MOA

At breakfast on Saturday, we sat around the table itemizing the list of chores we needed to get done around the house.  I watched the kids slump a little further and further down in their chairs with each boring task mentioned, and finally suggested, "Let's just go to the Children's Museum instead!"  The kids have been asking to go, and it sounded like a much more fun way to spend the day.

We started out with a trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  It is on our Indiana Bucket List, it's free, and it includes over 100 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, paths, and sculptures for the kids to run around and climb on.  After five minutes inside the museum, I had scolded, "Don't touch! Be quiet!" 27 times, and decided we'd better head out to the gardens. 

We only had a few minutes of exploration time before the rain started pouring down.  Our picnic was replaced by a tailgate party, and then we were on our way to the Children's Museum for the afternoon.  There were a few new exhibits to check out and we stayed until the "End of the Day Parade", as is tradition.

 "A scuba diver!  Just what I always wanted to be!" (This is true- she is determined to be a scuba-diving paleontologist when she grows up.)

"Choo-choo twains!"

Miss Emma Grace loved all of the action of the day, as well.  

What a great way to spend the day.  Of course, the stinky fridge, crumby carpets, and dirty bathrooms were waiting for us when we got home, but they'll always be there.  Moments like these won't.

Kid Pics

I wanted to take a picture of Leah, Adam, and Emma in their new brothers and sisters shirts.  This is the best picture I got. 

The rest of them look something like this.

That's why I get professional portraits, which look more like this.

Wait- Adam has the same face in both pictures.  Maybe I'm not such a bad photographer after all...

This picture only furthers my suspicions that Miss Emma might be a redhead!

A Slice of Life

(Why?! Why did I not insist that Jason start cooking years ago?!  His chicken pot pie is so good, I actually took a picture of it.) 

Last week Jason and I both had to be at the church on Wednesday night.  I had Emma and he had Leah and Adam.  While I was finishing up a conversation with another mom who had given birth to one of her children in a car (so, so nice to finally have someone I could relate to!) Emma filled her diaper to the max.  Jason happened to walk by with the kids right then, so I scooted Emma over to him so he could change her diaper while I walked down the hall with my friend.

30 seconds later the fire alarm started blaring.  Dozens of people went streaming out of the church.  I had a sudden realization of where I had left my family, and went to find the culprits.

I found Jason kneeling on the floor in front of a screaming, naked Emma with deer-in-the-headlights Adam and Leah standing sheepishly under the fire alarm.

Emma's diaper change required a new outfit, and while Jason was distracted, Adam decided to check out the red box on the wall.  Leah was in tears because she thought that we were all going to jail.  Adam was disappointed that the firemen didn't actually come out of the box.  Jason was mortified that his kids were the cause of the chaos.  I laughed.  What else could I do?

Motherhood is doing that to me.

***

I have started getting up, showered and dressed before any of the kids are awake.  It's the only way I can guarantee it will happen during the day.  Last week I found myself taking my second shower of the day at 8:45 AM after an over-eager Leah shoved Emma's pacifier so far into her mouth that she threw up all over.  I thought a few changes of clothes would take care of the mess until I ran my fingers through my hair.  Baby vomit in the hair requires a shower.

I took another shower.  Then we all played dress-ups.  I was Nanny McFrugal Franny (the joke-telling old lady with hula skirt hair), Leah was a glamorous singer, and Adam was a firefighting dinosaur.

***

At church on Sunday I was feeling pretty proud of the fact that I got my family dressed, fed, and out the door in time for church.  Then I smelled my hair.  Another attack of baby vomit!  Blech!  Long hair and spitting up babies do not mix.  Nothing a ponytail couldn't fix, at least temporarily. 

***

Today Leah came home from preschool with vomit all over her pants and a sad look in her eyes because she got dizzy on the tire swing and threw up... right after the little girl sitting next to her threw up first.  After a new outfit, a good lunch, and a long nap, Leah is as good as new.  Thankfully she isn't sick.  I think vomit is a badge of motherhood, right along with stretch marks and bags under the eyes.

