7 Quick Takes - 5th children, Charleston, Polka Dots

Linking up with Kelly ... first quick takes of 2020 and fourth post of January

---1---

Last week Lee, me and J went to Charleston for a work trip for me. It was a quick trip but a nice little getaway. We got bumped up to the concierge floor and the She-crab soup that was available on Monday afternoon was insane. INSANE

G&G and Jibbe held down the fort with kids so couldn't have done it without them!

---2---

Before Charleston was the second (and last) home swim meet of the season 

It was a pretty wild day that involved running 10 miles, going to the swim meet and doing a drive-by at the house to get Papa and the non-swimmers to go to church. Busy times. But the girls had fun at the meet and we won't be going to another one until March so it was definitely worth it. J was a good little 'running' companion as we worked the meet. 

---3---

This week was Catholic Schools Week

We love our school and it was probably 5 years ago that there was so much anxiety over schooling decisions and I really do believe we are in the best place for our family - which is the most important thing for every family. This day was polka dot day and E and M go do-a-dotted and R opted for a polka dot bow. 

---4---

Preschool mornings...

A, M and J and me have a strange window between big school drop off and preschool start. During the warmer weather we usually run later(ish) because I'm usually talking but during the winter that's not much of an option sooooo... we have more time to kill and the most optimal parking spots at preschool are taken (after nine years I still don't have my own assigned parking spot - this week marks our family's nine year anniversary! - all the gasps!!!!!!!) so we started going to the (retention) pond just to get out and stretch our legs and put on coats and collect flowers and scream at the school buses passing. It reminds me of things I would do with fewer kids so I'm glad we are being afforded the (cold) opportunities now. The kids look forward to 'seeing the water' every day!

---5---

Last Friday the big girls and J and me went to Uncle Kev and Nicole's engagement party

It was loads of fun with lots of food and a huge Jenga game. September or bust

---6---

J's still enjoying the tree and the lights. 

 

I took all the ornaments off it last week so now it is just tree and lights which is a personal favorite of mine. I guess we'll take the tree down this weekend because it is Candlemas and February. The tree has had a great run and I can still smell it at times. Definitely ready for a break from it though and ready for all the Christmas boxes to get back into storage. 

Speaking of storage, we had plans drawn up for 'want' plans to our house. Turns out the 'want' plans are more than we paid for our house so we are bummed. But there's nothing wrong with not getting exactly what you want. Lee convinced me to just go see what is out there even though I have no intention of moving. Last week we walked through two houses, one I would definitely move for but the price is in the clouds expensive and the other house was a mess. There were at least 7-10 different surface types/colors on the floors and countertops. We were basically dared to put in an offer on the house I'd move for so we'll see if we can just get the door slammed in our faces on that and put an end to it. 

---7---

Sweet baby J!

I love him so so so much. He's four months old and quite the chatter and sleeper. He hates having any form of blanket on his legs at night which does not work well for me because I'm usually cold. His siblings adore him. 

And speaking of siblings... how about kid number five. Talked to two moms today who said their kid number five is a firecracker and wild card and pushes all the parenting buttons we aren't used to. Definitely glad I'm not the only one who is kept on my toes with their fifth kid and definitely appreciate the preschool village of moms who can commiserate relate. 

2019 Thoughts...

Nearly a month into 2020, I've had some time to reflect on last year and it highs and lows and many, many happenings in between.

2019 started with a shoulda been surprise trip to Costa Rica for the kids except some of them knew about it which only slightly annoyed me. They still talk about going while it was an insane amount of work to make it happen hearing them talk about it definitely validates the effort.



Home for less than 10 days from CR, I went to Chile for 10 days for work-ish trip. That was amazingly great and amazingly hard leaving the kids for that long.



February kicked off my Valentine's Day gifts to the kids which was a TRUE surprise outing with me. My pick on everything - though I did have to tell E we were going skiing because she hurt her arm at school and I needed to know just how serious it was. I loved the one-on-one time with them and picking something fun I knew they'd love. A is desperate to go back to Monster Jam but I am not so we'll see who wins out.



March started with Lee getting the flu and a canceled trip to China and huge PRAISE that Lee was the one and only flu victim in the house by God's grace. The girls went on an overnight AHG trip and Lee cooked up a storm for the St Patrick's Day dance at school.

