Oh Change.

This week felt like such a big change! Saying goodbye to grandparents and starting school really shifted things around here.

Camden:

Slept seven hours a couple nights ago! And the fact that it was from 10:05 to 5:05 was such a tender mercy. Because waking up for the first time that night to the number 5 (instead of the regular 1, or 2, or anything really) felt like I had slept an eternity. 5:05. It was glorious. I even went to bed at 10:30 after putting him down, so, winning! Not all our nights were this glorious but that one was. He's starting to grow out of his little newborn onesies and it makes me sad! But also, it would make me sad if he wasn't growing. So... things are fine. He has smiled at me a little a few times this week -- actual interaction smiles and not just those little faces babies randomly make from day one. And those smiles are my favorite moments from the week!

Bennett:

Always my softy. He loved having Grandma and Grandpa Daetwyler here. We all did! He was a little worried about leaving Westin at school the first couple times we dropped him off, but he picked it up pretty quick. He went with Grandma and Grandpa to the grocery store one day and picked out some minion cupcakes to share with Westin, and was pretty excited about that! Today was his first day sleeping in Westin's room for his nap, and they'll share a room tonight for the first time. I hope it's a good thing! I just feel like we're losing all the pieces of our old routine and it's hard for me. I think I kind of survive motherhood by being a control freak, and change makes that hard. But for the record, I think it's a healthy kind of control freak. :)

Westin:

Was a little nervous to start school this week. After his first day he said he wanted to go back to his old school, and he hasn't really been more excited about it as the week has gone on. We'll give him some time to adjust and see how he feels. I keep telling him he can do school at home with mommy or go to school with his new friends, and he wants to be going to school. But hopefully he likes it more soon! 

Maddie:

Is kind of hating the new school routine. I am just uneasy when Westin's gone and the drop offs and pick ups change our routine so much. If he loves it I'll be all in. If he doesn't, I'll be happy to change things up. I'm feeling kind of claustrophobic with newborn baby life this week, which I've been kind of waiting for the ball to drop there. He's a cutie and I love my boys. We're just all thrown off this week for sure. I stayed home from church with Camden for my last baby day. I know that this week is back into things and next weekend will be back to church and primary life and jumping back into things. So I really soaked up today and I've been a little weepy as I try to find the motivation to kick things back into gear.

Michael:

Changes all around except for Michael. Still the same routine for him. Maybe he's jealous of all our changes because I don't think residency is his preferred form of consistency in life, but, the grass is always greener :) On Saturday he took the older two boys to the zoo, and took them swimming that evening at a ward member's house. They were so excited to have daddy home this weekend. His parents were so, so nice to come see us from Kentucky. Westin and Bennett had so much fun with them, and they were so kind to help us out. We're feeling super grateful for both our families this month.

They love watching videos with grandpa. Particularly of people jumping over bulls.
Hopefully they're not getting any ideas... :) 

The splash pad came on when we went to the donut shop and then to Todd Beamer park.
The boys were super excited to get all wet before we went home to get ready for school.

Our neighbors had some trees cut down and grandpa and the boys were pretty entertained.

First day! Looking so big.

Lined up for TK

Those minion cupcakes. Some strong food coloring going on there.
If you want the full details, that blue went straight through those boys,
and they thought that was just about the coolest thing ever.
Too detailed? Maybe. But this is my life right now.

Add caption

I ask Bennett to bring me a diaper for him before naps and bed.
He thought this was a pretty clever way to wear it.

A little more awake these days! Still not sure what color those eyes will be but I think I'm betting on brown.

Three boys on the move.

I was feeling pretty good about getting a healthy dinner on the table on one of our first days alone.
But let's be real, that's only because my parents left Costco salmon in my freezer and squash in my fridge.
Easy meals for the win.

These boys love their chatbooks!

Cookies and milk after school. Just feels like the right thing to do.

Swimming at Billy Jack's! Bennett loved this little statue.

Daddy and Grandparents

Daddy has been home with us this week! We took his time off for baby life after my parents and Ali left to spread the help. Grandma and Grandpa Daetwyler came on Thursday and we've loved having them here this week!

