1 month of baby bliss

Our sweet Hartley Lane is 1 month old today.  To document,  I took way too many pictures of her cuteness.

She give me a 5-6 hour stretch of sleep most nights already, because she is a rockstar baby, that or she has so much stimulation during the day from 3 rowdy older siblings that she is exhausted come the calm of 7pm hour around our home.

When she smiles, her eyes smile too - just like Paul and Jovie, and it is one of my favorite things in life.

I want to dream the way she does.  Seriously…she giggles in her sleep, and it is A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E!

 The many faces of Hartley Lane

Her 9#1oz (40th percentile), 21.5in (73rd percentile) self still sports newborn clothes and diapers.

 Her hair is curly right out of the bath, and forms a natural mow hawk if it isn't brushed.

 She still has those newborn baby blues, though we are eager to see what color they will be

 Her cute button nose, and perfect lips.  Sigh.  Yes, I think she is a beauty.

 One month of newborn baby bliss.

Slow down sweet girl, let me savor this last baby a bit longer please.

little sister lovin'

Summer life, 2014

It is a beautiful juggle this mama of 4 role.  One that involves managing time to focus on three "bigger" kids while a baby snoozes.  To look them each in the eyes, listen to their stories, jokes, and personalities.  To say yes when they ask for me to jump on the trampoline at 8:00am, bouncing these two little boys high in the sky.  And despite exhaustion and jello-feeling legs, to continue jumping for 45 minutes straight.  To run in and grab a baby once she fusses, put her in the sling so that I can uphold that promise of pushing a pink "ballerina" swim suited little girl high in the sky on the swing.  That little girl who waited patiently for her moment of mama-time while I jumped with the boys.  and to sometimes just sit on the steps of our rickety deck, nursing a baby, and watch the three of them, be the three of them... 

The latest obsession is playing "American Ninja Warrior" where the boys make up random "ninja" like activities to compete in.  Here Kip shows off his skills.

 Jovie lives in swimsuits, this one she refers to as her "ballerina."  Her hair is always wild, the humidity does something to those wispy new curls growing in around her face.

After our morning outside, I was a sweaty beast, and didn't want to torture poor H with my smelliness, so I decided it would be the perfect time to attempt a bottle feeding.  Jovie loved every moment of feeding her sister a bottle.  Poor Hartley's eyes got huge as she experienced a bottle the first time.  She made those quick gulping noises, those ones that clearly mean "oh crap, this plastic thingy-majig is sending my milk out way too fast, and I can't keep up!"

 Ryker was grossed out by "boob milk in a bottle" but not enough to deter him from missing out on feeding Hartley.  While he was feeding her, he informed Kip and Jov that he fed them like this too, and flashed his big brotherly proud smile.

 Then the kids had lunch - grapes, PB&J, chips, bananas, yogurt, and a "yo-reo"

Quiet time, 1.5 hours, where they all headed to their rooms and I snuggled sweet H.  A time to regroup, re-energize, and take on the 2nd half of the day just as crazy as the first.

Then a much needed snack time left them ready to get back outside again.  Bubbles were the excitement of the afternoon.  I love when they do things for each other.  My sweet Kip, helping Jovie get bubbles…and a squeaky little voice saying "Kip you just the greatest, thanks!"

The boys went all "ninja warrior" on the bubbles...

My favorite pic of my favorite firstborn that I have taken in a long time.  Showing off my favorite dimples of his, and that missing tooth…:).  Adorableness!

 and then he noticed I was taking his picture, so he had to be all boy-like for me…lovely.

 Middle little love…and his sweet smirk.

 We played outside all afternoon, coming indoors at 6pm for dinner, baths, Wii time, books, and bed.

and goodness, the sweetness of a freshly bathed baby makes for a perfect evening.

Adjusting

Aside from the overwhelming fear of going out solo with 4 littles, this transition has been pretty easy.  We are 3 weeks in, and the only issues have been arguing about who can hold her, which is a good issue to have :).

Amazingly, she sleeps through the chaos of three older siblings...

The one upside to having the noise in the house, Harltey didn't have any trouble at all differentiating night from day.  Sister sleeps well at night from all the stimulation all day long!

Paul and I tag team, on days we are both home, to assure each of these little loves still get focused attention.  Here was a "boys rule, girls drool" moment - popsicles on the back deck.

and when daddy's home to help, Jovie gets to paint…she was SO very excited about that.  I wasn't brave enough for the painting mess and 4 kids solo just yet.  But sister J surprised me in her ability to help clean up.  I am one lucky mama.

These crazy preschoolers really take the car's name literally - cozy coupe for sure with two squeezed inside.

Kip always touches noses with Hartley.  Cutest sign of affection ever.

Mama and Kip play legos.  There is nothing that he loves more.

Ryk is all sweet, and big brotherly until the camera comes out, then he sticks out his tongue.  I managed to get a pic of H and R together where he isn't doing something crazy to her...

Note the never-ending clean, but not folded laundry.  Yep, that has been a struggle adjusting to…laundry, the never ending battle.

and this one…because she is beautiful.

Sweet sisterly moments

Jovie putting on stick on earrings :)

and life is so much sweeter with a tiny baby feet on your couch.

Savoring the way she curls up like a potato-bug, and loves being close to our chest still.  These moments of new-ness go by so quickly.

Watching a 3 year old stacking blocks, and a 7 year old build some Lego Movie themed spaceship, while I nurse a baby, and read a book to a four year old.  Yes, I am figuring out how to keep them all busy and not fighting while I sit down for 30-40 minutes ever 3-5 hours to nurse Hartley.  No wonder I am absolutely exhausted by 7pm.

Milk coma <3 p="">

Ryk takes the camera an photographs Kip, and then the giggling that erupts is magic to my ears.  Kip things super up close pictures of himself are the funniest things ever.

While I was trying to make lunch one day, all 4 were hungry at the same time.  Kips says "mom Hartley is crying, him needs you!"  Yes, he refers to her as him or he…we are working on that.  So I asked him to put a binky in Hartley's mouth.  Kip says "I fixed him" once she stopped crying and started sucking on her binky.