Now This is the Life

Well, hi there old friends.  I've missed you and thought of you often but just could not seem to find the time, energy, gumption, human ability, to write.  Please don't get me wrong, I've had so, very, much to say.  I've thought of the most brilliant topics, hilarious stories and social commentary that just had to come your way but between a nursing baby, a million appointments, night terrors, reading tutors, the terrible two's, a 3/4 time job and being the wifey, I just had to sleep.

I am 100% convinced that our lives are not all that interesting buuut, I thought I'd give everyone a little update before I really jump back into the adventures we've been taking.  To begin, please allow me to introduce, AJ4

Okay so I threw an extra in there of AJ3...he doesn't seem to be quite as interested in his predecessor to babyhood as he is 100% big boy now.  He's witty and fun and ornery as all get out.  He no longer walks or runs anywhere but gallops everywhere but I'm supposed to be talking about his little brother here!

AJ4 is a dream baby.  He'd sleep twleve hours a night if I let him.  He's been smiling and laughing form the get go and he loves to be cuddled and kissed.  My grandpa is his best friend and his biggest brothers think he is just the cat's meow!

Life with four is different.  I thank God that he blessed me with Mamaw and Junie because I literally do not know what I would do without them here.  I am serious about that -- literally, don't think I could function.


Now for a little story of adjustment to mamma-hood of four...

Last week I decided I would take all four to AJ1 & AJ2's swimming lesson.  I mean I have to take them all out at the same time eventually, on my own, so why not now, right?  What better place to take them than to the pool?

So help me God I thought we were all going to die!  AJ1 was brilliant about getting into the pool, with his class, goggles on and doing as he was told until it was time to change.  AJ2 was good about getting into his class but refuses goggles, "I don't wike boggles!" and his new teacher is insistent that he wear them.  AJ3 whose lessons were earlier in the day threw the holy grail of two year old fits (screaming, back arching, writhing, clawing...) while AJ4 became scared and wailed!!

I was trapped.  I couldn't leave the boys in the pool.  I was holding the baby whom I'd worn and only had the stroller set up for one.  Some nice man recognized that I was headed for trouble and began talking to AJ3.  The more he talked the more 3 writhed and eventually I looked down to find one bra clad breast completely out of my V neck T-shirt - Mortifying!

Eventually, I was able to strap AJ4 into the front of the Phil and wheel him into one of the changing rooms while I carried AJ3 fireman style.  Laid AJ4 onto the bench and protected him from falling with one thigh while wrestling AJ3 into the Phil and criss-cross strapped him tightly.  I was able to get AJ4 strapped back onto me in the front pack and headed out to get the boys out of the pool.

AJ1 came out of the pool a few minutes before AJ2 so I took him back to the same family changing room (our pool has old school small, individual changing stalls all around the perimeter.  I wrapped him in a towel and told him to stay put with the door open until I returned.

AJ2 decided lessons may be over but he was still swimming.  AJ2 is a rather strong minded child so I was thrilled when his teach simply picked him up and handed me a wet three year old (seriously, I'm not being sarcastic).  When I looked to the changing room, not 15 meters away, where I left AJ1, there he stood, penis out on display as he had totally undressed himself, with the door open and didn't have his clothes to put on!

When we made it to the car, fully clothed (less AJ1's underpants which at that point I couldn't be bothered with finding in our vast bag), I sat, breathed, and reminded myself it will be worse sometimes.  Someday it will be the worst when I don't have little boys to fill my days as they will be older and have a million other things to fill theirs than their mamma-- I counted my blessings, again.  I sat back, while the baby still cried, the toddler still sassed, the preschooler still pushed me to my limits and my sweet, naive oldest asked a million questions and thought to myself, now this is the life!

Hugs and promises to be back very soon with things that are interesting or beautiful or even both to share.

Cheers!