What's New (vol. 6)

What's New 

It appears I have never done a "What's New" since Elijah was born. (Previous posts here and here and here and here and here.) How is that even possible? Let's jump right in, shall we?

Noah

This wonderful fellow turned eight on Holy Saturday. He requested pancake stacks for breakfast (as seen in the above picture) and lemon meringue pie instead of cake for dessert. The following weekend we threw a Pioneer themed party for him, where we had his guests compete to see who could stack wood -- our wood -- the fastest. One guest said, "my mom should throw a party like this, because she always wants help  to get the wood stacked!"

He is growing up so very much in ways that are hard to capture on a blog. His sense of humor has blossomed in a way that he and I can have 'inside jokes' now. /We both make Jim Halpert faces at the imaginary camera of life when one of the younger kids does something silly.

via GIPHY

So it's fun having him as a companion of sorts. Of course, I'm still his mom, and boy, does he push my buttons at times. But I see glimpses of him growing up and becoming a young man, and I am proud of him.

Isaiah

Showing off his new glasses, c/o Nana and Gooey 

My adorable little Lakey (nickname of no discernible, explainable genesis, but going strong since about five months old) turned six on Tuesday.

I took the younger two to Pembroke on Monday to buy him a birthday gift, and I had a physical sensation come over me while in Wal-mart. It was intense grief masking as nausea and I almost broke down in tears while examining the selection of Transformers. Six was a very emotional birthday for me when it was Noah's turn, and likewise for Isaiah. I see it as the change from the early childhood, Kindergarten years to "big kid." Two wheel bikes, reading independently, preparations for the sacraments... it all comes crashing at us from here onwards. I suppose that sounds horribly negative. And I dearly, dearly love the big kid years too, don't get me wrong. But so many days I felt so swamped when these two boys were little, and wondered how I would ever see a break from the relentless needs of their early life. And now they mop floors, put away laundry, wash dishes, do homework, pitch in with babies... and yet, no longer squeal with glee when the garbageman waves at them.

Anyway, Isaiah has a blossoming love of the Mass and he says Mass at his bedroom table with beautiful reverence and accuracy. He loves to sit close to the front of the church so he can see what's going on and quietly comments on everything he witnesses and asks very intelligent, inspiring questions. He, too, has a delightful sense of humor that is growing and developing. The other day I bought gluten-free ice cream cones as a surprise for the kids, as being gluten-free has been a real cross for Isaiah, one that he devastatingly prays he can be "healed" from. On the day I had bought the ice cream cones, I told the kids they could have an ice cream after they did their chores. Ever the hard worker, Isaiah quickly completed his task, came to me grinning impishly and said, "that was a piece of cake." Grinning even more widely, he said "or should I say, a scoop of ice cream?"

He is intensely protective of Elijah and playful with him, and "for Elijah's intentions" is his most-oft prayer request. I am so proud of the big brother he is.

Anna

Bubbly, funny, feisty, kind little Anna is a delight to me. I cut her hair recently and she looks so vintage-y cute, like a little Shirley Temple with her springy blonde curls. She has fallen in love with Milly-Molly-Mandy stories lately and likes to chat about the plot lines she likes. She loves Toy Bus which she calls "school" and tells me how she can't wait for real school, too. She keeps talking about her fourth birthday party, even though it's not coming until the end of October. It will be a grand event, though, apparently, and will involve a pink Paw Patrol cake. Naturally.

Elijah

Pleased as punch with his chocolatey lunch on Easter Sunday

Sweet little child of mine! He is crawling on all fours now and is a speedy little fellow. He can pull himself up now to his feet and is proud as can be by his trick. The big kids dote on him with intense love and he adores following them around in their play. He said his first word on Holy Thursday, adorably, it was "Anna.".

Sleeping is... a journey. He is now in a crib in the boys' room but when he wakes around 3 or so, comes to our bed, not by any stretch a permanent solution.

via GIPHY


His first birthday is almost upon us and I am breathless at the quick pace this all went by. It feels like we JUST had the first day of school and now I will soon have three big kids home all day, and soon enough, a toddler too.

I don't feel sad at the passage of time with him, because I know I loved and treasured his first year, maybe even more profoundly than with the others. It did speed past in a blur, though, and as the older kids testify, so will the next stages.

Patrick

Here's a throwback picture of us on our first Christmas together

Noah was in utero here and Patrick has since embraced a more... conservative... form of grooming  

Is it cheesy to say he is my best friend? I only really realized it recently. Of course, I have lovely female friends. But the more time goes on, the more I discover he knows me the best and loves me the best. We have a lot of fun together just getting to be parents to such great kids. I do recall, when he had only one kid, eating dinner with a family who had six children. We told them how we dearly wanted "community" and they smiled and both said that as family life waxes on, your "community" becomes your own family. And that stage has occurred to us already. We have jokes and traditions and great fun as a clan. Despite all my wistfulness how fast the early years go, I feel energy and excitement that there is a little more... structure... heading our way as the kids get older. Perhaps it will be less of a chore to go out as a couple soon enough!

Also, I realize now just how crazily young we were when we got married and started our family. Patrick became a dad at 22! I look at people who are 22 now and think... wow, we were just kids. I am so, so glad, though, that we were able to start out early in family life.  It has sloughed away our selfishness, in an almost accidental way, and we are way more ourselves now than when we were first married.

and, moi

Crazy eyes. Send coffee. And uninterrupted sleep.

Alright, so I am exhausted. I am very content. But... exhausted. The public health nurse commented how tired I looked today when I went to Toy Bus. When near strangers say this to me, I know it's time to wake up to my actual life.

For one, I am making some effort to begin looking after some nagging, persistent non-serious health matters lately. Going to the dentist like a reeeeal grown-up, seeing a naturopath and a chiropractor, embracing the fact that I am not getting any younger and my schedule is not getting any lighter. Just different. Because of this, I have to arrange babysitters and crockpot meals to ensure the kids are looked after while I tend to my own needs. It is actually a rather empowering feeling to realize that I can, in fact, keep the needs of six people organized. Patrick once commented that my mom's full-time job is managing the emotions of her family (she being the oldest living sibling as well). And I think that sums up the majority of my "work." It doesn't look like much is getting done on the surface of things (or at least, a nagging inner narrative tells me that) but in reality, the overall maintenance of our family's physical and emotional health is a pretty insanely big job. And I am doing it.