At dinner last week, I asked Jason to pass me some apple slices.  He tossed them at me, and one fell on the floor.  I threw one back at him and the kids erupted into laughter when it smacked him on the forehead.  An apple-throwing fight ensued.

***

What does it all mean?  Motherhood is forcing me into the person I want to be- the one that is early to rise, quick to laugh, eager to play, and willing to forgive offenses.   It's hard.  Really, really hard. 

Sometimes I get it completely wrong and have to put my self in time-out to pull it together. 

Sometimes I don't laugh- yesterday I lost it with Leah.  She walked over to the wall of our Family Rules and silently pulled one word off and handed it to me- "Kind".  I responded by handing her one as well- "Obedient".  Then we shook hands and agreed we would each try harder. 

But with each time I get it right, I realize a little more that it's completely worth it.  Today, motherhood- and trying to get it right- is what my life is all about.

And it feels like it's time for my annual disclaimer- This is my blog.  This is not real life.  Real life includes tempers lost, tears shed, and fights picked, but that's not what I want to remember.  I want to remember the best parts of this blessed life we're living.  I am recording these memories so that my children can enjoy them one day.  Peek in on us if you'd like, but remember-this blog is just a slice of life- not the whole pie.

Mister Man

Adam is my little ray of sunshine.  He sings me songs like this-

He tries so hard to be independent and to help himself.  This works great sometimes, not so great other times.  When he doesn't get his way, he throws the cutest little fits that make me want to pat him on the head and squish his pouty little lips. 

He has the best manners- he always remembers to say "please" and "thank you".  If I ask him to throw his diaper away, he takes it from me and says, "Thank you, Mom." as if I'm doing him the favor.  If I'm in the bathroom, he will knock on the door and ask, "Can I come in, Mom?" before turning the knob.  He offers me his last piece of a "cheese sample for woo", gives great hugs and kisses, and always says, "I wuv woo, Mom" when I tuck him in at night.  Melts my heart.

Speaking of diapers, when his gets too wet, he says, "My diaper's hangin', Mom!  My diaper's hangin'!"

He likes to chatter late into the night about whatever he wants to whoever will listen, even if it's just his stuffed animals.

He puts his head on the ground and scoots around upside down like a two-legged vacuum cleaner.  I'll have to try to get a video of it.  It's hilarious.

He climbs the highest ladders and zips down the tallest curly slides at the park, but he won't get out of his chair after a meal by himself.

He loves to gently smack my cheeks and say, "Face! Face! Face!"

He shows extra interest in Emma while Leah is at preschool.  He strokes her head and does bicycles with her feet.  He likes to tell me what she needs.  "Emma's crying, Mom!  Emma say- where's the milk?  Where's the milk?!"

It's Always Fun When Grandpa Comes

We all loved Grandpa's first visit to Indiana.  

*

Grandpas are great.  They can play the piano with you-

 or take you to the zoo- 

Grandpas can tell you great stories and show you lots of tricks- 

and take you out to dinner for lobster pizza and raw oysters.  

 *

But best of all, grandpas can give you lots and lots of love- 

We love you Grandpa! Come back to visit us anytime!

Grandma Time

We have been lucky to have three visits from Grandma Morales this summer.  I'm pretty sure Leah and Adam think she lives just down the road- they ask for her to come back for another visit all the time!

And who can blame them?  Grandmas are full of books, treats, make-believe and trips to Chuck E. Cheese!  Leah and Adam loved it- I don't think Emma was quite sure what to make of all the lights and noise.

 We loved having you here Grandma!  Thank you for visiting us!

Postpartum

For as many times as I used this mirror to document my ever growing belly, I thought this would be an appropriate final shot. 

As for all those pregnancy woes?  The sleepless nights, aching hips, and contortions required to tie my shoes... The endless  worrying and trips to the bathroom... Packing on the pounds and perfecting the waddle?

