A new (temporary) schedule

 I learn something new with every baby - maybe it's because the dynamics of our family is always evolving and changing and I have to adjust to meet its needs. It's tricky and sometimes down-right frustrating to be up with a baby most of the night and then have him wake up for the last time one half an hour (5:30) before I have to get everyone else up for the day, (at 6:00) and then take care of the family scripture time and get everyone ready and out the door in half an hour (bus by 7:30).  That is five lunches to fix, breakfast to make, and a couple of heads of hair to fix.  Add a baby that is still fussing into the mix -and therefore no hands to take care of everything  with - and it's a MIRACLE to accomplish all this in half an hour!  I couldn't do it if the kids weren't helpful with Pace during that time.  When Shawn is here, I don't have to worry - everything runs really smoothly.  But for the last couple of weeks he has had to be gone. All.week.long.....Sigh.

This week Pace has decided to wake up for the day at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning, so what I have learned is that this is a great time to get ready for the day!  Not quite sure why I've finally figured this out with this baby? Rather than try for hours on end to get him back to sleep, I clean the house, do laundry and make the lunches.  The hours fly by, and before I know it the kids are up.  My idea is, that once Pace finally naps, all of the house work will be done and I can nap, too. That idea hasn't quite panned out, though, because he has a way of FINALLY falling asleep when I can't - while I'm making dinner, etc. But aside from not sleeping, much, I am a lot less hassled -feeling.

I think Pace is so used to the hustle and bustle of our household that he has a hard time sleeping when it's quiet!  I have never had a baby that will sleep through noise, but he thrives on it. His best nap-time is while I am making dinner and the older kids are all taking turns practicing piano, interspersed with the yelling, whooping stampedes that pass regularly through our house.

I have really been enjoying the absolute beauty of the night as I hold my little guy in the dark, looking out onto the yard. The last three nights the moon has been so brilliantly bright, and the night-scape is so peaceful.  And then I can watch the whole process of the sun coming up:

 

 

SO breathtaking.  The mornings have been more chill and the water temperature is still pretty warm - thus the steam rising from it.  In fact, when I commented on it, Maddie and Caden were quick to inform me that the water temperature is, indeed, very warm. They said that last night when they were out swinging across the water, their feet were cold so they kept dipping them into the water because it was so much warmer:)