April was a mix of Pascha, school, soccer, swimming and began what has been the longest pool season (aka Papa working Monday-Saturday) to date. M swam with the other big girls at the Y which proved to give her a great start for summer season.

May is month I don't complain about. It is hands down crazy and I have just given into the end-of-year everythings plus soccer plus Lee's crazy hours for work. I surrender to the crazy and choose to find the joys in it instead of wish the whole month would hurry up and be over.

We transitioned to summer in June with Nash Rec opening and school being OUT. There were camps, and swimming and lots of popsicles at the pool.

July brought the beach trip with my family, the fourth of July spent here with the fireworks getting RAINED out which was the whole point of us leaving the beach when we did. There was lots more swimming and a sleep-away camp for E and lice - which was awful and to top that off I a work trip so I left our (amazing) summer sitter and (an insanely) great friend to nit pick the girls hair while I was gone. That was just crazy. To top everything off when I got back the lawn guys dinged a rock into a van window and we had a rental (non-church-van) for two weeks. #foreverchurchvan



August started out rough and tough - with the never-ending pool season and all the lice and window drama, it was nice to know the routine of the school year was near as was the birth of baby #6. We survived the summer pregnant and I knew once we'd need to get into our groove before baby came. I think someone got a tooth pulled this month, several cavities were filled and that just added to the NEVER ending weekly doctor and dentist and OB visits that seemed to be taking over my life but little did I know...

September came with swimming and soccer and choir for E and people settling into school life. All was well until A had the abscess on his leg which tallied up 6 days straight at medical facilities - including the abscess drainage which drainage is a total misnomer and was more like let's cut open your leg and squeeze a really big pimple. Fun times at 39 weeks and 6 days pregnant. J's arrival was such a welcome ending to the crazy of the month. Honestly the birth was easy compared to the week leading up to it.

October. October was like July deja-vu in some ways for a few reasons. Lice and broken windows. In the third week of J's life I found lice in C's hair and then all hell broke loose when someone found lice in my hair. Did you know there are professional nitpickers? Because there are and they will come to your house and nitpick your hair - for a fee of course - but it was definitely worth the thousands of pennies I paid. Everyone in the house was oiled, combed and showered and hair dried over the course of 3 weeks because C and I had it. It was one of the most arduous things I have done. But I really tried to remember parents that I know/knew of who had or were in the process of their kids going through cancer treatments and how they most certainly would have loved to have been nitpicking their child's hair rather than watching in fall out. #perspective

November actually brought the broken window when I had to take J to get his tongue lasered in Chapel Hill. His posterior tongue tie was causing an insane amount of pain when he nursed - maybe if I hadn't done this before I wouldn't have known better but I also probably would have quit nursing because it was stupid painful. The whole diagnosis and getting that organized was an act of congress and then I had to put my mama foot down and say - this is how we are doing it because you aren't taking my 4 week old into the OR to fix his tongue tie. I had that conversation on the day the lice appeared so I was probably in a more elevated emotional state than normal. Anyhow, the lasering was great, easy and quick - it just took an 1.5 hr long ride there AND back to get it done and on the way back a big old rock dinged windshield of the van - so broken might be an overstatement but there is a very noticeable ding in the windshield despite Safelite filling it. Thy guy who came was like, there is a less than 5% chance that this could make your whole windshield crack and I told him with the summer I had had, I would probably bank on an explosion - which it didn't : )

December brought Advent and Christmas and all their respective glories. We had a good Advent. I think some of the action/Advent giving back activities were not as defined or well thought out as I would have liked as they had been in years past but I guess having a baby around changes things. After Christmas we hunkered down with A and M and their lack of tonsils which was a barrel of monkeys but not as terrible as it could have been.

Honestly, 2019 was a tough but fun year. There were some so many happy times - welcoming another baby boy, Costa Rica, Chile, V-day trips, coaching a ton of soccer games, spending hours at Nash Rec and nearly conquering a full day there - all so great. But I would be remiss to say there were some pretty low lows - I could do a post on how lice is a modern day plague. The good times will always outshine the tough times and thank the Lord for family and friends to see us through.

7QTs - First Full Week of 2020

Linking up with Kelly ... the first week back

---1---

Everyone seems to have survived the first week back at school without much ado. I really did like the schedule we had going over break... me go into work early, come home for lunch, Lee go out and do stuff, quiet-ish nights at home. That's all gone to pot with school starting back but ce la vi. 

