Chicks and Treading Water

In between three birthdays, a week long trip, and a baptism, we had a few other fun things in March, and a lot of little things. At the beginning of the month Leland's mom came to stay with us from Texas for Esther's baptism. I failed to get any pictures, but we did play at a park and have some other fun adventures. 

We reached our first 100 hours outside for the year. 

Orion came out his honeymoon phase and started having more and more trauma responses. It is not easy. The only thing that calms him down is physical touch, and let me tell you, sometimes when a kid is having a tantrum, or refusing to comply with what you're asking, or telling how much they don't like you and that you're not their real mom, the last thing you want to do is scoop them up and hug them. But that's exactly what he needs, (and wants, ironically, even if he just told me that he is NEVER LOVING ME AGAIN, I'll ask if he wants to cuddle and it's always an immediate yes) so it's what I try to do. Parenting kids from hard places is the most challenging and humbling thing I've ever done. It's taught me how to be more Christlike than almost anything else ever has. This picture was one I took during one exhausting midnight rocking session, but I had to snap a picture after they both fell asleep on me. 

Four little boys, so much so much so much is four little boys. 

It's dress ups all day everyday over here. On this day they were playing fairies. 

Moses looking like a darling little nymph one cold March day. (The weather this spring has been crazy!)

Fun with friends at Forest School. 

We taught them the great fun of making sled trains. 

And Moses fell asleep on me. 

I don't know if I've mentioned here but my calling at church is weekly activities with the boys and girls ages 8-11. We did lego temples for one activity and it was a hit. The kids were so creative at making their temples!

Israel has been showing his feelings of displacement over the arrival of Orion by trying to go back to sucking on binkies. I have been adamant that the binkies are only for Moses. Israel will sometimes be willing to give them back to me if  I take a picture of him with one in his mouth. So my camera roll is full of pictures like this. 

This day at the park was the coldest day of the year! Brr!

Moses got closer to walking but didn't take his big first steps until April. 

Lots of warm park days too. 

As soon as we got back from our trip we got chicks! I have wanted chickens for years and always found a reason not to, but with food prices going up like crazy I decided we REALLY need to start producing something on our own. So we got 7 chicks (supposedly all hens). And it was an adventure! They were all cute and fluff for the first few days. 

We got 7 chicks, two rhode island reds, three orpingtons, and two easter eggers. One of the rhode island reds died after a couple of days. That was sad. While the chicks were in the house they were a messy hassel. Since they have been outside they have been super low maintenance and Adele can pretty much take care of them all by herself. We all can't wait for the day when they start laying eggs. 

I marked one year of breastfeeding Moses. Even though breastfeeding comes relatively easily for me, I never take it for granted making it to that one year mark. I have had lots of mastitis this time around and various other problems, but I love nursing him and I'm so grateful to have this ability to nourish my babies. 

Some nature journaling after we were stuck at home for a while being sick. 

This was one Friday morning after I got home from walking with my friend, a fellow foster/adoptive mom that I walk with early every friday morning for the past few months. Walking with her and talking through so many things we have in common has been so therapeutic. So this is your little PSA to make time for adult friendships because it is so needed! 

More chick content. 

One day when we went out and forgot a hat for Moses's bald little head. He had to make do with some (clean!) toddler underwear. 

We made our traditional easter egg cookies. 

We've took quite a few walks, as the weather was often bad then good then bad, it was hard to get outside consistently. (a quick walk is a great reset for all of us.) As I've been adjusting to having six kids I have often felt like I'm treading water. Not getting ahead, not even keeping up with half the things I feel like I need to do, just surviving and keeping my head above water. I know it will get easier with time, and I feel dumb even complaining or talking about how hard this is because I know I chose it and brought it upon myself. But! It's not easy. It's ok to choose hard things. It's good to choose hard things. I know someday I'll have time to do things like sweep the kitchen and clean the bathroom and do more than the bare minimum with school. 

And ending with a picture of Esther with an accordian. This was another fun activity days lesson about music.