My Amazing Weekend

Here's why my weekend was so great:

Saturday:
My husband woke up and told me to go have a day to myself, so without a moment's hesitation I took a nice long shower, got myself ready for the day, fed the baby, and took off. I got a pedicure at a day spa, where the atmosphere was peaceful and I was pampered like the spoiled brat that I am. And then I did a little bit of shopping. I ended up trying on jeans, which I had no intention of doing for at least a few months - my new baby is only 4 weeks old, you know. But I was pleasantly surprised when the experience wasn't at all depressing, and I ended up with a cute, comfortable pair of jeans. It's amazing what a new pair of jeans can do for your mood. Putting them on this morning made me smile, and I felt like a more stylish, put-together version of myself when I dragged the kids to Walmart for our weekly grocery shopping.

I was gone for 4 hours, and my hubby would have been fine if I'd stayed gone longer, but that little break from the kids left me feeling incredibly rejuvenated. I came home smiling and laughing, with huge hugs for the kids and my sweetheart, who had managed to clean the house while I was gone! I am so blessed to have a husband who works hard, then comes home and helps out with the house and kids, and gives me time to myself as often as possible. Love you, sweetie!

Sunday:
This year we go to church from 9 to noon. While I love this schedule because of the full day left after church is over, I don't love trying to get the kids dressed and out the door that early. With the birth of our new baby, we actually haven't attempted the entire 3 hours until yesterday, so I was a little nervous. By some miracle, I arrived at church at 8:55 with 5 kids in tow. I didn't lose my temper once, even as I balanced feeding a newborn and trying to control a very naughty 4-year-old and an even naughtier 17-month-old. And then I sat at the piano in primary for 2 hours and the baby slept the entire time! I think John was shocked when we got home and I wasn't crying like I usually am after 3 hours of wrestling the kids at church. I chalk my success up to 3 things: having mostly boys, who require nothing more than a comb through their hair and some gel to look smashingly handsome; a husband who always asks if there's anything he can do to help as I'm running around like a mad woman on Sunday mornings; and a little help from above, because I'm trying to do what I believe is right by dragging my kids to church every week. :)

I hope that your weekend was as wonderful as mine!

Introducing....

Zachary Shane Bell
Born December 27th
7 lbs, 9 oz
20 1/2 inches long

There's a new man in my life, and I'm head-over-heels in love. Zachary came to us two days after Christmas, and he's the sweetest little addition to our family. Even Aidan, who isn't quite 17 months old, adores his little brother. I only hope that Zach can survive the "love" of his siblings, who aren't always as gentle with him as I think they should be.

It's been two and a half weeks, and I haven't even found the time to blog. Life is a little crazy with 5 kids. Right now I'm trying to be satisfied with just getting the kids where they need to go - to school in the morning, doctor and dentist appointments, music and dance lessons, etc - and keeping everyone clothed and fed. The house is staying reasonably clean, mostly because of my sweet, hard-working husband. But I should be straightening up right now and trying to tackle something on my gigantic to-do list. Instead, I'm taking a moment while Aidan and Zach are both sleeping to update my poor, neglected blog.

I have to admit, I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed still. Aidan is teething, and doesn't usually sleep through the night, so my nights are a juggling act. If one baby isn't awake, the other one is. John was such a huge help for the first week while he was home, but now I'm trying to take care of things so that he can work without falling asleep. There are days when I'm pretty sure I'm not going to survive, but luckily there are good days, too. I'm so sleep deprived, and still not feeling 100%. But I really love being a mom. Each of my kids is so special to me, and they bring me so much joy.

I have so much more I want to say, but the baby's ready to eat....again! At least I got some pictures on. Hopefully I'll have time to post again before he reaches adulthood.....