You may have noticed that the virtual documenting of this Baysinger family has slowed nearly to a stop.
Well, there is a good reason for that. Or at least there was a good reason for that.
I like to call it "The 4th Trimester" when my world looks like this:
This 4th Trimester takes place during the first few months after having a baby and it keeps a mama and her family quite busy and is marked by several key moments/events/transitions.
Allow me to elaborate.
There are Baby Introductions.
You know, when people come by after you get home from the hospital to hold and squeeze your cute new little bundle for the first time.
Grandpa Baysinger
Aunt Amber
Grandpa Breakall
Grandma Breakall
The baby does nothing but sleep. You do nothing but wish for sleep.
I know, it doesn't make sense. It's just the way it is.
You Wear Your Baby
No, not because you miss hauling another human being around 24/7 but because the baby misses being hauled around 24/7. So this is how you find peace. And how you accomplish approximately half of one to-do item each day.
You Fool Yourself into Thinking You Can Still Do It All
Like when the week after your baby is born is Easter and General Conference and your oldest daughter's birthday...and you still go to all of the events.
Easter Morning Egg Hunt
Easter Chocolate Bunnies
Easter morning Sunday best with Grandma Breakall
Lynnden: Easter egg hunt at Grandma Baysinger's
Rori: Easter egg hunt at Grandma Baysinger's
Grandma Baysinger and Lynnden at
Easter egg hunt at Grandma Baysinger's
Kailey and Ammely:
Easter egg hunt at Grandma Baysinger's
Royal flying Ammon at Easter egg hunt at Grandma Baysinger's
Reality Hits You Repeatedly and Reminds You That You CANNOT Still Do Everything
It will come again with time. But at this time, in the 4th Trimester, the answer is just no. I do NOT have it all together.
The baby wipes. ALL of the baby wipes. "Here Mommy!"
Was I making bread? Must've forgot...
No words. There are no words.
I guess now is a good time to start practicing up on my Spanish. HA! Or maybe I should just pay better attention when requesting things from the library.
Again with the diaper wipes. AND the goldfish. In one night.
You know you're a little behind on this whole parenting thing when you find your kids sleeping on the stairs.Could we not help her to the top? To her bed? Nope. Guess not.
You Relearn How to Stretch Out Your Time to EACH of Your Children
This comes in pieces, but it comes.
Playing in a sink of bubbles. One of my more awesome mothering moments according to my children.
...but let's face it. The baby gets most of your time and attention. Which leads us to the next point...
Irrational Number of Pictures of Your Baby
Seriously. And each picture has about 15 variations.
Speaking of Irrational...Haircuts!
I couldn't deal with it anymore. I just couldn't. So I took Ammely and we got matching haricuts - Ammely's first real haircut in her four years of life!
Marveling at the Miracle of "Siblinghood"
As amazing as it is how much you love your baby, it is equally amazing at how much your babies love each other. Family is a real, intangible thing.
Grateful for Help
In this prideful world it's easy to try to do everything all by yourself. During the 4th Trimester, life humbles you down and you are grateful for every piece of help that comes your way.
So grateful for the many delicious meals from so many wonderful people.
So grateful for the times someone else came to give my older children some attention and entertainment.
Always grateful when someone else holds and loves on the baby, allowing me to get something done. Like a shower. Or a nap. Or some cleaning.
Baby Blessing Day
As you may well remember from Ammely and Lynnden, Blessing Day is one of my favorite days in this period of time. It's the day I feel like life comes into balance. Up until then, bringing this new life into the world is largely my responsibility and burden to bear. On blessing day, this balances out as I hand over that baby and place it in priesthood arms with all of the correlating priesthood responsibilities and burdens that come with raising and rescuing this child.
Clark's blessing day was every bit beautiful. I could not have asked for a more perfect day. So many loved ones were there and contributed to the day and the food. There was just such a sweet peace and spirit over the entire day - very similar to the one Clark has brought into our home. He's a calmer, gentler spirit than the girls. He has been just exactly what our family needs.
The men of the blessing circle.
Clark Alan, son of Ammon Alan, son of Rory Alan.
Clark. Kent. Do you get it? Do you?! HA!
Mommy and Clark
Grandma Breakall and Clark
Kailey and Clark
Grandpa Lords and Clark
He is perfect, adding so much to our perfectly imperfect lives.
Hopefully, this mama will be able to get back on top of things so you all can know just what I am talking about. And so I can remember always this delicious and delirious stage of life.
