Where we are...

Life has changed dramatically for us this last year.  Rob has started a new job in Utah working as a CFO for a Jimmy John's Franchisee.  He LOVES his new job, which is wonderful.  We are trying to sell our home in Arkansas, so we are living in my parents house.  Max has started Kindergarten, which he enjoys.  He is also playing soccer with a rec team, and it is has been fun for him to run around and get his energy out.  Kate is in gymnastics and is loving it.  She has been in an older class, and they are bumping her to the advanced class.  Cooper and Brock are in their own beds now (they shared a crib until 9 months old).  They are just starting to walk, and they get into everything!  They are both in helmets (to help shape their heads), but Brock will keep his off starting November 4.  Cooper will need his for another few weeks.  We are excited to find our own place to live, but we are really grateful we have a roof over our heads.

My Life!

Max (5 years 4 months old):

Kate (3 years 10 months old):

Brock (11 months old):

Cooper (11 months old):

Here is my life for the last 24 hours:

Sunday 8-9 pm: Kids are all in bed, and I am playing Dominion with Rachel, TJ, Danny, Robert, and Dad (Happy Birthday TJ!).  Danny wins the first game.

9-10 pm: Before I start the second game (Danny leaves and Paige joins), I decide to go check on Max and Kate.  Max has had a "leak" in bed (he is on a sleeping mat in our room because Cooper and Brock are in Max and Kate's room while Paige is home for Fall Break).  I take him to the bathroom, and have Rob change his underwear and pants while I take care of the bedding.  I play another game of Dominion and Rachel is the victor!  The game is cleaned up and I talk with Dad in the kitchen.  I have been asking him a lot about how he got into construction as I knew he worked at the glass company, but wasn't sure when/how he switched to real estate/construction.  It was a lot of fun to hear him tell story after story (including how he broke his back, etc).

10-11 pm: Cooper and Brock are both awake and they need to be diapered and nursed.  Rob helps calm Cooper down while I nurse Brock.  Both boys nurse and go back to sleep.

11-12 pm: I am finally ready to go to sleep, but when I look down at Max (on his mat), I realize that he has had another accident.  Unfortunately, this one is a much bigger accident.  I have Rob take him to the restroom and get fresh clothes on while I change the bedding and get laundry started.  I then write in my "prayer" journal (things I am thankful for and those I can ask blessings for), read scriptures and get to bed.

Monday 12-1 am: I sleep!

1-2 am: Babies are awake, so I stumble in to their room and nurse them.

2-5 am: Sleep

5-6 am: Rob's alarm is buzzing, so I wake up and tell him to turn his phone off.  Babies are awake and ready to nurse (again!).  I feed them, and get back into bed.  Max is awake, but trying to patiently wait until his alarm clock turns green (at 6:30).

6-7 am: Max and Kate are both awake, but I am not ready to get up (Rob left around 6:15).  Kate tells me she is hungry, so I send her downstairs to get a banana to eat.  She comes back upstairs and tells me she is still hungry, but then she finds a granola bar to satisfy her hunger.  Max and Kate are playing downstairs, but I hear the front door open and then close.  Max comes back upstairs with flowers he picked from the front flower beds.  I thank him and ask him to set them on the dresser and to please please please let me sleep for a minute more.

7-8 am: Kate decides she doesn't want me to sleep any longer, so she goes in to wake up the babies.  I hear her get into a crib, so I fly out of bed to find her waking up Brock.  Cooper is still zonked out, so I pull Brock out of bed and get everyone out of the "babies" room.  I quickly get dressed and go downstairs to evaluate the damage.  Toys are out, but nothing too bad.  I get cereal out for Max and Kate (Kate swore she was still starving, but unsurprisingly she is too full from banana and granola bar to eat her cereal).  I hear Cooper crying and run upstairs to get him.  I change both babies diapers, and get them into their high chairs for breakfast.  I change the laundry I started last night, and start another load.

8-9 am: I clean the kitchen and some of the living room.  Kate gets dressed, and Cooper and Brock putter around.  Brock is really tired, but I want to cut Max's hair before I nurse and get them back to sleep.  I have to lock the babies out of the bathroom while I cut Max's hair as they like to play in the toilet, so I put Kate in charge of entertaining them.  I am just about to start the clippers when I get a text from Tiny asking me to send her a paper, so I run downstairs and email her.

