Being Together

Christmas Chaos is over. The tree is shoved in the box. The gifts still litter the house. Aside from the lights on the house you wouldn't know we just celebrated a magnificent Holiday! 

~It was four years ago that my siblings were all together.

~There is a first time for everything, as my brothers brought their significant others home for the holiday. 

~My first year buying gifts for four children. I mean I bought a few gifts for Heidi last year, but this year she was included in the same amount as her siblings! Slightly overwhelming (thank you Amazon for making it a touch easier)!

 

~I watched true Christmas Magic still happening with my nine year old. Seeing them be kids with innocence and excitement for Santa, his elf, and the cookies and presents and where does the tracker show him. It all brought me back to the anxiety I would feel when I'd go to bed and wonder when the big man would appear in my house! I wasn't sure if Molly still believed...she does! (although, she is questioning why he hasn't brought her that iPod touch she keeps asking for)

~Toddlers bring a level of fun to the everything. Actually they bring a set of challenges to everything, the fun is mixed in there! Heidi ignored the presents under the tree until the 22nd of December when we celebrated with the Zeleny Family. It was there that she figured out what a present really was all about! It was a challenge for three days as found ripped gifts, heard Austin shouting "No, Heidi" as she unwrapped gifts, or she just carried presents to us to be unwrapped or we found her hugging a wrapped present.

~Austin lived in a state of fear after realizing Santa would be coming to our house. As Molly and Grant discussed and he overheard he would often come up to me and ask, "Santa coming?" This was said with fear. I would reassure him that Santa would not be coming. The night we attended a friend's "Santa coming" party Austin hid behind my leg until the big man got settled on the couch. When the other forty kids at the party crowded in to watch Santa pull presents from his bag, well then Austin got comfortable! With Molly there to be his security blanket I got a picture of my Austin James smiling on Santa's lap!

~As for Grant this Christmas. I think this boy will be thirty-five before he convinces himself Santa is not real. He sent Santa a letter in the mail. He included a dollar bill and a small candy cane along with his list, which included a puppy and a bunk bed with a ladder. He was overcome with concern when learning that the Elf had been touched by Heidi. The relief he felt was genuine when he awoke to find that the cinnamon he had left the Elf worked! The boy was worried. He told me he didn't think the Santa at the "Santa coming" party was the real Santa. I wondered if the synthetic beard and dark hair sticking out from under the wig had given it away, but to my surprise Grant shared, "Santa doesn't wear glasses." 

I had no idea this was under the tree.  His favorite gift!
I'm glad our boy has a Dad who knows him better than he knows himself!!!

Christmas with my Family brings me overwhelming gratitude for this life I get to live. I love Christmas Eve service at our church. Christmas morning when I am awoken at 6:30am to shrieks of excitement. Watching the excitement over things like a 'shammy' for Dive lessons or gold with leopard faux fur lined shoes. Seeing what my husband picked out for me each year is something I've come to enjoy. He has remarkable taste, spoils me rotten, and he has fun with all of it, which is the best! This group of people I have been given is amazing. Someone pinch me cause I still can't believe it!

Dora and Boots!!!! She couldn't get enough of them!
I loved watching how Swiper was not acknowledged or touched.
That sneaky fox might try and steal her Dora and Boots!

Last minute add in to the stocking! Starbucks Gift cards!!!
When did she get so big!?!

Our Happy boy was down with Croup this Christmas.
He still found some jolly to mix in with incessant request for his mother. 

This Christmas was a reflection of the importance of Family. The bond I share with my brothers can't be written in words. That bond was the result of my parents emphasizing the importance of our relationship. The effort my stepmom puts into making a warm and welcoming Christmas has brought us kids together, naturally. We all have an abundance of friends, but we planned a trip together for next Christmas! That has been fostered by my stepmom and Dad consistently keeping the Holidays all about Family. I use to wonder why my Grandmother wanted everyone to show up at Christmas. It's because there is something about being together at Christmas that makes you appreciate the people God has given you. Even if, even if, they drive you crazy and you wouldn't want to go to dinner alone with them! Even if you leave the event laughing out loud at how bizarre things were or how weird some of your relatives are. Even if, you cry because you are on the outside looking in and you just don't feel like you belong. There is something good in all of it. Some sweet Family Christmas moments are harder to find than others, but they are there if you look hard enough!

