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My Lovelies.

This may be my new favorite thing...

forget about all the other jobs I should be doing. 

These are just too much fun!

Wasting time I don't have.

My baby's first time in the state she would later call home.

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This was magical!

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I am having such a hard time capturing Ellie's extreme cuteness. I think because so much of it is in how she engages with you. Eleanor is much more timid than her most previous sibling. She is easily startled and a bit more cautious with her smiles. However once she can trust you with her affections then you are all in. She will smile at you until she is just too exhausted. She is easy going just not outgoing. And we just adore her and the calm she has on our family. 

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This is how we feel about the day after Thanksgiving in America. 

Come on guys get your priorities together!!!

How we think about babies

By Avery

"Oh Ellie, you're just a big baby ball of distraction!"  While he is trying to work on math and she is smiling her best smile at him.

"I think Monica, Lenny and Eleanor are all the same...big chubby babies full of love."

"It's okay Eleanor that you spit up a lot, you're so full of love so it doesn't matter."

Bee's Knees

Oh George, how my heart is so smitten with you, My Love. It may be the age you are at or the fact that you are just so easy going, or the fact that you have just exploded with so much to say. I just adore your little world you live in. The trains, cars, jets, dragons and the amazing adventures that happen in the most ordinary places. One thing I'm not so fond of, but will get over, is being slowly replaced by "PP". We've even had to rearrange our chairs at the table so that you two can sit by each other. He is the bee's knees in you book right now and I'm pretty sure he is not only living up to this new found responsibly but thriving on  it. Oh George how, I love you.

George!

George was my sous chef for dinner the other night. As I popped the dish in the over I said more to myself than him, "Now how long to we cook it?" referring back to the recipe.

George in all enthusiasm said confidently, "This long" with arms stretched wide.

George, Mary Colette and I were heading to the store when he asked a bit scandalized, " Mommee, we take Eleanor?!"

I let him know that it was a quick trip and she would be fine with Daddy.

The world's heaviest sigh to let all know of his profond disappoint in the the current situation, "I really love Eleanor! She sooo nice!"

The following all took place at the park at which George was on his game in making me laugh.

"Agh, Mommee I need a grown up."

Annie was doing her darnedest to push, however George was not so appreciative of the short bumpy swinging.

"Mommee, jump down!"

"Uh, I think I'm past the point in my life to jump."

"Ahhh, that's right you're too big, you'd jump and then you would die."

(precisely what I was thinking.)

Waving his finger at me, "No no no, don't look over here. I scare you."

Then he jumps.

Dinner was a big hit the other night and the children were all commenting how much they liked it and how they could eat all of it in the pot, state, world....

George piped in, "I could eat all in the world and the high heavens!"

(This is now the end all to every discussion.)


"Momee come look I built a 'ah' track!"

When the George has a hard time settling at night I go in and we sing Hail Mary together and every time I'm reminded of his littleness and sincerely love as he quietly sings, "Holy Mary, Momma of God." It melts my heart thinking of Jesus calling Mary the equivalent of Momma and my Georgie referring to Mary in this way as well.

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A cluttered childhood.

Why I love this picture:

They don't know I'm watching. 

They are all contributing to their evolving game of bear hunt to revolutionary war heroes to the next big adventure.

It's a cluttered childhood for two reasons, the many adventures to happen in a short afternoon, before they are called in to dinner and the many ages that take part in these adventures.

This play is taken serious, full emersion into their part is taken.

The haziness of this picture. It is due to it being taken inside through our dirty windows and screens, but it is also us, adults, looking into a world not fully infocus because it's not ours. Do you remember your favorite childhood make believe games? I do...and I remember how I hesitatingly let anyone older in on them because I could see their foggy eyes as I tried to explain. And then, they might question how something was to work and interject realism into the whole scenario. What was once a crystal clear picture for me would itself become hazy just as it was for the older person and I would take on older, hazier eyes.  Only when I played with my beloved playmate would my vision return to clear, sunny and bright. Where anything is possible...medieval princesses really could live on the high plains with Indians and Cowboys. Where stagecoaches and white horses, that maybe at times looked like unicorns, did exist and flourished. 

They play, I love this picture because they play, they pretend, because they are children.

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Teamwork.

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Avery the baby lover.

Oh Avery

Hearing a scuffling between Anastasia and George, I asked the boys what was happening. Avery reported that Anastasia wouldn't share a toy, "For no reason!"

Trying to defuse the defamation of Anastasia's name I gently (maybe gently) suggest that she is young and doesn't always think of others first.

Avery states rather importantly, "Yeah, but when she hits the age of reason, then she'll always have a reason!" 

After watching a little parade with just the right amount of candy and just long enough to keep everyone happy, yet not too long to make them hot and grumpy, I exclaimed, "Well that was a fun parade wasn't it?!"

Avery enthusiastically, "Yeah! New Haven sure is proud of itself!"

"Aren't you going to get the wish trunk out?"

