Saturday with the Foxes

With pretty much every single baby, the first week is heaven.  I've rarely taken a drug much stronger than Tylenol in my life, but I can't imagine being high could feel much better than the first week with a newborn baby.  

The tiny feet, the sweet smells, the tiny diapers, the snuggling... who needs sleep anyway?  The sore breasts, the aching back are nothing compared to the ecstasy that is holding a tiny infant.

 Then comes the second week.  Like clockwork, I physically and emotionally crash right around the one week mark.  Fortunately, my "crash" of the last couple of days has not been as bad as some previous babies.  Even so, last night was rough with a crying Peter and all of my big people gone.  Faith was here, and she has been magnificently helpful, but she is still only ten, and I don't want to burden her too much.  
I am feeling markedly better today.

He is a hardworking Daddy.  Between work and helping out a little bit with Youth Conference, I haven't seen Abe a lot this week.  I'm pretty good on my own, but I do feel much more relaxed when he's around more.

My timing isn't the best, but I've been concerned lately with the younger children's lack of creative juices and their inability to entertain themselves without electronics and screens.  So, I've been enforcing a lot of no TV time this week.  Lo and behold!  It took a few days, but they've been playing so much better and making up more games and he complaints of boredom have significantly decreased.

Creativity is always messier, as the fort in the living room shows, but it's worth it.  Replete with a living room (in the center)  and separate bedrooms for each of them.

Peter wasn't really being grouchy for this picture.  I told him I wanted to take his picture shortly after the kids had posed here just before him.  I think he was trying to be a tough guy to be like them in the game they were playing.  

Clark and Bethany returned home from youth conference today.  They had a BOOT Camp theme at Camp Williams (Utah National Guard Reserves training area).  From all reports they had a great time-- the highlight being the obstacle courses.  Clark did not care for the repelling, but he's always been one to prefer to be on steady ground.  Bethany loved the repelling.  Clark came home and almost immediately headed to play practice and then to work.  Bethany came home and almost immediately took a nap.  She's still sleeping several hours later.  I'm guessing she didn't get much sleep while she was gone.

Elinor had a babysitting job in the neighborhood for the last three days.  I'm happy to have her home as well.  She has been on a cleaning rampage (no complaints from me).  Her room is spic and span and she cleaned up the kitchen so she and a friend could make and decorate cupcakes.

One more of Greta.  She has been nursing well, sleeping well, diapering well.  It would appear that we've saved the best for last! 

 Shh, don't tell the other kids.