Adjusting

When I realized that my due date fell just days before the start of our week long Spring break, I admit, I was a little nervous.  Visions of new baby sleep deprivation mixed with early rising big kids, home all day and anxious for entertainment swirled in my head.

Dan was planning on taking off a couple of days and my mom planned to take his place at home as the helper when he wasn't.  Still, I cannot explain the relief and joy I felt when, Sunday night before the Tuesday induction, a friend and her oldest two children knocked on my door.  The kids explained they were planning to have a Spring Break "kids camp" for 3 hours a day Monday through Wednesday that next week and wondered if I'd be interested in sending my kids. $5 per kid, per day, in order to earn money for their own summer activities and camps.

Sign.Me.Up.

So the kids enjoyed their kids camp and I enjoyed my quiet time with the baby.

By the second half of the week, I was feeling pretty good, and I went along on some of the adventures that Dan had planned.

Overall it turned out to be a pretty good week.

I've had my eye on each kid and they ways they've reacted to the baby. There was a definite increase in whining and crying the first few days, but all of them seem to be very happy with Finn.  Ava will do anything for me or him.  She loves to hold him and talk to him.

Luke asks me, "Can I wash my hands cause I want to pet the baby?" When he's done, he comes and sits next to me and drags one finger around on Finn's soft head.

Max doesn't want to hold him and says he's scared to touch him, besides occasional pats on the head and toes.  But he loves to come sit close to us and exclaims in the most celebratory tone, "He's so cute! The baby came out your tummy and he's so cute!"  or "I just love your baby!"

As for me, I feel like I am walking around in a haze of exhaustion. It is truly a wonder that I am even partially amicable. But I'm not really complaining.  The reason for it all is one of the greatest happy spots in my life. I have been so, so lucky to have friends take over my carpool responsibilities so that all I have to do is get the kids up and dressed and out the door each morning and then they show back up on my porch in the afternoon.  It's fantastic.

Max has been such a trooper, because after the big kids are off, I often just lay on the couch and try to make up for lost sleep while he kindly watches shows or plays with his toys. The only downfall to our stay home and lay around all day regime, is that he wants to eat constantly.

Finn is so adorable it's not right. He has the worlds longest baby fingers.

 He feels so good to hold and snuggle and his face and hair is soft and silky. I have taken so many pictures with my phone, I'm sure it's nearly out of memory.

Have you ever loved somebody so much it actually hurts?  That's where I'm at right now, there's just an ache in my chest and I can't get over it.

  And when I start thinking about it, and each of the three other little faces appear in my mind, I really think I might explode or melt or something.

How in the holy universe did I get lucky enough to have these babies?

I don't know but we sang Families Can Be Together Forever last night at Family Home Evening, and I'm telling you, that was kind of a mistake.  A blubbery, crybaby mama, mistake.