My Beauties!

It's taken 7 weeks but I finally took my first picture of all 5 together. I kept waiting until they were all awake, happy, dressed, etc. Finally this morning I just took a picture when 4 of them were already laying together. I quickly called in #5 (Mr. P who was watching cartoons) and snapped it.

I earned a gold star!

I should get a gold star for my chart! I took all the kids to the library today. We had a nice snack in the coffee shop and then read books and played games/toys for a couple of hours. Baby George of course slept the whole time! I'm getting better at being able to go places with all 5 in tow! I owe it all to the nanny (my awesome double stroller).
I added a music list to my blog...I was singing this tune to myself on the way home...since I was feeling so successful:)
Also, today is the 2 year anniversary 0f Busy Guy's homecoming!!! It's also his Patron Saint Day...Saint Moses of Ethiopia. Go here to read all about his homecoming and about St. Moses.

Fun Day

We had such a fun day yesterday. We went into the city with the babies, Busy Guy and Mr. P. We had a wonderful time exploring the local market. Tuba had a fun day with Grandma Sue going to the beach.

Tuba loves the beach!

Having yummy fish and chips for lunch.

Introduction to french fries...yum!

Baby George napped and nursed...he is the easiest baby.

Her shirt says it all...I love Mommy!

Okay...and Papa too.

The "nanny" is what I call our awesome stroller. It made the day so easy.

I brought home a huge bundle of flowers.

Sleeping Beauty

As I was preparing lunch she went to sleep. The boys laughed and laughed. They are so entertained by the babies.

Memory Eternal

My beautiful and loving friend Marianne passed from this life yesterday. I mourn for this wonderful woman. She was THE best person, friend, mother, grandma, and mother-in-law. Marianne was great at giving the best advice...especially marital advice. I thank you Marianne for all the great advice you have given me. Marianne had a wonderful and long marriage and that is what I want too. I will try to emulate her many wonderful qualities....especially her love for the Lord and her ability to laugh and have fun each day.
To read more loving words about Marianne and see her beautiful picture go to http://saintandrewwomen.blogspot.com/. This puts into words how so many of us are feeling today. Our dear friends Vern and Cheryl lovingly made Marianne's coffin and lining. It is beyond beautiful. Go here to see it.
An Orthodox funeral and the practices of preparing the body for burial are beautiful. I find these practices very comforting and would like to share them. Here is a bit of what the Orthodox death and burial look like. Marianne was at home and surrounded by family as she passed into the hands of God. Friends came to her home and joined her family in lovingly preparing her body. Psalms were read during this time and will be until the burial. Her body will be taken to the church tonight and there will be an all night vigil and reading of the Psalms. Tomorrow Marianne will be laid to rest. The service will move from the church to the cemetery and then we will come bacfk to the church to gather for a meal. The time between death and burial is not delayed. It is usually within a couple of days. The Orthodox practice is to not embalm the body.
Death is part of life. We will be bringing our children to the funeral service tomorrow and the burial. Traditionally the casket is open and placed at the front of the church. Orthodox are not cremated.
Death is not something to hide away. The Orthodox practices are very different from the way most funerals are handled in America. To read more about an Orthodox funeral go to http://www.goarch.org/print/en/ourfaith/article9218.asp. It is a beautiful service and burial.

Love you Mom

I love to hear these words. Today as I kissed Busy Guy and laid him down for his nap he told me, "Love you Mom". So sweet! 2 years ago I held him for the first time. What a treasure he is. Busy Guy is the busiest, funniest, sweetest thing around. He has so much fun playing with Mr. P. He follows him all around copying everything. Busy Guy is the MOST verbal kid. He talks up a storm in big paragraphs. There isn't anything he can't say...or won't say;) He is beautiful! Those dark eyes and long thick eyelashes make me swoon. He is our boy. He came to us through adoption but it's hard for me to reconcile that he hasn't been with us since birth...or before. From the moment I held him I bonded and connected to him just as I did my older sons when they were born and put into my arms. He is amazingly so much like his Papa in personality. They are two peas in a pod! Look out world...there are two of them now:) Love you too Busy Guy!
First meeting at Layla House in Addis Ababa Ethiopia.

My big boy now...love the boots...he's been wearing them all summer!

