Everyday Wonderful

Life is insane right now, but also it's not. There are so many moving pieces and unknowns hovering over us in this brief season that I have found myself unable to deal with more than one day (or sometimes one hour) at a time. And I think that's okay, as survival mechanisms go. Definitely not my norm--I am a planner by nature!--but it's working.

And while we weather the first trimester sickness & worry with this sweet new little babe (blogging about it here), wonder where the military will be sending us in June, and scramble to get the house ready for market by March 1st (props to Steve here! He's a powerhouse of home-sale preparation!), there is still so much life getting lived.

And the everyday wonderful has always been what keeps me going. So here's what I want to remember right now, in this crazy season when I'm hardly mothering (or person-ing) and any meal when Dad isn't home is reheated pizza, macaroni, or the ever popular "cereal dinner."

The kids are thriving. They're happy. They're finding ways to pitch in, help out, and take responsibility. They're on top of their chores (when prompted) and sometimes even clean each other's rooms. ;) (More about their individual ways to help on the baby blog.)

Every afternoon when they clean their parts of the bathroom (one does toilet, the other does counter), they do it together. There is often much giggling and goofing off, but the work gets done, and their friendship keeps growing.

Gracie often does her school-required 15 minutes of reading by reading aloud to Charlie. Charlie often speaks soft words of comfort to Juliette when she gets sad (orrrrrr throws a tantrum) and is always available to fill up her ladybug water bottle. Jules wants to play whatever the big kids are playing, and will stand with her eyes covered spouting random numbers when a game of hide-and-seek breaks out.

Now more than ever, they gravitate toward each other. If one of them settles down to draw, one or both of the others are quick to follow suit.

When we found out the new babe was on the way, we moved Squish into a "big girl" toddler bed. She calls it her "new girl bed." :) Now when I'm feeling sick (which is still pretty often), the big kids put her to bed. They sing her extra songs and tuck her in with "pink blanket," and sometimes there are belly raspberries and gales of laughter. <3 p="">

And after bedtime they all lay in their beds and talk to each other across the hall, playing games of their own making. (One favorite is "Spotlight," in which they describe a stuffed animal and the others have to guess which one it is.)

Lots of games of Spot It are getting played. Sometime solo, sometimes with sibs, sometimes all of us circled up on the carpet, elbows propped on pillows.

Less baths being taken, less laundry folded, more improvising of their outfits, less strict rules about bedtimes, more movies watched. Less vegetables, more Papa John's.

Earlier bedtimes and more naps (some impromptu) for tired parents.

We might be in survival mode--well, actually we are definitely in survival mode!--but I sure love my people.