Naptime, Mommy Style

Let me begin this diatribe by sharing that if I had to choose a hobby, it would, hands down, be sleeping. 

Before children, I could sleep 12 hours a night and take a 2 hour nap every day.  I thought people who called other people before 9:00 am were insane.  Connor worked into this routine fairly well, sleeping in late with me, playing for a few hours, eating some lunch, playing some more, and then napping into the early evening (he slept in so late in the mornings because he was often up watching The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in bed with Mommy and Daddy).  Then, along came Kylee.  She was not content to lay in bed and "chill out" in the mornings.  When she was up, she was up.  Lazy mornings were over.  And of course, when Kylee came along, Connor was dangerously close to giving up his afternoon naps.  It was a rough transition for me.

I now consider myself lucky to sleep 8 hours a night, and am reduced to an emotional mess if I consistently get any less than this.  My body has adjusted to the mere 8 hours of sleep at night, but I still LOVE naps.  Bliss is Sunday afternoons when Brandon is home to herd the children so I can lay down for 2 hours and snooze.  I should take a moment and say that one of God's greatest gifts to me was a spouse who doesn't need a lot of sleep.  This is (quite literally) one of my favorite things about my husband.  He is willing to get up in the mornings and get the kids started on breakfast so that I can catch another 15 minutes of sleep before starting my day.  He realizes that this is no small investment in my sanity...and therefore, his also.

Last night, Kylee had some friends over for a sleepover.  So, of course, she's been an emotional mess today because she's so tired (I don't know about you, but at our house, a sleepover means up way past bedtime, some sleep, and then eyes popping back open around 7:00 am).  Connor decided that he just wasn't tired anymore and woke up at 6:00 am this morning.  Hadley, not wanting to be left out, was also up early.  Brandon is away at class (more info on that later) all day today, so I was on duty in the early morning, cooking waffles for our slumber party guests.  I consoled myself by thinking "Everyone will be so tired...there will be a MANDATORY naptime this afternoon!".

So, at 1:30, I laid Hadley down in her crib.  Connor and Kylee, after doing their obligatory whining about having to be banished to their rooms, begrudgingly trudged up the stairs, where I explained that they could play quietly until 2:00, and then were required to make their best attempt at sleeping from 2:00-3:00.  At 3:00, if they weren't sleeping, they could get up and play quietly downstairs.  They acknowledged understanding of the plan and I gloriously retired to my own bed in eager anticipation of approximately 90 minutes of rest.  This is how mandatory naptime went:

1:30-2:00: I enjoyed reading my book.
2:00:I doze off, despite the dog deciding he wants to share the bed with me.
2:24: Tap. Tap. Tap.  I roll over to see Kylee staring at me.  "Mom, can I get up?"  Me: "What time is it?"  Kylee: "2:24."  Me: "Please go back and lay down until 3:00."  She waltzes off.
2:25: I close my eyes again and am beginning to doze.
2:30: I hear thunder.
2:35: Downpour begins.  I realize that there are windows open in the house.  Ugh.  Get up to head to Hadley's room to close window, which of course, squeaks loudly.  Try to sneak out of room unnoticed.
2:35 and 10 seconds: Hear Hadley crying.
2:36: Tell Hadley to lay back down.  Resign myself to laying on the floor beside her bed.
2:40: Success!  Hadley is back asleep.  Head back to bed.
2:45: Connor, hearing the thunder, shows up in my room.  Hops in bed with me.
2:47: Try dozing again.
3:01: Kylee is beside my bed again.  "Mom, can I get up now?  My clock says 3:01."  Me: "That is fine.  Just please go downstairs and play quietly."
3:12: Kylee resurfaces at my bedside with our container of children's Vitamins.  She has decided that she really needs to take her Vitamins NOW.  "Mom, could you please open the jar for me?".  I open the jar and reflect on the amazing sense of humor that God has.
3:15: Connor, hearing Kylee come into the room for the 3rd time, wakes up.  I tell him he can go downstairs.
3:20:  Forget it.  I'm up.

Naptime.  Mommy style.  Gotta love it.

7 Years

Kylee has been in eager anticipation of her birthday this year.  The other day, she proclaimed "Mom, can you believe you've had me for SEVEN YEARS?"  Her comment made me pause and reflect on the time that we've had with Kylee in our lives...and made me feel so very, very blessed.

If you've been following this blog or have been around our family for any length of time, you know that Kylee, or "Miss J" as she is affectionately known around our house, is our child that keeps us laughing....and forever evaluating our parenting skills.

Kylee came into the world late on the evening of September 9, 2006.  The midwife announced that she entered the world "sunny side up", meaning that instead of emerging face down (as is the normal birthing position), she came out face up.  Brandon and I have often reflected on how perhaps that was an early indication of the personality our daughter possesses.

Kylee is our passionate child.  She approaches life with a gusto all her own.  She is dramatic, sensitive, driven, intelligent, creative, loving, and imaginative.  She gets easily frustrated when she feels like she can't get something right and absolutely hates to disappoint anyone.  Kylee challenges us to think about things differently and when she believes in something, there's no stopping her.  She is firm and committed.

