Today (June 11)

Sunday... ahh, Sundays. The most tiring day of the week!

Today we walked into the house after pulling in from church. While that sounds easy enough, this is typically a very challenging part of Sunday because the kids are tired, everyone is hungry/absolutely starving (me), the baby is crying/needs to nurse/nap/eat, the house is a tornado scene from having whipped out the door with minutes to spare that morning, everyone has itchy church clothes on that they'd like to change out of, and it seems like with the mere act of walking into the house, you are suddenly imbued with a long list of things to do right now.

But today we walked into the house, and I set Neva down onto the floor, and she and the boys ran off happily to play and entertain themselves while I could make lunch. It was an incredible feeling. They contentedly ran off on their own to wait for lunch. I told Brian, "Wow, we've ventured into a new era. Neva just ran off to play with the boys when we got into the door. Up until now she's always been cranky and crying after church when we get home."

 "Yep," he replied, "Just in time to add another baby."

Yes! 

Mom and Dad were visiting MT, so we stayed home and enjoyed the time outside. I am just loving these low-key porch-sitting summer evenings. 

When Will found this rock, he informed me, "This is a snake rock. Snakes LOVE these rocks."

Barrett found some treasures too... dead leaves:


Neva was tickled to be riding in this tiny stroller:


"Mom, this is a magic leaf. It's for you. Here, this is for you."


Barrett, you're so handsome with your rose! Show me your most handsome face:

Popsicles!!!

When Neva sees a food she loves (which are many) she screams with delight.


Watering the plants with a big pregnant belly!


The kids took turns pushing each other. I tried to keep my mouth shut and not worry at them.

"Are you gonna low?"

Barrett, who in general talks pretty well (I think) mispronounces the word "yell." Instead, he says "low." I'm sure I've written about this before. Every day, when he's done pooping on the potty, he hollers my name ("MOM!") so that I will come and wipe his butt. When I come into the bathroom he occasionally says, "I was lowin' for you." (yellin') One day, still perched on the toilet, he said, "I was lowin' for you because I love you."

(Incidentally, his bathroom habits are hilarious. When it's time for him to poop, there's no fight and no struggle (as with William, who when I can tell really needs to go, has to debate with me for a few minutes before he will concede to sit on the toilet and try). Barrett likes to get all set up with the piano bench in front of the toilet and a big old stack of books ("I want a lot of books") and then looks up at me and asks, "Can you go now?" or occasionally, "Bye! Have a great day!" One day I stayed in the bathroom to brush my teeth after getting him set up, and I looked over to see him doing a tricep dip down into the toilet bowl. I was horrified, thinking he was falling in. Turns out he just likes to lower himself down several inches. His butt's never wet, though it did explain why there's hardly ever any poop on it when it's time to wipe. It also explains why he frequently sprays pee up onto said piano bench. Since I realized he does this, there's been less pee- I told him he is allowed to lower himself down (I figure what I don't see won't hurt me) but the pee spraying has to stop. Anyway, he'll sit on the toilet for 10 or 15 minutes, chattering nonstop about who knows what. Then, of course, comes the "lowin'.")

Anyway, one day I had a terrible mom day. I was so tired, in unusually awful hip pain, and I had so much to do, and when it seemed like there was one mishap after another, I let myself throw a miniature temper tantrum where I just yelled at the ceiling in front of them. They were horrified. Of course I apologized and made things right. I apologized a lot. I also told them I was very tired and that my back was really hurting, but of course that that was no excuse to behave like a terrible child. 

The next day, Barrett came into the kitchen and asked, "Can I ride on your back?" 

"I'm so sorry, honey," I replied. "Mommy can't carry you on her back these days. My back is really hurting." 

"Oh," he replied, "and you're gonna low?" "I'm going to what?" I asked him. 

"You're going to low?" 

"Ahh," I replied, smiling. He was asking if I was going to "yell" again. "No, buddy, I'm not going to yell." I gave him a big hug and got him set up at the counter and he watched me cook. I just love this kid.