Surprise trip to the Concord River
Over the weekend I suggested Dan take a bike ride to get away from the children (um, projecting much?). His bike saw my "take a break" and raised to "and never come back!" by popping a tire in the middle of Concord center.
And so it was that the whole entire family took an impromptu trip to the Concord river.
not alone anymore
We got to see that big float of ice hit the bridge, and the boys had a ton of fun running around the monuments. If it wasn't for the chilly weather, Dan's wet feet, and my exhaustion, we might have even PLANNED such an outing.
mama and her three boys
Whenever plans go awry I find myself overwhelmingly thankful for the character of my husband. He hardly ever shows disappointment, he can turn his expectations on a dime, and he seems to have a limitless capacity for waiting around while I wrangle three kids in coats into a van. Or maybe he just stoically holds his complaints. All I know is that while I would have had the countenance of a storm cloud sitting beside the parking lot with wet feet and a broken bike, Dan looked like a beautiful ray of sunshine when I pulled in.
Whether he's turning a cold afternoon into a fun family outing, or hugging children who need a time out, or putting a fussy baby to sleep by leaving him in his car-seat and turning on a Sousa march (I can't believe that worked, by the way), Dan reminds the rest of us that life can be filled with love and sunshine. And we all love him madly for it... even if it means fewer breaks.
baby comparison / life comparison
Pulled this onesie out of the the drawer just now and I flashed back to baby Harvey's first Sunday out of the house.
Harvey going to church for the first time at 8 days old
Now Elijah's got it on, albeit layered for the cooler weather.
seahorse Elijah at 13 days old
Looking back through my pictures, I was struck by how YOUNG I looked only 5 years ago. Young and overwhelmed.
Mama and her first baby
Good Lord, I used to wear makeup!
Now I'm old and wizened, and while taking care of a newborn is easy stuff, keeping the house clean doesn't seem to be.
Mama and her third baby
Why is there always laundry in the background of every photo now? Wait, I know the answer.