'Tis the Season

December is nonstop GO around here, which is why my late-night blogging has been minimal. 'Tis the season, right? But I sort of miss it, so I'll try to get back on schedule.


As soon as Buby and Bleu fall asleep at night, it seems baby Oliver {who is nursing as I type} really comes to life. I look forward to giving him some undivided me at the end of each day. He's so very patient on long drives to school, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, the grocery store, the bank, the post office, the dry cleaners, the library, play dates, you name it. I carry/cuddle/nurse him every second I get so that {hopefully} he doesn't notice how much running around we do on some days.


In the evenings I hold Oliver through dinnertime, homework, crafting and showers {for the big kids} and two or three bedtime stories. Once I give kisses and tickles and watermelon hugs, we are out. Around 8 pm I take a deep breath, nurse and change the babes on my bed and then head downstairs with him to quick straighten up, pack lunches, run the dishwasher, scrub glitter glue off the table, hide the Elf on the Shelf for morning, chip away at laundry, and maybe wrap up a few secret somethings.


By the time My Sweets arrives home from work I am often back upstairs with Ollie for bath and snuggle time in my bed. I love when My Sweets joins us. Being around Oliver makes me want more. More babies just like him. I know it's crazy, but he is that wonderful. Especially now that he smiles and coos to make himself heard.


Life with three little birds has been busier {never enough hours}, but I make a point to pause and appreciate the details. The mini moments. The music and dance. The ridiculous laughter. The qualities that make them who they are TODAY. Because childhood, in my experience, is a series of phases and those phases pass all too quickly. I remind myself of this daily. My Sweets and I are so incredibly blessed this Christmas.


We can't wait to visit with our families. We'll be traveling next Thursday through Monday. Meanwhile, Buby and Bleu are completely immersed in all the seasonal hoopla at school and home. There's been fireworks, carolers, cards and crafting, advent bags, ribbon-tied wreaths, noisy train ornaments, gingerbread houses, book baskets, baking, horse + buggy rides, and twinkle lights to ooh and aah us all month long. Of course none of this is necessary--or related to the birth of Jesus--but celebrating winter as a family is good for the soul and helps distract from the fact that it's freezing and dark out by 5 pm.


Buby would like to add skiing and snowman building to the above list, and then we're set. I've never known someone to enjoy the snow as much as Buby. Thus far we've only seen a dusting, so we're praying for a white Christmas and major accumulation after that.


Oh, I ran around the house yesterday snapping photos of our fave holiday adornments, and I'll try to post that later tonight... after a Mom's Night Out with five of my girlfriends. So looking forward!