Playset

The playset is taking shape now. I'm pretty happy with how it looks so far.
The kids have been using it, even though there is no ladder yet. After all, aren't slides for going up too?

Already I have given many lectures about hard and heavy items going down (and up) to such heights carefully. Hopefully they get the idea.

Already Daniel fell down. I had figured there was no way he could fall from the top of the slide. I was worriedly watching that he didn't fall down by the big opening where the ladder will be. But being Daniel, he didn't do as I expected.

Down he fell, from the top.
I saw him when he was half of the way down,
and I was one step too far away.

He was quite winded and upset; so was I! Now he has is a bruise on his cheek to remind me of his close call. And now my safe yard has become another source of worry for me!

Hot day

Last week there was a really hot day. Unwisely, I chose this as the day to pack a picnic lunch and go to a park that we've gone to more often last year. It was unwise, since the pond that is there is filthy, and "unswimable", and there are no good ways of cooling down. We finished all our cool drinks by lunchtime, and I began to worry about heat stroke. There was water I could get from the bathrooms to drink, but that wasn't cool enough to encourage the kids to drink it.

So we packed up and went home. Our deck was being worked on (the only outdoor tap is there by the deck) so I said they could pretend the bathtub was a kiddy pool instead. They had cool water to play in, and ice cream to eat.

And they had a lot of fun to boot!

Helpers and Projects

Matthew and Daniel helped me grate cheese for dinner. They both did a lovely job, AND stayed nicely out of trouble for a while too! Even Daniel managed to grate the cheese--which all fell onto the chair he was sitting on. In the end, he decided eating it was less wasteful. Matthew did a very careful job, but got tired and pleaded for me to help him. He was so concerned that the job should be taken over!


The latest project of Phil's (though I get to help if I behave) is making a playset for the kids outside. I thought, baby coming and all, that this would be the summer I'd be going out less. So having the playset this year, instead of next was high on my priority list. (Isn't it lovely how it gets higher up on my husband's then too? ;) ) It's built right about the sand box, if you look carefully you can just see the lid (which is on and shut). It looks rather imposing, and perhaps a little too close to the house after all...but once the posts get trimmed, etc. hopefully the overall look is good.

And how is my less exciting old project going? (Curtains, you mean?) Coming along ever so slowly. Even slower like when I make mistakes like cutting it 7 inches too short. Funny thing is I measured it about 5 times, and was very sure on it. But unfortunately I cut it at the first marking I had made, not the second important one. Fortunately, after a bit of work, I think the material will be salvageable, only it'll hang an inch higher off the floor than initially planned. Too bad!

Hopes

The kids are all tucked in for the night.

My throat, it feels strained
from all the yelling I did.

I sit, and I dwell on my guilt.

Why all this anger?
I stop and consider.

These children, they belong to the Lord.
If all they have to rely on
Are parents who stumble in
Their every act, thought and word
What a disaster it would be.
All praise to God who sets us free!

Lamentations 3:22-23
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Some days

I think I'm the only one in the concert of life. I step up to play my part eloquently

Only to realize that my effort has been pathetically feeble, and drowned out by the real concert of life. Time for me to step down off my high horse

And give glory to God, the orchestrator of life.

Trouble and the gang

Introducing TROUBLE

As our friend would say, "He's a good boy!" And "What do you expect for someone named Daniel?" I'm sure he spends all his free time contemplating ways to complicate our lives.


Daniel's favorite word is "Uh-uh", and that's(above) what he looks like when he says it. He really is a lot of work right now-he's not happy unless one of his siblings are playing with him or I am holding him. If he's being ignored by his siblings he'll wreck the game/toys they're playing with. If I'm ignoring him, he'll open up cupboards, and try anything else he can think of to get that attention (even frustrated mothers are better than ignoring mothers). And yes, it doesn't take a whole lot of thinking for him to succeed!


Just to show off-here are two of my kids sharing peacefully! (They are always like this. ;) )


Matthew's thinking of what sort of trouble he can get into next time he's sitting on the potty...




And a smile-to keep me from going crazy (smiles restore sanity-everyone knows that-especially the kid!)


(Even weird ones count.)

Growing up too fast!

Two firsts this week for Nathan:

One. Lost his first tooth! It came out quite painlessly, to his relief-during naptime when he was bored and fooling around with it.
Two. First bloody nose! (Though it was not a full out gushing one, still, it now looks a lot like it could have been!) It happened when we were sliding on our (small!) hill with crazy carpets. Unfortunately, I left the stroller at the bottom (bad thoughtless Mommy Roze! who watched him ever so slowly-it seemed-get closer and closer until-smash!) and Nathan didn't think to stop, or put his hands up to protect himself. Poor guy! Life is harsh!


And a picture of each kid for all those patiently waiting readers of mine:
(You know who you are.)

