January--the rest of the story

Honestly after the rush of the holidays, the normal life was well, easy, and a bit boring. However, probably in my pride of thinking things were going really well, and, wow, I am really good at this household management stuff....I had sort of an emotional breakdown last week sometime, completely overwhelmed by the children, the pregnancy, and cooking dinner. It was just too much. So, my husband ordered me out of the house and on a solo vacation to a spa/resort for the weekend. Boy, he's tough on me! For two nights and two days...I completed all my thoughts, prayed,  crocheted my son a hat, ate wonderful food that somebody else cooked, read, walked eight miles, went to a hot springs, and, yes, got a massage. I was so refreshed!! When I returned the washing machine was still broken and I got the stomach flu, which is, hmmm, unpleasant at 25 weeks pregnant. I have since recovered, as has the washer. Here's a few recent pictures of the kids. 

Let the games begin...we're potty training Priya, shown here doing a little panty jig.

Priya is also learning to dress up. This is her attempt to look like a crazy bag-lady, I suppose.

We got a new shipment of the material with which I make rugs. The kids have played with this box for days.

Out with the old....in with the new.

The newer improved belly for 2009. I'm 24 weeks and feeling great. I've gained almost 20 lbs. I only gained 26 total with each of my other pregnancies, but I was thinner than I've been since high school before I got pregnant this time. So, I'm not too concerned. 

Priya got her first haircut to welcome in the new year. I cut more than I wanted, but the mullet is gone, folks. She shook her head the whole time; she's lucky it doesn't look worse. Right after this photo, her fingers got a little cookie dough on them. She was saying "yucky," I told her to lick them. In a flash she had licked them and grabbed a handful more to shove in her mouth. I should have left her ignorant. 
We used some Christmas money to buy Silas (and eventually Priya) this aspen log trundle bed, a Craig's list gem from Crested Butte. There is not a mattress for the bottom yet. So, we're using it for shoes and toys right now. Next summer sometime, the "big kids" will sleep in the trundle and the baby will be in their room in a crib. The first night Silas slept in his new, high bed, Christian gave him a great talk about growing up, kitty, and thumb-sucking. Happy to report that Silas has not seen kitty since, nor sucked his thumb. 

Just for fun

If you want to see the Christmas posts...scroll down. Here's a shot of Priya with her very first OREO. 

The nativity

The kids were in a live nativity scene on Christmas Eve at our little church (30 out of the 50 members are under 5 years old.) Silas was Joseph and his little friend Kate was Mary. As soon as they were dressed, Silas said, "Kate I wanna walk around with you a wittle bit. Hold my hand." Whoever cast the play made a good match. Although not convincingly middle-eastern looking, Silas and Kate had the mutual affection part of the role down. Of course, everyone was adorable and of course, there were complications. Joe decided that the "wise man" needed to give his gift to baby Jesus. The wise man wanted to keep holding it, so he hit Joe, who fired one back before I could wisper, "It's ok if he wants to hold the gift." Priya was a sheep and did fine with her job of meandering about, but couldn't remember her one line, "baabaa," and instead kept yelling, "BABY, BABY, " when she saw what Mary held in her arms. I thought she would tackle Mary to get to the baby, but the sweet little song ended just in time.

Our merry little Christmas

Things have been, well, absurdly busy. Our family now has five children 3yrs old and younger, and two pregnant mammas. So, Christmas is just, mmmm, crazy. Sorry for the delayed posting. Here's our tree, which was going to be a table topper and ended up to be 12 feet when we brought it home, with all the presents from Alabama underneath. We celebrated at home on Christmas Eve, in order to avoid the too many kids too many presents problem on Christmas morning at grandma's. This was a really good idea.  

In addition to the indoor tree, we decorated a few outside and hung jingle bells from our windows. Here's a cool photo that Christian snapped looking out our wintery window. 

And, the presents...Silas got a wooden train set that he loves. 

Priya got a phone and a lot of clothes for herself and her dolls. 

Of course, the favorite present of all...cousin Titus got a handmade motorcycle swing that came in a box full of pink peanuts...the box and the peanuts topped all others..