A disaster a day

It is so funny how every time I have a moment where I think, "I can do this. I've got things under control," something happens to remind me that I have absolutely no control right now. Let's take a look at last week:

Monday:  I found James laying down with Hadley in the bassinet and prevented way too many close calls. He can be so sweet and gentle one minute and then way too rough the next. He still believes he is taking care of her when he is sitting on top of her or covering her face with his hand. Poor Hadley. The things she has already endured and she is only three weeks old. A great outlet for James has been his trains (which he is pretty impressive at). When we all need a break I send him in his room to build train tracks and he does such a great job patiently building tracks and playing with his trains by himself.

Tuesday: My friend brought over 8 cupcakes and I put them on the counter. I head out on a walk with all three boys to deliver some thank you notes around the neighborhood. Ty picked up James on our way home and so James and Ty made it back a few minutes earlier than Thatcher, me and Hadley. Our landlord was over helping with some stuff for our lawn so Ty was a little distracted. I walked right in to the kitchen and all the cupcakes were gone. I went outside to ask Ty if he had helped himself to 8 cupcakes and he said he hadn't touched them. Just then a very frosting-covered James entered the scene and our landlord thought it was the funniest thing ever. It was pretty funny, but I am baffled at how he ate that many in such a short period of time. I never found most of the wrappers either.

Wednesday: It took me the entire morning to get everyone ready to go a few houses down the street for a meeting about a parent's preschool we are doing next year. I was shocked at how long it took to do sunscreen, breakfast, clothes, diaper changes, nursing, preparing snacks and the diaper bag, etc. It was the first time I had to be out the door with all three kids at a specific time. We were actually right on time and the first ones there so that helped me to feel a little accomplished. However, just minutes after arriving, James hurt his knee on the trampoline (he was jumping with 5 four-year-olds and it got a little crazy). James is the toughest little boy I have ever seen, but he was in a lot of pain. He limped around on it for four days and spent the entire meeting on my lap crying and moaning. It made for a really fun meeting that was already pretty loud and chaotic.

Thursday: I spent all morning at the doctor's and running errands with Hadley and James. It went extremely well and was so nice to get out. Then after James's nap we walked to Simon's to pick up Simon and Thatcher and take them to the park. Bridget came with us and we had a short but nice park visit. Then we walked home and Bridget came all the way to my house and inside so we could talk while I nursed. Thank goodness because a few minutes after coming inside we realized that James had opened up a little surprise I had gotten the boys earlier. I got each boy a package of the capsules that grow into sponges shaped like various animals. Right as I got settled with Hadley James walked over and was chewing something. I was very interested to see what it was because I had just put a baby proofing lock on the pantry door (due to two boxes of cheerios being dumped out on the floor earlier that morning) and didn't know how James could have gotten to food. James had two of the capsules in his mouth and one in his hand. I pulled the two out of his mouth, but we never found the remaining NINE that had been in the package. Bridget called poison control and I have been in touch with them since...but James was fine. He didn't choke, never complained of stomach pains, and has had normal bowel movements (where I have still not found any sign of the capsules).

Here is James with nine of the animal sponges that didn't make it into his mouth just to give us an image of what possibly grew in his stomach. He thought it was pretty fun to be the center of attention so we took a few more pictures of all his silly faces.

Friday: I thought I lost Thatcher and had a little meltdown when after probably twenty minutes of not seeing him I found out that the gate to our backyard was open and started imagining the worst. I was freaking out when Thatcher walked in from the garage where he had been playing in the car with a flashlight so he hadn't heard me calling for him when I was in the garage.

Sunday: We tried so hard to make it on time to church. I was completely ready to go at 9:30. Church doesn't start till 11:00. But of course it was the one time Hadley wanted to nurse on both sides, James got a poopy diaper right as we were loading up, the boys wanted to eat lunch before church...then the van wouldn't start so we had to jump start it. We got there right at the opening hymn was starting, but still...we tried so hard to get there early and had every obstacle in our way.

Things really are going pretty good...but it has been a funny week thinking about how each time I feel confident and calm about how things are going, it is very quickly followed by a situation that reminds me how crazy things are and how things will probably not be calm for a very long time. But look at this beautiful, double-chinned, cross-eyed three week old. She makes everything worth it.

the 3 day birthday

I love how fun our kids make celebrating any event. They helped me wrap presents for Ty on Friday and it was killing them to wait for his actual birthday on Monday. So... Ty opened a present on Saturday before we went out on his birthday date (thai food and a trip to target). Then he opened the rest of his presents on Sunday morning because the boys couldn't take it any more. Thatcher helped me to make birthday treats on Sunday (scotcharoos), then he helped me to make two banana cream pies for his real birthday on Monday. When Ty got home from work on Monday he was greeted by two partially-dressed, horn-blowing, party-hat-wearing little boys in the driveway. After a tasty birthday dinner and an evening walk, he successfully blew out all 32 candles on his banana cream pie. We hope it was a great day (or 3 days) for a great dad and husband.

Baby girl

My incredibly talented friend Carol took these pictures of Hadley the week after she was born. Hadley had a hard time staying asleep and my boys had an even harder time cooperating in any way...but the pictures of Hadley are still to die for and so precious. My cousin Erin made the mermaid tail and my sister-in-law Shayla gave me the pink feather headband. It was so fun to have such fun accessories for the photo shoot.