Nathan


Melanie


Matthew


Daniel

Giggle fits

I brought out the magnet letters, hoping the kids might have some educational fun without realizing it. Once again, my expectations are set much too high! I try to get them started, only to have Nathan and Melanie trying hard to sound out "bum". Nathan had "bam" and the mistake just got their goats.
"It needs a "U"" says I.
(Nathan makes "baum".)
"What does it say now, Mom?
"Baum."
Nathan and Melanie:
"GIGGLE GIGGLE!"

In an attempt to divert them, I spell another body part, "hand."
That isn't exciting enough.
So I show how I can change the word with one letter.
"Now what does it spell?" I ask.
(I end up sounding it out for them.)
"Handy."

Thinking this is a fun game, they decide to try it.
"Handy." Says Nathan, calmly.
"Randy." Says he, again.
"I can make "handy" into "randy"!"
"Then you'll need an "r"" says I.

"Now what does it say?" asks Nathan.
"Sound it out." I say. (Education! think I! He's learning!)
After a while, I have to help him sound it out properly-as in, read it for him.

"Hnrdy!" giggles Nathan.
"Hnrdy!" giggles Melanie.

(Mommy Roze sighs deeply and gets back to her work.)

And what do you know, they eventually get there!

Notice how enthralled Melanie is!
Nothing like a big brother to help you in your silliness!

"Look Mom, we did it!"
"Now it says Randy!"

Mutiny

Aboard our ship, there often is a mutinous air.

The captain-ess, despite her best efforts at seeking obedience through
friendship,
mentoring,
discipline,
guiding,
leading, and
severe punishment
there seem to be many times where the crew members all join together in an effort to thwart her. The captain, at times like this, ought to consider sending the ringleader(s) onto the plank.

New hope with regrowth

It takes me a while to get used to hair cuts. Even Phil, who gets his hair done "professionally", looks awful to me when he gets home. For about a week. And then I'm used to it. If it's not too short. So, with a bit of regrowth and a bit of time, the kids shall all look cute again. We can hope.

Before:


After:


After:



Before:


After:


Amazingly enough, Matthew sat the best for me. And Melanie was the worst. I was lucky to get a snip in when she wasn't wiggling. Once she's old enough to care what it looks like, she'll be old enough to sit better. And maybe by then my hairdressing abilities will have grown dramatically.

I don't think they improved any. I kinda like the longer shaggier look. But I'm not the only one in the world, I'm told.

Maybe in a week they'll look cute to me again.
Maybe in a week I'll be able to love them again.

That was

The first time Daniel cried himself to sleep.

It did us both a lot of good.

Oh, my aching arms. Why keep trying to console a child who does not want to be consoled? I tried fruitlessly and frustratingly. And now all is peaceful and quiet. (In the cradle, at least.)

Pack

Next time I pack for a holiday with a less-than-a-month old, I think I shall actually do some packing before the last day.

I'm stiff.

And not done.

No pics today 'cause the camera is in the bag. Lest I forget it.

Before the fall

of my pride:

Behold a perfect domestic scene.

(Nathan made the irons for everyone)

Then I was busy cleaning up a "mess" in the bathroom,

Leaving the youngest one rather vulnerable.

He was rather shaken in his rocking chair when I came back.
Poor guy!


I doubt that it was enough to cause damage...
but as a mother, I like to worry anyways.

Details at Three Weeks

Is it safe to give details at three weeks postpartum?
Am I mentally stable enough to trust giving out "personal" information?
(oh wait...I've never been "mentally stable enough")

THREE WEEKS?
Has it really only been three weeks since
The memorable day of Daniel's birth?

Three weeks ago we didn't even know who you were!
Three weeks ago we'd never hugged or kissed you before.
Three weeks ago we were sleeping through the nights...
(oh wait, that's just my tired mind misremembering things)

Life has been:

Blissful.
Yes, really, I mean it.
I am blissfully happy to have another child.
Blissfully happy to hold him and care for him
(as inadequately as that might be)
and watch him grow.

Frustrating.
I am tired of my kids not being perfect.
I am tired of me not being perfect.
I expect too much of either them or me...
and all too soon, I'm angry
and saying things I shouldn't
in tones that I shouldn't.

Fascinating.
So many things going on.
So many little people
changing in so many ways.
If only I could absorb it all.

My little monkeys are growing so fast.











Daniel details:
We went in for an appointment at the midwife's yesterday. Daniel is very healthy. What a blessing! 11.5 pounds by now, pretty much. Newborn clothes are too small already. He sleeps a lot, and is occasionally alert and social.
He loves being held.
He loves nursing
(as much and frequently as possible).
He loves sleeping.
He hates his chair.
He hates being on the floor.
He hates to be alone.
He doesn't sleep through the night.

So, to sum it up--if I hold Daniel he sleeps and is happy. If I put him down he wakes up and is grumpy. I feed him, he goes back to sleep. I put him down, he wakes up and is grumpy. Do you see a pattern? Good thing I love to hold him. Good thing I really would rather hold him than clean up the house. Good thing I've been getting a lot of dinners still.

And NO he does not sleep through the night. In fact, he sleeps worse at night now than he did the first half of his life. But I don't expect anything until he's half a year old. I am a realist.
I'll love him anyways.