The Daily Hailey

This is a fun play on words for me… 

We played hooky today and went to the lake first thing in the morning. Kids didn’t go to school and Brady didn’t go to work. The kids were so happy to hear we were going early, and everyone jumped in to get us on the road as soon as possible. Laela and Dekker volunteered to load the van, which was a HUGE deal. I gave them all the opportunities to change their minds, but they rocked it to the very end and got everything loaded up! 

We got to camp and worked our tails off. My. Goodness. We had willing Dahlsjos who came and helped with any and every job we could come up with. There was so much to do. While we didn’t come close to finishing all that needed doing, we took a good bite out of it and it’s functional. It’s not perfect. But it’ll work for now. 

I’d love to tell you more, but I am feeling immensely worn out at the moment and I need to just call it a night 😅 I’ve moved enough to get my jeans to my ankles and am debating whether that constitutes as “ready for bed” enough. 

Now if Spoons would just fall asleep already, maybe we could fully let down.

🥱 

I need to think of another word that isn’t “whirlwind.” I use it way too much, but its just so stinking appropriate.

I worked pretty hard today. That doesn’t mean I have lots to show for it, but I packed for camp. I prepped food. I got things organized and stacked up and where they go. Cher came and cleaned in the morning. My mom came over and bathed the babies. I ate lunch. I crocheted!! See me, even doing something on purpose that I enjoy in the day?? Its something with a timeline on it, so it was easier to justify because it also needs doing. However, Peanut did not nap for the entirety of our agreed upon time slot, so that was cut short also. Kids came home and babies went nuts, so very little else got accomplished. On my part, that is. The kids packed their clothes, including outerwear and dressy clothes for the grad party we’re attending. Dekker is fast at stuff like that, so I pimped him out for some errands. And by “pimped” I do mean he was pimpin’.

For supper, I had some crazy delicious leftover mashed potatoes given to us by someone, and some turkey given to us by yet someone else, so I made some cheater gravy, canned corn, and I shredded some cheese for makeshift chicken bowls. Turkey bowls, in this case. The potatoes we definitely reminiscent of sand castles.

I continued to pack after supper. This time, the kids went nuts, and I was really scrambling. Two out of three babies went down right away, and for a time, I was left with Wavy and Solly, who were actually totally amazing with the remaining baby. So I ran around like a headless chicken for a while, gathering up baby’s clothing and more party stuff.

Its definitely not over yet, but I needed help and didn’t have it tonight. Tomorrow it is.

Whats left?

wash my hair
pack my clothes
pack ALL thats left
food in cooler
load van
put garbage bin at the road
water plants on the deck
finish up some party things for the weekend (no details allowed)

I cannot wait until we either get it all packed and we hit the road, or we don’t get it all packed, but still get on the road 😅 When we run out of minutes, we’ll know our priorities for sure.

That’s it for me. Everyone is finally home now, under one roof, and it’s time for me to put my feet up so they don’t collapse under me. ✌️

So yesterday, I forgot to eat, and it super sucked. I felt super crappy at the end of the day and then ate a TON of supper right before bed. Oprah says not to do that, but I don’t care. It was just how the evening turned out, as it does sometimes.

However, today, I was determined not to let that happen. So once Peanut was down and LD and Spoons were eating in their high chairs, I went to the fridge to find food. And I found leftovers from Mothers Day! Our supper that day was sooooo good. Noodles. Chicken alfredo. Roasted broccoli. Shrimp bruschetta. Garlic toast. It was crazy good. I pulled out noodles and bruschetta topping, and threw some butter in a pan.

And poof. Lunch was served.

Spoons kind of whined and reached for the pan, but I didn’t share.

And I ate the whole pan worth. And it was goooood!

Mmmmm. Nice memories. Yummy memories.

The day is done now. My tummy does not hurt. And tomorrow is going to be a big one! Let’s hope the Peanut lets the tired old folks sleep tonight 🤞

As I sit in my recliner while fries cook in the oven, I feel both gross and accomplished 😅 Not my favorite balance, but still a balance, I suppose.

