Put on your non-skid shoes, cause this one is all over the place!
If you can make it all the way to the end I may just reward you with some pictures because who likes a book without pictures, I ask you.
NON-TOPIC #1:
This morning I walked into the bathroom where Hazel was roosting comfortably, talking to herself.
ME: Hazel? Are you talking to yourself?
HAZEL: No, now I am talking to you.
Naturally.
NON-TOPIC #2:
We did a four month long series of Family Home Evening lessons a couple of months ago where we focused on different aspects of "you reap what you sow". Last week in FHE, Abby asked if we could sing Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" because she says "you reap what you sow" in the song. I declined her request, however several good renditions have been sung with gusto and great theatrics while driving in the car.
LITTLE-BIT-MORE-OF-A-TOPIC #3:
I have an insatiable need for order and organization. I crave it. My peace of mind actually depends quite heavily on it...hence, "concrete sequential". I love having things tidy and put away. Everything in it's place. Consequently, this desire also comes with an obnoxious habit of taking before and after pictures, just so I can cling to that feeling of accomplishment.
I wish I could blame this on the pregnancy but I am always like this. However, being pregnant has brought out the nesting with a vengeance. I have done "spring cleaning" about 4 times in the last 6 months. The kind where I go into a room with a black garbage bag and a fierce look of determination, and don't emerge until the bag is brimming with junk and the room is as it should be. The girls' rooms had gotten into such a state that two weeks ago FHE was about having a house of order. We had a short lesson, and then all went upstairs to do some serious cleaning and organizing (the goal was to see the floor of their rooms and closets, and maybe to have organized drawers so they could find socks and underwear too.) I have had to concede to the fact that we are just a lot of people. And a lot of people acquire a lot of stuff. Too much stuff.
I find the timing of this need for crazy organization convenient because we will be moving in about 6 months and I'm pretty sure that with a new baby, not much is going to be accomplished in the way of putting things in their place...we will be back to being lucky to have 2 decent meals a week. What, I didn't mention that we're moving? Clark has put in his resignation to the Navy and we will be finding employment elsewhere..."elsewhere", hopefully meaning, somewhere else in the greater DC area. We have decided that we would like to stay here. He has begun the entire process and hopefully we will find something that he loves and that will continue to feed and clothe us. It's time. I mean, after all, we have been here for a year and a half. AND I am having a baby which is a perfect time to move. I have moved either while pregnant or with a new baby 3 times, it's just what we do. If we can't find a decent job though, we may be forced to live in a tent. And if we're going to do that, we might as well join the occupiers downtown, no doubt they will still be there (along with the bursting rat population of downtown DC. At least they have accomplished one thing.)
SLIGHTLY MORE INTERESTING TOPIC #4:
Let's get back to the boy thing though. A boy! I know, it should sound crazy to me but it doesn't somehow. Besides being a little shocked that my body knows how to make a penis, I am feeling quite normal about it. The day of the ultrasound was a happy Mommy day. I spent the day feeling so content and peaceful. It's funny because I used to get anxious when standing at those crossroads - crossroads where your life it taking a turn and changing forever. But this time I felt excited and in awe with gratitude to be standing at the crossroads of change for our family. It has nothing to do with the boy thing, just that I think I may finally have matured a little.
Clark and I have talked about how careful we want to be with our words. It's not "we're finally having a boy", or "now we can be done because we got a boy". I know that we will get all sorts of comments. I already did with all these girls. People mean well. But we want people to know that we have been so happy with our dynamic. There has been no greater joy, or disappointment with any one of them. We have faith in the plan and faith in our family. We have been so happy and continue to feel grateful for each step of the way. I feel oddly protective of this boy. I know I have never had the opportunity, in my almost 11 years of being a parent, to be the mother of a boy but I have confidence in myself. I feel almost defensive when people offer their comments and advice about how different a boy is. People are well-meaning and kind but I don't want to go in assuming or expecting anything.
