Soon these feet will be running...

June 11, 2011

I took this picture at the hospital. I remember being amazed at how quickly Katie and Jake's feet grew too big to hold in the palm of my hand and I wanted to capture Jack's little feet on camera* before that happened.

*Does anyone use a camera these days? I never use a camera anymore... partly because I never have it on me when I want to take a picture and partly because with holding onto the diaper bag, purse, kid, and whatever toy Katie or Jake wanted me to hold at the moment there just aren't enough hands to get the camera out even if I did have it with me!

As I started to compare the pictures, I realized how quickly Jack is growing.

July 22, 2011

And seeing how quickly Jackson's growing and changing, well, that just made going back to work even harder.

Yes,

      I had to start work this past week.

It was so hard to leave the kids. I think this time has been more difficult. I don't know if it's just that Jackson is so ... EASY to care for, because he is. 

As babies, Katie and Jake liked to be held all. the. time. 

Jackson likes to lay on the couch, swing in his swing, sit in his car seat and just hang out. It doesn't hurt that he's got constant entertainment from watching Katie and Jake fight/play/run/laugh/yell.

As babies, Katie and Jake would wake up if the house got a little noisy.

Jack, well, I think that he got used to noisiness while in the womb because now that he's finally here, this boy sleeps through ANYTHING (and all I can say to that is THANK YOU, GOD because I know he answered my prayers. My oft prayed prayers.).

So, this week has been hard. Knowing I have to leave him and Jake at home. Telling Katie that Mommy is going back to work and hearing her cry and tell me that I can't go back to work because she's going to miss me.

Just being sad because this is the last time I'll ever go on maternity leave and have this much time at home at once with the kids.

July 29, 2011

Well, the first day back went well. It was hard but the kids were totally fine with me leaving. Katie went to school as usual and Jake was sleeping so at least I didn't have the kids staring at me from the living room window as I was leaving. 

And when I got home, I got lots of hugs from Katie and I soaked them in.

Jake? Well, he was more excited to see grandma.

Even as things change, they stay the same.

Katie is a SUPERSTAR!

My kid.  My wonderful kid who was too shy to dance more than one dance at last year's recital, danced all three dances with her class today. She laughed with her friends, she followed the teacher's moves, she smiled... she was wonderful. I am so proud of her. Proud of her for having the guts to get up in front of a bunch of people with cameras in the first place! I'm not sure I could have done that but she didn't let stage fright get to her.

Then we went to her classroom and we got her five MILLION coloring pages and her very first SCHOOL FRIEND birthday party invitation! My kid. She's got a school friend party to attend next month! (Just don't ask me if I'm more excited about the party or the fact that it's "no gifts please"...)

My kid. My little helper rushes to see what's wrong with Jackson before I can get to him. She puts his nuk back in, she picks out his onesie, she finds the burp cloth and blankets... she's planning to have 16 kids so I guess she has to get in lots of practice.

My kid. My sweet and sassy kid has started to ask for things instead of demand them (mostly). She says, "Mommy, could I have more milk please?" and she gets her own fork or spoon instead of saying "Moooom, you forgot something!" (in a sing song voice). I see her growing up right before my eyes!

She's my favorite little girl.

My three kids and a kid update

Three kids. I now know why we planned to stop at two.

Today I listened to Katie and Jake fight, Jake fell off of his bed (I'm going to assume there was no foul play between the kids and that it really was an accident) not once, but TWICE (accident?) and there were numerous hitting incidences as well as disagreements over toys. Sooo, nothing unusual.

Then after dinner I sat down to feed Jackson and Katie sat next to me and Jake was playing. Happy kids.

Then Katie got up to turn on the light.

Jake scooted into the now vacant spot and Katie was not happy. I told her to sit on my lap. She did and Jake decided he needed to sit on my lap too. But with Katie on one leg and Jack on the other there wasn't much room left. This didn't stop Jake. He started to climb onto my leg behind Katie and practically ended up on my shoulder. Both kids are crying and I'm laughing at how ridiculous the situation had become. (The kids didn't think it was funny. If they did think it was funny, they showed it by crying harder.)

Finally after listening to Jake cry for 10 minutes I laid Jack down on the couch and put Jake in his crib. In the seconds I was gone, Jack puked on the couch and Katie finally calmed down (she might have thought the puke... or maybe my reaction to it... was funny).

I got Jake out a couple of minutes later ... just before daddy got home from the store to find two crying kids. He carried both of the kids from the kitchen to the living room and made them laugh.

It's weird how daddy can always diffuse the crazy.

Mom called a bit later to say that storms had come through and there had been some damage at the lake place. We're going to check things out and hopefully it's not too bad.

Kid updates!!
Jackson is growing like crazy. He lifts his head up to look around, he pushes with his feet, he's awake most of the day and is happy in his swing or his caraway or laying on the couch or being held.

Jacob is talking a lot more. It's so fun listening to him. He especially likes saying "wake up!" when he thinks I'm even considering closing my eyes for two seconds.

Katie is in school and loves it. She still goes three days a week and Grandpa usually brings her. She's woken up with a good morning song seranade, given a piggyback ride downstairs for hair and face, piggyback ride back upstairs so she can dress herself for the day and then they're off. John took over last week while Grandpa was on vacation. He got to see her room and watch her play. He didn't want to pick her up too late on the first day but Katie told him to pick her up later the next day so she could play longer. I will never doubt that Katie knows what she wants.

I realized the other day that God answered my prayers. I've prayed for an easy baby, a happy baby, a healthy baby.