Most mornings around 4 he wakes and I nurse him back to sleep. Normally I get up then, even on the weekends, but I just couldn't steal myself away from him. I know this isn't going to last forever and I'm determined to drink it all in while I can.
After a cool and wet week, it was absolutely fantastic to wake to a gloriously sunny morning. I went to our town's plant sale at 8 and then figured I'd sneak in a nice, long (UPHILL) walk before traveling for several hours in the car for the first day of Ethan's soccer tournament in MA. I think we have a golden! Look at that shimmery gold!
We made it to UMass, the Amherst campus, and man is that place huge. It was very pretty, but the fields were a total mess after all the rain. I was terrified that someone was going to break an ankle or a neck while playing. Levi spent much of the day like this because there was also NO shade, so I kept parking him with the sun to his back, which put him in the complete wrong position to see anything. Sorry, buddy. A sour older lady also pointed out to me that "that baby needs a HAT!" Because clearly, this lad is not cared for in any capacity whatsoever.
They were ahead until the last three minutes when they gave up a goal, which tied it. Again, I was relieved he hadn't broken something. They'd be coming back the next day. (They ended up losing the first match after having been ahead until the very end, that's frustrating; and Ethan took a header that went wrong and it messed him up a bit. Honestly, I am not sure how much more of this we can allow him to take, but that's a post for another day. They never recovered from some bad plays in the second game and lost by a point.)
It was so late when the match ended, and we were in the middle of nowhere, so we gladly pulled into the golden arches for something to eat before driving the 2+ hours back home. We gave him a straw. He looooved his straw. Who knew?
An early Sunday morning stroll through the yard. So quiet and peaceful. I needed the day to start peacefully. I also love how all the landscaping is coming together. Slowly but surely.
Saying goodbye early in the morning. We missed the older boys and Daddy while they headed back to UMass. I'm so thankful that we had perfect weather because being housebound might have done me in. Single mothers have the hardest job on earth, and I am not kidding even a little bit. Also thankful that it was just for one day.
First day trying the nursery at our new/old church. It did go better than I thought it would, but still. Mommy makes it all better. He collapsed against my neck and sobbed when I got him after the
dreaded but expected tap on the shoulder. Since the service wasn't over yet, we went for a little walk while we waited for Isabelle and Caleb.
After church, my in-laws picked up Caleb to spend the afternoon together, so I thought it would be fun to enjoy a little picnic on the front porch. And it was! This guy devoured fresh blueberries and coconut, and oh is he such a character! He sat in his chair for nearly half an hour picking up individual shreds of coconut to eat while Isabelle and I planted the last of the flowers. For now anyway. ;) He also put on the quite a show to keep us entertained while we worked.
We took the scenic route (I got lost) to the farm, Isabelle's happy place. I was a bad Mom because I'd promised her ice cream there and it was so much later than I'd planned, and it got freezing cold that evening. Don't worry, I let her soak her feet in the tub while Levi was in the bath- that is what she REALLY wanted to do, ha ha- and then made her an ice cream sundae with gummy bears. I think I may have avoided incurring emotional damage. Phew.
I would have liked to attend one of the parades and ceremonies, but the weather was awful and we were really tired, plus, I don't need those things in order to feel grateful. And I am so grateful for the countless sacrifices of our service men and women and their families. So we decided on a simple day at home doing fun things together. A high point for sure was eating dessert in the living room while watching a movie.
Today the weather looks much the same: gloomy. But I don't mind. Levi is a tornado these days and I feel like the house is wrecked, so it's a good day to tackle that. And now we're that much closer to the weekend. =)
ps: I don't post videos on here, but I have been posting on Instastories, so feel free to find me
@bethanylivs_life over there - I love getting glimpses inside other people's ordinary days, so say hello if you stop by.
