a regular routine?

In the last couple of days, it seems that we are finally starting to have some semblance of a routine. It's a bit of a weird routine, because everything seems to be in slow motion. It's hard for me to get up in the morning, but thankfully Brian gets the kids eating breakfast and on a video so that I get a little extra time to drag myself out of bed, get dressed and showered. Then the kids have second breakfast with me (is it horrible that they eat a disproportionate amount of breakfast? Probably- since I have to fight them to eat lunch or supper, unless it's something they really like). We may get an activity done or have some meaningful interaction if we are at home that day. Other days, we may hang out with a friend, meet them or go to library time as our outing.

Naps are a must come afternoon- at least for the girls and I. Ivan has been growing out of naps, but is learning not to wake the rest of us if he doesn't sleep. I usually try to get something done for the house each day and am at times successful (ie. dishes were done, a load of laundry, vaccummed...) Cleaning day or laundry day are no more. I no longer have a couple of hours to knock out such a huge task, so I try to just do it in little chunks. Dad used to say that if we picked something up in our room each time we entered it, that eventually it would get clean. Of course, he wasn't factoring in two toddlers that constantly leave things out, or drop things on the floor. Nothing is as tidy as it used to be, but I chalk this up to this time in our life and know it will not last forever.

Ivan and Dominique play great together half the time and fight the rest. However, they are unanimous as to their feelings toward their little sister- whom they both adore. Every day includes time for them to hold her, kiss her and try to play with her or teach her a nursery rhyme.

I've given up trying to post videos here for now, so if you want to see them, you'll have to go to my facebook postings. If you are not on facebook and want to be, write me a note and I'll send you an invite, then you can be my friend and see the videos.

I just posted one of Emora sucking her finger (yes, the videos are fascinating like that!). Here is the corresponding picture. She is doing great. Her evidence of the traumas of birth are slowly disappearing (ie. her bump on her head is shrinking and nearly gone and the red in her eyes is fading). She makes darling noises and is a proficient spitter upper. She has her older siblings curled around her tiny pinky finger. The minute she utters a cry, they run to her, want to give her a pacifier or tell me outright that the baby needs me.