Fancy Teething

Amaryllis was beginning to have me worried that she wasn't going to get teeth. That probably sounds silly, but all my other kids had teeth by now. Jericho was the latest to cut a tooth and he had one on his 6 month birthday. She is getting close to 7 months and was still gumming it up with no signs of teeth.

This kid is the one who has made me question all my baby-handling skills...right down to if I somehow didnt give her teeth while in the womb. I can't make her sleep through the night, I couldn't make her stop screaming for nearly 3 months, I can't seem to make her want to roll over or sit up either. She's determined to help me keep it humble. (I know I really can't make a baby do any of those things, but I guess after 3 babies you do tend to get a little cocky about your mommy skills. Point proven, fancy pants.)

Well the other day I just happened to notice that she had a tooth in her mouth. Where did that come from? She didn't make a peep in the process of getting it, and not only that, but the next day I realized she actually ahd TWO teeth broken through. I gotta say, I appreciate her low maintenance teething after how fancy she's been with so many other things. We still have some work to do on that sleeping through the night thing. 7 months without a full night's sleep really starts to make a person's eye twitch.

Feather Remember

About a month and a half ago, I got a sweet Facebook message from a friend of mine who I haven't seen in far too long. She knew this amazing artist who has started painting portraits for families who have lost babies, as a way of helping heal and remember these little ones we have yet to meet. I had never heard of doing this, but when she told me she was going to have a portrait done for us of Charis, I was just so thankful.

I take pictures, of everything, but Charis is the one of my babies who I was only able to take ultrasound pictures of. Not nearly enough, and I miss all the chances I would have had to see her sweet face in my camera lens. So when I realized I could have a visible reminder of her, thrilled doesn't really cover it.

I corresponded back and forth with Laura, the artist, and we both exchanged ideas and inspirations and chatted through what this would look like in my memory and heart coupled with her amazing artistic ability and interpretation. To say I'm thrilled with how it came out doesn't express it...I just cried and cried when I opened the package. It's fabulous...and does so much to help with the healing and the missing that we go through daily.

I told Laura how I pictured all my babies playing together, and that Charis's middle name is Eden, so it seemed fitting that they would be playing in an Eden-like garden. Paradise is the only home Charis has ever known. I imagine her showing her siblings around, and them all being so happy to finally meet each other, running wild like they do. My kids talk about her constantly, and I can't wait until they all see each other. I can't wait to see my twin baby girls together...wondering if they'll look just alike or different. Laura talked about the closeness, and love for each other, she saw in the photos I sent to her of my kids. So she offered to paint them all together in this portrait instead of just having Charis symbolized somehow. 

I think it turned out perfect. I love how they look just like themselves, and how we have a visible reminder of what we have to look forward to in the future. I love that Charis will be a part of all the art splashed on our living room walls that features these laughing kiddos. I am so grateful to the friends and the talent that made this happen, and how they let God use them to help heal and remember.

(Please go look up FeatherGreyStudio on instagram for a look at Laura's work. It's amazing and I definitely want to pass it on to others who may also know someone who needs help remembering and healing.)

Who comes up with this stuff?

I've always wondered who in the world first said. "there is no use crying over spilled milk"? I mean, really. That person either never paid for milk, or never had to clean up that milk. It seems like cleaning up milk is one of my hobbies these days. I am trying desperately to let my kids be more independent. But that definitely comes with a side effect of mess.

This particular kid, however, is not on the list of those who are allowed to pour milk. He took it upon himself however. I came around the corner just as he was spilling it all over himself and the floor. I can't tell if he was trying to drink out of the jug or put it up on the counter. Either way, it made a fabulous mess and got his favorite batman jammies wet.

My next post might a second edition of this. Where I intellectually discuss why the saying, "sleeping like a baby", is also ridiculous.

6 months already?

I really have a hard time believing this kid is already 6 months old. It seems like just the other day when I was pregnant and wishing she was here already. Then she was born and the first 3 months of her life were a blur of no sleep and screaming. So I guess I do have an excuse as to why it's gone so fast. Ever since she started smiling, though, we just can't handle it and wish the time would slow down.

She's decided to be pretty chill when it comes to milestones. No teeth or anything fancy. She rolls over occasionally by accident. She is starting to try and sit up on her own when siblings don't push her over. But we are ok with that. I am not rushing her. I've learned babies really don't listen to anything you say anyway. 

Friday Photo Dump

This has been a crazy busy week. I realized several times that I had meant to blog and never did. Alas, one of these days I'll be more on top of things. Probably not, but I think that's ok. I was looking through my phone last night, doing my usual "why did I screen shot this?" deleting spree. I came across several gems that I'm not sure I've shared on social media and felt they needed to be shared. This blog is nothing if not a means for future embarrassment of my children.

I do think it's funny how my kids so willingly participate in what will surely be evidence they want to hide from future girlfriends and boyfriends. But part of me hopes that they see these pictures, and remember a happy childhood where they were free to be joyful and not really care what people thought of their outfit/headhear/accessories, etc.

The above was an old one from New Years Day. This is how they woke me up. I guess maybe that's a little payback for all the pictures, right? And yes, they dressed themselves. Tirzah is the queen of mixing and matching patterns. She has been known to wear at least four different patterns on that tiny body.

What was I saying about mixing and matching? And Merrick obviously loves that shirt. They had just gotten homemade scarves from my sister Abby, and they proceeded to wear them absolutely everywhere for a week straight. They are still wearing them, but thankfully not as excessively as all day every day. I keep hoping that by letting them wear what they want within reason (ok, mostly I forget to even look at what they are wearing until we are out in public and it's too late to do anything about it) that they'll develop their own sense of style and the ability to not care what people think. This may backfire, but what is parenting if not realizing you do probably everything wrong? ;)

Jericho pretending be studious...which is infinitely better than what he's typically doing while I'm trying to educate his siblings. What he's usually doing involves everything from stealing pencils to overflowing toilets to eating enough snacks to feed all 4 kids.

