Kids at six months

I have a frame in our kitchen that has three wallet-size openings, so I've been keeping pictures of each kid in it at the age Clem currently is.  Does that make sense?  See below.

Journal: new pictures

TODAY

Out my window: Sunny, humid, upper-sixties.  A bit windy.  I'll take another 6 months of this!! Maybe I should move south.

Clothing myself in: Jeans, a tank and an old race t-shirt from my running days.  

Around the house: We got the kids' pictures taken this past weekend (see sidebar and below) for birthdays (big kids) and 6 months (Clem), so I spent the better part of Saturday evening after kids were in bed switching pictures out of frames and Aaron helped me hang a new frame in the basement for Clem's picture.

Also spent more time in the storage room cleaning, decluttering, organizing...  I took three boxes of stuff to Goodwill so that felt good.  I organized our packed away toys on a shelf as well, in hopes of making toy-rotating a little easier.

 

The baby: Still has a bit of a cough, but other than that doing well.  He is so squirmy.  He rolls a lot but no-where close to crawling.  Starting to enjoy the bouncy saucer more.  Does really well riding on my back.  He's starting to have lots of fun with Daddy.  Aaron always says that the first 4-6 months are so much about mama, that he is glad when the babies get a little older and start thinking he's cool. Clem definitely thinks daddy is pretty cool.

 

The kiddos: Healthy!  Kolbe had a bit of an ear infection last week (secondary from the crud they had the week before), but daddy was able to yank on it several times over a couple days and it cleared up.  

They both did so well with pictures, I was really proud of them.  All five of us went together (although Aaron and I didn't have our pictures taken) and it was a fun afternoon.  We went to the Mexican restaurant that we like after pictures and that just added to the fun day.  We only go there 2-3 times a year so it's kind of a big deal for the kids.  Chips, salsa, a chicken quesadilla and french fries for dinner...what more could a kid want!  I figure since we do this so rarely a meal like that isn't the worst thing in the world.  ;-D

They've been playing outside more now that the weather is nicer, so that has been nice!

In the kitchen: Stuffed Green Peppers, Chicken Pizza, Shrimp Linguine, maybe some beef stew?  Still trying to figure a few things out. 

Crafting: Nothing.

Learning:  Letters K and A this week for handwriting and some accompanying activities for both Gemma and Kolbe.  Kansas Day craft.  Counting and sorting coins, talking a bit more about money with Gemma and a trip to the bank for her!

Reading: Finished Something Beautiful for God.  A very insightful look into Mother Teresa and her sisters' lives, and the things the author shared about his own life and faith journey were quite intriguing and thought-provoking as well.  Still working on Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives.  Getting ready to start Unconditional Parenting upon the recommendation of a friend.

Bringing me joy: New pictures of my cute kids.  Family.

Thinking about: Is it really time to start thinking about next season's wardrobes?  Sometimes I feel like clothing my children and all that entails is a full-time job in and of itself.  Lent.  Trying to be less judgmental.  Praying for and really thinking about some who have come upon hard times and their situations.  Balance.

Pictures to share:  

Quote: Something Beautiful for God

From Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge.  This is one of Mother Teresa's Daily Prayers for the Children's Home.  I thought it related beautifully to the vocation of motherhood as well and wanted to share it here.

"Dearest Lord, may I see you today and every day in the person of your sick, and, whilst nursing them, minster unto you.
Though you hide yourself behind the unattractive disguise of the irritable, the exacting, the unreasonable, may I still recognize you, and say:
'Jesus, my patient, how sweet it is to serve you.'
Lord, give me this seeing faith, then my work will never be monotonous.  I will ever find joy in humouring the fancies and gratifying the wishes of all poor sufferers.
O beloved sick, how doubly dear you are to me, when you personify Christ; and what a privilege is mine to be allowed to tend you.
Sweetest Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity of my high vocation, and its many responsibilities.  Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way to coldness, unkindness, or impatience.
And O God, while you are Jesus, my patient, deign also to be to me a patient Jesus, bearing with my faults, looking only to my intention, which is to love and serve you in the person of each of your sick.
Lord, increase my faith, bless my efforts and work, now and for evermore. Amen."