Hope chest, wish trunk. Close enough.

The bigs were helping to unpack some china dishes and I emphasized to be careful with them.

Avery with further instructions, "Be careful, really careful. I mean as careful as a mouse running away from a cat, not just ordinarily careful." 

Got it guys? As careful as a mouse running away from a cat.

So much!

There is so much I want to write about and yet there is so much emotion that it all gets mixed up and stays inside instead. There is so much I want to write and yet there is so much laundry, boxes, floors, diapers and so little day. There is so much I want to write and yet there is so much I have neglected for too long, six beautiful pairs of eyes silently begging for five more minutes. There is so much I want to write and yet there is so much a new baby needs when she wouldn't settle for anyone but her momma. There is so much I want to write and yet there is so much I need to do every day to prepare for my little sponges and no matter how much is done that daunting feeling of never doing enough remains.

For now, and maybe for always, so much will have to remain inside, because so much must come first. How much I want to keep a beautiful record of our little family and yet I feel it slipping away slowly into business and quick little snippets on Instagram.  I do so much want to give a better record than that, mainly because all too often I fall into the Mommy Comparison Trap with it. However, I must also recognize the need to live in the here and now, and right now my little flock needs most, if not all, of my day. I want to write about our crazy year, but honestly there is so much negative emotion tacked on that I don't know if I can. I want to write about the birth of Eleanor, and that one too has so much pain involved that it gets push aside for lovely pictures instead.

So for now pictures it is...My Loves, when you are older and read this know that there was just so much going on outside in our lives to sit down and spend the too much time it takes for me to write. We are also going through so much transition that I need to be present to you all more. And you know what? It is my privilege to love you in that way.

Couldn't decide which one.

Eleanor Rose - 3 weeks.

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Reading.

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Oh my sweet wordies Avery! You still have so much of your childhood innocence, I thank God for that. How much I have enjoyed reading books with you as you laugh so hard and just about burst. You and your brother have made the beginning of this school year so cheerful and well enjoyable. Thank you for hanging on to your sweet self and for growing up slowly and purposefully. You are so considerate and ask me daily what you can do to lighten me load. Thank you for that Avery. I love you, my little prince. 

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Oh George, how my heart is so smitten with you, My Love. It may be the age you are at or the fact that you are just so easy going, or the fact that you have just exploded with so much to say. I just adore your little world you live in. The trains, cars, jets, dragons and the amazing adventures that happen in the most ordinary places. One thing I'm not so fond of but will get over is being slowly replaced by "PP". We've even had to rearrange our chairs at the table so that you two can sit by each other. He is the bees knees in you book right now and I'm pretty sure he is not only living up to this new found responsibly but thriving on  it. Oh George how, I love you.

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Mary Colette what an amazing big sister you are! You are so beautiful both inside and out. You lately have been caught in between to worlds of being school age and still needing to play so much and image daily. It has been a bit rough on you trying to make your way right now and I fear we haven't been as patient and loving as way should be. We will try harder to take a step back and think about the life you're living, your obstacles and frustrations before we ask so much of you. Mary Colette, you are doing a wonderful job on your lessons and I really wish I could spend more time with you and drink in you exciting, funny ways. I love you, My sweet girl.

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This little girl has been all over the place lately. She has learned to climb out of her crib and open doors all in the same day, which has resulted in very few naps these past couple of weeks. She is full steam ahead and sees no reason to not be doing exactly what everyone else is doing whether it be Eleanor, George or Paul Thomas. 

Anastasia you are a handful right now, but you are my handful with the most twinkling brown eyes that seem to always be saying "Dare me?!" I love you to bits and pieces and pieces and bits! 

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          My gang, my crew, my loves!

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Guess Who?

Hi, How are you?

We are still here in the blog-o-sphere.

So much has been happening, too much for a simple post. 

So just letting you know we are alive and kicking, and slowly moving into our new house in our new neighborhood, in our new town, in our new state with our new baby.

We have been so productive in the homeschool front that everything else is on simmer right now, which is good. It has been too easy for me to push aside school work till a more perfect day/timing but now everything else must take a backseat (at least till I figure out how to juggle it all better) and you know what? It feels really good to focus on those spongy minds. And the best, best, best part in our new house, we have a little classroom! This is the biggest best improvement to our schools days as of yet. Which means we really like being in there working/learning/creating the day away.

Hopefully we'll see more of you all soon, but if not it's cause we are a bit busy.

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Pure Joy

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Anastasia loves her Eleanor.

A lot.

So does Mary Colette, she is a bit more experience in the not smothering kind love. 

Growing

This little one is so sweet and ornery and beautiful and wild all at the same time. In the same moment she can melt your heart and break it. She is handling some really big emotions so well and is maybe growing up too quickly with them. She is fluctuating between needing to be held and needing to hold. Oh my sweet Annie K, how big your world is right now and how much I want to scoop you up and carry you through it, however you are determined to pave your own way. I love you.