I’m going to write a real post. Soon. Maybe even 2 posts. I have thoughts and things to say about going from 3 children to 4, about how our routine is working, and about how my big kids are becoming more responsible. And Finn will be 2 months old in just a couple days so I’ll have that one up too. Blogging is hard.

Sunday:

Perfect outdoor weather

These are not my chickens but I really like chickens

Two parties in one day = sugar overload

Monday:

Cupcakes are a poor choice in a bounce house

Camel wearing

Finn’s face looks like this about 87% of the time

Tuesday:

The only thing I did all day was clean this up

Bus stop face

A+ sibling interaction

Wednesday:

Playgroup art is high quality art

Playgroup is also exhausting

Seat stealer

Thursday:

Helping change the sheets

My favorite tree

After school shenanigans

Friday:

The only place he’s sleeping right now

IPAD OBSESSED

The huge bear was an excellent purchase

Saturday:

Rounded head ever

Corn-mazing

This was not as good as I had imagined

I had a photo shoot yesterday and needed someone to watch the kids, so I bribed my friend Steph into doing it by promising her a photo of her kids for their Christmas card. That meant she watched seven children under the age of seven. So when I’m feeling overwhelmed by my four, I just keep reminding myself at least there aren’t three more of them all the time.

This morning when I got in the car to go to a session the temperature said -3. Not 3 degrees below freezing, 3 degrees below ZERO. It barely warmed up during the day. Our furnace is struggling to keep the house warm and I really wish I never had to leave my couch nest of blankets ever again.

Sunday:

Nursing break during Mardi Gras Sunday at church

Evan really liked the parade

Visiting a friend on the maternity ward

Monday:

Checking out the snow

THREE CHILDREN playing trains together

Linc feels the same way I do about crunches

Tuesday:

Eating candy because his mother is a sucker

He says he’s ready to go play in the snow

No problem loving his own face

Wednesday:

I DON’T CARE IF IT’S SNOWING GO TO SCHOOL

There WAS a cat sitting back there

*ALMOST* 100% on the sight words!

Thursday:

BRB Googling flights to Hawaii

Naptime friends

Celebrating Daddy’s birthday

Friday:

Lincoln-date at the carousel

And at Red Robin (YUM)

And then my Valentine’s came early!

Saturday:

God Bless iPads so parents can sleep in

These two *heart eyes*

And these two!

LOOK AT THAT I GOT MY IPHONE POST DONE ON SUNDAY. I’m very impressed with myself. Now I’m going to go find some more blankets to hide under because it’s negative something degrees again and I do not like it. Even my winter layer isn’t keeping me warm anymore. Maybe I should eat another piece of that leftover cake from E’s birthday.

Because that seems like a much nicer option than cleaning up the house the kids trashed when they still have two days before they go back to school.

January is just crawling by. It’s dark. It’s cold. The kids are making me INSANE every second they are home and not involved in a structured activity. They won’t stop torturing each other but they refuse to be separated. I feel so much sympathy for my own mother, since I’m pretty sure I was EXACTLY the same way with my sister as a child.

Sunday:

There was a thunderstorm, so Caroline tried to help Brutus be less scared

Frozen Monopoly

Linc cheering for the Golden Globes

Monday:

SURE FINE GO PLAY IPAD JUST STOP WHINING

Literally hiding from the whining

Judo time

Tuesday:

Babies who are awake at 7 have to come to the cold bus stop

Dentist sunglasses

Thank blankie is the most disgusting thing I have EVER seen.

Wednesday:

Loves swim

Love hoodies

I ordered this dress-up from China and it came in less than 2 weeks

Thursday:

Tiny sailor boy in his bunk

So cold, but so snuggly in his fox suit

By Grabthar’s Hammer, you will be missed

Friday:

Friends let friends eat their extra waffles

Piano lessons

Bored at the very busy grocery store

Saturday:

2 am. Baby screaming in my face while I try to watch Friends. #blessed

Super happy about her baby oranges

OK, I guess comforting his crying sister means he isn’t THAT much of a jerk

I have my first photoshoot of the year tomorrow and there is SNOW on the ground. I don’t know if my clients are super thrilled but I sure am. It’s going to be gorgeous. But cold. Super cold. So I plan to spend the rest of the day (no school!) hiding under a blanket while my husband (no work!) keeps the children from killing each other. Because that is what I do on the days HE has work. I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

This week was seriously insane. I tried to jump back in to work all at once and ended up really, really tired. Plus I think I pinched a nerve in my back. Also I have a weird lump under my armpit that is definitely not a plugged duct. I don’t think. Basically, I’m falling apart. But I got a new iPhone, so this week gets an A+ anyway.

Sunday:

The gingers found these and ate them ALL. They are lucky to still live here.

Third baby gets set on the ground a lot

#nofilter for real, the whole parking lot was full of people taking photos of this sky

Monday:

This is who helped Caroline wait for the bus today

Another amazing evening for a photo shoot

I am super lucky to have clients who actually LIKE my kids. Or at lest pretend really really well.

Tuesday:

Baby burrito

I love her little uniform so much

Only Tuesday and we’re already falling asleep on the couch

Wednesday:

Picture Day!

Same park, different gorgeous day

Emergency evening shopping trip for diapers and bread (and chocolate)

Thursday:

I feel exactly the same way when my alarm goes off

I had big plans to iron all those wraps, but I never did.

I plan to never be awake to see that time again.

Friday:

My first picture with my new phone!!!! I was too excited to care that it wasn’t a very good picture.

It’s so clear! You can see the mess so much better!

Literally two people who read this will know what I mean, but doesn’t this dress pattern look just like my Tekhni Ceres but in black instead of green?

Saturday:

Best view in the world

In looooove with that crib, especially because I put it together all myself.

This was amazing.

This weekend was rough. On Saturday I actually made the kids go back to bed and start the day over. They both napped for 2 hours and then we went to a festival, where everyone was well behaved and we had a nice time. Sunday was rough all over again. I like school days. Thank God the week is full of them.

I took all three kids to Virginia, since the idea of feeding, bathing and entertaining them by myself was scarier than driving 450 miles alone. My apologies for ALL the lake pictures, but I basically parked myself on the dock and didn’t move for 4 days.

Sunday:

Watching “the robot show”

That’s MY soccer shirt from when I was a teeny tiny terrible soccer player

A+++++ PRO PARENTING

Monday:

Swim class kicking practice

Dinner made and delivered by someone else is better than any dinner I can make. Plus WINE.

BABY HANDS

Tuesday:

Caroline says “That is a lady with a gun giving it to another lady”.

2 week check-up

I got my rug! Now I just need a crib and I’ll be almost done.

Wednesday:

4:30 am is toooooo eeeeeaaarlyyyyyy

TOTALLY WORTH THE DRIVE

Wearing out kids + dog

Thursday:

Good morning, Sunshine

Good morning, Sunshine (literally)

Last summer, Caroline REFUSED to get in the water or in any boats. This year she rode on all the things.

Friday:

We are both very relaxed

Evan found a friend and they had a GREAT time jumping

My parents got a boat and a tube. It’s like the WANT to make it as hard as possible to stay away.

Saturday:

AND they made breakfast. My parents are the best.

Tiny baby rash guard and suit = best

S’mores to cap off an awesome vacation

Now I am home. We have freezer meals from a friend for dinner, a house still super clean and organized from my mom’s visit and a busy week planned. I might actually survive as a mom of 3 (and by survive, I mean until school starts, because once school starts ALL THE NAPS WILL BELONG TO ME.)