5:15am is the new 7:00am.

In order for my day to start and get everyone out the door, I have to be up at 5:15 which is coincidental because that is when Maren wakes up anyway.  She actually is a great sleeper and eats at 2:15ish and then again at 5:15-5:30am and so I feed her and then I'm off for the day.  It's not like I'm running around like crazy but there is no time to go back to sleep  and if I want to shower (and let me be clear that showering every day disappeared a long time ago...gross I know...there's just not enough time!) I have to do it then.  Last Thursday was my first day actually getting everyone out the door and ready for school actually on my own and it was great.  No problems.  I just feel like I'm in constant go mode.  And I'm not even doing any carpool yet.  Make sure Maren is sleeping or at least content and getting Pacen and Camry up and actually moving and either getting Claira and Gentry dressed or content watching a show with their ovaltine and doing breakfast and lunches and then they are out the door and I've already been up for three hours and all I've done is get people dressed and fed.  It's just interesting how things have to be adjusted when a new baby is in the picture.  

Friday was a real test because Than was out of town just for the day and Camry had her Author's Tea at school at 9:00am.  So I really was all by myself and had to time feeding Maren just right and get myself dressed well enough to see school people and bring food for after all the kids had read their books and we made it but it's just exhausting getting anywhere, especially in the morning when everyone has to be dressed.  

But, anyway, enough about me....Camry had her Author's Tea!  And she did great!  It's where you read your book that you wrote in the microphone in front of the first grade and parents.  She really is a fantastic student and really tries hard and what she does.  But she is also very balanced.  Her teacher has this huge reading goal for her.  She is a fantastic reader and he set a rather large goal for her and her word count for reading.  And so far, she hasn't met it and doesn't look like she's going to reach it.  She reads all the time but doesn't just read to take the AR test which I'm totally okay with.  She reads books to Claira and Gentry all the time and she reads at bedtime but not always AR books.  And She takes lots of AR tests and is just fine but he wanted her to do more.  Anyway,  he asked her about her goal and told her that if she doesn't read and take more AR tests then she won't make her goal and she said something along the lines of, "Well, I also have to have time to hold Maren."  I think that shows a girl that has her priorities straight!  If she weren't a great student, there would be cause to worry but she's fantastic but doesn't feel the need to read 24 hours a day and frankly, I wouldn't really want her to do that anyway.  She's great and I love her.  A lot.  

 I took this picture of her the other day before school.  She's so stinking cute.  

The other day Gentry pulled up her dress and started "nursing" her baby.  The kids got quite a kick out of it and started laughing at her and I couldn't grab my camera fast enough but it was hilarious to watch her nurse and burp her baby.  

Okay--a week later I'm finishing this post.  ARGH!

These pictures were taken last Sunday.....February 24th.  I was just snapping away Sunday  morning and I caught her mid-sneeze!  It was awesome.  Sadly, that sneeze meant that she had caught Gentry's cold and has been sick the past few days.  

Gentry loves her baby.  

So she's been actually smiling lately but I haven't been able to get a good picture yet.  Her smile is the sweetest thing ever. 

All ready for her first Sunday at church.  

On our way to church!  She did great on her first Sunday.  Slept the whole time.  It was a big fight to see who could sit next to her.  We don't really fit in our small side row anymore!  We are that big of a family where we have to move to the middle.  These times they are a-changin'!  

Who knows what else I had planned on blogging about?!?!?  That's what happens when you can't find a time to sit down and blog for a week!  I've been choosing sleep over any other extra activity.  I just need more sleep these days and if I choose not to take an opportunity to rest, I know I'm going to regret it.  And Maren's awake time has been in the evening so after we put everyone to bed I've been sitting with her, making baby noises at her and she's cooing back and it's just adorable.  We've had some killer conversations so far.  Lots of goos and gahs.  She has definitely had lots to say as a three week old.