4 yr and 5.5 yr photos

I tend to always have my camera on me. Or in the car at the very least. So when we ran to pick up milk and eggs this morning and I spotted these two darlings in the review mirror holding hands and giggling, my obvious thought was, "I need to take their picture!"

Unfortunately, it's really frowned upon if you trying taking photos while also operating an automobile on the highway, so we drove down the road and I unloaded them while declaring, "Time for some amazing 4 year old and 5.5 year old pictures!" Though really, they love having their pictures taken, so I don't typically have to jazz them out about it unless they're in a particular mood.

Below are the results.  Because. Good grief. The worst photographer in the world would still take awesome photos with these two as their models!

 No, this isn't staged. They actually walk like this 3/4 of the time!

 

That face!

 

 Do not be fooled by this petite beauty. She is woman, and you WILL hear her roar!

 

 This is all them, too! I just asked if they'd stand together.

 

 They both always insist on getting behind the camera. They both always want to photograph me, ha. But when you haven't showered in 3 days you certainly need a cuter model, hence Mr. B! (Don't judge, both kids are bathed and well dressed at least!)

 

 We call these gems "out takes." Or them just being themselves...

 

 How is this sweet baby 4!?

 

 This was the least blurry of B's turn. He finds it more fun to constantly move the camera while clicking, haha!

 

 

 

Again, all them. Jeez Louise, they're the best!

Photos from August

We've had a fun-filled two weeks. I'd tell you all about it, but really, I got to spend it with these cuties, so that pretty much 'splains it all. And looking at a gazillion photos of them is way more fun than reading anything I could write!

 



 

Who's got it harder

I've had this post in the back of my head for nearly a year. I just hadn't gotten around to actually writing it up because...life.

What is up with all the "I've got it harder in parenthood than you" shit that is constantly floating around the internet, most especially facebook?

"I'm a single mom."

"My husband travels once a year/ once a month/ is in the military."

"My kid is allergic to x."

"My kid has x giftedness or special needs."

"My kid doesn't sleep."

And that's only the cream from the top. I've barely scraped the surface.

The thing is, yes of course all of those things can make parenting hard! Even if absolutely none of those are applicable to you in any way, shape, or form, parenting is still hard!

And within those initial categories we still have to say we have it harder.

Life as a single mom is harder for me because I didn't choose it. It's harder for me because I have three kids or became a single mom at x age. Etc., Etc.

My husband travels monthly so obviously it's harder for me. My husband is in the military so it's harder for me because obviously he's gone more than yours!

My kid is allergic to eggs which is in everything; at least your kid is only allergic to peanuts which is all ready banned everywhere.

I could go on, but you get the point.

I'd be a liar if I said I didn't occasionally have to refrain from rolling my eyes when I hear someone worry frantically about having to drive three hours with their child or someone bemoans how they'll survive three whole days solo parenting while their spouse is out of town. I have those moments. But then I also stop and realize that my life and experiences are not someone else's.

Are car rides pleasant with kids? Hell no! Whether it's 3 hours or 12 hours. When they're tiny it's tough. And just because I have a bazillion (yes, that's a real world because autocorrect didn't change it!) hours of driving under my belt with my kiddos, doesn't make someone else's car driving dread less valid.

And sure, I often go weeks, and have even gone months while my husband has been out of town - sometimes in countries where I can't even know his location or communicate with him in any way until he shows up back home - but that doesn't mean someone whose husband leaves for the weekend has it any easier than me. Because they don't.

We all have our own issues and struggles. Especially in parenting, Lord knows it.

My husband is gone a lot, but when he is home, he is home. It's me and the kids 100% of the time. He doesn't play or watch sports or go out with buddies or do anything that is not completely family-centric. And he cooks and cleans better than me! Trust me, there are many husbands that are not even a fraction of that family-focused. So who knows, maybe those women have it harder than me in so many ways, even if their spouses never travel.

The thing is, I will never know. And it will never matter.

Wouldn't it be better if instead of playing the "who has it harder game," when someone reached out to make the comment that they're dreading a car ride or a solo weekend or struggling with an allergy to kumquats we simply replied with "What can  I do to help you with this?" instead of "Well, let me tell you about my husband being deployed for a year and my allergy to eggs, wheat, peanuts, and oxygen?"

It's not about who has it harder. It's about what we can do for one another to make it less challenging for each other. So let's stop whining about how Sally think she has it soooo hard, but we really have it harder, and just validate Sally's situation and ask what we can do to help. So maybe things won't be so hard for Sally. And you know, karma can be a bitch or a really good thing. You decide what you've got coming to you.

So again, stop comparing or vying for who has it hardest in x situation; because the struggle is real for everyone and so incredibly different for everyone. But you have the ability to help out a fellow momma, even if it's just by offering a few encouraging words.

Doodle Bug

There should be a warning that comes with each individual pregnancy. So you know what to expect. It's really only fair.

Trust me, I was never in a million years prepared for this pregnancy. H and B were easy. So easy. Heartburn aside, I have zero complaints. I was pretty certain I could be pregnant forever. I loved pregnancy. It was so awesome.

And then I got pregnant with Doodle Bug.

I'm not going to complain. Not really. I'd take it a million times worse if I had to, because this baby is all ready so loved and cherished and deeply wanted, and completely worth the less pleasant aspects of this pregnancy.

Oh, no baby has been wanted as much as this one. All the things we've gone through to have him. The emotional and physical pain. The two sweet angel babies that came before him. Trust me, I'm eternally grateful for this darling.

I try to see the positive to all the crazy symptoms. All the crazy vomiting has kept me below my pre-pregnancy weight, despite a tummy that all ready is as big as I was at 25 week with H (seriously!).

I've come to see how ridiculously amazing my children can be. And how understanding and compassionate when Mommy can be barely function due to a migraine or intense exhaustion. It's always lovely to see your babes rise to the occasion, and they definitely are.

And when I lay on the couch at night, I can feel the tiny dancing from inside of the tiniest human in our family. There are seriously no words for how amazing that is.

Regardless though, I'm recording all of this. All of it. I will remember how not-fun this all is. So that when sweet Doodle Bug is a year old (or 3 days old, hormones are funny like that), I don't get any crazy ideas about wanting to reproduce again. Ever again.

J doesn't believe me (I guess my credibility might be shot a little bit), but I'm serious. We will all love and cherish this perfect darling. And revel in the fact he will be the last. (Right....)

I didn't expect the mommy guilt that would come with this pregnancy. When I was pregnant with B, I worried endlessly about whether I was ruining H's life by having another babe and making her not the center of our world. But that passed once B was here.

This go-round I don't have those fears. I know Doodle Bug will be nothing but a wonderful addition, and H and B will be so fortunate to have him. They will rock their sibling roles for Doodle Bug just as they do for each other.

But I'm pretty sure I'm neglecting my kids at this point. I'm just so tired. So. Tired. My energy is shot. I am not the fun, on-the-floor, out-hiking momma I was 14 weeks ago. To the extent that if it were remotely in my budget, they'd both be in school right now just because I feel like they need a little more attention. I mean, they're not complaining fortunately, but I do worry about them.

I know it will be fine though. We will all come out the other end of this like rock stars; and utterly in love with our newest addition. Because really, we all ready are.

I figure the bumpy path for us to eventually hold Doodle Bugs in our arms will make us adore him just that much more. Besides, all good things are worth fighting for. And Lord knows we fought like crazy for this baby.