Journal: Getting well

TODAY

Out my window:  Dark. It's been mild for January, praise God.  Not that my kids were able to get out and play at all last week, bleh.  

Clothing myself in:  Black yoga pants, red tank, college sweatshirt.  Sound familiar?

Around the house:  I left the house a whopping two times in an 8 day period due to my sick kiddos (one of those times was to go to Mass, the other a brief trip to Target), so I've gotten a lot done...more tidying in the storage room, rearranging, purging, got the kids' memory boxes organized, went through some things with the hubby...  Lots of good stuff.  We will not be moving anytime soon, but I like the idea of having things organized and de-cluttered when it does come time to move.  Plus, clutter just stresses me out in general (have I mentioned that?).  I have my eyes on the tubs of baby girl clothes next, especially if my sis has a girl (we should know by the end of the month)!  We hope to have more kids, but we got a lot of hand-me-down girl clothes from various places and I could really use to thin the herd a bit.  A new baby girl in the family would be the perfect reason to tackle those tubs.

 

The baby: He's finally getting back to his normal self.  He was sick pretty much all last week. Nights were rough, especially (and I'm still waiting for them to get better.  Maybe tonite??).  He slept fairly well during the day though, and spent lots of time riding around on my back in the Ergo carrier, so that made things easier-ish.  Still, having a sick baby is no fun.  I had never had a babe get sick this young either, I guess that's what happens the more kids you have and the more germies they bring home from here, there and everywhere.

 

The kiddos:  Spent the week being sick as well.  Actually, Gemma was better by Tuesday, but Tuesday is when Kolbe got hit pretty hard (we're still not sure what they had, possibly respiratory flu since there seems to be a lot of that going around, but who knows) and he didn't really shake his until this weekend.  He was one tired, feverish, sick little boy.  And grumpy too, poor kid.

Gemma handled being sick quite well, and I was thrilled and amazed that she didn't seem to have much of a sick-hangover, as she normally does (often for us, the sick hangover is worse than the actual being sick...unless it's puke-sick).  But anyways, she is enjoying being five, and I tell you, it's almost like some sort of switch flipped inside her when she hit her 5th birthday.  She just seems to be acting really grown up lately...  We went to the store and she got to buy some blue sparkle nail polish (she picked out all on her own) with some of her birthday money.  She was so proud paying the cashier and putting the change in her pocket all by herself.  It was super cute, and made this mama a bit sentimental at how grown up she is really getting.  She will go to Kindergarten screening here in a couple weeks, so we are both getting excited for that.

In the kitchen: Bierocks; Pork, Broccoli and Rice Casserole; Guacamole (for a family taco dinner to celebrate my kids' and my sister-in-law's b-days); Tuna Melts.  Cupcakes for the much-belated birthday celebration for Gemma and Kolbe.

Crafting: Nothing really, unless sticking letter stickers on plastic tubs to spell my kids' names counts as a craft.

Learning:  I have several handwriting lessons for Gemma planned this week, and other books and activities to go along with them so Kolbe can participate.  We'll work more on puzzles too, Kolbe is really into puzzles lately and can do a 24 piece cardboard puzzle with little to no help.  This is leaps and bounds ahead of where Gemma was at that age.  Boy/girl thing?  I've pulled the Kumon workbooks back out as well, and am thinking of ordering a few for Kolbe soon.  Probably tracing and Let's Cut Paper.  Thinking about doing Letter of the Week activities with him come next Fall...I can't believe he's already old enough!

Reading:  I started reading Something Beautiful for God last week.  I like it.  A lot.  It is giving me lots about which to think.

Bringing me joy: Attending the Rite of Election and Welcome for my future sister-in-law.  It always brings me deep joy to see people entering the Church.  Renewing Gemma's Baptismal vows with her on her Baptism Anniversary, and showing her the St. Gemma relic that we have for her.  Watching the short films on this DVD with Aaron and the kids.  Cooking with cast iron...why did it take me almost 7 years of marriage (cooking for my own family) to realize the wonders of cast iron?!!  Having Kolbe help me cook.  Frustrating as it can be, it brings my heart joy as well.

