A Few Things

I just got back from an evening trip to the grocery store.  I often go after the 3 littlest are in bed.  Shane puts Silas to bed and I get to shop when the store is actually eerily quiet.  It's rare for me to have any time that is eerily quiet so I enjoy it in a strange way.  It clears my head.  I have a couple friends who often shop at the same time and we've been known to "run into" each other (our husbands claim we plan it...we'll never confess).

I took the kids to Target yesterday...

I haven't been on many of these outings lately.  For one, we had Ashli with us to help all summer so we did a lot more fun activities like the pool and park.  Also, Blaise is now in the two-nap-a-day phase so I hate to wake him.  But yesterday we were desperate for something to do so I whisked him out of bed and off we went.  We had such fun!

We just can't get enough of this little guy...

Oh, I almost forgot!  When we were in Target a lady came up to me with her little brood (or "circus" as she called it).  She had an almost identical lineup of kids to us!  Hers were a daughter (almost 4), twin boys (2), and a baby boy that was about a month old.  It was so fun to chat for a minute with her.  I love moments like that because she seemed so calm (she did have her mom with her) and we both laughed about how "normal" it was to be out doing things with all the kids in tow.

We also had to take a potty break on our way out (fun times, fun times).  As I was then heading to the door, an older lady came up and it was like she was giving me a pep talk, "You're such a good mom!  And if I'd known you were having to do the bathroom, I would have come helped you!  These days are just like survival sometimes, but you can do it!"  She had 7 children, she said, all grown now.  "Treasure these days!"  I soaked it in and loved her right away.  I need to run into her more often!

When we got out to the car, Blaise was ready to eat.  So I pulled out the snacks, turned on the DVD player, and the big kids enjoyed every minute...

Just $13 in Target purchases...totally worth the trip!

Today I worked for a few hours and got home as the kids were waking from naps.  After feeding a hungry Blaisey (our one issue with this sweet boy is that he is refusing bottles when I am gone!), I decided we needed something to do.  I had dinner ready so we decided to take a long walk...

Yep, Lieren had on a tutu.  She is really into dressing up right now.  She also has on a pair of random playshoes I got at a consignment sale for a playing-in-the-mud day.  Whatever.  When we got home, she changed into Simeon's shoes...

If you think I don't post as many pictures of Lieren here recently, you might be right.  Mainly it's because she is a sweet mess!  She won't look at the camera ever and definitely won't smile.  Most of the pictures I have of her these days look like this...

A few other things...we have playgroup here tomorrow.  Just this week and next then school starts for our preschoolers.  We are trying to get in some play time before then!

I've been going through all our kids clothes.  I had done so good keeping things organized till Blaise was born.  Now I have huge piles, totally random, all up in the attic.  But this weekend is our area Mother's of Twins Club sale so I needed to know what we had.  I look forward to this each fall and spring.  I and several friends will go and have as much fun just being together as shopping!

Four Months the Fourth Time Around

Last week we took our very last trip to the pool for this summer.  It was by far the most fun we've had at the pool all year.  I took Bailey, a middle school girl from our church whose family we have grown to know and love.  My children absolutely adore her and they all played nonstop.  She had to leave just as we were packing up to head out so I walked to our van by myself with the four children.  As Silas commented on the slides he was going to miss until next year, Sim ran his hand along the rock wall just outside the pool gate, and I called to Lieren to catch up.  Blaise, who had acted on the verge of a tired meltdown right before we started walking out, now smiled at me happily from his carseat in the stroller.  And in the background, as if on cue, that song You're Gonna Miss This started playing.

Deep breaths.

I am.  I know I am.  As hard as some days are, I really love them.  And I am gonna miss it.

Our Blaisey is one sweet baby.  He will be four months old in just a few days.  When did I blink?  I don't recall that many days passing since he was born.

By far Blaise has been our easiest baby.  Oh, he has his moments.  But for the most part, he has fallen right into the family routine and makes having a tiny one in the midst of so many other little ones seem like nothin'.  He is the kind of baby that makes you want to have more...because its just so do-able!  Ha!  More on that later...

