Six Months

Introducing my half a year old boy!

Ha! He's so round and chubby. And those dimples. My oh My. Like any parent always says, I can't believe how fast time has gone! Six months! He is my dear momma's boy. Make no mistake of that phrase- he is seriously attached to me. Whenever I hold him, he is as smiley and as dimply as can be. When I set him down, it is a different story. I have never had a baby so crabby being set down! He could be perfectly nursed, having just woken up from a nap with a dry diaper, and he is still fussy if he is not in my arms. What the dill. Even still, I love him so. I am so thankful that he is here and I get to cuddle his sweet, smoochy face. 

His little milestones included: Rolling from back to front, front to back, all across the living room floor, trying bananas for the first time two days ago (with mild success), taking two good naps a day with one teeny cat nap at dinnertime, sleeping (mostly) through the night, only to wake up once or twice, and loving his sister Clara. She is the best babysitter for him, and can get him cheered up and happy almost as well as I can. He's huge- in 6-12 month clothing. He is sporting some outfits that James didn't wear until he was ten months old! 

I do love him so, my Benny Bear. 

We had a little photo shoot. 

Love you Benjamin!

You know it's been a while since you last wrote a blog post when...

...your oldest child is in first grade. Last blog post, he was just starting kindergarten. And, he completed his first season of flag football!

...your oldest daughter is now in preschool. Two in school! What the dill. Where are my babies going, and why do they insist on growing up? Also, last blog post, she was in a cast for a month. Now, she is happily cast free and back to her usual jumpy, dancing self.

...your youngest daughter is two. These last couple of blog pictures show her as a baby, just barely one. Now she can talk you ear off like nobody's business.

...you have a fourth child! What the wha!?!? Not only that, but he is six months old today! And though I love him with ever fiber of my being, this clingy, not-gonna-be set-down-or-I'll-throw-a-fit phase has gotta stop. I mean for the love, he's the fourth! He's gotta just roll with it, right?

Let's try to update this thing, shall we?

We played with our princess cuddlers today.

Poor Tiana. She thought playing with Clara was gonna be fun. 

This little firecracker lined them up...all.by.herself.

You do not know the amount of begging and pleading I did to get Clara to sit on that dang couch and take a picture with her sister. Just one! 

It's rainy and fall-y today and I love it. 

Seriously, this beauty of a tree. The colors look so artificial,

 yet I promise it is right outside my front door!

Fractured Femur

This might be old news, but Clara broke her leg. Her left femur, to be exact. In half, a very nice diagonal if you ask me. You wouldn't think that falling off a scooter at Mimi's house would cause such an injury, but in this case, you'd be wrong. An urgent care facility, ambulance ride, two hospitals and twenty four hours later would leave her in a SPICA cast, basically a complete lower body cast, for the next four to six weeks (We're praying for four!). Life around our house has been crazy to say the least, but we have been blessed by so many friends and family who have helped so selflessly and generously. Her next doctor appointment is the 23rd, so pray she get her cast off then!

 This is the morning after she broke her leg. It has still not been set into a cast, though that accident occurred at 3pm the previous day. She's in a lot of pain her, poor little widdy. 

A visit from her brother helped cheer her up immensely. They are such good buddies. 

Melt my heart. 

She was sedated and finally had her leg set and cast put on. Let the healing begin!

At home. A visit from her friend Ellie helped brighten things up!

Flowers sent to her by our church. We are so blessed by so many!

Trying to cool the itch of the cast with a hair dryer. My closed eyes are awesome, I know. We used the hair dryer at first, but later bought a "Cast Cooler" which was much more effective

Pink balloons from her good friends David and Max. 

Another visit, this time from Auntie Corie, Lily, Tessa and Faith. They brought many wonderful gifts for her!

Bicep curls with soup cans. A girls gotta stay in shape, ya know. 

There's that. We're taking it one day at a time around here. We continue to appreciate your prayers for a speedy recovery!

Kindergarten

It happened. The day has come. Right now, the only kids at home with me are my littles, Clara and Elizabeth. This morning I dropped James off for his first ever day of school and kindergarten!

It's true. When "they" say time flies, they sure aren't kidding!

This boy...

is now this boy...

How does that happen? Magic I think. 

So that's that. I didn't cry, surprisingly! My one last fear/worry is him getting home safe and sound from the bus this afternoon. That's all out of my control! 

 Now we're at home, and I don't know what we'll do! Maybe take care of my poor girl who is still in her body cast...

Preschool Story Time

I love our local community library. It is just swell. Their kids programming is great, and since James was a wee one, we've been going to their weekly story time for kids. We started going on Wednesdays, to their toddler storytime "Wednesday Wigglers." Not only was it fun for James with the singing, stories, and playtime (stickers too!) but I also met several of my close mom friends there. Once he and Clara got bigger, we switched to Fridays, which was "Preschool Storytime." Geared at the older kids (3-5 years), it had the same basic features of W.W. except the stories were longer and a craft was added. One of the reasons that it was such an enjoyable experience for all of us was the children's librarian, Mrs. Jay. She is ah.ma.zing. Amazing. Loves those kids like nothing else! She reads her stories energetically, sings songs with her ukulele loudly, and makes time for each kid when they have a question or something to share with her. If there ever was someone who was born for a job in life, it's her in this role. And my kids just absolutely adore her. (Though sometimes, I fear they ask her too many questions, and perhaps think she is there to solely help them only. But I digress).

We have been going (somewhat) faithfully since James was six months old. We try to go every week, but sometimes life just happens, you know? Anyways. Today was the last story time of summer until after school starts. Since James is going to kindergarten this fall, that also meant that this is his last story time. For a long, long time. Sorta like the end of an era, you know? Feeling a tad nostalgic, I brought my camera along to snap a few shots. You know, so I can look at them later when he is eighteen and cry at how little he was and where did time go and how is he so big and....

Clara's on the green chair and James is there in blue. 

Today's theme was hats. Thus, we're listening to "Caps for Sale."

Now reading:  "A Hat for Minerva Louise."

Bethy in the playroom.

Making hats!

I'm so glad I'd captured this moment. Here James is asking Mrs. Jay a question. I think this same situation repeats itself forty eleven times during a given visit at the library. 

Big Delby girl cutting on her own!

Finished product! Look at that sweet hat!

Our good buddy Mrs. Jay