Things are Moving

We have three kids.

That's my takeaway for the week! This was the first week I really feel like I felt the three-kid chaos. Some combination of getting back into some of our old routines (dog-sitting, paying attention to my primary calling at church, still adjusting to the everyday school life, etc.) and of just realizing what's new normal and not just a phase. 

Michael:

Took Westin to the vineyard on Saturday -- our church owns its only member-run vineyard here in the Central Valley and throughout the year church members go and do various steps of the grape-growing raising-making process. Saturday was the day they picked hundreds and hundreds of bunches of grapes and laid them out to dry. I asked Westin if he was a big helper and he said, "Well, I ate a lot of grapes." I love that he and Michael were able to go together. Michael also took three kids to church by himself on Sunday -- I haven't even done that yet! I had two different meetings before church, so I left him a bottle and kissed all four boys goodbye and then met them there in the parking lot before church to help unload the crew. Let it be known that Michael was even on time, with three well-dressed cute kids in tow and the baby was asleep in the carseat. Dad win.

Maddie:

is wondering where my time went! I feel like I used to have a solid routine with some solid me-time each day to get stuff done, whereas lately I'm just turning around to someone else needing me from the time I get up to the time I put my kids down. It won't always be like this and some days Bennett and Camden overlap naps a bit while Westin is at school, but those moments are fleeting and usually spent keeping my head above water in our house. But I feel happy to be coming up on two months postpartum! That's two months I'm always happy to have accomplished. Sunday was my first day back at church and back at meetings and it felt mostly good but a little bit deflating, haha. Those baby days at home with just Camden were sweet.

Westin:

is star of the week at school! He's mostly excited that he gets to be Wednesday's chef of the week because of that, so he's looking forward to helping make the snack on Wednesday. They're making graham cracker flags. His poster was fun to make with him. I had no idea he wanted to be a police officer in San Francisco. We're going to need to revisit that. He was so funny at church today. Direct quotes heard included: "Bennett, just eat the bread, you're supposed to be remembering Jesus right now. That bread is for his body. ... Bennett, listen more, this is Jesus' house, you're not supposed to be crazy. ... Bennett, do you need time out or can you pay attention?" Apparently someone seriously stepped into my shoes while I've been on my church leave the last few weeks. I'm sure he'll be back to Bennett's team as time goes on :)

Bennett:

was a little bit of a stinker at church, and honestly I do not know how to parent Bennett when he's a stinker. He has been so incredibly easy to parent up until this point. In his fleeting stinker moments lately I am just laughing inside and thinking, well this is new. I LOVE that those boys are in the same room now. I kept waiting for school to start to move them together and they had one week of transitioning to the school year changes before we put them in their same room. They go to bed really well and laugh together in the mornings. It takes me back to sharing a room with my sister so much. You guys, I was so annoying to her. She loves me though. And I cried when she moved into my brother's room when he went on his mission. Sharing a room is so fun!

Camden:

Sweet boy! He had a couple nights this week where he was just so fussy and crying and wouldn't go back to sleep after eating. And the other nights he sleeps a 5 to 7 hour stretch. He's not super happy during the day unless eating or sleeping, but he is never screaming or crying too hard. Just a little, uncomfortable I think. He wears white onesies every day. We just started cloth diapering again. I love that this will be the third round for that set of diapers -- they now cost 1/3 of the price! Kind of. These are the ways that I "budget". 

First day back to the dog sitting life! Palmer is as easy as they come, and a frequent day care pup.

Westin got to bring home his classroom's "Huggy Bear" for a day and drawer a picture of what they did together.
He immediately changed him into his Captain America outfit and wanted me to read them a story.
"Make sure you show Huggy Bear the pictures."

If he lies down on his back after eating he immediately wakes up gagging, even after waiting 20+ minutes.
If he stays on his side, he's a happy camper. I've started nursing him while laying down for his early morning feeding so that he'll then just stay asleep after on his side. I never nursed my other boys laying down or slept by them much at all,
but this kid's reflux is cramping our style.

Breakfast burritos at the vineyard!

Star of the Week