A snippet of all the paper and boxes and toys and gifts and people and everything

Dogs and kids wanting her food!
A reminder that you never stop being a mom 

She didn't change her mind about Santa
He exclaimed, "She's a squirmy one!"

Her brother was happy to take this gift from her!

                                     

I think she hates what this color does to her complexion!
Zeleny Christmas included Professional Family pictures~stressful 

She had to just stare at them. She is Dora obsessed!

These two spoiled my kids with gifts!
Funny thing about kids...the best gift they gave them was staying with us over the Holiday!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmastime Madness

White snow, sweaters and slippers, fireplace on, shopping with a coffee in hand, joy over wrapping presents, excitement and laughter from my kids, quiet anticipation for Santa, fun over finding the elf. All things I love about this season. Except none of that really happens. I mean it is mixed into reality.

 If you see life through a small window you will miss it! You will miss reality. Reality is the crazy, challenging, overwhelming, chaos, exhilarating, joyous, abundance of love, neverending monotony I call my Life!

 I had to call Don last week and remind him of a "lighbulb" moment I had that morning! I think our kids are driving us crazy because Christmas is 2 weeks away! Childlike is not in my normal everyday behavior. Yes, I'm surrounded by childlike behavior, but someone has to keep them in line! Don and I were giving each other the eye rolls and "they are so annoying" comments about our kids! 
"Molly, CALM DOWN. Control yourself. Stop shouting. You are too old to act like that." "Grant, STOP jumping on the furniture, stop running in the house, stop putting your knees up when you sit at the table, you NEED TO LISTEN" 
Hold-up, wait a minute, Mom and Dad need to chill out! It is Christmas, it is freezing cold outside, it is 10 days away from Winter Break, it is time to be locked out of Mom's craft room cause it is filled with toys, find our elf, figure out clues in our Advent tree, sing Christmas songs, making Christmas lists, have Elf the movie on repeat, decorate the house, listen to Mom talk over and over about baby Jesus being the reason for Christmas, and getting candy canes packed in your lunch! 

 I hope all parents have had their childlike behavior button pushed! It is Christmas! Bring yourself down to your kids level! As long as they aren't disrespectful, then let them act like over the top excited kids! Before we know it they will be boring uptight adults!!!!

It only happens once a year!!!! (insert sarcasm)

Merry Christmas from one crazy Family to another

The pictures are from our amateur photo shoot at Schram State Park. I was thankful the weather was a perfect 50 degrees! Perfect for capturing a photo for the Christmas card! 
~A tripod and a 3 year old were a great fit! Let him help you press the shutter button and run....He thought it was great!~

My Third Child Turns Three

 My third born is turning three! If you've had a conversation with me about kids you might have heard me mention that three is the turning point. At least for me it gets easier when they turn three. It is still challenging, but I prefer to deal with my children when I can communicate with them and they get it! And in my house that seems to be around the third year. They don't actually listen, but I can start giving consequences because I know they understand they are suppose to listen! 
This might all be different with my third child. My brother spent three days with us over Thanksgiving and was quite surprised at how challenging it can be living with Austin! Mike asked at dinner about going out to eat. I mentioned we use to be able to pack a bag of things to do and go to a restaurant with a server. Then Austin joined the Family. He flips on a switch and he is done. No bag full of fun can change his mind. We all better be done or the entire restaurant will know about it. I could take him to the bathroom and pull out the mean Mom, but it will make it worse! So, we avoid restaurants with servers. Austin has caused me to rethink ALL preconceived ideas, judgements, or previous statements about how parents should handle their children! It has all been thrown out the window with him! Starting with the day I gave birth...a whopping 11lbs 1oz and 22 1/2" long. 

