Never a Dull Moment...

Over the weekend Mike sat down with the kids for a life sciences lesson. (Mike is really good about taking time to teach the kids about scientific principles through simple experiments, and they love it!) He was trying to teach them how to read and interpret a timeline. He read through some example scenarios and posed questions to the boys about where on the timeline each event might fall. They seemed to be following the concept. At one point, Mike gave the hypothetical example, "If Annie loses a tooth before her sixth birthday, where does it go?" Everyone thought for a minute and Keller piped up, "In her mouth!"

Yesterday afternoon the kids were particularly hyper. I was trying to feed the baby quickly so that we could get outside and run off some energy. It was a tough choice, mind you. I was tempted to stay inside, put on a movie, and get the dishes done. It would have been more satisfying for ME, anyway. They were chasing each other and doing laps around the house, with the occasional mishap and bought of fussing, which I tolerated with mild and mostly silent frustration. At one point, Declan got a little ambitious and announced that he'd discovered he could pick up McCrea (his 27 lb 21-month-old "little" brother)! He proceeded to carry McCrea back and forth across the living room multiple times, to McCrea's apparent delight. I then heard Keller call, "I can do it too!" To which Declan responded, "Not by the head!" Great. We are DEFINITELY going outside.

Finally, last night, I am again feeding the baby, and Mike is graciously herding the kids around the house as they get ready for bed. They need minimal direction at this point, a HUGE plus, and aside from McCrea, they are mostly self-sufficient. Mike sent them to brush their teeth and use the bathroom before heading upstairs. All normal pre-bedtime events...at some point he went into the bathroom to help McCrea, and I heard him call, "Who put toothpaste in the toilet?" Hmmm, this should be interesting. Declan immediately disavowed any involvement...leaving...of course, Keller. Keller said, "Well, I had too much on my tooth brush." "And how did it get in the toilet?" Mike asked. "Did you WIPE it on the toilet?" I can only assume there was an affirmative response, because Mike responded in somewhat horrified exasperation, "Keller, you NEVER put your toothbrush on the toilet!!" Ah...never a dull moment in our house!

Quotes of the Week

Declan: "Dreams are short stories...like riddles. Except you don't have to answer any questions."

Me: "Did you step on your sister?" Keller: "No, she ran into my foot."

Declan: "Mom, is there a way to have babies when you're not married?" Me: "Uhhhhhh..."

Declan: "I'm going to tie up your hands." Keller: "Well, I'm...I'm going to pee on you!" Declan: "No, you won't. You won't be able to get your pants down!"

Keller: "Mom, do we have the game CHEST?" Me: "Yes, Keller, we have chess."

Keller: "Did we pass the Instruction site?" Me: "It's CONstruction." Keller: "That's what I said!"

Welcome Kennedy Vale!

I'm 13 days late in posting this announcement but, all things considered, I've been a little busy! The week before our little girl made her appearance was a long and tiring one. I was SO ready for her arrival and, apparently, she felt the need to give me a little extra preparation (as if I needed it with four other children, right?). Almost every night for a week before her birth, I was up multiple times in the night for hours at a time with contractions. Sleep was definitely hard to come by! Her brothers and sister were all delivered early, but as each day passed, I wondered if she was just planning to take her time and really make an entrance as the last addition to our clan.

Finally, on Saturday, March 13, things seemed to be moving in the right direction. I'd been up since 2 a.m. with contractions that just wouldn't stay regular, but I couldn't sleep either! About 8 o'clock they started to pick up in intensity, which I thought was a good sign, but after so many false alarms, I was hesitant to get my hopes up and decided to go about our regular routine as long as possible. I figured, they'd either go away as the others had or they would get strong enough I couldn't ignore them, and we'd eventually know this was the real thing. So, we went on our scheduled Saturday morning grocery shopping excursion, all four kids in tow. They were coming about 5-6 minutes apart and strong enough that I had to stop pushing the shopping cart until they passed. At that point I decided to be efficient with my shopping. Mike teased that I had never gotten through the store that fast! =) Guess I didn't feel the need to browse!

