Wiley Family Vacay: Day 5

Today started with a fun surprise...last night, a turtle had laid her eggs right near our tents. She laid them fairly close to the rising shoreline and they were going to need moving. So, bright and early, the Turtle Patrol group was out in the sand, digging up and moving the eggs back about 20 yards. We got to watch as all 88 eggs were carefully lifted out and placed in a bucket. Then the hole was carefully measured and exactly replicated to where the eggs were being moved.

 

Once the turtles were moved, we quickly headed home to finish breakfast and get ready for the beach. The sun was out and we wanted to soak it up! Today, we all had a little fun boogie boarding. Wiley, you've been a little more timid this year compared to last, but that was gone today and your daredevil self was back! At one point, you rode one wave that was probably a little too big for you and it flipped you feet over head, over the front of your boogie board. A little shaken up, but you hopped right up and were ready to keep going. Ry, you've decided the beach is okay and you don't mind playing in the sand, but you'd rather be swimming in the pool.

 

After naps, it was almost time for Daddy and I to get ready for date night, but we had promised the pool after naps. Ryan and Wiley, you and I headed down and had the pool nearly to ourselves. The bravery in the pool continued and you spent most of the time without life jackets on. Daddy and Charleigh joined us for a little while too.

Daddy and I were thankful for a night out together to celebrate eight years of marriage. Charleigh, you tagged along while your brothers stayed to play with cousins. We realized as we were driving to dinner, that it was on this date last year that your Daddy and I played the what if / name game..."But what if we get pregnant...and what if it's a girl...what are some names we like?" There we were, wishing, hoping, and brainstorming names for an impossible pregnancy, not even knowing we were already two weeks pregnant with you, Squish! And now, here you are, one year later on that same anniversary date with us; God is so awesome!

 

After a nice dinner, we came home just in time to stroll to the beach with all the cousins to release a crab, have some ice cream, and play a quick game of Twister. Our week is just flying by - today was another great day of vacation and more memories made!

 

Wiley Family Vacay: Day 4

Today was the first day we all slept in (and by sleeping in, I mean 6:30!). It was another rainy, gray day and I could feel the cabin fever starting to creep in (it was too early to already be fussing at cooped up, hyper little boys because...well, who could blame you! I was feeling it too!).

Around 8:30, we decided to head to the beach to enjoy some time down there for as long as the rain would hodl off (and we ended up getting a solid two hours in down there!). You all enjoyed burying Nenny in the sand, getting buried again yourselves, blowing giatn bubbles, and playing in the ocean. A quick downpour sent us packing and heading home for lunch and nap. While rinsing off, we heard the ice cream truck. It was the perfect day for what seems to be our tradition now - one day of ice cream for lunch! After some Batman and Ninja Turtle ice cream, we snuggled up for a nap (you all are doing so much better this year and passing out pretty quickly down here).

 

 

 

Nearing two hours into your nap, I snuck in to snuggle up and wake you boys up...the sun was shining and it was time to jump in the pool! We spent the afternoon swimming and you boys stepped up the bravery level. Vests were off and you were jumping off of the steps and practicing your swimming.

 

We headed back to the house to unwind (Wiley, we snuck away for beach time again! You are our beach baby and definitely prefer it to the pool), eat some dinner, and then take some pictures of you three on the beach.We sure adore you three munchkins and so cherish these family memories we are making.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wiley Family Vacay: Day 3

My morning started bright and early, somewhere between 4:30 and 4:45, Gulf Shores' time. So, I headed back to the beach for some quiet reading. Once back at the house, and breakfast on the porch, a thunderstorm had moved in. Since the morning would be spent trapped indoors, we offered to make the grocery run for our floor's night to cook.

 

Even though it was only 10:30, you boys conked out on the drive. I stayed in the car to let you snooze, while Daddy grabbed the groceries...and what a crazy 30 minutes we had!! Little Miss, you had a major blowout...and Mommy made a rookie move, forgetting diapers!

Once finally home, laundry going, and lunch made, we headed to the pool for a bit, before another storm rolled in. The cousins all cuddled up for The Lion King and some time to unwind...which didn't last more than 20 minutes. After being cooped up all day, things got a little rowdy - but what can you expect with five boys between the ages of 3 and 7, and two younger tag along shadows! Wiley, after asking all day, and once the rain had stopped, you and I were able to sneak away for some quick, one-on-one time down at the beach.

 

  

 

After dinner, Daddy and Aunt Callie helped occupy the boys by taking you all upstairs to bake cookies. Even though it was an ugly day weather-wise, it was still another great day of vacation.

