A Day In the Life....

So I'm often asked, "How is it with 4 kids?" or even better, "What do you do all day?" I thought I would tell you. I wanted to do this for a few reasons. First, in years from now when hopefully things have slowed down and my kids are in this stage, I will be able to remind myself how hard it is and will want to help out much as possible. Second, when the day comes that I start feeling sorry for myself that I can't have any more babies, I can read this to talk myself out of the madness.

Yesterday, Dec. 8, 2011, a typical day...I'm sure all you moms out there can relate.

12:30 am: Parx wakes up. I'm trying to sleep train him, and since he's only been asleep for three hours, I do not go get him. However, I do lay in bed awake listening to him scream for forty minutes.

3:30 am: Parx wakes up. Since it now has been six hours since I have fed him and snuggled him, I consent to go him. I feed him for about thirty minutes and then go back to bed. Now I'm awake so it takes me a good thirty minutes to get back to sleep.

6:00 am: Parx wakes up. He's decided that he really wants to be a stinker today. Since I'm desperate for a last few minutes of sleep before my day really begins, I drag him into bed with me so he can lay next to me and eat and I can try to squeeze out a few more minutes of drowsy half-sleep myself.

7:15 am: Myles wakes up. He opens our door and asks for his show to be put on. Now I'm fully awake.

7:30 am: Sierra and Mekinley wake up. I'm made fully aware of this fact by the two of them yelling at each other over something insanely stupid. This is when I'm supposed to get out of bed, but I'm so tired I lay there for 15 more minutes.

7:45 am: I finally use every ounce of will power to pull myself out of bed--now starting an already crazy morning fifteen minutes behind schedule.

7:47 am: Put in a load of laundry. Get the older three breakfast, dressed, and hair done. All the while getting yelled at by Sierra whose pants are too tight or are they too lose, her shirt is itchy, no the neck is too low, her socks feel weird, her shoes are too small or are they too big......you get the idea. Every morning I try to talk her into doing her hair in something other than a little half pony on the side, but three minutes into the argument decide it's a battle not worth fighting. Every day. Get the girls out the door for school.

8:35 am: Feed Parx his breakfast.

8:45 am: Jump in the shower for five minutes. Even though I haven't washed my hair in days, it doesn't get washed...again. Parx is standing up against the shower door banging on it. I'm not even allowed five minutes for a shower. Throw on whatever clothes are still on the floor from last night.

8:55 am: Take Myles to school.

9:00 am: Get Parx ready for the day. Get myself ready. Yes...15 minutes for both. That's why I look so great.

9:15 am: Make beds. Somehow I feel if beds are made my house isn't as messy as it is. Switch laundry.

9:20 am: Start working. For about twenty minutes Parx is happy to play at my feet. For about another twenty minutes, he is only happy sitting in my lap pounding the keyboard and pulling my hair.

10:00 am: Nurse Parx and put him down for a nap.

10:30 am: Go back to work.

10:50 am: Parx wakes up. Pick Myles up from school.

11:00 am: Go back to work. Same scenario as before except this time I also have Myles asking me every five minutes when it will be lunch time. To which I reply, "Not now, bud. I'm working." This statement comes out of me at least ten times a day. It makes me feel really bad.

12:00 pm: Lunch time. While lunch is cooking or Myles is eating, finally clear away the breakfast mess. I also have dishes still leftover from dinner last night since we were gone and didn't get back until late. While I'm feeding Parx his lunch, I try to eat something too. Leftovers come in handy. Then clean up lunch mess. Start dishwasher.

12:45 pm: Get Myles settled for quiet time. I'm really lucky Myles is such a good kid.

1:00 pm: Nurse Parx and put him down for nap.

1:30 pm: Go back to work. Work for two more hours.

3:00 pm: Parx wakes up. Change diaper. I was lucky today--got an hour and a half out of him.

3:25 pm: Pick girls up from school. After school routine. Make after school snack. Empty backpacks. Fold laundry. Put laundry away. Clean up front room. By this time it's a mess. I feel really bad when Rob has to come home to a disaster, which definitely happens some days. Let's not even mention the state of my basement. It will have to wait for another day. All the while have a baby on my hip or at my feet.