Thinking about:  The big hunk of wax in my ear.  Hubby brought home his otoscope when the kids were sick to make sure their ears looked OK, and he looked in mine and found a big 'ole hunk of wax.  And I can't get it out with a Q-tip.  I think we are going to get some sweet-oil, as Gemma had a bit of wax in one ear as well.  And now you know.

And Lent.  I suppose that's a little more important (and less gross) than earwax.  

Pictures to share:  

Gemma on her Baptism Anniversary

Kolbe on his birthday, with his new bat and baseball

Clem, with the usual "shocked" looked on his face (it's the monsters that only he can see...or so I am informed...) first time in the bouncy-saucer

Journal: Sickies

TODAY

Out my window: Dark. And cold.  Oh winter...

Clothing myself in:  Black yoga pants, red tank, college alumni sweatshirt.  Ponytail, with my SHORTER hair.  Got a haircut and gosh I feel like a new woman.  However, I currently smell like curdled milk.  AHHH motherhood, so glamorous.  

Around the house: The storage room had been getting a bit sloppy, so I tidied things up in there a bit.  I have been organizing some of the children's things as well.  I have random keepsake items of theirs (Baptismal candles, baby books, birth announcements, Kolbe's doggie shoes, etc. etc.) stashed in several random places, and as we have more kids it is getting hard to keep track of which "special spot" each item is in.  I organized all the things and have them in three piles on the bed in the basement, next time I get out I am picking up some plastic tubs and each child can have their own keepsake tub.  This little bit of organization makes me absurdly happy.

 

The baby: Is sick.  :-(  Fever and very congested cough.  He has definitely lost his spunk.  Hopefully lots of nursing and snuggling will have him on the mend in no time.

 

The kiddos:  Sick too.  Gemma woke up on her birthday morning (Friday) with a fever and cough (now you know where Clem caught it) so that changed her birthday and the weekend plans pretty drastically.  She still has a fever today but seems on the mend now.  Maybe?  Kolbe can't decide whether he's going to get sick or not.

In the kitchen: Minute Steaks that Aaron's grandma sent us (from their beef cattle...trying to explain this to Gemma was highly amusing.  Apparently it had not dawned on her yet that we eat cows.); Baked Ziti; Honey Chicken; Fish Crisp.  Steamed veggies, fried zucchini, applesauce, 3 bean salad and probably some brown rice as sides.

Crafting: Nope.

Learning:  Got through several handwriting lessons last week and worked on numbers and counting and such.  Kolbe can count to 20!  Who knew?!  He is really starting to talk a lot more, he surprises me with something new he knows almost every day.  I think he's been holding out on us. ;-D

Bringing me joy:  

• Learning about NASCAR from my Dad and Uncle, the experts.  Bet you thought NASCAR was only for rednecks, not so!!  Now you know.
• Spending lots of family time together at home this weekend.  Bummed to have sick kids, but thrilled to have nothing to do and time with the fam.  Christmas was busy and Aaron hardly had any time off, so to be honest the past weekend was kind of a bright spot, sick kids and all.
• Seeing Gemma so excited about her birthday presents, a jump rope and a hula-hoop. 

Thinking about:  Gemma starting kindergarten and how that will change our lives and family dynamics.  A lot.  I'm excited but a bit trepidatious (apparently that's not a word) as well.  While we feel that traditional Catholic schools will be the best educational fit for our family, it will be a really big change, and I don't always do well with change.  Neither does my daughter.  But I'm sure we'll weather it and settle into a new normal eventually.  We always do.  ;-D  Also thinking about money and kids and allowance and all that.  Gemma got some birthday money and I think we are going to let her open a bank account with it (and spend a little on some sparkle nail polish)!  Regarding that topic, I would like to read this book.

Pictures to share:  

Gemma and her birthday balloon.

I asked Kolbe to smile for a picture to frame.  This is the best I got.  I will not be framing this but it makes me laugh.

The big SIX month old!!

The kids with their joint birthday gift, a new BIKE!!  Kolbe will still mainly ride the red trike that was Gemma's, but we gave them this as a joint gift since it will be his eventually.

Journal: Getting back in the swing of things

TODAY

Out my window: Dark.  Warmer this week.  Makes me happy, the kids can play outside in the afternoon which helps immensely in the sanity department around here.