All completely real, and all completely worth it.

Emma's Blessing

We blessed Emma this past Sunday.  She was a delightful little angel all day long- as is generally the case with this sweet girl. 

 She looked so sweet in her blessing dress, and Jason gave her a beautiful blessing. 

We were so grateful to have my dad and Jason's mom here to celebrate with us.  Leah and Adam were both born and blessed in Utah, and this was definitely a different experience not having the same numbers of family joining us.  We felt the absence of the family that couldn't be with us, but felt equally blessed to be surrounded by friends who love and support us here in Indiana.  We have felt such an outpouring of love from church, school, and neighbors- we have found a different kind of support system here, but nothing beats a visit from the the real thing!

Fie-Woo Twuck, Hey!

I took the kids to the fire station today with our Moms and Tots group.  I did it for several reasons-

1. (The obvious one) Adam loves fire trucks.  He loves to sing a song about the fireman who sleeps at the fire station- listening to him sing the words makes my heart melt.

2. We don't have family in town anymore- it's back to the Three- now Four- Musketeers.  A slew of adorable pictures from Emma's blessing will be coming soon.

3. The cocoon of healing has officially, although not unofficially, closed.  Emma will be six weeks old tomorrow, so I no longer have that excuse as to why we're not getting out and about.  But it's still the excuse I'm using as to why we're eating out of the freezer tonight instead of a freshly home-cooked meal.  Baby steps, right?

4. I had to prove to myself that this year's trip would be better than the one we took 2 years ago, when we all looked like this.  I may be smiling in that picture, but I was dying on the inside.  7-week-old Adam screamed the whole time we were there- wouldn't nurse, wouldn't sleep, wouldn't calm down- and I had JUST moved to Indiana.  I didn't have any friends yet, and this was my first Moms and Tots.  I was supposed to be making a good impression on my new peers, but instead I was a flustered new mom that just couldn't pull it together.  At least that's how I felt. 

And today's trip was 1,000 times better.  I chatted with friends about preschool, losing baby weight and whether or not we will survive supporting our husbands through graduate school.  Emma slept.  Leah and Adam had a great time playing in the dirt because the fire trucks and firemen weren't there.  Duty calls.  But it was still a great outing for all of us.

First Day of Preschool

After waiting what felt like forever (for her), Leah's first day of preschool finally came!  I was worried about getting us all up and out the door by 8:30, but Miss Emma took care of that for me by waking up every 90 minutes all. night. long.  Just to be sure we were up on time.

Leah set out her first day of school outfit, shoes, and backpack last night, and Jason gave her a special back-to-school father's blessing.  When he was done, she asked him if she could give him another one, just for extra good luck.  She was a little disappointed that her teachers were the age of her grandmas instead of her mom, so I put a picture of the two of us into her backpack to help her remember me through the day (her idea, not mine).

We had a special breakfast, took a bunch of pictures, and were there before the door was even open.  Leah has lots of friends from church in her class, so she wasn't nervous about meeting new friends, and the beloved sand table was set up- something she has been talking about all summer.  She headed straight for it after we said good-bye, leaving me just a bit sniffly and snapping a few more pictures.

Adam has been getting ready for preschool, too- wearing his monkey backpack and insisting it was his "first day prekool, too!"  He was pretty quiet as we dropped Leah off, then announced, "I miss Leah already, Mom! I miss Leah already!"

But a visit to the playground and a quick stop by the post office, as well as a playgroup with some of his friends quickly took up our morning.  Before long it was time to head back to school and pick Leah up again. 

She announced that it was "the best first day ever!", and we headed to McDonalds for a special first day of school lunch (something we do maybe once every 6 months or so).  She had plenty to say about the rules of the class ("it's just like at Joy School!"), the friends she sat next to in the arts and crafts room ("Tarin! and Juliet!!!"), what she learned about during quiet, listening time ("it was so hard to be quiet!"), how well she navigated her scissors project and which portion of her snack she ate.  I'd say her first day was a success for all of us.