With each baby a mother goes through a range of emotions. Excitement of course, but guilt over the loss of time and relationship with the other kids. I know I have felt sad that it's somehow going to change, each and every time. But I should have more confidence because I also know that it doesn't happen this way, and hasn't happen this way. With each child the dynamic does change, but there isn't loss. We find an increase of love, an increase of appreciation for their uniqueness and an increase in the quality of time spent with them. Not to mention that with each baby born, there are that many more people loving and adoring one another. So that's that. We're ready. And we are excited. I love having babies (which is perfectly appropriate to say when I am not throwing up into the toilet with 1st trimester morning sickness, or exhausted from a sleepless night with a newborn. I have to say it when I can really mean it.)
And now your reward, as long as we promise not to dwell on the fact that these pictures are a month old. Seriously, what is wrong with me and where has my commitment to blogging gone? (See previous posts, any of them.)
Holy long post Batman!
If you can make it all the way to the end I may just reward you with some pictures because who likes a book without pictures, I ask you.
NON-TOPIC #1:
This morning I walked into the bathroom where Hazel was roosting comfortably, talking to herself.
ME: Hazel? Are you talking to yourself?
HAZEL: No, now I am talking to you.
Naturally.
NON-TOPIC #2:
We did a four month long series of Family Home Evening lessons a couple of months ago where we focused on different aspects of "you reap what you sow". Last week in FHE, Abby asked if we could sing Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" because she says "you reap what you sow" in the song. I declined her request, however several good renditions have been sung with gusto and great theatrics while driving in the car.
LITTLE-BIT-MORE-OF-A-TOPIC #3:
I have an insatiable need for order and organization. I crave it. My peace of mind actually depends quite heavily on it...hence, "concrete sequential". I love having things tidy and put away. Everything in it's place. Consequently, this desire also comes with an obnoxious habit of taking before and after pictures, just so I can cling to that feeling of accomplishment.
I wish I could blame this on the pregnancy but I am always like this. However, being pregnant has brought out the nesting with a vengeance. I have done "spring cleaning" about 4 times in the last 6 months. The kind where I go into a room with a black garbage bag and a fierce look of determination, and don't emerge until the bag is brimming with junk and the room is as it should be. The girls' rooms had gotten into such a state that two weeks ago FHE was about having a house of order. We had a short lesson, and then all went upstairs to do some serious cleaning and organizing (the goal was to see the floor of their rooms and closets, and maybe to have organized drawers so they could find socks and underwear too.) I have had to concede to the fact that we are just a lot of people. And a lot of people acquire a lot of stuff. Too much stuff.
I find the timing of this need for crazy organization convenient because we will be moving in about 6 months and I'm pretty sure that with a new baby, not much is going to be accomplished in the way of putting things in their place...we will be back to being lucky to have 2 decent meals a week. What, I didn't mention that we're moving? Clark has put in his resignation to the Navy and we will be finding employment elsewhere..."elsewhere", hopefully meaning, somewhere else in the greater DC area. We have decided that we would like to stay here. He has begun the entire process and hopefully we will find something that he loves and that will continue to feed and clothe us. It's time. I mean, after all, we have been here for a year and a half. AND I am having a baby which is a perfect time to move. I have moved either while pregnant or with a new baby 3 times, it's just what we do. If we can't find a decent job though, we may be forced to live in a tent. And if we're going to do that, we might as well join the occupiers downtown, no doubt they will still be there (along with the bursting rat population of downtown DC. At least they have accomplished one thing.)
SLIGHTLY MORE INTERESTING TOPIC #4:
Let's get back to the boy thing though. A boy! I know, it should sound crazy to me but it doesn't somehow. Besides being a little shocked that my body knows how to make a penis, I am feeling quite normal about it. The day of the ultrasound was a happy Mommy day. I spent the day feeling so content and peaceful. It's funny because I used to get anxious when standing at those crossroads - crossroads where your life it taking a turn and changing forever. But this time I felt excited and in awe with gratitude to be standing at the crossroads of change for our family. It has nothing to do with the boy thing, just that I think I may finally have matured a little.
Clark and I have talked about how careful we want to be with our words. It's not "we're finally having a boy", or "now we can be done because we got a boy". I know that we will get all sorts of comments. I already did with all these girls. People mean well. But we want people to know that we have been so happy with our dynamic. There has been no greater joy, or disappointment with any one of them. We have faith in the plan and faith in our family. We have been so happy and continue to feel grateful for each step of the way. I feel oddly protective of this boy. I know I have never had the opportunity, in my almost 11 years of being a parent, to be the mother of a boy but I have confidence in myself. I feel almost defensive when people offer their comments and advice about how different a boy is. People are well-meaning and kind but I don't want to go in assuming or expecting anything.
