Any frequent readers of my blog will know that I have been contemplating my growing family a lot these days. I feel like we are crossing over that great divide that separates small families with small children who are just starting out, from bigger families with older children who are more established.
It’s little things that remind me of our family’s growth. I was reminded when I watched Brenna expertly lift her tiny 8-day-old newborn brother with all the knowledge and grace of an older child. I was reminded when Joshua came downstairs in his boxer shorts and I noticed how lean and muscular his abdomen and chest are becoming. Madalyn’s sweet face is a constant reminder of her own growth as she is now losing her baby cheeks in favor of a more grown-up, slender look. Hearing the children practice their piano lessons reminds me. Knowing that Brenna will be baptised next year reminds me. Watching Joshua excercise every morning reminds me. Listening to Madalyn read out loud reminds me. Every time I buy 6 gallons of milk and know it won’t last the week, every time I wash yet another load of laundry, every time I clip 60 fingernails and 60 toenails that are not my own, every time I pack up the kids in our giant, 12-passenger van… I am reminded that we truly are growing up.
For the first time, I am seeing my older children as older siblings to Asher and Jacob, instead of their peers like they were when Braden and Maddie were younger. For the first time, they are taking on more of a caregivers role than the roll of a playmate with their baby brothers.
We are growing up- the children are all getting older, and more of them continue to arrive. We are growing in numbers and in age and it’s incredible to be a part of. Here is what each of my growing babies are up to…
Brenna is an incredible little girl. She is mature beyond her seven years. She is such a sweet, helpful girl and is often a second mother to her younger siblings. She frequently steps in to comfort a tearful Braden, tickle Asher when he needs attention, fix Madalyn’s hair just so that she will feel extra beautiful, or rock Jacob to sleep. I love watching her in her role as big sister. Brenna is bright and inquisitive, and everything seems to come easily to her. She is such an intelligent little girl and she really enjoys school. She loves to read and she reads far above her grade level. Brenna has an ear for music and an excellent singing voice. She’s a great little gymnast. Brenna’s always been a little timid, but she pushes herself for gymnastics because she loves the sport so much. It’s great to see her stepping out of her comfort zone and challenging herself. Brenna is dramatic and quite the perfectionist. She’s a social little girl, makes friends so easily, and is always eager to play. Brenna is a girly girl who loves dresses and painted fingernails and pretty jewelry and wearing bows in her hair, but she’s also a bit of a tomboy who enjoys sports and isn’t afraid to play hard or get dirty. Brenna is such a joy in our home.
Joshua is smart, athletic, and handsome. He is such a good kid. He has a good heart and an amazing work ethic. He continues to excel in his school subjects and I am constantly amazed by his abilities. Academics come easily for him and he is so far behind his grade level that I am shocked sometimes. He loves sports, wrestling and football in particular. He has started exercising to be in good shape for the sports he adores. Joshua is passionate about life. He has an incredibly strong will, an amazing sense of determination, and is very goal-oriented. Nothing stops him, slows him down, or holds him back. He loves games and is always ready to play. Joshua is an active boy, but he’s also very thoughtful at the same time. He’s such a thinker, and very analytical. He’s doing wonderfully in piano lessons, and is a really good sight-reader. I think the piano notes make sense to him the same way that a math problem does. Josh is our “saver” when it comes to money. He has saved about $200 for his mission and has another $30 of spending money saved. Joshua has such a strong testimony and he is an amazing little boy.
Madalyn is literally growing up before my eyes. I am amazed as I watch her grow and change! She is changing in every way possible, it seems. Physically, emotionally, mentally… in every way, this baby girl of mine is growing up. Physically, Maddie is looking a lot older these days. Her legs are getting longer, her pudgy tummy is giving way to a more slender look, and she’s losing her round baby cheeks. Maddie is very excited about reading and writing these days, and she is so happy to be a kindergartener. She loves to cook and to color. She still makes up the most imaginative little stories and she is either talking or singing constantly. Life is a musical for Maddie and she is often lost in her own little fantasy world. Madalyn just has a cheery little personality and she is so fun to be around. She has been so helpful lately, pitching in with chores and younger siblings, and she is so obedient. She is the sweetest, most tender-hearted little girl and she just wants to please everyone. She is excited about cheerleading, and honestly she makes the most adorable little cheerleader with her petite size, her big brown eyes, and her cheery little personality. Maddie is such a sweetheart and she radiates joyfulness.
Braden is delightful! I love three-year-olds, particularly this one. Braden is so sweet and so easy going. He’s just a mellow kid. He’s kind and playful, with a cute sense of humor. He is a smart little boy also. He knows most of his letters and their sounds and can recognize several sight words. He’s so bright and articulate. I am often amazed by the grown up things that he says. His favorite toys are still his beloved tools. He frequently fixes things around the house and it’s not unusual to find him with a giant plastic hammer in his pants pocket or his cool little drill in his hands. Braden loves to play with Maddie and he follows her around like she is the most amazing person he’s ever met. Braden also loves to play with Asher, who is becoming more and more of his buddy as he gets older. The two of them giggle and wrestle and chase each other around, and they often spend the first 15 minutes of naptime singing and playing together rather than going to sleep. Braden is getting to be a “big boy” these days. He’s getting better about dressing himself and he is brave enough to go down the big slide at the park. Of course, he’s still my little boy as well- he loves to snuggle and he says, “I love you, Mommy” over and over again during the day. He’s the sweetest little guy!
Asher is 15 months old and very much a toddler these days. His two favorite songs are currently Wheels on the Bus and If You’re Happy and You Know It. He knows the actions to both and he gets so excited when we sing with him. The other kids are just as delighted as Asher is as they sing with him and watch him eagerly mimic their gestures. Asher imitates everything lately. He especially loves to talk on the phone and brush his hair. He loves to read books and has a great attention span. He’s never watched much TV (not because I am anti-TV, just because it’s never been on when he’s awake), but when I tried to get him to watch it recently, he didn’t want to. He’s much more entertained by a stack of books; he absolutely loves to read. One of his favorite activities is coloring. Asher loves balls of any kind and he can always be found with a car in his hand. He hates to be left out and follows the big kids everywhere as if he’s one of them. He loves to eat. He loves to cuddle. He definitely has a mind of his own. He is always climbing something. Asher is learning lots of sign language and says quite a few words. I love this age, when he is still very much a baby, but he’s also playing, reacting, imitating, and communicating like a toddler. He is the happiest little boy and still a miracle in my eyes.
Jacob is 8 days old. He is such a sweet baby! He is the easiest newborn. He nurses well and he is a great little sleeper. He sleeps through all the noise of our busy household. Jacob has frequent periods of “awake time” as well, when he’s bright-eyed and alert. I love seeing his big, dark eyes. He is still so, so tiny. No bigger than Brenna’s dolls, he wears preemie clothes and preemie diapers and they are big on him. The girls and I have even dressed him up in doll clothes, just for fun. Just like before he was born, Jacob gets hiccups constantly. I love holding Jacob, nursing him, feeling him curled up against my chest. I even love getting up during the night with him. It is so incredible, so peaceful, so precious to have a newborn in our home again.
I am so thankful for SIX incredible, growing children. What a privilege it is to raise them. I am head over heels in love with each of them!