 I cried when I heard his weight. I thought about how many times I shared about the girl in my birthing class who had a 11lb baby. That was going to be me now! The first sign I was done judging other mothers! I had the baby now who would have "he is big for his age" behind every answer to how old he is. I dropped him at the nursery explaining he is only 8 weeks old so he can't sit up yet! Don't feed him puffs he is only 5 months old. In the store I would loudly state during an 'episode,' "the joys of a 13 month old." Cause he looked like a two and half year old. He is 42lbs and 36" tall and wears a size 10 shoe and he is just three years old. He is a toddler in a preschoolers body. He is a little boy who has a mother that has never assumed he should act older because he is so much bigger than the others his age! Austin has changed my viewpoint in mothering. He has given me compassion for mothers that exceeds any I had before he was born. There is no 'right' way to mother. There is a different way for each of us and another way different for each child we are given. Some different is more extreme than the different before it!

5 months

8 months 

Happy 1st Birthday Austin James

Austin was born starving! He literally went to bed with two 6oz bottles. It took 4 long weeks to get him to figure out his days/nights. He awoke in the middle of the night at least 2x for more milk until he was one. Then his day starts around 6am. From the moment he was born it was hard to get him to fall asleep. He suffered from reflux and chronic ear infections. He started teething at 4 months old and would cut all his teeth by his first birthday. He got mono at 6 months old. Cellulitis in his eye and leg. Stitches in his nose and a rag doll tumble down the basement stairs. He never walked, only ran. He doesn't frown, he only smiles. He doesn't wine, he only cries. He doesn't do change, thrives on a schedule, is clean and likes order. Is crazy consistent and a terrible eater. The boy lives on waffles and fruit snacks. He doesn't "want" anything he only "needs." He "needs" gum, "needs" to watch Dora, "needs" to play trains, "needs" to have cereal at 5:30am. 

18 months

Austin's joy is contagious.
It is the gift I get from him when he has mentally and physically pushed me further than I ever thought I could go! 

A Garden Gnome for his 2nd Halloween

He was almost 2 when wrestling with Dad became painful for Dad! 

Happy 2nd Birthday!

 Motherhood changes most women. My first born caused me to see how selfish I was and how deep I could love. My second born gave me an understanding of how God loves all of us deeply. I didn't know until Grant that my heart had room to love more than one so deeply, it was different than with Molly, but still the same. Austin has deepened my dependance on my faith. I am not the same woman I was three years ago. He has been extremely challenging, but easy for me. I love having this second go around with my little ones. It has been the best three years, but also the hardest!

I don't handle poop very well.
 Since my 2 year old is sized more like a 3 year old, I moved quickly to Potty Training!

Always doing his own thing in his own time no matter what everybody else is doing!

The boy is rarely caught without a smile.
When he does get grumpy it doesn't take much to turn the smile back on!

 Austin has given Grant a brother to wrestle, throw balls, play trucks, and a friend who will run around with his shirt off just like his brother does. Molly's relationship with Austin has surprised me the most. They have this friendship that doesn't come out of her 'mothering' him, but out of truly enjoying one another. They have the same energy, zest for life, and positivity. Don has already stated that Austin will be on every 'date' Molly has in her future. I think she will have an attitude about this, but OH! the stories she will retell about him!!! Austin will be smiling ear to ear! 

Austin James, I can't believe you are three. It isn't fair that time goes faster as I get older. I had this ache when Molly and Grant turned three. The pain that made me wish I could freeze time. I cry because I don't like change and you are changing. The chubby toddler face is thinning out. You are so handsome. Your smile radiates the joy that is a gift which can only come from heaven. You got the memo a couple weeks ago that you were turning 3. This has started the trying of my patience as you loudly communicate your demands. On the flip side you worry about Heidi's safety. You sit on my lap and squeeze my cheeks and ask what "love you" means. Your tummy always hurts cause it needs more fruit snacks and naps should always be "later." You make us laugh and delight in the little things. And that is the best part of three year olds! Happy 3rd Birthday Austin James!