Your Turn. Please Help Me!

In my efforts to figure out a solution to my latest, greatest, most frustrating parenting challenge, I'm turning to those of you loved ones with any knowledge and/or experience about the subject below.  HELP ME!

In the mornings, when I often have tons of chores to do, I expect the girls to have some "independent play time" so I can catch up on house work.  So I gate them in the living room with lots of toys (though I have recently thinned out the toy selection so they aren't overstimulated).  And as they hang over the baby gate staring at me like lost puppies, or fall despondent on the floor, this is what I cringe to hear:

I'm bored.

You're WHAT?

I've tried all kinds of ways to get the girls to play by themselves, which I think I am right to expect (right?), and often they will pick up an object, mope around the room, pick on each other or whine.  They're both very creative with great imaginations, so I know the failure is mine.

How do I teach the girls to play by themselves?  And how much time a day should I expect them to be able to do that?

Won't some compassionate family member or friend with success in this area take a few moments to e-mail me a pointer or two?  I really, genuinely, would appreciate feedback.  So, please, consider this your invitation. :)

We Eat Organic

 Uncle Petey took Charis on an adventure into our woods.  They found a "stream" (puddle) and got covered in mud.  Wish I had a pic of that!

 Hannie's self-imposed close-up

 We do eat organic - it's just cheaper for us when we stick to leaves and acorns from the backyard.

 Self-portrait

 One of our bumps-in-the-road with Bethany was at her first pediatrician check-up.  Instead of gaining weight like she was supposed to, she had  lost a pound.  We asked some friends for prayer, and since then she has gained about a pound a week (double what is considered is normal).  She's growing so fast.

A Milestone

It's finally quiet at our house.  I should be napping like the other three girls, but my heart is so full that I have to write for a few minutes to reflect on some events from this afternoon before I forget.

Mike and I planned to take away Charis' pacifier ("binky") on Sunday, but this morning she decided she would take a nap without it.  So Mike and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to make this her decision and make it an exciting, encouraging milestone.

When naptime finally came this afternoon, of course Charis decided that she could not sleep without her binky.  I reminded her of her decision, and what followed was about an hour and a half filled with desperate sobbing, protests, begging... she even asked me for a toy binky - the kind that's for a baby doll - just to have something in her mouth.  Her tearful eyes and genuine desperation almost broke my heart for a few minutes.  Is this how the Lord feels when, in love, He takes away something that we think we need, and we protest, cry, argue, try to bargain... haven't we all been there at some point? So as I rocked my weeping, desperate little girl, I had a deeper look into the heart of God.  My heart ached for her.  I understood her childish perspective and sense of loss.

And then I saw  my hand on her little leg, and with the knuckles and creases and veins I saw my Mom's hand.  Mom's hands were (and are) precious to me - I don't know why - just something I always inspected and admired as a kid, these beautiful strong hands that worked, comforted, loved, disciplined.  And I remembered all the times that don't seem so long ago that I was the fiery little round-cheeked, blonde headed girl whose sobs were soothed by my Mom's hands.  And now I get to be "Mommy's hands" to three daughters?  I lose my breath under the weight of that.  Eventually Charis got quiet, her limbs felt heavy in my lap and her breathing started to get deeper and more rhythmic, but I couldn't put her down.  I held her longer, and prayed for her future and cried on her little head and fell so in love with her all over again.  I was thankful for the battle because it made the peace that followed deeper and sweeter than any moment we've had together.  If my love is this intense, what is His like?

Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart... The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.  ''The sorrows... I will remove from you...'' 

  

Aunt Sally & Uncle Petey!

Here are some fall pics, including a few we took while Pete & Sally were here for a quick visit.  We might need a camera with a faster shutter speed to capture these girls, since they never seem to stop moving!  

All my pics of Bethany are on my phone, and I haven't had time to upload them yet, but she's doing great, plumping up, and loving life with her two big sisters.  It's hard to believe she's one month old already. 

Hannie cheeses for the camera now, which is too cute, but she keeps walking closer and closer to the lens as you're trying to snap a shot!  

 Playin' in the leaves.

 Charis took this pic of the happy couple.

 We were excited for weeks to get to see these people!

Pete & Sally, perhaps you'd like to use this pic for your Christmas card this year?  Or maybe we will?

"Let the Dust Bunnies Roll!"

The title of this post was the advice given to me by our kids' Nurse Practitioner, who also had three little girls. 

The last few weekends have been full of fun & family, with more family coming tomorrow (Uncle Petey & Aunt Sally!)  Here are some pictures.

Figgy Poppins floated in with her umbrella, duffels and an old flannel sleeping bag last Friday afternoon.  She promptly sent me upstairs with time to get a shower, and do my hair, and makeup, and quite honestly I felt like a real person again!  She stayed all weekend, until last Tuesday, cooking and cleaning and bringing lots of fun and snuggles to the girls.  Basically, she worked herself to the bone for 5 straight days.  As soon as Figgy left, Hannah started crying, Charis requested that she come back to stay another night, and Mommy sat down on the laundry room floor, called Mike, and sobbed.  I have since regained my sanity, and truly I've been floored by how Jesus makes me sufficient to do this impossible Mommy task alone during the day.  But we're SO grateful for the visit and all the hard work Figgy did to help us!  

"Braeby, if you don't go take a nap, I'm leaving!"

This past weekend, Granna & Grandaddy came to visit again!  They, like other courageous loved ones, braved our paltry guest accommodations and three runny-nosed girls to stay with us on Saturday night.  They came bearing a delicious dinner, handled our family's evening "crazy hour" with grace (4:30 pm - 7:30 pm every night), helped clean up our neglected landscaping, and even allowed time for me to go to the grocery store for the first time in over two weeks!  We begged them not to leave on Sunday evening, but to no avail. 

I just thought this was humorous.  Our mantle: a distinguished, elegant wedding photo  full of the hopes and dreams of  tomorrow, a lego tower that might be there forever (Daddy was admonished for trying to clean it up), and a bug box with dirt and an earthworm which was given to Mommy with love.  

The growing individuality is the best part about this age...

This is what "wake-time" looks like lately.

When they're fighting over a toy, they've both started yelling "SHARE!"  "SHARE!" which is a nice word, and we're working on learning how to implement that.  Above, the camera captured a sweeter  moment when Hannah half-way enjoyed Charis "reading" a book to her.  In the kitchen, I could hear occasional reprimands, "SIT IN MY LAP! SIT!"

Adjusting to life together... more pics to come!