Spring Things

Big celebrations happened when I made it past 35 weeks. For one day. And then I said, "So this baby can come out now, right?" I have lost all patience with being pregnant this month. 

I had a panic attack one night upon realizing I had spent approximately 0 minutes envisioning what life would be like with a newborn. We were up 3+ times in the night with Carson who has, for the umpteenth time, started waking up again several times a night. Then I realized in a few short weeks we're going to have all our other kids' nighttime wakings plus the nighttime wakings of a newborn and I lost a whole night's sleep stressing about the lack of sleep I'll be getting and my unpreparedness for it. 

I had an appointment this week and got an unexpected ultrasound! Baby looked great and was measuring a few days ahead of what we thought. I'm 37 weeks and dying to get this little dude here to see how we manage as a family of six. *skeptical face emoji*

For those wondering what *skeptical face emoji* looks like:

In the meantime, we wait! Some of us spend our time waiting by repeatedly injuring our forehead. As soon as his rug burn healed, Lincoln fell down our front porch steps and smacked his head straight onto the concrete in the exact same place! Poor kid!

Lincoln is very aware of his surroundings and cues. Lincoln roams around the older boys' room while we read them their bedtime stories every night. Then the boys hop in bed and we sing them each a song. Lincoln has begun hopping in Carson's bed as I finish the books, maybe hoping I won't notice he doesn't really belong and he'll get to spend the night in the big boy room. Carson is not a fan of the arrangement and doesn't let Lincoln go unnoticed.

 After asking Carson to get dressed one morning, he emerged like so and proudly assured me, "Mom. It may look like my shirt and pants are sewed together. But they're not."

He spent a week dressing in the same colored shirt and pants in an effort to trick everyone who saw him into thinking he was wearing a onesie. Carson is always one to make a fashion statement!

Eli has begun doing morning exercises. He has a way of getting everyone pumped after breakfast with a round of 60 push ups. 

I still view Lincoln as a baby...until he puts a beanie on and looks like Carson's twin, making me think he might just be growing up after all!

One day after school, Eli was caught sharing his umbrella with his friend. He's always one to notice when someone needs help and to take care of others.

That same friend from above has a younger brother Carson's age and a younger sister Lincoln's age. We've become good friends with this family and often get our kids together. Carson's friend showed up one day wearing a shirt Carson also had, so Carson ran up to change so they could spend their play date in twinner shirts. 

Carson enjoys expertly zipping down my parents' steep driveway now that it's warming up outside. 

Lincoln thinks he's skilled enough to keep up with Carson but I don't quite trust him yet. 

Thankfully Lincoln is generally cautious and understanding of his capabilities. Unfortunately, his scope of capabilities is still more than what I'm comfortable with even though he is cautious and tends to have an understanding of the law of gravity. He still climbs on everything and seeks adventure, but he rarely falls or attempts to do something he can't handle. So when he goes climbing on big rocks at playgrounds, I just gulp, sigh, and trust he'll make it to the other side. He always does!

The only time Eli will pose for the camera is when I promise to send the picture to his Grandmas on their missions. This one's for you, Grandmas!

Linky makes a break for the trampoline every time the back door is opened. He makes a break for the back door every time he spots a deer charging towards him while he's on the trampoline. (Okay, that's only happened once, but he was traumatized for a week.)

Still loves baby. Let's take a *knock on wood* moment to appreciate that Lincoln, the great climber, has not once ever attempted to climb out of his crib. He totally could. Easily. Gracefully. Without question. But yet every time I put him in bed, he obediently plops down and goes right to sleep. Bless this son.

Let's take a moment to appreciate Becky who apparently is the mother Lincoln never had. While it deceptively looks like he's getting the cold shoulder from her, what was actually going on is Lincoln spent all day today snuggled up next to my sister demanding cuddles through both sessions of conference. He would occasionally sit next to me, but as soon as he saw a free moment to share a couch with Becky, he would look at me and say, "By Becky" and then run across the room to her. 

Whenever Becky comes over, if she doesn't acknowledge Lincoln, he gets offended and pouty and then immediately lights up when she realizes he needs her attention. It's the sweetest thing. 

We will end with some art work because it's just my favorite. Here's Carson. He wrote the whole alphabet. And then at the end finished it with "Now I know my ABCs next time won't you sing with me." Complete with an American Castle, a spider web and a rocket.

Eli has taken to signing his paper like so:

Carson wrote down his lifelong aspirations one afternoon. From what I gather it says something along the lines of, "I want to be when I grow up ... a skydiver and American Army."