Surprise!

A new blog post. I can hardly believe it myself. Seems a combo of facebook postings and pregnancy brain has usurped all my creative energies. That and sewing which has become my favorite creative outlet.
I read so many other blogs with fabulous photgraphs and spiritual perspectives and I am so impressed, it is enough to feed my insecurities to shut this whole pony down. I mean, I see the same things with the lens of my eye, just don't own the camera to capture it, and certainly spend my days and hours loving and depending on a merciful God but not pulling out the scripture every day to document in my blog...but I am so fed and nurtured by the women who DO do those things. Sometimes changes the course and perspective of my whole day. I really love the blogging world and all that it brings to me. I am a better more loving mother because of the perspectives and values I share and read about every day. I check in on strangers as though they were dear friends, pray fervently for women and their children whom I will never encounter in person and when I sit and really think about it, it is all a bit strange but then I think also a reflection of my culture and time. And I am okay with that since I have more than my fair share of amazing and talented women who speak into my life, in real life too.
I have been thinking today about the friendships between my children and the work I put into fostering those every day. And wondering howour world is going to shift to bring not only another member into our family but curious as to how much a girl is going to change things. I think about my brother and how our friendship prepared me so much for being a wife and mothering, boys especially. My mom gets all the credit for that. She did not allow fighting or criticism between us and was vigilant to train us to respect each other, value one another's differences and work out our issues. As a result, we never really fought and by the time we were both teenagers and later as adults, were the best of friends. The fact that we looked nothing alike often left outsiders wondering just how we were connected. We got that so much. And I think that is the one thing I work at hardest with my kids is them staying connected and respectful of each other. I don't see or hear fighting, I see and hear relationship building. And instead of getting irritated at their squabbles, I take it as an opportunity EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. to help them navigate the waters of friendship and mutual respect. So far, it is working. I am nervous abotu hormones and teenage years but I know I am laying the groundwork now so at least if they do act like well, jerks, during those times, they will already know and sense that it is wrong, right? That is my theory anyways.
I am already getting a little sad for Sister who will only be 10 when Notorious is old enough to leave for college. The one who prayed and believed and hoped for her for two years will suddenly be gone. How will that affect her and her perspective. Who will she be closest to or will they all share and balance a camaraderie? I am so in awe that I get to shepherd them and be an observer into their childhoods. So lucky. So thankful. So incredibly overwhelmed with the responsibility sometimes...
And now for an update...
Notorious is excelling in school. Straight A's, excellent citizenship, an amazing creative writer with his head full of blonde curls and sensitive spirit. And quite the budding artist, draws way better than I could ever even think of trying to, much less succeed at. Piano playing, sword fighting, really turning into a cool combo of sensitive pleaser and competitive boy.
Pitufo is full on reading with total fluency. Self taught and amazing to me. He starts Kinder soon and I am meeting with some specialists at his school to give them heads up about his "special needs". He has startled tackling analog time telling as well as numbers, counting to 100, adding and then added in spelling. It has been wild wathcing this child who was not talking by 2 1/2 turn into this little genius.
Tiny is a walking, talking comedian. Seriously, the person with the most wicked comedic timing in our entire house and jsut hilarious. He has finally potty trained at 3 1/2 after two failed attempts. I have very strong feelings about potty training, it means no crying, no shame, child centered but parent prompted, a difficult and delicate balance to be me but I figure it is his body to own and be responisble for so I encourage the responsibility without pushing the child's personal limits. All that to say, this last attempt, he went from diapers all day to teetee, poopoo and dry nap and nights in a week. Like overnight. I am still amazed and in shock. But so thankful. He is learning from his brothers and starting to recognize letters and numbers and point them out EVERYwhere. Now that Pitufo taught himself to read at barely 4 yrs old, I am going to at least encourage the process with Tiny and see how it goes.
That leaves me with Sister, still in the belly. Stretching and hiccuping and going crazy when Pompey sings Ray LaMontagne to her. Pretty hilarious. I am so ready to hold her and begging her to come on out before she gets too big. Eeks! Pretty much everything hurts right now but she will be here sooner than later so I can handle it.
And that my friends, is the news from Lake Wobegone...
Love Martha.