We have finally been hit by some winter weather! Of course we don't often get much snow so when it comes the town pretty much shuts down. For a week. School was cancelled Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday...today is Monday and we have a two hour delay. We've been trying to avoid killing each other with all this quality time.
There has been sledding. I finally had to shut down the sledding hill when it started to get really icy and I watched Grant miss the edge of the house by inches but still manage to run into the hose at about 25 mph, shattering the watering can that was innocently lying (laying?) in his path.
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There has been a date night. Grant and I braved the roads and went to a Mother/Son dance. There was dancing, of course, games, prizes, and a paper airplane flying contest...which Grant won! That was the highlight for Grant. He will tell you his winning strategy in great detail if you ask...or look like you might ask. My favorite part of the evening was when Grant broke out of the uncomfortable-to-be-at-a-dance-with-other-people stage and really started cutting up the floor. He is an AWESOME dancer with all kinds of cool footwork. I died a million ecstatic mom-deaths when he grabbed a hold of me and spun me around in the joy of the moment.
dinner before...at burgerville. grant's choice.
the mighty wingman. with his plane and prize!
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There has been playing in a [clean, unused] garbage can.
What, you don't do this?
"...The biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while [parenting]. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less." Anna Quindlen
One of the goals I set for 2012 was to write at least one blog entry per week. It's already the 9th and this is the first post of the year...I can only improve from here! Especially since I seem to remember making the same goal last year and seriously failing. It's a new year with new delusions.
We are settling into life with a newborn which, honestly, doesn't seem terribly different than life without one. It's both chaotic and peaceful, depending on when you peek in. Chaotic when we are trying to mobilize all personnel to get out the door at a particular time. "Where are your shoes? Wait, where are your PANTS?" "Did you change Rita's diaper?" "You have spit-up down your back." "If you don't have those Legos put away in 30 seconds they are mine." And so on. Peaceful moments are more rare but do come here and there. They usually happen within the activity of the day. It's a moment spent reading a book in the middle of folding laundry. It's a gummy smile from a just-fed infant. It's the magic moment when I realize all the children are asleep.
Our days right now are busy but only within the family. I've been pretty good about reducing my workload out the the house so I can really focus on doing essentials which consist of feeding and changing Rita, making meals and doing laundry. I get the first two done consistently - everything else is a crapshoot. We have stepped outside the walls of the house a few times for some fun and important things and here are some pictures to prove it.
:: school christmas program in which three of our four had parts:
...singing
...ringing
...and being holy.
:: Trip to the Oregon coast where we braved winter storms ::
"scary boots" help keep the rain away for a walk on the beach.
:: Grant's baptism ::
Grant's comment on the day - "This has been the best day of my life!"
:: Rita's blessing ::
Probably not the best moment of her life since it didn't involve eating but she was very calm nonetheless.
:: Pinewood Derby::
I have determined that there are few things cuter than cub scouts in uniform.
After this flurry of activity there aren't too many big events in the coming weeks. As fun as they are I find that I'm happiest right now at home where there's all the excitement I need.
We had a most welcome guest at our Thanksgiving table this year! Rita Grace joined our family at 4:18pm - just in time for pie!
Her birth was one of the best days of our life. The day was slow and gentle and filled with friends, family and celebration. I've been trying to assemble words in my head to describe the day but I fall so pitifully short with each attempt. Here instead are a few pictures that try to capture the feel of the day.
The day started with contractions at about 4am. Pretty mild but enough to get me out of bed. They continued to get a bit stronger with each hour so by 6am we were starting to make phone calls to all the players. I was so nervous making those phone calls - it was Thanksgiving, after all, and I was asking people to leave their plans and families and spend the holiday with us...it better not be a false alarm! Russell kept assuring me that the "train had left the station" and not to worry about it. Still, it wasn't until I was ready to push that I was 100% convinced we were having a baby that day.
The angels started arriving around 8am - my friend Annelie came to whisk the kids off to breakfast, the midwives, Lori and Adria, came with their bags of supplies and Tuli, my lifeline to reality, came radiating her positive energy.
I was feeling restless so Tuli and I headed outside for a walk while Russell made a big pot of his amazing oatmeal for those at home.
It was a gorgeous fall day and we would stop every 5 or 10 minutes so we could enjoy the view while I swayed through a contraction.
The excitement of the day was escalating as phone calls from family and friends started coming in to wish us well.
The walk cured me of my wanderlust and when we got home I was ready to head for the tub.
The tub, as a sidenote, was actually a 3 ft x 5 ft watering trough. As I was getting it ready a couple weeks ago I couldn't help visualizing myself sitting in the tub and sharing the water with some thirsty goats. That didn't end up happening but I do remember Rhett being asked to put the bath toys back in the regular tub...they weren't for playing with in Mommy's tub.
The day slowly, slowly progressed. One contraction after the next. I was aware of the quality of light changing the bedroom. Starting out bright and then getting gentler and gentler as I was sinking deeper and deeper into the zone. I have very few memories of this time - mainly just impressions. The most significant awareness I had was of Tuli gently stroking my hand. That was the tether that kept me grounded and still.
This image brings tears to my eyes. I wish I could describe how profoundly comforting this simple act was. We were truly on sacred ground that day.
And then...after 12 hours of labor, more time pushing than I can wrap my mind around, and some quick instructions for Russell on how to catch a baby, Rita Grace entered the world.
Time stopped.
And then the celebration began! She was introduced to family and friends both in the room and beyond. There was cheering and laughter and the deep giving of thanks.
Over the next few hours there were lots of phone calls to be made, healing processes to start, and records to be taken and kept.
Russell initially cut the cord but Grant got to make the final trim. It was the greatest thing to have the kids be such a big part of welcoming their sister into the world. They were in and out throughout labor and totally enchanted once Rita was here.
Especially Rhett!
As the day wound down and the helping women gracefully departed on their angel wings, Russell and I were left alone with our sleeping girl. We watched with awe as her tiny chest moved up and down with each new breath. Filling with the peace and love and gratitude that was overflowing from us.
I realized the other day that I did not have any pregnancy pictures this go around. None! This poor kid is off to a lousy start in the baby book category.
I shoved the camera in Russell's hand and we went outside before it got dark...here I am last week at 38 weeks.
I have had two different strangers congratulate me on having a girl...what do you think? Girl or boy?
I hope we'll find out soon. Tonight would be good! Or tomorrow. That would also be fine. Either one and I wouldn't complain. At all.
