It's Tiiiimmmmmeeeee

  I am writing this blog post in a rare moment these days- 

I am...are you ready for it? 

 I....am.....ALONE! 

This evening, Lottie took Minnie in the stroller to 

visit her North Carolina grandma, Caroline, who is our closest neighbor.

We share pastures.

She loves Lottie, and Lottie loves her just as much.

Sometimes, she makes Lottie a grilled cheese while Lottie plays with her dog, Jack.

Other times, they bake cookies together with all organic ingredients.

Caroline shares her eggs with us since I gave her all our chickens in the spring.

(Not going to lie- I'm happy there is no more 

chicken poop on my walkway anymore.)

At Christmastime, Caroline also cuts fresh holly from her backyard

and piles it on top of the package bin at the front of our driveway 

because she knows I love to decorate with it.

Earlier this afternoon, Minnie and I got out our fall/Halloween decorations.

One would argue it's too early.

I would disagree, but decided to only put up the fall-ish decor

instead of going full-Halloween.

Minnie was pretty excited about all the new things to look at

and chew on.  I read her a few Halloween stories before her afternoon nap.

I LOVE having a baby around to share all our fun traditions,

stories, songs, and sights with.

I have to pinch myself sometimes because having a baby

around is so much fun.

I Can't

I can't with my cats.

They are THE cutest things in the whole world.

(Besides Minnie, of course.)

The way they lounge lovingly on each other.

The way they play together.

The way they sleep cuddled to each other just about does me in.

I can't give the babies, Carmel and Otis, away.  

I can't.  What am I going to do?

1940

It was really hot this afternoon.

Minnie and I had just come back from a walk in ninety-eight-degree weather.

Afterward, we relaxed on the couch and watched the 1940

Disney movie Fantasia. My favorite part is the one with the Pegasus, the little cherubs,

and the centaurs. To me, it’s the most magical Disney cartoon ever.

She watched the whole segment with me.

After that, she got tired, nursed, and then slept for an hour.

Later in the evening, I was glued to the TV.

I think I've watched every 9/11 documentary out there. 

With the 25th anniversary of that horrible day, there are some new ones, 

and I stayed up late watching them. I still find it hard to believe it actually happened.

That day was so traumatic and confusing for me.

I was eight months pregnant with Claire, wondering if the world was ending.

I watched live on TV as the second airplane crashed into the second tower.

I remember crying and waiting for Christian to get home from school.

He was at BYU in Provo, and I just wanted us to process it together.

School was canceled, so he came home, and we sat in our

bed, snuggled together, asking questions we couldn’t answer and feeling shocked.

Bless everyone whose lives were, and still are, directly impacted.

BEST OF...

 

I am super proud today because Barre3 Chatham Park won in our community

in the BEST OF CHATHAM yoga, Pilates, and barre studios.

Our team has worked SO HARD to get this honor.

I am extremely proud and grateful.

Now, we just need MORE CLIENTS!

If you happen to be in Chatham County, North Carolina,

Join us!

Reading: Good

 

When Minnie was three days old, we took her to the pediatrician

for her first well-child checkup.

The doctor told me how important it was that I read books to her-

and to start reading to her early.

Well, guess what, I KNOW.

I've read to all my kids since day one.

And Minnie has been no different.

We read lots of little books every day, and she loves it.

Even at 7 months, she sits in my lap while I tap the pages and make

noises (which sound an awful lot like ASMR).

I'm so excited to get the Halloween books out!

She's going to love them!

Oliver sent me a photo of him tonight with his buddy Clark

eating dinner together.

He made it back to school in Idaho after a fun summer

living and working in Arizona with Claire & Nate.

 Claire was so sweet to make the 15-hour drive with him in his little truck, 

packed to the brim with all his stuff from AZ to ID.

I miss my kids.

FOMO

Tonight, Minnie would not go to sleep.

I tried.

I rocked.

I soothed.

I bathed.

I fed.

I did everything.

When I started the bedtime process, everyone was gone

at the studio working, and it was just the two of us at home.

This isn't unusual, but for some reason, tonight she was NOT having it.

So I let her stay up until her sisters got home so she could kiss 

and snuggle them before bed.

Then she was out like a light.

I suspect Minnie has a serious case of FOMO.

I guess this is the product of being the youngest 

with big older siblings who are loud and fun.

I Do Now

 Today, I set Minnie on a blanket while I tied the September

 ribbons on my new swing.  Then together we swung while the ribbons

 fluttered in the wind, and she loved it, just as I suspected she would.

We lay together on a blanket in the grass, listening to our cows mooing 

in the nearby pasture where Christian was putting new ear tags in their ears.

Today the weather was September-worthy.

The last few September days have been so hot; it's been bad news.

But today was cool and crisp.  A perfect Labor Day.

Later, Christian held Minnie while I made dinner.

We love this child so much.

She brings immense joy to our home and lives.