---2---

The Wizard of Oz showed up in pajama form... 

Not be confused with this same crowd

Swapping the Wicked Witch for the Great and Powerful Oz and you basically have the same crew. 

There was numerous questions as to what and why J was... the tin man for Halloween. I mean clearly Dorothy and her crew would be absolutely incomplete without the tin man and he even has a tin man-ish hat on. 

---3---

Work has been super busy and after 10.5 years I'm finally moving on up to my own office - which is weird on a ton of levels but probably first and foremost that I have been working for a company for that long. Decorating updates to follow... maybe, maybe - I've got a bunch of soccer plaques that are in my current space plus my diploma is collecting dust at the house so thinking about getting that up in the office? 

---4---

Speaking of decor, Lee graciously hung/rehung pics in the family room (maybe because he got tired of me asking or maybe he wanted to get the new frame off the kitchen counter- either way it got done). I wish I had a before and after of tonight but here is the original before and after.... 

We had been in our house for five years before any pics were hung on this wall and the MAIN reason behind hanging photos was we hosted a Christmas party (for a small handful of adults) #adulting ... nothing like a deadline to make you get stuff done 

A decorator helped put my vision of the photo wall/collage into action because I cannot think outside the box and while I love a photo wall my OCD couldn't get past the different size frames and stuff. The wall has served us well over the last two years as I try to change out the big frames with a winter/summer individual pic of the kids and the smaller frames get freshened up about once a year. Well along came another Kibbe baby so we HAD to get another big frame up and filled. 

I'll see about snapping a pic of the new layout when I can get some natural light. 

---5---

I've got high hopes for putting up a few pics in the master bedroom using some bigger frames we got as wedding gifts and never survived the move and getting rehung in our house - which was nearly 8 years ago. I need one more non-photo piece to go with them so maybe once Christmas credit card bill shock is over then I'll snag what I'm eyeing. Also, I'm on the look out for lamps for the master bedroom. I got two lamps for the entry way a few years ago at a winter sale locally and I ADORE the lamps. So weird, I never knew I could like lamps that much. #iamold

---6---

On tap for the weekend is skipping a swim meet - but don't worry there's one next weekend. J is getting baptized/chrismated/communicated. Yay Chrism! A has been asking when J is going to 'get blessed' so it is finally here. I've got to get a 10 mile run in as on a 12/31/19 whim I decided to run in a 1/2 marathon at the end of February. A whim might be a bit of a lie but a 2020 price increase helped my cause. I'd been looking for a 1/2 marathon to run that was close and convenient time wise and this Raleigh 1/2 marathon literally came into my inbox on 12/31 and I had worked up to 7.5 mile runs in December so I just ran with it... more on that I'm sure. 

---7---

E insisted that we stay up until midnight on New Years and of course the big girls were all in on it too.

There was some intense train matches that coupled with tired siblings turned into tearful train matches. We made it down to the double fours before we called it quits. E wanted to watch the ball drop in NYC but I think the acorn in Raleigh would have been better - the local coverage of the acorn was better so maybe we'll do split screen next year? 

Christmas 2019

It wouldn't be Christmas without the annual Christmas card... 

The outtakes are usually wildly hilarious to me. The threats of doing retakes until mom is happy are legit. 

But generally produce at least one pic that is worthy of being sent. This year we rushed and did them one warm-ish afternoon. Fear not J's feet aren't cold. I got their dresses last year after Christmas and I actually just pulled the trigger on next year's (later this year's) dress this morning. It is probably one of the better deals I've gotten on 'the next year's Christmas dress'. 

Other Christmas-ish things involved shopping. The kids exchanged names for secret sibling - which is always a HUGE hit (and helps keep gifts semi-under control). E was gunning for J big time and she drew his name and I promise I didn't rig it that way. E went shopping with me for other stuff - like the laundry basket (that contained Chika Boom Boom) for C. She looked at me like I had 2 heads when I told her that's what she was getting but then she got on board and decided this white one was 'cute' - that made my day. I mean what else does a 2 year out with 3 older sisters possibly need? A basket to tote around and sit and if it breaks mom doesn't care. 

Then there was the tree. We always make it interesting by going to the farmer's market the weekend before Christmas. Lee proclaimed it one of his least favorite activities but the kids and I adore it. It is a hunt and a challenge to find the BEST tree and not pay a zillion million dollars. 

