Status Quo

We've had some good days and bad days around here. Tuesday was awesome. Graham and I had a meet-up with some Babymoon friends at the Botanical Garden and then lunch before our group. Wednesday was harder with some meltdowns, nap refusals and all kinds of normal things that those in the battlefield of parenting young children will often encounter. Thursday I took a sick day and stayed home with G2. My stomach was all funky, but I managed to stay functional and be semi-productive around here. By Friday morning, I was curled up in the fetal position between trips to the bathroom, and I didn't see the light of day till noon. But as soon as I emerged, I was good to go for the day. By the afternoon, I was down at the river with the whole family and my brother's family, too, eating tortilla chips...hold the beer, please.

My short-lived illness foiled our plans to take the trailer on its maiden voyage to Bartlett Lake for a one-nighter. We might try again in a day or two depending on how things work out. So, now we're left to enjoy this great weather here in town. Not such a bad thing.

In the grand scheme of things, life is awesome. I encountered some low points over the last few days but always kept in perspective how truly blessed we really are. No struggle I've had is out of the ordinary for this stage of life. I mean, it would be nice if Graham could move his first waking to 2am or 3am like he used to instead of 10pm and every hour after that, but I'm sure it's a hurdle we'll get over before I die of sleep deprivation. And sometimes it would be nice if I didn't allow Gavin's spirited nature to get the best of me, but I adore that kid, and at the end of the day I am thankful for his wild imagination and tenacity. I keep trying to tell myself that the tough days and the struggles are temporary and pretty soon we'll have a couple of kids that are a little bit older and a smidge easier to handle. But I'm also trying to appreciate the present because once it's gone, it's gone. 

I took G for a haircut on our morning out together. He full on melted down and even refused a lollipop. But, the girls at Cool Cuts managed to finished the cut, as they always do. Albeit with crooked bangs.

Playing with cousins! Thanks for having him, guys!

Graham is 4 months old, which means that although we are in the thick of sleep loss hell, we're also on the verge of making some exciting leaps. He hit a rough patch this week, which didn't help me feel good about things in general. Poor guy is so congested and has a nose that won't stop running. But today he's back to his smiley ways. I always tell myself that I was never cut out for this baby/toddler thing and I've just gotta slog through it, but I also know it's just what you make of it. Sometimes I really miss my former life of doing what I want, when I want. I miss my husband because although I see him almost every day, the only chance I really get to talk to him is when we drive somewhere. He has to stay up late to work, and I have to hit the hay early so I can grab my only chance at uninterrupted sleep. I know these are normal things to think and feel at this stage in the game. However, not a second goes by that I don't think that this is all worth it. I love my boys (all three of them!) with every fiber of my being. I am so, so grateful for this life. I know I've been accused of being negative more than once, and I'm sure I deserve it. However, I also don't want to seem in-authentic. This, right here, is our life. It gets messy, just like everyone else's, and for some reason I feel compelled to share the bad with the good. When I look back on my blog books, I want to re-live the good times but also see how far I've come as a person and how far we've come as a family. There's nothing quite like having a baby or two that will test your every limit and ensure some personal growth! Some people, like Dylan, are perpetually optimistic and in good spirits. But most of us have emotions that run the gamut throughout the day, and that's definitely me. So every now and then, I must make mention of the struggle, even though I know how good I have it. Especially when it's been one of those weeks.

Anyway, switching gears, we are thrilled to have a little cool down in the weather before the serious heat comes to town and are looking forward to a week ahead of good health and smiles...with probably a few tantrums peppered in there.