Here is how I got here.

This coming weekend is a big one. It is our first weekend at camp with the family, and we are NOT ready 🤣 We did as much as humanly possibly on those days where Brady and I could drive up just the two of us, but there is still much to do. I’ve prepped the best I can, but there are just only so many minutes.

Today held an evening visit for one of the babies. Cher offered to keep the other two so I could take the five around for errands with a little bit more peace than usual! I took her up on her offer, because MAN those punks get a little rowdy sometimes, and it can get loud, and kind of stressful at times.

I spent that two hour visit running from place to place, in and out of so many stores that I lost count! I got SO much done, and the kids were so great and so patient along the way! I got the kids milkshakes for the drive home, plus one for Cher 💜 and worked to unpack everything and everyone upon getting home. I felt like I RAN from about 2:50 on. And as I sit here now, I realize I haven’t eaten, and I haven’t drank anything beyond coffee or tea all day long.

So. Now we eat, and instantly fall asleep. Four hours of sleep was not enough hours of sleep last night.

😴

I used to ache through Mothers Day for the women I knew and loved who weren’t mothers who really, really wanted to be. It felt almost like a survivors guilt, where I got through losses and struggles and the waiting and wondering, and others were still there. I came out of the realm of desiring to have children with children. Many do! And many don’t. And that stinks. I’ve worked to write about it appropriately each year, where I try to hit the mark for everyone absolutely in and around the motherhood arena, wanting to validate the feelings of every woman even remotely attached to the subject.

And now, I attach to, care for, and live with children whose mother doesn’t get to see them on Mothers Day. She doesn’t get to spend the day with them, or cook for them, or wake up to them, or bathe them, or teach them right from wrong, or any of those age old things that kids do and need every single day. At least she doesn’t get to do those things right now. And trust me. I know. There is some choice involved in that, and I’m not going into that, because its really messy and crappy and HARD and no two situations are the same.

When I say that it is a privilege to have these children in our home, I really, really mean it. They are incredibly precious, innocent people who need so much love, and have SO much love!!

Spoons is the best helper we have in the house! They will put garbage in the garbage, diapers in the hallway, and bottles in the sink. Shoes will always be brought to their rightful owner. Someone crying always needs a blanket, a sippy cup, or a back rub. So many of these things are never even asked for, but they Spoons is eager to participate in their family!

LD is an absolute card, and lives to smile! If someone walks in the door and makes an excited face, LD is right behind them, basically drowning in smiles and gasps, down for whatever everyone else is pumped about. LD learned really young how to be silly and joke around, and has become an absolute beacon of light in the family!

Peanut offers big smiles, with cheeks filled with dimples. The coos come easy and high in number. Cries are easily resolved with milk, or just a buddy sitting nearby. It was clear so early in the game that Peanut just likes company. As in, family alone brings comfort.

These three precious lives fill our home with SO MUCH JOY, and there is a very real part of my heart that positively aches for their moms. Because circumstance aside, they made these little people! Environment is important, of course, but genetics are factors also. Many of these beautiful qualities are from their parents! From their mama 💜 And for one reason or another, they don’t get to be together right now. And that is HARD to swallow.

I can’t sum it all up very eloquently. Foster care is not eloquent. Its brutal and messy and super hard to wrap my brain and heart around. Mothers Day feels different though, I can tell you that much. I love these three babies so terribly much. And so do their moms.

