Breathing Room

For the first time in several weeks, I feel like I have a little bit of breathing room. Life with three little ones is beautifully full. Everyday life isn't busy - we're home all day, almost every day - but the necessary routines of life fill our days to the brim. When we add anything to the usual pace of life, I find that we're overflowing.

In order to keep my teaching certificate active (something I've been counseled to do by a few older homeschooling moms), I am taking an online, graduate level literacy class. I've shopped for time and found expensive slots in the early morning hours, and I'm falling asleep with a highlighter in hand. It has been precious to see God's hand of faithfulness in this difficult time, as I'm completing the readings and assignments on time without sacrificing my primary duties. He's also provided perfect help at the perfect times. Daily, I'm having to trust the Lord to show me how to order my day; he is truly "establishing my steps". I'm particularly thankful that my professor is in France this next week and we have a bit of a "catch up" week. I'm hoping to get a little ahead in anticipation of a July 4th weekend.

Needless to say, the energy to blog is almost nonexistent. Life is stripped to the necessities right now, and I'm scratching out bits of our days and establishing notes of gratitude in a book I keep open on my kitchen counter. I'm planning to return to the blog in August, when the class is completed and we can settle back in to our normal, full routines.

Nora is 20 Months Old

Oh, our passionate, wild Nora... how is it that you are already 20 months old? Wasn’t it just yesterday that you were Ruthie’s size? A few days ago, I was looking at some pictures from Christmas and I couldn’t believe the change; and yet, all of the changes happened imperceptibly. Nora morphed from baby to toddler in a twinkling, although, I suppose that is just the way it happens.

At twenty months old, Nora is...

• speaking in full, three and four word sentences. She communicates really well, and I’m astounded at how much we actually understand.
• finally getting those teeth! Three molars are about halfway in, and I imagine they’ll completely move in by the time she’s three.
• in love with both of her sisters. On the off chance that Phoebe wakes up before she does and we scoot her out of the room so Nora can get a little more sleep, the first word out of Nora’s mouth is, “Phoebe?” And Nora loves to take care of her little sister, designating herself as official paci-put-er-in-er.
• so passionate, riding an emotional roller coaster throughout the day. I’m trying to be more cognisant of times that she might need a break, and she’s trying to learn how to manage some of the outbursts. Bunny and nay-nay are often sweet, sweet comforts.
• pretty much fearless, and can do just about anything Phoebe does. She loves to climb, twirl, dance, and swim...just to name a few.
• singing her ABCs with pretty decent accuracy, counting to five (with help), and answering the first three questions in the children’s catechism.
• in love with all things water - the swimming pool, watering cans, washing dishes, and generally, the bath.
• happier with books than just about any other toy.
• starting to play dress-up with her sister, though she seems to prefer fancy hats to fancy dresses.
• a budding chef, as she plays at the little pink kitchen several times throughout the day.
• a sweet helper. She loves to help load and unload the dishwasher, sweep the floor, wipe spots off the floor, load the dryer, and put away laundry. Strangely, picking up toys is low on her priority list, although she’s beginning to enjoy putting things in their baskets, especially at the end of blanket time.
• particularly receptive to one-on-one time, and seems energized after some time on the counter talking to Mommy.

Nora is a precious, exuberant delight. Her dimply smile seems to beget smiles from anyone in its beam, and her requests for “hold you me” are irresistible. Oh, how thankful I am for this little person -- and what a delight it is to watch her grow!

Ruthie is 3 Months Old

Seriously? Three months? I can hardly stand it. My tiny baby is officially no longer a newborn; even the clothes and diapers declare it, as she is officially way too big for either. After three months, it seems like she's been here forever. We are still just falling in love with this precious little bug, and I'm so thankful that God saw fit to give us this sweet girl.

At three months old, Ruthie is...