Kylee keeps us laughing.  She is so uniquely her that you can't help but crack up.  Be it her jokes ("Why does a dog like living in the Wild, Wild West?  Because it's RUFF!"), her latest dance routine, an art project, or just her viewpoint on life (Kylee is participating in Running Club at school and came home reporting that last week at club, she told Mrs. Wise, her teacher, that she looked like a unicorn when she ran.  I gulped and got up the nerve to ask "Well, why did you say that?".  "Mom, I said that because she looked so beautiful!"), you never quite know what to expect with our middle child.

Kylee is known around our house (and probably, let's face it, outside our house), for her hair.  It is strawberry blonde in color and very distinctive.  Adding to the distinction is the fact that she has inherited her mother's bedhead, so Kylee descending down the steps in the morning is always a bit of an affair as we observe the creation that is her morning hairstyle.  Kylee then insists on correcting her bedhead by "styling" her own hair.  This can range from having every barrette we own in her hair, to a ponytail, or, to that classic look where the front of her hair is wet down, brushed, and then the back of her head looks like something a small rodent could live in unnoticed.  She has conceded this year and allowed me to attack her with a blowdryer and flatiron on school days, which makes me feel like a better Mom because on days this styling intervention doesn't happen, I worry that someone might wonder if an adult lays eyes on our daughter in the mornings.  On weekends, her style comes out in full flair.  It's a wonder to behold.

Being Kylee's mom has made me a better person.  We do not take the responsibility of raising our daughter to be a Godly woman lightly.  Kylee gave her heart to Jesus about a year ago, and reaffirmed her decision this year in VBS.  She is passionate about her Faith, and inspires me as I look for ways to encourage her confidence in Christ.  I hope and pray that our relationship is one of openness, unconditional love, honesty, and respect for years to come. It is my honor to watch her blossom into the woman that God has created her to be.

Kylee Jordan, I really can't believe that you have been ours for 7 years.  I am so thankful that God entrusted you to us.

It is Finished....

Caden's garden is FINISHED.

Grandpa and Grandma Carlson have been brainstorming with us for months about a bench for the garden.  We talked about several different ideas, and then they sent us a picture of this bench....and we knew instantly that it was perfect.  The bench was purchased right around Caden's birthday this year.

"Those we have held in our arms for a little while, we hold in our hearts forever."

This year, things bursted in full bloom, filling our yard with bright colors and flowery smells.  We can see it directly out our kitchen window and it brings a smile to our faces every time we look at it.

Many friends and family members helped bring Caden's garden to life...we love the garden not only because of what it means to us in remembering Caden, but because of what it symbolizes in terms of those who love and support us...in good times and in bad.  We look at each plant and remember who gave it to us....and it warms our hearts every time.

So, once again, thank you, friends and family.  We love you!

Happy Birthday, Haddie Lou!

Apparently, when you're the third child, your birthday pictures don't get posted until almost a month after your birthday. :)

We had a wonderful time celebrating Hadley's 2nd birthday in late July.  Family gathered for an Elmo-themed party.  We ate a meal, watched Hadley open presents, and chowed down on some amazing cake pops (made by the incredible Trena).  We recalled, again, how blessed we are to have Miss Hadley as a part of our world.

I can still easily recall the debate that we had after losing Caden...should we try again, or not?  Could we bear the pain of loss one more time?  Would we ever be able to be truly experience joy if we didn't try again?  Stinging, hurting, but knowing we couldn't live in fear, we took the leap.  And we are so very grateful that we did.

To those that ask about our journey, I refer to Hadley as our "healer baby".  Our pregnancy with Hadley was filled with uncertainty...and incredible healing.  I will never forget the moment she was born...she came out screaming loudly, announcing her arrival in just the way we were praying that she would.  After Caden's silent birth, the sound of Hadley's lungs filling with air was the best therapy we could ask for.  We held a perfect, healthy, little girl in our arms.  It was the culmination of the most difficult 2 years of our lives.

Since that moment, we have truly reveled in every aspect of having Hadley around.  We treasure every smile, lavish her with kisses, and still refer to her as "the baby".  This off the charts love also comes from Connor and Kylee.  The gift of Hadley has restored their souls in a unique and wonderful way, too.  We have applauded every landmark, kissed away every tear, and truly treasured every moment with her (even the ones that have meant less sleep for us).  We do this not only because of our experience with Caden, but also because we have seen how quickly these years go by.  We feel so very blessed.  Shortly after Hadley's birthday party, my husband went up into the nursery and transformed the crib into a toddler bed...and I cried.  The tears from feeling incredibly blessed to be able to watch our children grow, and incredibly sad...because, well....the crib is gone for the last time.  The changing table came down, too.  Ouch.  In its place went Hadley's pink chair, transforming the space into a reading corner...and the nursery into a toddler's room.  We are transitioning out of babyhood.  It is bittersweet.  I stared at the room thinking of all the memories one has from a nursery....and I anticipate memories to come. 

