I had forgotten how tired a mom gets when she stays up all night with a teething baby. Bless her heart, she wasn't miserable or anything (Landry- not mom) - thank goodness. She just couldn't sleep. Almost like she had insomnia or something. I think I could take a nap right now. Our girls got their first teeth before they were six months old. Landry is almost eight months old and the first one appeared Tuesday. I am certain the next one will be there tonight and then maybe another two before the weekend is over. When you have nine years between babies you tend to forget things like baby teeth. It is funny how you forget the little *unbearable* points when they are babies - only to remember the wonderful moments of parenthood. Although, you tend to forget some of the wonderful moments as well, when you have a house full of older children.

Landry started waving bye-bye a few days ago (I KNOW - teeth AND bye-bye all in one week! How much can one mom handle?!) She does the "backward hand - almost when you quit trying" bye-bye wave. My girls work SO hard to get this little baby to wave bye-bye. And then it's as if she's a circus animal, "Look! Look! Look what Landry can do!!" All those little-bitty firsts that you tend to forget as they grow, talk back and ask for stuff all the time :)

Gosh, she just started really sitting-up (not spitting-up... sitting-up) a couple of weeks ago. Now we're on to almost-for-the-most-part crawling, a bye-bye wave and her first tooth. I don't think she's too into crawling. She's started pulling up on EVERYTHING. The dishwasher, the couch, the kitchen chairs, her toy baskets, her crib. Bob lowered her crib mattress last weekend and God love him - he lowered it to the lowest level. From the highest to the lowest. Not that there are two levels in between to save my aching-back. Why? So he doesn't have to do it again of course. He was pre-thinking. Saving time - for later. I wasn't too happy and wanted it raised. But then two days later Landry starts standing up in her crib EVERYTIME I go to get her. So once again, he's right. (Happens to me a lot) So it looks like eight months is the turning point of not-quite-a-baby anymore and I miss it already!! Even though we had not planned on having another baby (no-kidding? Nine years in between the last) I always had thought about it. So KNOWING the next little-bitty baby in the house will be many years down the road brings a little tear to my eye. Almost like those last moments of being pregnant did in December. I loved being pregnant. Even the swelling and the nausea and the unbearable figure. Knowing that God is creating a miracle inside you is a wonderful, unbelievable feeling.
Wow. So even though I am incredibly tired today, I am still a little sad my baby is growing up so quickly. Having this miracle in our lives has taught me to cherish each and every moment and it has given me the opportunity to reflect and treasure the moments with my older girls - about my older girls. Those"when-you-were-little" conversations that we otherwise would not have. Life is so, so busy. It is so awesome that God has given me this miracle to remind me to slow down, watch and enjoy it.

Katy's sweet sixteen birthday party has come and (thankfully) gone. We had about 55 kiddos from 5pm to 10 pm. It was fun, but A LOT of work. I am thankful for Aunt Trish & Uncle Jason for their generosity in letting us take over their backyard. Landry stayed at Chris' house and I missed having her there! It was wonderful to have been able to give Katy & her friends the attention a mom should - but it was difficult being SO busy and missing Landry.



Sydney & MacKenzie got to participate, although I think they were bored most of the time. They wouldn't have missed it - but they weren't really *in the action*.

So now we're back to our *trying to get in the school groove* mind-set. Monday was difficult. I think Katy & I had after-the-party fatigue - even though we had Sunday, it didn't help in recuperating. And Sydney, is having a hard time adjusting to the rules of home for middle school. Anybody else been through this?? I know I made it through once - obviously Katy made it to her 16th birthday so I didn't strangle her in the times I thought I might :) But my goodness, Sydney is her own special little person. She thinks it's her way or the high-way. I've been trying to explain that works for MOM not for her!


*One day at a time*. Now I'm on to getting in the groove of this PTA position that snuck up on me. I was *nominated* (Is that the word for a bunch of ladies sitting around and saying "OH I know who we can get to do this") for homeroom representative coordinator. Man, that will look good on my mom resume. So far I think I've got that position, box-top committee chairperson and drill team mom - that inself is too much. All three girls are going to different schools, plus Landry is 8 months old. Do you think that's too much when your husband works 60 hours a week? Not to mention the 40 I work. Thank the Lord I am blessed to be able to work 16 of those from home - although sometimes that is MORE difficult. I can still hope and pray everyday that UPS will find a way to make Bob's life easier. Yes, they are paid well, but are they really? Not for the amount of work they do.

So we're looking forward to starting another season of softball (Sydney) and football season starts in two weeks - although the drill team (Katy) has had practice beginning at 7AM for 6 weeks now. MacKenzie has decided she's the volleyball player and she's really good at it! The VB Fall season starts in October. Bob's decided out of all of this he doesn't have a soccer player - so I'm really hoping Landry likes soccer :)

I'm also really hoping to sign up for a bible study this Fall at church. Looks like mom needs some time for herself (WHAT?!?!) But Landry doesn't cooperate too well with the nursery yet - she's just a tad spoiled. And you know as soon as I sign up, it will be on a night that we have softball or something. Oh well, God will let me know when the time is right. Once again *One day at a time*.