A Taste Of Summer

Doesn't it seem like summer is flying by? I found myself thinking about how we've lived the months but wondering what we have to show for them. Ever do that? Ever question how it is that you can be so darn busy but then wonder where all your time was spent? I guess in the world of Pinterest where success is measured in projects and shiny end products it's easy to get caught up in all that's completed and checked off the list. These days don't find finished and checked off for me, though. In fact not even one of my {many!} books has found it's end, my garden remained unplanted, and my boys never even saw a swimming lesson. Instead, my Gracie Girl has filled our evenings, our kiddos have filled our free time, and friends and family have filled in any gaps. 

What a summer though. Complete with fingerprints on the back door window, last minute BBQ's, wine under the stars once the sun has set, mowing our GIANT lawn that seemed like a good idea in theory, enjoying mountain rain storms and thunder {OH the thunder!!} and nightly Blue Bell. Tan lines grace our arms, legs, and feet and we have visited the pigs down our hill on more than one occasion. We've {FINALLY} met a neighbor and his beloved dog, Penny, and the boys have made it a daily ritual to greet them on their walk. We've learned how to contain the mice population that thought it could take shelter in our garage, made it a regular event to visit the Moriarty flea market, and know just what to order at the Greenside Cafe on a Saturday morning {chicken fried steak and eggs with a side of red chile, thankyouverymuch!} It's been a sweet summer, full to the brim with air conditioning and our baby pool and just a whole lot of time with people. Not projects. And let me just say, it's been a pretty sweet return.

 

Our Gracie Girl, Three Months Old

It's hard to believe that our girl is three months old...and that the crying has stopped. Truly, the last few weeks have brought a happy baby who enjoys being awake and doesn't need to be held every.second.of.the.day. It's wonderful! Her days are more predictable, her needs are easily met, and most importantly, my right eye has stopped twitching. 

While the crying has stopped, our girl has gone back to waking in the night. Usually between 3 and 4, she cries and while her daddy usually suggests a resounding, "CRY IT OUT!" this momma doesn't have the heart juuuuuust yet. Moving her to her own room was enough for this month. Soon, baby girl. But not yet. 

Our sweets is still rolling from tummy to back. She can bear her weight when you stand her up and she sucks on her fists with the most hilarious of slurping sounds. She's officially earned her nursery badge, as she thinks Pastor Tim's sermon is a delightful time to shoot off some hilarious grins and coo's towards whoever is holding her. She still spits up with the best of them, takes her reflux medicine twice a day, and drools like nobody's business.

And last but not least, can I just get an amen on the rolls? Seriously, I have never EVER had a squishy baby. She is all that, and then some and I could just about eat her up.

She's our Gracie Girl and she's three months old.

Under the {Summer} Weather

Oh summer, how I love thee!  You're filled with grilling and swimming, corn-on-the-cob, mountains of watermelon...and strep throat. 

Can you even believe that the middle of July had three of our four littles down with a nasty bug? I truly thought that it was darn near impossible to come down with the funk while sunflowers are in bloom and the grass requires weekly cutting. But alas, it's not, as my pediatrician informed me while he collected my co-pays and wrote out prescriptions for Amoxicillian. He also kindly told me that even a tonsillectomy doesn't leave you exempt-to which I swallowed hard and then preceded to bath in hand sanitizer. Thankfully, Jer and I, as well as Gracie Girl managed to stay unscathed and the boys are now finished with their medicine and back to their old selves. And we are hoping *and praying* that the last of it is gone with the toothbrushes we threw out!

Unfortunately, a raw throat wasn't the only thing our Judah Boy came down with. Monday morning found him sick as a dog and as a result he ended up having a seizure {his second in the last four months}. While his first one was a couple of months ago at his Mimi and Pop's {after he slipped and hit his head while washing his hands in the bathroom}, this one happened here at home while I was alone with the kids. And while it could have gone a million different ways, the Lord graciously worked it out so that the other three kids were completely safe and QUIET while I was on the phone with 911 and attending to Judah. In fact, my total worrier and fearful boy Benny at one point looked right into the eyes of his terrified momma and calmly said, "Momma. Just call the ambulance." Sweet boy! After about twelve minutes, the fire department and rescue team arrived and proceeded to take his vitals and get him hooked up to oxygen and an IV. Although I was completely oblivious to the look of concern on Ben and Abe's faces, in a stroke of genius moment, one of the firemen took them outside for a tour of the fire truck {complete with horn honking and sirens} and then pushed them on the swings until things weren't so scary. A few minutes later, the paramedics arrived and tried to load him up to transport him to the hospital downtown, but another firefighter kindly told them that we'd be waiting for Jer to get home so I could ride with Judah in the ambulance. Those men must have been daddies, huh?! Oddly enough, the same paramedic who transported Judah to the hospital the last time, just happened to be doing a rotation in the East Mountains and was dispatched to our house this time. We had a total, "I know you!" moment right after she arrived and it was nice because the laugh sort of broke the tension and made things a bit more comfortable. Plus she worked her skills at the ER and got us right in and seen right away.

 

Once we were in a room, Judah basically crashed out. So much so that his nurse was able to give him medicine WITHOUT WAKING HIM UP. Seriously, the boy was dead to the world. After about 5 hours of monitoring, two Subway sandwiches for mom and dad, a Gracie blow-out of epic proportions, a dose of Motrin, a dose of anti-nausea medicine, and 16 oz. of apple juice, our boy was awake, completely irked with his blood pressure cuff, and using the potty down the hall {did I mention he POTTY TRAINED through all of this??} Soon the ER doc sent us on our way with orders to follow up with the Pediatrician, a prescription for Strep, and very grumpy boy. As soon as we got back to Mimi's to pick up B&A, however, his mood had changed as he was the star-of-the-car. A very curious Benny loudly asked, "Bubbas! Tell us about the ambulance!" To which Ju replied, "It-had-yites {lights}!" A few minutes later, he was chomping on a slice of pizza and drinking a Gatorade while we waited for his prescription to be filled. Such a wild day! 

We did follow up with the pediatrician the next day {which could be a blog entitled, "Sarah takes three sick kids and a nursing infant to the doctor's office-ALONE-sits in an examining room for an hour and forty minutes-during lunch time-and then cries the entire way home!"} and he referred us to a Pediatric Neurologist to have an EEG done. So for now we wait...and pray that these were just two isolated incidences...and bake those awesome firefighters a big ol' plate of cookies.

She Laughs...

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Four dollar...

...farmer's market splendor. 

Summertimin'

Rocking With My Girl

A chair.

Thrifted.

And worn.

But fully able.

We rock, back and forth, back and forth.

And rock out our own little memory.