Lately

I measured the kids tonight right before I put them to bed. They have all grown around one to two inches since December. December feels like just yesterday (maybe it is the snow in May?...) so it was mind boggling to see how much my little beans have sprouted.

Today was a glorious day. We had the missionaries for dinner and then spent the rest of the evening outside just soaking all the sun and perfect temperatures in. Winter and Spring have been going through a bitter divorce each trying to come away with more time in the calendar. Because of this when you have a good day you take it and we did.

I have been really enjoying how life has slowed down, even just a teeny bit this past week. The kids are all done with a lot of their activities and so they have had a lot more time to get bored--and then dig deeper into a great imaginative game. I love watching them all interact with each other as they grow, their personalities are changing and they are figuring out how they fit in the family.

Sydney has been especially fun to watch. At her worst moments she is like dealing with an adult who always gets their way and wins every debate. She can be exhausting in her worst moods. Knowing this, we are all making an effort to make her feel special and adored before the drama dragon demands attention. Sometimes the payoff is cuteness and sometimes it is a headache, but I love her fiercely no matter how hard she makes every day tasks. It helps me when I notice the special little things about her:
Like how lately...
She wants to watch a particular cooking show on YouTube and then spends hours making mud cakes, paper cookies, and other interesting concoctions.
She pays attention to Micah and tries to mother him by helping him get dressed and holding his hand when we cross the street.
How she sings and remembers lyrics and has a pretty fierce little vibrato for an almost 4 year old.
How she suddenly became confidant and outgoing and gets attached to unlikely people and then is affectionate and doting to them. (She brings gifts to the Primary first counselor and kissed my neighbor goodbye. Both people I am totally intimated by, but she just loved them like only a sweet little Syd could.)
How she picks on Jadon but really wants his attention. How she just beams when he gives her attention and lets her play with him.

Micah is also growing through a personality spurt. He completly melts my heart when he "asks me to dance.' He loves to hold my hands and sway to the music. Jason thinks he is a total suck up, but I hope he is noticing how many brownie points my boys get if they will dance with me!

Micah has also enjoyed how life has slowed down because the kids have had less school so they have played with him more. I am so glad that they are all good buddies. Sydney calls him, "Budda" Jadon calls him, "Mikes" and Noelle calls him "Mo." We all love having him around.

The one hard thing with Micah these days is that he hates church. He starts to whine the second we sit down and it doesn't matter how many snacks or books or toys I bring. I always end up in the hall with him trying to pull me all the way out to the car. I just don't know how to convince him to like church.

Noelle took these pictures for me which is why she isn't in any of them. I will write about her and Jadon in my next couple of posts.