• consistently sleeping all night, generally from about 7:30pm to 6:30am. She occasionally wakes in the early morning hours, but will take a paci and go right back to sleep. She also still likes to sleep swaddled, though I'm thinking it might soon be time to start the weaning process here.
• eating every three hours, 4 ounces at every meal. She'd probably go longer, but I'm not willing to let go of our schedule yet. Ruthie also still eats one last bottle at 10:00 every night, but she usually only takes about 2 ounces at this feeding.
• spitting up... a lot. Some days, we go through three or four outfits. (And by we, I mean we; I'm having to change, too!) We're learning how to manage this a little better, but she's happy when she spits, and doesn't seem to be uncomfortable. This may be reflux, but since it's not causing any apparent discomfort, I don't plan to seek out any medical help with this.
  
• napping pretty predictably, falling asleep with only a few minutes of fussing about an hour and fifteen minutes after she eats. The 45-minute-intruder still likes to visit at many of her naps, but many times she will go back to sleep for another sleep cycle. I have to wake her to eat for at least a few of her meals each day. Ruthie also likes to sleep with a loud fan in her room, which hopefully drowns out some of the ruckus in the rest of the house.
• so easy-going and happy! She seldom "squeaks", and she's content just about anywhere, anytime.
  
• in love with her sisters, especially Nora. (The feeling is mutual on all counts.) Nora was the first to make her giggle, and Phoebe loves to hold Ruthie and snuggle on the bed. Nora is the nay-nay specialist, and Phoebe loves to play peek-a-boo and tickle her toes.
• showing her excitement by kicking and flapping her arms. I love this "flying" on the bed when we change her!
  
• desperately trying to suck her thumb, it appears, to no avail.
• talking and squealing with fervor, and "blooming" into a smile whenever she sees a sweet, happy face.
  
• wearing 3 month clothes and a size 1 diaper.
  

I am so loving Ruthie, and just enjoying every little moment with her. I'm in denial about her no longer being a newborn, so I m going to hang onto her while she's tiny as long as I can!

Mother's Day

If you had told me on my wedding day that, before our fifth anniversary, I would have three little girls... well, I would have thrown my blue wedding flip-flops at you. I still can hardly believe it when I look in the rearview mirror and see three little car seats. When I check on them before heading to bed and I see those sweaty little curls and hear the deep nighttime breathing, I can't help but praise God for his abundant blessings and thank Him for not giving me what I thought I wanted.


This Mother's Day, it was a delight to braid hair, change diapers, rock babies, and sterilize bottles. It wasn't a particularly extraordinary day (although Michael made certain to make me feel adored), but my heart rejoiced in the everyday tasks of motherhood. I am so thankful for the contentment God has placed in my heart as a mommy. This job is unbelievably hard, but the benefits are incredible!

Nora is 19 Months Old

When every waking moment of our days is packed to the brim, it feels nearly impossible to jot down a few thoughts here and there. I've taken to keeping a book open on my counter where I record some of the minutia of our days, as it's easier to scribble down thoughts than to boot up the computer and peck out real, complete sentences. Uploading pictures is another thing entirely. (My most recent upload included eight hundred pictures. Seriously.) My days are full of hard work, and sometimes it's just hard. Yet it's a delight to come back here and see what we've been up to, so peck out the sentences I must -- even if it's only every now and again.


Our sweet, passionate little Nora is now nineteen months old. I'm constantly amazed at her uniqueness, and at how she is a perfect fit for our little family. God knows our needs and desires so intimately! She is a delight and a blessing. At nineteen months, Nora...

