the boys and the girls

Not so much blogging this week, it's just been super busy (and not only because I'm trying to pick up the slack from a missing house helper - I just finished up the last batch of dishes today, and its almost ten pm.  ugh.) 

Matt and the big kids cancelled camping trip attempt #1 because of too much rain.  Tomorrow is attempt #2 and oh I sure hope it's dry enough for them to go.  It's raining now, and a little mud won't keep them away, but no one wants to camp in drizzle so I'm hoping the rain stops during the night. 

This morning I spotted this scene and scooted to get the camera. 

All three boys playing in the same room.  Not necessarily "playing together", but they were occupying the same space, happily!  Isaac and John Paul are really starting to become buds and while I'm not sure I'll ever be ready for the noise level or the chaos, I'm delighted to see them developing a friendship. 

And Luke is such a social bug, he's just glad to be in the thick of things.  Luke does seem to really like Isaac, even though Isaac is "not even one bit too gentle".  With some of the tough/rough love that Isaac deals out you'd think Luke would burst into tears at the first sight of his biggest brother.  But Luke is much more likely to laugh than cry at Isaac's antics. 

When I group the kids I most often think of them as "the big kids" and "the littles".  Julianna, Lydia, Isaac.  Big.  John Paul and Luke.  Little.

But earlier this morning it was "the boys" and "the girls".  I think as they get older I'll probably see them like this more often.  While their brothers were playing with cars the girls were busy with paper and markers and scissors and glue. 

But despite these pics and this scene, most often its still the bigs and the littles.  Lydia and Isaac spent the bulk of the morning building a huge "car show".  John Paul and Luke stick closer by Mom.  [And Julianna went on a little outing with some of our neighbors and was gone through lunch.] 

I'm eager to see how these relationships and dynamics grow, develop, change over the next months and years.  I'm also really enjoying exactly where we are right now. 

{although I'd enjoy it a lot more if Luke would let us get some decent rest... I'm now suspecting he might have reflux?  Anyone with experience with that?  At six months old, he is up multiple times a night, naps terribly, fussy during feedings, etc.  While he has better days and some nicer stretches he is still a pretty tricky baby.  The good news is when is awake (and not eating) he is a sweet, happy, smiley little guy.}