2 months old!

Someday turned 2 months old today!

And she's pretty excited about it!

And her big sister thought she needed a headband...

At two months Torrance is starting to be a lot of fun for the other kids.

She loves to smile at them and is even starting to give us a few giggles.

Which I tell you are the cutest things I've ever heard.

She sleeps 6-7 hours most nights but likes to throw in a 4 hour stretch sometimes just to keep me on my toes. She's usually in bed around 10.

She naps a lot during the day but not usually for very long stretches.

(Its funny to me how much this bothered me when Avery and Tess did this as babies but how I've just accepted it with Torrance.)

She takes about 4 ounces with each bottle.

Is starting to refuse the binkie...why oh why do my children have such a hatred for those?

She is staying content for longer periods.

And we can tell she really wants to reach out and grab for the things that hang from her baby swings and her big sisters' hair! It wont be long I am sure.

She also wants to roll over...diaper changes are getting to be more difficult as she is always trying desperately to roll onto her side!

She loves to lay on the floor and stretch out and take in what her siblings are doing but its not the safest spot in the house so she doesn't get that luxury too often.

We are excited to celebrate her 1st Christmas!

And we are really not sure how our family ever got along with out Torrance!

Happy 2 month birthday baby girl!

Focus

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap,

but by the seeds you plant.

Robert Louis Stevenson

dear santa

ive decided what I want for christmas this year

energy

im tired of being tired

since my baby is basically sleeping all night i see no reason for this exhaustion

so if you could deliver some energy for my use between the hours of 4:30 pm and 8 pm each night i would dearly appreciate it

as you can see from my posts im too tired to even use capitals and punctuation

thanks in advance

sorry...but not really.

to anyone receiving a Christmas gift from our family and to my kids...

I apologize

your packages are ugly

they were not wrapped with love - they were wrapped with hurried fingers and distracted eyes

it was just one of those things that I had to let go of this year and not care about (not that I've ever wrapped well)

they will be given with love...just not wrapped that way

sorry

but not really...cause I feel so good that I wrapped every gift in about 35 minutes and now I'm going to rock my 2 month old instead of sitting at that table stressing

see...I'm growing!

2 and 4

I think I've mentioned that I love these ages...

cause I do...a lot

Princess Contessa Caroline and the piano

She was too much for me...

too beautiful

too spunky

too fast

too sassy

too full of energy....

goodness I love her.

Love her shadow behind her...

She was so proud of her flowers.

picture of sweetness.

and again...

Wedding pictures

Finally...its time for pictures.

First let me say that I should have hired either a babysitter or a photographer to come with me to the wedding. Because trying to keep the older three in line and where they needed to be for the wedding and the younger two quiet did not leave Jordan or I any time for good picture taking!

So so sad about that.

Especially because the church looked like a winter wonderland...everything was beautiful.

I have attended many weddings...but I'm not sure I've ever seen a bride and groom any sweeter than these two. Stars in their eyes...but at the same time - very aware that its a marriage of three - with Christ as the center. I know they will have a wonderful life together.

Watching them together does good things for your heart...you should see the cuteness!

This is organized chaos.

They were getting their pics taken by the professional photographer.

I was terrified that Torrance was going to spit up all over Rosanna and Jordan was desperately trying to keep Sullivan from smiling like a goon!

And Rosanna just wanted her bouquet back from Tess!

These three did wonderful.

It was so special for them to be part of this day.

Lauren and Avery did perfect...they are pros - this is their 3rd time as flower girls!

They were so happy to be part of this day.

Rosanna is truly a member of the family.

I had to remind myself that we are not losing Rosanna..we are gaining Isaiah!

He was so excited he literally couldn't stand still.

We practiced how to walk SLOWLY down the aisle.

He wanted to do a skip.

Rosanna said it was ok.

So at the start of the aisle he did this hop/skip/jump/bounce thing that was probably one of the cutest things ever.

Then about 3/4 of the way down Isaiah stepped towards him and Sully started running!

Isaiah opened up his arms and Sully FLEW into them.

Big up in the air, twirling hug.

Possibly the sweetest cutest thing I've ever seen.

I'm so happy we have it on video!

Priceless.

Tess thought the day was hers...

we didn't tell her any different.

Why would we?

Look at her!

this morning...

Tess is insisting we have supper...not breakfast as our morning meal.

Torrance is smiling at me and I can tell she's feeling better. Praise the Lord!!

I got decent sleep and am feeling like a person again.

Sully is just sure we should raise turkeys in our yard....what?!?!

Its snowing...

Its Wednesday.

Who ME?!?!

Who me?

Yes, you Torrance...

Like most of Iowa our house has been filled with runny noses and hacking coughs for the last few weeks. It was bound to happen...Torrance got sick.

Just a little cold about a week ago.

Then this weekend a little worse.

Then last night she slept over 6 hours but coughed and hacked all night.

And had SO much green drainage from her nose.

She sounds awful.

We headed to the dr. today.

Low temp.

Ear infection.

Possible RSV.

Poor sweet baby.

flattered

I'm so flattered.

Mandy asked today if I a 2 1/4 inch biscuit cutter she could borrow.

I dont even know what a biscuit cutter is!

But she thought maybe I owned one...which as close to Suzy Homemaker as I'm going to get!

weekend

Jordan's Christmas party = done

fun card playing

I left early because I'm old...or I have 5 kids...

baby sleeping 7 hours at night = YES!

