Journaling

Well, life lately has been pretty intense.  Can't imagine why.  I am in a baby fog still but slowly starting to feel like myself again.  I haven't really gotten myself into a personal daily routine yet...at all.  I am at the mercy of a cute little baby when he needs to be fed or held.  I am still just enjoying that.  I never know when I am going to get a chance to shower, clean, do laundry, blog or anything else yet.  I have barely touched my camera in weeks. I hope to find my groove soon. I keep reminding myself that he is only a month old.  I shouldn't really expect to have it all together yet (will I ever?).

I did finally make a meal plan and go grocery shopping for real after a couple months of living on the fly. That was a big accomplishment.  My latest trial is making double sized dinners and eating the left overs for lunch and freezing so that I don't have to think too much.  So far so good.  I just planned a handful of easy, healthy dinners, bought double ingredients and stocked the pantry with cereal and oatmeal for breakfasts.  I also bought lots of fruit and nuts for snacks and green smoothie supplies.  Its nice to be back on track with our nutrition. 

We have fallen into pretty good routine with the older 3 kids in school thank goodness.  It isn't perfect, but we muddle through well enough for now. The school kids are doing great this year(I have a kid update almost ready to post). 

Here is what the kids day typically looks like:
In the morning we see them off and I hang out with Carter and Lily.  They are double trouble lately with their favorite activity being stripping and running around naked. I have to make sure to catch it before someone has an accident. It seems like mostly damage control because they have so much fun making messes together and getting into things that they shouldn't.  Good thing they are super cute.

Then Tanner comes home from Kindergarten.  We have lunch and Lily goes down for a nap.  I enjoy this time of day because Tanner will play pretty well with Carter and entertain themselves.  I sometimes try to snooze on the couch in between taking care of the kids needs every few minutes. 

At 2:00 Dallin and Eden get home and we do their afternoon schedules with reading, homework and chores.  Then there is another afternoon lull as they enjoy their free time to play.  Then it is time for dinner, chores, sports or family time and bed time.  The night shift isn't too bad with only needing to feed the baby once and the occasional wakeful child.

Giving the kids this much structure is so nice.  For me personally though, it is a huge task to keep everyone going.  It is quite a thing to run the show and also spend about half my time with Luke.  I have learned how to nurse and walk around at the same time!  Did I mention that I have 3 kids in diapers at the moment?   

I am holding up pretty well, with a few trials.  The post partum migraines started coming about every other day but I have managed them okay. Luckily they seem to start in the early evening so it is close enough to bed time that I can sleep them off without medication.  I am taking a preventative medicine, but that hasn't helped much yet.  Nursing is not as easy as it was at first, but I am managing.  Just all the normal discomforts that one goes through.  I had to go buy several new shirts after becoming frustrated that I can't wear most of my clothing due to my "Dolly Partons" as I have nicknamed them. Ouch.  Oh, what our bodies go through as mothers.  I am determined to keep at it with the nursing though.  I have only made it for a year one time for various reasons, but I hope to do that again with this baby. 

I have been able to enjoy a girls night and Peter has given me plenty of breaks to get out so I am feeling really good mentally with all that is going on in life.  Not having Internet is one of the best things we have ever done.  Now it is more of a treat to go and have my little breaks.   I have discovered the comforts of the cushy chairs at Starbucks, along with sipping a caramel hot chocolate.  It's my new favorite way to have a little break and feel spoiled.  I also found that I can log on while I wait for Eden at her dance class.  Amazing how easy Internet access is even when you don't have it at home.  Love not having the distraction from my kids in the home.  It is just too easy to be checked out at home with TV/Netflix and Internet.  It was one of the hardest things to bite the bullet and get rid of these things but the blessings that have come are amazing and keep getting better.