Getting Caught Back Up

Attempting a spontaneous group shot after a long day spent in outside play

Well...here it is. It's been 2 wks, I think almost 3, since I last put anything on here. It's not like I've had anything else to do, I suppose. It's funny how the days after a baby's arrival seem to be swept up in a whirlwind of activity and a blurry haze of active days and sleepless nights that seem to all run together at times. And here I sit now on this 1st day of December watching the cold wind bend the trees low outside the window. I sit trying to motivate myself to accomplish the tasks at hand yet wanting nothing more than to be here in the quiet of the day with a hot cup of tea steaming beside me as I write. Down the hallway I hear a certain little 16 month old boy calling for "Mama" but still quite content to play in his crib for awhile longer, so I savor the moment. Dishes clang in the kitchen as an 8 yr old chips away at what remains of lunch duties but, other than those sweet noises, the house is serenely quiet as children sleep on this cold, wind swept day.

It's Ivye's 3 wk birthday today. Again it is just astonishing to me to look up and realize she is already this old. It seems as though she should be but just 3 days old. I welcome this part of it though as her nights grow longer and longer and feedings grow fewer and fewer in those dark wee hours of the morning. I can't say that I have ever been one of those mothers that cherishes those sinfully early morning hour feedings. I'm sure at some point in life I'll look back and wonder why I didn't cherish them more and realize how quiet and still the night was and how sweet those mother/baby alone times were. But as of now, in the days of my youth and mothering many children, I have come to rate sleep high on the priority list. Feeding newborn infants in the wicked hours of the morning is a joy but it is always one that I am glad to see come to an end as they eventually taper off to one feeding during those dark hours instead of the 6 or 8 or 10 that they start out with.

Discussing the new object in the swing

So, exactly one week after her arrival Brad and I took Grayson, Evye and Ivye with us to grocery shop before the others returned. I can honestly say that this is by far the earliest we have ever gotten a baby out before but I was ready to get out and walk around. Brad is still amazed after each and every birth over the difference of the recoup time between the hospital births vs the home births. He has been stunned over how it would seem to take 2-3 wks for me to get somewhat back to normal after a hospital birth but with each homebirth I am back to my old self after only a few days......usually only 2 in bed, which I know should be a little longer but I'm just not a bed type of person. So, we hit the road to town and had lunch out and then shopped with her securely tucked in her wrap, away from the world's curious eyes and roaming hands that seem to just assume they can just so freely touch a newborn baby. Though the one sweet little granny at Sam's that is always in awe of the children everytime we go in was allowed a peek....and somehow I just didn't mind when she softly caressed Ivye's velvety soft skin and this look of long ago days passed across her face.

Big baby....little baby

So, Mother returned the children and stayed with us for almost an entire week. She spent her time just helping around with what she could and keeping the house in order as it returned to some state of normalcy and routine. Everything had run really smoothly since we had Grayson and Evye here so there wasn't really much to be done. She kept up the wash to give Evye a break and helped them with the dishes, but more than anything, I just enjoyed having her company here. 2 days shy of Ivye's 2 wk birthday we all headed to Nanny and Pawpaw's to spend the day there and let them get their 1st glimpses of the newest tiny addition. Since Mother was still here she went with us. She took the children and spent most of the day out combing the grounds for autumn treasures. Eventually Brad and I made our way outside and spent much of the afternoon leisurely walking all over the land with the little ones in tow. We returned home late that night and when Monday rolled around Thanksgiving week was already upon us. We spent that week cooking and getting everything in order, so though I had every intention of doing school that week it somehow got lost in all of the preparation for the upcoming holiday. Mother and Thomas spent Thanksgiving day with us and left late that night to return home. All of Brad's family came in on Friday and we had Thanksgiving all over again with them...which the children all loved. Nothing like gorging yourself 2 entire days in a row. Brad's 1st shift back since Ivye's arrival was Saturday so after family made their way back home on Friday he found his way back to work on Sat. The children and I spent the weekend pulling the house back together and were back to the hitting the school books today, which brings us up to date and to the present tense.

Loving on Ivye (after this shot he lovingly and unceremoniously dumped her off)

Having fun at Nanny and Pawpaw's

On the road

Going to explore...Ivye was inside sleeping and Grayson and Evye were at the pond with Mother so we ended up with this crew of 5

Jumping the hay bales

Heading towards the barns
A far off view of the VERY friendly mules

Headed towards the river...I love this pic

Just a few of the mules

Trying for a few pics

And another one wants to say "cheese"

And what you inevitably get with 3 constantly moving boys...these are just 2 of the many funny ones we ended up with




Still chipping away at the swingset

Out shooting on Thanksgiving

Loving on Granny

So it's a little blurry as I experimented with the camera but you get the general idea

Thomas and much loved Granny (my mom)

Sweet Beautiful Babies

Our litte Ivye girl

Garrett with his huge blue eyes

Sweet Garrison

Grant - our little red head

Still the best bed buddies

The "triplets"......or the inseparable pair and the spare
No....this was not Benadryl induced! This is what happens when everybody helps Daddy in his building of the swingset endeavors

And more join the early evening movie while they wait on dinner....doesn't seem to bother Garrett too much though

Aubrey and I

Her REALLY big baby - Evye and Gavin

A moment in time