The S-Word

A few weeks ago, Keara was rhyming with "duck", going thru every letter of the alphabet: puck, muck, tuck, wuck.  Knowing what was coming, I calmly said, "Let's rhyme with a different sound."  When she asked why, I answered that there is an inappropriate word that rhymes with duck that doesn't bring the Spirit.  From the other room I hear Taryn pipe up with "Yeah, like the time I said the S-word in class!"

WHAT?!!  Excuse me?!  Since I had never heard this story, I asked for more information.  What class?  Class at church.  Hmm...I can just imagine how that scene must have played out. 

However, when I talked to her teacher at church the next Sunday, I discovered that, thankfully, Taryn's version of the S-word is "stupid."  Phew. 

Then, a week later or so, Keara came home from school telling me that Alexa had said the S-word at school.  It bothered Keara so much that she told the principal who told her to make sure she told her teacher on Monday.  I didn't want to draw too much attention to it, but it was so impactful to Keara that she brought it up several times throughout the day.  That night, as I laid down with her to talk about the day, she brought it up again.  So I thought we would work thru it and get over it together.  I asked, "What did the S-word rhyme with?" 

Pause...think...pause..."Fupid!"

I tried very hard to not laugh, but it was hard not to!  Anyone seen "A Christmas Story" when Ralphie's friend gets wallopped because Ralphie tells his mom that he heard that naughty word from his friend, Schwartz?  Yeah, I sure hope Alexa didn't get her hookie whipped for saying the "S-word"!

I'm grateful for the innocence of these girls.  I don't look forward to the day when the real s-word enters their tender ears...

Our Girls Actually Took Pictures with Santa!

We have tried for 6 years to get our girls to take pictures with Santa.  Every year, we stand in line because they are SO excited.  And every year, when it is our turn to sit on his knee, they chicken out and refuse to go near him.  We've tried and tried, and never gotten a good picture. 

Last night, I took Avery to Sam's Club to pick up a couple things and they were doing free pictures with Santa.  She said she wanted to do it, so we went over and, though she was a little hesitant, she did it!  And she LOVED seeing her picture at the end!

When we got home and showed her big sisters her picture, they just about did back flips about the opportunity to have THEIR picture taken with Santa.  All morning, Keara kept asking when we would be going.  Finally, it was time.

We went, we stood in line, they talked to him, they took pictures with him, they smiled, they were happy, and they LOVED their pictures.  He was by far the BEST Santa I have ever seen.  Not only was his beard gorgeous, he also took at least 5 minutes with our family (I felt bad for everyone else in line) and talked to each of the girls like he knew them well.  He talked about the baby shoes Keara used to wear when she was Mazie's age, told them about things their Grandma used to do as a girl when she sat on his lap (apparently she pinched him and thought it was SO funny!) and answered their questions, like where he parked his sleigh (by the river so the reindeer could get a drink when they wanted).  He was fantastic!

And I love the pictures.  The deal was your first 4x6 was free, but I guess they loved the picture of Mazie looking at Santa too much to pass up.  Me too. 

This definitely started the magic of Christmas for our girls!

Time Passes Too Quickly: Mazie at Two AND Three Weeks Old

Avery loves Mazie!

Mazie in her blessing dress.  I need to get some better pics taken because my camera is lousy.

In a pot.  She was supposed to be 9 days old, but I didn't get around to taking the picture until she was 21 days old.  Oops.  Still, it's supposed to show perspective.  I think my angle was off...

The transition to 4 has been the easiest so far...and also the hardest.  Because of my easy delivery, recovery was almost nonexistent.  I had some pains (symphysis pubis dysplasia, a pinched nerve, and a hemorrhoid) but they resolved within a week and a half of her birth.  Because of my tremendous milk supply and an electric pump, I was able to store almost 200 oz of milk in the first 2 weeks ON TOP of feeding Mazie.  I felt like "that ol' heifer out there" (quoting my grandfather).  Anyway, besides all that, it didn't feel like I actually had a baby.

But Mazie has shown some of the classic dairy sensitivity symptoms, leading me to go to a dairy free diet...again.  And it has helped SO much.  (For those of you who are about to ask "What symptoms?", she was very fussy most of the time, struggled to get burps out, had explosive poops, some green stool, full body contortions as she tried to get the bubbles out, high pitched squeal-like screams after eating, stopping in the middle of nursing crying, discomfort lying down, and the tell-tale sign--a rash that appeared all over her body at 11 days old.) 

After going off dairy, it takes about 1-3 weeks before the dairy has cleared both our systems.  We're at 13 days and things are so much better.  We've had 3 evenings where she hasn't screamed for 2 hours, fighting against the bubbles, 3 days of a very pleasant, very calm baby.  It has been SO nice!  However, it does make all 200 oz. of that milk in my freezer unusable for this baby.  I'm looking into donation.

Despite her struggles with dairy, she has gained weight like no other!  Leaving the hospital, she was 6 lbs 13 oz.  At her 2 week appointment, she was 7 lbs. 12 oz.  Amazing for our kids!  Today, she was weighed at another appointment and was 8 lbs. 12 oz.  Really?!  A pound in just 9 days?  I honestly think the scale must have been broken...

She is beautiful, delightful, and continues to be a source of entertainment for all the girls.  Keara is a lifesaver most of the time when I need to make dinner, help another little girl, or do anything else I may need to do.  She can watch Mazie and I don't have to worry.  Or, like the other day when I was exhausted beyond comprehension, I laid down with Mazie and Keara babysat her sisters.  I got a full hour of sleep without an interruption from any of the three older girls.  Wonderful!

The reason the transition to 4 has been hardest is because I feel like I don't have time to get anything done.  Either I don't have time or I'm too tired.  I'm getting about 6 1/2 opportunity hours of sleep, with a half hour interruption in the middle to feed Mazie.  But I'm needing about 10 hours of straight sleep, not chunks of 3 and 4 here and there.  I find myself almost falling asleep going to and from Keara's school.  But I can't "sleep when the baby sleeps" because I'm either in the car, making dinner, or taking care of Taryn and Avery.

So I'm redefining my expectations.  Whereas normally I wouldn't turn on the TV during the week at all for the girls, they have watched two movies this week so I could lay down.  And I'm convincing myself that that is okay.  I would rather let them watch movies than me be so worn out that I can't be patient, kind, and respectful of my girls.  I've lost my patience more in the last week than in the last 6 months...so I guess movies are a better alternative.  If in a day I feed my kids, do the laundry, cooking, and cleaning, and maybe spent a little time with the girls, it's a good day, right?  I have to put everything else aside for now.  But that's hard with Christmas coming up and feeling like I have to finish the last details.

Oh well.  I'm doing my best.  If I weren't so tired, I think my best would be better.  But then I just keep reminding myself that I had a baby just 3 weeks ago and being tired is part of the territory.  And this little girl is so worth the exhaustion! 

Merry Christmas!  This display we created on our entertainment center makes me very happy!!