26 Weeks

This poor blog has been woefully neglected. I have now set a record for the longest period in blogging history to go without a post. There is a restlessness that pervades that makes writing difficult. Writer's block perhaps or maybe just sheer preoccupation with life and the upcoming changes. Lots of thought being given to the birth itself, lots of research on updating a few needed things and lots of back and forthing to town for misc things that have come up. We usually go in only once or so a week with 2 trips a month being all day grocery shopping, errand running affairs. But, I think the children and I have been to town at least 8 times in the last 2 weeks.

How grateful I am to have older children mixed with younger ones now. How amazing are their abilities to keep things running. Between us all the house stays clean. I think back 5 years a go and the 1st time we ever experienced a twin pregnancy and twin babies and how overwhelmed I was all the time. 2 newborns with an absent husband and only a 6 year old, a 3 year old and an 18 month old left at home to help. The house was disastrous and my days were filled with lots of just meeting immediate needs of children to survive. I look at our life now and the house is clean, straight and organized, younger ones are happy and supervised and older ones playful and content in the company of everyone. Even the younger ones amaze me with their ability to step up and do any task assigned to them.


In my busyness over the weekend I somehow managed to forget we had Brad's parents coming in for a quick visit. With him away on shift and both older children in town for a gun show and some swimming in the big pools I was left at home with only the younger 6....which made for a shockingly quiet day. The day had been lazy, kitchen not yet cleaned up from breakfast, hair twisted up into a clip, not much need for makeup, lunch now underway, toys strewn about the floor while busy children played and bathroom in need of cleaning after only 2 days worth of use. I sat back and didn't fuss too much with it all......until the reminder call came saying parents would arrive in an hour. And, like a drill sergeant put into action I put every person to work. In 45 minutes with one 7 year old and 5 children 5 and under the house was immaculate, makeup was on, and the bathroom cleaned. Aubrey expertly did the kitchen after many weeks of experience now and the 4 little boys picked up, straightened up, took trash out, made beds and dressed both themselves and the younger ones in matching clothes...the easiest, most painless way to stay organized and make dressing easy for them all to help each other. Garrison, Grant and Garrett can all read numbers for sizes and they each dress and can easily help Gavin into his clothes...no questions as to who wears what outfit for the day. They usually all agree on whatever they want to match in and then dress themselves accordingly. I love this system. Aubrey bathed Ivye while I quickly cleaned the bathrooms and while little boys straightened house I showered, dressed and quickly applied some makeup. With time to spare, they all played on starfall while we waited for the arrival of grandparents. How grateful I am for what we have and this place in life where we are. It gave me great hope and lessened the nervousness that when babies arrive life will not only continue to carry on very normally but that we will all be hugely successful at keeping the pace we do now....and far from long ago with our 1st set of twin babies, this time around will include a clean organized house with dishes that stay done and bathrooms that stay clean. There is nothing that makes me crazier and is more mentally debilitating than clutter and crap absolutely everywhere you look...and a seemingly endless overwhelming to-do lists that is unattainable for one person. I love that our children know how to do this stuff, that they have been well trained and that they happily carry out household and outside duties. How proud I am of each of them....and how absolutely amazing it is to see each of them in action from the oldest to the youngest.

So, on a to-do note, I need to take more pics. To say that I have grown a bit is a little of an understatement. Exhaustion is becoming a huge hurdle to overcome as well. Maybe it's just due to the fact I was 5 years younger last time I carried twins or maybe it's just due to the fact there were only 3 other children and not 8 running around. I stay so sleepy that I find it completely irritating and grow exasperated with it constantly interfering with the daily routine. It's about like being doped up on Benadryl 24/7. For those reasons my mind is not completely focused on any one thing at this point...especially writing....or the lack thereof.


In order to have feet propped up to keep varicose veins and swelling to a minimum I've begun to read at night instead of the many hours spent computering. Many hours of blogging and email time have transitioned into voraciously finishing off tons of Francine Rivers books with a massive glass of water or a cup of chamomile tea and some sunflower seeds or almonds. And, most nights, I think my brain is just too tired to function and think of any words that might possibly be construed as interesting to the rest of mankind.


So it is that 26 weeks has arrived. Pictures to come tomorrow. 3rd trimester officially begins a week from today. Next sonogram has been set for Sept 7th to see our sweet growing boys once more. I think we have a definite decision on names too!!

And on a funny, what they say note....I suppose this is when you know that your children have become aware of the 2 inch height difference between parents, as I am 5'7 and shorter husband is a mere 5'5. This was lovingly stated in the endearing question posed by 4 year old Garrett.

"Mom, when I get big just like you and Daddy....but not Daddy cause Daddy's just a little bit big but a whole lot little.....I can say damn, right?"