whoa!

It's been two weeks since I've opened my laptop. I wish I could hire someone to blog for me. I am getting more and more behind. One of these days things will slow down, but today is not that day.

*I started this post yesterday and only got a couple of sentences in before I was done. Yesterday I unloaded our camping gear, washed and folded 5 loads of laundry, vacuumed half of my house (Ben vacuumed the other half), mopped the kitchen, grocery shopped, made three hearty meals, showered! and put on makeup, made frozen chocolate bananas with the kids, had the sister missionaries over for dinner, planned a lesson for fhe, read bedtime stories and finally got to cuddle up next to my man. There was no time for anything else, although I would have loved to check in on the computer and/or watch the Bachelorette.. some things just have to wait.

Today I am finally going to upload pictures from my camera.... and maybe tell you a little about our wickedly busy summer. maybe. if only these darn kids would take care of themselves..

9 beautiful months

My favorite baby girl,

Today you turn 9 months old. I waited years and years (and years) for you to come. The minute you arrived, I wondered how we ever survived without you! You belong here with us and no baby has ever been more loved or received so much attention. Everyone loves to see we finally got a girl!

You are such a beautiful baby. Light and confidence and happiness shine through your dark eyes. We're not exactly sure what color they are yet, but they are striking.

You are proud of yourself for learning how to blink your eyes over and over. You think you're pretty hilarious (and we all do too.) Yesterday we finally caught it on film, but you've been doing it for weeks now.

You aren't crawling.. yet. But you're awfully close. You can get up on all fours and rock yourself back and forth, but you don't quiet understand how to move your knees.

I think those legs are just too chubby and your belly is just too round! You can get places, if you want something bad enough, but mostly you're content to sit and play and I am content if you stay put forever.

Eating is BY FAR your favorite past time. If ever I need to get anything done, I sit you in your high chair. You are content if there is food on your tray. One of your favorite things to eat is toast. You have 6 teeth and you bite off little bits of your food and you feel so big.. no more spoons for you! You also chow chunks of bananas, celery, soft potatoes and carrots, crackers, apples, cereal... um, come to think of it, there's nothing you won't eat.

You do get sick of a certain food after you've had enough and you will be sure to grab it and throw it off your tray once you're done. You are such a smart cookie! This picture was taken after you had a huge pasta dinner (with corn on the cob to boot!)

I stopped nursing you at 8 months and it was a difficult decision. You need and want to eat all the time and when I nurse you, Simon gets into big trouble. But I don't want to blame everything on Simon. Nursing is a very difficult thing for me. I hate it almost as much as I love it and 8 months was about all I could take. You started biting me and I was bleeding... and then I had to take medication that didn't agree with nursing babies, so I made the emotional decision to stop. You don't seem to mind much and love your bottles.

A few weeks ago, you wouldn't let go of your empty bottle even though you had a warm one in your mouth. It took you a minute to realize you didn't need it anymore, so you handed it back to me, which was very thoughtful of you!

You are my stinkerpants, my hardest newborn to date. Daddy would tease you and in a very loving manner, he would call you our "worst baby ever." I would have diagnosed you as a colic baby because you would scream and cry and wail.. but the minute anyone looked your way or picked you up, you would stop. You absolutely loved to be held, but absolutely not cuddled. Since the time you could hold up your head (and maybe even before) you've wanted to face outward and look around the room.. you are a social butterfly and want to see others at eye-level. You stare people down, look them in the soul and have a conversation without a single word.

You love to clap and bounce and chant. When we have dance parties, we set you in the middle of the rug and bust-a-move around you. You squeal and flap your arms. You flap so hard, sometimes we wonder if you're going to fly. You know you're center stage and you love it.

Lately you've been begging to be right in the middle of the action in the toy room and it's been so nice for me to have all 5 kids playing together. Your brothers love to put you in the middle of the tinker toys or blocks and watch you pick up pieces and throw them.

You are absolutely OBSESSED with babies. I thought it might happen, but I never expected it to be this early. Several weeks ago, I was holding a little newborn and you were across the room. You started reaching for me and fussing. I thought you were jealous, so I handed the baby back to her mommy and picked you up. While on my lap, you continued to fuss and held your chubby arms out, begging for the baby. I was so shocked! As I held you, we put the baby in your arms and you squealed. You put her cheeks in your hands kissed her head and just about ate her for dinner. It melts my heart because you're still a baby yourself!