• weighs 23 pounds, 7 ounces (30%ile) and is 32.5 inches tall (90%ile)
  
• is finally cutting those molars. And is she ever! Three are coming in at once, and they're giving her - and us - all sorts of grief. This all happened just in time for a Tylenol and Motrin recall, but Daddy came to the rescue with Walgreen's brand. She's pretty miserable, but I'm encouraged just knowing that teething eventually ends.
• istalking all the time, of course, and now stringing many two and three word phrases together. We hear "hold you me" pretty often, but she'll also make requests followed by "please" (as in "bunny please"). I'm also sad to report that she's calling her bunny "bunny" (instead of "nimee"). She also jabber-reads books aloud, and sings along to many of our favorite songs.
• Speaking of songs, Nora loves to request "Howy Howy Howy", which is the overwhelming bedtime favorite. She also loves 5 Little Speckled Frogs, the ABC song, and the Miss PattyCake Hullabaloo Song. But she'll pretty much sing anything!
• ends books with a hearty "Amen".
• now requests tutus when she hears music, and loves to dance and twirl in the kitchen. (I'm pretty sure this is old news.)
• is a hearty eater, and is my partner in crime for weird food. Today, Nora sat on the counter while I prepared a greek pasta salad and I had to cut her off the olives and tomatoes. She was also sad to discover that the noodles were noodles, and not beans. She also licks hummus right out of the bowl.
• can identify some of her letters accurately, and she always surprises me when she does. I can take zero credit for this; I'm pretty sure everything she knows, she's learned from Phoebe or Fridge Phonics.
• identifies every color as blue, unless she's talking about pink... her sister has schooled her in pink!
  
• is intensely passionate, and we're working with her on not thrashing. It's amazing how different children require such vastly different things in terms of discipline and training! Nora is also really sensitive, and her feelings are easily hurt.
  
• is a Daddy's girl. She loves her mommy when it's just mommy...but once Daddy gets home, it's all over. She LOVES to be with her daddy, and can't stand to have him out of her sight!

Oh, how we love our little Norabelle! Happy 19 Months, Belly!

Ruthie is 2 Months Old

Two months have come and gone with our little Ruthie! Sometimes I forget that she's only two months old... and sometimes, I can't believe that she's already two months old. Our days are a whirlwind, and we're busy right now with spring planting. We've also had a touch of a tummy bug in the house, Nora's cutting teeth, and I'm in the process of renewing my teaching certificate, so I'm squeezing this in so my very forgetful brain can hang onto what it's like to have a sweet little two-month-old Ruthie in the house.


At two months old, Ruthie...

• Weighs 9 pounds, 5.5 ounces and is 23 inches long. (This was at her eight week checkup on April 27.)
  
• Eats every three hours during the day, usually taking between two and four ounces at a meal. We have recently transitioned to faster flow nipples for her bottles, and we're hoping she'll start taking a little more at her meals. At night, Ruthie usually wakes once to eat between four and five, and then goes back to sleep. [At around six weeks, she was sleeping through the night, going from 10-6. She kept this up for about a week and a half, but she has started needing to eat again. Growth spurt, maybe?]
• Takes a nap after each meal that lasts anywhere from an hour to two hours. It generally takes a fair amount of grumping to settle herself down, but she does settle herself for her naps.
• Enjoys being swaddled, but is perhaps getting a little irritated with the Miracle Blanket. She seems to prefer a less restrictive - but still tight - swaddle when she sleeps.
  
• Smiles oh-so-sweetly! It started as a small grin, but it's getting a little bigger and easier to coax out.
• Coos when she is very, very happy.
  
• Loves her bath! Our bathroom has become a little bit of a spa retreat, with all three girls getting sudsed up on a nearly-nightly basis. I can't wait until she's big enough to sit in the tub with her big sisters!
• Is content just about anywhere! She's been an easy-going little sister, and she loves to just be where we are. She particularly loves to lay on her back and watch a fan; this usually gets her kicking and smiling. She also loves the swing, the Moby, and her bouncy seat. Her sisters provide plenty of stimulation; consequently, she spends very little time on the floor!

I was so fearful about the transition to three, and yet, God has allowed us to have a smooth and easy transition in which I feel like I'm really delighting in all three of these sweet little girls. The days are flying by, and before we know it, Ruthie will be running around wild with her big sisters. It's so hard to believe!

Survival Mode

It's 9:30 pm. All three girls are sleeping, Michael is working and researching, and my feet are aching. I'm letting my hair air-dry a little more before turning on the hair dryer, and then I will be crashing. These days, it takes me approximately three seconds to fall asleep. Life with three little people underfoot is exhausting!


