David has a habit of picking dandelions for me. He finds them everywhere, on the walk home from the bus stop, in our yard, poking through cracks in sidewalks. He’s done it for years, at least since he was three, right around the time I told him yellow was my favorite color. I never keep
A few days before Easter, as soon as we had nice enough weather to be outside, we dyed Easter eggs. I marched all the kids outside and told them to sit at the table and wait while I made several trips inside to get everything. Asking kids to WAIT and NOT TOUCH is a big
In Anna’s 4-month update I compared a baby sleep regression to spring weather. Since I am living through both barbaric phases right now, I keep revisiting the comparison. February was mild, warm, and felt like spring. In February I ordered my girls Easter outfits — both sleeveless and light. But March has been windy, cold,
After Anna was born, Tom took about two weeks off to help me at home. On his very first full day back to work, my first day alone with four kids, he had a meeting in Raleigh, which meant he had an unusually long day. I also had a long day. It was my first
Early this fall I put flu shots at the tip top of our “things to do before baby” list. Not every member of our family was as motivated to cross off that particular task. I tried to explain the modern medical miracle of inoculation against a terrifying virus, but ultimately it was the promise of a
I’m slowly coming out of the general malaise of pregnancy and newborn exhaustion. With that, I’m doing everything I can to run a tighter ship at home, and reverse some bad (lazy) habits we’ve fallen into. No, my kids are not wearing matching clothes. Yes, the pumpkins I put on the porch back in October
Last week my mom came for a long visit. She planned to help get David to and from the bus stop, cook lots of delicious food, and spend a lot, lot of time holding her grandbaby. It also happened to be her birthday, so we hung decorations, made cards, and baked her a very mediocre
It started at my very first prenatal appointment. “Do you have any questions?” my doctor asked. “I don’t think so?” I replied. “I guess after your fourth baby you kind of know the drill!” she replied. When you have your fourth baby, everyone assumes the whole shebang is business as usual. You’re on a path
Before Anna was born, I planned our Christmas card — a combo birth announcement/Christmas card with four kids in matching pajamas. Tom’s going to read that, wrinkle his forehead, and say, “You said you don’t have the brainpower to make a grocery list. But you’ve been strategizing our Christmas card for two months?” Yes, Tom,
Thomas has this funny habit of insisting we only call him Thomas. Do you have any idea how many other things you call your kids? If we say, “You’re such a big boy!” Or if I gather him in my lap and say, “Are you Mama’s sweet boy?” He corrects me — “No, I not.