Two months have gone by. Miles has fit into the space meant for him perfectly. He's bigger. He's older. It's hard, though, with this fourth child, to notice the small changes that take place from week to week...I am afraid that the next ten months are going to fly by so quickly that I won't notice any of his milestones. Part of me always hopes for time to go faster- I would like more sleep, and less work, and as he gets older he'll get to be more fun and less trouble...I know that you baby-lovers out there are not agreeing with this. I just like it so much when my children talk to me and tell me what they like and don't. I like interacting- right now I am just waiting on the little man.
Part of me likes it. Part of me is tired.
Tired enough for this not to make much sense, I think.
He's sweet. He's wonderful. We love him.

He loves us, too. He loves everyone right now.

Jack thinks that Miles is solely his baby. We have been trying to teach him that we all belong to Miles, and Miles belongs to all of us, but it's been a hard journey in the Jack-mind.

Jack needed to get his gigantic bobble-head in here, too.

The Bumble likes the view.

His hair is getting taller- not longer.

Does he look guilty? I think he felt a bit sorry, but the truth is, he WAS guilty. I heard his little feet padding around in the kitchen and dining area...back and forth...just out of my sight on the couch. He had been quiet a little too long.

He was holding this bar- one of the jumbo sized chocolate bars that we had leftover and unopened from a s'mores night with the staff- like it was an ear of corn, and eating it like he was a cartoon boy.

Good thing I noticed when I did, or we would have had a wired little man on our hands. Oh, Jacky.

What have I done?
On the surface it seems as though I've agreed to coach Bowden's soccer team.

What I have really done is created chaos for myself for 10 weeks. Oh. And Oh. And an Uh for good measure.

8 weeks have passed since this baby exited the womb and entered into our family. He has a bit of a cold right now, I think, and his nose is so stuffed in the mornings. He sleeps like no one else- today he slept from 9:30 am until 2 pm....I couldn't even get him to eat in between. Jack put his "baby" in to sleep and swing with Miles this morning.

Bowden likes to help me out by holding the little manling.

Josh told him a little story tonight. Miles listened intently.

Miles is 7 weeks old today. He's getting as big and fat as my babies tend to get, but he seems sooo long. We went for a walk today- Momma still has a happy ten pounds or so before she's back to her playing weight.

He's sweet, and still sleepy, and I think he may have a cold because he's so congested and he's been sleeping more than usual, but he's not too cranky.

In fact, you wake him up, and he's overjoyed to see you. He's a jolly boy, and by the end of the day my back hurts from the weight of him, but he's easy...at least, he has been for seven weeks!

Miles likes to suck on his fist, now that he can reliably get his hand to his mouth. His hands are usually fisted, still, and his mouth is not yet big enough to fit the whole thing in, but he gives it the ol' Tate try.

His face is very rashy, a normal rash, but pretty bad. Bowden had it really badly, too, and being a fourth-time mother, I'm not worried the way I was with Bowden, but still...poor baby. His eyes? Not yet brown, but they won't stay blue. I'll keep you posted. About once a week. You know you like it.

Is it just me, or does this baby look huge in this picture? He takes up a lot of my 6 year old's lap.

School! Already?
Classes started on Monday, and we here at Camp Maranatha have not yet finished our summer season. This is little bit of a crazy week- we have our second largest group of the summer in, but most of our staff is going, or has gone, home. Josh has been working in the kitchen in the mornings...breakfast this week is served at seven, which means that he has to be in the kitchen at 6am...I have to get the kids ready, and myself, and go down to breakfast. In years past we have just done breakfast at home, but this year that seems harder, somehow, or more time-consuming.
We've been having the kids set their clothes out the night before, so that part of the morning is shortened, but really, we're tired and flat out. Josh comes home at 4pm so that I can go work...we haven't had much time off. It is just for the week, though, and then we can settle into the real routine of school and activities, small groups and socializing.
The kids, Bowden especially, were dismayed a few weeks ago when I told them how soon the summer would end. Bowden does not like school, and despite his complaints about boredom this summer, he doesn't see the first grade as a good distraction from the monotony of home-life. Lucy loves school, but she follows suit, generally, with whatever Bowden says, at least, initially.

Once the big day arrived, however, I went to wake the kids up at 6:45am- a whole hour and fifteen minutes sooner than we have been waking up- and Bowden jumped up and immediately began putting on his clothes. He was so excited...he told me that he had trouble going to sleep the night before because he was looking forward to going to school so much. He sped through all the tasks of the morning with joy and excitement, and I was glad- it was a good way to start the year.
Lucy was excited, too, but a little nervous. This year she's attending the preschool at the Idyllwild School, and she didn't know what to expect. She was happy to wear her new dress from Nanny, though, and she was happy enough.
Bowden was in the car twenty minutes early, so we went and played for a while on the playground first. I walked Lucy into her room and met her teacher, Mrs. Sue, and she looked at the new toys and new kids, and settled in without any complaint or fear. I picked her up at eleven in the morning, so she was only in preschool for three hours...she says that she liked her first day, but that, "they didn't really do anything." (Her biggest complaints have been, "I want to eat lunch at school!" and, "I don't like school...because I don't like to miss t.v.")
I took this just after we got home.

Then I had to take one of Jack. It will be good for him to be the big boy at home for a few hours every day, I think.
Bowden came home, and he liked his teacher, and his class. He said many times that he had to stay after lunch...the biggest change for him is that school is three hours longer than it was last year. I don't pick him up until 2:30...craziness. I miss him for all that time. It's a pretty long day, but he has had such a good attitude the past few days...I think he needs to be doing something.

He really likes that he has E.P.D.- which I think is like P.E.- and that that is taught by Ms. Adler, his kindergarten teacher from last year.
I hope that this year can make him love, or at least like, school. If he learns, and likes it more, I think we will have gained ground.
I forgot to take a picture yesterday, so this is the crew this morning, ready to head out the door. Bowden was still excited on day two!

My little poser. I'm glad I have two more at home.