Recording this so I can one day say "How Did We...?"

I'm following a family that recently had quintuplet girls.  It always helps to keep your situation in perspective!

But with that said, things are hopping around here!

I went back to work on July 1st.  I've jumped back in at our busiest time of year as the ReNEW network is starting the new school year with a few weeks of professional development. I'm quickly getting up to speed and have been jumping around to lots of meetings across our six campuses to lay the groundwork for a new year.  I'm in an enviable role championing reading culture across the network, overseeing our libraries and reading incentive programs.  This year, I'm taking on management of a federal literacy grant.  So I've also been learning about this new role.

I've enjoyed seeing people and I love planning for a new school year. But boy has it been hectic!  Luke will be at daycare at ReNEW (at-work daycare - how cool is this!) but not until next week.  So for the first two weeks, Jacob and I've been tag teaming.  This goes something like this.

Courtney can you meet at X site on Y day at Z time?

"I think so.  Let me check my calendar."  But also let me check Jacob's calendar.  Let me forecast a week ahead of time and imagine when exactly I might need to feed Luke or pump.  Let me factor in driving time. I then set up meeting invites for me and for Jacob.....Meeting time changes.  Try to remember to update both calendar invites and see if it still works with feeding or pumping.

And then there is Jack and Cora.  Because we knew Luke would also be home, we figured it didn't make sense to pay for full day camps.  So Jack and Cora have been at camp only half days.  Jacob and I have split either taking or picking up.  But we couldn't be consistent because I needed to be flexible to varying meeting times.  So every day has been different.

Our little thumb sucker :)

Don't hate us, but it bears mentioning that Luke sleeps about 18 hours a day.  Not joking.  So it's not Luke making this hard, but the volume of scheduling..

But we have made it through 7 of the 10 days!  Adding in naps and a few TV afternoons, we've made it work.  But for Urban South's sake and my sanity, we both need more work time. So when Luke starts daycare next week, the older two will be doing full days at camp.

Jack and Cora are at a Montessori summer camp and love it.  It's a great little spot with shady play yards, two water days per week, healthy snacks, and lots of familiar faces.  Jack, especially, is thriving and it warmed my heart to have his teacher stop me to say "Jack is such a kind little boy."

In the background of our crazy schedules, my kind little boy has been having some serious mood swings.  I've learned that this is Jack.  Every few weeks/months he gets really erratic and then kind of levels out again.  I'm really thankful that this started before I went back to work or else I'd be blaming myself for the change :(

First day of ballet

Cora, on the other hand, is pretty consistently dramatic/erratic over the course of each day :)  She has many moments of sweetness and fun but also always a few meltdowns.  Her night terrors have also picked up and gotten worse :( I'd thought her night terrors were possibly due to the fact that she was no longer napping and possibly was overtired.  But she is napping again and her terrors have gotten more frequent and intense. It's hard to watch your little girl screaming full volume, crying, looking absolutely terrified, but not really seeing that you are there. It's also hard that she hasn't yet accepted the idea that yes, every night we must go to bed. She always looks so offended at bedtime.

 Life is so full.