the siblings project {august 2018}

Well even if I do say so myself... I have been really excelling on the siblings photos lately. (Not so much on the getting this post up on time, but you'll forgive me because its the summer holidays, right?) In fact gone are the days of a last minute rush to get a picture of these guys together, because forget monthly photos, I've been trying to get weekly ones while we're on school holidays. Hows that for overachieving? (Again, if you'll forget the fact I'm four days late posting this...!)

Okay, so lets talk about the summer holidays. I'm finding it a mixed kind of bag really. I'm loving having my little gang together, and I already feel sad just thinking about the fact we're well over half way through, and our long together days will be coming to an end again soon. But of course there have been arguments and voices raised and fallings out and times outs and the occasional swipe at a sibling when they don't think I'm looking. 

Just like everything in parenting, and everything with kids in general, it's a mixture of sunshine and showers... but the mixture makes the rainbow. And I actually think there is something lovely about those tougher days too (although maybe not "in the moment"). Obviously, it goes without saying that it makes my heart sing to see my children playing nicely together, being kind to one another, and saying they are best friends. But at the same time, they are learning so much from the harder times; about negotiation and problem solving, about peace keeping and sharing, about empathy and love. Because even though the arguing gets pretty fierce sometimes, they love each other even more fiercely. 

I thought that this month it might be funny to see some of the instagram photos of our four, and then the outtakes that didn't quite make the grade, but which I also love. So with this first lot, obviously the first one is pretty adorable of all the kids. But the facial expressions in the second one just make me smile so so much. And the relationship between Quinn and Wylder in that third one just melts me.

Then with this lot, I posted the first one because Wylder's unimpressed face really made me smile, especially in contrast to the smiles on the other three. But that second one is adorable; from the way that the boys are leaning into one another, to the way Everly is looking across as her baby brother oh-so-proudly. 

And this last photo doesn't have an outtake because it was a one-shot-wonder, but I simply couldn't leave it out. Because this is real life with four a lot of the time. They smother each other with love and attention, and a lot of the time, I just can't get a look in...!