Our New Normal

This is a picture of a picture...but I had to show you because it's all of us!  And each of us has changed so much in the past 2 1/2 months.

Let's start with Julia...

Julia has graduated from Kindergarten and her first year of Chinese School.

She is learning to ride a big girl bike (no training wheels!)  John even got her elbow pads, knee pads, and gloves to cushion any falls she may have...and they are all pink!

She loves to swim in the pool...any pool, and enjoys inviting herself over to people's houses who may have a pool!

She also is always drawing a picture of her family.  I love this because she draws every detail down to the purse I brought, the leggings I wore, and even draws Marky's and Daddy's spiked hair.

She is also going through growing pains in her legs again and has been eating me out of house and home.  This girl can eat! (I don't know where she puts it!)

Next we will see what changes have taken place in me...

For starters I have lost 27 lbs since Micah has been born!  I gained about 33-35 depending on whose/what scale I stood on during the pregnancy.  So I still have a few more to go.  I did a paleo diet for 6 weeks with my sister (mostly veggies, fruit, meat, no dairy, no sugar, no grains) Then after the diet on Mother's day weekend I joined a gym and got myself a trainer!  I meet with him every Saturday afternoon and now Monday nights and I have never sweat so much or have been pushed so hard.  (I am finally getting my confidence again!)  I fit in all my clothes again, but I still need to strengthen my core and find my ABS...where did they go??? I seemed to have lost them between Julia's birth and Micah's birth.  I am proud of how strong I am and how hard I work at the gym...John allows me to go at least 3-4 nights a week because he says it's "kristi time" and even if I only go for an hour it is great to just work out and get re-energized for the next day!

I also have a few more grays here and there...trust me I pluck them with a tweezer if I find one...but I refuse to dye my hair ever again, and I am growing out my hair until at least August...I want to have long hair when we renew our vows at COTW.

I also have begun serving on the Hospitality committee at my church and I finally feel like Jacob's Well is becoming my home.  God has been so faithful in allowing me to make friends and fit in.

Next we have Daddy-John-

John has begun working out daily also.  He transformed our garage into a workout area by using the whole space by covering it with taekwondo mats.  The kids love to play in there now.  He wakes up early and trains in the garage before work each morning.

John has also been remodeling our landscaping out front.  He has done an amazing job with our vegetable garden and now with redecorating the front of the house with more flowering plants instead of the juniper trees we had.  The bushes were hiding the front of our house so we took them all out.  John had a landscaper draw some ideas and we got some ideas from friends too.  We even put in a new sprinkler system...I should say, John did!

He has been so handy around the house!  He has such a strong work ethic.  He never just sits down and vegs out in front of the tv.  He's always bettering our home.  I love that.

On our most recent date, we took Micah...it was so neat to just have one baby in tow...and John was just loving on Micah, and I loved watching him.  I get to hug and kiss the baby all day long so I know he must be wishing he could do the same.

On to Big Brother Mark-

Mark is now 4 years old!  (He reminds us all the time.  ALL.  THE.  TIME.)
He changes his outfit at least 5 times a day.  I think that's why I am always doing laundry.  ALWAYS.
He loves to pop his collar.  He loves to wear work boots.  He loves to wear jeans.  Even when it's 85 degrees out.

Mark loves John to pick him up.  He loves his dad.

However in the car this morning on the way to church he told me I was his best friend.  LOVE HIM.

Mark loves talking to Micah.  Every time I am nursing Micah (which is like every 10 minutes...just kidding) he comes over to talk to Micah about his milk.  And Micah just smiles and drinks away.  I really like to nurse in privacy but at this point.  Privacy just isn't happening.

Mark got a new glider bike from my in laws that he loves, and today John bought him a cool new helmet.

And last but not least Micah--

We call him MJ, Mikey, Bubba-boy, Bubbs...buddy, he has so many nicknames!

He has been holding his head up since week 1...he is so strong!  But now his legs are going a mile a minute and he has tree trunk thighs!  I think nobody is going to mess with me or Julia...Micah is our built in body guard!

He laughs and coos and smiles all day long.  He wakes up so happy and peaceful and content.

Everyone who meets him says, "Does he cry?"  He just isn't a fussy baby at all (okay, unless gas is involved).

Every day trip we've been on, Micah is in the carriage asleep.  He wakes up to nurse and goes right back asleep.  He just fits in with our schedule.  He is our go with the flow boy...and we all ADORE him!  He is the life of our home party!

Well, that is us right now.

It's our new normal.

Life as a party of five.

And Mommy has finally got a rhythm to the day, and life is grand!