Feels Familiar

Remember this post? Feeling very familiar right now. Only major difference is that it's 11:23 a.m. & that I actually slept last night.

I wish that we were able to recreate this follow up today. But Jason's got a long day at the office and all three kids have school today. Sure, I'll grab Rosie from preschool in 40 minutes and we'll play outside, but that's not a day at the beach.

It's been a day of washing the car, returning library books, getting meat from the butcher, and vacuuming the house. Sounds like I'm nesting, doesn't it? And nesting is the one part of pregnancy that I just don't do. The reality is that I'm taking advantage of my last guaranteed three-hours-all-to-myself-period to do those things that will drive me nuts when I'm supposed to be basking in the glow of new (again) motherhood.

Family Photos 4

I suggested that Rose pretend to be asleep. She lay down right on the railway tracks and shut her eyes. The wonder of having a sleep-trained child is beyond my ability to express.

Family Photos 3

Idealized moment: Awww, look at the cute family.
Reality: Awww, the kids are trying to run away.

Family Photos 2

Even when he's making faces, I think he's cute.

Family Photos 1

Jenni Boyd, one of the YW advisers when I was still YW Pres., is a talented photographer who asked if she could borrow our family (especially the kids) to expand her portfolio. So, back in March we met up at Kirkstall Abbey. I'll put up some more photos featuring my guys later.

It's Tradition

A few weeks ago, Jason and I were asked what is our family's most unique tradition. It took us a while to come up with an answer, until I realized that that 8-months pregnant photo shoot counted.

It started when Cami was 2 & wanted to climb a tree, but was scared. Despite being a few weeks away from Graham's due date, I went up with her. Jason took a photo. And then 2 1/2 years later, we repeated the experience with 2 year old Graham. And this past week, we all took turns in a tree on the grounds of our rented house in Scotland.

Mother's Day Moments

Today is British Mothering Sunday (aka Mother's Day). It began early when Cami came up to our room at 6 a.m. to try to get me out of bed so she could give me the present she'd made at Brownies. (Sleeping in is not really a part of my life as a mother.)

There have been other low lights:

Graham joining Cami's efforts to get me up which required that they have a fight in my bed while "snuggling" with me & Jason.

Pregnancy nausea and the kids' insistence that they finish off the 2 liter of Sprite that was open because of that nausea.

Continued fighting throughout the day.

All children "forgetting" that it hurts a lot when they elbow me in my enormous stomach.

And the one that made me and Jason laugh:

Rosie crying in the living room led to Jason asking what was wrong.

"Graham bited me."

"Graham bit you?"

"No, he BITED me!"