Edie at 7 Weeks

 

All smiles and coos now and I'm in heaven. 

The Bjorn Identity

This is how Edith and I have been getting along lately. The thing that has been keeping me sane is being able to count on a schedule. Feed her, change her, play with her, nap her, repeat. My life feels a bit like 'Groundhog's Day.' Problem is, Edith doesn't always check the schedule and often leaves us with minutes unaccounted for. Hence the Bjorn. I pop her in that thing and we're off, making dinner, cookies for recitals, doing the dishes, getting the mail. There are a few hazards associated with this routine. For example, today when I was unwrapping the eggs my hand slipped and may have whacked Edith in the face. Whoops. It took her about five seconds to forgive me and we were back on schedule. There was the time I looked down and thought I saw blood on her head until I realized it was spaghetti sauce. And often she needs a bath after the ordeal to wash off the film of flour that has lined her face. Still, all in all, I think it's a pretty decent solution.

So, the purpose of the above picture is three-fold. The first was to demonstrate how I'm getting anything done these days. The second is to chart Edith's growth. She's not unlike the Very Hungry Caterpillar who started off tiny and small but after eating her way through, well me, has accumulated some chub and is totally adorable. And the third was to make me see a picture of myself with the hope that I'll be motivated to get my rear in gear. I've started a Biggest Loser campaign and though I don't expect to shrink all the way down to my goal weight while still nursing, I'm hoping to at least start putting a dent in the chub that, on me, is not so adorable.

Charlotte Grows a Notch

This was our first experience with Preschool Graduation and I have to say I was a little skeptical. Isn't it a little redundant if every year ends with yet another Graduation Ceremony? Perhaps. But after witnessing Char's Preschool Graduation I'm a believer. It helps that this was the cutest group of 4 and 5 year olds I have ever seen. Holy cow. During the "When I grow up I want to be a (fill in the blank)" portion of the ceremony, one kid got up and without reserve demonstrated how he was going to be a transformer when he grew up. So funny. Which brings me to Charlotte. She wants to be a Mom when she grows up. I know that sometimes sounds cliche, but nothing could have put a bigger smile on my face. Not only to hear it, but to every day see her in action. Charlotte's got mommy skills. The girl is in earnest and I have no doubt she will make a fabulous mother some day. Happy Graduation Charlotte. I'm so glad you're only graduating to half day Kindergarten. What would your little sisters do without you?!

 

 Here she is with her preschool buddy, Sadie.

 

By the way, as darling as the program was, that night was actually a bit hellish. My older kids were fighting, Hazel was banging her hands on the chairs as loud as she could, Edith decided she needed to eat right then, and Josh was away in trial. It's only thanks to a friend I even have documentation of the night. Unless you count Jonah's phone recording of the ceiling. How's that for keeping it real! 

Hello Again

I've been out of the blogging scene just long enough to not recognize the new format and I'm feeling very vulnerable about that. I miss blogging. Actually, there's very little I miss about blogging but a lot I miss about having my kids' stories recorded. I don't remember them otherwise! I'd love to blame it on being pregnant, but I'm not pregnant anymore. So then I could blame it on the five weeks of interrupted sleep that comes with newborn territory (whoever coined the phrase "sleeps like a baby" did not know what they were talking about). But the truth is, for as long as I can remember (which isn't long), I've always been this way. I have a very selective memory and sadly it doesn't always include the memories I love best.

I quit blogging because of a moral quandary I was having with myself. I didn't feel like I was being completely authentic on the blog. Either it was a privacy concern, a fear of sounding too depressed, too pompous...there was always some reason or the other to hold back. Well, if it's my family journal I want to be able to write whatever I darn well please. And that is how blogging fell off the totem pole of priorities and into a dark abyss where it has stayed for almost two years. But like I said, I miss the stories and I miss the creative aspect of writing. So it's possible that I'm back...but just to those who know me best; my family and friends with whom I won't have any problem sharing the good, the bad, the ugly. The people who know me well enough that I can let go of the barriers and inhibitions I previously felt. So, here's to you and here's to a hope of capturing the memories while I've still got them :)

Speaking of which, you've all heard the song "Dynamite" I assume? I assume because I've only recently heard it which means the rest of the world has been listening to it for a while. Well, the kids are OBSESSED with it. I don't know what the lyrics to that song are. I've never been great with lyrics, but I'm pretty sure the chorus line is not "San Di-ehhhh-go, San Di-ehhh-go!" But this is how Charlotte sings it and with such confidence that the other kids follow suit. Anyway, Josh put together some choreography to teach the kids and then they all put a show on for me the other day. Hil-ar-ious. The kids were down right cute, but Josh...now that was a moment I will savor forever. Unfortunately, I didn't get much of him on video. But the kids were willing to show off.