Wedding = done

major cuteness from my kids and lots of laughs thanks to Sullivan

major adorable sweetness from Rosanna and Isaiah

pictures and stories to come

1st blizzard of the year...apparently in progress? still coming? just missed us?

anyway the cold is not going to miss us

or the wind

so we're settling in for snacks, cocoa and a movie night snuggled on the couch

I am TIRED!

Love this girl

I'm ready for school daddy!

I'm fresh from the bath but not ready for bed!

Torrance

Everyone loves holding the baby.

Just look at her with Sully!

And it seems she's already looking up to her big sister Lauren.

And it seems she's already figured out to be a little afraid of this one!

Smart, smart baby!

Look at that face!

You know you have too many kids when....

your husband looks at you dumbfounded and says, 'When IS Tess's birthday?'

then you tell him and he says, 'Oh that was my first guess.'

seriously.

What's in your fridge?

In my fridge at any given time there is no less than:

* 3 containers of OJ

* 2 jugs of milk

* 2 packages of string cheese

* 1 carton of eggs

* 2-3 bottles of breast milk

* 1 pack of sliced cheese

* 2 packages of block cheese

(we eat a lot of cheese!)

What is ALWAYS in your fridge?

Now after you've thought about that...think about those who dont have access to those things we take for granted.

And think about water...and how we take that for granted every day - when we brush our teeth, grab a quick drink, do laundry, water the plants, ect.

And then go here and Christmas shop for WATER! And Go here to learn more.

I just did!

My boy

He's so extreme.

Typically you see this face below or he's crying.

Rarely in between.

VERY dramatic.

When he wants to he exudes joy.

Its awesome.

He loves to play games with us more than anything.

He's gets so into it...

Takes it all very serious.

Always with the tongue out for extreme concentration.

And when does this stop?

When will he stop cuddling with me?

Is there a set age?

I'm actually really asking you mothers of older boys - I want an answer.

Sully told me he'd cuddle with me till he had his own kids.

Jordan told me I only had 2 more years. (I REFUSE to believe that.)

See the joy in those eyes?

Yep, that's my boy.

What a lucky mommy!

First Snow

We were supposed to have our first 'measurable' snowfall of the season this weekend.

I'm not sure this counts as measurable.

But these four were ultra excited about it!

Especially this one...

She was squealing and jumping up and down when she found out she could

go out with 'big' kids.

And she kept telling me she was 'big'!

While I refuse to call her big...she is really stinking cute!

6 weeks

My baby is 6 weeks old today.

My last baby.

I can admit that I am not the greatest with infants.

I question every cry and noise.

After 5 infants...I still dont have them figured out.

God uses this time to really draw me to Him in my 'out of control state'.

When I feel like I have no idea what I am doing...He says 'You are right...come to Me, I know'

And He's been speaking to me a lot through Torrance.

Teaching me to let go of some things and slow down my days and focus on Him

And calming me and reminding me to cherish these fleeting days.

And she is the sweetest baby.

If she cries...we pick her up, hold her close and she's cooing.

She is the kind of baby that makes even the hardest of hearts melt.

Even the toughest become soft and even the most hurried slow down.

And she's 6 weeks old.

Its fading.

My last baby is already leaving the newborn stage.

Over the past two days she has grown I swear.

She seems huge.

And she is staying content longer, sleeping longer, eating more and faster, enjoying her bath, smiling at everyone and taking in what's going on around her.

Its fun and the kids love it and I'm encouraged that someday, maybe not that far off...I'll get real sleep again.

But I know that it also means that soon I wont be doing this...

And this is one part of infants that I could do forever.

Its the part that made me want FIVE!

So I'm holding on tight to these days and praying that

I will remember how this felt for a very long time.

Avery's turn!

Avery has sat through a lot of events for Lauren...always cheering her heart out for her big sis.

But last night she got her turn in the spotlight...her first school Christmas concert.

Avery doesn't love the stage and spotlight quite like Lauren.

She sang every song and performed every action on time...but starred at the floor and never smiled her beautiful smile for the crowd.

I asked her about it and she told me that the lights hurt her eyes and she was nervous.

Love her.

What Avery does love is getting dressed up!

And my oh my that girl does things to my heart when she smiles like this...

She also loves being with her friends.

As I took this picture of her and Brooklyn I was in tears...

thinking that someday, not that far off I'd be taking this same picture,

in this same spot...only it would be caps and gowns they would be wearing and they'd be

trying to escape from my photo session to run off with their friends.

(sorry Mandy!)

Then this little one thought it would be great fun to stay with the kindergarten class and perform with them. She wants to go to school SO bad.

I tried to remind her that this summer she promised she'd never go...she's apparently forgotten that promise.

It took some real coaxing for me to convince her to come back to the auditorium with me.

so true...so hard

Sometimes the world breaks me.

Sometimes others' words rend my heart.

Sometimes my penchant for sin makes me despair.

The Broken One -

who bore every sin whether committed against us or by us -

waits with healing hands.

He delights in humility because when we are in that state of desperation we long for Him more.

May it be that we choose to let our hearts be broken so that they can be enlarged to hold more of Him.

May it be that desperation over our sins drive us to Jesus.

May it be that our confessions bring God His due honor.

-Mary DeMuth