God knew what He was doing when He sent her to us.

I didn't always see the vision, but I do now!

Inkling

 

Last year, when I was pregnant with Minnie, I felt intense pain

in my right pinkie finger.

Then I noticed my finger was super crooked,

which was weird because I'd never really noticed it before.

I think my body was in survival mode all the time since 

I was so sick with Minnie that

honestly, my pinkie didn't even phase me.

I was barely living back then.

I visited a hand surgeon today who informed me that I had broken my finger, 

(who knows when)

and it has since fused improperly, which is now causing me constant pain. 

My hands are always in pain anyway, but this is way worse.

He presented several treatment options, but ultimately, 

all of them lead to the same conclusion: amputation.

This is not great news.

I remember months ago, as I was driving in the car

I had a little "inkling" that I'd probably at some point need to get

my pinkie amputated.

It was such a strange thought, but I think that inkling was preparing me.

My fingers are all little soldiers.

I'm so grateful for them, and the little movement I do have.

Is It Possible?

This evening, I went to the studio to take a class, connect with clients,

and celebrate a new instructor joining our team.

Being a business owner is super stressful, especially since

I'm trying to balance motherhood and work.

I'm not good at that balance.

I love teaching classes and being in the studio,

but when I'm home with Minnie, I never want to leave.

I am so thankful for so much support from my family, especially

Christian, who is so supportive and attentive to my goals

with work and instructing while also honoring my desire to be

home with Minnie, like I have been with the previous five Nies.

I only teach twice a week right now and

Minnie comes with me to the studio, and he watches her there.

Tonight, when we got home, I got her ready for bed, but she was not ready

to fall asleep.  She wanted to snuggle up to me and stare at me.

Is it possible to love a child as much as I love her?

Minnie And Me

 Minnie and I spend all day snuggling and nursing.

I don't mind it.

I mean, I don't get much, if anything, else done.

This pic of me pretty much sums up my life:

I have mastered the art of nursing while walking.

Minnie doesn't mind.

Kitty and I are in the same boat these days.

Sometimes I see her wandering around the porch with her two babies

attached to her. Sucking on to dear life.

  It makes me laugh.

Today I found the cat trio in our cooler, nursing.

Kitty's babies don't care where she is; they just want her.

Just like Minnie and me.

This truly has been the summer of babies.

Kitty Tickles

 This morning felt like....I'm going to say it....FALL!  

It was a little cooler than usual. 

I'm all for it.
 I know we are a little way off from fall, but it still felt nice.
I took Minnie to our back porch where the kittens live 

and placed her in her bouncer seat,

and let them tickle and lick her little feet. 

It was adorable.

Minnie loved it and laughed and laughed.

These kitties are making us all so happy.

The Job At Hand

 This afternoon, I decided to take the kitties, Otis and Carmel, on an adventure

to the front yard.  They've been living on our back porch where I can close 

the door and they are protected from who knows what.

One night, when they were literally three days old, a stray cat (probably their father)

came by, and Kitty made the worst sound I've ever heard, so I ran outside

and chased him off the porch.  Then I got worried because we've seen skunks,

raccoons, and groundhogs in our backyard, and I once found a possum chillin 

by the garbage sack on the porch.

Anyway, Otis and Carmel were adorable and loved the grass.

Then it started to rain, so we brought them back in.

Lately, Angus has been camping out under the porch, and I think 

he feels protective of them.

Then I sent Lottie upstairs with Minnie to go through her clothes

 because we are planning our back-to-school shopping next week.

Can anyone focus while holding Minnie?

I think not.

So I went upstairs and got her so Lottie could focus

on the job at hand.

I brought Minnie downstairs where she took a 

nap on the porch swing with Christian.  

Then the rain turned into a full-blown

thunderstorm.  Lottie, who needed an excuse to leave her job,

came downstairs and ran around in the rain like she was 8 again.

I loved it.

The clothes will have to wait.

What's A Sister For?

 Minnie and I spent the morning on the porch swing.

It rained all night, and this morning we woke up to humidity

and sun.   

The house feels quiet and sad.

I miss our visitors.

I think Minnie does too.

Lottie and I began sorting through her clothes in preparation 

for our back-to-school shopping next week. However, 

Lottie has a short attention span of only 60 seconds for activities like this.

So she did this with Minnie instead:

What's a sister for?

Goodbye

 This morning we attended church together, and I cried 

during the opening song, thinking about all my kids sitting

with me on the same bench.

Oh, how I will miss filling the pew up!

We came home and packed everyone up, and then, just like that,

everyone was gone.

Minnie took a long nap, and I cleaned up.

I think cleaning up was therapeutic for me.

Until it wasn't.

Because Minnie woke up, and I changed her pants and 

broke down because Claire was the last to change her before

her nap.  That made me really sad.

Whyyyy do we have to live so far away?

(Mom, I know how you feel!)