Content

We had Luke Johnson over tonight. 

The boys are in love with this baby. 

I think they would pay Marie for the chance to babysit.

Can't say I blame them. 

Weaning and Rejection

1. Mark is camping with the boys. Did you know that boy scouts are supposed to go camping EVERY SINGLE MONTH? It was news to me. And gives me yet another reason why I am so glad I'm a girl and will never (say it again, Sister!), never, ever be called as scoutmaster.

So we ladies are home alone tonight and that means that we forgot to eat dinner and we painted our toenails and we had an ice cream cone. Also, the house is pretty clean and the sheets are freshly washed.

2. I pressure washed the dyson filters. I am pretty excited about trying them out once they're dry.

Yes.

Excited about vacuum filters.

Not joking.

3. I am attempting to wean Everly. It is so so so so hard. She is older than the other kids were and therefore is fully aware of how much she loves to nurse, where to find it, how to ask for it, and how to throw a monumental fit (or a heartbreaking cry) when she doesn't get it.  It doesn't help that I have trained her to only take naps or go to bed at night after nursing. Also, when I need to talk on the phone, or we forget to bring a snack and I'm worried that she has gone too long without food, or when we are watching a movie (at home or the theater), or when I just don't know what else to do.

You can see why this is going to be a tough week.

But I just put her to bed and I haven't nursed her since this morning.

THAT is a record.

It took her all of 30 seconds to fall asleep because she didn't take a nap...because I didn't nurse her.

Also a record.

4. I have promised Megan a game of Phase 10 after I get the other girls to sleep. I try very hard not to promise anyone anything, but this one should be fun. If I can stay awake, I enjoy having alone time with her. She has a quick sense of humor and she has the ability to beat me at the game.

5. I'd rather get beat than pretend to lose.

The end of an era

 This is the last time we will play "Name that naked Hufford."

sniff sniff.

If you are a cheater....you can look in the comments for the answer.

Cheaty Cheaterton.

Unfair advantage

I know I am her mother...

and it isn't PC to say...

But I think she is the cutest baby. 

Ever.
ly.

These days

Usually when I am stuck in the bed with sleeping baby draped on my legs, this is going through my head, "I wonder if I can wiggle out from under her and not wake her up? I need to get some laundry going! Who am I kidding, I need a shower. I need to unload and load the dishes....except I promised myself that the next time the baby was asleep, I would spend some quality time with Anna...or Laney...or SOMEBODY! Dear Heaven. My kids are neglected. They must think I only love the baby. Man. I really need to shift my weight. My legs are going to sleep and I haven't been able to feel my butt for the last 10 minutes. Maybe I should just try to fall asleep, they say that you should sleep when the baby sleeps...HA! Hilarious. I really shouldn't move at all. Numb legs are a small price to pay for a few quiet moments. OH NO....one of the kids is coming up the stairs. They are coming to tattle and they are going to be too loud or they will try to climb up on the bed and they are going to WAKE UP THE BABY! Pleeeeaaaaase.....pleeeasse.....don't talk loud. No no no no no no no....don't climb the bed! Shhhh! Mommy will make you a treat if you back out of the room very quietly."

This method of bargaining never works. Because 1) Anna is incapable of stopping herself from doing anything at this point.  2) She knows perfectly well that the chances of getting a treat anyway are 100% anyway.

Survival

Let's be honest here.

Baby's are so wonderful. They are 7 lbs of pure heavenly joyification.

They are also ridiculous hard.

Make-me-cry-to-myself-as-I walk-around-the-block  HARD.

So I'm just gonna tell it how it is.

Because someday my kids are going to have kids.

And I want them all to know that they aren't the only ones that aren't in blissful happiness all day when their own little babies are keeping them up all night and forcing them into the hallways for 3 hours every Sunday.

It's all of us.

I promise.

So, just hold that baby.

Feed him/her as much as he/she wants to.

Take a shower if you can.

Don't. If you can't.

It's going to be O....KAY....

The other kids know where the loaf of bread is....

They won't starve and they don't have to wear shirts.  Or pants.

