Lucky #7

Yes, we've added child number 5 to our happy home!  Dayton Alexander O'Brien joined us on March 28, 2014 at 21 inches long and 7 pounds 15 ounces.  He didn't cry for the first three or four days of his life.  I think he was thankful to be part of this crazy little crew of ours.  

When Taylor was a baby I was tired.  I couldn't imagine how anyone could have more than one child and survive.  Now I giggle when people find out that I have 5 children.  They say one of a few things:

"Whew, you've got your hands full!"

"I don't know how you do it, my kid(s) wear me out!"

"You know what causes that right?"

"Oh, your catholic?"

"You've got a basketball team there!"

"Are you done?"

I always find it interesting that perfect strangers want to know what my procreative future looks like.  But I smile and field the questions as gracefully as a southern woman can muster.  Sometimes I can come back with something quick and smart to answer them with but most days I just answer them honestly with a broad smile that you probably only see on crazy people.  Maybe I am crazy.

Our kids have welcomed Dayton with open arms.  They love him without boundaries, don't mind his crying, spitting up, stinky diapers, or the fact that mom's arms are a little more occupied than normal. As soon as our girls get home from summer school they are racing in the door asking if they can hold Dayton.  It's first come first served in our house so they have to be the first in the door and the first to think to ask.

Even little Eli has taken to his little brother like a champion.  He sits next to us while I nurse him and rubs Dayton's head and sniffs his hair before he tells me "mmmmm..smell good."  He gives him kisses and when Dayton is crying Eli searches frantically for a pacifier to give to his little brother.  The whole time he searches he repeats to himself "Dayton crying."  

Dayton's birth is just the beginning of changes in our home.  Kinsey starts Kindergarten this fall and is currently in summer school.  She loves it, but was a nervous wreck before school started.  I couldn't get her to understand that her friends would be there too.  She has really enjoyed making the little crafts at school and has started gluing cotton balls to anything that will sit still long enough for her to slather with glue.  I threw the glue away before she figured out that Dayton would be an easy target.  

Today is Bella's 7th birthday and she wants to celebrate by riding her first real roller coaster with her daddy (the mamba).  We're trying to make that happen for her.  Jay developed a cold yesterday and I was up all night with a cranky baby but we're going to push through to make Bella's birthday as special as we can.  She wants to have dinner at Fritz's tonight.  It'll be the third fast food restaurant we've eaten at this week since she chooses the meals on her birthday week.  My colon hates me right now.

So that's us right now.  Treading water and laughing like fools the whole time.  I guess that is the pace of our life.  :o)