Life at 7 Weeks

Time is going ever-so-slow, yet quickly. It's funny how your perspective changes with a newborn. I looked at Anthony this past week and realized how much he's changed. Sometimes I don't always realize it because he's in my arms so much of the time, but he really is growing and changing rather quickly. His face is getting rounder, his eyes wider, and he is definitely more alert. He really likes to focus on faces and strains to look up at whoever is holding him (as you can see in the pictures below.) We love him to pieces.
Forrest loves when he falls asleep in his arms (I think he was laughing at one of the kids in this picture.)

Hello Daddy, is that you?
Noah is my nature boy and loves to be out in the garden. He's always looking for insects.
It was discovered that one of our containers was filled with these little green worms- I was wondering where my lettuce went!
Noah and Kaitlyn liked collecting them for their "pets."
Rachel is quite the handful. She is taking her cast quite well, and gets it off in two weeks. Her newest thing is to *scream* an ear-piercing scream... just for the fun of it. It really drives me nuts and takes every ounce of my energy to stay calm and not react to this. I think it scares poor Anthony out of his wits, as she will often do it when he is sleeping.
I still feel like I am on a roller-coaster, and life is crazy-busy but good. I have started running again, and was able to go out 4 times last week for a total of 10 miles. I have about 15 pounds to lose but figure it will come off in time. With this being my last baby, I'm not too worried about it!

I tried to rest today but ended up feeling really depressed, so I decided to work instead. I really am the type of person who needs to stay busy. I started mopping my floor and the feeling went away. In being productive, I feel happy. I have come to realize that my mood is directly related to the state of my house, and I simply can not let it go. I figure the work will always be there, and I'm the one who will end up doing it, so I might as well stay on top of it!

Being that it is summer, I have been able to enlist the kids in several chores which has been a huge help. I am still working on getting a chore chart in place so that we will be able to maintain it when school starts. I am actually anticipating the start of the school year for the sake of getting some structure back into our schedule. Summer with a newborn isn't quite what it would normally be, and the kids have been a little more idle than I would like.

I really am thankful for the gospel perspective and how it gets me through each of my days, even moments. I do not know how I would be raising my kids without it (I certainly would not have this many!) I was talking to a friend the other day about happiness, and it got me thinking, what is the worth of happiness? To me, happiness can be a fleeting emotion. Life with kids is hard work, and there are several moments throughout my day when I wouldn't deem myself as feeling "happy," yet the work I'm doing gives me a feeling of satisfaction that will be eternal. That is my happiness.

I love my kids and all the reasons they give me to smile in a day. Today it was Noah and Kaitlyn and the worms, and Kaitlyn's little crooked-mouth smile as she held them out to me in one hand and proclaimed, "They're so cuuuuuute!" I love the innocence of children and the way their minds work. I only wish I had more time to soak it all in. From what I hear, this stage passes so quickly! I look at Ashlee blossoming into a teenager before my eyes and I believe it. I can't say I want to slow time down, just enjoy it. Like any other mom I struggle to find the balance between housework and kids and hope I am doing it right. I think by the time I figure it out they'll be gone. I am so thankful for each new opportunity that comes with the rising sun to get it right. Here's to being one step closer! Good night.