy." We all laughed because he spelled it back to me. He is in the fun-loving age and always wants to be chased and tickled and kissed and hugged. He still loves snuggling me in the rocking chair though, and I love that! He also loves singing and I will often find him playing on his own with a car or something singing "Twinkle Little Star". He has the sweetest laugh!
Lily girl is a screechy pants these days. She's found her voice and knows how to get our attention in the cutest ways. She wakes up in my bed more than hers these days. Partly because I'm so exhausted and partly because when I grab her in the middle of the night she has cold hands. She warms quickly in my bed and I'll take the snuggles, because she may be the last! One morning I couldn't help but stare at her, snuggled under my duvet, cheek resting against her fist, smiling in her sleep. I just thought that she must be having the best dreams. She is starting to hold and grab things and everything goes to her mouth. She drools non-stop and still sucks her fist. She loves interaction and will squeal and talk to whoever is hovering above her. Recently she's started giggling. The older children just love to interact with her, especially when she smiles. She still gives me a good six or seven hour stretch of sleep most nights which is incredible!
We've all had our fair share of "growing pains" over this last year. Sometimes the noise and the fighting can be enough to drive one crazy! I am not always the patient mother that I hope to be. We are constantly practicing forgiveness and giving grace to ourselves and others. Sometimes when I lament over the fact that no body is getting along, I remind myself that this is why we are put into families. To learn and grow together. What a better place to make mistakes and seek forgiveness than in our home. When the children look back on their time together at home, I hope they focus on the good memories, and know that they were loved!