With each baby a mother goes through a range of emotions. Excitement of course, but guilt over the loss of time and relationship with the other kids. I know I have felt sad that it's somehow going to change, each and every time. But I should have more confidence because I also know that it doesn't happen this way, and hasn't happen this way. With each child the dynamic does change, but there isn't loss. We find an increase of love, an increase of appreciation for their uniqueness and an increase in the quality of time spent with them. Not to mention that with each baby born, there are that many more people loving and adoring one another. So that's that. We're ready. And we are excited. I love having babies (which is perfectly appropriate to say when I am not throwing up into the toilet with 1st trimester morning sickness, or exhausted from a sleepless night with a newborn. I have to say it when I can really mean it.)
And now your reward, as long as we promise not to dwell on the fact that these pictures are a month old. Seriously, what is wrong with me and where has my commitment to blogging gone? (See previous posts, any of them.)
We had family and some friends for Christmas Eve this year...I of course neglected to take any pictures at all but lazily requested that Spencer and Sho have their camera on hand all weekend. Which they did.
Impromptu dance party. A norm.
Hazel being Hazel, wearing her monkey leash (which has only even been worn by her so she can hold her own tail), making a crazy but normal Hazel face and her hair looking oddly, typical.
On Christmas morning we got up and went to church...none of this 'waking up at 5am to open presents'. We got up, went to church, came home, got back in jammies and started Christmas again. We gathered in the girls' room to read the Christmas story in Luke 2 and then let them head downstairs.
Eager anticipation as Papa would say.
And then all their little girl Christmas dreams came true. It truly was a magical and fun Christmas. Not over the top, and just what they have been waiting for, for 18 months.
The eager anticipation sustained through the morning.
Spencer and Sho were there of course to share in the joy. Doesn't Spencer look happy with his new rolling pin? I swear I would have gotten him something else if I had known that he was going to have to pack it all the way to Japan next month. Abandoners. Who do they think they are?
Happiness. Happiness.
The rest of Christmas vacation was spent shooting little balls into a basket with a sophisticated point system,
playing games, napping, snacking and staying in our pajamas for days at a time.
It was a good time.
On New Year's Eve we celebrated well into the evening, and still got into bed by 10. We're old.
But the kids had fun.
And just for proof that I get dressed and do my hair on occasion, tada.
And look, that there's a baby. Half way there dude.
And speaking of babies...you didn't think I was finished, did you? Well, more is coming.
Can I talk about babies some more?
In the Oscarson family there are 5 babies recently arrived, or still on their way.
They are all very special and let me tell you why.
Little OK took ten years to get here...that is a very long time to wait. And he is darling, so darling it makes me hurt. Please go read about it, because even though it seems like a sad tale in some ways, Carrie has made it sound as it really is, so absolutely beautiful.
Just a month after little OK arrived, the second of the wave came along when my oldest sister welcomed home little Spencer. I'll tell you, adoption may just be the way to go. He is so super cute and Amy looks fantastic and feels great - the way it should be after having a baby. Go read her story too. It will make you weep, and want to kiss her baby.
Baby #3 of this bunch is mine, and how is that not special :)
No picture necessary...especially since every one of the 7 pictures printed out by the ultrasound tech were of the baby's crotch, not one of the face, profile or adorable little baby hands covering his face.
Baby #4 belongs to Sho and Spencer. Seriously, another very happy occasion and baby that has been waited for for some time...due just a week after me.
(Their Christmas card, the most fun ever....except the part where they announce moving to Japan for a job. Job shmob. I can't believe they are taking their little Japanese fetus with them. Life can be so unfair.)
And Baby #5 of the group belongs to little sis Abby. Surprises are miracles too. Her blog is just as fun to read as my sisters. And she says everything so well.
But I dislike her just a little for looking so cute, even if she is still puking into the sink from time to time.
Really? Not done still!
On the Scharman side we have 3 babies on their way!!