4:45 pm: Nurse Parx.

5:00 pm: This is when the perfect storm hits. All children want my attention. And I am watching the door like a hawk for Rob to come home. Start making dinner. Empty dishwasher.

5:30 pm: Eat dinner. Feed Parx. Clean up dinner. By this time Rob is home so at least I have another set of hands, and he helps a TON.

6:30 pm: Night time routine. Rob and I divide and conquer. Read with Sierra, check Sierra's homework, help Mekinley with her homework, practice piano with Mekinley, make sure Mekinley does her reading. Load up backpacks for tomorrow. All four kids need baths. At least Mekinley now showers by herself. Tonight I actually squeeze in two books for Myles. This doesn't always happen and I feel bad when he gets the shaft.

7:30-8:00 pm: Bed time. Brush teeth. Pick out clothes (This takes FOREVER and yet we still have issues in the morning!!)

8:15 pm: Parx's turn. Nurse Parx and put him to bed. See each other child at least once for something--can't sleep, need a drink, have to go to the bathroom, need another hug...

9:15-9:30 pm: Parx went down easy so I give myself 15 minutes to relax and unwind.

9:30 pm: My bedtime. I know....it's early. But can you blame me? I know it will all start over again at 12:30 am.

And that's my day. It was actually a pretty mellow day considering we didn't have anything extra like a field trip, doctors appointment, Young Women's, visiting teaching, grocery shopping, heaven for bid early out day, etc. which usually happens at least twice a week. I only have time to write this blog right now because I'm waiting on an efax that I'm assured will be here any minute.

I hope you don't get the wrong idea. I'm really not complaining, well maybe a little. I like being busy and I love my children...and most days my life. And I'm told when this all goes away I will miss it. I actually believe that. As for now...I need a vacation.

Here Comes the Bride

The recent wedding of my cousin had quite the impact on my children. Yesterday they decided to reenact it--all of it. Sierra was the bride, Myles the groom, and Mekinley the wedding planner. And boy what a wedding she planned! She recorded the Wedding March on the piano and had it playing in the background, she made a bouquet out of what flowers she could find that hadn't been killed by the frost, and she even made me and Rob get dressed up to watch. It was hilarious!! The best part was the wedding photos. I kind of knew what they were up to, but I honestly had no idea to what extent. Mekinley orchestrated these photos all by herself. And they are adorable! I think I have my work cut out for me when she gets married for real. And I have great blackmail pictures for Myles' and Sierra's weddings!

St. George Fun

With this summer being so crazy we never got to go on a family vacation so finally this fall we went to St. George. It was a child's paradise. The kids literally swam for three days straight and even then we had to drag them out of the water. It wasn't so bad on us parents either. With the kids completely entertained the guys and girls were able to sneak away for some grown-up fun as well. The weather was beautiful, the company was entertaining, and all went well. Can't wait for next year!

Pumpkin Patch 2011

Picking out our pumpkins is one of our favorite fall traditions. It always amazes me how long it takes! We have to comb through the entire field before selections are made. And even then everyone changes their mind at least three times each. But I guess that's part of the fun.

Rylee's Wedding

My cousin got married a few weeks ago. It was an amazing wedding at an amazing location and offered some good kodak moments. And you know me....always wanting to show off my kids! Plus Kinley was in the posing mood, which is hard to get these days.

Sierra's Lost Teeth

Sierra finally lost a tooth, or should I say teeth. She lost her first and then less than a week later her second one came out too. She thought it would never happen! It was very exciting, and the tooth fairy was kept busy.

Halloween 2011

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday, and this year was no exception. We partied hard and are still recuperating.

The Bell Clan--Quinn took home the prize for the best costume this year.

Myles LOVES the donut game. And he never cheats!