We spent the week catching up on life, taking family pictures, going to the trampoline park, exploring Vallarta market with grandma and grandpa, making yummy food with them, going to Westin's Back to School Night and Open House, and then Saturday was our first big outing with three kiddos up to Shaver Lake. But we have grandparents on our team so we still don't feel like we have conquered a three-kid outing yet :) On Saturday night we picked up pizza after the lake and then Michael and I went to the adult session of stake conference together. I loved being able to go to that meeting with him. It was a great line up of talks about intentional parenting and humbling yourself to make changes that will be beneficial to those you love. All we can change is ourselves.

Now we're gearing up for starting a new routine this week and being on our own soon with these three cute kiddos. Send prayers and cookies :)

So happy to have daddy home this week!

Sweetest little boy

TK Open House!

We got Westin a new booster seat for our second car and the box has been very popular all week.

Three Generation Kayak Ride! Those little boys are in heaven.

Westin's always asking for a picture of daddy in his surgical gear, so he brought this home for him!

Three Weeks with Camden

Camden:

This cute little guy! So needy but so loved. I think he has some reflux going on, he just cannot lay back down after eating at night. But once I've accepted that and shifted my expectations (keeping him upright for about 30 min after feedings rather than back to sleep for us both), we're doing ok. He's never woken up more than twice in a night, and he sleeps about 5 hours for his first stretch. I feel like he needs to be held more than Westin or Bennett did, but I think that might just be because I don't remember how much they needed that AND I'm pulled in more different directions this time so it feels harder to slow down. But we've definitely slowed down :)

Slowing down, staying home more, and more simple interactions have shown me these things about my cute boys:

Bennett:

always so conscious of others. Brings me a water bottle when I start feeding the baby. Brings me a stool to put my feet on. When he gets a special snack he always brings me a little bit and wants to share. Loves books with animals in them, especially giraffes. So animated when he plays with his brother -- jumping around, so many excited noises and faces, such funny mannerisms. He is so, so sad when he's corrected at all. He loves to wipe his tears away and take a deep breath when he's done being sad. He loves to give a little forced chuckle to lighten the mood and make sure you're not mad. He pets the baby's head when I feed Cam, and loves to tell me that he's "so so soft to brother". 

Westin:

such an inquisitive, sensitive, smart little guy. He becomes SO sad if he accidentally hurts Bennett, and unfortunately reacts with a lot of grumpiness and anger even though I know it's coming from a place of feeling bad about what he did. He loves to color and do projects together, or cook together. His face is pure joy when he's watching home videos. Such a good, good eater and interested in what foods are good for you or not good for you. Loves listening to stories from grandpa. Likes noticing when Camden makes funny faces but not interested in holding him. He wants to make us happy and is such a sweet boy. I can't believe he's going to go to school every day soon.

Maddie:

still feels like I have completely put life on hold to have a baby and nothing has started back up again. Which is ok, but I miss feeling fully human. I did sneak away to get my haircut this week when we learned that Camden was totally ok with a bottle. I miss getting ready and getting out, but that will come soon when I can lift the carseat and figure out what on earth to wear these days. Oh man, I've had so many bodies in the last few years :) But it's all worth it for these sweet boys.

Michael:

was on call this week but has this next week off and we're happy to have him around for some days at home! He had an interesting self-portrait drawn by a patient this week, he always has some interesting stories from his hospital life and the characters he meets :) He made us a Spanish meal this week and it was really fun. I decided we should make it a tradition to eat it every year on July 11, the day that Michael left on his mission to Spain. I want to work in more traditions like that into our year because holiday traditions just always seem to need to be more simple than I originally plan on. We've had a good weekend with him home half the day. 

Grandma and Grandpa:

They get their own section this week because they probably feel like they live here now! They were SO nice to be here for two weeks with us. We are so, so sad they are leaving soon. They've been so sweet to get the boys out of the house, help with Camden, keep us above water at home, and just be here for moral support! My dad is so good at getting Camden to sleep and my mom makes sure I walk each day. They are just so kind to help us so much and we love having them here. I'll always remember Camden's newborn nights of yogurt parfaits and Queer Eye episodes with my parents, haha. Grandparents are the best!