Unfortunately I have no pictures, but I adore them all the same.
2 of them are boys so far. The coolest thing about this side is the fact that these babies are coming to the three boys. Clark and his brothers are bonding over the births this year (which may or may not be a fun thing to bond over.)
I cannot wait.
2012 is gonna be awesome.
Holy long post Batman!
10 comments:
I read the entire thing!! Don't worry about the Christmas posts bc guess what, I haven't done mine either. I love the picture with the American Girl Dolls..."pure happiness" is right. When the catalog comes to our house, everything stops and the girls spend hours researching what and whom they want. I am so excited for you to have a boy...I love my little man. Warren is enjoying himself too:)
LOVED it - every single word! Now I'm gonna go read all of your sibling's blogs. :)
I feel caught up and enjoyed every sentence. Now if I can find the motivation to update my family blog.
P.S. I think Hazel is the cutest thing this side of the Mississippi, talking to herself makes it even better!
Hilarious!!! Can we be friends? I loved the line, "Besides being a little shocked that my body knows how to make a penis, I am feeling quite normal about it." Thank you for having the guts to write it. It made me laugh.
Oh my goodness I love Hazel so much I want to eat her. There are 100 other things I want to say, but I'm too lazy to type. Let's chat.
Why did only one of your girls get dark skinned doll for Christmas? Is there a story there? Oh MY gosh! I just remembered that Amy got an African-American Cabbage Patch Kid when we were all kids! How prophetic!
You look THE BOMB in that picture. Gorgeous!!!
I understand about the baby thing. I still get all kinds of weird looks and advice and all from people when they see me with my gang of 5! Just the other day some random stranger (young man about 23?) looked at me with the girls and said, "I think you need one more girl." Do I say weird things to people with a lot of kids?? Anyway, what I meant to say was, I was really happy to find that I am not even slightly jealous about two of my friends that have four girls and are now having a boy. I really feel we get the kids we are supposed to have and we love them to pieces and can't imagine life without them. And they are all different and we find a place and squeeze them into the mix. That is just the way it is.
I should stop while I'm ahead, but I need to say that I LOVE the idea of getting back into Pajamas for Christmas. That is so happening next year.
Loves.
So many fun and exciting things happening in your life in 2012! You continually inspire me to blog...if I can just find myself a creative name for the blog. I know, that sounds silly, but it's a stumbling block for me...I got nothing! I also keep bouncing back and forth between the idea of private vs. non-private...someday I need to get your advice on that topic.
2012 brings change for us too...not the baby kind though. I've tried to talk the hubby into it...in a half-hearted sort of way. He just looks at me like I'm crazy. Our Hazel maybe pushed us just a little too far in the stress dept. Guess she'll remain the baby. As for the Navy, I'm trying to wrap my brain around the very real possibility of moving to Hawaii. I really am quite comfortable right here...can't they make a new base here in DC? Do you think subs could make it up the Potomac? A girl can dream. I'm sure Hawaii would be just fine...it's just so stinkin' far from where I am right now.
Congrats to you and yours...so very happy for you!
Oh Emily...I read your "once I got over the surprise my body could make a penis"line to my husband..and you got a LOL. I love your sentiments of the beauty of big families, and yet the unavoidable sadness that comes when your whole family shifts, stepping to those different family dynamics roles when "the baby" comes.
I must confess: your fifth is making me feel a little guilty about my tubal after #4. But maybe that is just God's way of telling us we should adopt: which is what I want to do, and is something Tim does not want to talk about...All is good time. So you are moving: of course...what could be more natural? (you are my only sarcastic blog I follow, and for that I bless you). Please consider upstate, NY...it's beautiful and I would love to meet you. If not, I will continue to read your blog all the same.
Cheers,
Leah
My kids spend all their driving time singing Dr Horrible's Sing Along. Even the parts they shouldn't.
Also YOU ARE LOOKING IN THE WRONG WASHINGTON!
Just a thought :)
i read it all and i can't wait to hop over and read your sisters blogs, just seen stuff on facebook. you are a beautiful pregnant lady! i love the aerial shot of your family playing a game on christmas evening--awesome, my favorite kind of picture. i need to hear more about this 4 month long series of fhe lessons on one topic. quite curious.
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