It Has Taken Awhile

I have meant to get back to my blog many times in the past 5 months. I wanted to add a post about Matthew's surprise birth two days before his scheduled C-section, a post about all of the first things that he has experienced in the past months and how all of the other people in the house are handling all the of the changes that have to occur with another member joining the family. I have meant to do all of those things. It has taken awhile longer than I expected to adjust and feeling a little bad about not updating our blog til now, I have made a list of the things that I HAVE gotten done in the last five months...and I feel pretty good again.

I have pumped over 17 gallons of milk to keep my baby nurished (he was "tongue-tied" at birth, he experienced a tear early on that caused pain when he nursed so we just made it easier for him and gave him a bottle - much to the disappointment of the lactation consultants!). Of course I have changed a number of diapers, rocked and walked many hours and sang many lullaby songs. I have read books while snuggling with Zachary every night before bed to keep his routine relatively normal, and had numerous conversations to help him develop a larger vocabulary. I have armed Dawn with a number of Bible verses to use to fight the enemy at night while she lays in her bed thinking about not so nice things. We have decided that she take the Sword to bed and keep it under her pillow. I have watched as my Stacey has taken it upon herself to be Matthew's personal nanny helping him anytime I need to accomplish something else when he needs some extra attention. Along with that I have guided her when her "bossiness" has taken over as a result of this new responsibility as she deals with her other siblings. I have listened to square roots and talked to Ryan's teacher about how she has run out of challenges for him in first grade. I have also offered to punch him in the face a few times when he gets down that his teeth are not coming out as fast as the girls!

I have also picked out fabric for the girls' Easter dresses and paint color for their new bedroom makeover coming this spring. I have started reorganizing my laundry and craft rooms and have helped many people celebrate their memories. I have cooked a number of dinners, scrubbed stains out of clothes, wiped up spit (and cleaned up vomit on those sick days). I have visited my ailing grandmother and watched her eyes light up when she saw her newest great-grandchild. I have loved my husband, ironed a just a few shirts as time has allowed and made sure he had clean socks (although most often he has had to go get them from the basket in the laundry room). Together with him I have started formulating a plan to prepare this house to sell and move our family to a bigger house where everything could have a place (I have also been purging many things from here so we don't HAVE to find a place for it later). Although those plans will be a couple years down the road, if feels better to have a plan when it has been so easy to be distracted from making one as of late.

So among many other things, this is what I have been busy with. I have enjoyed learning and trying a few photography tips which I used in the picture above of our beautiful new addition - Matthew's debut on the blog. Off I go for now, there is someone demanding something somewhere in the house...and as mom I have to respond. It is part of the job description and the call of my heart. I will fill in some of the details here soon as the days go by (there are too many cute pictures not to share). Life is full of busy-ness and we are so blessed!