life as we know it: Firsts and Lasts

This last week has held a host of firsts for us.  Most of the time, I feel like I am pretty resistant to change—I don’t like my babies getting bigger or growing up or going off to school and things like that.  But, this week, our little set of firsts has mainly been exciting—and change that I have welcomed!  I am grateful for feeling more at peace about these changes, too . . . the last several weeks have been tough around here, and the changes this week have made for a tiring, but good week for us!  (for example, my children have taken naps EVERY DAY this week.  thank you, jesus.  SERIOUSLY:  thank you, jesus!  and, as I type this, william is voluntarily taking his very FIRST nap without a pacifier.  we went to the dentist this week for the FIRST time—pictures of that in another post—and he confirmed my thoughts that the paci must GO for Mr. William.  While I don’t expect this to be an easy adjustment, we must do it.  And, today has gone well.  There may have been promises of bowls of ice cream for those who nap without their pacis . . . I like ice cream and I like naps, so I feel like we are on track here!)

Last week, Sister began to crawl and crawl fast for the FIRST time.  Gone are the days where she would sit in one place and giggle and clap at her passers-by!

Although he seems unfazed by this, I have informed my husband that life as we know it is over.  We now have three children who can get away from us whenever they so desire!

Most of last week, she tried her hardest to pull up to standing!  Look at those lashes!

Although we didn’t see it happen, we went into Anna’s nursery twice last week to find her standing in her bed!  So, we lowered her crib for the LAST time.  It won’t go any lower than this, folks! 

Anna crawled around her room while Daddy and his “workin’ helpin’ men” took their orders for their project!

“Help” is a relative term in our home!

But whatever they are doing, they are BUSY.

(can you see william beginning to tackle hudson in the background?  THIS IS MY LIFE.)

Hey there, curls!

And, for the LAST time this week, William took his final dose of propranalol.  We are grateful for the ways that the Lord has used this medication to heal William’s eye, and we continue to pray that Jesus will fully heal our boy!  The doctors are all very pleased with the progress, and they believe that the hemangioma itself is probably smaller than the size of a pea.  Most of what we are seeing these days is tissue that has formed under William’s eye.  Our doctor thinks that it is completely possible for this to go away on its own, although surgery (one day) is an option if it does not.  Would you please continue to pray with us that the hemangioma would completely go away and that we would not have to make a decision about surgery for William?

More curls! 

Hard at work:  Lowering the crib (Daddy and William), destroying the room (Hudson), and trying to stand (Anna)

Anna took a brief break from her attempts at standing to play with the drill.  (This poor little girl.  She sings songs about tractors and plays with hammers and drills!)

And, then, IT HAPPENED. 

It was the FIRST time we  saw her stand, and she was so very proud of herself!

Yay, Sister!

The Encourager came over to congratulate her, too.  (Oh, my heart!)

And, while blurry and a shot of my daughter’s puddin’ hanging out from her diaper, I love this picture because you can see both Daddy and Hudsey grinning from ear to ear while watching their tiny love stand!

And, then:  back to work!

Some goodnight snuggles . . .

. . . and some giggles . . .

And, then:  the FIRST day of school!

The boys were quite excited to start their school year this week!  They go to school two days this year and two of their friends are in their class.  How exciting!  Their class this year is big time:  they’ll be using the potty and not using sippy cups while at school.  My hat is off to their teacher!  ha!

Before we look at this year’s pictures, I have to flash back to LAST year . . . Oh, what babies!

Look at their cheeks and chub!

What sweet babies!

And, this year:  I’m not exactly sure what was happening when I was taking these, but I think a large truck was driving down our street . . .

And, seeing a truck before school makes for a “good mornin’ day” as they say!

We wanted to try to grab a picture with Sissy in the mix, but she was not too excited about her brothers leaving to go to school two days a week!  (Sister is wearing one of my old dresses!)

I ADORE this picture!

Oh, the sweetness!

And, more pictures on the steps of the school, of course!  The boys had to bring in a picture of themselves for their classroom wall, so that’s what they are holding in their hands . . .

Showing off their photos!

Daddy was there with us for the walk into school, and it was quite exciting—I worked the first two days as part of the co-op program in their classroom, so it was great to have Hatch’s extra set of hands for dropping them off that first day!  (The boys were not interested in taking more pictures at this point!)

And, Mama with her BIG boys.  I woke up before school one morning this week and realized that my boys are about to turn THREE.  It feels like I have blinked my eyes and my little loves have gone from tiny babes to big boys who run and play and go to the potty and help their mama . . . and, it occurred to me that in just three more years, they will be starting kindergarten.  While these recent weeks of toddler-life have been a bit trying around here, I know that this time is going to FLY by . . . and, I just want to enjoy this time with my loves and remember it. 

Have a WONDERFUL year getting’ messy with Mrs. Sawyer, boys!  Mama loves you!