Clothing myself in: Jammies.

Around the house:  Took the tree down last night.  I was happy to see it go, real-estate is prime in the living room and it was starting to feel a bit crowded.  Still have the Nativity and other winter decos up for the next month or so, probably until Lent (it's so EARLY this year!!)  The kids are a little sad Christmas is "over".  Kolbe kept running over to the corner where the tree was and saying, "Oh, Christmas o-der mommy."  

 

The baby: Likes to nurse every 5 minutes during the night.  OK, maybe not quite that frequently but sometimes it seems like it. 

 

The kiddos:  Gemma has been very into making books lately.  She cuts a piece of paper into quarters and draws things, and asks me how to spell words and then we staple them altogether and read them.  Recently she has made a bug book (to identify various bugs), a Jesus book (to tell the poor people at the park who don't know about Jesus about Him...her words), and a book entitled "Max and Ruby's Firecrackers" that she wrote especially for Kolbe.  It is very cute.

Kolbe, oh my this child likes to help me.  I was going to do a special blog post all about it, but this once a week blogging thing has been a good fit lately so I'll just talk about it here.  Goodness, it doesn't matter what he is doing...playing with toys, watching a show...if he sees me doing chores he is right by my side saying, "help too, help too."  Cooking, laundry, sweeping, vacuuming, dishes, dusting, you name it.  The boy loves to help.  It is sweet and I try so hard to be patient with him.  I know some day it will not be so easy to get willing and eager help.

In the kitchen:  Chili, Chicken Enchiladas, Shepherd's Pie, Smoked Beef and Salmon.  Some Quinoa/Kale salad and sweet potatoes prepared somehow (suggestions?) for side dishes.  I will let Gemma help me plan Friday's dinner as it is her birthday.  I made some homemade cinnamon rolls last Friday to celebrate the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

Crafting:  Does making cinnamon rolls count?  The kids and I made this together (they painted, I did the hot gluing).  It turned out really cool.

Learning:  We're going through Little Acts of Grace during our morning prayer time here the next few weeks.  Am hoping to pick up Book 2 for Gemma's Baptism Anniversary, we've sure enjoyed the first one.  Did a reading lesson today, I was pleased with how well Gemma did, it had been awhile.  Jumped back in to handwriting lessons today as well, and have plans to work on counting/numbers/counting by tens this week with both kids.

Reading: Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, slowly making my way through it.  Keeping up with my daily Catechism readings (or trying to).  Got Adam and Eve After the Pill from Inter-library loan.  Looks interesting.  On the Banks of Plum Creek with the kids.

Bringing me joy: Spending the afternoon at Academy Sports wandering around with the family.  We had so much fun.  Time with the hubby and kids all of us together, I treasure it so much.  Running into people I know.  Taking the Christmas tree down (much as I love it, I was ready to see it go).  Reading with the kids.  Kolbe talking.  Time one-on-one with Gemma.  Reading about Mother Teresa in a magazine from Church.  Getting ready for the kids' birthdays.

Thinking about: Spending less (ideally not any) time on the computer when the kids are awake.  Our days go so much better when I keep the laptop off the kitchen table and give the kids my attention.  Upcoming birthdays, can't believe Miss Gemma will be 5, wow.  Starting to think about Lent plans and what I/we want to do with the kids/as a family/individually. 

Pictures to share: 

Gemma in her "cat hat".  She needed a new stocking cap, and Daddy had seen these at Penney's. Got it on clearance even and it's prefect for her!

My helper, so proud.

Clem's new ride.  Anyone picked up the teething strap-covers that go with this and are they worth having?  As you can see, he sure drools (and occasionally spits up on it) a lot.

Journal: New Years

TODAY

Out my window: Snowy!  It snowed yesterday morning, and then melted before the kids even got to play out in it.  Then it snowed a bit more yesterday afternoon and now it's snowing again this morning.  The grass still isn't completely covered, so there isn't much, but it's nice never-the-less.  The kids are hoping for a snow-walk with Daddy this afternoon.

Clothing myself in: The usual.  I am so over winter. 