Sierra was impossible picking out her costume! She literally had five adorable choices but had a problem with each. "This is itchy!" "Why can't I wear a swimsuit?!" "The neck is too big!" "I look like a cat!" Ah!!! One day I sincerely hope she has a daughter who is as impossible as her. Until then...pray for me.

Parx's first Halloween!

I was so proud of us this year! I dusted off the leopard jumpsuit,

and Rob even dressed up, make-up and all.

Guess Who's Crawling!!

So my baby is crawling!! Parx has actually been crawling since Oct. 10th, but it's taken me this long to write about it. He is all over the place! I tell you, there's nothing like a crawling baby. They are so cute!! But also so hard to keep track of. He is everywhere. He really is like a little puppy dog, always at my heels. No matter where I'm at or how fast I move, he's right there sitting on my feet. Now he's even pulling himself up on everything so he'll pull himself up and hang onto my legs. It's so dang cute. I love it. It also makes it a little tricky. I can't just move around freely. I always have to be careful not to smoosh him. He also loves the vacuum. He chases it around and pounces on it when he gets the chance. Just this morning it was near impossible to get the vacuuming done. And he's so fast!

Parx is also such a mama's boy. Oh, yah. All of my kids have been snugglers (let's face it, they don't have a choice), but he takes the cake. Parx also loves to play peek-a-boo. Nothing gets him smiling and laughing like this. He even lifts the blanket up to cover his face and plops it down all on his own. He's also jabbering up a storm. It's amazing how much he can communicate without saying a real word.

Ah........if I could only freeze time. Parx is at such a cute age, and it's absolutely flying by. I'm so acutely aware of just how fast it's going that it's overwhelming. Everything he does makes my heart soar and ache at the same time. It's fun to see him reach these milestones, but then I know it's one step closer to him growing up. I know I'm being dramatic, but he's my baby!! It probably is a good thing that I don't have an option of having another baby. I'd probably be contemplating having another...okay maybe not.

The Perfect Sunday Afternoon

Okay, so I'm sure Rob and I are too liberal (which is why we'll never be bishop or RS President--fine by us), but to me, this is the perfect Sunday afternoon--having fun together as a family and enjoying all that Heavenly Father has created for us. Isn't that what life's all about?

Myles is a pro on his new bike.

Wahoo!!!!!

My kids are soooo cute.....not that I'm biased or anything...

School is finally here! I've never been so glad to have summer over in my life! It has been a very rough summer. Between my surgery and Rob's knee scope and having a baby to take care of while also having three other very loud and bored children, it has been an adventure to say the least. But we made it. And it's nice to have it behind us. Next summer we have a lot of making up to do.

The kids are just as happy as I am to be in school. They love it. Mekinley is now in 3rd grade, and Sierra is in 1st. Ah! They are getting so old. Myles even gets to start preschool in a few weeks. With our last baby here, we really are entering into a new phase in our lives. It's kind of bittersweet as I think most things are. On one hand it makes me so sad to not be looking forward to and planning for another baby and the thought of never holding my infant in my arms again is enough to make me cry, but on the other hand.....freedom!!

P.S. When we were having lunch it was so peaceful and quiet with just Myles, me, and Parx. I was actually just soaking in the moment. Then Myles turned to me and said, "So...what should we talk about?"

Myles is 4!!!

I can't believe Myles has had yet another birthday. It makes me so sad!! All morning I was teasing him telling him that we were skipping his birthday and not letting him turn 4. I really wish I could do that. He's growing up too fast. He is the sweetest boy ever while at the same time the most fun. His favorite things are riding his bike (he just got a new bike for his birthday and is a BMX pro), going to the skate park with Dad, snuggling with Mom and Dad when the girls are in bed, eating junk food, reading stories (he can memorize a book after reading it just once), anything to do with water (especially spraying everyone with a hose), and hanging out with Grandpa (he gets spoiled rotten!!).

What I love best about Myles is that he never forgets to tell me he loves me. I can be working at the computer, making lunch, or folding laundry and at the most random times he'll come up to me and give me a big hug and kiss and tell me that he loves me. Oh, yah. He knows how to work it.

Myles we love you and are so proud of you!!