I have to say though, the highlight of my day, may have been the final two hours of the day. I got to do bedtime with you boys tonight - usually a challenging task. Tonight, it was beyond peaceful. Listening to quiet music, you quickly drifted off while I was able to pray you boys and your life, as well as for your Daddy and I - that we would continue to follow God's lead in all our parenting decisions. Sneaking out of your room, I continued a peaceful evening of prayer and reflection on the beach. I feel like I'm in such a sappy and sentimental stage of my life right now, but I just adore our life and these memories we are making. I desperately want to press pause and soak it all up because before I know it these moments will be gone. Today was a good day, Little Ones, and I'm so thankful for all we have.

Wiley Family Vacay: Day 2

Even though it had been such a long day yesterday, we all were up pretty early (5:30 Gulf Shores' time, 6:30 our bodies' time( and ready to start our first full day of vacation. Wiley, you and I enjoyed an early morning walk on the beach. We went back home for more oranges to munch on and found Ry awake. The three of us headed back out for part two of our walk. After you boys pooped out from "too much walking," you went back home to see Daddy, while I enjoyed some quiet church time on the beach. Not a bad way to start our vacation.

Once back at the house, we began the long process of getting everyone ready for the beach. You three boys headed down first around 8:00, while I stayed behind to wait for Charleigh to wake up. By 10 AM, the five of us were all on the beach, along with the rest of the family. We spent the morning jumping waves, building sand castles, and burying babes before heading in for lunch and naptime around 11:00.

 

 

 After lunch and a quick book, all four of us (Daddy, skipping out) enjoyed a much needed nap. (What a fabulous adjustment to last year when not one nap was had the entire week!)

Once we were all up, it was back out to the pool. You boys were pretty fearless last year, but even more so this year! Jumping in without anyone to catch you, going under with no problem, and swimming around the entire pool. Ry, you took your life jacket off and jumped off the side to me, loved hanging onto the ladder and going under, and practiced swimming a bit to the ledge. You don't much like taking the life jacket off, but if you keep it up, you may just be swimming without it by the end of the summer. You even learned how to float today, little guppies!

 

 

  

Once back home it was time to wind down, a few quite minutes on the beach just me and you three, dinner, and an easy bedtime. Today was jam packed and everything a vacation day should be. For now, it is time to sleep though because tomorrow, we do it all over again!

 

 

Wiley Family Vacay: Day 1

Well, here we are, just a few weeks later and it's time to load up the car again - this time for vacation with the Wiley family. Nearly the same game plan and route down, we pulled out of the driveway at 3 AM and headed south for Gulf Shores.

While you guys did pretty good on our first drive south, we definitely tried to push it too much, paying for it in the final hour and a half of the drive. So this time, we decided to take our time, giving you plenty of stretch breaks - and it paid off! We stopped to see the rocket ship we missed last time (Wiley: "This is not a real rocket ship that's gonna blast off, this just a decoration rocket ship, Ryan!"), plus two more stops with playplaces so you could run around. Char, you did awesome too! You had an upset stomach in the morning, so by 10 AM, you were in your third outfit, but other than that, you were a trooper with very little fussing.

Once in town, we enjoyed a laid back night on the beach. After a long day and being awake for 20 hours, we all crashed hard and fast.

Yay for a great first day and happy little boys with very little, if any, meltdowns!

3 Months

How, oh how, is it three months already?

• You now weigh 13 pounds and 3 ounces. You are wearing 3, 3-6, and some 6 month sized clothing, as well as size 2 diapers already. 
• You are officially and consistently sleeping through the night already. You go down each night somewhere between 8:30 and 10:30, depending on the day and you wake up somewhere between 6 AM and 7:30 AM. After a quick morning feed, you go right back to bed for your best nap of the day. You usually don't wake up and start your day until somewhere between 10 AM and 11 AM. After some breakfast and playtime with your brothers, it's down for another nap (usually starting somewhere between 11:30 and 12:30). After another afternoon feed, you'll take another nap somewhere around 2:30 and 3:30, typically lasting another hour and half to two hours. You may catch another catnap or two between five and bedtime, depending on what the days holds. You are amazingly flexible though and adapt well to our busy schedules!
• You continue to love tummy time and are starting to rock just a little bit when on your stomach. Slow down, Sister, we aren't ready for any kind of mobility yet!
• You have begun batting and reaching for toys this month too. 
• Your legs are constantly a kicking and a moving. That combination, with your love for bath time, makes for a fun, splash-filled time!
• You have been teething most of this month, and while none have broken through yet, you are a drooling mess! You can't hold a teething ring yourself, so you have adapted and taken to chomping on your poor little tongue (and you have the bruises to prove it!). You haven't been too fussy though, just a couple nights so far where you had trouble falling asleep. 
• You are just as happy as can be -- cooing like crazy, blowing bubbles with your mouth, and smiling all the time. You especially light up for your brothers, with the most precious twinkle in your eye. This month you even gave us your first giggle!

