Christmas 2017

Last night, we had happy kids.  Tired and over-sugared, but happy.  We had a relaxing evening at home with a few gifts from just us, one of family favorite meals, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and some Lego building.  And I was happy taking it all in after a couple busy days and weeks.  I used to be a little jealous of families that would be “home” for Christmas morning. Having those lazy but excited filled Chris stays morning hours.  Then, I became thankful for having our schedules align to travel to both our families this week.  Because Christmas isn’t about seeing what santa brought Christmas morning.  Spending time with family is more important. So we made the trip to Muskegon and pleased the grandparents and fostered the memories of Christmas time with family in our boys.  Maybe they will see how we value this above all... and come see us a lot in 20 years. 

But, I still felt the cozyness and togetherness with just our little family I’m those hours last evening. Those moments that nothing else matters. 

A couple kid moments to share.  Evan woke up at 4:30am.  His excitement prohibiting sleep.  We were in bed together, since Tony slept in another room because we were worried Nicholas would have a bad night.  So I got to lay there for a couple hours (yes, he didn’t fall back alsep until 6:20) and just feel that Christmas excitement in his little head.  Of course, I was slightly frustrated that I wasn’t sleeping, but looking back... there probably won’t be many more moments like this for Evan and me.  At least not sharing the little kid worlds.  I will be surprised if he still believes in santa next year.  

Nicholas loved grandmas village.  I have this cute little picture of him in my mind.  It’s dark, lights of the village on, and he is just walking along it, touching things at his height. And of course... he is so cute singing jingle bells and Santa Claus is coming to town. 

Cheerio is our other Christmas memory.  The boys wake up every morning eager to read his letter and write back to him.  Evan wrote him a copy of The Secret Ornament, that he wrote last Christmas season.  And Colin drew him pictures and worked so hard writing his letters.  It is so cute to see them with this friend. 

Heading to WI in a couple days to continue this Christmas week with family.

From the Colin’s mouth

I love this family, I’m going to stay in it forever.

Weekend with nicholas

Tony made a somewhat last minute decision to bring Evan and Colin for a quick weekend trip to WI. Nicholas and I stayed home.  At first this idea seemed to bring me down. Of course, I didn’t want to travel that many hours in the car in 2.5 days, but I was thinking it was going to be a long weekend at home with someone that can’t have conservations and throws tantrums for no reason.  I love him, but he has been known to be exhausting and I was worried without his dad and brothers around to create distraction or help that I would be one busy tired Mom.

Turns out, I was tired.  He didn’t sleep well cause of this little cough.  But I used that to bring him into bed with me for part of the night... one of my favorite things to snuggle in bed with those little bodies. And we actually stayed entertained the rest of the weekend.  He was happy.  Maybe the extra attention helped. I don’t recall having ever spent an entire 50 hours with just him.  And I loved that actually.  We bonded a little extra!  And as I focused on him, I realized how his language is taking off.  He said some many new weekend I can’t count... Wisconsin, orange, helicopter (copter), snuggle. He is interested in trying to guess the color of an object and he was excited to read and play trains. There was a little injury that scared me.  He fell off the back of the ottoman in his room and hit the back of his head on a wooden puzzle and one of the little pegs punctured his skin and bled pretty good.  Glad when it stopped with pressure and a sucker/show to calm him down.

Thankful for this weekend dedicated to this little boy that is growing up too fast!  But a sweet and goofy one!

Just about perfect Saturday

Well, maybe perfect.

Here’s how it went: slept until 7:40 when I heard little bodies up.
Went for a run (first one in at least a month) with Jess
Played  with happy Nicholas while Tony ran and the other boys were happily playing with each other, We all went to Meijer together and survived and the boys even had some responsibility helping wth check out and scanning and bagging
Lunch and food prep for expected dinner guests
2 hour quiet time where I did a little around the house, but mostly worked on knitting a sweater, while Tony did some work for a class and Evan and Colin played legos and watch a movie
A busy hour of cleaning, laundry, cooking, with good helpers
Nice dinner and visit with Vidors with more happy moments from the kiddos
Bedtime stories rocking with Nicholas and pointing out some colors, he repeated ‘green’ after I said it
Just a little down time again for me and off to bed now

Can’t think of anything I would have changed.  And it was even rainy, which must have made all the indoor time seem cozier and content.

Long days, short moments

I spent greater than 20 hours alone with 3 kids this weekend.  This doesn’t happen regularly at all.  Which may be the reason is why it made it seem like a day to write a bit. So, I was actually dreading the weekend a little.  We had a brief time with Tony in the mornings before he worked the rest of the day.  But, that was brief.  And that resulted in a little feeling of overwhelm.  

I know it’s the ages.  Well, mostly Nicholas’ age.  He is adorable and sweet and goofy now, but he requires 90 percent of my energy leaving only a smidge of attention for the other two.  This is the age of climbing on everything that looks dangerous, using markers on any surface, riding his bike immediately into road, tantrums for not getting to drink milk and eat cookies whenever he wants, saying ‘uppie’ minites after a meal starts, breaking his brothers forts, and constantly moving his body.  Exhausting.  Love him, but he wears me out and leaves little time to enjoy a moment with him or Evan or Colin.  I try to.  And there were a few quiet moments this weekend where I tried to actually look at them as the kids they are rather than the bodies of constant neediness and yells for Mom. 

Colin was up first this morning, so I got about 10 minutes or snuggles in bed.  One of my favorite things!  

Evan and I had a bonding moment over Minecraft, which I tried to figure out a few basics.  

Nicholas started doing this sweet thing.  Well, it started off as a hit or kick.  But we started telling him no hits, just hugs.   Ow when he hits and we say ‘no’ he reaches  over a gives out a hug.  Those hugs are adorable.  He runs into the big boys room at bedtime and gives out hugs too.  That little body squeezing his arms around me is priceless.

So, I am tired.  But missing those sweet kids while they sleep.  And as I sit here reflecting on how hard it was a share very many special moments this weekend because I was on toddler duty, I decided to sneak into their rooms to just give them a little bedtime kiss while they sleep.  My babies. My boys.  

And a reminder to slow down, when I can sneak in those bonding moments with them.  When I can see them for minute.  And appreciate this life.  

Lake Superior Provincial Park

Amazing weekend!

My favorite moments:

Laying down to go to sleep in a cozy tent with my sweet family

Evan's excitement for the mossy hill, more magical for him than Disney

Colin hiking almost an entire 5 mile hike with boulders to navigate and lots of hills

Evan finding a frog, just one, but one was enough to bring that smile

Nicholas climbing by me to cuddle when we woke up that first chilly morning

Time with the zeratsky crew

The 4 kiddos being buddies, and Nicholas joining the group sometimes

The views, the hills, the rocks, Lake Superior

Swimmer

Colin can swim.  It started with diving for toys at the bottom of Aunt Denise's pool.  I missed it.  But 2 days later we were in a hotel and witnesses his courage and excitement to have figured it out.  So cute! He was so proud!  He said, "now you just have to teach me how to eat vegetables."  And not only did he learn to swim short distances.  But can do handstands and front flips underwater!