I am amazed with the innate desire you have to love and nurture. That was not learned from your brothers, I assure you. Since then, friends have given you a few dolls and you love to love on them. But don't be mistaken, you still obsess over spiders and dinosaurs and cars, too!

At 8 months old, you took your first plane ride to Atlanta, GA. And you were an angel. Before we left, I worried about how you would do in a cooped-up space for hours at a time, but then I realized that there were plenty of faces for you to smile at. You loved peeking between the seats and finding another person who would give you attention. You had everyone coo-ing and dotting over you and there wasn't a minute of fuss. You fell asleep on me both flights, and I was loving ever minute of it (that doesn't happen at home!)

We had such a great girls trip in Georgia. We met Auntie Cody for her 30th birthday and you were a perfect present! She fell in love right away.

You are such a gift to me and I will treasure you for always. Being a mother is the hardest and most rewarding role I have ever had. But it's worth it, alright.

Pregnancy, delivery, recovery, sleepless nights, sticky messes, countless diapers, tantrums, fevers... it's ALL just a small price to pay for such a sacred relationship. Because of you, I have a greater understanding of what it means to love and sacrifice. And I would do it again in a heartbeat. You have brought so much happiness and love and laughter into our home. It's not all peaches and cream, but it sure is sweet.

Little Ro, I'm so glad you're mine.

~Mom

last night

last night was pack meeting with the cub scouts. it had already been a long, hot day and we were dragging. Aaron was going to meet me at the church, but I called him on his way home because i couldn't find my keys. I have two vans right now. the big one was blocking the little one and we couldn't go anywhere without a special set of keys. Aaron told me he could come pick us up... and then I called him back a minute later excited that I had found them in a toy bin the boys had taken upstairs. Aaron was surprised to hear how happy I was. He has no idea what it's like to feel frazzled. My 5 kids and just knelt down with me and said a prayer about our predicament. Finding them was nothing short of a miracle. This was us on the drive... air conditioning blasting allllll the way to the back of the bus.

Pack meeting was completely pointless... for me. I've GOT to find a hobby that conflicts with that meeting. Roma's cleavage was hanging out all night and it was so cute.

After scouts, we went to Subway because I chose to shower instead of make dinner (gotta pick your battles wisely). The guy making our sandwiches was SO thrilled to see that our baby was a girl. I love that total strangers find such joy in the daughter that FINALLY joined our family. I get comments about her every time I'm out. Sometimes from several people in one day. I love celebrating her arrival, especially with random people. She is such a gift.

While eating, Aaron and I were talking about a friend-- a married man who told a woman he isn't married to that she is beautiful. It's a nice compliment, but his wife wasn't present, and it was awkward. I asked Aaron if he has ever said that (or a something similar) to another woman. Aaron replied, "All the time." I quickly jumped on the comment and asked, "Who is she?" and then I took a drink. But before I swallowed, I said, "I'll kill her." My drink went down the wrong way and instead of choking, my words came out really deep and threatening. I seriously laughed about that for 30 straight minutes. Aaron laughed at me laughing and neither of us could stop. I guess you had to be there.

Ben is always one to come up with the serious dinner-time conversation and wanted to know if we think Obama or Mitt will win the election. I told him I hope Mitt wins, but I think he's going to have a tough battle. The boys couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't vote for Mitt. I broke the sad news to them that a lot of people hate Mormons or just think we're weird. Ben was confused and offended and said, "We are so not weird. We are awesome." we totally are.

Subway shares a store with a donut place and Aaron joked the older boys, "If I eat all my food, will you buy me a donut, please. Please?" Luke told him no because he hasn't been a good boy. Simon jumped in and said, "Yeah. I will buy you a donut. I got my moneys." His confidence is a great thing to behold. He thinks he's in charge of everyone. Come to find out, he doesn't have any moneys, so no one got a donut.

After dinner (we were still driving separate cars) I took the three older boys to a late night swimming party at a friend's house. Aaron took the babies to the Bishop's house to drop off a gift and say goodbye. On my way home, I met him over there and took the babies so they could talk in peace and quiet. I ended up staying and dominating the conversation... I hate when I do that. Aaron was smiling at me the whole time. He loves when I walk in a room and think I am in charge. Simon gets it from his mama.