By the time we got home at about 10:30, I decided to call the hospital. Considering the strength and regularity of the contractions and the fact that this was, after all, my fifth delivery, they told me to come in! Finally! Our neighbors kindly came over to stay with the kids while my mother started her 2.5 hour drive up to our house. We got to the hospital at about 11:30, and the nurse put me on the monitor to see how things were progressing. It looked like we were in labor, but they decided to "let" me walk for an hour to really get things moving before I was admitted (oh joy!).

Those nurses didn't know who they were talking to though...because I speed-walked up and down that hallway for the entire hour. They were a little taken aback! I wondered to Mike what they expected, and he figured most laboring women weren't "waddling" nearly so fast. But, hey, if I'm going to walk, I'm going to make it effective! We were finally admitted and got things rolling at about 1:15 p.m.

Things went pretty quickly after that...in spite of a few glitches, like an epidural that functioned at about 50 percent (I know, because I've had a good one before. This didn't even take the edge off the contractions, only shortened them a little. Although I suppose that was better than nothing!) and some oxygen and a shot of ephedrine when my BP dipped too low. But, after those took effect, we were able to greet our precious little lamb at 4:17 pm after one contraction/push, and she was beautiful!



Kennedy Vale weighed 6 lbs 11 oz and measured 19 3/4 inches! She was a hungry little girl from the start, which has paid big dividends. She left the hospital at 6 lbs 4 oz, but only two days later, at four days old, she was back up to her birth weight! And at her first check up, at 10 days old, she weighed in at a whopping 7 lbs 2 oz! Kennedy is growing like a little weed and is so precious! Her brothers and sister are all adjusting to her presence in their own way, but she is already a sweet addition to our family.



McCrea is very interested in her and loves to check on her. I've caught the little leprechaun in her room numerous times, keeping her from napping...though it's hard to get too upset, because he's just so sweet. Anytime she fusses he runs to find her special blanket and bring it to her and, at 21 months, he's already a huge help. He makes regular runs to the trash can for me to deposit all the diapers we're going through! Brynnley is equally interested and is constantly informing me, "Momma, your baby is crying" or "Momma, your baby needs something!" As for the big brothers, Declan and Keller, they are doing their own thing for the most part, which is just fine. Keller did ask once, "Why is she crying so much?" And Declan grudgingly admitted, "She is pretty cute!"




We definitely agree and are so blessed to welcome Kennedy Vale into our family. We hope she will be proud of her Irish heritage, from which "Kennedy" derives its origin, and that she will grow into a young woman who holds fast to the hopes and promises inherent in her given name. In as much as Kennedy means "armored," we pray that she will heed the admonition in Ephesians 6:10-18 to "put on the full armor of God" and stand firm in her own faith, being "strong in the Lord and in his mighty power," just as Vale, of Latin origin, means strong.

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and prayers! Please continue to lift up our family as a whole and this new little one in particular. We will be often busy, often overwhelmed and often in need of grace...especially as more crazy feats, humorous sayings, unforgettable memories and challenging moments are bound to come...!

Trendsetter

On the way to school this morning, Keller nonchalantly announced, "When I grow up, I'm going to be a bat." I found this amusing and just kept my listening ears open for the rest of the conversation. Declan replied, "You can't be a bat. People can't change into animals." (Obviously!) "Unless God wants you to, of course." Of course. Why didn't I think of that? Keller responded condescendingly, "I'll just wear all black." (Why not? That's what Batman did!)