Oh you know, just a baby selfie. She's getting closer to sitting up all the time! Which means I'm getting closer to not dragging that baby carrier around all the time. Woo-hoo!

I don't really want to commentate on this picture, because it's a very sensitive memory of how I don't sleep anymore. Amaryllis, bless her heart, is the worst sleeper that God ever created. This was taken at like 12am a few night ago...she proceeded to wake up and end up in my bed at 2 am, and then wanted to eat as soon as I put her back at 4 am, then woke up ready to great the day before daylight had even broken at 6:30 am. Mercy. But then she grins like that, and I forget why I was so mad. But, that could just be the sleep deprivation making my short term memory foggy. Happy Friday, guys! Hope you all got more sleep than I did!

Game Day

The two oldest hooligans had their "big game" last weekend, as Merrick called it. It was the start of the basketball season, and cheerleading season for Tirzah. (She unfortunately doesn't cheer for Merrick's team, that would be too simple.) They are playing with the Upward league near where we live. So far so good, and we are enjoying the experience.

Well, not the experience of getting up early on Saturdays, but loving watching the two of them having fun and learning new things. Tirzah loves getting all dressed up and cheering. (I was secretly hoping  she would play basketball, but I let her choose and cheering it was.) The real trouble came when I realized I had to "fluff" pom poms and decorate a cheer bucket. Thankfully my husband is good with a glue gun. ;)

Her squad is called the "Rebels", and I find that pretty ironic. A rebel she is, and doesn't lack for sass either. She spent her time across the court blowing kisses and sticking her tongue out at people. That girl.

Merrick was pretty much the cutest little ball player, EVER. He was glued to his man he was guarding, even when he was supposed to be trying to get the ball. He finally realized he could go after the ball, and did really well! I was impressed with how much he improved from the start to the end of the game. He got more comfortable playing and is learning what he's supposed to do.

And of course, in typical Merrick fashion, when he was sitting on the sidelines he couldn't just sit. At one point I noticed him making shadow animals. They kept getting progressively bigger, too, until he's flapping his arms all around and almost hitting the guy beside him. Thankfully that guy was watching the game and didnt notice. ;)

I know this ushers in a new era in the Barron household...one of practices and games and shuttling back and forth. It's definitely different than changing diapers and making bottles, which I'm still doing, of course. I won't quit my day job.

NOW he's three.

Pretty much since he turned two, people have been asking me is Jericho three. He's so big, I don't blame them for their confusion. But he's now officially three. That's not good enough for him though. He told me he "wanna be five". Sorry, kid, you're as big as your five year old sister, but that's going to have to wait a couple years.

It was fun celebrating his birthday this time around. He is a bit older, so he is starting to catch on to what a birthday is. He was ridiculously excited over phone calls and cards in the mail, and of course opening presents. We took him to Chick-Fil-A for dinner, and let him play with all his toys at the table. He drank Mamoo's soda and smeared chocolate chip cookie all over his face. It was a good day.

Just like that day three years ago. I have a special place in my heart for this big ol' baby. (Admittedly, he's a little rotten.) I'm just so grateful that he is a part of our lives. I'm loving watching him grow, and remembering back to the special time in our lives his birth was. So thankful for the chance to be his mommy. Love you so, Jericho Hawk!

Jubilee

Recently Billy mentioned something to me called the year of Jubilee. It sounded kind of cheesy to me, but then I started reading up on it. It ties into the history of Israel and the idea of taking a Sabbath, but on a much bigger scale where every 50th year, slaves were freed and debts were forgiven and God's mercy was particularly obvious. This year of jubilee falls on this year, 2015. I'm not big into history, or symbolism, but I loved the thought of "claiming" (while I'm also not big into that) this for my family.

When I say claim it, I'm not envisioning us having the credit card company free us of debt, or never having to struggle, or being free from working hard for provide for ourselves. I'm thinking more along the lines of choosing to see God's mercy in everything, even the trials. I'm wanting to choose to be positive, to think positively, to find reasons to be happy instead of focus on what's going wrong in our life. We've had a lot of hard work, hard times, bad attitudes, and exhausting over the last few years. It's not working for us. I'm not the type to be naively happy-go-lucky, but I do think there is something to deciding to be content and looking at the gifts you have in front of you.

I know that this year is going to be a lot of hard work for us. Me at home, raising and teaching these 4 hooligans, and Billy at work, doing his best to be successful for our family in a career that he's really fallen in love with. But as this year progresses, and the tired happens, I want to be reminded that God has forgiven my debts, provided for my needs, and given me rest if I'll just look up and out of myself and take it. I am still going to have to work hard, but I believe that God will bless these efforts and our desire to find rest and provision in Him.

I know that changing your outlook doesn't mean life is going to be easy, or everything will fall into place, or suddenly your kids will all be obedient, and your career will finally take off and paycheck-to-paycheck can finally be a thing of the past. Nope. But it does mean that you are ok. You know where your rest, your freedom, your jubilee comes from. It means you're choosing to see how God has covered you, soothed your soul, and set you free. You have a new chance at life.

Kind of like these butterflies we've been watching, I feel like God has been with me through so many stressful, growing situations in these last few years. It's hard to see what is on the other side of the refining and the uncertainty when you're the one in the cocoon in the dark feeling like you're being ripped apart. He sees, though. He sees the beauty that comes on the other side. And while I'm sure there are still struggles on the "other side" of the cocoon, I feel like we've been given a fresh start, and a place to rest these new wings for a bit.