Milestones

It seems like it's been a while since I've updated.  Have I mentioned having 4 kids is a little busy?  They are all growing so fast I feel like I can't keep up.

First, we took Sophia to get her ears pierced.  We've done it with all our girls and we've heard all the passionate speeches about how wrong that is.  Everyone has their own opinion on it.  We did it.  What's done is done.

Our newest little angel is also rolling over.  She's quite fast and squirms and scoots all over the floor.  She is beautiful and happy all the time.  Everywhere we go, people say, "She is so pretty.  People say that, but she really is a beautiful baby!"  Thanks.  I think so!

Cade had a birthday.  How is it possible he is seven already?  Next year he'll be getting baptized and that freaks me out a little.  I do not feel old enough to have a child that old.

For his birthday we went to the zoo so he could spend the day with animals.  He loves nothing more than animals and I am convinced he will grow up to be a zookeeper, a vet, or go in to some other animal-related field for his occupation.

 Cade with a lemur stuffed animal he got for his birthday.  It is currently his favorite animal.

 Watching the monkey.

Ali, cute as ever.  She has shown an interest in wanting to learn to read, so we've been working on that.  Most days she just wants to play with Eliza or hold Sophia and that's ok, too.  She has me fix her hair 12 times a day in different styles depending on who she's pretending to be for that moment.  

Eliza's passion is art.  

We can't leave any kind of marking tool out or she picks it up and colors on anything that is near.  This includes walls, furniture, her skin and/or her baby sister.

She is very detail oriented.  She points out to me what she is drawing when she draws people - including eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, ears and cheeks.  And they must be happy.

I was so proud of Cade - while he is still fearfully shy, he did the rock climbing wall at the zoo.  Yay!

Then, that next Saturday morning we had a kid born!

 This was going to be the kid that our kids raised and then hopefully sold to earn some of their own money and learn responsibility and all that.  His mama's name is Starlight and they quickly agreed on naming him Midnight since he was black.

Unfortunately, he only lived a few days.  We're not sure what happened, but they went out one morning to feed the animals and found him in the little shelter.  They were sad, but thankfully not devastated.

One last picture of how I've been finding Cade lately when I check on him before I go to bed.

He barely has room in his bed to sleep because it is full of stuffed animals and piles of books.  He reads out loud to his animals before he goes to bed.  Usually they are informational books about animals.  If he's read some during the day and doesn't want to start over, he'll give them a summary of what they missed.  

Today we had a neighbor stop by and introduce herself (to apologize for her dog trying to get in our yard the other day).  She came right as we were cleaning up dinner and as we stood there talking, the kids came out.  I watched her eyes get big and then she counted, "One, two, three, four?!  Wow - you all must not have figured out what causes that!"  By the tone in her voice, it seemed like she was only half-joking.  After a little bit she told me about a church down the street that does a bible study class in the morning and how I should do that because then I could "dump my kids" for a while.  Something inside me wanted to turn around and shut the door in her face.  Instead, I just said, "I actually like my kids.  We like being together.  In fact, I homeschool and we enjoy it."  She was floored and continued to insult me (I don't think on purpose, she just obviously didn't know how anyone could enjoy having so many children) until she finally left.  She only has one child (who is now 24) and is going through a divorce.  

It was a great opportunity for me to realize how lucky I am.  I have four wonderful, beautiful children.  I love them and know how blessed I am that we have been able to have so many little miracles come into our lives.  How sad it is to think that so many see children as a burden to be endured until they are finally grown and gone.  I didn't say it was easy or always a joy.  We have our rough days.  A lot of them.  But, all in all, I like being a mother.  In fact, I love it.  And I love my kids.  All four of them and wouldn't want it any other way.