Christmas!

I can't believe it! I had 5 of the 6 kids in my family, plus their spouses, my dad/stepmom, my step brother & one nephew all at my house for Christmas. It was WONDERFUL! I loved having everyone here! We spent Christmas Eve at my house with my mom as well. People energize me so I guess it's a good thing Jared & I both come from such big families (and now have a big family of our own). 

Santa visited the Wright house!

Taylor's favorite gifts: Oil Pastels, Tie Dye Kit, Bike, & Jared's old IPod (updated w/ a pink and black zebra bling case;)

Kendall's favorite gifts: adorable stuffed animals from her aunts & uncles

Halle's favorite gifts: Easy Bake Oven & Hermit crabs

Colby's favorite gift: Raspberry Pi... a credit card size computer with Linux operating system, designed to help kids learn how to program.  Yes, that little motherboard on the floor is his computer. Crazy, huh?!

Avalyn's favorite gifts: jewelry and purses from aunts/uncles, Rapunzel hair, and grocery store/cash register

Before (@ Good Will)

       

After my crafty paint job

Activity of the day: 1000 piece Periodic Elements puzzle. Dad & Andrea finished it while we saw Les Mis Christmas night:)

Kids

We met some friends on Sunday to attempt some pictures for our Christmas card... considering 2 had the flu, we were able to get some cute individual shots of the kids:) I didn't have any family pictures turn out great - somebody had an awkward face in every one! I need to learn how to cut heads out of one picture and put them in another because I could have made a cute picture if I knew how to pull from different photos. On my list of things to learn... one day!

Baby Therapy

This is for you mom! 2 minutes of pure baby joy... she was totally throwing the toy on purpose.

Blue Bell Factory

I started to do a whole "what we've been up to this summer post" but accidently cancelled it. So instead you get a few shots of our trip to the Blue Bell Factory today... yum!

The whole crew...

Enjoying our free sample... 


 Even Kendall got her first taste...


 Silly girls... 


Avalyn missed her friends this summer...
 

 Too cool for pictures...

 
Everyone wanted their turn with the baby...


 Best shot of the day IMO... except that I took it sideways for some reason;)

Kendall Joyce Wright

I think I've put off posting so long because I found my last post before baby time so humorously contradictory with how I felt after baby Kendall joined us. Specifically where the author of the article said children are light as air! I felt that way before Kendall came. But when she was born, not so much.

Here are some of the things I've been muttering to friends over the last three months.... "Whoever said 'it's all the same after three' lied" and "There just isn't enough of me" and "4 girls in a row, really?" and "too much fighting" and "too many problems"... ect. I must admit that the transition to five felt heavy for both Jared and I (in a way we have never experienced with the others) and I've been struggling a lot with feeling like there's just not enough of me to go around. My older kids also seemed to be very off after Kendall was born - a lot more arguments and general discontent in the home. I felt overwhelmed with "problems" that shouldn't be a big deal but for whatever reason... felt like a very big deal. Kendall had reflux and an allergy rash and a cross eye and a urinary tract infection which led to an ER trip. Most things I had been through with my other kids. Nothing that should be particularly overwhelming compared to the recent trials of some of my friends. I felt irrational and ungrateful. But I couldn't help it... I could step back and see that I was overreacting and wasting mental energy on blaming myself for things that weren't my fault but I couldn't stop it.  It all felt like too much. Especially combined with individual concerns I have for my older kids.

Kendall is now almost 4 months old. And I am definitely feeling better. Kendall sleeps through the night which means I sleep through the night. As one wise friend said to me, "the world looks much different after a good night's rest." Kendall's not vomiting everything she eats anymore and she's a really happy baby. I'm exercising again. I love nursing. Kids are being nicer (most days). Jared is in between semesters at the moment and so he's home. We get to enjoy the sweet coos and giggles that come with a little bit of age. My perspective feels clearer. And I have a ton of gratitude... for health, for friends and for support from my family and church family.


And so now that I've gotten that off of my chest, I can start blogging again;) And I can officially welcome this sweet, healthy baby girl into our family.

Kendall Joyce Wright
Born: 02/03/2012 at 12:03pm

With mom and dad:

Coming home from the hospital:

Kendall's Blessing:

  At the E.R., 6 weeks old - IV, blood drawn, catheter, spinal tap... it was horrible!

St.Patty's Day:

Easter Trip to Vidor:

Going on a run with mom:

Most recent picture:

I could watch her all day!

We have a name!