You are not required to answer the door.

I promise you that they will watch WAY TO MUCH TV.

Possibly while sitting on a jar of mini marshmallows. It's O...KAY....

It isn't going to last forever.

Even though it honest-to-goodness feels like it will.

It won't.

There are plenty of electric devices to go around.

Oh....and don't be upset if your child formerly know as "the baby" has a bit of a hard time.

It's normal.

And yes, she will probably want to suck on one of the baby's binkies.

Or maybe ALL of her binkies.

Don't sweat it.

It won't last forever.

Even though it feels like it will.

And if you promise to buy a house right next to me, I'll come over and help you.

Everly's first torture...

I know that giving your baby her first bath is kind of a rite of passage. But it really is pretty awful. I have never had a baby who enjoyed this event.

She gets that shocked expression.

She tries in vain to nurse on my arm.

She flails wildly about.

And finally begins to accept her fate and wait for it to be over.

And it is back to being bounced and binky inserted.

And the payoff is that amazing Baby Magic smell and soft clean jammies.

Everly Erin

January 14th, 2013....

I survived a sleepless night worrying that I would go into labor (for the sixth time) before my scheduled induction. I know there are those of you who do not approve of scheduling a birth. I've been told many many times that birth is a natural process and I should let it happen on the baby's schedule.....

To you I say, "Uh huh".

And then I say, "Have fun."

Because I did that. Twice.

And it hurts like crazy and I NEVER EVER wanted to go through it again.

Isn't it enough that I gained 35 pounds?

I'm smiling for 3 reasons.

1) I am meeting Everly today.

2) I am officially done with heartburn.

3) I know there is an anesthesiologist on the 3rd floor.

It's a great time to have a baby.

So...for the first time ever. I walked into the hospital NOT already in labor.

They took my blood and then the put in the IV...3 times. Ouch.

Seriously....OUCH!

Besides that moment of happiness when they first gave me the baby, it was the only time I cried.

But it was worth it because soon I had her:

I strategically cropped this photo for the good of mankind.

You are welcome.

I do believe that is a Hufford baby. No identification bracelets will be required.

Soon the nurses and doctors were gone and we had 48 hours to hang out in the hospital room.

The hair! 

 Hanging out with Dad.

Changing diapers of black poo.... and watching "Say Yes to the Dress."

I love that little poofy part on her upper lip.

After school Mark brought the big kids to meet their new sister. Anna was running a fever, so she stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa.

And now we are home. 

Anna has kicked her fever and she has met the baby. 

We are spending our time just existing in our house...keeping the flu epidemic from entering our Hufford world. Grandma Jean and Grandpa Joe are keeping us all alive and in clean clothes. While I fall asleep with the baby in my arms in a never-ending cycle of snoozing and nursing. 

Everly is our last baby and I feel myself enjoying every minute of babyness...something I have struggled to do in the past. I know all too well that she really will "grow out of it" and that will be it.

So now we just enjoy.

We hang our lips out and enjoy.

An announcement

Ha.

I think it's safe to say I fell off the blog wagon.

But I'm ready to claw my way back in.  I am imagining my grown children saying to me, "Why did you stop writing about our lives...right before I was born?"

Oh the shame.

So...

To kick things off....

Meet baby Number 6!!

We found out we are expecting again about two months ago...SURPRISE!

After some stunned silences, a few baffled laughs, and several weeks of getting used to the idea...

we are now starting the process of gearing up for another little Hufford.

We are now in the second trimester. Which means two things: I'm not barfing anymore and Mark has solidly entered his "joke name suggestion phase".

Can't wait to meet you, Jebediah Francois.

Speaking of Motherhood....

Not a week after mother's day....we got a little surprise.

Number 6 is on the way.

I'm a little shocked, but also relieved.

A package of hamburger buns/ding dongs/donuts is a lot easier to divy up between 8 people.

Life lessons.

1. Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.

2. Never turn your back on a sneaky baby with a bottle full of glitter on the staircase.

I think it's safe to say I caught her "glitter-handed".