Six Weeks

Caroline turned 6 weeks old on Wednesday. Can I just tell you how much I love this little girl? I feel like I have more perspective with her than I've had with any of the others and am able to take a little more time with her, have a tiny bit more patience during the night and when she's crying, and just enjoy every day with her. Maybe it's having a kid after thirty, maybe it's having your fifth kid, maybe it's having your last, whatever it is, I'm lovin' it.

Took these for Bud for Father's Day

Summertime!

Thinking we'd be overwhelmed with 5 kids, Bud and I didn't plan anything for the summer until August. Well, we feel up to it now and are kind of bummed we have to wait so long for a break, but we made our "Summer Fun" list and have been checking some things off. So far the kids have made a lemonade stand, gone to Burger King, gone to the dollar store, had Dirt Dessert (Oreos and pudding with gummy worms), Slurpees, silly-string fight, and have swam in their pj's. There has also been tons and tons of regular swimming. Here are some cute pics:

Dancy Dance Time

Elle and Mae had their recital last Saturday. They tap-danced to "Yellow Submarine". It was adorable to watch, but even more adorable to see them all dressed up. Their best friend Judy was in the class too, and we figured out that all these girls will be in high school together. Judy will be a senior, Elle a junior, Mae a sophomore and Judy's little sister Kate, a freshman. We are in so much trouble! : )

3 Weeks In

Baby Girl turned three weeks old yesterday. Although I feel like I've been awake for most of the three weeks, it's all kind of a blur. This is kind of a candid post, mostly because I like to use our blog as a family journal, but I do want to remember what having a newborn is like so I'm no tempted to do it again in a couple years. : ) Caroline really is a wonderful baby, so beautiful and healthy and we are so blessed to have her in our home. We've just had a few kinks to work out and although it's my fifth, I've totally forgotten how hard having a newborn is. About a week ago she started spitting up like crazy. Actually, I should say throwing up, because it seemed to be pretty much everything she had taken in was coming back up. I hated the idea of her having a food allergy and having to cut out dairy, wheat, and chocolate (what else is there to eat?), but did cut back a bit and it was still happening. Finally decided she was taking in too much air and had to burp her every 1-2 minutes during her feedings (soreness!). Things got better, but it would still happen every now and then. Then we figured out I was overfeeding her. We've stuck to a pretty strict feeding schedule not overdoing it, and it seems to be working. Hopefully she'll grow in to what I have to offer.
I was telling Bud how tough it is to have this beautiful tiny baby who you just want to enjoy every second of because in a heartbeat she'll be big, but you're so tired and stressed most of the time it seems near impossible. The feelings of guilt I have because I'm not spending any time with the other four and the stress to keep Caroline thriving and wanting to enjoy the sweet moments of awake she has, added to very little sleep, really makes for one loser of a Lindsay. But I know we'll come out of this newborn fog and normal will settle in soon. Right now she's napping and I think I'll try to get a shower in, after I look at her for a little bit. Here are some pics of the past couple of weeks:

VERY loving sisters:

One of our "rough" days (all three girls were crying at once)

They're already dressing her up:

The girls made Caroline a crown:

Other happenings:

Mae's "cereal box skirt"

Dance picture day

Bud hiked Lone Mountain with the twins

After bath pictures