Where Does the Time Go?

Has Summer been in our lives for 2 whole months already? Boy time flies! She's already seeming so big and strong compared to those first few days. And I am still enjoying the ecstasy of not being pregnant. I rejoice in being able to lay on my back, take hot baths, clean up the house, go for walks - and especially in having the energy and motivation to really play with my kids again. Of course I have back aches from holding Summer in awkward positions, my house is still a terrible mess, I don't have as much kid-focus as I'd like and sleep is still my #1 priority. But even two months later I am still so high on not being pregnant that those things seem inconsequential. If only I could always remember how grateful I am to have this amazing, healthy body!

Speaking of gratitude, I was at Costco last week with Austin. I was pushing him in the shopping cart and he wanted my attention so he was grabbing my face and pulling at my hair and talking loudly while I tried to find the right bread rack. An 80-year-old man walked past us and I figured he was feeling sorry for me having to deal with a squirmy 5-year-old. Instead he looked me in the eyes and sincerely said, "Oh, how I miss those days." Man! If only I could live my life backwards! If I could first be 80 and miss the "good old days" and then go back to parenting these young children, how much more would I value each day!? I've been trying to think about that all this week and it has given me more patience and JOY with those squirmy bodies and undone chores.

Enough musing. What I really wanted to blog about is what we've been up to these past two months.

Anthony...

...turned 33 on Wednesday. We went to Wingers for dinner. Later he instructed me how to download a Kindle e-book for him. Is it just me or do instant downloads take something out of the gift giving process?

Heidi...

...turned 33 last month. Anthony brought me into the modern era by buying me a smartphone. I hesitated to open the box, wondering out loud if I would use it enough to justify the expense. An hour later I was totally hooked and can not imagine my life without this little beauty.

...printed our 3rd blog book (plus got digital copies of the books). It's so easy with my new favorite program www.blog2print.com. 3 out of 5 blogging years complete.

Austin...

...has been doing crafts like a mad man. He is so self-entertained with his crafts that I invested in a "craft center" where we keep the basics: lots of plain paper, markers, scissors, glue, and masking tape (plus a few other things). With these basic supplies he can create remarkable things! He's made backpacks, costumes, hand-shaped birds, telescopes, sailboats, story books and more.

...got a little too eager with the crafting last week and loped off a chunk of skin from his pinkie. Thankfully it was a Saturday so Anthony was home to handle the blood and the trip to the Urgent Care for 3 stitches.

Ruthie...

...is potty-trained...sort of. I was intending to wait till she turned 3, but she had other plans. When we brought Summer home I couldn't help making comments about how big Ruthie was to be in diapers and how we would have to potty train her soon. After about a week of that, Ruthie told me wanted to wear underwear. I was feeling just barely healed enough to help with emergency toilet runs and I figured I wasn't going anywhere with a newborn for several weeks anyway. So we trained. Like with Austin, it took her about a week to recognize her body's signals. Currently she's about 50% on making it to the potty. I've just decided I lack the energy to focus on that other 50%, so we're reverting to pull-ups for the next month or two. But I'm happy I don't have to change poopy diapers anymore.

Summer...

...has started smiling and "talking". We love it! The kids love it when she says things that sound like words. "Mom, she said hey!", "She said good!", "She said hi!" Grandma reports that she's even had a few hour-long conversations with the babes.

...loves her swing. They say babies have different cries for different needs. I think one of Summer's cries is a "swing cry." Just goes to show how different each kid is. Austin hated the swing and always wanted to be held. Ruthie kind of liked the swing, but was calmed more by noises. Summer seems to relax from over-stimulation in her calming swing.