2 years ago

Two years ago I was on my way to Addis to meet and bring home Busy Guy. In two short years our family has grown so much. We went from a family of 4 to a family of 7! I couldn't have imagined our beautiful brood back then. It makes me wonder what the future holds? We know we would like to adopt another girl in a few years. When Cam is done with Grad school we will decide about adopting again. I'm feeling sad that I won't be pregnant again...or at least don't plan to :0. Hubby says we WON'T be having another pregnancy! I say...don't tell me that right now...when I'm mourning it! I know...the pregnancy was a hard one on me...and I'm getting older...and we have been so blessed...but I can't help but to be a little sad about it being the last one. I'll probably nurse Baby George until he's 10! I just love the newborn stage...and it's fleeting so fast. My plan for the long term future is to volunteer at Children's Hospital holding babies and to foster newborns. I can get my baby fix until I have grandkids to hold:) I do love babies! Now, I'm off to hold and feed two precious little darlings. One is sitting at my feet playing with my bracelet and the other is sleeping so peacefully.

The News

The boys enjoying a summer day on the deck.

Sweet Lydia playing with her toys.

All is well here at the Wildatheart home. We are still so busy with taking care of babies and boys. Some days are really smooth and others are long and hard. At least they seem to alternate:) When the babies need to eat or are cranky and sleepy at the same time it's the hardest. Then one of the big boys will need something too. But, other times the babies alternate eat and sleep...or sleep at the same time...that's nice. The boys are a huge help to me too. When school starts I'm going to miss them. Especially Tuba...I can send him off to get me whatever I need. He will bring me a glass of water while I sit and nurse Baby George. He's always willing to sit and feed Lydia a bottle too. In fact you have to arm wrestle it out of his hands when you want to do it yourself. He loves the babies so much. Their every need is attended to and he alerts me (because of his supersonic hearing) when they make even a peep. He will bring me diapers and then throw out the dirty ones (Mr. P refuses that part). All the boys love to make Lydia smile and laugh and bring her toys. Sometimes I find her under a pile of toys. Busy Guy introduced Baby George to the binky. I came downstairs and was worried when I saw Busy Guy coming out of the living room. I knew Baby George was sleeping on the couch in there. I asked him what he was doing (envisioning him poking his brother in the eye!) He brought me into the living room and said, "I gave him a binky". There was Baby George sucking on a little blue binky! So sweet.
It's so much fun to see them all loving each other and being so sweet. I won't share with you the flip side of this which seems to take place mostly in the (oh, so squishy) van!!! We'll just focus on the positive:)

Cam's Birthday Theme Song

Our wonderful friend Cheryl wrote and performed this song for Cam. Too funny! The "Cam a lam a ding dong" is something I say to him, "Dude, Woo Hoo and I blame myself" are things Cam says all the time. What a perfect song...thanks Cheryl! We had a great day on the boat.

Wow...growing fast

Busy Guy wearing the Dino pj's at 5.5 months old...he weighed about 12.5 lbs.

Baby George wearing the same Dino pj's at 1 month old!!! Can he really weigh 12 lbs. I'm going to weigh him today.

Potty Putty?

Here's the latest new thing at our house...thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

40 and Fabulous!

No wonder our children are so good looking;)

Wow!

Cam's co-workers gave us these beautiful baskets for our new arrivals! They are full of fun stuff for each baby...clothes, toys, books, blankets, bath essentials, and diaper essentials all in great baskets. So wonderful and thoughtful. Several people also sent individual gifts home with Cam. We are showered with loving kindness. A BIG shout out to those great co-workers....Thanks!

The longest 4 days

Baby George sums it up perfectly!


I'm in the final stretch of my first 4 days alone with the kiddos. Hubby went back to work on Wed. It has been a LONG and HARD 4 days (really it's 3.5 days but might as well be 4). The first day was the hardest. There was lots of tears...mostly mine:) Both babies cried at the same time, wanted to eat at the same time, needing changing at the same time, wanted to be held all day...oh, yes, and there was still 3 other little boys who needed food, drinks, and time from Mama. The topper to the day was when I fell down the stairs with Lydia in my arms. I was carrying her, her bottle, and the phone and my feet slipped on the carpeted stairs. I went down hard and all my weight came down on my right elbow. OUCH! I yelled for Mr. P who was playing outside and had him go get Papa (who was sleeping since he works graveyard). I thought for sure I broke my elbow but it's just really bruised and super sore. I also have bruises on the other arm and on my butt. Lydia was fine, just a little shook up.

The next two days went better. There were still times when everyone needed me at the same time but it's getting a little easier to manage....or just easier to endure the chaos. I can't wait for hubby to go to day shift...only two more weeks. He will still be working 12 hours shifts and so gone all day but it will be only 3 days...not 3.5 days alone:) Also, he won't be trying to switch back and forth from sleeping in the day to night.

Hubby is off until Tues. and then it will start over again. For now I'll enjoy the next few days. Tomorrow is hubby's birthday...a very special birthday...the BIG 40!!! Happy Birthday...love you and sooooo glad you'll be home:)