It has been quite a beautiful day today, spent with the Brady, my mom, and my children. This was the first year ever than the kids arranged with Brady to come bring me breakfast in bed. However, they were overly eager, and Laela and Rowan woke me up by rubbing my back at 6:30am on the nose. There were cards and coffee and apples with peanut butter. They did great 💜 But goodness that was early! Still, I thanked them and hugged them and was grateful for my surprise. And then I nursed that coffee until I was ready for the rest 🤣

My mom came mid morning. I crocheted and we visited until it was lunch time. Dekker mixed up a baked oatmeal, and we had that with milk for lunch. Babies went for naps, and the adults played Skip-Bo. Once everyone was up from naps, we got into supper! I made chicken alfredo on egg noodles, and roasted garlic parm broccoli. The real showstopper, though, was the shrimp bruschetta topping on the garlic toast. That was delightful, and while not many of us like shrimp, my mom and I do, so we got to enjoy it all to the fullest! We had angel food cupcakes topped with whipped cream and strawberries for dessert, and then went for a walk to try to repair some of the damage done 😅 The kids all were boasting of the “tricks” they could do at the park, so we meandered over so they could show them off. We diapered and jammied the babies for the walk so they could head right to bed upon getting back. Anyway.

This kid is significantly braver than he was a year ago. Never would I have thought I’d see him high up on top of the monkey bars.

Laela is SO naturally athletic, being up high is her jam!

Wavy can do the monkey bars SO much better and faster than I ever would’ve thought! She’s a tiny little machine, but a machine nonetheless.

And these boys are WAY too big to share a saucer swing but MAN were they giggling like goofs 🤣🤣 It was completely hilarious to hear them go from stoked to freaked and back again.

I could not be more grateful for this crew of beautiful young people that I have been given to love and care for. Every last one of them is a completely irreplaceable piece of our family.

And these. Of course I can’t post their faces, but you know the kids I mean. They are also completely precious members of our family, and we are so incredibly fortunate to know them and love them and care for them while they need some backup.

To my dear mama – you and I are so similar. I am incredibly grateful to have grown up under warm watchful eyes and warm wings. We don’t do everything alike, but I believe we have the same ideals, and your example plays a large role in how we parent. Thank you for teaching me, and for loving me so well. I could not be the mom I am without you being the mom you are. So thank you. From the bottom of my heart. I love being a mom, and you taught me how.

I have some more thoughts on Mother’s Day, but maybe I’ll save them for another day. I am ready to wind down for the night. Sleep well, mamas and all others alike 💜 Tomorrow is a fresh start.

Today was our local garage sale day. Its my favorite day of the year. Ask my family. I LOVE shopping garage sales. I don’t go ham or buy too spontaneously, but the same way I love thrift stores, I love garage sales. I also love the social aspect of them. I like running into people I know all day. I like hitting the same spots each year. I like the inevitable long leisurely walk through town that takes hours, and the sunburn (or windburn) we all have by the end of it. And we come home with a few treasures in the bottom of the stroller. I really enjoy garage sale day, if that was unclear.

Do you like our travel mugs?

Today we were out the door shortly after 9am. My mom joined us, and we walked our way around our street. Right at the very beginning, we struck gold, and purchased a blackstone grill. We have a flat top griddle at camp, and we’ve wanted to get one for home as well, but we have a BBQ and thats been fine. Its hard to justify doubles of bigger items like that. But this appliance was in beautiful condition, and was only being sold because the family received a duplicate as a gift. And as I mentioned, it was only a few houses down from ours. So that was a BIG win to start off the day.

We ran into Rae partway through the morning and she joined the group! We continued on and hit the high school grad fundraiser for frozen yogurt. Ten froyos later, we moved further along, snagging a few small things but nothing too crazy. We looped around for fresh homemade donuts before we called it and headed back for lunch and naps. The babies were pooped, and we were all worn out from the sun. We hauled in our few little finds – a small handful of clothes for the babies, a puzzle, and a book or two – and plunked down in the living room. Well, some of us. Most of the kids went downstairs and played cards. My mom went home for a little bit. Babies napped, and Brady and I put in earbuds and watched a little Netflix. It was SO nice.

I’m excited to get the Blackstone going in the next little bit here. Might have to buy another propane tank rather than transferring ours between the two grills. It was a really, really successful shop, and lovely time spent with memories made.

Here’s to next garage sale day!! 🥳

Our Peanut is about four months old. Meanwhile, LD is fourteen months old. And they are less than a pound different in weight. Which is a fun because one is significantly more mobile than the other. The ratios are different, as you can imagine. Anyway.

