Firsts

Everyone loves "first" somethings.  I love when my kids get to experience something for the first time, I love it when I get to make and create something for the first time or when I get to see Graham smile for the first time.  First times indicate excitement for the days ahead and fresh bursts of happiness. This month has been full of them.
 

Graham has officially become my first colicky baby.  He is non-stop, inconsolable most of time (as I sit here typing he has been sleeping on my lap for the last 2 hours, hehee).  I have eliminated dairy, gluten and I plan on trying to eliminate more.  I am really hoping that he grows out of this fast!  I am ready to experience a long stretch of sleep at night and more excited to be able to set him down while he is awake and have him not scream his brains out.  He has been flashing his smiles at me and it makes all of the screaming a bit more tolerable when I see those dimples come out.  He had his first day of daycare today with the new daycare lady.  She had a baby with colic so I feel a little more comfortable sending him there knowing that she isn't going to bang her head against a wall trying to figure him out or him against the wall!  

 

"Gehhhh...Mommmmy, why do you always tell me to smile?!"

 

  Henry started 1st grade today and is officially "big stuff" now when it comes to school.  He had zero hesitation getting ready and moving this morning for school.   We had a really rough start of the summer adjusting and trying to figure stuff out again (he was rotten!) but he prevailed thanks to a jar that we filled with fuzzies for good behavior.  He had fun playing t-ball this summer and has now started soccer which he is finding what the word "hustle" really means.  Praise the Lord!!!  I love my little blonde boy and find myself looking back and envisioning him as a baby.  Hard to do but he was such a little ball of love.  

Julia is just Julia.  Full of spirit, love, sass and just the right amount of tomboy and a little bit girly girl.  I love her so.  She has learned how to push Henry's buttons and it is good timing that school has started so we can split up their shenanigans.  She gets to start soccer pretty soon and I am looking forward to spending time with just her and Graham this year. 

Life for me has been stressful.  I haven't had a regular gut for about 2 months now, I am constantly stressing over why Graham is crying and trying to resolve it and make him comfortable.  When it is time for me to close my eyes at night, I think of all of the things that I could be trying to do to help him out and when the crying is going to end and whether or not I should switch to formula or medications or whatever!  It is impossible for me to shut my mind off and that is tiring.  Shopping with three kids is nearly impossible not to get frazzled and wig out.  I had two under control but three is just not worth it.   I am better off just not doing it at all.  I try to keep in perspective that these times shall pass and that everything is going to only get better from here.  I start things and don't finish and that drives me nuts.  Grahams birth announcements have been a work in progress since mid July.  I have an order to send to Babyworks (where I sell my onesies) that has been lingering for 3 weeks now.  I just don't have any TIME!  

As for Erin, he is my shining light.  When the days at home with Graham and the other two work me over, he is there to pick it all up and help me out.  He knows me, he knows the routine, he knows when to talk and when not to talk.  He has stepped it up in the Dad-a-Gory and I am so glad that I picked him as my man.  We had a little date last week (with a sleeping Graham) and it was so nice to just be with him...he and I eating food and drinking beer.  

We are working out our kinks and through it all I am finding myself truly blessed to have this life.  God couldn't have provided for me any better.  Can I get an AMEN up in here?!!!