nursing

Sweet & Sour Kids

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You know those Sour Patch kids commercials? “First they’re sour, then they’re sweet.” That’s about what it’s like every day with kids.

My day usually starts around 3:00AM (sour) with a wake up call from my baby Sarah letting me know she’s ready to nurse. I usually groan, hit my cell so I can use it as a flashlight, then get my baby girl and make my way to the couch. As I nurse her, sometimes I’ll scroll through Facebook, sometimes I’ll close my eyes and doze off again, but other times I’ll choose to soak in the moment. I look down at my (sweet) baby girl and realize she will never be this little again, she will never need me as much as she does now again, and I kiss her cute little cheeks before putting her back in her Pack n Play while I crash back in my bed next to my sleeping husband.

Then my alarm goes off at 6:15AM telling me it’s time to start getting ready to take Noah to school. I snooze it a couple of times, knowing Nathan will be up and starting breakfast for everyone (thanks, babe). I finally drag myself out of bed in time to make Noah lunch and see how crazy his bedhead is to fix it. We walk to school, and he chats with me about his new friends and recess (these walks are so sweet). As soon as he walks inside the school doors I realize how freakin’ hot it is at 7:30 in the morning in October, and sweat like a pig on the walk back (sour).

The rest of my morning is filled with watching Tim and Isaac make a huge pile of pillows and blankets to jump on to (sweet) and being a referee when they both jump at the same time and knock heads (sour). Baby Sarah is quick to remind me every few hours to nurse her and will coo and laugh with me (sweet) until she poops (sour), and then laughs some more at me. The amount of diapers I go through a day with 2 littles still in diapers is ridiculous.

After lunch everyone takes a nap. I think most people will admit that kids look the sweetest when they’re sleeping. Some days I nap with Tim (sweet), other days I decide to tackle the dishes or work on the pile of laundry my kids create (sour). Then I wake them up to drive to get Noah (because I’m not walking 2 miles in 100 degree South Texas weather with all the kids). Now, that pick up line is something else: it seems no matter what time you make it in the line you end up waiting at least 20 minutes, and then occasionally our A/C goes out when the Suburban isn’t moving (oh so sour moments).

The rest of the day is a blur. I just try to keep the boys from hurting each other until Nathan comes home, feed and bathe them, and then put the boys to bed. This is usually when baby Sarah wants to tell me about her day so we chat and giggle at each other… These days aren’t glamorous, but they’re mine. These days are demanding and not always encouraging, but I know that even though I have some sour moments, I’m guaranteed some sweet moments too.

How about you? Share some of your sweet and sour moments below!

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Not-So-Small Act of Kindness

It had been one of those mornings… Well, it started as one of those nights. Baby Sarah had woken up to nurse 3 times, which may not have been so bad but we (as in, her and I) didn’t go to bed until close to midnight. To say I was sleep deprived is an understatement.

I somehow managed to get us all dressed and to church, then I got there and realized Timothy didn’t have shoes. I sat in our Suburban and thought for a good two minutes if I wanted to go home and get him shoes, are just let him be barefoot and free. I decided on barefoot, and he didn’t care. I highly doubt anyone else cared either. He stepped on a few sticker burrs, but he survived.

When I went to pick up the kids after the service was over, and I lost Timothy in the shuffle. So I had successfully gotten 2 of the 4 children and started walking into every room at church looking for my curious 3 year old. I finally found him, and then got the rest of the munchkins.

I started walking to the door and preparing myself for the nightmare of corralling 4 children in the parking lot solo. Then, a sweet teenager, the daughter of one of my good friends, asked if she could help. I gladly took her up on her offer… Which was no small offer.

Once we all got buckled up in the car, my eyes filled with tears. This was probably for a number of reasons: I was hungry, and hormonal, and had told my husband goodbye for his third of four trips out of town this summer. I was so touched by this sweet girl’s help, and then I realized sometimes I just need help, and that’s ok!

I think there was some false belief that I couldn’t ask for help because I have to prove something… Like I have to prove that people are wrong for thinking we shouldn’t have 4 kids, so therefore asking for help in some way proves them right… Truth is, whether someone has 1 child or 19 children, it’s ok to ask for help! We aren’t meant to do this life alone.

This not so small act of kindness really made me reflect on my life. When was the last time I intentionally looked for an opportunity to help someone else? Sure, I’ve got 4 kids and life is crazy, but there’s always time to share God’s love. It could be holding the door open for someone, bringing someone a meal, a simple text to say hello and let someone know they matter… I want to challenge you, and myself, as this week begins to do a random act of kindness each day… Because you never know how it will bless someone.

