Maternity Leave

Hello to all, we are back after a brief maternity leave! Here is a photo of Baby Sean for your viewing enjoyment. Isn't he wonderful?!

What an amazing two weeks this has been! Sean's birth on December 12th signified the official beginning to our holiday. We still had a bit of shopping and planning to do, and certainly plenty of wrapping--but part of welcoming our new son meant giving ourselves plenty of grace in the details. A big, big thanks to the many families that made sacrifices of their own by bringing in meals for us so that we could concentrate fully on resting, healing, and loving our baby without getting bogged down by our basic needs. We have been so touched by your generosity.

Hope you all experienced much blessing this Christmas! I feel grateful this year to be given a better understanding: The celebration of Christmas has always been about the birth of a son. Sitting here in my warm house, nursing this sweet baby in the dark hours of the night....I feel like I finally get a glimpse of what Christmas really means. I hope your holiday was just as wonderful, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!

New Things

Today I taught myself a new blog trick--crossing out words. Allow me to demonstrate:

"This afternoon I am busy making pumpkin bread to bring to the hospital and stuff my face with eat daintily during the midnight nursing sessions, when there is no food available but my body is screaming for calories. It will also provide a handy snack every hour on the hour, when the nurse barges in peeks in quietly with the purpose of cramming on my stomach interrupting our scattered sleep making sure we are all doing okay."

Pretty cool, huh? And who says an old dog can't learn new tricks?

Waiting For Baby

I sent the boys downstairs to play earlier so that I could make their lunch "sans chaos". When I finally called them back up and we were sitting at the table eating our sandwiches, I asked them what they had been playing downstairs.

"Until Reuben comes down," says Cole.

I think for a minute and realize he must have misunderstood what I was asking. "No, what were you playing down there?"

"Until Reuben Comes Down," says Cole.

It's dawning on me at this point that this is the name of the game.
Dare I ask? "What's that?" I say.

"Oh, you know," he shrugs. "We just play whatever we're playing.... Until Reuben Comes Down. Then we run and hide."

Oh, I think, poor Reuben. And this from the same boys that dubbed their littlest brother The Evil Pirate and created a game where they play happily in my room until he goes to search for the source of the fun---whereas they shout, "THE EVIL PIRATE! THE EVIL PIRATE!" and slam the door in his face.

The thing is, it's not that they dislike him. (That's not true. I think Reese actually dislikes him.) It's just that they more love the idea of having someone to play the villain--you know, the whole Cops and Robbers mentality. Because really, what fun is all the warring if you don't have a fall guy? Isn't that what little brothers are for?

It is December. We are in our last 12 days now before Baby is due. I keep hoping that God, in his greater wisdom, is giving us this new brother to even the playing field a bit. I'm suspecting that will be the case. Somehow just the idea of two sets of bunks side by side is a more calming thought than the two big boys plotting in their room downstairs, and Reuben alone and helpless against their ploys in his crib upstairs....

Forces of Nature

So I'm just wondering: Is the gravitational pull that doesn't allow children to leave you alone for two minutes when you're in the bathroom the same force that repels them from you in the middle of Costco, causing them to tear around the store like banshees?

Quote of the Day:

"I know four things that are bad for you: Chemicals, bad stuff, McDonalds, and a squid with a toothpick in his stomach and chocolate on his head." --Reese, age 3

Ah, the pride I feel raising boys that are health-conscious! Does parenting get any better than this?

Happy Birthday Reuben!

My little boy is two years old today. He's just barely getting his birthday in before our new little buddy is born next month. He is about to be a big brother, but the "baby" side of him still wants to snuggle up with his momma and his blanket and watch a movie. He is increasingly frustrated with my growing belly and the way it pushes him off of my lap. I keep telling him it won't be much longer now!

I hope he understands.

And now, for one of my all-time favorite pics: Reubsy, on the pot, wearing the science goggles.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REUBEN!

Child Labor

My kids have been so bored lately. The stormy weather outside combined with the months that have passed since the last surge of birthday gifts is doing them in. Cole finally asked yesterday, "Can we please go to the store and pick out a new toy?" and I had to say, "No, not this close to Christmas...."

So they have nothing to do, and I have way too much to do. A light dawned this morning, and I told the boys that I would pay them to help with my chores. Cole wants to work ALL THE TIME and is actively saving for a discontinued (read: expensive) Star Wars Lego kit, so he was thrilled, and Reese was just glad to be involved. So off we went.

Before I could even get Reuben dressed for the day, the big boys had run in and made my bed and cleaned all the bedroom windows. They continued to tumble around the house like snow flurries, cleaning everything in their path. Together we switched loads of laundry, folded and put away clothes, loaded and ran the dishwasher, and Cole even took out two full crates of recyclables to the curb, as well as all the compost. I finally had to send them off to the playroom because I needed a break!

We have more on our list and I don't know if we'll get it all done today. But I do know that they feel quite pleased with their accomplishments, I'm feeling less stress, and I'm maybe out $2.00 at the most--all in all, a good day. The (sort of) worrisome part is that I hear them playing downstairs now and Cole is offering to do "chores" for Reese if Reese will give him the money out of his savings jar. Cole knows what he's asking for, but Reese still has no concept of what he's giving away, and is doing so a little too willingly. Better go nip that in the bud!

Dreaming

Every time I go through this journey of carrying a baby I am reminded how absolutely vivid and real pregnancy dreams are. Three nights ago I woke up covered in a feeling of dread, having just dreamt that Justin was leaving me. It's been days now and I still can't shake that unbelievable feeling of grief.

Last night I dreamt that it was present-time and that my labor was starting. I woke in a panic, thinking, no, it's too early, it's not time yet. There are five more weeks. Once I was able to shake the panic and began to settle my mind down, I remembered that the other part of my dream was that there were 3 elk walking around in the kitchen. So for now I am content to resolve that it was just a crazy pregnancy dream, and not a moment of mother's intuition!