Our Dining Room

^^ Those shadows on the ground literally make me giddy. Plus, house plants...my new obsession. 

^^ The view of the dining room from the kitchen.

I never knew I could love a dining room so much until we moved into this house. The way the sunlight fills this room for so much of the day constantly draws me in. I find myself enjoying sitting in here to read the paper, chat with friends, color with Isla and more. I don't know if I will ever stop being giddy at the shadows of the pane windows on the ground. It really is one of my favorite things.

Our dining room is off the front of the house, connected to the kitchen. In our old house, you essentially had to walk through the dining room to get anywhere in the house. So it became a dumping grounds and I hated that. Plus, it was small and we realistically couldn't seat more than our family to eat, so it made it really difficult to have people over. Well, all that has changed here. And in the seven months that we have lived here, we have probably had more people over for dinner than in the five years we lived at our last house. No joke. Not only is our dining room much larger, but we also now have a nine foot long dining room table. Sure, we don't own enough chairs for it, but it just allows those Ikea folding chairs we bought when we first got married to get some use! I work hard at keeping the table from being a catch all. Even though it collects things, I try to make sure it's cleared off daily.

Since buying the house, we took the doors off the dining room that essentially closed the dining room off from the entryway of our house. I'm not huge on interior doors, plus they took up a lot of room when open. We did leave the door on between the kitchen and dining room, though I have never actually shut it for any other reason than to block Callum. We also painted over the olive green paint that made the room look like a dark dungeon and painted it the same grey as the rest of the house. And it got baseboards, like the rest of the house. I replaced the curtains that were hanging in there, but kept the sheer curtains they had up because I like the privacy they give. We replaced the light fixture as well. They had a shell chandelier up. Not my style at all...and really not the style of almost anyone that saw it. One of my good friends totally dug it though. That cracked me up. Ian actually picked out the light we went with. Everything else is from our old house - the lockers, wine glass shelves (they were in our old kitchen), etc. I got the house plant for in here at the same time as the one in our bedroom. I need to get a proper stand for it, but for the time being, it gets to rest upon an antique toddler chair. I now realize I never took a picture of the corner opposite of the house plant, but all it houses is Callum's high chair...and the reality is that corner is the most used corner in the room because the boy likes to eat!

So there you have it, our dining room. Want to come over and use, err, I mean see it? Offer to bring dinner and I'll totally let you ;)

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Meet Gilly...our new pet

I'm not sure how I get wrangled into these types of things. Actually, I am. I am a total sucker for anything sort of educational that I think the kids will enjoy. I didn't expect them to be SO into Gilly...yeah, they named him Gilly. Connor picked it. Gilly is our tadpole, our "grow a frog". Some sort of frog that is made in a laboratory and only lives in water. He arrived in the mail, in a bag full of water. Poor guy seemed traumatized too. We have the privilege of watching/nursing him through metamorphosis. And apparently when he is a froglet (which Connor has informed me means when his tail is less than 1/8" long) we can start feeding him pieces of earthworms. It was about then that I asked myself for the twenty-third time, WHAT DID I GET MYSELF IN TO?! But they will learn, right? And it isn't a dog gnawing on my furniture or a cat who's litter I have to deal with. Wow, I am such a buzz kill when it comes to pets. Baby steps though. Connor reminded me that we once had a goldfish. First a goldfish, now a grow a frog. What next?

I really am warming up to the idea of a small dog...one with little poops, that doesn't shed. Not that I'm picky or anything. 

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Book Love: For the Love

You guys, before I had kids, I was an insane reader. Like I would tear through books in a day or two. In fact, the night before I went into labor with Connor, I stayed up waaaay too late trying to finish a book. Consequently, I ended up facing a 25 hour labor with only 1.5 hours sleep. Not the best of choices in hind sight, and one I really don't recommend. But, I finished the book. So, yay me.

Anyway, recently I have been trying to get back into reading books. I started reading Harry Potter with Connor before bedtime and I totally cherish our time together. Cuddled up in his bed, his head rested on my shoulder. I totally dig it. And I totally dig how excited he gets when we are reading it too. But, I also have been wanting to read some books for me. So, I have been trying to sneak off to bed a little earlier than usual and spend some time reading before I go to sleep. First up on the docket, Jen Hatmaker's For the Love.

Speaking of Jen Hatmaker, also known as my future bff, I've read a couple book of her's before...because how would I be a good bff if I wasn't supportive?! I also follow her on instagram, because, HELLO, she is my future bff. Which, if you aren't following her, do yourself a favor and start following her and thank me later. She is equal parts inspiring, hilarious, brutally honest and introspective. Just go follow her.