Oh, Ms. Charleigh Jo, where is the time going? Please stop growing so quickly!

You are an absolute dream, Peanut, and you have stolen all of our hearts.

 

  

 

It Won't Be Like This For Long

Since you boys were born, we've really tried to soak up every moment and stage parenthood has thrown our way - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Recently, we've found ourselves in another trying stage. And while Daddy and I keep telling one another, "It's only a stage," and we know this to be true, it can still be trying in the middle of the storm.

You boys are trying to find your independence all while every adult around you (mainly myself and Daddy) is constantly telling you what you can and cannot do. It is a normal battle of power struggle, but still a frustrating one for each of us.

This week has been an especially difficult one; meltdowns reaching an all time high. We can rationalize each meltdown you have and understand perfectly why you are having them...but in the middle of them, it is difficult, to say the least.

A few nights ago, I was mindlessly wandering Pinterest when I came across a "suggested" article about managing meltdowns and strong-willed children (creepy! I had not searched for anything, but I was grateful it popped up). The article was about the difference between being rigid and flexible. It suggested giving the example of a popsicle stick (rigid and snaps when pushed against) vs a pipe cleaner (flexible, bends, and can return to it's original state when pushed against).

I shared the example with you boys. Together we snapped a popsicle stick and realized it hurt us when it snapped, it couldn't be put back together. We came up with examples of when we had all three been popsicle sticks and snapped. Then we saw how flexible a pipe cleaner was and thought of examples of when we'd all been flexible when things didn't go our way. I could tell you were truly getting it!

Five minutes later, Wiley you asked for chocolate milk (knowing I had just told you, no more chocolate milk, but you could now have regular milk). I reminded you of the answer and I could immediately see your body tense, your shoulders come up, and I knew a meltdown was in store. I looked at you, you sighed and relaxed your shoulders, and said, "Ok, Mommy. I have regular milk. See I a pipe cleaner!" Tears in my eyes, we celebrated this momentous breakthrough!! You had completely gotten it!

Just a few hours later, you awoke from naptime, to have probably our most difficult afternoon in a long time. How could we go from such an incredible breakthrough to such a trying afternoon? After an hour of meltdown after meltdown, Daddy was home to save the day and help calm us all down.



Today, I had to put on my educator / intervention hat and use what I know works in the classroom and pray it would work in our home too. We are all working really hard to be great listeners (on the first time!), as well as "pipe cleaner kids," as you've named it! You both worked really hard to earn pompoms for your small cups. As soon as the small cups are full (and they nearly are after just one day), you get to pick a reward from the green paper and dump your pompoms into the bigger container. Once the big container is full, we will pick an even bigger celebration from the blue paper!

 

It was so great to have a new energy in our house today. It was a more positive place again. It was a place bursting with pride (Mommy proud of her boys and two little boys proud of all the pompoms being earned). It was a place of peace, love, and laughter.

Typically Daddy does bedtime with you boys, but tonight I got to snuggle with you in bed. Bedtime can sometimes be a difficult time in our house too. But again, the peace continued tonight. I loved tickling your faces and singing to you, as I watched you drift into sleep. The final song on our lullaby playlist tonight, "It Won't Be Like This For Long."

It won't be like this for long.
One day soon that little girl is gonna be all grown up and gone.
Yeah this phase is gonna fly by;
He's trying to hold on.
It won't be like this for long.  

What a perfect reminder!! Not only will these difficult moments not be like this for long, but neither will these precious moments either. I won't always be able to snuggle you to sleep and watch you drift off. So in the midst of the madness, we are still soaking up the joy and small quiet moments too. Soon you three will all be grown (it sounds silly when you're only three years old and three months old, but I know it's going to be just a blink!) and this will all be a distant memory. So we soak it up!

Parenting is hard.
Parenting is messy.
There is no one size fits all answers for the challenges thrown our way.

But there is one thing that is always there and that is our love for you. Your Daddy and I love you all fiercely and just want to do what is best for you. Even in the middle of this difficult week, there have been moments where we wanted to scream, and one of us would look at the other and point out how completely pure and innocent you boys are. We are far from perfect and have absolutely made countless mistakes as parents, but we hope you three never doubt our love for you. You make us so very proud. Sometimes I just watch you play and can't help but tear up knowing we made something so precious. You are so loved little ones. In the good. In the bad. In the great moments and in the small ones. We love you.