When’s the Last Time You Blogged?

“Hey babe, when’s the last time you blogged?”

I cringed and kept scrubbing the pan that had bacon grease practically burnt on it. I really need some new pans!

“It’s been a while.” I casually responded back.

The truth is, I’ve been avoiding it. I kind of just feel like a big failure in the blogging world. I had told myself over and over I’d be consistent, and time after time I dropped the ball and stopped blogging for extended periods of time. I felt like I didn’t deserve to take another crack at it again… Then I thought about it some more, and decided Who flipplin’ cares if the last time I blogged was when I announced we were pregnant and now our baby girl is one month old?! 

I was a little busy growing a human, chasing 3 boys, and teaching essential oil classes! Now, I’m still doing all of those things (minus growing a human, now she’s just attached to my boobs every couple of hours, which is still pretty time consuming). I’m still trying to figure out how to run a business, keep 4 children 5 years old and under alive, and occasionally take a shower or brush my hair. I probably “don’t have time” to write consistently, and I probably will still have times where I fall of the grid for a while, but I LIKE writing. It makes me happy, and sometimes is the only time I think about things other than what I’m going to make for the kids’ lunch. So, I’m back at it! Yay!

Even as I wrote those words down I thought: What am I going to write about? Will I be able to come up with enough topics/stories/recipes to keep readers engaged? What am I going to make for the kids’ lunch? Didn’t they JUST eat? 

I don’t know… I don’t know what I’ll write about, or if it will even be something people will enjoy reading. I may just ramble about my kids, or how I dream of what it would be like to shower every day… But that’s okay. I think this will help keep me sane because, as I confessed to a friend, “I feel like I’m drowning in diapers, laundry, and nursing pads.” If all else, it should help keep my mind sharp because right now it seems like all my mind is good for is singing the theme song to Bubble Guppies… In my defense, it’s pretty catchy.

So if you’re curious (as am I) to see where this leads, join me and follow me in this new adventure of my life.

“I Just Want My Body Back”

We have all heard it from a pregnant mom, or may have even been that pregnant mom to utter these words, “I just want my body back.” I’ll admit, I said the same thing when I was pregnant with my second son (who was 9 pounds 14 ounces when he was born)… But here’s the truth of it… You’ll never get your body back. Beloved, your body was never yours to get back. Trust me, not getting your body back is so much better.

Your body carried your baby for nine ten months (You’re pregnant for 40 weeks, which equals 10 months. Why do they say 9 months?!?). It’s truly amazing to think about. The nourishment your baby gets, the way your child develops in your womb. We are truly fearfully and wonderfully made.

During labor and delivery your body goes through pain you didn’t even know was possible. What used to be your “10” rating on the pain scale is a “1” compared to childbirth. But, oh the joy that comes when you can hold your child and all that pain starts to disappear.

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Once your baby is here, you have the blessing to provide your baby nourishment, again through you body. Your body is still not your own (and you’ll be reminded of this at 3:00AM), but when your baby is hungry you have the privilege to nurse and care for him.

Even after your baby nurses, your body is still not your own. Oh please, don’t pray to get your body back. Your body becomes a human chair as your little ones crawl in your lap, and right now I’ve managed to be a chair for all 3 of my boys at the same time.

My boys have used my legs as a slide, my back as a racetrack, my arms to throw them in the air and catch them. I am a human playground.

My body is a source of comfort as I kiss boo-boos and wipe away tears as another crash between brothers occurred.

To my children, the sound of my voice singing is the sweetest singing they’ve ever heard. Every night, Jesus Loves Me, is requested and encored. Even on nights with a sore and scratchy throat, you better believe I sing it to them (just once those nights), and they love it just as much.

My body is a natural sleep aid to my Timmy, who is finding it impossible to nap unless I lay down with him. Right now I’ll gladly take this cuddle time, wrap my arms around him, and some days fall asleep before he does.

Now, my boys are still preschool age so there’s so much more I have yet to experience, but to all the moms out there that never “got their body back,” dear one, you got so much more instead!

P.S. This post was primarily about moms and their babies, but moms remember your husband too. Once you said “I do,” that body was in an instant covenant to be shared (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). So take a shower, shave those legs, and go have sex with your hubby in that body that you never got back! 😉