Life Lately and Elias at 7 Months

In the last month life has gone from “balance all the things” to “stay home and rework your life plan.” Some days I feel really good about that. We homeschool and do our best to maintain our routine without disrupting Kyle (who now also works from home). I had implemented a new work/life balance organization system this year, and now I am so thankful for it because it means I’m already in the habit of structuring my week. I feel like I somehow have less time available to work, but knowing what I need to work on when helps me stay focused and get straight to work. I’m sharing a Friday Fives this week that’ll outline these things that help keep us on track, so I won’t go into detail now.

With spring wedding season being cancelled, I’ve felt desperate for my usual creative outlet. To combat that I started leaving my camera out where I can take daily snaps of our normal life. That’s why this month’s update includes more than just Elias.

Elias

Our boy will be 7 months old Easter Sunday! I cannot begin to express what a joy Elias is. He giggles and smiles all day. This month he has forgotten how to sleep but learned how to whistle, play peek-a-boo, and give kisses. He’s inches away from crawling and can go from sitting up to all fours and back to sitting up. He also mastered some sort of booty scooting that we have yet to actually witness; all we know is he moves all around the room without changing from his sitting up position.

Elias currently delights in riding in the stroller, snuggling his momma, being tickled by Daddy’s beard, and playing games with his sisters. The idea of actually eating any of the solid food we offer still repulses and confuses him. He loves playing in it and squishing it between his fingers, but to actually put anything in his mouth isn’t on his radar. Leaves, flowers, and fallen blossoms in the yard go straight to his mouth, but actual food? No way.

Some things I always want to remember from this age:

*how he moves his feet like he’s dancing a jig when we hold him so that he’s standing on our laps

*how he belly laughs when we tickle his ribs or pretend to eat his chubby legs

* how chubby his legs are

*how he holds his head and chest up, throws his arms back, and wildly kicks his legs like a funny little penguin when he lays on his belly

*how excited he gets when I come to get him after his naps

*how he can go from 10/10 crying to calmly snuggling the instant I pick him up

I swear we fall more in love with him every day. He grows so quickly and has grown so much but still feels so little. We treasure every day with him!

The Rest of Us

A year ago we were living in our cute Dilworth townhouse, walking to Freedom Park and other favorite spots every day. Life seemed pretty perfect to me, and we had no plans to buy a house. But, one day while walking to the park, Afton said, “Mommy, I just wish we had a house with a yard, so I could run barefoot through the grasses on a summer’s day.” A lot happened all at once, and plans suddenly changed, and now here we are with a house on a half acre.

I just now realize how thankful I am to have a house and a yard! We spend 80% of these quarantine days outside, and that is the key to our thriving. Sunshine, fresh air, and loooots of playtime! We ride bikes and scooters, do cartwheels, craft, bake, and pick flowers. We garden and dig our hands and toes in the dirt. And, of course, we run barefoot through the grasses on these lovely spring days.

We have been very minimal in what we tell the girls about COVID-19. They know that a lot of people are sick and that all of our usual fun things are closed to keep from spreading the sickness. They know that we’re staying home to stay healthy, and that’s about it. We are determined that they won’t feel the fear or anxiety that is spreading even faster than the virus.

I’ve been feeling sad that they will feel a lack during this time. A lack of friends and social gatherings. All of their usual fun things have become digital, and, for kids who spend verrrry little time with screens, this is a big change. But, the miracle is that they don’t feel a lack. They feel loved and secure, and I’m calling that a win.

So, let’s stay home for a few more weeks and kick this thing, shall we?