We went to one of the three places still open and they were selling all the tree for $35 except for the three big ones that were left. So we walked out with this 12 ft tree which was cut down to 7.5 ft and has been thristily taking up water ever since and not dropping many needles. 

It was one of our better finds for sure and it smells great!

I think I put lights on it (with A's help) on 12/23. I wish we could just only put lights on but alas the kids love the ornaments and we decorated the tree the morning of 12/26 before Christmas with the Kibbes. I do love waking up and turning on the tree and sitting in its glow. 

At swim practice Santa was pulled by her reindeer which was wildly funny to watch

Then we made it to Divine Liturgy on 12/24 and behavior was shockingly great. One of the dads helped corral C for me by stepping in her way every time she'd bolt for the back. After church we went to cousins house for some food and fun - so so great. Then we settled in at Grammy and Grandpa Joe's for the night. Packing up for eight is no joke but it was very much worth it. 

Somehow we held off the presents until almost 8. Then it was a pretty frenzied opening session so maybe we can work on that next year

We had to recreate waiting on the stairs because J wasn't up when we opened presents - which was perfectly fine for me. But they don't actually have to wait upstairs anyways 

Since that meant a quiet breakfast - which was the usual casseroles and mimosas - except I forgot the cranberry juice this year. Dinner was Lee's homemade lasagna - always a treat. 

Grandpa Joe and A and J matching before our walk. 

And I have just about zero pictures from Christmas with Lee's side of the fam because there was so much fun and people and playing going on. Though the highlights were playing with Wayne the dog and the ever famous mushroom and blue cheese sauce for the AMAZING beef that was cooked. 

Two for One Tonsillectomy

So we heard they were doing tonsillectomies on BOGO as after Christmas sale so we bit the bullet and signed up for Double the Fun with M and A getting their tonsils out on the same day. And if by BOGO I mean that I'm a total liar and by Double the Fun well that's only with the Bubblemint gum. 

This guy has/had a major drooling issue at the ripe old age of 4 so his tonsils got nixed in the hopes that would help (in addition to them being large as per the ENT) plus his future wife might thank me in 30 years. 

This girl sounded terrible at night sleeping in Costa Rica and I already knew something was up when her preschool teacher brought it to my attention that she might have enormous tonsils (and she did and I will spare the graphics). 

So we finally got in with a nurse in the ENT office because we only had one ENT for a really long time and she was always super busy so the nurse could recommend surgery - which she obviously did. We were originally scheduled for 9/13 which was a hot minute from when I was due with J plus it was the middle of the first month of school and soccer season and who wants to miss out on school and soccer?!?!?!?! 

So that date got the super nix-a-tion and we settled on two days after Christmas. Not the most ideal time but there'd be a whole week off from school for break. Christmas fun would have been had and Papa would for sure have little to no work to do so caring for two patients plus a new-ish baby seemed reasonable. 

In the days and weeks leading up to the surgery I probably asked myself a hundred times if this was the right thing especially after hearing just how expensive this whole thing would be. The surgeons fee is about half of the OB fee for baby J's delivery and the facility fee was nearly the same - PER KID. I have no idea how much anesthesia is going to bill but you can bet it ain't cheap. Plus the kids were getting nervous but we tried to focus on the milkshake after and not think about it too too much. 

There was much angst and anticipation and singing and dancing waiting for the surgery. We had to be at the hospital at 6:30 the morning of and the kids couldn't eat anything - which we wisely failed to mention that. C camped out at Grammy and Grandpa Joes for a few days because her HIGH energy state of 2 yr old being was too much for recovery. E and R stayed with Jibbe and J stayed with at the hospital since he's still not a bottling baby. 

A got taken back first since they schedule surgeries by age. He courageously walked back with the nurse - they won't let moms and dads past the double doors and then we sat and waited with M. About a hour and a half later as A was getting wheeled back out - in a super angry state - it was M's turn to go and I think she might have opted for the wagon ride back but she probably wondered what the HECK was going to happen because A was MAD MAD MAD. 

