I'm back! (at least for one post.)

I realize all you (12ish?) regulars have probably noticed my unintentional blogging hiatus. Sorry? And by sorry I mean, "here are a couple snapshots from the past four months, hope it's not another four months until I get some on here...but I can't make promises!"

But life happens. And shoulder surgeries and three busy boys and lots of pictures for other people and blah, blah... And really by the time everyone finally stops talking at night, and we stop yelling threats through the two-way monitor at the boys (while they do who knows what in their room, literally shaking the chandelier. video monitors? not for us. why take away the anticipation of the 11pm check in on the boys and finding an undressed and floor sleeping thatcher?) I feel much more inclined to catch up on an episode of white collar than google forums on why the most recent upgrade has made my macbook run painfully slow.

so, here I am. coming into the Christmas season with a new found fervor (at least for today) to document my children somewhere other than my iphone and to bring my laptop to apple so they can make the little color wheel of agony go away.

I suppose there is a touch of humor in imagining the boys someday piecing together their semi- documented childhood. "A partial baby book! Oh, mid 2010 is when she moved from Facebook to a blog. Oh, she must have gotten instagram near the end of 2012. Oh, back to the blog." And I do find solace in the fact that somewhere there should be an excessive external hard drive with a nice chronological collection of phone pictures that can confirm that Oliver did, in fact, spend the lion's share of November 2014 alternating between the same two pairs of footie pajamas.

so enjoy the compilation of sweet days spent lake michigan beachside, trips to iowa, hours spent playing the the leaves, birthday celebrations, christmas programs and whatever else I can scrounge up.

o. {three months}

I have about a whole summers worth of pictures to get on this ol' here blog. but I felt extra compelled to at least take, and post, my third's three month pictures. you could probably safely say that I'm up to my eyeballs in crazy over here, but I'm doing everything I can to not totally forget to document #3.

if we ever end up with a fourth (I say no, ben says yes. I haven't slept through the night in years--years, people-- and would you believe I get asked this question every time I make an appearance in public? I usually answer "one at a time." which is truth).

anyway, I digress. what I was saying is, if there is ever a fourth I decided I'm not even going to make a valiant effort at documenting their life. I'll just have to make it up to them when all their siblings leave the house or something...

but three, by golly. I'm going to give it the old college try.

to get the lighting I wanted, I had the front door open and was taking some pictures of my kid on the front rug. wouldn't you know, the mail lady happened by....it was only a little awkward.

but she already knows somethings not right. I mean, houses aren't sound proof and she shows up every day around lunchtime...

so, oliver.
not my hardest (jonah), not my easiest (thatcher). not sleeping through the night, but relatively predictable--so that's helpful. loving your brothers. and your mom and dad. in your own house. and that's it. fairly reminiscent of your oldest brother's babyhood. he didn't like anyone until he was about two. and thatcher, well, he liked everybody until he was two. (or two and a half, as the case may be with him. at church. whew, the drama). so maybe it's just a phase everyone goes through at some point. but you're starting to be super smiley, occasionally chatty, and really in to your hands. you get a lot of "just like dad and jonah" but i totally see thatcher (and thus, me!) in...well, probably in your cheeks.

anna

it's always fun to take pictures of someone who doesn't need to be bribed or threatened (and anna's probably the most compliant person you'll ever meet...so the juxtaposition is certainly noted).

here are a couple of my favorites.

x3

same delivery room.
(yes. exact same room. sparrow delivery room #1!)

same sweatshirt.

three brothers.

oliver

finally, some more pictures from our first couple weeks as a family of five. turns out 1) doing a photoshoot of your newborn those first couple days at home {when they're the sleepiest and most photogenic} just doesn't seem to make it to the top of the list {but I got a couple...so points for that??} 2) the iphone has ended up taking WAY more pictures than my good camera 3) kid number three just doesn't get the photographic attention that the first babies do--and thus, neither do their visitors {sorry!} 

but my mom left yesterday, and besides a couple days last week, this is our first real day doing this thing alone. I'm happy to report that Ben is expected home in the next half hour and everyone is alive {and dressed. and, relatively, well fed}. and everyone even napped at the same time this afternoon---which was amazing and much needed considering my current mantra: I will sleep again, someday. I will.

thanks to my mother-in-law and mom, the older boys think that getting a new brother is amazing--because nobody is better at playing than a "grumma" {thatcher}. seriously, they haven't missed a beat.

and my mom cleaned my house, ironed all our clothes, and I think probably put enough meals in my freezer to get me well into June. {thanks mom!}