The Math of Motherhood

I woke up today and realized that it was December 30th.  Tomorrow is my baby girls birthday.  She will be three.  Today is the last day I would have a two year old.  It was overwhelming and sad.  However there was breakfast to be made and lots of chores to do and mothering and laundry...so I didn't dwell on it much.

But tonight I just sat on the bathroom floor and watched her.  Filled with such awe and love for all my children.  I thought about how this is new territory for me.  When Jackson turned three, I had a three month old.  When Libby turned three, I had a 14 month old and was pregnant.  When Cash turned three, I had a 17 month old.  When Penelope turned three, I was seven months pregnant.  And here sits Juliet, turning three, and there is no one.  I have never had a three year old without a younger sibling.

These are the things you think about if you're me.  I don't know if other moms think about these things but I do.  I lie in bed and calculate how far apart they are in age or how old this one will be when this one learns to drive etc.  It is the math of motherhood.

So what I really want to do is look forward, not back.  And I have been given the grace to do so.  I'm getting better at it.  But I am fond of my babies.  I've said it before...heaven for me must involve babies.

Tonight I laid Juliet on her towel after bath and said (as I had been telling her all day) "I can't believe you're going to be three!  You're such a big girl!  Did you know you came out of my tummy?" And she said, "Yes!  In!  Out!  It's opposites!"

Then later I asked her if she would always be my baby.  She said, while sucking her thumb, "uh-uhm.  Will you sing a song with me?"  And so of course I did.  I sang her the Juliet song I made up when she was a baby.  She loves it.  We sing it to the tune of "Are You Sleeping."

Juliet Hope Juliet Hope
I love you Yes I do
You're a precious angel
You're a little darlin'
This is true I love you

Jackson and Cash, Jackson and Cash
They love you, yes they do
They're your big brothers
Like no other
They love you, little Ju Ju

Libby and Pippi, Libby and Pippi
They love you, yes they do
They're your big sisters
They're not misters
They love you, little Ju Ju

Mommy and Daddy, Mommy and Daddy
We love you, Yes we do
You're our precious angel
You're a little darlin'
We love you, yes we do

If you're reading this and you have a baby, or a child of any age, sing to them.  They love it!  I love you Juliet Hope.  I can't wait to see my big three year old tomorrow.

Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas from the J Train!

Here is a photo taken at the Integrity Realty Christmas Party.  I was not there, I had photo appointments.  Jimmy took the children and said that they did these on their own...he didn't
prompt them or go over to the photo set up with them.

I love these photos.  They are wearing their everyday clothes.  Their hair isn't fixed.  They are high on sugar.  But there is a level of teamwork involved here, and this makes my first semester of home school feel like a success.  This was my goal.  A team building year.

Having kids who are healthy, full of personality, and who get along with each other...at least long enough to take a photograph...this is the best gift I could get.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Peace on earth and goodwill to men.

The stars at night, are big and bright...

clap, clap, clap, clap...

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS!  (Thank you Pee Wee Herman.)

The J Train traveled to Texas!  Outside of Houston, exactly, to see my sis Susan and her family for Thanksgiving.  It was awesome!  No crazy meltdowns in the car, no sickness, and lots of cousin fun and good food.  Lots to be thankful for!

We also traveled to San Antonio for a day and visited the Alamo and Riverwalk.  Both were unique and educational. 

One day we visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science and saw lots of cool stuff along with a walk through a butterfly garden.  More cool stuff.

But now we are back and I somehow successfully extracted myself from the front passenger seat of my van, which on trips becomes so packed full of stuff around my legs and on my lap that I can barely move after an 11 hour trip.  But I did and I can and everything's bigger in Texas so maybe my van expanded in square footage somehow.

Thanks Mathews for everything!