Today

William, bringing me a dish from his play kitchen: "Do you want to try some of my to-mah-to soup, hot apple cider, and cookies?"

I'll never forget the slight lisp he had when he said 'cookies.' And who knows where he learned to pronounce "tomato soup"??

When Barrett had to go poop this evening, I took him into our small half-bath where he typically does his business. This morning, it being Sunday, I had moved all of my toiletries necessary for getting ready onto the small counter so that I could get up early and get ready without waking Brian, and everything was still there. Barrett, used to seeing the counter cleared, stared aghast at the mess, at my make up bag, straightener, brush, and more. "Mom," he said, seriously, "this is very, very bad. You don't ever do this."

I never want to forget Neva and Barrett planting countless kisses on my face as I tried to take a Sunday nap on the floor.

Barrett was very intent upon this project. When he was finished, he was very proud of his creation, though a little ambiguous about what it was. He told me it was a "shark and a snake monster truck," he told daddy it was an "airplane with pipes," and he told Grandpa it was a "porcupine truck."

 

  

I'm writing this blog at 10:30, and once again I cannot wait to fall into bed tonight. Another day done. I'm so thankful for it and I loved so many moments in it, but, like I feel every night, I'm glad it's done.

Zoo Day!

     

 

    

 

    

 

    

 

   

Sick baby girl and 29 weeks (April 25)

My poor little girl has been sick. She desperately wants to join her brothers, who are absolutely loving being outside now that the weather has turned warmer, but since she still can't walk, and my belly getting bigger, it's just very difficult to have her outside. Enter the stroller and the dune buggy, God's gift to me (through Nana and Papa of course). Pop this girl into the stroller, follow the boys up-and-down, up-and-down the driveway, and everyone is happy.

 

 

Rose Marie is born!

It was the morning of Joel's birthday when my mom and I got the text that Kathleen's water had broken at midnight (on the day she turned 37 weeks) and that they were headed to the hospital. It was a Sunday, and she was on my mind all day! That evening, at my parents' house, I crashed onto the couch for a nap ("I just need like five minutes, guys") and after probably 25 minutes my mom gently woke me: "Maegan, Kathleen had the baby!" We didn't know if it was a boy or girl and they didn't text us until about 10:30 that night. Turns out Kathleen had had quite an eventful labor, and had delivered Rose breech- something the staff had not discovered until  the last minute. I was so proud of her and so very, very thankful that the Lord preserved Rose despite the insufficiency (and in my opinion, the negligence) of the staff.

Kathleen and Nick are going to be such wonderful parents!

 

Building up the temple (April 23)

"Mom, you just need to follow the constructions." William very badly wanted me to help him make the castle pictured in the block "constructions." On Sunday morning, with the extra hour that we have when we don't go to Sunday school, I built a castle for him and one for Barrett. Will wanted to leave them up (on the dining room table) until his party (a month away), but by Monday, Barrett was getting quite feisty and destructive, so I encouraged the boys to knock them down. Once they had the go-ahead, they made it fun.

  

This picture was one William drew for daddy. It's daddy flying a balloon. And the cat stickers are there because "daddy just loves cats."

April 22- soccer begins!

 

The kids were so excited about soccer starting. William was very confident, assuring us he was going to win every game and basically score every goal and be the fastest one there.

Brian had to make a last-minute run to Walmart on Friday because I didn't realize the kids needed shin guards. I'm writing this post on the last morning of soccer and they still haven't used those shin guards. Turns out 3 to 5-year-olds don't really play games where the shin guards will be needed (despite the instructions to parents saying that they were required). Sorry Brian! ❤️

The first soccer session was the whole group of kids, maybe 45 kids, doing drills and games all together. At the very end, the director asked for a few parent volunteers to serve as coaches for the smaller teams. The spots were quickly filled up, but the "black team" coach approached Brian with a second T-shirt and asked if Brian would be able to help him. Brian agreed. The guy barely ever showed up again (one session for part of the time!) so Brian has since been the coach for the black team (the boys' group) and it's been so adorable to watch.

I just hang out with Neva on the sidelines and try to avoid having to make small talk. (My favorite thing in the world.) William keeps asking me to help coach, too, but I tell him I have to watch Neva. He asks, "When Neva is grown-up and she's a kid, then can you help coach us?" I tell him by that time, his skill have far exceeded mine, and I won't be any good as a coach, but I'd be happy to play with him. 

Another fun thing about soccer is that it's sponsored by Tim Hortons, and if the kids go in their "team shirts" on "game days" to Tim Hortons, they each get a few free Timbits. So we have our little tradition of driving to Tim Hortons after the session. For our family, who barely goes out to eat, this has been a really fun treat for the kids. Neva now asks for "nonuts" on the way to Tim H's. 

Soccer has been for six sessions and we haven't missed one. Today is the last session and William is very disappointed to see it end. Lord willing, the kids can do it for fall as well!

April 20th and 21st

The boys figured out they could both fit into this cabinet! Thankfully it was the first and last time (so far).

 

William drew this picture of the whole family. He was intensely proud of it. 

 

On Friday night, I talked the kids into choosing a movie night over open swim at the nearby pool. (We decided to attend open swim for a few weeks in lieu of paying for swimming lessons.) It wasn't hard to convince them, for which I was really grateful, because I was particularly tired. I thought they were so cute, all eating their popcorn, watching Zootopia. 

The other night, I and the kids were all taking a walk and William found a brown rock glimmering in a little stream. "It's a golden rock!" he cried in delight, picking it up. But as we continue to walk home, and the rock began to dry, he lamented, "Mom, my rock is getting boringer and boringer."

Easter 2017

It was the first time I've ever dyed eggs with the kids. I am not disappointed that I waited until this age. They were suitably impressed with the process and the result even though I did most of it myself because… what a mess. They were so intrigued, first watching patiently while the pot of eggs came to a boil, then as we mixed the colors with the vinegar, then as we let the eggs sit in the dye. They were so excited to play with the eggs that two of them immediately broke and another two broke the next day, but who cares?

 

  

I kind of felt like a failure this year for Easter because I barely spent any time talking with them about the resurrection. It's a story we discuss frequently throughout the year but there was a shocking lack of focus this particular weekend. Still, it was a sweet time with the kids on Easter morning and a fun day with my parents, Scott Fisher, and his kids Seth, Austin, and Tabitha. (Despite the fact that I programmed the oven wrong and the delay bake function did not work, so our dinner was cold when we got home and we kind of had to improvise. You know what? It all worked out.) The boys so enjoyed having friends over, dad and Brian had a good time talking with Scott, and my mom and I got to take a nice long walk with Neva and the dogs. 

 

   

28 weeks (April 18)

 

William faithfully brings me flowers, now that spring has sprung. This little sight, tiny glasses full of flowers, is usually on my windowsill above the sink.

As soon as the weather warms up even a tiny bit, the boys insist on wearing shorts.

I saw a cartoon that made me laugh. The first frame was a mother, tenderly staring down at her sleeping child, whispering, "I would do anything for you." The next frame was the mother sitting wearily on the couch, watching the child throw a tantrum. Sitting 6 inches away from the child is his sippy cup, and the mom is saying, "Pick up your own cup!"

Some days feel like that. I'm so worn out and frustrated with the constant demands and needs that I just can't wait until bedtime, and then when I slip into the room to check on them one final time, I look down at their perfect faces and I wonder, what was my problem today??

I will continue to take pictures of them sleeping until it's weird.

    

Neva is SUCH a love bug. She such a hugger and a cuddler and a kisser.

 

28 weeks today!