May 18

My mom texted this morning while the girls and I were eating breakfast, so we decided to call her back. When Mom asked Daisy what we were doing today, Daisy replied, "It's Do-Nothing Monday!"

Smart girl!

However, since Mom had the day off and it was the perfect day for digging and planting, it became "Do Some Gardening" Monday. A week or two ago, Chris' mom came and planted flowers around the house. Today, my mom came out and added to that with some ornamental grasses and other plants. 

As always, the girls were eager to help.

Daisy loves this "new" dress. It was a garage sale find a year or two ago, and it's been hanging in her closet until it was the right size. The time is now, and she loves that it has a crinoline underskirt that makes it poufy. And since it cost maybe $3 at a garage sale, I'm totally fine with her wearing it for things like gardening. Win!

And there's Grandma, doing what she loves with two of her little loves.

Eli and I, meanwhile, sat on the porch swing and didn't even attempt to help. I'm ready for my leg to start feeling better.

While I made lunch, Eli played on his play mat. I think he is just starting to bat at toys and reach for things, but I could also be imagining it. When it comes to the fourth child, I think a lot of baby milestones happen that way.

Whether he was batting or not, he was content there for a good fifteen minutes, which is kind of amazing. 

The poor kid has a cold, and last night was really rough. He clearly feels miserable, and I'm feeling like a mommy martyr. Between waking every two hours last night to handle a child who would not stop screaming, to not being able to eat anything yummy because of dairy, I'm feeling like the suffering is just too great to bear. (I write that mostly-jokingly; I realize that this is all very minor and temporary and not really something to complain about, and yet, in the moment it feels hard.)

And then I remember that three months ago, I was worried that Eli might never be able to nurse like a normal baby and that my body might never produce milk normally. It felt like an eternity that I had to nurse and pump and feed bottles, but it was really just a blip in Eli's little life. Now that blip is over, and we are on to the next blip, and soon that will be gone, and the only way I will remember it is to look back on these blog posts and laugh about the time when Eli was a baby and it felt like I was underwater for four months because he came early and then there was mastitis and then everyone was sick forever and then more mastitis and then he started spitting up all the time and then I broke my leg and then I couldn't even eat dairy, for goodness sake!

Thankfully, Eli is our fourth child, and I feel like I have a better understanding of how quickly all of this really goes past. When I get caught up in the emotions of how hard things feel, I can look at Caleb, or Daisy, or even Lily, and remember how quickly things will change, and how soon this season will be over. 

But you'd better believe I will still complain tomorrow if this kid keeps me up all night again tonight.