Right around the time Blaise turned 3 months, I found we were really getting into a groove.  Now we're definitely on a schedule that he loves and craves.

Blaise wakes right around 6 every morning, like clockwork.  If he stirs at 5:30, I know he wants to sleep a bit more and a paci will hold him over that last 30 minutes (if I try to go ahead and feed him at 5:30, he falls right to sleep till 6 or after; he is so routine!).  We get up and moving after he eats.  The other three wake between 7 and 8 so I usually have a bit of time to pull myself together before everyone is up.  By 8:30 (if not before) Blaise is desperate for a nap so I put him down as the others start breakfast.  He sleeps till 10:00ish.  Then he's up and interested in what everyone else is doing until close to 11 when he wants to eat again (I know! He goes such a long stretch in the morning).  He sometimes needs a catnap around noon to get him through but often stays awake until afternoon naptime.  Sim and Lieren go down at 1, then I usually feed Blaise again and put him down at 1:30.  Silas retreats to his room to rest from 1:45 until 3.  Sim and Lieren are typically up at 3:30 while Blaise most often sleeps till close to 4 (again, I know! Told you he makes you want to have more!).  He eats around 4:30.  Sometimes he needs another quick nap in the evening but not always.  A bath at 7 can hold him off eating till 7:30 but otherwise he's ready to eat at 7.  Sim and Lieren go to bed at 8.  Then it's bedtime for Blaise by 8:30.

And he will sleep till morning.

If you've ever had a baby who doesn't sleep, you may wish you'd never read about my Blaise.  But then again, I've had a non-sleeper.  So I know how that feels.  And I will say that I am most grateful that we have a sleeper the fourth time around!

I've always wondered what it feels like to know you're done having children.  I never thought I would feel completely sure that I was ok not being pregnant again or not giving birth again.  So I've prayed through it some at times. And recently I've found myself enjoying Blaise's babyhood in a different way than I enjoyed the others.  With Silas it was all exciting and new and sometimes hard to really enjoy because I didn't know anything.  When Simeon and Lieren came along, it was exciting and new because they were twins and sometimes it was hard to really enjoy because, well, I was just trying to breathe most of the time.  And with all the others I often felt a twinge of sadness, not wanting them to get big because what if there was never a newborn in the house again?  But this time I don't feel that way.  I don't feel sad at Blaise growing.  I am enjoying it.  But at the same time, I'm in no hurry for him to grow up.  I'm really content with each phase so far.  And I'm grateful that if this is it with the newborns in our house, that this is the experience we're getting to have this time around.

And if you would like to see the older three at this age, here are links to Silas at 4 months then Simmy and Lieren at 4 months.

Our Drury Boys

A Promise that Fall is Coming

This morning I was outside pushing our three oldest children on the swings, which is pretty much all they want to do outside recently unless we are playing in the water.  It has just been so hot!  As Blaise took his morning nap, our neighbor's outdoor thermometer noted only 80 degrees.  And in the shade where our swingset is, the breeze actually felt cool.  In the background, the junior high band drumline was practicing their fall routine.  And over the back fence I could see the girl's softball team running in the outfield.

All of a sudden it feels like the season is changing.

Shane was gone for 4 full days last week for high school camp.  It was an incredible few days for our students and leaders.  We have loved watching them "talk" on Facebook about all they learned, how they were challenged, and the friendships they made.  Shane came home exhausted but with stories galore and a deep gratefulness for how the Lord moved among them.

We had a good time while he was gone.  I worked a few hours on Thursday and Friday but spent the rest of my time with our children.  On Saturday we got out the sprinkler and I tried to find a way to get all four children in one photographic shot...

This morning we were glad to have Daddy come out and join us as we swang.  And then when Blaise woke from his nap, we all walked over to the school to watch the drummers and chat with the softball coaches.

But even with the reminders that fall is coming, we are taking full advantage of the warm days we have left and are heading to the pool tomorrow.  It won't be open much longer and I know in January I'll be longing for days in the sun.