Around the house: Just cleaned the bathrooms.  I updated my calendar for the fridge for the next six months and reworked my daily chores a bit to better fit the current state of our family.  Example: the floors do indeed need scrubbed more often than once a week (daily?).  However, when I scrub them more often than once a week, my expectation for how clean they should be is raised, and then I freak out disproportionally when someone spills something.  If I just scrub them once a week, I am more cool with them not being perfect.  For me, this is progress.

 

The baby: Cute as ever.  He has gone with the flow quite well with all the holiday celebrations and such.  Yesterday he took a 4 hour 45 minute nap.  Now if only he could sleep that long of a stretch during the night...

He got some new (size 9 month) clothes for Christmas, for which I was very grateful.  He was growing out of everything, and Kolbe only had a few winter items in that size.  He looks so cute in his new duds. 

 

The kiddos:  Had a good Christmas, and they too have gone with the flow quite well.  It is so hard though, when they don't eat or sleep as well as usual because we are going going going, then they don't behave as well either.  And it is hard to get mad at them when they misbehave and it is for reasons of poor sleep and poor diet.  Actually, it is quite easy to get mad, but when I am rational I know it is not their fault so that makes it difficult.  Looking forward to a return to normalcy...once we get through birthdays.  ;-)

Gemma got a little Casio Keyboard for Christmas from my parents and we've all been having a lot of fun with it.  I had a similar one as a child and remember using it a lot.  I think she will enjoy this one for years.  This one is lightweight and runs on batteries (several AA...we've been going a week and they still haven't run out so I suppose I'm impressed) so it is very portable  It has lots of demo songs, different rhythms and instruments so it really does a lot.  In fact, I have been listening to the same drum beat for the past 10-15 minutes now.  It is Gemma's new "favorite song".  Yay.  

Kolbe got some new Thomas items that he has been very excited about.  He likes Thomas so much.  It's funny, because we've just watched a very few DVDs from the library and checked out a couple books about Thomas, but gosh is that boy over-the-moon for anything Thomas related.  It is very cute. 

In the kitchen:  I made a pizza last night (this crust in the breadmaker with about half white half WW).  I used to make homemade pizza once a week, and I couldn't tell you how long it had been since our last pizza.  Months.  Tonight we are baking one of those pre-smoked turkies and I'm making a potato casserole to go along with it.  We will probably steam some Normandy Blend as well.  Hubby picked up some gorgeous looking looking grape tomatoes at the store and that inspired me to make chicken linguine, tomorrow I think.  Probably Chile Rellenos on Friday, and some good turkey leftovers in between. 

Crafting:  Kolbe got some wooden blocks and trucks for Christmas so I made a drawstring bag to store them in with some leftover flannel from this project (top picture).  I'm always thrilled about projects I can do with stuff already around the house.  I really liked that print too, so it will be nice to see it on a regular basis. 

Learning:  Ah, I am looking forward to getting back to some regular learning activities during our afternoon quiet time.  We are working on thank-you notes now, and when we finish those I plan on jumping back in with handwriting lessons and some numbers work. 

Reading: I received Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives in a white elephant gift exchange (apparently it pays to have an uncle who is a Dominican priest), and I'm looking forward to starting it.  I am about 4 days behind on my daily Catechism readings for the Year of Faith, so I need to catch up with that as well.  

Bringing me joy: How much Gemma loves her great-grandma.  Going to Mass (alone).  Snow.  My sweet family, even on the crazy days, and especially my husband. 

Thinking about: Cutting my hair again.  Not super-short like when I regretted it, but shorter.  Long enough for a pony, but short enough that it is simpler (faster) to style in the morning, and doesn't get so tangly during the day if/when I wear it down.  I don't know, it just feels so "blah" lately.  I blame it on winter.  This whole January/February time of year is not my favorite.  I am ready for spring.  Sigh. 

Pictures to share: 

The family on Christmas, before Mass.

Kolbe, sharing some protein shake with his new Thomas (still in the package) on Christmas morning.  He got it on Christmas eve and was so patient, we didn't open it until after Mass on Christmas day.

 Handsome Clem in his new clothes...can't believe he's almost 6 months!!!

Gemma with one of her many drawings.

Gemma with her great Uncle Father Andrew, O.P.