Self Portraits! Westin went with 100% green, maybe because we recently watched the Grinch?

I don't know if anybody is better at getting Camden to sleep right now than my dad.
Walks and humming and stories, and he's a happy little guy.

First bottle! He loved it instantly.
Which shocked me, because he is NOT interested in a binky.
But I will not give up. I have never had to try this hard to get a kid to take one,
but I know it's worth the effort!

First walk in the sling!

Westin and Bennett showed Grandma and Grandpa around the fish hatchery

So fun when they start to have more bright-eyed moments

Michael and Kitty. Everyone around here is tired.

Michael decided to make us a Spanish meal on Saturday
(gazpacho, tortilla espanola, and some manchego cheese snacks)
and this cute boy helped with cutting things up. But it went south when he touched his face after touching a serrano pepper.
Poor little guy! Ice bags and Wild Kratts later, he was doing ok.

I still don't feel quite human but we'll get there soon enough :)

A Spanish Saturday night

I love when he sleeps like this.

Michael's fancy portrait drawn by a patient... :)

Sweet Brothers

Living that Newborn Life

Camden:

has had a very different week than that blissful sleepy first few days at home -- maybe I should get back on those pain meds? Kidding. But the nights have gotten a little rougher and the awake times a little fussier, but honestly it's still good stuff around here. We love having this little guy in our family and can't wait to get to know him more. He hated his first bath! Loves being swaddled so much. And prefers to never be put down :)

Bennett:

has started acknowledging Camden more, with a few pats on the head when he walks by or pointing to him and calling him brother, or just petting his dark hair. He is playing with Westin a lot more, and still loves Giraffes Can't Dance and any other book about animals. He loves his naps and loves going to bed. Grandma and Grandpa have been putting him down this week while I still can't lift, and he gave them a little scolding for not shutting the door :) Still rocking that closet life. That'll change in a few weeks when we move the boys into the same room!

Westin:

has started talking about being nervous for his new school. I'm nervous too! That'll be a big change for us both. But I think that he will love it and if he doesn't, we'll figure that out too! He is so happy to have grandparents visiting -- I know he misses our busy pre-baby life. He loves that grandpa can draw super heroes for him on the sidewalk or on paper. And he loves books in Grandpa's radio voice :)

Maddie:

That two-week mark after a c-section is a great milestone. Feeling better each day and looking forward to being able to lift and work out again. I walked almost a mile yesterday so it feels good to slowly be feeling better! I wish we weren't in the heat of the summer and I'd be walking lots more. Oh Fresno. This week I got a spouse scholarship to attend Michael's annual oral surgery meeting, in Boston in September. I'm feeling torn about going -- it sound really fun to be there with him and to make myself get out of mom mode for a bit, but I also worry about flying a two-month old on a germy airplane... decisions. I've been SO GRATEFUL for my parents this week as they've taken the boys out to do fun things, kept our cupboards and fridge stocked, and cleaned up after this crazy crew. I have such wonderful family and I'm always extra extra grateful for them during the newborn haze.

Michael:

was off this weekend and the boys love being in the backyard with him (usually getting sprayed with the hose by him). He gets so much done when he's home. He and grandpa took the boys to build at Home Depot this weekend. I'm reading a book called "Boys Adrift" that my aunt recommended. I'm learning a lot of things, but the main thought I keep having while reading it is, "Man, Michael is just the best." He really is such a wonderful husband and dad. I wish we could see more of him, and I wish he liked walks :) BUT mostly I'm just incredibly, incredibly grateful he is ours.

Snoozy little boy.

He isn't loving binkies but I'm trying hard...
I tried the hospital binky just to see, and he took to it much more than my other ones.

But these are so much cuter! So we'll keep trying :)

Captain America and Spiderman visiting our driveway

If you're wondering, the crayons did NOT stay on the paper. But walls wipe easily enough :)

Hanging out with grandma!

He's usually swaddled when sleeping but I love finding him like this when he's not.

Oh this little guy. He reminds me of a tree frog, just clings to me.

Grandpa's lap is the best place for stories!

First bath! It was not a happy time for him but... necessities.