Hadley is her own unique being.  I think with the 3rd child, I thought that perhaps she would very closely mirror one of her siblings, especially given that Connor and Kylee are so different in personality.  God gifted us with another, totally incredible, individual.  Hadley is kind, sure of herself, and very opinionated.  She is smart, playful, and will hear NOTHING of not being allowed to keep up with the big kids.  She adores Elmo, playing on the iPod (sheesh), chocolate, and shoes.  She loves to giggle with Connor and Kylee and has an AWESOME belly laugh.  She has a smile that will light up an entire city block, only made cuter by her signature toddler mullet.  With each day that passes, we see more and more physical resemblance to Connor, but her personality is all her own.  She is almost completely unfamiliar with what it means to not get her way, but at the same time, is incredibly flexible. 

Happy Birthday, Haddie Lou.  Thank you for being our sunshine that broke through our family's cloud of darkness.  God blessed us with an incredible light when He gave us you.

4th of July and Lemonade!

Our Fourth of July weekend was low key, which was alright by us.  We enjoyed lunch at the Blakemore's and then came home to eat dinner and do some fireworks with Aunt Mandy and Uncle Jordan.  We roasted marshmallows in the blazing heat and gorged ourselves on S'mores.  Heaven!  Parachutes, popping thingies, and worms were among the favorites this year.  Here are some shots of the action:

Kylee and her friend Braden have talked and schemed for literally months about having a lemonade stand.  Braden's mom, Becca, is a good friend of mine, so in an attempt to brighten up a summer day and put an end to the asking, we arranged a time to set up shop.  The kids planned to sell muffins and cookies along with their lemonade and set up their table one afternoon.  A highlight of this entrepreneurial experience was the kids' kindergarten teacher, Miss Mac, being our first customer.  We loved it that she took the opportunity to make a mini-lesson out of having the kids figure out what she could buy with the amount of money that she had!

They actually made quite a killing thanks to good friends and generous strangers who stopped by.  This exercise has made me resolve that I will stop next time I see a child's lemonade stand (I believe this is one of Life's Little Instructions, isn't it?):

Summer is winding down...only two weeks until school starts!

Summer Stuff

Well, here we are almost two weeks into July.  Summer is in full swing!

The end of the school year came and went.  As it was with Connor, Kylee's last day of Kindergarten was full of emotion and Miss Mac invited families to be a part of the day.  We watched the kids play with sidewalk chalk they created and listed as they shared the wisdom they learned in kindergarten (Kylee's sentiment was something about the importance of being kind to the Earth).

Kylee and her sidewalk chalk

Kylee at a "Kindergarten Graduation party" hosted by a friend from her class

It is hard to believe that we will begin next school year with a 1st and 3rd grader.  Both kids had a good year in school and really liked their teachers.  We pray that they are placed in classes with teachers next year who will continue to nurture them.

Miss McPherson

Mrs. Watson

Summer has been good to us so far.  The kids have spent time with both sets of grandparents in Baldwin City and Colorado, played with friends, and enjoyed swimming anywhere and everywhere we can find water.  We celebrated Connor's 9th birthday with LaserTag and a sleepover with 5 of his best buds from school (whew!).   We celebrated Mother's Day with a picnic in the park and Father's Day found us at Worlds of Fun with the McKinney clan.

Fun in Colorado

Fishing with Grandpa Carlson

Mini golf in CO

Horseback adventures in Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Wild Kids at Connor's birthday!

The big kids played, too!

Fun opening presents

Connor received two big Lego sets from Grandpa and Grandma Carlson and Mom and Dad.  He and Daddy worked hard and here are the finished products!

Close up with the masterpiece

On the Carousel at Worlds of Fun with Grandpa and Grandma McKinney (hard to see...look to the left!)

The girls riding the Lady Bugs at Worlds of Fun

Connor "driving" at Worlds of Fun

Hadley has thoroughly enjoyed having brother and sister home during the week (all the more hands to wait on her, right?).  We are doing well to get the kids in bed before 10:00 pm and most mornings they are sleeping in until 8:00 am.  We are unconcerned with schedules, showering, matching outfits, and nutrition.  I am trying not to think about how fast these blissful summer days are flying by.

Chef Hadley

I have been very deliberate about planning things to help occupy the children during the days.  Kylee informed someone the other day that her summer had been nothing but boring because she "has to do all the work with Hadley while Connor just plays".  Ah, sweet Kylee.  I suggested that if summer was so boring, perhaps she'd do better to be in summer school next year.  I was hoping that mentioning that would be a bit of a deterrant for her.  But, being Kylee, she informed me that she'd think about it.  I'm sure she'll let me know what she decides would be best for her. 

Work has been busy for Brandon and I, and the kids have been patient with us as we spend time on our computers.  My workload will decrease substantially this month, which will be such a blessing. 
We are also eagerly anticipating a family trip to Branson and celebrating Miss Hadley's 2nd birthday this month.  We will continue to enjoy moving at our own pace and spending time together as a family.

We are soaking up every minute and hope this finds you doing the same!