When we got home, Keller took off one shoe and one shoe only. He's been doing this lately. I'll find the lone shoe under the table or lying askew in the entryway. He runs around, happy as a clam and completely oblivious, one foot properly shoed and the other just...socked. I have no idea what he's doing or, rather, what's going through his little mind. The other day I looked at him and said, "Keller, what are you doing?" He looked at me innocently and said, "What?" As if he really had no idea what I meant! So I've just chalked this up to his quirky personality. No harm done, right? Then today I walked into the playroom and saw Keller and my daughter, Brynnley, sitting contentedly at the puzzle table, BOTH one-shoed. "Brynnley, why are you only wearing one shoe?" I asked. "Because Keller's only wearing one shoe," she replied, as if it ought to be obvious.

This is an unpleasant development! I have a mischievous trendsetter and, apparently, a little follower. Who knows what he'll come up with next? Who knows when he will choose to wield his power!? Like the vicious trendsetter who decided that leggings could be worn by people not performing in the movie Flashdance...or the hairstylist who decided that mullets sported by the likes of Billy Ray Cyrus and Michael Bolton could and should be worn by the mainstream public (unless, of course, you are MacGyver, the lone, legitimate exception, because you rocked the mullet!)...or the evil man (you know who you are, Ashton Kutcher) who decided that trucker's hats should be worn by people not driving semis. Droplet examples in the water bucket of trends that never should have started...or caught on...and I have the makings of it in my own house! The brain and the perpetuator! Woe to the children of the next decade!!

Maybe it will be something simple and not too scary for Mom. Maybe, as he suggested, he'll just wear all black. =) I could handle that. Everyone else would think he was trying to adapt the Goth look of the 90s or the Emo look of the Oughts...but I'd know it was even better, and simpler, than that...he's a bat!!

The Wheels on the Bus Go...Bump, Bump, Bump

This entry features my oldest son, Declan, and a couple of the amusing situations I've encountered with him in the last few days. For starters, the poor little guy suffers from allergies and, although it seems odd to me that that could be a winter malady, he has been coughing up a storm lately. The other night Mike and I had rented "Eagle Eye" (very intriguing and suspenseful, by the way!) and had just settled down to start watching it, when we heard the boys upstairs talking. Usually they go to bed without much fanfare, so with all the hubbub I figured they were commiserating over something interesting. Before long (I actually predicted this) they both trooped down the stairs to our room. They stood there silently for a minute, obviously working out the right way to delve into whatever story or excuse they had concocted. Declan starts out, "I've been coughing and my throat hurts." Well, this is likely to be true. So we look at Keller. He adds, "I've been coughing too, and my throat hurts." This is...unlikely to be true. I chide, "Keller, I didn't hear you coughing." And Declan pipes up, "Yah, I didn't hear him coughing either!" Mike and I just looked at each other and busted out laughing. Mike's first words, "Way to stand behind your brother bud..." Yah, that bumping sound you hear? Oh, that's your brother...under the bus you just flattened him with...

The week's been bumpy in other ways too. Mike is out of town for work, and whenever Daddy is gone, things are guaranteed to get a little hairy. Declan always brings out the best smart responses when he knows I'm outnumbered and vulnerable. I think he saves them up especially for me. It's a wicked arsenal. So I expect a little confrontation. I usually just hope he limits this behavior to home rather than spreading the joy around at school too. Well, I picked him up Monday, and his teacher opened with, "He had a great day..." (YES!)..."until the very end." (Boooo.) I wait patiently for the explanation, and she continues, "When I asked him to clean up his things at the end of the day, he told me didn't want to and that I was bossy. He also said he doesn't like his Mommy, because she's bossy too!" Wow. Well, I've probably been called worse, but that takes some gall kid. I just sighed and apologized and promised to have a discussion with him about respectful speech later. Which we did, with a spanking on the side. I hope he remembers it...and that he puts that assertiveness to better use someday.

In the meantime, we keep pressing onward. I guess it's fitting then that, for some reason, as I contemplate the "Wheels on the Bus" song, it keeps playing through my head to Journey's "Wheels in the Sky" rather than the traditional nursery rhyme. Very weird, but appropriate. Those wheels keep on turnin'...and turnin'...and, occasionally, bump, bump, bump.