what's new?

i hate when someone asks me 'what's new?' it makes me feel like i need to wow them with an answer that includes all kinds of special new adventures of the super six when in fact, most days the biggest news is whether or not all of my children are pooping regularly. my answer inevitably makes me feel boring. so...yeah...i hate that question.

the truth is, not much is 'new', but since it's been two months since i posted, i figured an update was in order!

sophie is rockin' it kindergarten style and loving life. i think this half of the school year she has really come into her own as far as what this whole school thing is all about. it turns out that she is super smart, social and chatty. she loves to read, and draw and chat. did i mention she loves to chat? she's chatty. but glorious. we are coming up on our five year gotcha day and i could not feel more blessed to be her parent. sophie will wrap up school for the summer in june and i am looking so forward to seeing her chat her way through tee-ball this summer, boss her siblings around the backyard and fill this house up all day with her fun lil' self. she is such a gift.

speaking of coming into her own...ellee has blossomed into quite a social butterfly as well. speaking of butterflies, she loves them too...but not more than she digs dinosaurs. i mean love. she looooovvvveees them and i love that she loves them. she is doing really well in preschool and passed her kindergarten assessment with flying colors. phew. ellee is funny, emotional, beautiful and all around sparkly. we adore her and feel blessed by our second miracle.

speaking of miracles (do you like how i frequent the phrase 'speaking of? i thought you would.) casey is talking up a storm! seriously, the kid chats and chats...he has great role models (see 'sophie') and is just flourishing in school. he goes two times per week in the mornings and i can't tell you what a difference it has made for him. his vocabulary has shot through the roof and although his articulation is still a bit of a struggle, he has started talking in a conversation manner. this opposed to his former ability to simply direct demands and immediate needs like 'water' or 'no'. it's a remarkable shift and more and more we see such a loving and kind little man emerge from what was a frustrated and sometimes sad boy. our lesson here has been that no child is perfect and no road to a positive outcome is straight. he has worked hard and will continue to do so...but he's not alone and we're so confident that his future's so bright, he'll have to wear shades. our third miracle keeps us on our toes, but what fun is standing still on two feet?

speaking of shades, nora refuses to walk. ok, so they have nothing to do with each other, who cares? nora is a bright and funny and energetic little 13 month old (how is that possible?) who fits right into her house of crazy. she lets us know when she needs us, but is a really content baby who often just watches and laughs at the world around her. turns out she's pretty stubborn too as exemplified but her sheer disinterest in walking. like all things, it will come with time, i'm sure. in any case, M4 (that's 'miracle four' for those not seeing my theme) completes our nest and we're grateful for her everyday.

matt and i are busy keeping these little people fed, clothed, entertained and educated. it's becoming more and more obvious that we won't have any real time together until about about september of 2018 so we try and make the most of our moments spent in the same room. everyday, though, i am reminded of what a good choice i made in marring matt. he is everything to me and i adore him. we're coming up on our ten year wedding anniversary and i'm confident that the best is yet to come. at least that's what he tells me.

i continue to stay at home almost full time. i put in about 8 hours a week at the local coffee shop but other than that, i'm here. it's kind of crazy. and good. and hard. sometimes i think of blog titles (which, in recent history, have never been actually written) and one that came to mind recently was 'the real reality of having everything you ever wanted'. trust me, i have everything i ever wanted and more but there are some days when all i want to do is change everything. i think about working full time again. an image of me stepping out in my pretty shoes with my dusty briefcase heading off to an office somewhere can be a powerful thing. but the reality is, i love my kids and me being with them is the best for all of us. and so it shall remain. i will continue to learn how to be the best wife and mom i can be and on the days when it seems to hard or insignificant or loud, i will take a deep breath and remember that this too shall pass. and when it does, i'll miss it. and while i have the time (but i really don't), i am still going to dream about that book i want to write and those degrees i want to attain...

so that's us. in a nutshell. did you miss us? i missed you and i missed blogging! but rest assured, like the spider colony living in my basement, i may go away for a while, but i'll always come back.

and now the real question is, what's new with you?