So it's been a long time... a REALLY long time since I last blogged about a day in our lives that doesn't involve fundraising or diaper sewing. Life has been a little more than hectic since I have returned to work, and I've forgotten how much I enjoy writing. I'm picking up the pen, er, laptop again, and I hope to blog a bit more often.
I'll give a brief update on how everyone is doing, and I'll go oldest to youngest.
Aurora... my dear Aurora. She's approaching those preteen years, and I'm clinging to the last remaining bits of her "child" years. I'm really unsure what to call the stage she's at right now. She's still very young in some ways - still playing with dolls, tattling on her brothers, and playing with stuffed animals like they are living, breathing babies. On the other side of the spectrum, I see her starting to look at boys a little different. She's beginning to live in books. She doesn't like TV - she finds it boring, and while she claims she doesn't like video games, she certainly doesn't turn down an opportunity. And she's stubborn... so stubborn, but she's beautiful.
Now on to my darling Denali. My truth telling, super athletic boy! We've been going for walks in the evenings, enjoying our seeming lack of winter. Denali will literally run the entire time we walk, pulling Eloic on the toboggan. It's crazy to see the endurance, stamina and strength in such a thin body. I suppose now I have my answer as to how he could possibly eat as much as he does and stay so skinny! He's been really enjoying hockey/skating (what little we've been able to do with a natural ice arena this winter). I love watching his skating skills improve in leaps and bounds.
Here comes trouble! Eloic!! I suppose out of 4 kids, we ought to have one like him. He's moody, and broody, but when he's happy, his smile could melt your heart. It's a good thing God blessed him with dimples you could just lose yourself in because the number of times he's squeaked by on that smile is oustanding. I often say that although he's not the baby of the family in age, he's still the baby of the family in terms of needs. He requires a lot of attention, policing, and cuddles. I can see his toddlerhood leaving though... he doesn't want all those cuddles before bed anymore. As much as I wanted him to just go to bed, I'll be the first to admit, I'll miss those quiet minutes at the end of the day in the rocking chair.
"Graysen! Get off the table!". Oh, the number of times that phrase is repeated in or house is not quantifiable. It's far exceeded all our fingers and toes. He thoroughly enjoys climbing on anything and everything, and it's not uncommon to find him standing on the back of the couch looking out the window. I'm not afraid though - that child has the best balance I have ever seen. He's independent in playing, a great talker and eater, and he's started (only when naked) potty training. He's off the bottle and just really doesn't seem like a baby anymore. Definitely a total toddler now.
We're moving in to a different stage in our lives now, moving out of the baby and into the toddler/child phase. I'm happy to be phasing out the plastic noisy baby toys, highchairs, cribs, and ginormous contraptions that have cluttered our house for years. My pangs of "needing" that baby in my arms or in my womb have passed, and I can honestly say I'm happy to be done. Now I'm counting on my sister and brother in laws to provide me with some super cute nieces and nephews to cuddle!
As for Reno and I - we are good. I'm loving my job and working hard. Reno is slowly losing his mind with the kids, but I think he's finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel as Graysen starts to be slightly more independent. We are renovating the basement, putting in subfloors over our concrete, and our house is a bit of a disaster to say the least... but then again, when is it not???
That's it for now for updates! I'll be back soon... I promise :)
