Long Days, Sweet Memories!

I'm not really returning to blogging already, but I just wanted to safe keep some special memories (that I will mean to document later, but it just won't happen...this forum is as easy as any to record them while they're on my mind!).

Today was Grandparent's Day at preschool. Although none of the grandparents were able to travel to be here, it didn't dampen any spirits here! Cecilia and Justin were both so excited and loved singing for the captive audience! Cecilia, the pilgrim, is above! Justin, below, had a "squishy gray tail" on his behind (but not visible in the picture!).

My precious tiny baby is still tiny!! She weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. at her one-month well visit yesterday. She has a bad cold and an *almost* ear infection (that's frustrating because I don't know whether she's crying because she's a month old or because her ear hurts!), but thank God, is otherwise doing great! Below she is snoozing on the couch!

A few weeks ago, Joseph lost one of his front teeth! He wasn't totally cooperative for this picture (hence the goofy face!), but I just love how he looks! He's getting so big, yet he's still my little boy. I am so proud that he's doing so well in kindergarten!

It gets dark early so the days are shorter...but, man they are seeming long to me as Daddy is working a lot (to make up for all the time he had to take off during the end of my pregnancy and when Teresa was born). There are so many precious moments each and every day with each of my children (if only the moments weren't so distracted by the less-than-precious moments of the other children...ha!). Thank you God for your many blessings...please protect us and help us all!!! Happy early Thanksgiving, everyone! :)

Good night!

I captured Teresa's first smile ever (3 weeks old)...it was a miracle to have my camera in hand!

I just said Good Night to my children...the ones that actually go to bed, that is! Teresa is lying on the floor next to me looking around. For the moment, she is incredibly calm and happy just taking in the view from the dining room floor!

My husband is teaching a class tonight. So for the second time this week, I had the task of getting the children fed, bathed, and to bed by myself. This was quite hard enough a month ago, but it is even harder with a newborn crying (you know the cry!) in the background!

We usually end the night with prayers and a book. But, after Lucy fell off my bed and then tripped on the baby's bouncy seat and gave herself a bloody nose (in addition to the baby screaming in the background!), I called it a night and ordered all the children to bed immediately (Lucy wasn't seriously injured...just overtired...I didn't want to see what would happen next)!! I told them to say prayers with each other (we've been saying the same night time prayers for years, so hopefully someone was able to lead!) and not to come out of their rooms unless it was an emergency! I hadn't heard a sound so I think they got the message! Good Night :).

These love bugs are keeping me extremely busy!

I am also saying Good Night to this blog for a bit. I just can't find the time to write. I let Justin, age 3, experiment with giving up his nap (he wasn't going to sleep at 1 p.m. anymore...but rather, emptying out his drawers or dumping out my laundry, etc...TROUBLE!). This experiment was a complete disaster. By dinner time, he was absolutely unbearable and our nights were horrible (no one is happy when a cranky toddler is dominating Mommy and Daddy's time and attention!). So, now he naps around 2:30 or 3...only for a 1/2 hour or so. Problem is, this is the time that Lucy gets up. Because I'm also spending time with Cecilia and nursing Teresa (a lot!), I'm not getting a break during the afternoons like I used to.

I'm not complaining...I know how incredibly blessed I am. I try to roll with the punches (much easier said than done!) and to find time for myself in other ways (I've been trying to exercise after dinner which feels awesome after a very long pregnancy!).

So, Good Night! Thanks so much for reading and for all your thoughts and prayers over the past year or so. I will definitely come back to this blog (probably sooner rather than later!). But for this season of my life, my mission is clear. I pray that God will richly bless all of us until we meet again :).

Didn't mean it...

Gianna adores Teresa...she wants to hold her all the time!

I am sitting here at the computer on a lovely, cool fall afternoon. The view from my window is brilliant...a bright yellow tree with leaves actively falling to the ground. As I sit here in sweatpants with a yummy pumpkin coffee, I am reminded of why fall is my favorite season!

The view on my lap is even more beautiful than the tree. I am holding my tiny (not yet 7 pounds!) newborn daughter. She's alert, quiet, and content (my favorite!).  Two kids are at school, one kid is at a lunch playdate, two are napping, and Teresa and I are hanging out. Everything seems...perfect! It is my first day on my own (Daddy went back to work today). So, although I know that this moment is very brief, I am enjoying it...and hoping that refreshment leaves me ready for an afternoon of total craziness!

Looking at Teresa's tiny head, tiny fingers, and tiny everything, I am reminded of what I said to my husband soon after she was born (granted, I wasn't really thinking very clearly yet). I said to him, "I wish she wasn't so small." It wasn't that I didn't think she was beautiful or perfect (or that I wanted to push out a larger baby...ha!). Rather, it was because it's been a long time (5 babies/7 years ago) since I was responsible for a 6-pound human being. The 8-pounders and 10-pounder seemed so much less fragile!!!

Of course, as I look at her now, I tell her that I didn't mean it!! Thank you God for this amazing gift in a tiny package! I'm loving every tiny inch of her :).

The rest of this post is just random pictures from our first few weeks as a family.

Cecilia is a natural at holding the baby! She loves being a big sister again!

Justin moves in for a kiss from Lucy. Lucy is now known as my "Big Baby" and Teresa is "Little Baby." I am amazed by how adorably pudgy Lucy's hands and feet are (although at only 22 pounds, she is pretty light for 19 months old!). She is doing awesome with our addition. She loves the to burp the baby and point out her body parts!

We had a great Halloween night. All 8 of us hit the streets for Trick-or-Treating. Lucy (who refused to keep her puppy costume zipped) had the time of her life! Can't think of many better things than seeing my kids so happy...

Here is my Sunshine! Cecilia was Sleeping Beauty for the preschool costume parade and Snow White (because she wanted to be the same as her big sister) for trick-or-treating. She's such a light in my life...I just love age 4.

Here's our St. Joseph! Joseph was Woody from Toy Story for Trick-or-Treating, but for the All Saints parade at school, he was his patron saint, St. Joseph the carpenter! Pray for him, St. Joseph :)