Update and Random Pictures

Well it's always a little stunning the extent to which life marches on regardless of life altering events. There's just no way to freeze time and ultimately I think that is usually a good thing, or at least the healthy thing, but it does make me sad to know that this amazing newborn time is going to be gone in 2 seconds. As soon as I turn around he'll be 3. Sigh.


Brennan is juggling a sleep deprived wife, 5 kids, work and golf quite well and all on about as little sleep as me being on Ben duty. Benny hasn't slept well since he broke his leg it itches him a lot at night and if he naps he's just not tired until late at night. I guess not being as physically active makes a big difference on how much sleep he needs. Saturday Brennan stayed with all the kids including the baby so I could have a few hours to run errands all by my self! It was wonderful. I'm so grateful he works so hard to take care of all of us. We love Brennan.


I am doing well, I feel strong but tired. I just love my sweet Joshua. He's been a little fussy the last few days, but still not terrible and I can usually hold him in a certain way and he calms right down. People have been asking me if I'm feeling the craziness of 5 kids and honestly it's not so much the fact that there are 5 for now, it's more the newborn thing. Feeding the baby and several others needing me too, or trying to make dinner or shower when Joshua decides he really needs to be held by Mama and only Mama -- that kind of thing. As difficult as it can be, it's also amazing. There's just something so peaceful about a baby so fresh from heaven. The other morning he was awake early so Brennan took him so I could sleep in a little. When Brennan had to leave for work he put Joshua next to me on our bed and I awoke to his little noises and his big dark eyes staring up at me. Ahhhhh, there's just nothing like it.


Anna has been my life-saver. She is so competent and willing to take care of baby so I can attend to Ben or make a meal or take a shower. It's truly a luxury to have such a great helper. She can't go 5 minutes without telling me how cute Joshua is. It's been so cute to watch how proud she gets to show him off to her friends. She'll be turning 11 in a few weeks and we've watched her grow up sort of overnight since Joshy was born. We love Anna.


We let the girls watch some of the dances from "So You Think You Can Dance". There was a really neat dance about breast cancer (I know it's hard to imagine how you dance about breast cancer, but they did). As Abby watched she first said, "I don't get it, is she the breast and he's the cancer?" (The girl was portraying a woman with breast cancer and the guy was her support system). After the performance the dancers, judges and audience members were very emotional. Abby was really stumped as to their reactions and blurted, "I just don't get the touchingness of it all!" We love Abigail.


Nate has surprised me how into Joshua he is. He begs me to hold him all day long and gets so excited to tell me every little thing the baby does. "Mom, Joshua just said his first word! He said, 'Uh'." "Mom, Joshy just pulled the funniest face, hurry and come see." etc, etc. We love Nathan.


Last night I was laying with Ben because he needed to stroke my hair, Brennan's just wasn't cutting it :) Anyway, he'd taken a late nap and his casted leg was itching and he was just generally having a hard time going to sleep. He kept changing position and then finally turned to me in the sweetest little exasperated voice and said, "Mom, I'm getting REALLY fust-er-ated!" "You're getting really frustrated?" "Yeah!" Poor sweet boy. In addition to his cast he is now also sporting a big old black eye. He banged it on the stair railing. He's also picked up a swear word and unfortunately Anna and her friend were the first to hear it and were so caught off guard they of course burst out laughing and made a pretty big deal about it. That sealed the deal and he now says it several times a day. We're working on it, but let me just apologize right now if your child comes home from my house with a new word. We love Benjamin.


Joshua is starting to be awake more and I love it when just stares into my face. He's also starting to coo a little and there's no sweeter sound. We love baby Joshy.

Ben, Abby and Nate in super-hero outfits and poses

Ben's shiner

Joshua
The only two pictures we managed to take at our family party last week

My niece Molly loving Joshy