Drowning

Jim Gaffigan, the comedian, does this joke about what it's like having four kids. He say to imagine that you're drowning, and somebody hands you a baby, that's what it's like. It makes me laugh so hard, but it really is a good way to describe life for us right now, and even more so what it was like last year. Zion is getting easier in some ways, but he is so full of energy and has no fear, so it takes a lot out of us. I don't have to hold him as much now, but that means I'm chasing him or saving him from some crazy predicament (standing on the table, jumping on beds and couches). It really wears me out and I don't get much of anything done. The other kids keep me busy too, dropping off, picking up, doing homework, chores, trying to convince Lydia that she does need a nap. It's pretty crazy around here, and some days it does feel like I'm drowning. But the kids go to bed and I get to hang out with my husband. And some days we get to play and have fun. Some days Hyrum does chores without being asked to (hoping to choose from the treasure box of course). Some days I get to wrestle with them and hear their contagious laughter. Sometimes they surprise me with a dandilion flower, or a picture or a note from question mark (Selah). Sometime Zion gives hugs and kisses instead of smacking my face. Sometimes Lydia climbs into my arms asking me to bring her to bed. Sometimes they initiate mature conversations and I get to teach them things. Sometimes they tell me when they are feeling the Spirit. Sometimes, instead of drowning, I am riding in a raft with my life vest on and having a nice little adventure!

It's Hot Here!

We are having a very hot summer here. I think Jared told me that it was 117* yesterday. Ugh! I'm not a fan of the heat. I feel like summertime should be looked forward to, not dreaded all year. I try to stay positive, but it gets tricky. 

I took the Littles swimming on Friday. (After buying a floatie to help with Zion.)

He liked having his own little boat. 

Selah and Hyrum have been getting pretty fearless in the water. Lydia mostly likes to jump to me from the side. She's pretty fearless too. All four of our kids love the water. I really should take them more often. I took a few pictures, but they aren't great. 

When I Grow Up

Just thought I should share Hyrum's & Lydia's answers to the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Hyrum has been saying for a while that he wants to be a fireman. Sometimes he also says he wants to be "a police."

Lydia somehow got it in her head that she should be a clown. 

Can you tell I'm using my phone and don't have many pictures on it right now?  Oh well. 

When I Grow Up...

Today we found an old list that Selah wrote around the start of first grade, when she was six. It lists all the things she wanted to be when she grows up. She laughed at it a little because of a few of the things she has no intention of becoming. We decided to do a little then/now post (so that it couldn't get torn by baby brothers again). 

Here's what she wanted to be:

Mom

Teacher

Firefighter

Police

Princess

Artist

Art teacher

Dentist

Doctor

Mountain climber

Scientist

Explorer

Radio D.J.

Park worker

Ballerina 

Store worker

Bakery worker

Gardener

Bus driver

Train driver

Clown

Writer of children's books 

Crafter

Cook/chef

Babysitter

TV actress

Play actress, play writer, play director

Story teller

Gift-giver

TV watcher

Now, Selah wants to be:

Fashion designer*

Singer/song writer*

Mom

Teacher

Princess

Artist/art teacher

Scientist

Explorer

Ballerina 

Park worker (maybe)

Store worker (maybe)

Baker, cake/cookie decorator, cook/chef

Acrobat

Gardener

Bus driver ( maybe)

Writer

Crafter

Babysitter 

TV actress

Play actress/Play writer/ Play director

Story-teller

Gift-giver

TV watcher

*These are her top occupation goals. She keeps a notebook of dress design drawings and she can often be heard singing her original songs. She even made up a song on the piano. (Aunt Marisa started teaching Selah piano a few weeks ago.)

Whatever she ends up doing, I know that she will do an amazing job! Selah is so talented and smart! I'm so lucky to be her mom!