As we were preparing the Peanuts feedings for the night, Brady pointed out a relevant detail. See, the Peanut has some feeding, swallowing issues, and therefore, needs a little extra care. No big deal. But when Brady noticed this detail, it all made sense.

No wonder.
Our infant.
Is thick.

Infant thickener. Boom. There it is. It’s all so clear now.

Today was track and field day for Dekkers school. This year, however, Dekker has had some procedures on his feet and is out of gym for the rest of the year. So rather than doing the events, Dekker very happily worked at the concession stand all through the morning and lunch. It is SO cool to see him there, working quickly, anticipating needs, and flitting from place to place so quickly and quietly. Everyone who works with him says he is an amazingly hard worker, and I really really love that 💜

As soon as his shift was done, Laela got into her afternoon events! It was SO windy!! Which felt unpleasant, though it saved us from the scorching sun.

Her first event was high jump. She LOVES high jump, and considering how short she is, she is surprisingly good at it!! As she was lining up for her jump, the older student standing by the bar called out “You got this, Laela! I know you do! You’re like a little bunny!” It. Was. SO. CUTE.

While she consistently psyched herself up for jump after jump, Dekker begged to go home, lol! I made him stay and hang out with me 🤣

Triple jump was another event that Laela signed up for. I could never wrap my brain around the order of operations of triple jump, but she kind of nailed it, which was super impressive!

And the 400m was last. She is SUCH a good runner!

It was a different kind of track day, being a grade six student competing against the high school kids, and while she was discouraged to not place high in her events, she practiced great sportsmanship and still had a really, really good time!

I am incredibly proud of my kids. It is always fun going and cheering them on in their endeavours.

Time to tuck in at home for the rest of the day and nurse our windburns.

Brady and I ran back up to camp this morning. We had a meeting planned with our accessibility guy, who we LOVE, by the way. By the time we got there, he had long since arrived, and had already assembled and installed a platform lift for Brady to use for the season to get in and out of the camper with ease! This is an enormous help to us, and we could not be more grateful for his willingness to come all the way up to the lake and help us get situated!

We made some adjustments to things, and we were even taught what we can all do to adapt it to our needs. The wall panels could come off, and things could flip around to be whatever orientation we wanted. We were given the freedom to really do whatever we needed to do to make it work for us. Which was SO cool!

The second part of this scheduled appointment was Brady getting armrests installed on his chair!!! As his needs have changed, Brady was bummed about needing armrests, but he has made every effort to dive into these changes without any pride. Today, when they were installed and he got back into his chair, it seemed like his whole world opened up. I’m pretty sure he was even happier with the armrests than the lift, and that says a LOT!

Once that awesome guy left, we had a cool 45 before we had to be home 😩 which was not enough. Brady worked on some things outside, and I cleaned as best as I could inside with the time we had left. I got the floor pretty clean. I got the kitchen nice and wiped down. Washed up the couple appliances we keep around. I wiped down the other sink area by the bathroom and cleaned the cabinet a bit. I did not clean the toilet because we don’t have running water yet and I want to be able to have some of that available when I’m doing that level of cleaning.

Whats left:

Washing out the fridge. Its bad.
Fixing the drawer that fell apart at the end of last summer.
Install the water heater.
Figure out where in the world to have three playpens and a wheelchair…
(inevitably) Get rid of small couch.
Make all beds.
Move around Camp Chef and BBQ.
Find space for aaaaall the medical supplies.
And!
Every
Thing
Else.

The list was still long, but home we went, and got there in time for me to instantly bail with LD for a visit in the city.

Which we were also on time for! Even time for a quick diaper change in the van before we went in!

Today was a total and complete whirlwind. My body is exhausted. My cough refuses to quit, and my voice will not return, not matter how angry of a face I make at it.

I plan to sleep like a rock tonight. Assuming the Peanut allows for such shenanigans.

Is it seriously only Wednesday??