In our house we have 'moo' and we have 'milka'.  There is definitely a difference between the two seeing as how one comes from Momma, and one comes from a 'dow'.

With that, I give you, the moo song.  Which is sung to me whenever moo is desired.

We have had a rough few days in our house.

It started out with Keyzia and puking... and more puking... and Talya puking... and more puking...

Then it was Ephraim's turn.  Zi is a real trooper when she's sick.  She pukes, says she's done, rolls over and goes back to sleep...  Eph has a much harder time.  He cries, and his tummy cramps.  He runs a wicked fever and is almost inconcolable.  He never hits the bowl either... sigh.

So, last night, after the chaos of being sick seemed to be ebbing I found him adorably snuggled up to his new doll.

Before he went to sleep he told me to make sure it was him I kissed, and not 'Little E'. 

My boy is going to be a good daddy.  I can see it already.

If he can stop smashing things.  Details... details...

The mother enters the bedroom to tuck her children in for the night.  The four year old son is cozy on the top bunk, and the five year old daughter is in the process of getting cozy on the bottom bunk.

daughter:  Momma, tomorrow I'm going to be an elephant.

The mother gives a blank incomprehensible stare.

daughter:  Cuz I really like peanuts!!

*end scene*

Eph:  Momma, where does your boob milk* come from?

Me:  Where do you think it comes from?

Eph:  Well.  ((very seriously))  First I think when you drink some milk, the milk goes into your tummy.  Then it goes on a conveyer belt, then it goes on another conveyer belt.  Then it goes in a pool, then in a tube, then in Talya's tummy, then out Talya's bum!

He's going to be a doctor, I tell ya.

*yes we do call breast milk 'boob milk'.  Gotta problem with that?

Ephraim, Ephraim, Ephraim.

You, my fabulous son are four years old.  You are so big now!  Your babyface has gone, and you are full of stories and interesting things to do.

You never stop moving.  Even when you're sitting still, which believe me is only on rare occasions, some part of you is still moving.  Rubbing Petey's ear, tapping your foot, building something.  We'll soon have to move on from painting mama's toes to knitting I think!

You are tentative of new things, but once you fully understand what it is, or what's going on, you are all over it.  Climbing giant spiderwebs, building activators, telling stories, leaping tall buildings in a single bound...

... these things are nothing to you.  You pshaw the difficulty!  But, only after you have had a good chance to think it through.

You are very much of the attitude that you can do anything better than anyone else.  And if you can't, then your daddy certainly can.  You can jump higher, run faster, know more words...

You, my glorious son, are certainly an individual.  You know your mind, and you are determined that people will see things your way... even when you have no idea what you're talking about... you get that from your father.

I really want to encourage your individuality, and yet at the same time, I just want you to listen to what I have to say without arguing.  It's going to be a long bunch of years until you move out, son of mine!

While you are getting to be such a big boy, you are still so little in so many ways.  You still like to snuggle.  You still can't go to sleep without a kiss and a hug, and you still love to be around your mama and daddy. 

I love you so much, Ephraim, you make me absolutely nuts, make me wonder why I ever became a parent in the first place, and then turn around and give me one of your dazzling smiles.  Or tell Talya how much you love her...  you have such a soft and caring heart, and that is your saving grace.  Your heart trumps any mischief that you could possibly get into!

Keep on laughing, big handsome boy, when you laugh, my whole world brightens.

Love,

Momma

I took Zi to soccer last night, and I came home to this in my backyard.

"It's an activator, Momma."

"You can sit on it."

I think I'll pass.

6 months

(from the top of the stairs)

Eph:  I'm cold, Momma.

Me:  Well then get back in bed and cover up.

Eph:  I can't.  My blanket slipped into Zia's room!

Well well well.  It's ten o'clock right now, and MY baby (not Ja's baby... his baby is the one who screams uncontrollably for no apparent reason...) has been asleep in the crib for an hour. 

Yup.

You heard it here first, folks, she's sleeping away AND SHE IS NOT TOUCHING ME!

Well, not too much has been happening in these parts of late.  Just the usual stuff.  Changing diapers, keeping peace, boobing, changing diapers, keeping peace, boobing.  That's pretty much it really.

Knowing that Talya is going to be our last baby has made me really want to cherish every moment.  I don't even mind that she wants me to hold her all the time.  It's sweet the way she nurses and plays with my nursing necklace.  Her coos and giggles are enough to melt any heart.

And the older hooligans.  Oh my goodness do they adore the peanut.  Ephraim will look at her in awe and say, "You're so beautiful, Talya."  Keyzia sings her lullabies so that she can go to sleep.

I was always told by good friends of mine that you just KNOW when you're finished having kids.  You feel full.  The urge to have more, the need to expand is gone.  I have definitely hit that stage. 

Even after having Ephraim, I knew that we would have another baby.  I was wanting to put it off for a good long time, but our family didn't feel complete.

After I had Ephraim, I had some pretty wicked post partum depression.  This time it started before I even had the baby.  Knowing that it would probably just get worse with another one is the key factor in our decision not to have any more.

We have had such amazing support from this crazy group of friends who we can also call brothers and sisters.  The body of Christ has banned together and helped us through this difficult time.  My eyes have been opened, and I have never felt so loved and accepted in all my life.  We have been given so much by so many people that it just makes me want to give and give and give in return.

But that deserves it's own blog post.

Here I am wasting my not being touched time on the computer. 

What am I, a first time mom or something??

"You know, Ephraim, I'm so lucky, I have a sister AND a brother."

"I KNOW, Zia."

"But, you're really really really lucky, cuz you have TWO SISTERS!"