Yet, we're making it. God is so good to give me sufficient strength for each day. There are days when I am standing over the sink washing dishes, thinking, "There is no way I can do one more thing tonight." But little miracles happen every night, when God grants the energy to fold one last load of laundry or put away one more stack of books. We also celebrate the miracles of letting go, for leaving things undone is so challenging for me! His grace is enough.


Having three children this close in age is no walk in the park. It is as hard as you think it might be...and possibly harder. But we're making it work! Every day, I learn something new about juggling the needs of three little girls, a husband, and a dog. We've figured out some tricks for making life work. So for posterity's sake... here are some of the little things we're doing to survive! (These are in completely random order.)

• Get up early. I try to get up at least fifteen minutes before Ruthie's first feeding. I wash my face, take my vitamin, and start a load of laundry. Depending on my need for caffeine, I may go ahead and make a cup of coffee. Ruthie also starts her day early (6:15) for my benefit; right now, it's the best start for her schedule that allows me to tend to the other girls most effectively. (I'll hopefully bump her to a later start when she starts stretching to four hours between meals.)
• Speaking of coffee...I am loving my insulated coffee mug. It keeps my coffee warm for over an hour, which is about how long it takes me to drink it. And because it's got a lid, I'm not as worried about drinking coffee while Ruthie's around.
• Right now, I'm reading my Bible while I feed Ruthie in the morning. Now is not the time for in depth study, but I'm so thankful that the Word does not return void! (I also keep a Bible open on a cookbook stand in the kitchen, which is a great way to catch God's word while I'm doing other things.)
• Popcorn at Target. $1.50 buys popcorn and a coke, and they're always kind about giving me extra little cups to divvy up the girls' share. This keeps everyone happy and occupied while we shop!
• The Moby Wrap. A-mazing. Ruthie is in it at least once a day.
  
• Blanket time for at least one feeding a day.
• When we grocery shop, I wear Ruthie in the Moby. Nora sits in the traditional "kid's seat" of the cart, and Phoebe rides in the big part. She gets to walk after we add milk to the cart. (I've also been known to distribute snacks at Publix. Last week, we cracked open a box of Teddy Grahams... I was unprepared.)
• A fenced in backyard is an incredible blessing. I shoo the girls outside, and I can see and hear them from the kitchen. Many a lunch has been prepared thanks to the backyard. (Favorite entertainment? Sidewalk chalk and bubbles.)
• Cedarmont Kids and Miss Pattycake.
  
• Exercise. I try to get in at least some sort of aerobic exercise every day during naptime. This doesn't always work because Ruthie is still a little unpredictable with her naps, but it makes a HUGE difference in my mood and energy for the afternoon. I'm also eager to shed this baby weight!
• My laundry sorter has revolutionized laundry at our house. I do at least one load of laundry (but usually two) a day, and this makes it easy to throw one in without having to go through the sorting process.
• I use naptime to get some meal prep done. This streamlines the dinner hour... because frankly, I haven't figured out how to juggle the whole getting-dinner-cooked thing gracefully. It's all I can do to stick something in the oven on time!
• A running to-do list on the fridge helps me remember to do important things like make coffee and wash bottles.

I should also add that Michael is the best partner in parenthood...ever. I literally could not function without his help. Not only is he incredible at handling the big girls, diving in as soon as he gets home and they tackle him at the front door, but he often sends me to bed early and gives Ruthie her bedtime bottle. AND Mr. Wonderful gets up with me in the middle of the night to help get me situated when I'm feeding Little Bit. But more than that, Michael is such an encourager. He points me to Christ daily, if not hourly, and reminds me that my hope does not rest in well-behaved children, scheduled naps, or a clean house. I am so thankful for my sweet, sweet husband!

These are very hard, very happy days. And really, we're doing more than just survive... we're really enjoying life as a family of five!