On a Search for Interests

Deacon always likes to have serious discussions when it is time for bed.

Last night we were discussing friendships: how it is ok not to be best friends with someone- just that the decision needs to be made based on something greater than superficial details.  

We talked about sharing similar interests with people, and how that is often something that helps create and maintain friendships.

Deacon didn't have a lot to say, until all of a sudden the words rushed out:

"Mama, what are your interests?  Are they like putting us to bed and cleaning up the house?"

Noah snorted from behind me.

I scrambled to try to think of interests that I have.

What are hobbies again?

Noah answered before I could come up with anything:

"Are you mentioning those things because those are things that Mama does?  Mom does those things because they are her responsibilities, not because they are her interests."

He continued, "your mom's interests are more along the lines of making lists and crossing things off.  Oh, and running."  He grinned at me over Deke's head.

Finally able to collect my thoughts I added some more items, "reading, running, playing games, hanging out with friends, puzzles".

But he is right, I don't have a lot of time for my own interests.  

The conversation though reminded me that I do want my kids to know me, not just to know what I do for them.  I want them to know what my interests are, just like I know theirs.  

They could probably list a lot of Noah's hobbies.

Sometimes it is a source of contention for us: Noah has hobbies, I don't.  I have never been accused of being playful or silly, he has.  I am task oriented, practical and driven; he flies by the seat of his pants and gets distracted easily.

But that doesn't mean that there isn't more to me than my lists.

And I want my kids to know it.

Yep, it is one of those

I take no credit for this, but it is true- isn't it?

Potty Training

This morning I looked at the stack of size 3 diapers on the dresser.

I had exactly 5.

Maybe, if I searched through my purse, swimming gear and van I could rummage up 1 or 2 more disposables.

And of course I have cloth diapers and plastic pants that could be employed.

But, I thought, if we work on potty training this morning I will save a diaper, and will be able to push back a trip to the store until, say, Saturday.

It is now 5pm and she has been in big girl panties all day.  There have been numerous pairs used and a significant amount of accidents, but there have been 5 or 6 successes too.

Now it is up to me to keep at it, helping her and staying positive.

Oh, how happy we all will be when toddler diapers are a thing of the past.

Buying Stuff

After I have a baby, I always look at my wardrobe and declare it to be obsolete.  I tell myself I am going to go out and buy all new clothes and shoes. I go out and buy a few new items and then I inevitably lose my last 10 pounds and the new clothes no longer fit.

But not this time!  This time I resolve to not buy a single thing until the last 10 pounds are gone.  By then I will probably be pregnant again.  Ha.

Until it is time to shop, I am staying happy by looking at my Christmas shoes that I got from my sisters.

Aren't they cute?  They are Keens and I have been wanting them for a long time.  I have friends that have them, and I love them.  Thanks E and K!

Oh, here is one more picture.  This is my nursing space.  In order to fit the "office" into our room, we had to take the big chair out.  I didn't have a place to nurse Everyn and was either nursing her in bed or sitting on the floor for her night feeding.  We were just about to move more furniture around, when Noah thought of a great solution: the video chair.  We moved one of our video chairs upstairs and it works perfectly!

Well, perfectly if you are the kind of person who likes an ab workout while getting in and out of your nursing chair in middle of the night!  I am definitely getting better at squats!  Anyway, it is a great solution for this stage of our lives, and didn't require any money or work :)

Only 24 Hours in a Day

I only have 24 hours in a day.

I have discovered that even if I work on domestic chores for all my awake hours (and believe me, I don't sleep much) I still can't get everything done.

So I have quit.

No, I haven't quit trying to keep things moderately neat, but I have decided to make sure to carve out time for the things that I enjoy.

Even if housework gets a little behind.

It is going to be even more behind once I go back to work (in 5 weeks).

So I may as well get used to it now.

I have contemplated hiring someone to help with some tasks.  

It may be Deacon.

I can't be a full time teacher to 3,

A full time mom to 5,

A full time wife,

A part time nurse,

Take care of a house,

a large yard,

finances,

papers,

deep cleaning,

light cleaning,

cooking 21 meals a week,

exercise,

volunteering,

driving

and expect to do it all well.

The older I get, the more ok I am with that.

So,

the last few weeks we have been getting together with friends to play games,

we have gone out to dinner,

we have played Yahtzee,

we have played Rummikub, Survive and Sequence with the kids,

I am reading my second novel this month (The Help by Stockett) (I know, not super impressive, but I have 5 kids!)

I am reading nonfiction too (Erasing Hell by Chan and Sprinkle, To Live is Christ by Beth Moore)

I am running (5 miles today!)

Noah and I are watching the "Love and Respect" DVD series.

And I am taking pictures of these babies:

Roman, Everyn, Deacon, Berean and Lincoln

She loves her bunny, nerds and her necklace!

Ever and Lincoln

Baby Girl on Valentine's Day!

Berean likes the baby too! Sort of.

This picture cracks me up.  

The DS is in the house!

And the grin goes from ear to ear.

So Tired

Everyn is a sleeper, there is no question about that.  When she is awake she is very alert, lifting her little head up and looking around with great interest.  But those times are rare.  Interestingly enough, she usually wakes up and is more interactive after all the other kids have gone to bed.  10 pm?  That is her time to shine.

Last evening she woke up in the evening and started to beg for attention.  I was doing my Insanity workout, and she was hanging out with me, watching me sweat.  After Insanity was over, I moved on to my next project and she watched me work on that, but continued to be fussy and somewhat needy.  My third project of the night was to vacuum and then clean the carpet.  She was on the couch in the middle of the room, as I started to work.  The vacuum cleaner's drone made her happy.  The carpet cleaner's whirring put her to sleep.

The whole process was quite noisy and the boys were all conked out on the other side of the interior wall and she was laying there surrounded by commotion and she was sleeping like, well, like a baby.

It is nice to have kids who sleep through anything,
and,
it is nice to have clean carpet.