9-10 am: Max is showered and the bathroom is cleaned up.  Kate and Stacey are playing.  I have nursed Brock and Cooper, and Brock is asleep but Cooper is not tired.  Kate does not want Max to play with the "girls," so she tackles Max and he is upset with her (he hit his head pretty hard).  I have a conference with both of them, and Kate will not extend an invitation for Max to play with her.  I finally tell Max he can play "ABC Mouse" on the computer, and Kate comes UNGLUED.  She wants to play ABC Mouse and starts crying, screaming, and yelling.  I finally put her outside as she is giving me a headache.  Max is happily playing on the computer.  I really want to go running, while one baby is asleep, but it isn't looking great.

10-11 am: Kate finally stops screaming, and tells me she is hungry.  Brock wakes up and I put babies back in high chairs.  I get lunch ready for all the kids.

11-12 am: I beg Paige to please watch my kiddos so I can go running.  She takes pity on me, and I run just over 4.5 miles.  It is glorious to get out of the house and on to the canal roads.  I feel so much better when I get home.

12-1 pm: I shower and put some clothes on and half of my make-up before rushing outside with everyone.  I load up the stroller, Max grabs his scooter, Kate "tucks" on the back of the stroller and we take Max to school.  We get there before the bell, so I let everyone play for a few minutes.  Once the bell rings, I start to get Cooper and Brock loaded back into the stroller.  Max is yelling, from the line, "Mom, can Kate walk with me?!" I send Kate over to the line and then quickly take Max a water bottle so he can get a quick sip before class.  I walk home, finish getting ready for the day, and then get Cooper and Brock down for a nap.  I let Kate play ABC Mouse while I work with the babies.

1-2 pm: I put Kate down for a nap, with the promise of a special treat if she stays in bed.  After her breakdown earlier, she is exhausted and falls asleep in no time at all.  My visiting teachers were supposed to come at 1:30, so I grab a bowl of cereal for lunch (which I NEVER do as I LOVE a panini for lunch every single day).  I pay some bills online and then I see my visiting teachers.  I visit with them for about an hour.

2-3 pm: As soon as my visiting teachers leave, I hear Cooper and Brock awake upstairs.  I get them out of bed and play with them for a few minutes before waking Kate up.

3-4 pm: I load everyone up on the stroller once again and we go over to the school to pick up Max.  He has had a fun day (computers and library on Monday).  I talk to his teacher about helping out in the classroom tomorrow (as Paige is home and could *hopefully* watch/listen for Cooper and Brock- I think I can get them to take a nap).  On the walk/ride home, Max crashes his scooter into a wall.  He cuts his head, but isn't bad.

4-5 pm: I help Sara in the backyard rake leaves and pull flowers.  Max is picking tomatoes in the garden, Kate is helping pull flowers, and Cooper and Brock are pushing bikes/scooters all around the yard.  I come inside to start dinner.

5-6 pm: Max shows me "the cutest little tomatoes" he has picked, and then I realize he has had another accident!?  I am not happy with him, and really unsure of why he is having some many "leaks!"  Argh!  I send him up to the shower, and tell him to get on pajamas before coming down for dinner.  I get food for everyone, but when I gave Brock tomatoes he started crying.  I look at his finger and he has a cut that the acidic tomato is getting into.  I take him out, wash him off and put him on the floor to finish eating.  Rob calls at 5:45 and is on his way home.  I finish cleaning up the kitchen and living room and head upstairs with all the kids.

6-7 pm:  I get everyone in pajamas, Rob gets home and asks how he can help.  I send him to ours/Max/Kate's room to read books while I get Brock to bed.  Brock is really fussy, and I know he is tired but he is also teething.  I get him Tylenol, start nursing him and he bites me!  I scold him and he starts bawling, so I snuggle him and we try again.  I put him in bed, get Cooper and nurse him.  He falls asleep quickly, but Brock is crying again so I once again nurse him and try and help him settle down.  

7-8 pm: Time to get Max and Kate to bed.  Rob is reading a long book to Max and Kate when I come in, and Kate has lost interest.  I take her to the other side of the room and read books with her while Rob finishes his book with Max.  We then get them to brush teeth, read scriptures, sing songs, and pray.  Max is extremely tired, but Kate is not very tired as she napped.  She starts taunting Max when we tell her she can read a book quietly in bed, so Max comes unglued and wants to read  book too.  We find him a short one (Kate's was quite long), give them kisses and put them in bed.  Rob decides to go on a run, and heads out the door.  I start typing this post.

My kids are at ages/stages that require a lot of my attention.  Most of the time Max and Kate get along really well, and I am able to work with Cooper and Brock.  I find my greatest challenge is balancing my time and attention among my kids.  I have been trying to get my running/workouts done in the morning before Rob goes to work, as it is extremely difficult to find time later in the day/evening.  I love being a mom and feel really blessed to have 4 really amazing children.  It is a challenge, and I have a lot of things to improve on, but I am doing my best and trying to find joy in the journey.