Well hello there.
It seems that every time I post here, I start out with some iteration of "it's been a long time".
It's like a person who loves to cook grand, multi-course meals, whose life speeds up so fast they realize one day they've had nothing but drive-through take-out for months.
Me, I like to write overly involved stories about things that are important to me, trying to preserve these gorgeous, fleeting moments, but it's come to a point around here that Instagram is about as good as it gets.
But the busy cook-at-heart would surely stay up late stirring spices into a pot from time to time, for the sake of remembering who they are, right? And now and then, even though I should be doing other things, I pop in around here.
Hey. It's been a long time!
But we're all still around.
This has been a rough year in some ways. In the last six months, we lost J's remaining grandparent. And his father, unexpectedly. We lost my Nana, as I've mentioned. And then, just a week later, my grandfather. My grandaddy was a really, really important and special person to me. I think I just shut down for awhile. But I'm just carrying on, as we do, and missing him quietly.
We have also been adjusting to not only having J in residency (with the erratic, stressful schedule that entails) and having me go back to work (from home, mostly, with the erratic, stressful schedule that entails), but doing both at once. We've had some struggles with Little One and school, plus, you know, Life. Waah wahhh wahh.
The last year almost, it's felt like our little family was sailing through a storm. We hunkered down, getting tossed around and soaked and bumping our heads on the rafters and just riding it out.
But, slowly (and with the help of J's parents and my mom, bless them), we've adjusted ballast so that, even though it's still windy out there, we've got a pretty even keel and strong sea legs. Balance.
I returned from a trip to Ethiopia just in time for the last week of school, and all that fun and chaos. Little One had one more snow-day-make-up on today, and now we are FREE for the summer. Freeeeeeeee!
It is possible that this change will knock me sideways again for awhile, but I have to admit I am incredibly excited to have long days spread before me with all my littles home.
Here are a few updates on those little monkeys, since it's been awhile:
Little One
Well for one thing, She lost another tooth tonight. The growing up just will. not. stop. It's crazy.
Little One has had a great year at school with friends, and a rough year with the learning part, but She handled all of it like a star. I'm so proud of the way She has faced Her challenges and been a good friend and not stopped hugging me goodbye at drop-off yet. She might be a little boy crazy. But this is not really new.
Miss
Missy has traveled light years in Her ability to express Herself and handle Her emotions. She is still our drama queen, no doubt. But She's able to reassure Herself that the world is not actually ending if She can't find Her favorite shoes. She was the darling of Her preschool teachers, who really truly will never believe that I could call Her dramatic or accuse Her of refusing to get dressed for school in the morning, leading to Her arrival at school in nothing (I mean nothing) but a bathrobe. She painted Her way through preschool, but somehow learned to read. It's because She quietly notices everything. She's the most cuddly, loving, kissy Little of all time, and also hilarious. Mostly on purpose.
Little Mister
This guy. He has his moments. Moments in which He is hangry, and then gets frustrated, and reacts by throwing Himself backwards with all His might, whacking His head on the floor, and then, every time, freezes for a moment- in complete shock, as if it's never happened before- and then cries because, you know. THAT HURTS. In those moments I can only look at Him blankly and wonder if maybe I drank heavily during pregnancy and forgot about it. But most of the time, most of it, He is sweet and fun and adorable. He talks all the time, constantly, and we are realizing that He is actually saying stuff. We can make a lot of it out now, and He's pretty funny. He loooooovves His sisters. He loves raisins. And shoes. And, ok, all the things. He loves all things. Except the ones He can't have. Those things are WAHHHHHAAAAHHH! Lucky for Him, with two doting Sisters wrapped around His pinky, there aren't a lot of those.
J
Not a Little. But he counts right?! I hear he's doing fine. If you see him, you can ask. I'll have to take your word for it. Kidding, kidding. Sort of. J is working long hours and long weeks. But he's still making time to be superdad, and I'm trying to accept the extra housework and kid-wrangling he's been picking up lately as we adjust that ballast. It's funny how difficult it can be for a person who considers herself to be a feminist to allow someone else to do the laundry. I just bite my tongue really hard, and breathe deeply in a quiet place for awhile repeating, "it's ok that he sorted into only two piles. If they all turn out pink I can buy all new clothes. Let it go. Let it goooo". That Frozen movie song really applies to mis-sorted laundry. Which never turns out pink. He's basically a champ.
Me
Well I have a laundry problem, clearly. But I'm thankful that J is so supportive of the new balance we are finding as a family. I'm thankful to have a job I believe in that I can do without hiring help with my Littles, and that our moms step in at crucial times when I otherwise would have had to hire help. And I'm especially thankful for this time when my Littles are all going to be with me all day, all summer. And like it. At least, hopefully they'll like most of it. I know these days are finite, I know they are precious. I take none of it for granted. And, despite the rough waters at times (that's life!) I am thoroughly enjoying the ride.
