a new normal

I got kind of annoyed with all of our Christmas pictures dating in the middle of January,

and that really messes my blog book up.

So instead of continuing to post everything by current date, I just stuck them all back in December.

So for those of you who really like to stay caught up with us, you can click on these posts - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Taylor's preschool program.

And that way I don't bore you all.

******************************************************
I've gotten a bit behind on posting lately.  I guess I have a good reason.
And he's a pretty cute reason too.

January meant back to the real world for us.  And by that, I mostly mean that our calendar has begun to fill up again.  Preschool, Awana, bible study and small group have all started back, and so have my jewelry shows.

After about 6 weeks of not a whole lot of anything besides family stuff.

So we are trying to get into a good routine, we've been in desperate need of one.  I'm trying to be patient and realistic about the fact that our routine will be different than it used to.  I can't expect the same things when it was just 4 of us. We now have a precious little boy that is causing us all to let go of the "normal" that we were used to.  (but at the same time, he's come along with such ease, that in one way, he seems to just fit right into our days).

By no means am I complaining about being thrown off of our norm.  I love love love having a baby again!  And to be completely honest, I think I love it the most this time.  Not that I didn't love having our other babies and I obviously didn't love any one of them more.  But I am enjoying the "baby experience" quite possibly more with baby #3.
Maybe because with baby #1 we had no idea what we were doing.
And then with baby #2 we had a 16 month old running around the house too.
(ultimately being a much harder transition than adding a third child has been).

This time I feel like I can actually sit back and enjoy this little bundle of joy and savor some of the moments that seemed to be clouded with other obstacles and distractions before.

It's hard to believe Gavin is approaching 2 months old.  I am already not dealing well with this time going so fast.  If it weren't for the middle of the night feedings and the lack of sleep, I would love to keep this little guy a baby forever - or at least for a very long time!

So slowly but surely we are getting used to our new "normal".  You know, things like realizing we can't wake up at 8:30am and expect to have Taylor to preschool at 9.  (or maybe we can, because we did it!)  And things like trying to learn to use quiet voices and quiet feet when baby brother is sleeping (kind of impossible most of the time), and realizing that a 2 hour nap time is much easier controlled/demanded for big kids, and not so much a baby. 

 Most days I feel like nap time is a game called "try to get everyone asleep at the same time, then run fast and try to accomplish something before either A. I have to intervene with the big kids and the poor choices they are making when they are supposed to be going to sleep or B. someone starts crying or C. the dog barks or D. the baby wakes up after a 10 minute nap."

Ever watched Marley and Me?  I think they stole my life script and made it into a movie. And unfortunately decided that Jennifer Anniston would make a much more attractive version of myself.

To be honest - the afternoon hours are the hardest for me.  From 2-4.

I think I just need to LET GO and give up all expectations. I'd do much better not hoping to get anything done, or not hoping to get a nap in myself.  But that is so much harder said than done when the exhaustion sets in some days. 

But all in all, we are making it.  And doing quite well, most days.

It took 7 weeks for my first meltdown- that's pretty good, right?  (disclaimer - okay, okay, this is probably in huge part due to the fact that is was almost 6 weeks before I really even had all 3 kids on my own for full days at a time)

I'm almost certain that by 7 weeks after Mason was born, I had already had too many meltdowns to even count.

And even Daddy is handling 3 kiddos just fine by himself when I leave for jewelry shows.

He's definitely a keeper!