tired but happy

I am a tired mama. My resident hubby is one tired daddy. My eyes are constantly bloodshot; my eyeballs ache. Toby is overworked (definitely over 80 hours this week) and entirely too sleep deprived. We're in the thick of it, with three girls ages four and under.

I am thankful for our house. It has been wonderful for us... great location, good outside space, cozy. Yes... very cozy. Basically two bedrooms, and Elise has one. When Toby and I crawl into bed we are accompanied by our two babies, not necessarily IN our bed but in the bassinet by our bed (Sylvie) and in a crib in the "nursery" on the other side of a curtain (Claire).

Sylvie wakes just a couple of times a night, but she requires quite a bit of attention before she drifts off into a sound sleep once again. Claire is crazy and fills her diaper at 5am each day. This morning Claire's start-of-the-day-ritual sent Toby to the "guest bed" (a futon in our laundry room) and me and Sylvie to the couch (where, by the way, we could still hear Claire crying despite her freshly changed diaper).

So, because we are in the thick of it... I could spend way too much time and energy focusing on these challenging parenting moments. But I think I've said enough. And I should really be in bed already anyway. So, let me take a moment to switch gears. I need to set aside my preoccupation with how challenging my parenting life is these days and instead share some photo highlights from the past week. I have nothing to complain about... only an amazing family to be thankful for.