Growing Up

To say life has been a little crazy around here would be true.  The transition to eight really has gone well, but as with any major life changes, there have been glitches, so to speak.

The kids love, love, love Henry.  And, they all want to help out.  But, I feel they all want to help at once, and maybe whoever yells the loudest will get picked?  Or whoever whines the most from not getting picked may be chosen the next time? 

Whatever it is, right now our home is a lot louder and a tiny bit more dramatic.  Maybe more than a tiny bit actually.  All the while, I'm trying to not lose my cool when the child who once rarely complained is now whining at every turn.

As has happened in the past, I know life will normalize, and we'll get into a new groove.  In fact, we are closer every day.  

But, for now, I find myself getting lost on my phone while feeding Henry, checking Facebook mindlessly, and trying to not miss a minute of our captured life on Instagram.

And, sometimes I feel that it's draining.  I don't really know why.  Maybe it's because my introverted nature needs quiet or something mindless to recompose and recharge.  Or maybe it's because I sometimes feel guilty being too "plugged in" - I am trying to find a balance.  Because, sometimes I see moms post of their children who are now teens and how it has all happened way too fast.  Those moments I just want to follow my children around like a dog on a leash, not missing a moment.  Then the fighting and whining and whatever-is-not-going-right happens, and I already need another break. Ha!

So, I feel I will always struggle with holding on and letting go...with each of my babies, those I love, and the silly things like Instagram and it's ability to store our memories for a day when we want to look back and cry over how quickly time has passed (see, it's such a catch-22).

Anyway, life is good.  It always is.  It's just a bit more chaotic now, but I think that happens when hearts are opened to loving more.  

So, while I'd like to do more (and often do at the expense of missing the quiet moments), our daily happenings are a little something like this as of late.

Getting dressed.

Combing hair.

Doing a little school, cleaning up of the toys (x1572), meal-making, baby-feeding, request fielding, cartoon watching, and basic life living.

Taking a bit of time to "stop" and just recompose.

And, adding some comic relief.

If I have too much time to think right now, as these hormones normalize, too, I become a big puddly mess of my-kids-will-leave-soon-and-I'll-always-miss-them-being-little.  I have to steer myself away from that almost hourly.  And, then I kick myself for having my phone too close, too much.  So, I guess the distraction of their drama right now is a welcomed one.  I know they won't stop growing up. I just pray I get used to it!