I Have Officially Arrived...

 There comes a time in life where you look around and realize, "Hey, something's changed... and I like it." Well, it's happening to me. After 8+ years of go-go-go mothering (airplane spoon-feeding, chasing just-bathed naked babies, wrestling on diapers/shoes/jackets/seatbelts, getting squeezed out of bed by numerous night visitors, picking up a bajillion times a day, squeezing groceries into the cart amongst two toddlers & the infant seat, endlessly researching discipline techniques, etc.) I feel like things are slowing down a bit. I now have "moments" in my days. With three school-aged kids gaining independence and a baby that naps 3x a day, I actually can find time to sit down to eat, take Summer on a walk, or my heavens, catch a nap! Being able to sit down and open a book, midday... well, it feels like VACATION.


Favorite thing the kids have started taking the initiative on? Making their own lunches (cue choirs of angels singing.) It was just all of a sudden. They started getting up, dressing, eating cereal, making lunches, packing their backpacks, applying sunscreen, entirely unassisted (!) Sure, they'll come to me for a knotted shoelace, stuck zipper or a crooked ponytail, but often I'll wake up to someone handing me a freshly diapered baby ready for her morning feeding. I repeat, a freshly diapered baby. What?! It helps that school's not 'til 9am, but still I'm sort of blown away. (Hope I'm not jinxing myself here...)

And not sure if this was some challenge given at school but one day they declared "no work" day for mom and insisted on me not lifting a finger. Did the dishes, brought me stuff, made me promise I wouldn't clean up while they were at school. What planet did I get transported to?!

Some Sundays Darren and I BOTH nap - hasn't happened since we were newlyweds. We woke once to find they'd responsibly tended the baby, cleaned up a glass they'd shattered and prepped a whole talent competition for us to audience and judge (complete with refreshments!) Now obviously, there are 100 other moments replete with fighting, screaming and gnashing of teeth, but when they are working as a team, man, life is beautiful.

After having 3 babies in 3 years and experiencing the requisite chaos that ensued, we intentionally took this four year break. But with the move and Annie's early kindergarten enrollment, this pleasant little window was unexpected. So, while I'm not propping my feet up watching soaps and eating bon-bons, you better believe I've been doing some of this:

 (Don't worry, the second I took this photo Summer, who was sitting ON the table, 
dumped my friend's coffee and wrecked the tra-la-la atmosphere.)

Just trying to soak up this little respite before the whole cycle begins again as baby girl's new-found mobility starts aiding all sorts of havoc and destruction. And before life resumes it's crazy hectic, plugged in pace as the dust settles on our new routines/lessons/playdates/sports/callings... oh dearie.

Life is GOOD.