Crawling out of our winter hibernation

This winter has been a hard one. Lots of snow plus hills plus a van with front wheel drive equals lots of time at home. A couple times I couldn't even get Sam to preschool a few blocks away because the roads were so bad. And it doesn't help that Charlie is still young and keeps getting sick (with his dad being a doctor and 3 older siblings he's kind of doomed). There was several days when I was ready to march out and buy a vehicle with 4WD regardless of the car payment, but thankfully spring is here and common sense prevailed. We are saving up, though, and when we can prudently buy another vehicle you're darn right it will be built like a tank. Sometimes I don't realize how much the cold and dark gets me down until I see our daffodils blooming and the sun shining and my mood does a 360.

This little creature is crazy and bossy and darling and has absolutely no respect for her parents. Or siblings. She tells us "no" without any sense of guilt, fear or embarrassment. If she gets her way and is the center of attention, then all is well, but heaven help you if you ignore her or disobey her. We will be potty training her over Spring Break and I am already thinking about it in a kind of fascinated horror.

 

Accessories have a large role in Kate's life. They are ever present, strewn around every room in our house, and usually mine.

Just a water bottle, headband, fedora, and soldier hat.

 

Sam has discovered Captain Underpants (it's inevitable, I guess, but I really tried to protect him) and the potty talk and casual nudity at our house have increased dramatically. They are all in on it now and I'm lowering my standards yet again on what to care about and enforce. 

Modified tummy time with Dad. Maybe someday he will learn to roll over and sit up, but I have no problem with a few more months of immobility. 

We got out of the house!! Thank goodness for free concerts at Temple Square and family willing to take on 4 young children.

This winter we signed Morgan up for a series of 5 group ski lessons, and Erik has been happy to drive her each week to Snowbasin and stay to ski himself. Morgan has done so much better than I anticipated, and she has loved having all the extra time with Dad. As the kids get older I'm learning that I'm not good at predicting what they will like and be good at. 

 

Poor Charlie. He's just thrilled if someone notices him. Thank goodness he is a calm easy baby so that I can deal with all the drama that comes from the other 3.

Taken while I planted tulips (!!!!) for the first time in my life. Pretty much the only thing I accomplished all fall other than birthing a human.

Mark and Abby came to town with baby Ollie. He's about 5 months older than Charlie and he looks like he could eat Charlie for lunch.

Another field trip, this time to the local grocery store to learn about nutrition. Sam had some pretty defined feelings about the seafood counter.

Morgan is still a bit young to be truly helpful with Charlie, but she's proven herself to be an excellent baby holder.

We made the mistake of walking into Pottery Barn Kids with Kate, and she promptly claimed everything in sight. She did not walk out under her own power.

The kids were so thrilled with our skiff of snow around Thanksgiving.  Little did they know the storms that were coming.

A date with Dad at McDonalds. The only eating establishment that she cares about.

Can you tell we synced our phones...

Regardless of new babies and sleep deprivation, life moves on and there are still field trips and school schedules to maintain. Erik really had to step up and be Mr. Mom during his time off work, and honestly, he is still doing most of the volunteering at school, field trips, and transport to gymnastics and dance. I sometimes wonder if life will ever go back to "normal" - probably not. I was so lucky to have my mom come for 2 weeks to help me adjust. It's been so funny to me that as I have more kids, the babies become easier and easier to care for - it's the other kids that make life hard. If only I could go back to one baby with what I know now :)

 

Lots of falling asleep while putting baby to sleep.

Morgan turned 7 a few weeks after Charlie was born, and she probably wouldn't have had any kind of celebration if it weren't for family and friends. They took over and organized a wonderful doll's tea party and all I did was make a cake. It takes a village.

 

Kate found a pumpkin just her size - on our bishop's porch. You'd better believe that it came home with her.

Morgan has officially left princesses behind just as Kate is entering the stage. And poor Sam got to find something out of the dress-up box. I'm pretty unapologetic about my lack of Halloween spirit. But they all had costumes, and I took them trick or treating, so I call that a win. 

September

"In which we prepare for the end of life as we know it"

i.e. Charlie is born

Ready to explode. The docs are always amazed that I produce 8 1/2 pound babies - I'm not.

Just waiting to pick up the school carpool.

And waiting at the OB/GYN. She gets dragged everywhere.

The long wait was finally over.

Charles Evan Merkley. It was such a joy to hold him on the outside.

The boys were thrilled to add more testosterone to the family.

 

"You're telling me I'm not the baby anymore?" 

Erik was just happy to be able to control his schedule. This is the first birth he's been able to really focus on - no worries about missed class or crazy residency schedules. He took a week off to help and be with Charlie and it was great.

Dog Days of Summer

In August we celebrated our 9th anniversary by finding a bed and breakfast in Heber Valley (see the delicious hot chocolate above?) and then going to the symphony in Deer Valley with friends. Mainly - we were thrilled to be child free. I don't know if this makes us old, but after paying that much for a night away we decided we were more comfortable in our own home and bed. 

 Some friends from church gave us their inflatable pool, and the kids were thrilled. They positioned our slide and got toys, and then realized that we have no sunny spots in our backyard. It was a chilly swim but that didn't deter them. I had to remove them when they started turning blue.

Kate is very comfortable with her body.

A beautiful night on the boat.

We love getting visits from family. My dad came to town and we went on awkward waddling walks, did some boating, and continued the tradition of Saturday morning donut runs.

 Starting first grade. I think Erik and I were more nervous than Morgan was to start the Chinese Immersion Program, but it's gone pretty well.

I went in one night to check on the kids, and found that Morgan had been reading books to Sam and they fell asleep all cuddled up. Heart melted. Good thing we get these rare moments or we might give up on this parenting gig.

After looking through these pictures, I am SO GLAD I am no longer pregnant. I'm having flashbacks and tinges of nausea.