the FIVE of us... WHOAH

Last week was the first week I had three kids and no adult help. We've had some bad moments, but we're surviving. Here is an update.

Elizabeth
I think she'll be Elsie, but I still call her Elizabeth or Baby more than anything else. She's been sleeping from 10ish to 3:30ish (WHAHOO!!) for about five nights in a row, since we put her in her own room. She doesn't spit up, which amazing quality I didn't even know was possible in an infant. She likes to be held ALL the time, so I bought a Moby. It's absolutely the most comfortable baby carrier ever. It's a pain to take on and off, but it feels like I'm carrying nothing. I could wear the babe all day. Some have noticed that she looks like her brother. Yes, they are almost identical. It's weird. The older she gets, the more she resembles Spencer. She hates her car seat. She loves to suck. I wish she'd find her thumb, but the pacifier works too. She smiles.

Camille
I wrote in another blog that Camille likes to change identities. Well, she's added Mermaid and Belle to her list of names. She wears a princess dress-up every day. If she wears something else, it takes a lot of convincing. "Oh look, Belle, your princess pants! The ones with princess flowers, etc." She loves her little sister. The other day I walked into Elsie's room to find Camille standing in baby's crib holding her. Being the obedient little girl that she is(n't) she dropped the baby when I entered the room.

Spencer
Soccer season ended. Spencer’s last game was Saturday and he went out like a champ, scoring five goals in that final game. Please note that makes a total of six goals for the season. He was awarded most improved player at the party that followed. I never minded that my child was the least aggressive on the team, but I admit it was thrilling to watch him be the star. I don’t know what changed.

Luke
We’ve experienced a loss in the family. Several weeks ago, a drunk driver hit Luke’s beloved 1998 Ford Escort. Not to be alarmed—no one was in the car. It was parked in front of our house. The driver first hit Luke’s car, backed up, and hit Luke’s cousin’s car which was parked behind the Escort. Apparently, she was not only drunk but also texting on her cell. She was arrested and jailed (three days) for her 2^nd D.U.I. She is 21-years-old. Whoa! Shouldn’t our drunk-driving laws be a little stricter? This girl could have killed someone! She shouldn’t have a driver’s license. Anyway, the insurance company awarded us a hefty $2,400 to purchase a new car. This is actually more than I expected, but Luke fought hard for more. It’s not easy giving up a car that’s paid off and that carries so many memories. Luke is very sentimental. We went on our first date in that car. We drove it to the temple to get married. We took it cross-country twice. Spencer and Camille came home from the hospital in it. We’d hoped Spencer could drive it to seminary some day. Maybe on his first date. Now we have another car payment and a Toyota Corolla.

Me
I am everyone else. I’ve nothing to say for myself, except that I just finished Our Mutual Friend on audio and am looking for another audio book. If you have a suggestion, please let me know.