They say every kid comes out of anesthesia differently and A was an agitated one. He realized immediately that he had an IV placed in his arm (they put it in when he was asleep) and he wanted it OUT. The nurse said she'd take it out once he drank his juice which is was MAD that it had ice in it and that was quickly remedied. He started drinking it and probably a bit too fast so we snuggled and he slept a tiny bit more and drank the rest and demanded his IV be taken out. I thought he might pull it out. Then we snuggled more and he was mad Paw Patrol wasn't on so he settled in to watching videos of himself and his siblings on my phone. 

At some point M came back out and I was expecting something similar to A but that didn't happen. She was super groggy and had a few fitful and pitiful conversations. She got her LOLs out and stared blankly at them and laid around and was not bothered by the IV and refused to drink anything. Not long after she she back, Lee and I realized we'd be here for longer than with A so he took A and J to McD's to get us lunch and them milkshakes and to get the prescriptions. Well the prescriptions were at a different pharmacy so that got changed but not in time, so the guys came back with food and we waited on M some more. A only spilled his shake a few time but downed the entire thing and proceeded to inform me that I better not eat all the fries; he finished my fries off 4.5 hours after surgery! M still wasn't drinking anything, J was super tired from all the day's and previous days activities so he was screaming so we did some laps around the atrium and outside. I got back and the nurses were convincing M to drink something. She can be quite stubborn at times. 

M finally drank the minimum amount we were off to the races to get home but not without getting the prescriptions from pharmacy number two. The lines were insane - drive thru and in store. The meds had been pulled but not mixed and M's tylenol hadn't been filled because it had a touch of extra strength in it so it had to come from the narcotics safe. It was basically a nightmare and took forever. Should have used a different pharmacy and who the heck are all these people picking up all this medicine?!?!? I got back to the van. A had an emergency potty trip, J was screaming and M was staring blankly into space... 

We've survived the first two full days of tonsillectomy recovering pretty well. Lots of iPad time. Lots of bargaining to drink a sip of this and that. Lots of resting. Fighting over which iPad is being used. Yesterday M was still napping and A went outside to his happy place - under the tree. He raked and collected leaves and he tried really hard to remember not to run - because they aren't supposed to do ANY physical activity for two weeks - not that they'd want to this early on anyways. Everyone's been out of sorts but overall it hasn't been too terrible. 

We've been setting alarms to give them medicine and waking them (and us) up to do it because misery loves company so I'm hoping when we don't have to do an early AM wake up everyone will be happier because they aren't loving the medicine in the middle of the night but it's got to be better than waking up in pain because their behind on a dose, right?  

So here's to the next (few) days of post-tonsillectomy recovery

O Christmas Program

O Christmas Program, O Christmas Program
How cute are thy children
O Christmas Program, O Christmas Program
How cute are thy children!

This year the big school and preschool Christmas programs fell on the same night... again.

Joy to the World
Moms cannot bilocate
But thank goodness for dress rehearsals!

J and I went to the big school dress rehearsal which is probably and will forever be my preference over the actual program because I get a front row seat and I show up 2 minutes before it starts and I don't have little people who belong in bed with me. LOVE a dress rehearsal. It was E's last year in the program - which was sad - but she and her friend sung together and it was cute. R was a narrator who knew about 2.5 lines the week before the program so I was nervous for her but she did GREAT. M was part of the little happy family getting out a nativity set - in the dress rehearsal, it was the most sober, sullen family EVER. That was kind of hilarious.

That night it was onward to the preschool program and if by onward, I mean spiral downhill into the depths of Christmas program hell.

Don't let this cute pic fool you because I was. 

It is probably worth mentioning that in the spring A refused to go on stage for the spring concert. I wasn't there because E and R had a soccer game - but I heard the reports. He wouldn't go into his class and kicked and screamed and it was a mess.

He had been talking about his program all month. Singing the songs. Screaming the bible verse. He was worried about being late for his program. He didn't want to wear his tie but then relented. So we snapped that cute little pic after leaving the seats we beelined for and saved as soon as the doors opened 15 minutes prior. We dropped C off in her room and she didn't want to give up her flower that her friend in her class gave her before the program and she laid out in the hallway for a minute but made a quick recovery.

I was really worried for a minute. She was going to repeat A's performance from last year.

Then we head down to A's class and as soon as we get to the threshold of the door he freezes. He grabs my leg and won't let go. I try convincing, coaxing bribing... anything to get him through the door. Tearful cries. Locked arms. I finally let his teacher take him unwillingly but I had my doubts.