But back to the book. Any book that can make me laugh hysterically, read my husband stupidly funny things, then smack me in the face with things I need to work on is so worth my time. Between her giving me permission to rid my life of toxic people and to her ode to leggings, I just love the girl. And her letters to the church, wow. It's true. Why de we christians treat each other like dog poop on the bottom of our shoes then are surprised that the world hates us so much?! Of course, look how so many of us treat non-christians too. And there you have my takeaway...love.

Love Christ. Love the church. Love your husband. Love your children. Love your friends. Love them well. Love never fails. Like it really doesn't. Just ask my friend Bryana...she has an amazing story of love, mercy and redemption. And read For the Love. My bff Jen will tell you the same...with a side note about boundaries because abusive relationships aren't ok. But that's why I love my bff Jen. She remembers to tell it like it is.

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Three Kids

I forgot how much time and energy a baby takes when they are sick. And it seems magnified with two other kids around. Oh, I still have to make sure homework gets done when I am dealing with a sick baby? And bath time? Wait, you kids want to be fed?! 

Callum got sick for a few days. Everyone was healthy for like two days, then Connor got it. Connor returned back to normal and the next day Callum came back down with a fever. This compiled with Callum's new skill of standing in his crib constantly has left me wanting to rock myself while curled up in a ball in the corner. But, the silver lining of it all is, Ian and I started taking shifts at night. I literally don't know why we didn't start this before.

Nights used to go, when I was at my wits end, I would wake Ian. For the past couple nights, Ian has taken the first half of the night and me the second half. It allows us both to get some uninterrupted sleep. Sure, I am going to bed early for the night owl that is myself. But, honestly, I am so tired anyway that it hasn't much mattered.

Now to get Callum healthy again so we can kick this whole standing in his crib all night thing and all get some sleep again!

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Spicy Isla

I like to call Isla spicy. Her teachers have referred to her has free spirited. And there have been many other descriptive words said over the past couple years. All I know is that I get nervous for her starting school. I don't want the rigid, structured world of school to squash that spicy, free spirit out in her. She is an artist. She loves to dance...in ballet, she loves staring at herself in the mirror and dancing how she wants, not necessarily how the teacher wants. She loves to sing, make up silly stories and to make people laugh. She's independent and amazing at playing by herself.

I have really been mulling over how to make her a respectful child that follows necessary rules, but doing so without pushing her into certain boxes and without squashing that spicy spirit in her. I must say though, I do get encouraged when other moms say things like, "Isla reminds me of my (insert adorable name here)." This is usually followed by a conversation in which they share with me hysterical stories about their free spirited children. Stories that usually involve said child's school experience not going quite the same as what typically is their rule following older sibling (hello, first borns!).

If anyone has navigated this before me and has any pearls of wisdom, I'd love to hear. Or, if you feel like you are the free spirited type, I would love to hear what you feel your parents did that did or did not work for you.

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January Review

Sometimes it feels like the days and months tick by and not much happens. When I take the time to look back, I am always blown away by how much, both big and small, has actually happened. January was a good start to the year for us. It started with a trip to LA, seeing old friends and going on a fun family adventure. The kids got a new cousin. Callum started cruising around holding on to things, and learned how to crawl up the stairs. Connor celebrated 100 days of school. Ian and I snuck out on a couple date nights. Life really is all those little moments that you forget about, but when you look back on them, they are so beautiful and precious. Enjoy this little recap video from our January.

 

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Throwing Me for a Loop

Third child in, and I am experiencing something I've never experienced before. About a week ago, Callum started standing up in his crib EVERY SINGLE TIME we would put him down. Because of this, he has been fighting sleep hard core. Before, I could put him down for naps awake and he would go to sleep. Not this past week. At night I take the freaking long time it takes to get him to sleep laying down. But, during the day is a different story. I usually don't have the time (up to an hour at times!) that it takes to do it before we are on to our next school run, homework time, etc. And it's made for a rough week. Callum gets over tired, clingy and cranky. I too feel over tired and stretched in every direction with getting him to sleep consuming so much of my time.

When this first started, I thought maybe this was a milestone I blocked out of my memory with Connor and Isla. But, after talking to other moms, it appears this doesn't happen to all babies. And the ones that it has happened with, the moms seem to give me a very knowing and compassionate look. So THEY KNOW. This wasn't even a club I knew that existed. And though I am now a member for life (hahaha, so dramatic!) I am hoping my initiation won't last too much longer. I mean, one has to question how long a kid will think it's super cool to stand before deciding to sleep!

But seriously, if anyone has gone through this and has any tips, I am all ears. At the moment I am holding Callum in his crib until he is calm, thus no longer trying to get up, then I sit next to the crib and put my hand through the slats and touch him until he falls asleep. Which, side note, those slats sure don't have much room between them! Needless to say, it's a process.

Oh parenting, it sure keeps you on your toes! But seriously, just look at that cheeky grin of Callum's in that first picture. It's what keeps me smiling, even in my seriously sleep deprived state...because he now also stands and screams every time he wakes in the night too.

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