Honolulu Zoo

Girliness really likes this photo for some reason, and tells me that I am obligated to add it:



So. Honolulu Zoo. Hotter than hell, as usual.

Bishop Museum

The day was hot, and the kids were sunburnt and tired.



So off we went to Bishop Museum, where they had dinosaurs on exhibit. Not really sure what the kids were doing here...



Either Chubble really likes dinosaurs, or she thinks they are dogs. Not sure which. Either way, she kept waving and saying "hi" at them.



This picture is intended for a specific person. You know who you are:



Totally obsessed with getting as much of her body as possible through the railing...



Hawaiian goose attack!

Elaina (Chubble) Turns One!

We really should have gotten more photos of this event...especially the birthday cake part. But since Francesco was home in Washington and we were in Hawaii with my family, we were video conferencing during the actual birthday song etc part of the party.

For her birthday, Chubble went to the beach (loved it). She got her very own plate of spaghetti noodles all to herself (also loved it). She didn't so much care about her own piece of birthday cake. And I'm pretty sure she was just as excited about ripping the tissue wrap that was in her present bag as she was about the presents themselves.

I can't believe it's already been a year.

My brother and his wife had a baby

And even though I missed the event itself, of course we wanted to see :)

So, after hauling 4 kids across 2000 miles of ocean (in an airplane, but still...)



We arrived late at night, crashed, and woke up too early to see the baby, so they swam:



And then, finally, some baby cuddles!

Sunny Day Adventures

Yesterday was the first day of the year that was both sunshiney and warm enough to play outside. So we did, at ~L~s house, all day.


Chubble departing from the EVIL TENT OF DOOM (all the other kids like it; she hated it):



There is SUNSHINE on the BABY'S FACE. Has this happened yet this year? She might even GET WARM!



Loungin:



Girlies all together (Girliness is just out of the frame):



Ooooh, dirt:



Chubble warms up to the crawling tunnel:



Meanwhile, BittyPrincess has been steadily eating her body weight in overwintering kale:



No really, she loves the stuff...



I don't know what they're talking about, but clearly there is a conversation happening:



Boyness has been spending this whole time tromping around the backyard playing, but has managed to tick off EVERY other child by stomping on someone's play island:



And Chubble is getting dirtier, and dirtier:



And then finally passes out:



She is REALLY out. I think she must have been dreaming of dirt...



I went to go take pictures of the boys playing with the tent and with the dog, but the camera ran out of battery. So we missed both that and any additional cuteness, although really it was just more of the same for the rest of the day.

Nonsense

I don't have anything to say, really. Well, I do, but it's hard to encompass here. So instead, I'll just photobomb.

Chubble finds spring...interesting.


Boyness has good balance:



And again...



Hi BittyPrincess:



Hi Cubble:



Hehe, you're WET:



Cute



Sleeping in the baby backpack:



Flash forward, BittyPrincess:



I knit that hat! The loose end is probably only 'cause she wears it constantly and it's been washed at least 10 times.



And a final bit of awesome:

This week, this day, this hour

I am so, so overwhelmed with all there is to do these days. "One day at a time" gives way to "one hour at a time" sometimes, and I often find myself sitting at the end of a day and wondering where all those hours have gone.

Still, in the midst of all this business-starting and practice-starting drudgery, there are signs that we're about to wake up.

When I lived in Hawaii and seasons were mild (almost, if you weren't paying attention, nonexistant), I didn't understand the concept of spring cleaning. Here, now, when we are coming out of the bulk of our 266-or-so days of overcast weather a year, and when the unexpected rays of light blind our poor maladapted children and stream into our windows to illuminate streaks on the the wall and stains on the floor and some spaghetti sauce from last week on the stove backsplash and *gasp* how have I not noticed my door is blue before!?....here, in the PNW, there is TOTALLY such a thing as spring cleaning. Last week I wound up scrubbing walls while the baby slid herself around the floor in the (nontoxic, no worries folks) cleaning solution. Not 100% productive considering I have a month of business expenses to log.

So far this year, my business expenses exceed my income 6:1. I'm not SUPER worried about it because just one full payment will bring me equal, and I've now purchased the bulk of my necessary supplies. It was a huge worry of mine that I'd get to the point where I'd be needing to attend births and not have the money to buy something I needed to feel safe, but I am past that now - both because I've bought the bulk of my supplies, and because I know I have people out there who have my back if I really need something. Still, there's always something that needs to be paid for. Malpractice insurance. Drugs. Office rent. Everyfreakinglittlethingelse.

Our van is dying. No, really, we've heard from reliable sources that the transmission is on its last legs (or last miles, or whatever), and we're shopping for a 7+ passenger vehicle, which is a surprisingly difficult endeavor.

It all sounds a little sad, writing out out, but really it isn't; it's just BUSY. Really, really busy. Not enough brainpower to fuel the blog on a regular basis kind of busy.

Through it all the kids grow and learn and change, and we try to grab as much as we possibly can. As happy as we are right now it's hard to regret how busy our lives have been, and still we go, go, go, go.