It seems that every time I post here, I start out with some iteration of "it's been a long time".
It's like a person who loves to cook grand, multi-course meals, whose life speeds up so fast they realize one day they've had nothing but drive-through take-out for months.
Me, I like to write overly involved stories about things that are important to me, trying to preserve these gorgeous, fleeting moments, but it's come to a point around here that Instagram is about as good as it gets.
But the busy cook-at-heart would surely stay up late stirring spices into a pot from time to time, for the sake of remembering who they are, right? And now and then, even though I should be doing other things, I pop in around here.
Hey. It's been a long time!
But we're all still around.
This has been a rough year in some ways. In the last six months, we lost J's remaining grandparent. And his father, unexpectedly. We lost my Nana, as I've mentioned. And then, just a week later, my grandfather. My grandaddy was a really, really important and special person to me. I think I just shut down for awhile. But I'm just carrying on, as we do, and missing him quietly.
We have also been adjusting to not only having J in residency (with the erratic, stressful schedule that entails) and having me go back to work (from home, mostly, with the erratic, stressful schedule that entails), but doing both at once. We've had some struggles with Little One and school, plus, you know, Life. Waah wahhh wahh.
The last year almost, it's felt like our little family was sailing through a storm. We hunkered down, getting tossed around and soaked and bumping our heads on the rafters and just riding it out.
But, slowly (and with the help of J's parents and my mom, bless them), we've adjusted ballast so that, even though it's still windy out there, we've got a pretty even keel and strong sea legs. Balance.
I returned from a trip to Ethiopia just in time for the last week of school, and all that fun and chaos. Little One had one more snow-day-make-up on today, and now we are FREE for the summer. Freeeeeeeee!
It is possible that this change will knock me sideways again for awhile, but I have to admit I am incredibly excited to have long days spread before me with all my littles home.
Here are a few updates on those little monkeys, since it's been awhile:
Little One
Well for one thing, She lost another tooth tonight. The growing up just will. not. stop. It's crazy.
Little One has had a great year at school with friends, and a rough year with the learning part, but She handled all of it like a star. I'm so proud of the way She has faced Her challenges and been a good friend and not stopped hugging me goodbye at drop-off yet. She might be a little boy crazy. But this is not really new.
Miss
Missy has traveled light years in Her ability to express Herself and handle Her emotions. She is still our drama queen, no doubt. But She's able to reassure Herself that the world is not actually ending if She can't find Her favorite shoes. She was the darling of Her preschool teachers, who really truly will never believe that I could call Her dramatic or accuse Her of refusing to get dressed for school in the morning, leading to Her arrival at school in nothing (I mean nothing) but a bathrobe. She painted Her way through preschool, but somehow learned to read. It's because She quietly notices everything. She's the most cuddly, loving, kissy Little of all time, and also hilarious. Mostly on purpose.
Little Mister
This guy. He has his moments. Moments in which He is hangry, and then gets frustrated, and reacts by throwing Himself backwards with all His might, whacking His head on the floor, and then, every time, freezes for a moment- in complete shock, as if it's never happened before- and then cries because, you know. THAT HURTS. In those moments I can only look at Him blankly and wonder if maybe I drank heavily during pregnancy and forgot about it. But most of the time, most of it, He is sweet and fun and adorable. He talks all the time, constantly, and we are realizing that He is actually saying stuff. We can make a lot of it out now, and He's pretty funny. He loooooovves His sisters. He loves raisins. And shoes. And, ok, all the things. He loves all things. Except the ones He can't have. Those things are WAHHHHHAAAAHHH! Lucky for Him, with two doting Sisters wrapped around His pinky, there aren't a lot of those.
J
Not a Little. But he counts right?! I hear he's doing fine. If you see him, you can ask. I'll have to take your word for it. Kidding, kidding. Sort of. J is working long hours and long weeks. But he's still making time to be superdad, and I'm trying to accept the extra housework and kid-wrangling he's been picking up lately as we adjust that ballast. It's funny how difficult it can be for a person who considers herself to be a feminist to allow someone else to do the laundry. I just bite my tongue really hard, and breathe deeply in a quiet place for awhile repeating, "it's ok that he sorted into only two piles. If they all turn out pink I can buy all new clothes. Let it go. Let it goooo". That Frozen movie song really applies to mis-sorted laundry. Which never turns out pink. He's basically a champ.
Me
Well I have a laundry problem, clearly. But I'm thankful that J is so supportive of the new balance we are finding as a family. I'm thankful to have a job I believe in that I can do without hiring help with my Littles, and that our moms step in at crucial times when I otherwise would have had to hire help. And I'm especially thankful for this time when my Littles are all going to be with me all day, all summer. And like it. At least, hopefully they'll like most of it. I know these days are finite, I know they are precious. I take none of it for granted. And, despite the rough waters at times (that's life!) I am thoroughly enjoying the ride.
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