Typical Day as a Mom

I couldn't put off the grocery shopping another day due to the expired milk and lack of cereal. So I called around and found a friend willing to watch the kids. After dropping them off (Zion came with me), I headed to Costco for gas. I hadn't decided which place to go first, so I went the long way. The gas light came on as I drove. Gas was only $3.07 and I filled the tank for about $56.
With the van fueled up, I headed to Walmart planning to follow that up with a visit to Target. I waited patiently for a parking spot near the entrance as a man loaded his trunk, then folded the disposable grocery sack very meticulously. I used his cart, put Zion, car seat and all, into the front seat, my purse in the back , and began my Walmart experience. This year's Christmas tree ornaments making didn't go so well ( kids destroyed them before the paint dried). So I wanted to check for some after Christmas clearance. I roamed the aisles, and somehow found 5 ornaments, and some holiday candy.
Here's where it gets tricky.
Zion started getting fussy. After a few minutes, I realized he was pooping and headed towards the back restrooms. Once there, I discovered that I didn't have wipes, so I had to wet some paper towels. They were thin and less effective at keeping poop off my hands than I would have hoped. I ended up cleaning him up in the sink. It was quite the ordeal!
Eventually I got to my actual grocery shopping started. About half way through, Zion was getting fussy so I had to keep talking to him, and then holding him. When that stopped working, I found a spot to nurse him by the dressing rooms. While sitting there, I sent a text to Jared to see if I needed to add anything to my list. He asked me to get Q-tips. I finished feeding Z and put him in the carseat. By this time I had been there way too long, so I decided to rush the rest, skip the produce and head home. I forgot all about the Q-tips. I picked a checkout lane and hoped the long line would go fast (as always). Well it turns out, The people behind me would have to wait. My WIC card didn't go through so most of the stuff I was buying went back. I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with that.
So three hours of my day were spent running errands that should've taken one (maybe less). I didn't go to Target as I had planned.
And that, my friends, is how I roll. Typical Jes. I tend to be slow even without baby poop and crying and feeding. And something ALWAYS goes wrong with WIC.

I don't expect
This to be super entertaining, but maybe some day it will remind me of how things were when my life was filled with little kids and having to juggle just to run to the store. I really love my life, as crazy and or as mundane as it can be. I'm grateful that I can laugh at those things that happen along the way. They help me appreciate the times when things go right. Green lights, sleeping babies, helpful friends and family...

Ugly Sweater Run

We signed up for the "ugliest 5k on the planet," the Ugly Sweater Run. It's all about going overboard with the Christmas outfits and drinking hot cocoa with a little running or walking. The plan was to have someone watch the kids and we'd bring baby Z with us, but at the last minute we found out we could bring them along which was great since we never found a sitter. We had fun, even if the amount of fake snow was very disappointing. They were supposed to have sledding breaks and other fun stuff, but it was a little lame. Lots of funny crazy outfits though. Jared designed and made our sweatshirts. Selah was a bit cranky because she wanted to run and we mostly walked. Hyrum had a hard time keeping up so when Jared's shoulders got tired, we tried putting Hy in the stroller and carrying Zion. I should have brought the sling or something to make it easier. We ended up turning around a bit early, so we have no idea what our actual distance was. Instead of snow at the end, there were suds. All in all it was a fun family outing. If we do it again, we will have better outfits, especially for the kids.

Friends

Jared moved to Albuquerque in high school. He became friends with Gavin who moved there around the same time. Randomly, they also share a birthday. Well Gavin's family moved to Vegas a little while before Jared's. We moved here a little before Gavin and his wife, Melissa. Over the years, Melissa and I have become great friends and we now spend lots of time together. She is the best friend I've had in a long time. When I was pregnant with Lydie, she was due on the same day. Now our girls are great friends. They were so cute at lunch today and played dress up together. I love this age, it is so fun!

Mustache

We visited Jared at work a couple weeks ago and the kids got to try on mustaches. I didn't get a picture of Lydia with hers; she wasn't too fond of it. Zion liked it better.
Just a little shout out to Movember. Hyrum wore his for a long time. The crossing guard got a kick out of it when we went to pick Selah up from school. He said Hy looks like he should have a mustache, maybe in a few years though. Selah felt left out and tried one on when she got home.

Glasses

I got glasses! I'm getting used to them. It's a very slight prescription but should help with night driving.

Zion

This little chub of ours is already 3 1/2 months old! He has a great smile that first appeared around a week or two old. He has a fun laugh that we worked hard for initially. Daddy got the first real laughs from him when he was 2 months. He rolled over from tummy to back at 3 months old. We've been dealing with lots of drool and a bit of crankiness for a while now, knowing that a tooth was coming. It has now been at least a month and finally I can feel it getting ready to surface.
Zion figured out how to suck on his hands and sometimes gets his thumb in there. He takes a pacifier, but doesn't love it.
I need to do a marathon post about our breast feeding adventure, but for now I'll just say it's going great and having a plan really paid off this time. I feel so much joy from the blessing of nursing my baby.
I should probably mention the scream, one day we may want to tell him about it. Z has quite the scream on him! It is pretty horrible. It is probably a survival mechanism, because he would probably not get what he needs without it. Four kids can really take up your attention. I feel like I am constantly busy getting nothing done! He really is a good baby and just complains when he needs something. He just has to wait a lot more than some babies.

Adjusting to 4 kids was easier than any other transition. My life is all about kids already, so adding another wasn't bad at all. It feels amazing to go out with "only" two. Of course it's a total zoo most of the time, but we are getting by. The hardest thing about parenting right now is dealing with a cranky 2nd grader.

Our little Zi-Zi is so fun and adorable. We're so happy he's part of our family.