This Thing Called Life

We have been so busy doing life. This mother’s day questionnaire from Eleanor shows that not all my hard work has gone unnoticed.

Sometimes it feels like that is all I spend my life doing.

The kids are officially done with school and all the sudden I’m stuck wondering where the year went. How is it summer already? It is crazy to think that when this school year started, Fiona wasn’t even here yet!

Fiona turned six months April 20, so we had to do a six month photo shoot for her. But then while I was snapping pictures of her, I told ross to bring the rest of the gang up. Hudson just turned three, Eleanor was turning 5 in a matter of weeks and Quinn had just hit seven and a half!

This little lady is now turning eight months old in June! She is the happiest, easiest going baby. She loves to smile and has two lower teeth that make for the cutest baby grin.

 

Fiona completely adores her brothers and sister. She loves a good game of peekaboo, eating, and playing with toys. She is busy rolling here and there.

You guys have no idea how many pictures I didn’t include. This is the same logic I apply when shopping at Target–I always tell my husband, you have no idea how much stuff I DIDN’T buy!

At this point Fiona does a lot of going where everyone else needs to be. Eleanor is involved in both ballet and soccer. She loves both. She is really excited to be in extended day (kindergarten). My sweet girl is bright, driven, kind and creative. Eleanor loves making friends, purple, princesses, ice cream and candy, playing, creating, coloring and attention.

 

She seems to really be craving attention lately so I try. Painting her nails when I paint mine, taking her on errands or climbing into bed with her at the end of the day and snuggling her and giving her my undivided attention.

In a mess of tears she told me that I never have time for her, that I am always taking care of Fiona. Of course this isn’t true, but it doesn’t make her feelings any less real. It broke my heart that she was feeling this way and I’m glad she told me.

I was able to point out things that I did with her and that helped her to see that she was still a priority. I also talked to her about how I’m always watching. That even if I am feeding Fiona, I see her at the table busy coloring and smile and feel proud of her creativity and focus. That I notice her patience with Hudson and the way she plays so nicely with him. We talked a lot about how she fills my momma heart with joy and pride even if we aren’t actually doing something together.

Our talk helped, but I knew following it up with action mattered big time. I’ve made an effort, no matter how many other things need to be done or how touched out/exhausted I am to carve out five minutes at the end of the day to snuggle her before bed.

Kids have a way of surprising you. While I barely gave thought to how Eleanor would handle a new baby in our family, I spent plenty of time worrying about Hudson.

Parenting Hudson has been one of my greatest struggles and sweetest experiences. I cannot even put into words how much I love spending time with him. He is fun and interesting and he brings me so much joy. I feel so lucky to have had my mornings with him over the last year and will greatly miss him when he starts preschool.

If you read this post, then you know what a struggle it was to potty train Hudson. I threw in the towel. Right after his third birthday he said Ok, put on underwear and that was that. Hasn’t worn a diaper since (not even at night). When he was ready, he was ready. That’s my Hudson for you!

He is an amazing big brother and I find his deep love for his sister to be incredible. He is still obsessed with firefighters and trains. He loves to build and climb.

I think three is just my favoritest age ever and I just want to bottle up everything about this boy and this age and this stage and remember it forever. I distinctly remember thinking this while he was telling me a story one day.

And then the boy who made me a mom, Quinn. Flipped my whole world upside down. Still my baby.

He really came into his own in first grade. He has become an obsessive reader–currently loving the Diary of Wimpy Kid series. He is goofy and kind and his heart is so, so big.

He find so much joy in learning. He is curious, empathetic, animated and made for big things.

The quiet on the blog is because I have four kids and there was soccer, and dance and birthdays and birthday parties and recitals and we put our house on the market so a whole ton of cleaning and staying out of the house and showings. It all feels like a big whirlwind.

I’m trying so hard to find contentment and quiet and space in the whirlwind that is life.