Time Flies When You...Have Kids.

 It seems like just yesterday I took the obligatory "Easter outfit" shots of my kids last year. I can't believe it's been a whole year, and how much they've all grown and changed since then. They say time flies when you're having fun, and I feel like it flies by a little bit faster for each kid you add to the mix. So me living life probably kind of looks like someone who accidentally turned the speed on the treadmill up too far, and is trying to hold and and not fly off the back. ;)

Time definitely does seem to go even faster as you get older and busier. I remember thinking how sad I was that it was Winter again, and wondering how I was going to make it in one piece through another school year. Here we are again and it's already Spring, and we are about 6 weeks away from finishing school for the year. I can't believe it, honestly. (That we are making it through another school year, mostly. I always figured spring would happen again eventually.)

These goofballs really are everything to me. They wear me slap out, and are most of the reason for any and all insanity that I don't remember having before they showed up, but I don't know what I would do without them. I'd rather have this life, flying by holding on for dear life wishing someone would turn down the treadmill, than do anything slower paced without them. Sure, they make things normal people do way more complicated...forget just "hanging out" or a quick get together with friends. Need a few things from the store? Prepare for certain shenanigans that will make you not want to shop again. There is laundry in every crack of this house. Right beside the cheez-it crumbs. But their souls are a part of my heart, and I will take on all the extra work and lose all the extra sleep just to soak up life with them, flying by way faster than I'd like.

Third Shift

As many of you already know, Billy has recently started working 3rd shift at WaWa. He is in the process of training for a management position, and the best method to learn the ropes is apparently in the middle of the night when all the crazy people need coffee, snacks, and gas. This wouldn't be a huge deal except he is also still currently working during the day doing construction. To say he isn't sleeping is really just unnecessary...you get the picture.

Since he isn't sleeping and is working 80 hours/week, (not to feel sorry for myself at all because I would much rather be doing what I'm doing than not sleeping), a lot of the "extras" are now my job. Ya know...baseball practice, Amaryllis being awake all night, bedtime routines, and all those shenanigans than we usually share. We are both hopeful that this training process will be short so that he can move into a manager position and "quit his day job". I'd definitely like to quit my day job right now as well. ;) But we will power through,and hopefully come out of this in a much better place.

The kids really haven't noticed much of a difference, except for the fact that they KNOW mommy is sleeping in that "big" bed all by herself. So they've taken to keeping me company and sleeping in there the nights Billy is working. They are so thoughtful. ;) Jericho especially...who is the one who sleeps with me the most. He smacks me in the face frequently in his sleep and has a flair for sleeping completely sideways across the bed. But he sure is adorable passed out with those long eyelashes of his. (SN: why do boys always get the great lashes?)

We know this process is just starting, and will definitely be tough. But we can handle it if we work together. Me and the hooligans are definitely prepared to make some adjustments, and see a lot more of each other. But ya know, I can think of worse people to spend a lot of time with. :)

The Middles

There really isn't an official "middle child" with 4 kids. I'm sure someone will have the middle child personality more so than another one, but I don't feel like my kids follow birth order stereotypes anyway, so who knows who that would even be. For example, I feel like Merrick and Tirzah are switched according to what you'd think for a typical first and second born. Tirzah is definitely a leader, she's bossy and mothers everyone around her, she is a perfectionist and hates to get things wrong. I feel like Merrick definitely is more like a second born with his flexibility, and more of a laid back nature.

Jericho and Tirzah are technically in the middle of this crazy Barron baby sandwich. They don't really occupy that space quietly, though. Out of all of my kids, they drive each other the most crazy. They fight quite a bit, unless it's just the two of them and they are forced to depend on each other for entertainment. Then miraculously they get along. (I really wish they would do this getting along more often, since I know it can be done.)

They are 2.5 years apart in age, but I frequently am asked if the two of them are twins. (Merrick and Tirzah are closer together in age, at 20 months apart.) I don't think they look a thing alike, but their size is so similar that people think twins when they see us all out together. The other day I took a picture of them standing beside each other, and Jericho is almost taller than Tirzah is now. (He was up on his toes a bit in the picture, but it's really close and I think he will be taller than her soon.) He wears bigger shoes and clothes than she does already.

It's almost like Tirzah has two big brothers, but she definitely treats them like she's the boss. We don't call her "mama Tiz" for nothing. Somebody has got to keep this circus running right.

The Cuzzies Visit

It's not often we get to see the "cuzzies", or my sister's three little kiddos. She recently had the youngest member of the family, Emory Ruth, and we were just finally able to meet her two months later. (Even though, at two months of age, she's just about as big as Jericho was when he was born.) She is completely adorable, and we are so glad we were finally able to snuggle this little bundle.

Merrick absolutely loves babies. He is usually really good with them as well. He is my sidekick when it comes to corralling younger siblings, and is often the one who helps me deal with Amaryllis's shenanigans. He was so happy to be able to see this little cuzzie, even though she didnt seem quite so excited to see us. ;)

We have really been enjoying spending time with these three little ladies. I so wish they lived closer to us. One of my favorite things growing up was playing with my cousins, so I love when these guys get to play together. I hope that they have lots of great memories to look back on just like I do.

As you can see from the picture below, Merrick comes by his love of little babies naturally. Billy is definitely a baby person...which is probably one of the reasons we ended up with 4. ;) He always is the first to ask to hold the little ones, and was always great at taking care of ours when they were up at all hours of the night. I have to admit, though, as adorable as this little cuzzie is, I'm happy to report there is zero baby fever happening around here. Billy and I realize that having a baby like Amaryllis, who takes no prisoners, after you have already had 3 kids, is effectively the baby fever vaccine. So for now, we will just snuggle this one for the next month or so while they visit, and be grateful for all the time we get to spend with family.

Exercising and Rights, and eating Donuts

I always take my kids with me when I vote. As a homeschooler I kind of feel like it's a good opportunity to teach hands on civics, as well as show them an example of voting - even when it's terribly chaotic and inconvenient when you have to do it alone with 4 kids. You just do it because it's important, and because it matters. I want them to see their parents doing things that aren't necessarily easy, because they care about the world around them. (Hopefully they will forget the parts where I am pulling my hair out trying to keep them from knocking over voting booths.)

We all went yesterday to vote in the primary. (Me and the hooligans, that is. Billy went in the morning before work.) It was the typical sideshow. All the sweet little older ladies working at the polls always say the nicest things to me when I come in there dragging 4 little politically vocal ducklings behind me. It makes up for some of the shenanigans of their vocal politics. I can't really blame them though...Billy and I spend a lot of time yelling at the TV and our iPhones when it comes to the government. They get it honest.

Yesterday the main excitement, and the need for said donuts, came from a certain 4 year old who really dislikes Donald Trump. I can't say I blame him there, either. But I'm just not sure how I feel about him screaming about who he is voting for in the middle of his mommy voting. I did get a good laugh out of it later though, after I was in the safety of my van where he can spew his politics for all to hear without me getting any dirty looks. (In case you don't follow me on Facebook...Jericho enthusiastically yelled "Donald Trump stinks! Haaaaa!" at the polls yesterday. At least I can't fault him with caring what people think?)

I do love how passionate these little goofballs are, no matter what they are doing: voting, eating donuts, or playing on the playground to get out some of the energy from all those donuts they earned by voting. I hope and pray that I am raising them to care about the world around them, and to take responsibility. Not just for themselves, but for the people around them. I see glimpses of that when they take care of each other...but they always put me back in my place before I get too prideful by having a loud fight in the backyard for all the neighbors within a half mile to hear. ;)