J and I make it back to our seat five minutes before the show was to begin. I keep staring at my phone waiting for a text that says to get him. I thought we were in the clear but finally does come through.

So J and I make the long walk back to retrieve A and then we head back to our spot. At this point I think I'm in the disbelief stage of - I can't believe this is happening again and I can't believe I'm lugging around this heavy carseat and dragging my noncompliant 4 yr old in front of a zillion parents and grandparents and aunt and uncles and EVERYONE AT THIS PROGRAM!

A is still crying/whimpering loudly and the pastor is talking and we are 5 rows from the front and it is kind of a problem. He is being too loud. And he tells me he has to use the bathroom. And C is on next. So I grab A and leave J in the carseat because what the heck else am I supposed to do because we have to be quick or we'll miss C and the 2s only sing 2 really short songs - see I know this because I've been to this program for the past 7 years.

We get to the bathroom and A is wailing because he knows he's in trouble and I'm rushing like a crazy to get his pants down and he goes and then as I'm pulling his pant back up the snap breaks off because I didn't unsnap them in the first because I was rushing.

A snap in time saves you a meltdown.

At that point A LOSES IT like loses his mind. So what do I do? Leave him in the lobby screaming but in the back of my head I'm like what if he runs away. I get back to my seat and to J who had a kind mom give him his paci back during the bathroom antics. The twos are coming on stage and I get a video of C who is proudly jingling her bells but I'm more worried about A who might have been stolen from the lobby so I run back out there and tell him we have to watch C and that he must be quiet. So we get back in with enough time to catch the last part of the second song and A and I go to collect C from the stage.

Somewhere in this mix of events I gave up my highly coveted seats on the end of row 5 so A and C and J and I crouched behind the first block of seats and watched the big preschoolers come on stage. I told A he needed to go up on stage or we would leave. Well bring on the crying once again. So I drag J and A back out to the lobby with C following dutifully behind. A is screaming about how he doesn't want to leave and I tell him he must go on stage and that I was not going to stay and watch the program unless he was in it! Finally I give up and realize this is the end and we must go so lug the carseat and a fitful A outside only to realize that the crazy crazy crazy stroller is still inside... See I moved it off to the side as to not block the aisle.

Repeat repeat the sounding JOYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I'm like A get it together and go on stage and sit with your teacher and all this will be forgiven. He settles down and agrees. So I lug the carseat back into the church with A and C following and we get to the stroller and I'm like okay A, go up to your teacher.

Insert all the crying.

So I swear I am pushing the stroller with one hand, dragging A with the other, bumming into chairs all the way down the aisle and C skipping right behind us with her pink flower.

It was epic. It was epic. It was epic. In front of everyone.

Now maybe people will believe when I tell them I really have no idea what I'm doing and I'm flying by the seat of my pants and living on a prayer. So many people are like, how do you do it? You have it all together? Oh this is old hat? Well you are a PRO at this then - even the cashier told me that just the other day when I was checking out with J, assuming he was my first and found out he was actually numero six.

I will be the first one to proudly tell you, no I don't and tonight proves me right. Because you never know what kind of wild hair someone is going to get and throw you the biggest curveball on the ONE night of the season you desperately want everything to go right.

I could have gotten to the van and cried but I think I was too mad to cry. We got home and A headed straight to bed where he needed to have been hours before taking a nap. C and I snuggled up on the couch even though she should have been in bed and watched her playing Jingle Bells on repeat. She loves seeing herself. I love that she started jingling even faster when she sees me in the audience.

So the next day once I had time to collect myself and my psychological state of mind I calmly told A that he would not be going to his Christmas party at preschool because of his performance - or lack thereof - the night before. You know what, he didn't even fight me on it. He was definitely upset but he didn't cry. I thought I'd have to drag him out of the class kicking and screaming when I picked him up an hour early but you know what, he didn't cry one bit. He knew he was in trouble and was accepting of his punishment. I, on the other hand, felt terrible in some ways and vindicated in others. The last thing I wanted to do was pull my 4 yr old out of his class Christmas party - how cruel is that? But I knew I had to make a point and I did. A kept on saying that next year he WOULD go on stage. When I asked him why he didn't go on stage this year his response - I just didn't want to.

To be four again.

To parent a four year old, again.