(and, an update:  As I am typing this sentence my little no-paci man has woken up and is quite sad to find himself paci-less.  So, I’m off . . . )

Feels like Tuesday

Let’s just say that this week, in terms of parenting, has been a doozie.  It seems, that for some reason, my children have a new habit of alternatingly vomiting on Wednesdays.  Someone has thrown up in my house on Wednesday (or, maybe Tuesday?) every week for the last four weeks.  Can someone please tell me what the problem is here?  Feel free to buy me Lysol and come and spray my home!

My children have been refusing to do their normal napping routine, and it is making me a tiny bit crazy.  Below is a picture of William who has raided the pantry and eaten all of his sister’s puffy treats.  He would dig to the bottom of the container, eat one, and then show off his dirty fingers.  This is how I got approximately 97 seconds to send an email on Wednesday afternoon.

In the last 48 hours I have had two firsts:  Yesterday, I had to call the pediatrician’s office to talk to a nurse to walk through the signs of a concussion because Anna pulled a ceramic lamp onto her head, and it shattered.  (she did not have a concussion.  we are thankful.  mental note:  all three of my children can quickly and easily get out of my sight and cause harm to themselves and others.) 

This is a picture of Hudson-in-demo-mode destroying my bedroom.  About 13 seconds after this, Anna pulled the lamp onto herself.  It was not a great morning.

Sissy did have a knot, but it is going down nicely.  She has recovered very well from her big boo boo.

Today, I had to call Poison Control because while I was upstairs with Anna putting her down for a nap, Hudson went downstairs (where William was coloring) . . . and, when I asked what he and William were doing, they told me “gettin’ medicine!”  WHAT?  We had recently been playing “Doctor William” and using the stethoscope and “giving shots,” but we had not discussed medicine.  ANYWAY, I FLEW down the stairs to find that the rascals had pulled a stool into the kitchen, they had commissioned Hudson to climb it (he is taller, you know) and he was trying to eat the Flintstones vitamins.  (Yes, they have a safety cap.  No, it was not on tightly.  Yes, I am to blame.  BUT, to my credit:  I am almost always doing 87 things at one time with at least one, two or three children yelling/screaming/crying/acting-like-they-are-starving in front of me and there are occasions where the phone is ringing, someone is knocking on the door, or our crazy dog happens to be barking all at the exact same moment).  The kind woman at Poison Control explained to me that toddlers like to climb.  Noted, thank you very much.  While Hudsey told me that he ate “firty” (thirty) vitamins, I knew that was not true.  When I asked him again, he replied “one and a half,” which is probably right because they only eat half of one each per day and there are some halves floating around in the bottle.  So, after counting vitamins and calculating those numbers against Hudosn’s weight, Poison Control and I decided that Hudsey was fine.  Turns out that he would have had to have eaten 25+ to have a real problem.  I am so glad that was not the case.  And, while William was holding an open bottle of Vitamin B12, I knew there was no way my very-picky-eater would have even let one of those things linger on his tongue; and, he assured me that he did not eat anything.   Again, we are thankful. 

I used to think that being a mom would be really fun and that I would be wonderful at it.  I am realizing that while I ADORE my children, this whole motherhood thing is quite challenging.  Most days, I’m not feeling too well equipped for this craziness!  It’s a great thing they are all so sweet!  Now, if they would just sit still and take naps! ha!

And, in other news, my baby brother went back to school this week.  Isn’t he the most handsome 8th grader you have ever seen?  No braces, no glasses, and new hair cut.  HANDSOME. And, very VERY sweet.  Anna Bug loves him so!

My children are sleeping and I should be, too . . . who knows what tomorrow will bring!

september

oh, september.  for the first time in my entire life, I welcome you.  I usually hang on to every last second of the no-school summer days—kicking and screaming and digging my nails in that fall and schedules and school days are upon us.  but, this year, the thought of falling leaves and bonfires (not that we participate in many of those with toddlers, but still) and wearing jackets and cool breezes and picking pumpkins and, oh yeah, PRESCHOOL all seem lovely to me.  you see, this year, august almost ended me.  while we had a great beach trip at the beginning of the month, we came home with three sick children . . . followed by a sick mama . . . followed by 8 days of 2 toddlers with a stomach bug . . . followed by an earthquake . . . and then a hurricane . . . and no power for 48 hours (which was one of the shorter turn-around times in our area) and people driving like raging maniacs . . . followed by a fever and more vomiting for one of the boys . . . followed by lights out again, but, thankfully, back on again, too . . . and, now, here we are:  thankfully, in September.

 

And, life as we know it:  dressing like daddy.

Yay for September!

Too tired for words . . .

. . . that, and I think Aunt Katie took all of these with my camera while I wasn’t home . . .

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Oh, those eyes!

And, a sneak peak of what’s to come (that is, if the power will stay on and people will stop vomiting.)