The babies and I got home around 9:30. Roma was asleep two minutes later. Simon was running around the house looking for the big kids. He couldn't believe they had gone somewhere without him. I opened my laptop and he laid next to me on my bed. Jane had posted this on facebook: My kids spent a solid hour today drawing up plans for "Simon Traps." Here's just one of them. Basically they're going to give him a ball, he'll kick it and hit the switch that makes a bucket of water fall on his head, then he'll trip over the treasure box, and hit the other switch, which will make the other bucket of water fall on him. I'll totally understand if you never want to leave him with me (and my terrible children) again.

He saw the picture and this conversation followed:

Simon- who is that guy? is that Daddy?

Me- no, it's a picture of you. Vaughn and Mason drew it.

Simon- they did? And I'm really big?

Me- yep. and a bucket of water is going to spill out on your head.

Simon- No! That's yucky water.

Me- they are setting a trap for you.

Simon-- no. I will run away from them. And then I will throw a BOMB at them!

This is a very normal comment for Simon to make. He doesn't take threats from anybody. he's dangerous.

The older boys got home around 10:00 pm. I think. Aaron was finally home too. On the way to bed, I found Zack's name written in crayon in our stairway. I asked him if he did it and he told me Luke framed him. So I had them sit next to each other on the stairs. Both denied it. Eventually Zack started crying so I sent Luke to bed. Aaron came over to talk to Zack and I let them have some one-on-one time. Aaron is so good with the boys. He went over a list of things that Zack is good at: making Roma laugh, coloring and writing notes, being silly, helping set the table, etc. Then he told him we are trying to help him get really good at telling the truth, but it's gonna take some practice. Zack ate it up and apologized to Luke and I through tears. I love that child.

We finally went to sleep around midnight, but I couldn't sleep because I had caffeine at Subway and it had been awhile so I was wired. I tried writing the ward newsletter, but I have writer's block. Instead, I read Jane's latest blog entry and I cried tears of gratitude and admiration. Jane doesn't just write about the good things in her life, she lives it everyday. I've witnessed it with my own eyes and it's incredible. She fills her life with happiness. She glows and I love being around her. She was holding Roma and singing to her at the park earlier that day, and I thought about Adam, how perfect he was and what an amazing mother he has. She is such a huge blessing in my life.

I woke up this morning with lots of energy... must still be caffeine in my system. I followed Aaron downstairs and talked his ear off while he ate breakfast. Ro ate bananas and rice and green beans. She was a mess, so I bathed her in the sink. When Dad was leaving, I wrapped her in a warm towel and followed him to the door. I was dressed in my underwear and Aaron said to me, "I don't care how funny you think you are, you are not walking me to my car." Then he made Roma squeal as he opened and closed the front door. I wish I had a picture of her happy face, laughing at her Daddy. She is obsessed with him. So am I.

She went down for a nap an hour ago and I spent my free time writing this. Time is up. Until we meet again, dear blog. I've miss you.

heaven sent

The house has been asleep for several hours. I have been quietly reading with my handsome husband laying a few inches from me. I am ready to turn off the lights and say my prayers, but I just had to post a picture or five. I feel so grateful for my home, my husband, our family and especially for these children. They came from God, this I know.

speedy summer

Everyday I have the best intentions to blog. We have SO many pictures of our summer adventures and I just can't seem to find a spare minute. There is plenty of time to play, but no time to post. My little Ro WILL NOT let me type on the computer. And if Simon isn't sleeping, he's getting into some kind of trouble. It's been so nice to have my older boys home. They are heaven sent. A couple of nights ago, while playing cards (late) I was telling them that I don't think they can EVER go back to school. Ben said very matter of factly, "Mom, we have two more months of summer. Just relax and enjoy us while you can." He cracks me up. We are definitely ENJOYING our time together. (these pictures are just from the last two days.. I am afraid to go through last week's... oy.)

I know I go on and on about our ward and neighbors, but we truly live in a great area and always have something fun to do with friends. We do a summer calendar with an activity for every day of the week. You can show up or not-- no pressure. This was June's rundown. [No wonder this month has just flown by...]

Tonight I am going to stay up late and plan next months calendar and write the ward newsletter. Life is good. I don't want summer to end.......