Parenting is not for the faint of heart and you have to crisis manage and make game time decisions and stand by them. You may question decisions and replay situations in your mind OVER and OVER again but say a prayer, trust your gut and know that there's a hundreds of other parents are doing the exact same thing.

7QTs - Gobble Wobble, Sibs, Strep

Linking up with Kelly ... reversing it from St. Nicholas to Thanksgiving

---1---

Today is St. Nicholas Day.... 

E and I got home late last night (see next) and I nearly forgot about having to set things up for St. Nicholas' visit. The stuff the kids had sorted out for him to take had been in the chapel for at least a week.

He did not disappoint with Christmas outfits, pajamas, sugary cereals, books, ACT and bandaids. A and C played store with the ACT and bandaids before school. I absolutely love that this family tradition and I have to dig through the closet to remember what I've gotten throughout the year. We only give the kids one thing on Christmas so this is very exciting for them. 

---2---

Last night I got to hear E's choir rehearse for their concert tonight... 

I had to stay for the rehearsal because Js 2 month appt turned into a joint appt for M who had 1. the crud, 2. swimmers ear & 3. strep but PRAISE THE LORD not the flu. Huge praise up in here. So I knew it would be risky bringing her to the concert late at night when sick (as planned) even though she wouldn't be contagious. Well as it turns out, A appears to have strep also as of this afternoon late sooooo... here I am typing out my QTs and wishing the concert was live streamed. It was surely going to be amazing. 

I would be a complete liar if I made it sound like I was at all of the 4 hr rehearsal because J and I weren't. I had made dinner plans earlier in the week and I knew if I broke those we would probably not connect again until Easter. Can I tell you how good and refreshing and fun it was just to sit and chat all things, kids, life, school, lice (gasp!), extra curriculars with a few moms I've known since E was in preschool (ancient history, I know). 

SO GOOD. 

SO NEEDED. 

We probably won't do it again because between the three of us there's double digit number of kids BUT... when we do we'll just pick up where we left off.  

---3---

J!!!!!!!!!!

Baby J is 2 months old! He's slept 6+ hours at night which is glorious. He's had his tongue tie lasered which has made all the difference in the world nursing. He loves to talk to me when he gets some one-on-one time. His smells and noises are oh so very boy and sometimes I still can't believe he's here. 

---4---

M doing planks for swim and A supervising

These two people will be tonsil-less three weeks from today. Or at least have significantly smaller ones. I think the end of year and Christmas is forcing me to block out how nervous I am about two kids getting their tonsils out back-to-back but they have each other and it may be a rough few days but I think when they are 18 they'll thank me. 

---5---

The boys - 

A has been desperate to do things with J like play with him and talk with him. It is funny and cute and I can only imagine them in two years raking and mowing and burning leaves which are all things on A's to do list this weekend. 

---6---

The Highway Patrol horses were at preschool one day at pick up: 

 

Unfortunately they were there for an officer's funeral 

A and C could not get enough of them saddling up and finally one of the officers asked if they wanted to get out of our van and get close. C was thrilled until she was right there. 

---7---

Thanksgiving seems like weeks ago even though it wasn't. This past week I kept telling Lee and everyone okay we just need to get to Sunday without an issues. Rehearsals, swim practices, work meetings, birthdays, and the concert were all on the radar. M getting sick put a kink in things but E and R did not succumb to anything yet so that is great. 

I only made turkey cookies for one class this year. Still a Thanksgiving favorite of mine because it is a cute crafty-ish thing I can do well - if I may say so myself. 

J with his pumpkins 

C in her hat from school 

So we may have a new tradition on our hands... I found this 5k in the next town over and Uncle Kev and Nicole and E and R were game. Lee gave his blessing to let me take half of the kids out of the house while he cooked up a storm for the afternoon. 

Nicole and J and I power walked the whole thing and caught up on all things wedding and life. E took off and ran on her own which was fine by me. R left the walking crowd less than half way through and her street sense made me more than a bit nervous but we did find her at the end - and she was fine. Uncle Kev started with the walkers and then did not want to lose to a niece so she caught up with E and R and controversy remains about the finish and involves a turkey blocking his way : ) 

J was happily past from aunts and cousins the Friday after Thanksgiving and we continue to be so grateful that we have 2 days of Thanksgiving and not two meals in 2.5 hours that we have to rush to both sides of the family for.