MOTHERHOOD

What a "turn your life upside down" experience it is bringing a new baby home. It doesn't matter if it is your first, fourth, or (my friend Carrie will attest) eighth. One minute I feel like I've been hit by a bus and the next I feel like my heart cannot hold all the joy...fallowed by a lack-of-sleep induced mental stupor. I thought I was having a perfectly fine day yesterday and my friend Carrie (who's number 8 child is 9 months old) called just because she was thinking of me and I burst into tears. I realized how lonely and isolating this "can't get a shower, let alone a night out" phase can be. And then last night I was holding Anne on my lap facing out after I fed her and when I turned her around to face me she smiled for the first time. Her big blue eyes met mine, she smiled, and then it was gone. Our first moment of real communication...

These beautiful children of God come into our homes, our families, our lives and take them over with their needs and their messes and their toys and their gigantic personalities stuffed into little bodies. It's overwhelming. The work is never, ever done. A "break" is getting to go to the grocery store by yourself. But, Oh, where would I be, who would I be if I were not their mother? I love being their mother.
Anne in her nightly spot, with the bassinet pushed right up next to my side of the bed.

The laundry basket of school papers, mail, magazines, paperwork from the hospital etc. that I have not have the time or energy to go through in a month...

Heather feeding her baby her "Breath" as she calls it. "I a mommy too. We both mommies" She keeps telling me.

This is what its all about.

HEATHER TURNS THREE

Heather started her day by going to pre-school. She got to bring a special snack to share on her special day and that was very exciting to her.

She wore a princess crown most of the day, just in case any one forgot who's special day it was!

Ready for the festivities to begin!
Our four little party animals. Our friends Emma and Marilyn gave Heather the crown and jewelry. She wore them until we made her take them off to go to sleep.

The frosting was Heather's favorite part of her cake...Two brothers, happy to help their sister celebrate!

Woo Hoo! You,re three big girl!

OUR GROWING BABE

Look at those baby blues! Here's Anne at 3 weeks old

Four weeks old

Taken today...ONE MONTH OLD!

First Bath...not her favorite :)

After a few weeks, I think she's starting to really enjoy our little nightly routine.

SCREAM, CRY, LAUGH, SPANK, OR TAKE A PICTURE?

CALLING ALL MOMS! What would you do? HEATHER IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!I got her some black fingernail polish for Halloween. A few days after, I caught her trying to get into it, so I put it up in the kitchen window where I thought she could not see/reach it. Wrong.
Last night while I was nursing Anne and waiting for Evan to come home from work, I let the kids watch a movie on my bed. Heather took the opportunity to go into my bathroom and wreak havoc. She took my brand new (expensive) mascara and decorated herself and the toilet. Won't be putting that on my eyes! There was hand lotion all over my tooth brush, and everything else...What's a mom to do? (Check out those eyebrows!)
Her latest thing is that anytime I call her by name she responds something like this...
"I not Headah, I a mommy."
"I not Headah, I a pwincess."
"I not Headah, I a whale."


And so I ask...What do all you moms out there do when you can't decide between screaming, laughing, crying or spanking?
Clearly I chose to take the picture!

TWO WEEKS OLD

Three pictures from today...

My goodness! Time is flying! Anne is more alert and waking up and opening her eyes more. She is still very sweet and good tempered. I am trying to just enjoy every min. I can with her. Life is busy meeting the needs of our other kiddos and keeping up with our large house, so the quiet moments when I just get to hold her, just because are all the more sweet!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I LOVE HALLOWEEN! I love the costumes...I love the trick or treating...I love Halloween decorations...I love the feeling on the streets when all the people with children, come out of their homes and walk up and down the streets greeting each other, smiling, neighbors handing out candy. I think it's just the best.
Heather was a "Princess Witch." (In her words.) I was at Joann fabrics a month or so ago and saw the beautiful orange organza fabric with velvet cats on it, and got the idea for this costume. She was so cute and everyone couldn't believe she kept her wig and hat on the whole time. Heather is a girly-girl. She understands what most women come to understand...a little discomfort is a small price to pay for beauty!
Ewan was his hero, Indiana Jones. This was a truly home-made costume...the pants, coat, and boots were hand-me-downs. The hat, his grandparents brought Evan from Australia several years ago. All I had to do was make his bag.

Cameron's costume was a trade. Someone borrowed his Jedi costume from last year and lent us this Darth Vader costume. He kept saying to children on the street when we were trick or treating "You don't know the power of the dark side!"
Can you tell where Baby Anne was? Evan had her in a front pack. People kept saying to us on the street..."Four kids?! Are they all yours?" Portland is a very liberal city and families with two kids are considered "big." We definitely stand out with four!
Anne was wiped out after a long night of snuggling in Daddy's jacket!

SCHOOL HALLOWEEN PARTIES

Each of the kids had parties at school this past Thursday. Amazingly, each kids' party was at a different time, but I pretty much spent the entire day, going to a party, coming home to feed Anne, going to the next party, coming home to feed Anne...and so on. It was an exhausting day, but with each of the kids feeling their own little insecurities this past week I didn't want any of them to be the only kid who's mom didn't come.

I was especially glad I went to Cameron's class party. As I was leaving at the end, his teacher took me aside and said she could tell it meant a lot to him to have me there. He's had a rough couple of weeks at school. He's been very emotional.

His class was hysterical: ten kids with Aspergers and High Functioning Autism all dealing in their own way with a major change in their routine. There were meltdowns, some serious stimming, Cameron stuffing entire chocolate cupcakes in his mouth...and one boy obsessing about baby Anne (who I had in a sling) even asked if he could try my "milk." As the teacher put it...never a dull moment!