Life with three

The last week has definitely been interesting but a really good one. I am feeling really great (nursing has gotten exponentially better), Hadley is an angel, and I have been blessed with so much great help that the transition has been very bearable. We got three meals brought to us last week and friends helped out with the boys on multiple occasions whether it was taking Thatcher to preschool for me, taking James while Thatcher was at preschool, or taking both boys (where I napped outside for about a half hour and it was heavenly). Hadley is already doing really great at nights and I don't feel nearly as sleep deprived as I thought I would. I went out with some friends last week for dinner, Carol came over for Hadley's photo shooot, and we spent Saturday morning at Bearizona...but besides that the week was very low key and good for me to help with the transition. We have been going on more walks and I am so grateful for the park that is close by and the outings we take there.

Hadley has had a couple baths and she LOVES them. It made my day when we gave her her first one and she loved her second one just as much. I love being able to tell when my baby is happy. She loves her brothers and is already so patient with them constantly in her face and in her space. She is spending more and more time awake each day and that is so fun too, to see her with her sweet eyes open taking in everything she can.

The boys are still enamored with their sister, but fighting a lot with each other. I ordered a book online yesterday that will hopefully give me some guidance on my disciplining shortcomings, but we have had a lot of great family moments despite the many time outs, fights, and meltdowns. Thatcher is still head over heels for Hadley and holds her multiple times a day and sings to her when he holds her. The other night they were snuggling in Thatcher's bed and he told Ty, "I think it is ok if Hadley sleeps with me tonight." He is such a special boy and has had fun this week playing in the water even when it is windy and 70 degrees, playing soccer and his own version of t-ball with me, making friends through the fence with the boy who lives next door, and reading scriptures (he likes to just carry them around and tells me how much he likes them). On Friday he found a way to the top of the fridge where I had put some cookies that a friend brought over for our dinner. He walked outside with his cookie and when I asked him how he got it he said, "I didn't mean to." He knows he is a good boy and uses that sometimes to manipulate certain situations, but he really is a sweetheart 99% of the time. It is so nice to have a helper. I can't imagine having 3 kids so young if my oldest wasn't obedient, conscientious, and smart like he is.

James has been pretty naughty this week, but so much of it has been making me laugh so hard. He loves to climb in the bassinet with Hadley. Thatcher started that idea, but only needed to be scolded once to stop. James however, still climbs in every chance he gets so I have to watch him like a hawk. He likes to do things he think will be funny or naughty like peeing in the cup Ty uses when brushing his teeth, peeing outside, wearing my high heels, making funny faces, or coming up with crazy silly things with Thatcher (like yesterday when both boys were naked and holding their private areas while marching around the house and laughing like crazy thinking they were so funny).

Yesterday was mother's day and it was a really great one. I got to "sleep in" which means that Ty dealt with James from 5:30am until 7:00am while I nursed and snuggled with Hadley. Then I was treated to a beautiful breakfast complete with dark chocolate covered raisins, milanos, flowers, and Life cereal. Then we went to church as a family which was fun for me (Hadley wore a dress of Kelly's which was sentimental for me). We took naps after church, had a great dinner Ty grilled, went on a walk, had multiple servings of ice cream, bathed Hadley, and then went to bed. It was a great day.

 I am so grateful for my family and that we are surviving this time of transition. Hadley has definitely made it as easy as can be with her angelic disposition. She is such a blessing and is really inviting a special spirit in the home. I am so grateful the boys love her and I know we will make progress in the areas where we are currently lacking.

big brothers

I was so excited to get home on Thursday so James and Thatcher could meet their baby sister. Their reactions did not disappoint at all. They were so excited and so sweet with her from the beginning. James was sweet with her in is own two-year-old rough James way, but Thatcher knew perfectly how soft and careful he needed to be. 

James was the first to give her a big kiss.

Thatcher was the first to get to hold her.

 Hadley came with presents for the boys which ended up being a great idea, so grateful to whoever shared that one with me. James wanted to show Hadley the crocodile she gave him.

 James was very impatient and excited for his turn.

 Ty's parents came and stayed with the boys while we were at the hospital and stayed a few days after we got home. It was such a blessing to have help and they were so much help. The boys were in heaven with their Nanny and Pop giving them constant attention, trips to the park, and fun adventures like dinner at McDonalds, building boxes at Home Depot, and feeding the ducks.

 All week Thatcher has begged to hold Hadley and he will sit with her for the longest time and just look at her and let her hold his hand. He never gets flustered when she starts crying and is just super sweet and patient

 James loves his "baby Howie" too. He always says, "Where's baby Howie? There he is. I love him." He likes watching her eat and thinks it is funny that she drinks from my belly button. He has told me many times that baby Howie and mom can't drink out of his belly button. I kind of like that he has come up with that explanation. It works for now.

 When I got out my camera to take a picture of Thatcher holding his baby, James insisted I take one of him and his baby, the pig.

Despite the love they have for their baby sister, it has still been a week of transition. The boys have had frequent meltdowns (as have I) and it is interesting to see the different ways they are acting out. I love my family so much and things feel complete with Hadley here. She is such an angel and is doing really well. I am dealing with the tiredness and other not-so-fun things about having a newborn (like nursing) ok and just trying to enjoy this special newborn phase. We all feel so blessed that Hadley is here and healthy and a part of our family.