Husband Headlines - Broken Bones, Baby Bump, Bye-Bye Football and More

Oh, how I wish I had more time to blog (says every mama blogger on the web).  There's always a dozen stories and post ideas floating around in my head as well as pages of pictures to share, but getting them all organized in this little space can be such a challenge, especially since I haven't figured out how to type with my knees and toes.

My favorite stranger-in-the-grocery-store-statement, My your hands are full! (to which I always reply, Full of love. Full. Of. Love.) has never been more true, especially now that I spend 80% of my day holding Peg-Leg Joey.

My poor little Jophis.

A few weeks ago, a slipper slide on the playground just got the best of him. But, thankfully his little fractured tibia is nearly healed and the cast will be coming off on Friday.  For the first few days after getting the cast put on he was pretty droopy, and was only content if I held him for most of his waking hours.

*Side note: If someone could please explain to me why holding a 28 pound toddler all day does not give me the arms of a cross-fitter, I would really appreciate it.

He made a solid effort to go back to crawling, but that totally shattered his pride.  He couldn't bear the thought of reverting back to his old developmental milestones.

With brothers running mach-80 through the house, he was not about to sit back and watch everyone else shred the carpet without him.  When Steve and I caught him begin to limping around on his cast one morning, we knew he couldn't be stopped.  I wouldn't exactly say that the doctor approved of his peg-leggin' around the house, but as a father of boys, he understood that there would be no stopping him.

Whenever I leave for a run, Charlie asks, "Are you taking *our* baby out for a run, mommy? I love that even our four year old knows that there is another person with us at all times!

In other news, most of you know by now that Tenant #7 is nice and cozy in the uterine apartment. I'm happy to be through the "is she pregnant or just really enjoying pizza and beer brownies now that the marathon is over?" stage.

I don't want to scare anyone away who might possibly be open to having more than two kids, but the truth is, with every successive child after #2, you start to show much earlier than usual. And, should you be blessed with babies beyond say three or four, your uterus will develop a super-ego. Not kidding. I swear she's all, Hey, body, I've totally got this. Professional belly builder right here.(Instantly makes room for triplets).

Maternity clothes at twelve weeks? Super.

On a mixed emotion note, football season is over, and football season is over.  I'm always happy to welcome a pause between sport seasons.  It's just nice to have a couple of weeks to enjoy without the hectic practice and game schedules. But, at the same time, football is by far my favorite sport that the boys play, and seeing another season come to an end kinda makes me sad.

 Both Ben and Andrew proudly wear #24 - their father's number, of course!

Benedict played strong safety for the freshman team at his school this year, and loved it.  With 53 kids on the team, playing time was pretty divided, but he enjoyed every second that he got to play. The move up from city league competition to the high school level was quite a jump, but he hung right in there and loved being part of a winning team that plays for a school known for its great athleticism and strong commitment to sportsmanship.

Could their success possibly be because they kneel on the field in prayer before every game? Hmmmmmm......

BBL (before broken leg) sideline games.

You're goin' down, brother!  If we had to pick one man out of our gang that could make it to the college level, we'd put our money Joseph. As the youngest of 6 boys, he's no wimp!

Andrew played on both sides of the pigskin, outside linebacker and slotback.  His team is so much fun to watch.  They work really hard together as a team and proudly celebrate each other's successes. Finishing the season undefeated was a great accomplishment for them!

We all love to see Andrew run the ball, but honestly, watching him wrap up a good tackle on defense is much more exciting for me.  I admire how fearless he is on the field.

My guys.  Can't you just smell the clean?  Mmmmmm.

And, wrapping up the headlines news is the business of family pictures.  When it comes to family pics, I'm convinced that we mamas do all that planning, primping, and preparing for one person: OURSELVES.

Do you really think our husbands or kids give a hoot about capturing color-coordinated smiles and cleanliness at the same time? Nope. But for me, those precious photos are a sweet reminder that as messy and undone as real life is every day, there's beauty within and underneath it all, and I love how a simple photo has the power to capture that truth.

Thanks for checking in! I hope you're all having a fabulous week!