Friday, February 28, 2014

Non Nesting




Is there a word to describe the opposite of nesting? Because I am pretty sure that is what's happening around here. I keep starting projects in various rooms and then finding myself completely tuckered out, yes I said TUCKERED out, before they are done. I'm like a hurricane of motivation at 8am who has left a giant mess behind by 2pm with nothing to show for it really except, well, the mess of course. And some days the mess is enough because it's proof that there was chaos happening right here in this house, and the mess is a major part of what makes this house a home. But then other days the mess is just a mess.

I heard the boys getting ready at 6am and listened to their morning routines. Micah came down first and got Oisín out of his crib in the dim early light of the day. I heard them playing hushed games in the living room and still I stayed in bed. The baby shifted and stretched as if to say good morning. Finn was getting breakfast in the kitchen and the rest of the house remained silent. Finally at 6:21am I shuffled out to greet the day. Micah's bus arrived and we waved from the window and then went to wake up the little kids. 

The days are predictable, the weeks flow into each other and we repeat our steps again and again. I am trying to be in the moment but I can't deny there is a yearning for the future, the springtime, the birth of our new little one. I am reminded to bring myself back to the present and enjoy this time with our little family, to really spend some time with everyone before a newborn comes back into the house because I know that things are going to change overnight and I don't want to look back with regrets. Oisín is in such a fun stage of his development right now and the whole world is calling to him, everything is a wonder, around every corner is another smile, another laugh. I am really going to try and have as many adventures as we possibly can between now and April. 











































Monday, February 24, 2014

Winter Wrap Up




One nice thing about winter is that when the baby wakes up at 5:30am it's still dark out, meaning I can tell him to please go back to sleep and he usually does. Hard to believe we are about to wrap up February and the longest winter of all time. Last week we went to the Domes to see the train exhibit. It was Oisín's first walking trip there and he was delighted. It is interesting to see him explore the world as a toddler and not just a tag along. He's already been pretty much everywhere with us, he's been to all the kid-friendly hot spots, but always in a stroller or the Ergo and so our field trips lately feel like the first time all over again. 

Thankfully we had a bit of warm up and were able to finally get outside. Nothing else has been able to sweeten my sour mood the way fresh air and sunlight on skin seem to. I've been flailing, attempting to stay afloat, but everything seems so hard lately (for no apparent reason, mind you) and just the basic everyday tasks seem like they are trying to test my limits just to see how far I can stretch, how much energy I have, how much patience I will share. But then I climb into bed with Saoirse at night and listen to Brendan read the next chapter of Harry Potter and snuggle up with her and Princess Tag and a handful of other stuffed animals and it's easy again. Even though there's arguing over whose turn it is to host one cuddling mama for the nightly reading, even though there's a sink full of dishes waiting, even though Micah still needs help with some homework and I can hear the baby complaining about bedtime from the next room, even though there is still a mountain of work to be done and it will never be finished, there are moments every single day when it's easy once again and I am reminded that winter won't last forever.



























I try to cook a "real" breakfast twice a week. Micah and Finn are both gone before this happens and the teenage girls aren't too keen on breakfast lately no matter how many times I try to explain that it's the most important meal of the day, but I figure the four little kids still like it, right? So I make some elaborate oatmeal with apples, blueberries, flax, chia, pecans, granola, almond milk, the works and do you know what those little stinkers do? They go straight to school and eat the freaking packaged school breakfast that more often than not includes some type of glorious sugar cereal that they rarely can get their hands on at home! Sigh. Friday morning was pancakes and I could hear Oscar lamenting this fact from the dining room while I was still flipping them over the hot griddle: "I bet the day AFTER tomorrow I'll finally get to have a good breakfast!". I just giggled in the kitchen with my apron and pancake flipper and didn't say a word when I dropped them off at school and they made a beeline for the Trix, even though I was secretly gritting my teeth. Still trying to figure out how important it is to me and if I'm ready to just put a foot down or not. 















Triss. Oscar tore through this book in 6 days and after his new book, Luke, we'll have officially run out of Redwall books in the house. Brendan took a trip to Half Price yesterday to see if they had any, but no luck. Micah brings them from his school library sometimes, with no prompting on my end whatsoever (which is seriously the sweetest thing) but I'm thinking a trip to the library is probably going to be in our immediate future. Guess I'll have to pony up the $60 I owe them. 











Saoirse FINALLY got moved to a big mattress from the teeny tiny crib mattress she's been rockin' for the last 4 years. It gets pulled out at night and then tucked back in just like this during the day, which is nice because it allows her to keep a couple of her animals and dolls tucked in atop her pillow.



Ordered the new baby 4 diapers and as soon as they arrived I prepped them and put them to straight to work. Oh gosh, they are so fluffy and soft! I haven't ordered new fluff in a while, but I can't wait to order more of these.



Wish me luck, I'm off to the doctor with 4 little kids in tow. This should be interesting….